Travel Horizons: London

Showing posts with label London. Show all posts

5.19.2021

JetBlue Mint across the Pond

Exciting news, thanks to my friend Ben at One Mile at a Time... JetBlue has announced its Mint service from JFK to London. One daily flight starts 12AUG to Heathrow, and a second daily flight starts 30AUG to Gatwick.

Here's the outbound schedule to London:

dep JFK at 9:48 p.m., arr. LHR at 10:10 a.m.
dep JFK at 7:48 p.m., arr. LGW at 7:55 a.m.

Here's the return flight back to New York:

dep. LHR at 6:10 pm., arr. JFK 9:35 p.m.
dep. LGW at 12:10 p.m., arr JFK 3:43 p.m.

Round-trip in JetBlue's lie-flat Mint class seat starts at $1,979, per the airline's website. Combined with a comfortable lie-flat seat and JetBlue's great catering, this is quite a value.

When you're ready to plan luxury travel to London, we can accessorize your flights with stays in five star luxury hotels ... with Virtuoso amenities including daily complimentary breakfast for two + a $100 hotel credit towards F&B or spa, all at the same price you'll find on hotel websites.

London has some of the world's best hotels. Have you been thinking about a trip to England in this fall?

2.23.2021

travel advisors | saving time, money, and energy

It wasn't the primary purpose of our meeting. I was in my banker's office taking care of business with our checking account. As soon as our business was concluded, my banker wanted to talk about travel. He spoke of the Viking river cruises he had enjoyed with his wife and how much he loved traveling to Europe. He shared his plans to travel with his parents this summer to London. His parents being first-time visitors to Europe, he feels they will feel more comfortable visiting where English is spoken.

But it would be a shame, he thought, to go all the way to London without setting foot in Paris. He talked about his plans for their final day, a day trip to Paris. They'd take the Eurostar to Paris in the morning, spend several hours seeing some of the major sights in the City of Light, then take the train back to London in the evening.

My mind immediately saw the problem with this scheme. It's doable to take the Eurostar round-trip in single day, but it's not ideal. You'll be spending four-and-one-half total hours on trains. It will take added time to get transfers to train stations ... and even more time to get processed through French passport control going ... and UK passport control on the return. This day trip will require probably 7 total hours of traveling time. It will turn out to be quite an exhausting day.

So I shared Plan B. Don't buy round-trip flights to London. Book an open-jaw itinerary (fly outbound to London, return from Paris). The cost is virtually the same. Spend your entire last day in Paris.

Begin the day taking an early morning train to Paris. Arriving at perhaps 10 a.m., you have time to spend an entire day in Paris. Invest in a great local guide who can work with you in advance to plan an itinerary that will let you experience Paris the way you want. Then celebrate your trip with a final dinner, perhaps in a typical French bistro such as Chez Janou. Spend the evening in a cute Left Bank hotel such as Relais Christine, then leave for the Paris airport the next morning.

I wasn't trying to sell travel services to my banker, but with my mention of open-jaw tickets, he saw possibilities he hadn't considered. We live in a plan-it-yourself, google-can-be-my-travel-agent world, but think about the value of working with an experienced travel advisor, someone who will sweat the logistics, create an itinerary you can sit back and enjoy, and help you make the most of your precious time, money, and energy.

Click here to sign up for the Ourisman Travel Newsletter.

8.17.2020

travel souvenirs — part 8

This lamb came home with me from London where I was a guest at The Goring, an outstanding boutique hotel in London. Right around the corner from Buckingham Palace, The Goring has served the Palace as a royal guest house from time-to-time, hosting the Middleton family before Princess Kate's marriage to Prince William.

Stay at The Goring to experience authentic local character. If you're looking for sleek contemporary interiors with the latest 21st century innovations, look elsewhere... but for the epitome of traditional British ambiance, you can do no better than the Goring, owned and operated by the Goring family for generations.

Book a Deluxe Garden View (or higher) for a view overlooking one of the largest private gardens in London. The photo below, shot from the back of the gardens, shows the back of the hotel. Check out this post for a photo of the hotel's entrance.

Click here to sign up for the Ourisman Travel Newsletter

copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

6.22.2020

whatever happened to overtourism?

Overtourism was travel's biggest problem in 2019. I took the photograph above when I visited Rome in 2019 while on a walking tour of the city. The first time I came to the Piazza di Trevi in 1978, there might have been a half dozen tourists viewing the fountain. When I returned in 2019, the crowds were so thick that tossing three coins in the fountain would have been nearly impossible.

Scenes like this were rampant throughout the world as recently as last year. Do you remember the crowds at...

