We've researched, mused over and debated dozens of travel products that would make the ultimate Christmas present. We've spoken to travellers from across the world to find out what their most coveted and most trusted travel products are, and here is iloho's list of the top 10 luxury Christmas presents for travellers.

From decadent accessories to luxe luggage to services that will soothe travel aches and pains. These gift suggestions, whilst luxurious, are not meant to be wildly unobtainable or garishly ostentatious. They are things that real travellers really want, and they will all look fantastic under the tree!

1. Cashmere Travel Blanket

Give yourself an instant upgrade by travelling with a cashmere blanket. Forget about cashing in your hard-earned airmiles or grovelling to the check-in staff, instead wrap yourself in cashmere and make economy class feel like business and business feel like first. Frequent traveller, Katherine from London, says: "I was given a cashmere blanket by my boyfriend last year after months of grovelling. I travel a lot and if I'm stuck at an airport or have to fly long-haul it's a little slice of luxury that makes life on the road a lot more comfortable." We love Brora's cashmere blankets (£329/$489), which measure 190 x 140cm and come in six different colours. Click here for more information.

2. Noise Cancelling Headphones

We all know silence is golden, but peace and quiet can be tough to achieve when engine roar and crying babies enter the equation. Noise cancelling headphones have changed the way some people travel; one Flyertalk.com member says: "The Bose QC2s I have had a huge impact on my comfort on flights. I even feel more rested when I use them." Well, make way for the new Bose QC3 headphones (£275/$349), which are more compact than their predecessors with the same level of performance. As well as drowning out surround sounds these headphones come with a detachable cord to connect MP3, DVD and CD players, or to plug into an in-flight entertainment system. It's oh so quiet… Click here for more information.

3. Digital SLR

A top-of-the-range digital SLR consistently delivers rich, high-quality images, capturing your most incredible travel moments for years to come. SLR evangelists swear that the image quality is so far superior to standard compact cameras that once you start using one you will never go back (and that your travel photos will be the envy of all your friends). Nikon released the D90 digital SLR (£849.99/$999.95) in August of this year, which is successor to the popular D80 model. It is a high-end consumer camera with 12.3 megapixel resolution that, in the words of Hong Kong-based iloho user Gadgetlover, "is large enough to capture those great moments, but small enough to travel there with you." Click here for more information.

4. Weekend Bag

A smart weekend bag amps up your travel style in an instant, and classic models will never go out of fashion; they are stylish and functional and make a fantastically indulgent Christmas present. Anna, an iloho user from Sydney, says of her new Italian suede weekend bag: "It's definitely not a necessity, but it is beautiful and it makes me feel good when I travel." We like the Mulberry Large Racing Clipper (£350/$625), which works well for both male and female travellers.

5. iPhone 3G

It's slick and sexy and seriously functional. The iPhone combines three products in one — a 3G phone, widescreen iPod, and Internet device — perfect for travellers. Better still, the iPhone incorporates GPS technology and live tracking so you can forget all about cumbersome city maps. If you find yourself dying for a cappuccino in Rome you can search for "coffee" and the iPhone will show you every café nearby. There's a host of travel applications you can download too, such as language translators, currency convertors and real-time flight tracking. For more information, and prices, click here.

It won't be available for Christmas, but keep your eyes peeled for the launch of the nüvifone, a touchscreen device that combines a phone, mobile web-browser, and cutting-edge personal navigator, scheduled to hit the shelves in early 2009.

6. Travel Wallet

Digging out passports, hotel confirmations, e-tickets and addresses can be both tedious and time consuming when you are travelling. Make someone very happy by organising their trav-min with a chic travel wallet. Smythson has a great range of styles to suit men and women alike from £175/approx. $260. As 33-year old London-based lawyer Emily says, "When you're travelling it's essential to have everything in one place." Visit smythson.com for more information.

7. VIP Lounge Membership

It won't breakdown, works in airports across the world and helps you escape the chaos of delays, cancellations and crowded departure floors no matter which airline you fly with and in what class of travel. For a frequent traveller VIP lounge membership makes a fantastic gift. Simbad, an iloho user in Hong Kong says: "Having lounge membership makes business travel much easier. I am on the road a lot with my job, and knowing that wherever I go I can always connect to WiFi, eat and drink at no extra cost and relax in peace and quiet before my flight is both practical and reassuring." There are several VIP lounge programmes you can register with; one of the most popular is Priority Pass, which gives members access to 500 lounges in 90 countries worldwide and costs from $79/£55 per year. For more information click here.

