Eater.com has just released a list of the 10 hardest restaurant reservations to get in the world — and also offers tips on how to defy the odds and squeak one in.

Not surprisingly, Danish chef Rene Redzepi’s restaurant Noma topped food blog Eater.com’s list, as it receives 20,000 reservation requests a day.

The Copenhagen restaurant has quickly filled the vacuum left behind by the closure of legendary Spanish restaurant el Bulli last year.

In an awards ceremony dubbed the Oscars of the luxury world held in Beijing, the World Luxury Association (WLA) announced the top 100 brands in categories like aircraft, yachts, cars, fashion, jewelry, cosmetics and liquor.

Among the mostly French wine and spirits brands, Guatemalan brand Ron Zacapa and Scottish single malt producer Macallan also made the list.

Heritage French and Italian fashion brands make up a list of the world’s most valuable labels following a compilation by the World Luxury Association (WLA).

The World’s Most Valuable Luxury Brands Top 100 provides rankings in areas including yachts, cars and resorts, although a large focus is on the fashion arena.

The Top 100 is based on luxury brands’ influence on a global scale and they take into account factors such as market share and consumer feedback.

TripAdvisor has announced the results of its 2012 Travelers Choice awards, recognizing the best hotels around the world as reviewed by its users.

The site crowned The Phoenix Resort in Belize, a 30-condo beachfront property in San Pedro, as the best hotel in the world.

In second place was Anastasis Apartments in Imerovigli, Greece, while another Belize property, the Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, took third place.

Gift-giving has long been an integral part of life in mainland China and now a new survey has lifted the lid on just what it is the country’s rich have been handing out.

The “Top 10 Gifts for the Chinese Luxury Consumer 2012″ was compiled by Hurun Report and looked at what China’s wealthy liked to give to their friends.

The timing of the report is perfect, too, as the Chinese New Year period is traditionally the time when gifts are given to friends, family and business associates.

Below are the top ten most viewed stories from throughout 2011 – just click on the links to enjoy them again.