Venice's Piazza San Marco — passengers from massive cruise ships occupying every square inch of the square, queued in endless lines just to enter the Basilica and the Doge's Palace.

London's Crown Jewels in the Tower of London — after standing in line for a chance to see these royal treasures, being rewarded with just a very few seconds in front of the jewels as the moving conveyer took you relentlessly by.

Paris's Mona Lisa, star attraction of the Louvre — after enduring snaking admission and security lines and following signs to the "Jaconde," finding yourself in a gallery filled with hundreds of tourists jammed around a rather small painting on the wall.

We've experienced all of this. We've seen the lines to get into St. Catherine's Palace (pictured above) and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. We've been jammed into crowded galleries at Vatican Museum in Rome and Versailles outside Paris. We've witnessed thousands of tourists in front of the Main Gate to Buckingham Palace to view the Changing of the Guard.

We can help our clients skip lines, enjoy exclusive access to experiences most tourists don't know about, or even score private visits before or after public visiting hours — when travel comes back...

But for now in 2020, the problem is no longer overtourism. The issue is Covid-19 and the need to practice social distancing. What will world travel look like once we have developed an effective vaccine? Do we need to reimagine travel? This article from The Guardian makes one argument. What do you think?

copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

2.04.2020

"doing" travel?

It's almost a cliché...

We want to do Paris. We want to climb the Eiffel Tower, shop the Champs-Elysées, see the Arc du Triomphe, swing by the Mona Lisa, then take the kids to Euro Disney so they don't get bored.

I read comments like this all the time, and they could make me scream. Some tourists seem to approach travel by googling "top ten attractions" in a given city, then checking as many of those "top ten" off their list before they're off to their next destination. People talk about "doing" Paris, London, or Rome.

No client has ever said... The quotation at the top of this article is from Kristi Marcelle, a gifted Virtuoso colleague of mine. Her statement is so on target. I think of travel as the greatest human adventure, an opportunity to expand our horizons by immersing ourselves in different cultures, experiencing countless different ways of being in this world.

The most lasting memories of a trip are invariably those unscripted moments when we depart the beaten path, when we move deliberately away from where the crowds are gathered (e.g., the Eiffel Tower). Simply explore! Dare to wander off in whatever direction your curiosity leads you. Explore neighborhoods where non-tourists live, work, eat, and shop. Sure, you might get lost ... but what you discover while getting lost will provide the lasting memory from your trip. Then, when you've walked as far as you want, just book an Uber to take you back to your hotel.

You might discover a hidden residential street and find charming houses like the one above at 40 Square Montsouris in Paris. Did you even know that streets like this exist in Paris?

1.06.2020

clients choice awards — part two

Last week's blog featured the top five hotels booked by my clients in 2019. My methodology was quite simple — the hotels were ranked in order of the total dollars spent by my clients over the course of 2019. At the very top were some of my very favorite hotels and resorts in the world: #1 - Four Seasons Hualalai, #2 - Ritz-Carlton Dorado Beach, #3 - Four Seasons Maui, #4 - Le Meurice, and #5 - Peninsula Tokyo.

Rounding out my clients' top ten are five likewise brilliant choices, including one unexpected surprise.

#6 — Rocco Forte Brown's Hotel. A city full of great hotels, Brown's Hotel came in at the very top of London's hotel choices in 2019. A very traditional luxury hotel located in Mayfair, the hotel was founded in 1837. Comprised of eleven Georgian townhouses, you'll enjoy 21st century comforts within the hotel's lovingly renewed 19th century British architecture. Guests looking for a hotel with an unmistakable British atmosphere should definitely consider Brown's.

#7 — Four Seasons Orlando. Are your kids begging you to take them to Disney World? Four Seasons is the obvious choice for luxury-minded guests. Located within the Disney complex, guests enjoy early park admission each morning with complimentary transfers provided to and from the theme parks (so you don't have to bother with parking). An on-resort Concierge is the perfect resource to plan your Disney adventure, guests in Park View rooms can view the nightly fireworks in their pajamas ... and the most brilliant feature of all? Leave the theme park in the afternoon when it's hot and crowded, and relax while your kids enjoy the Splash Zone pool at Four Seasons.

#8 — Marbella Club. A golf and beach resort on the Andalucian coast, think of Marbella Club as a luxurious but exotic destination for a family beach vacation in sunny Spain. A Kids Club offers activities for children, golfers will enjoy complimentary greens fees on the resort's exclusive 18-hole golf course, and guests can pamper themselves at the resort's Thalasso Spa. Don't forget the cultural opportunities — it's a five minute drive to Old Town Marbella and just 90 minutes to the not-to-be-missed Ahambra Palace in Granada.

