Luxury Travel Insider

We’re headed to the countryside today, deep in the heart of Vermont to chat with John Graham, the Managing Director of Twin Farms. Thinking of Vermont conjures up images of fall foliage glinting fiery orange, red, and gold. You might also smell sweet maple syrup or warm apple cider, and imagine yourself in an historic general store, covered bridge, or barn. At Twin Farms, one of the most talked about hotels in America, you can experience all this and much more. The 300 acres making up the farm was purchased in the 20s by Nobel Prize winning author, Sinclair Lewis as a wedding present for his journalist wife, Dorothy Thompson. Their story and the story of owners before and after - add to the charm of the experience. John and I discuss hidden secrets about the property, what Vermont is like in spring, and how this little farm in the middle of nowhere offers some of the most luxurious service on the continent.  Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

Today we’re discussing the multi-faceted destination of Mexico. If you’re not reevaluating what you think you know about Mexico by the end of this episode we’ll have to have a chat! Whether you’re witnessing the miracle of the monarch butterfly migration, hiking the Copper Canyon, eating mole in Oaxaca, or swimming with whale sharks - you’ll be enchanted by the Mexican culture and all the diversity this country has to offer. A true luxury experience in Mexico isn’t just about glitzy hotels in the Baja - it’s about diving deeper and finding the unexpected. Our guest today is Zach Rabinor, an expert in crafting insider experiences in Mexico. We chat about his favorite surf spots, the breadth and depth of Mexican food, and some off the beaten path destinations to try for your next trip. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

I’m thrilled to take you on a journey around the world to the countries of Zambia and Madagascar today. While most safari goers think first of South Africa or maybe Kenya - Zambia offers a wilder experience. One where you can dip your toes in the sand of the African bush, experience wildlife eye to eye, and immerse yourself in untouched wilderness. Then trading one wild place for another, you can fly to Madagascar to enjoy one of the most luxurious private islands in the world, while catching glimpses of lemurs, baobab trees, and chameleons. Joining us today is Bruce Simpson - CEO of Time + Tide in Zambia and Miavana in Madagascar. In his career Bruce has done everything from guiding in South Africa to managing a private island in the Seychelles. His journey from guide to CEO means that he has more stories to tell than we could cover on this show! We discuss sleeping under the stars, how Time + Tide gets its guests truly immersed in nature, and touching stories from everyday people. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

Today we’re headed back to Costa Rica - but this time deep into the jungles of Turialba and the Osa Peninsula. Our guests today are Luz Caceres and Roberto Fernandez - owners of Pacuare Lodge and Lapa Rios. Both lodges offer incredible experiences like white water rafting to check-in, close up encounters with nature, and insights into indigenous culture and sustainability. Lapa Rios is set in the most biologically intense place on EARTH, and Pacuare is so deep in the jungle that Roberto had to transport tractors and logs there via white water raft to build the lodge. Everything about these places and the people is incredibly special. We discuss how Roberto’s vision became a reality, how the pair thinks about sustainability, and some crazy stories from the early days. I hope you enjoy this fun dive into the rainforests of Costa Rica. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

I’m excited to welcome our guest today, Vincent Billiard, the General Manager of the fabulous Rosewood Hotel de Crillon in the beating heart of Paris.  With it’s official designation as a Palace Hotel - a marker of the finest service and luxury anywhere in the city, you’d think Hotel de Crillion could err on the extremely traditional side.  But it doesn’t. It has all the trappings of 5* service, along with an incredible history, contemporary design, and a sense of warmth designed to bring you in, and lull you into a Parisian state of mind.  The hotel has hosted the likes of Marie Antoinette, Neil Armstrong, Karl Lagerfeld, Woodrow Wilson, and Queen Elizabeth. While you sip your champagne, overlooking the twinkling Eiffel Tower - you can feel that you’re in the company of greatness.  Vincent and I discuss how Paris has evolved during the pandemic, how to find hidden gems in the city, and special details about the hotel.  Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com   Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

Today we’re diving into the paradox that is the country of Israel. In such a small nation you can be surrounded by tech entrepreneurs, holy men and women from multiple faiths, geopolitical conflict, world class nightlife, and natural wonders like the Dead Sea AND the Mediterranean Sea. To try to unravel some of this beautiful complexity, we have three guests on our show today. My friend and partner in the region, Yoav Gal - an expert in luxury Israel itineraries; Eyal Riess - a Rabbi in the mystical Jewish tradition of Kabbalah, and Libbi Cohen- an expert in Tel Avivian history, culture, and nightlife. We discuss everything from Israel’s new cultural revolution, to spiritual experiences in caves, to Bauhaus architecture - and of course hummus! Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

I’m excited to have Alejandro Bataller with me today, to discuss his family business - SHA Wellness - a beautiful property set on the cliffs of the Mediterranean coast near the charming villages of Alicante, Spain. SHA is actually a hybrid between a top notch luxury hotel and a cutting edge medical and wellness clinic. The vision came when Alejandro’s father saw a doctor who focused on nutrition and natural therapies that cured him from a lifelong ailment. He wanted top notch treatments from many different world philosophies to be available to more people. SHA is now expanding from its gorgeous location on the Mediterranean to the Caribbean Coast of Mexico and the Emerati Riviera. Alejandro walks us through his philosophy, tells inspiring stories of recovery, and lets us in on a little secret - it’s now millennials who are driving this trend towards preventative medicine and self care. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

We’re shaking it up today with a panel of some of the world’s top concierges to spill some insider tidbits. In this episode you’ll visit the iconic cities of Tokyo, Paris, and Buenos Aires, and step into the glossy world of Park Hyatt - one of the top luxury brands in the travel world. Dominique Guidette, a past president of Le Clefs d’Or and top concierge at Park Hyatt Paris joins us and tells some hilarious stories of guest requests. Adrian Fautt joins us from the Park Hyatt Tokyo in the exact suite that was used for filming the famous movie, Lost in Translation; And Valeria Brauer comes to us from the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires where she once organized a trip to Antarctica for a past guest. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

Today we travel to a private atoll in French Polynesia called Tetiaroa. Here you’ll find The Brando, a world famous resort composed of 35 luxury villas surrounded by a sparkling turquoise lagoon. The island was bought decades ago by Marlon Brando, who once said “Tetiaroa is beautiful beyond my capacity to describe.” So if this island left a famous actor completely speechless, imagine what it will do for you. Years later as the resort was developed, Brando’s deep passion for the island and early focus on sustainability has made the resort not only beautiful, but also completely sustainable. Our guest today is Silvio Bion, who has been managing the property since the very beginning. We discuss everything from the early days of constructing The Brando, to the special spirit of Tetiaroa, to the warm heart of the people. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

Today we’re taking a journey to one of the happiest countries in the world, Costa Rica. Costa Rica has 5% of the world’s biodiversity, 99% of its power comes from renewable energy, and 98% of its population is literate. It’s certainly a country that punches far above its weight. Whether you’re coming for surfing, to see sloths and toucans, or to find yourself alone meditating in a rainforest - Costa Rica can provide it all. We have two guests today - French/Moroccan Entrepreneur, turned hotelier - Mehdi Rheljari, and Wilhelm von Breymann, owner of Costa Rican Trails and former Minister of Tourism. We discuss the barefoot luxury and breathtaking views of Mehdi’s hotel - Kasilya Papagayo, some more off the beaten path parts of Costa Rica, and of course, Pura Vida. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/    Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn