I flew on Saturday directly from London Heathrow to Las Vegas, where the world's biggest luxury travel conference was beginning. Team members Kendall and Shanna arrived a day earlier than that as events for them began on Saturday and continue through Thursday. To give you an idea of the scale of the event and our commitment to keeping existing supplier relationships fruitful while at the same time curating new connections, we have 3 different "tracks" for our meetings. For Monday through Thursday our schedule has us with 36 meetings a day, so 144 each for the week, 432 total for the team, and that's before separate breakfast, lunch and dinner connections. It's rather epic and takes over the full event space of both Aria and Bellagio Hotels.
Nine years in to the travel business and I am still always ready to learn more and this week is the perfect opportunity. Today's and next week's blog articles will feature a couple of Top 5's for new finds that have the team away.
Top 5 - Virtuoso Travel Week pt. 1
1. The Ned London (above and below)
A Virtuoso property that we missed visiting on our April team trip, but having just seen their presentation, I regret that. Everything is bigger, and more glam, at The Ned London. Spanning 30,000 square meters, this modern-meets-1920’s-era hotel boasts rooms and suites with four-poster beds, vintage bar cabinets, and marble mosaic bathrooms. It also features ten restaurants and bars under one roof, Ned’s Club Spa offering a variety of relaxing treatments and a pool, and a gym worthy of any fitness fanatic offering Peloton bikes, functional training rigs, a 46-foot sled track, spinning studio and over 30 fitness classes per week.
Top Tip:
The Vault Bar & Lounge (below) is a late-night club space in the original bank vault at The Ned in London. The Vault Bar is a members-only bar that some say is a fabulous place with lots of history. Only guests booked with a Virtuoso advisor have acces to this amazing space.
Our additional Virtuoso amenities:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Breakfast credit for up to two guests per bedroom ($32 per person, per day as a credit to be used in restaurants)
- $100 equivalent credit to be utilized during stay
- Suite bookings will also receive a complimentary Bottle of Champagne
- Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
2. Six Senses Zil Payson, Seychelles (above and below)
Find oneness with nature at Six Senses Zil Pasyon. Blending seamlessly with the dramatic landscape on Félicité, a private island gem in the Seychelles, the 33 generous villas and residences were specifically designed to not be seen from the sea, and each features its own infinity-edge pool. Individualized wellness programs focus on better sleep, mindful eating, and elevating your yogic practice; the spa offers African-inspired therapies like garcinia- and green-coffee-infused body treatments. Three pristine beaches are your base for kayaking, swimming with turtles, and trawling with local fisherfolk.
Top Tip:
Stay ten nights in one of the villas and receive complimentary round-trip helicopter transfers.
Your Virtuoso amenities:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
- $100 equivalent Resort credit utilized during stay
- Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
3. Aqua Expeditions (above and below)
Yes, we featured this small cruise line just last week, but here they are again as they impressed me so much in my meeting with them yesterday.
A recognized global leader in luxury small-ship expeditions, Aqua Expeditions explores the world’s most biodiverse and culturally significant destinations aboard best-in-class vessels. Expect tailored five-star itineraries, a highly exclusive 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, world-class dining, and small group expert-guided activities and excursions. Aqua Expeditions operates river explorations on the Amazon (Peru), the Mekong (Cambodia and Vietnam), and coastal yacht voyages to Komodo National Park, Ambon and the Spice Islands, as well as Raja Ampat (East Indonesia), with the latest superyacht sailing the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) since June 2022.
4. Airelles Gordes, La Bastide, France (above and below)
In the very heart of Gordes, in a village suspended between the sky and the lavender fields, set atop a rocky outcrop, the stately and elegant Airelles Gordes, La Bastide offers panoramic views over the unique Luberon valley. With its sumptuous decor and its 2,000 artworks in the 34 rooms and six suites, this ancestral residence reflects the 18th century in all its glory and invites guests to travel in time. Carved into the rock, Le Spa Airelles is an invitation to focus on inner well-being. Away from the heat, the spa enables guests to savor an organic form of happiness. La Bastide de Gordes is a destination in and of itself.
Top Tip:
The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, a Cistercian abbey, is one of the best places to see Provence's famed lavender fields. Founded in 1148, the abbey welcomes visitors and provides overnight retreats.
Your Virtuoso amenities:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
- $100 equivalent Food & Beverage credit to be utilized during stay
- Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
5. Tutka Bay Lodge, Alaska (above and below)
Alaska without the crowds...
Tutka Bay Lodge is at the entrance to a nine-mile fjord at the southern end of Kachemak Bay, near Homer, Alaska. Watch whales and sea otters as eagles soar overhead. Try hiking through a magical old-growth forest or sea kayaking in the bay. In the main lodge, guests gather for cooking classes and award-winning cuisine. The lodge offers guided deep-sea fishing or bear viewing on the Katmai Coast and evening wildlife tours on the bay. Six cozy cabins offer sweeping views and rustic seaside luxury. Tutka Bay offers complimentary yoga, wellness activities, and cooking classes, as well as wine and cheese tastings in its peaceful cove.
Top Tip:
Monster halibut lurk just offshore, so try to make some time for world-class ocean fishing.
Your Virtuoso amenities:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
- $100 Resort credit to be utilized during stay
- Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
If you're ready to take your vacation to the next level with our Virtuoso connections we would love to introduce you to a trip you did not know was even possible.
I love travel and I love travel planning just as much and I am proud to have built a team as passionate about exploring the world as myself. It took me a very long time to align my career with my undeniable passion for exploring, but now I and the team are here for you. Your personal travel tailors - award reservation and luxury custom itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.