#9 — Silversea Cruises. Yes, we book cruises, and I've done a fair amount of cruising myself over the past couple of years... but let's differentiate between true "luxury" cruise lines such as Silversea vs. lesser "premium" cruise lines. Silversea offers intimate ships (300 rooms or smaller), larger rooms with nothing but ocean views, fine dining with specialty restaurants included, no added charges for select wines and liquors, and gratuities included. Find an itinerary that intrigues you, and you'll pack and unpack just one time. Oh ... and that sale price you pay to get on a premium ship matters little; it's the price you have to pay when you get off. All-inclusive luxury means ... no unpleasant surprises!

#10 — Montage Los Cabos. One of the new resorts in Los Cabos, Montage has impressed everyone who's stayed. Here's what one very happy client wrote after his stay: "Montage Cabo absolutely blew us away. It is by far the best resort in the area by a mile and we wouldn’t go anywhere else now... In addition to the typical Montage highest standard of service, food, rooms, etc., the swimmable beach is gorgeous. Never seen a beach like that anywhere in Mexico." High praise, indeed!

I can offer the following amenities at the above hotels through Virtuoso, Sir Rocco's Knights, and Four Seasons Preferred Partner — and on select Silversea cruises through Virtuoso Voyages. While the details differ slightly by property, you'll receive at least the following at these hotels:

daily breakfast for two
$100 hotel credit towards incidental expenses
room upgrade if available
early check-in and late check-out if available
complimentary internet

Get in touch for the full details!

4.08.2019

off-the-beaten path in London

An experienced traveler who's been to London before posed this question:

I've seen all the major sites, including some further afield sights (Oxford, Bletchley Park, Windsor Castle), although I do plan to drop into the Victoria & Albert because I love it so. Exploring markets is another priority.

But aside from that, what hidden gem parks or museums or neighborhoods have you encountered that warrant my time?

Here are some opportunities that are off the beaten path...

Take a walking tour of East London. While you can certainly walk through this neighborhood all by yourself, it's infinitely more interesting and informative to go along with a well-informed guide. You can join a scheduled public tour (google walking tours London), or for a tour at your own pace that's focused on your and your interests, we can find you an expert Blue Badge guide. East London is a mix of old and new. You'll enjoy shopping in the Old Spitalfields Market, walking past historic buildings, learning about the history of the neighborhood, and viewing some quite interesting street art.

Explore London's secret Underground. The Charing Cross tube station contains the entrance to a virtually unknown secret hideaway. Located behind locked gates, you can get a tour of an empty, unused subway station and tube. You've probably seen it on movies with London underground scenes, and one of the coolest parts of the exhibit is a video presentation of some of the movies that have been shot in this secret location.

Experience the Changing of the Guard inside the Wellington Barracks. Thousands of tourists per day crowd in front of Buckingham Palace to witness the daily 11 a.m. changing of the guards, perhaps London's most popular tourist attraction. But savvy tourists can watch the spectacle from inside the Wellington Barracks (where the guard lives). You'll be up close and personal with the guard, enjoy their daily band concert with literally no one between you and the soldiers, and watch as they march down the short spur to Buckingham Palace.

View the Ceremony of the Keys. An uniquely British Experience, this ceremony take place nightly when the Tower of London closes for the evening. While the limited public tickets are usually reserved far in advance, our contacts might be able to get you space to view this little-known example of royal pageantry.

Sit in Churchill's chair. The general public can queue up to buy tickets to see the Churchill War Rooms, and they'll be part of a long line of tourists peering through the plexiglass window into the room where Churchill's war cabinet met. Sometimes, they'll see a small group of tourists inside the room, actually sitting in Churchill's chair, and wonder, "Just who are those VIP's?" We can get make you one of those VIP's!

Want a ticket to a sold-out V&A special exhibition? If you've booked a stay at nearby Egerton House Hotel through a Virtuoso travel advisor, you get an exclusive pair of member tickets to all current exhibitions with full access to the members lounge. You'll also received a fully daily English breakfast daily for two, Afternoon Tea for two, a martini making lesson, an upgrade if available, and a one-way airport transfer for Suite bookings of three or more nights. (You can even book online using this link).

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

4.01.2019

book Silversea in April | bonus $250 gift card

First of all, this is a gorgeous itinerary. You spend your first evening in London, then set sail the next day on the Thames going under the Tower Bridge. Heading out to sea, your ship (the Silver Wind) cruises through the North Sea toward the gorgeous western coast of Norway. Norway's fjords are the most beautiful place I've ever been.

Second, you're on Silversea enjoying the intimacy of a small ship with just 296 guests with so much included in your fare — including round-trip airfare, transfers, an upgrade at booking, butler service, unlimited Free WiFi, beverages including champagne and select wines and spirits, complimentary transportation into town in most ports, and included gratuities.