8. Luxury travel pillow

For travellers who have problems sleeping on planes, trains or in hotel rooms a duck or goose down travel pillow will make a fantastic gift. There are a myriad of shapes and sizes, but this lightweight goose down travel pillow (from $24) compacts to a mere 5" X 7.5". For travellers looking for more support, the memory foam Komfort Kollar ($59.85/£40) is an excellent choice. Designed by a leading spinal surgeon the collar supports the head, neck and spine from every angle. Emma, 25, a frequent traveller from Macau says, "A good quality travel pillow is invaluable. When my flight is delayed and on long journeys my duck down pillow is worth its weight in gold."

9. Games Set

Don't know a Wii from a PS3? Don't worry. What better way to while away a couple of hours of travel downtime than with a classic chess or backgammon set? Pickett, British luxury goods supplier, makes a great travel-friendly backgammon and chess set in leather with magnetic pigskin pieces (£399/$593). The company offers a bespoke service too so your backgammon / chess board can be customised to your exact specifications. Click here for more information.

10. Quintessentially Membership

What better present for the discerning jetsetter in your life than a whatever / wherever concierge service that's accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? The Quintessentially team is on hand for everything from solving pressing practical problems – such as organising a rescue mission for a member in a snowed under ski chalet – to making dinner reservations to booking and advising on incredible travel experiences, like an Indiana Jones-style adventure in Jordan, visiting the Cairo Museum afterhours with a leading Egyptologist, and touring the wine yards of Mendoza, Argentina in a classic rally car. The headaches involved in organising overseas business meetings, perfecting a romantic getaway and keeping everyone on a family holiday happy will become a thing of the past. For more information and membership costs in your region click here.

For tips on shopping around the world click here. To join iloho's group "Shopaholics of the World Unite" click here.

The festive season is well and truly upon us, and the kindly lot at Make the Great Escape are busy spreading the Christmas cheer.

Next week they launch "A Week of Giving." From the 10th to 15th of December the site will feature "travels which will not only broaden peoples views and get them away from their home, but will also help other people 'escape' from hardship and trying times."

So visit the site for top tips on different ways to travel, both domestically and internationally, and advice on furthering a worthy cause.

And get your egg whisks ready, because the week culminates with a bake-athon that would make Nigella proud; the MTGE team will be whipping up over 1,000 cookies to deliver to the fire, rescue, sheriff and police stations in Loudon County, Virginia, as a thank you for all of the hard work they do throughout the year.

Show your support by visiting Make the Great Escape next week. In their words, "with it so cold outside, I’m sure everyone could use a warm and fuzzy feeling right about now!"

Advent is still ten days away, but everywhere you go Jingle Bells is already on repeat. About to tear your hair out? So am I.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, just not in a tinsel strewn shopping mall, Starbucks festive latte kind of way. Omnipresent decorations have made me feel stressed about my Christmas shopping list, and it’s still only November!

So, if I had my way I’d escape from this fake winter wonderland to a place where Christmas isn’t a big deal, or any deal for that matter. I’d browse bulging bazaars and seek out unique treats that made me genuinely excited about someone unwrapping them. I’d swap Bing Crosby for the call to prayer and mulled wine for a medina.

Without further ado, here’s where I’d go to escape the pre-Christmas nightmare whilst indulging in some serious retail therapy at the same time.

• Istanbul, Turkey: The Blue Mosque, Byzantine bazaars and the Bosphorus. What better backdrop for a spending spree? Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is allegedly the world’s oldest shopping centre. So what are you still sitting in front of your computer for? Head there now for stunning jewellery, top-notch fabrics, fab food and nightlife that goes on till dawn. Hooray.

• Udaipur, India: Some people head to India to attain spiritual nirvana. I guarantee that in Udaipur you’ll find retail nirvana. Hailed as the most romantic spot in all of India, Udaipur is home hundreds of artists. You can pick up fantastically unique miniature paintings, handmade paper, vibrant sari silks, amazing jewellery, antique furniture and much, much more. Just watch out for the elephants: eco city transport Indian style.

• Marrakech, Morocco: Being let loose in the souks of Marrakech feels like Christmas has come early; spices and slippers, lanterns and leather, tagines and tablecloths. There is so much on offer in Marrakech that you could easily stock up for the next ten Christmases. The noise of bartering blends in with the smells and sights of the old, old medina. A magical place to shop.

• Hanoi, Vietnam: Hanoi is so hot right now. This French colonial gem is bursting with art, history and first class shopping. Visit Vietnamese artists in their studios, commission tailormade handbags and accessories and sniff out great antiques. Head for Hang Gai street and put those elves to shame.

• Tokyo, Japan: Hello heady consumerism, Santa Claus really is coming to town. Big lights, futuristic shopping centres and edgy boutiques. I think that says it all.