Third, you receive a $250 Visa gift card in addition to any other promotions, including Virtuoso Voyages amenities for selected cruises. This exclusive offer is available from any Brownell Travel advisor, including the team at Ourisman Travel.

Finally, this offer is value on ANY Silversea cruise (including this particular cruise that captured my imagination). Just make your booking during April, 2019.

1.24.2019

postcard from London | Picadilly Circus

The photograph above was taken in the summer of 1969. I had just graduated from high school, the summer before beginning college. For a graduation gift, I asked for a trip to Europe, and my parents arranged an experience that included stays in London, Amsterdam, and Paris followed by several weeks at the University of Grenoble (with day trips on the weekends) where I studied French, adding to five years of French in secondary school. It was a memorable trip, one that helped nurture a lifelong passion for travel.

I brought my film camera along, a Minolta SRT 101 with several different lenses. Photography had been my avocation even as a teenager. My 1969 photo shows Picadilly Circus with the billboards as they appeared behind the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain fifty years ago.

Skip forward fifty years, and you can see the changes. There's now a LOT more traffic, and it would be impossible to capture the scene with no vehicles in the foreground. The static billboards have been replaced with ever-changing advertisements shown on LED screens. (Coca Cola is still the most prominent advertiser.) The displays move across the screen, and video snippets including an effervescent glass of Coke, a Turkish Airline plane landing in Istanbul, and advertisements from companies ranging from Samsung to Audemars Piguet, from Hyundai to Alexander McQueen. My suite at Hotel Café Royal (#422) looks right out onto the display, and I asked the housekeepers to keep open the curtains of my living room so that I could enjoy the 24-hour show.

Travel creates the milestones of our lives. Each return visit brings back memories of experiences past and the hope for new memories to come.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit our website.

1.22.2019

postcard from London | Hidden London

The simplest things often offer life's most exclusive experiences. I never knew there was a "secret" tube station in London, but one in fact exists. Charing Cross is one of London's busiest subway stops, multiple lines converging at this one point near Trafalgar Square.

Not available to the general public, connected travel advisors can arrange private tours for their clients through the London Transport Museum. Our guide unlocked doors and gates visible in plain sight, affording us entry to the hidden platforms, escalators, and tunnels of Charing Cross.

You've likely seen Hidden London many times, as it has been a setting in a number of major movies. In one of the most interesting moments in the tour, we viewed a short film showing scenes in which the secret station served as a set. Most famously, Roger Craig — playing James Bond in the film Skyfall — slid down a station escalator while in hot pursuit of an antagonist. Take a look at this film clip from Skyfall for glimpses of other sights from our tour of Hidden London.

The photograph atop this article was short through a ventilation grill. We were in a hidden ventilation shaft above an active subway platform, peering down at the station. As this train came through the station, I photographed it from above ... capturing as well the "Mind the Gap" warning by its doors.

1.20.2019

postcard from Windsor Castle | the Long Walk

Today's travels took us from Paris to London. After an early morning ride on the Eurostar, a coach transported us to Windsor Castle, the Queen's favourite weekend residence. We first had coffee and tea with the Governor of the Military Knights of Windsor. A very entertaining man, he explained the role of these retired members of the British military. One of the twelve Knights then took us on a quite interesting private tour of St. George's Chapel (where the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place). Our tour ended with a viewing of the stunning Albert Memorial Chapel. Photography is forbidden inside either chapel, frustrating because the afternoon sun streaming through Albert Chapel's stained glass windows was absolutely glorious. How I wish I could have captured that light in a photograph!

So instead, I am posting my photograph of The Long Walk. Considered an iconic image of Windsor Castle, this path runs from the gateway of Windsor Castle to an immense statue of King George III atop a copper horse 2.65 miles to the south. (This is the same King George named in the American Declaration of Independence.) The January day was cold and sunny, but hundreds of visitors were enjoying the walk.

Well worth a day trip from London, a visit to Windsor Castle can be combined with a tour of Hampton Court Palace.

1.01.2019

5 reasons to use a travel advisor to book air

Note: I am not an air agent. I specialize in luxury hotel bookings. Want the best luxury hotel in Paris or London given your preferences, I can help with that decision. And I'll get you value-added hotel amenities for no extra cost — like complimentary daily breakfast for two, $100 hotel credits, and sometimes upgrades even at the time of booking. For air bookings, I turn to my colleagues at Brownell Travel's Air Desk or Virtuoso Air.

Here are five reasons to use an experienced air advisor, especially for complicated international itineraries. Inexperienced consumers, armed only with the internet, often make expensive mistakes, all in the attempt to save money.

1. Connections that make sense. Is that connection long enough (or is it too long)? Should you avoid connecting at that particular airport? Is there a non-stop flight you should consider instead? An experienced travel advisor will sweat questions like these so you don’t have to.

While that 50 minute connection at CDG might be legal, your dash through the immigration and the airport will be stressful and tiring ... with a high chance you'll miss your connection.
Will you have to switch terminals? Passengers who switch terminals at LHR have to wait in long queues just to catch the shuttle bus between terminals.
Beware of itineraries that make you change airports. Some options that come up on the British Airways website require taking a 35 mile bus ride from Heathrow to Gatwick (good luck during rush hour!). Always look for an alternative, even if it costs more.

2. Be protected in case you misconnect. I've read many stories about unknowing travelers who've done something like the following: After searching the internet to find the absolute lowest price, they bought one ticket on British Airways to London, then bought a separate ticket on AirFrance to connect to Paris. They are unaware of how much can go wrong. Always book your connecting flights on the same airline (or their partner airline) and ensure they're on the same ticket. It's then the airline's problem if you misconnect. If your connecting flights are ticketed separately, you'll be out of luck:

If you miss your connection, your non-refundable ticket is void, and you’ll have to buy a new ticket at the full, non-discounted, last-minute fare.
Good luck if you intend to check your baggage to the final destination. You'll be in for an unpleasant surprise if the two airlines do not have inter-airline baggage agreements. You'll need to go through immigration, retrieve your checked baggage, check in again at the front of the airport, then re-enter immigration and security all over again. If you miss your connecting flight, you'll have to buy a full-fare ticket.

An experienced air agent will protect you from mistakes like this.

3. Flight monitoring. What happens when there's a schedule mishap? if your flight across the Atlantic is delayed, and it appears you'll miss your connecting flight, there's nothing you can do from the middle of the ocean. But an experienced air agent can monitor your flights and solve the problem before you even know something's wrong.

4. Time, money, and comfort. You will pay a service fee when using an air agent, but it can still save you time and money. Here are some possible ways you can benefit:

Hate paying for seat assignments on BA? A savvy air agent can do this with no fee.
Sometimes booking a code-share saves on taxes and fees.
Is there a better itinerary that google flights doesn't know?
Sometimes it pays to put all legs of a multi-segment itinerary on one ticket. Sometimes it pays to split the flights up among several tickets.
Do you want a flight with a true lie-flat business class seat?

An expert air agent can advise about all these issues.

5. Intelligent, coordinated travel planning. Your flights and itinerary should coordinate to provide you the most convenient connections available. An expert travel advisor, working on your behalf throughout the entire planning process, can ensure your trip flows as smoothly as possible.

Note, I'm talking here about expert air agents. Just because someone works at a travel agency doesn’t mean they know what they're doing. I read a post yesterday on fodors.com. This traveler wanted to spend a week in Paris, then visit Spain or Portugal. But, she wrote the forum asking for advice, “our travel agency wants us to return home from Paris.” She apparently wandered into a travel agency and sat down at the desk of someone who didn't know what they were doing.

Here are some questions you should ask when choosing a travel advisor:

Are you a member of the Virtuoso network? Using a Virtuoso travel advisor is the only way you can enjoy exclusive Virtuoso amenities at over 1300 luxury hotels and resorts around the world.
Are you experienced with booking international air or — if not — do you have access to international air experts at your agency?

12.17.2018

four tips | avoiding overtourism

Overtourism affects all of us when visit popular tourist destinations. Europe had 671 million visitors in 2017, the eighth year of sustained growth in its tourism industry. We've all experienced the loathsome effects of too many visitors in the same places — long lines in front of the pyramid at the Louvre in Paris, huge crowds crowding the Piazza San Marco in Venice, a precious few seconds on a moving conveyer in front of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Overtourism also means crowded airports, long security lines, and wasted time in immigration.

Here are my top tips for avoiding overtourism. Short version — be a contrarian.

(1) Avoid high season. Unless you have school-age children, don't travel in the summer. I can guarantee that Italy will be hot and crowded in June, July, and August.

(2) Visit when everyone else is staying away. For instance, many visitors deserted Paris during Sunday "Yellow Jacket" protests on the Champs Elysées. Hotel occupancy went way down, and some of the more popular tourist sites were closed. I would see this as the perfect opportunity to avoid the Champs Elysées, explore less-known parts of Paris, and plan a Sunday day trip to Versailles, Chartres, or Giverny. Are you a nervous traveler? Just engage a knowledgeable tour guide, and you'll be kept far from any affected areas.

(3) Arrange for special access. Sit in Churchill's chair in the War Rooms (while the crowds filing past the plexiglass window wonder what kind of VIP you are) or witness the Changing of the Guard's concert from inside the Wellington Barracks (with nobody between you and the troops). Visit the Vatican Museum before it opens to the crowds (and without waiting in line). Yes, you'll pay for the privilege — but that's what keeps it exclusive.

(4) Get off the beaten track. You might explore the English countryside as the ten (10) tourists pictured above are doing at Cliveden. Ourisman Travel has partnerships around the world with companies that know their destinations like locals ... because they are locals! Special bonus feature after the break — the outline of a 10-day, 9-night off-the-beaten-track itinerary in Portugal and Spain, suggested by our friends at Made for Spain, completely customizable. Contact us to plan this trip!

stairs at Mission Santa Barbara

A postcard from Santa Barbara... a photograph of a colorfully painted stairwell in the museum at Mission Santa Barbara. The mission was founded in 1786, and the church has been rebuilt on three different occasions after damage by fire and earthquake. The mission is under the leadership of the Franciscans.

We attended the 11 a.m. Mass last Sunday. When touring a destination with an historical religious building, I highly recommend experiencing that church (temple, mosque, shrine, synagogue, etc.) as a place of living worship. The service was lead by Franciscan friar Father Dan Lackie, an outgoing and empathetic pastor and a very gifted preacher.

I had a similar experience in London last October, experiencing Westminster Abbey as a worshipper rather than a tourist. It was the highlight of our four days in London!

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

10.09.2018

Victoria & Albert Museum

What to do in Kensington? While I've usually stayed in Mayfair when visiting London, we are spending two nights this visit at The Milestone. Our hotel is right across the street from Kensington Park, and some rooms have a direct view of Kensington Palace, official home of Prince William and Kate Middleton and their brood of young royals. Many visitors enjoy touring the public areas of Kensington Palace and stroll its Gardens. I recommend that you book a priority-access ticket to avoid wasting time standing in queue.

The neighborhood is home to world-class museums. Yesterday we visited the Victoria & Albert Museum, the largest museum in the world devoted to decorative arts and design. With a permanent collection of over two million objects, it's impossible to see everything in one visit. Study the museum's website prior to your visit to determine the exhibits in which you're most interested ... or just wander and follow your eyes. I especially enjoyed the sculpture gallery in the Medieval & Renaissance area of the V&A, as the stunning natural light shows off the marble sculptures to their best advantage. My daughter especially enjoyed V&A's special exhibition of Frida Kahlo's art currently on display.

Pro Tip when visiting the V&A: stay at Egerton House, a Virtuoso hotel literally around the corner from the museum. Among the exclusive Virtuoso amenities we can provide — a pair of member tickets to all current exhibitions. Even though tickets to the Frida Kahlo exhibit were sold out for the day, my daughter was able gain complimentary access thanks to Egerton House's corporate membership.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit our website.

10.07.2018

what to do on Sunday morning in London

While not for everybody (nor apparently for most people, judging by the attendance), here's my advice for anyone seeking the most fabulous experience possible in London on Sunday morning: attend Matins, the service of morning prayer offered daily at 10 a.m. at Westminster Abbey.

My previous visit to Westminster Abbey had been a purely tourist experience. I bought a ticket, queued up to enter the church, and walked through the imposing sanctuary. I was amongst throngs of tourists, observing the soaring gothic arches, the stained glass windows, and memorials to the notables buried there.

Today's experience transcended "my tourist visit" by several orders of magnitude. Claire and I arrived a bit more than 30 minutes early for Matins, the traditional service of morning prayer. We stood with a small number of other worshipers in front of the main gates. The gates were opened at 9:30, and we were welcomed to Westminster Abbey. No admission charged (normally 22£), no tickets needed, we were greeted as worshipers.

Tip: do come 30 minutes early as the early arrivals will be seated in the Choir, adjacent to the Abbey Choir.

The service included a Prelude and a Postlude, both masterfully performed on the Abbey's pipe organ, and a quite moving, contemporary musical setting of Morning Prayer. Several psalms were chanted. We heard an Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 49 and a New Testament Lesson from Luke 12. No homily, but the lessons were read so meaningfully that the Scriptures were allowed to speak for themselves. And, yes, an Offering was received, one to which I gratefully contributed. And only worshipers are in the Abbey on Sunday mornings; there's no hubbub of tourists.

Quite distinct from the instinct of many tourists to "do" London (or many other wonderful destinations), we enjoyed a transcendent experience of worship at Westminster Abbey, fulfilling the purpose for which the church was built and continues to serve — as a living congregation of the Anglican Church, a place of worship, reflection, and meditation.

8.03.2018

Airbnb | a cautionary tale

the Airbnb apartment described by David Rowell

Airbnb has become quite popular among travelers. Whether seeking economical accommodations for a business trip or family vacation, many travelers have been satisfied with what they've booked. But definitely not all.

Be aware that Airbnb doesn't always work out the way you'd expect. Travel blogger David Rowell recently wrote of a sub-standard experience in his article Should You be Using Airbnb. After renting the (apparently attractive) apartment pictured above, he experienced the following problems.

1. The rate quoted by Airbnb website was $65. By the time "cleaning" and additional fees were added, he ended up paying $85 per night. Plus tax on top of that.

2. 48 hour free cancellation policy? So said the headline on the website, but this language is misleading if you're thinking in terms of hotel cancel policies. Airbnb bookings can only be cancelled for free within 48 hours of making the booking, not up to 48 hours before arrival.

3. Lack of flexibility. Airbnb doesn't offer the flexibility that business travelers require. On a business trip and need to shorten your stay by a day? You'll have to pay for that day. Want to add an extra day at the end of your trip? While usually a non-issue for a hotel, Airbnb isn't set up this way.

4. Reaching "management" can be an issue if a problem arises. The access code to his apartment didn't work. He had to email the owner, then sit on the steps and wait for a reply — no phone number provided, no front desk to help.

Other bad news he didn't learn until his arrival:

5. There was a climb of 25 steps to reach the front door of the apartment, lugging a suitcase.

6. The neighborhood was sketchy, homeless persons sleeping under a nearby bridge.

7. The lack off a desk meant there was no place to accomplish the work he had to do.

8. Inadequate air-conditioning. He even asked. Despite the owner's assurances that the apartment was air-conditioned, it turned out to be a single window unit in the living room. Totally ineffective in mitigating the 90º temperature in the bedroom down the hall, getting a good night's sleep proved impossible.

His verdict:

The apartment has a five-star rating on Airbnb, and something like 300 generally gushingly positive reviews. I found it a hellish experience full of unexpected gotcha moments. And at the end of it all, I was expected to do the dishes, load the washing machine with used sheets and towels, and take the trash out to the rubbish bins around the corner of the building – all the things one doesn’t want to do when on vacation, and doesn’t have time to do when traveling on business.

Is there a better way to rent an apartment or home? I recommend our Virtuoso travel partner One Fine Stay. Yes, you'll pay a bit more, but every property has been vetted. You'll be met upon arrival by a professional team who will let you into your apartment and explain how things work. You'll get a midweek and end-of-week cleaning. You'll be provided with an iPhone, data included, with a one-touch button for assistance 24/7. One Fine Stay even provides concierge services. Read a review here!

Virtuoso amenities are offered in London, Paris, Rome, Milan, New York, LA, San Francisco, Boston, and Miami: your choice of a $100 credit on stocking your refrigerator prior to your arrival ... or a $100 credit toward guest experiences arranged with their concierge. You simply have to book through a Virtuoso travel advisor.

3.29.2018

guaranteed room on arrival in London

You know what it's like to get off your all-night flight over the pond — tired, perhaps a bit groggy if you've enjoyed too much wine during your flight, and in desperate need of a hot shower. You hop in a cab, drive into London during rush hour traffic, and arrive at your hotel. Walking up to the front desk, you announce yourself, anxious to get into your room ... only to hear the following. "I'm sorry, sir (or madam), but check-in is not available until 3 in the afternoon. You're welcome to leave your bags with our bell captain."

Here's how to get a guaranteed room for your morning arrival, an exclusive offer at two of my favorite hotels in London — The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane. Both are in London's Mayfair neighborhood, across the street from Hyde Park. Here's the deal:

Guaranteed room-upon-arrival is available for North American guests booking through an exclusive group of Dorchester's luxury travel partners.
You must provide your arriving flight information ahead of time. Just give us this information when you make your booking, and we'll take care of the rest.
You'll receive the same rates you see on the hotels' websites, plus...
Enjoy a complimentary Full Breakfast for two every day of your stay.
Receive a confirmed upgrade at booking at The Dorchester (up to the Junior Suite category) and a 100£ hotel credit (that you can take right off your room rate).
Receive a daily 100£ hotel credit at 45 Park Lane (that can come off your room rate) and an upgrade if available at check-in.
Get complimentary premium high speed internet access for unlimited devices.

We are Dorchester Diamond Club travel advisors, and we offer exclusive amenities at every Dorchester hotel in the world ... and also at more than a thousand Virtuoso luxury hotels and resorts around the world. Request a stay here.

1.18.2018

into shopping?

Everyone has different reasons for vacationing in the fashion capitals of the world (New York, London, Paris, Milan). Me? I inspect hotel rooms everywhere I go ... and I'm perfectly content just to glance at store windows and keep on walking. But many luxury travelers are into serious shopping. Is that you?

Finding exclusive boutiques is an art. When you're home, you already know exactly where to find the most on-trend selections from luxury fashion houses. But when you arrive in an exclusive fashion destination, where do you even begin to look for expertly curated, high-end selections?

An expert personal shopper — with sartorial expertise particular to your destination — is your ticket to shop-till-you-drop. While your hotel concierge might make suggestions, seasoned shoppers will fare better by turning to a personal shopper. Your luxury travel advisor has connections in every major shopping destination in the world, and we can help you plan the shopping trip of your dreams.

Of course, we'll also help you accessorize your shopping vacation with a lavish hotel room that suites your style and taste.

1.01.2018

where in the world in 2018?

I begin 2018 very thankful that I have the opportunity to pursue my vocation! Being a luxury travel advisor, my job requires me to learn about destinations and research hotels on behalf of my clients. I invest considerable time and funds flying to distant places and doing site inspections. Why?

Whether you have questions about hotels in cities like Paris, London, or New York or resorts in Hawaii, Bora Bora, or the Maldives, I've most likely been inside the very hotels you're thinking about. We can discuss their location, the room product, but especially their "look and feel." What do you prefer? Traditional or contemporary? Boutique or larger hotels? Formal or laid back? Minimalist or elaborately decorated?

Or you may be wondering about why to visit a region or country. It helps me immensely to have visited that country and seen its attractions with the assistance of experienced guides. How could I describe the valleys of Bhutan without having personally traveled from Paro to Thimphu, to Punakha, to Gangey, and to Bumthang on the twisting and sometimes muddy road that winds its way across the country from west to east. I am so thankful to Amankora for introducing me to Bhutan.

Vietnam has been on my bucket list for a long while. I've heard so much about the culinary adventures it affords ... and having watched Ken Burns' documentary on the devastation Vietnam War, I'm looking forward to connecting with the Vietnamese people who have become our friends. After touring Hanoi, I'll experience two resorts — Four Seasons Nam Hai and Amanoi — before finishing in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Myanmar was formerly known as Burma and has been in the news of late in a not-so-favorable light. I will be traveling with A&K Myanmar and will visit Yangon and Inle Lake before spending three evenings cruising aboard the Sanctuary Ananda. I really don't know what to expect, but landscape photography is a passion, and I'm sure I'll have many opportunities to indulge. My time in Myanmar ends with a day visit to Belmond Governor's Palace in Yangon.

Seoul, Korea ... Our overnight flight from Yangon arrives Saigon at 7:35 a.m. A&K has arranged a morning tour of Seoul — Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village, followed by lunch at a local restaurant — before our 4 p.m. flight back to San Francisco.

Paris ... though I've visited many times, the hotel scene in Paris is constantly changing with new openings and renovations. On my way to Vienna, I'll stop off in Paris for more hotel site inspections. I'll be staying both at the newly renovated Crillon (now a Rosewood Hotel) and with my good friends at the Plaza Athenee (a Dorchester Collection property). I'm especially looking forward to a site inspection of Hotel Lutetia which has undergone an entire renovation and which, I predict, will become a highly popular Virtuoso hotel on Left Bank. And, of course, no trip to Paris is complete without a scoop of ice cream at Berthillon.

Vienna ... I'm returning to Vienna as a participant in this year's Brownell 1887 Club trip. The group is being hosted by the Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Imperial, and the Bristol ... and I'm also interested in seeing the new Park Hyatt and Kempinski properties which weren't open during my previous visit. Oh ... and I may taste a torte or two!

Budapest ... Continuing on to Budapest, I'll be enjoying my second stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace. I'm also looking forward to seeing the Ritz-Carlton (formerly Le Meridien). Of course, there's more to experience in Vienna and Budapest than hotels, and our visits are being curated by our friends at Exeter Travel.

The Cotswolds and London. Though I've been "in" the Cotswolds and been driven "through" the Cotswolds, I've never really experienced this area of England. Another bucket list trip, I want to stay in a few picturesque towns, wander their streets, enjoy some scenic walks, and become familiar with its opportunities (taking advantage of the expertise of another travel partner, Celebrated Experiences). I'll finish up in London with stays at two hotels I've previously visited but at which I've never stayed, 45 Park Lane (Dorchester Collection) and ... a hotel still to be finalized.

So I begin 2018 with three big trips already planned and the possibility of surprise opportunities that might "come up." I highly recommend planning ahead — if you wait until the last minute, there will be less availability, the best guides will already have been booked, and award flights harder to find. That's why we're here, to help you turn your bucket list into the trip of a lifetime.

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