The Curatour

03/01/2024

is one of my favorite safari companies, with exceptional lodges all over Africa. Their lodges are in prime locations, food is always exceptional, guides are incredibly well trained and experienced. You always have a wonderful sense of place while also enjoying a high level of luxury.

In Botswana, is architecturally stunning. The structure of the lodge is formed in the shape of a giant scaled pangolin. It is an amazing base where you will enjoy your meals. Lunch was my favorite - they have fun make-your-own options (pizzas, tacos), beautiful salads.

Situated on a diverse, wildlife-rich, private concession, Sandibe has exclusive traversing rights over 22,500 hectares (55,600 acres) of wildlife land bordering the Moremi Game Reserve. You can’t beat the game here. Leopard, a cheetah family, lions, we saw everything.

The lodge is a wonderful example of sustainability. 70% of the extensive energy requirements come from solar energy.

travel

05/04/2023

https://mailchi.mp/c03ad983570f/april-2023-travel-insights

Check out our April Travel Insights. We have some special news to share, cool food opportunities in Barcelona, celebrating Pablo Picasso in Madrid, options for exploring the Galapagos and introducing the town of Barichara in Colombia.

26/12/2021

We were so happy to arrive in Megéve for our Christmas ski holiday! Our home base for the week is the most lovely hotel Grand Hôtel du Soleil d'Or, Megève located right in the heart of this picturesque town. This small 16-room property is perhaps the most charming hotel I've stayed in. From the cozy breakfast room where I had truffle scrambled eggs each morning to the swanky rooftop bar where you can overlook Megéve with a glass of champagne - the property is spectacular.

You can easily stroll into town for bars and restaurants and the base of the mountain is just a 10 minute drive in the private van. And, they will store your ski equipment in the warm ski room downstairs. The staff is what really makes the difference though - anticipating every need. I'm in LOVE with this property.

13/12/2021

A new Auberge Resorts Collection property opens today in Riviera Maya Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection. Auberge is known for crafting authentic experiences that allow for guests to really experience a place. Can't wait to check out this property.

https://aubergeresorts.com/etereo/experiences/

Experiences at Etéreo are designed to enliven our senses through discovery and renew connections with friends, our families, and ourselves.

09/11/2021

This week I'm attending our annual company meeting where we get to connect with our colleagues, partners and friends around the world about the best things happening in travel!

Our first two days are virtual and Wednesday we head to Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Dallas to actually be together IN PERSON!!! I'll be filled with great ideas and inspiration for travel in 2022 and look forward to sharing with my clients.

03/11/2021

The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has opened a new property in Napa Valley. It is set in the historic town of Calistoga and surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards from Elusa Winery. We're so excited to see this open and ready for our clients!

Has autumn ever been as highly anticipated and as warmly welcomed as it has this year?  With the arrival of cooler temperatures and gradual return of safe travel, a wine country getaway has never held such great appeal – especially now, with the much-anticipated debut of the all-new Four Seasons ...

02/11/2021

Israel is open to international tourists. I'm so excited to be visiting myself at the end of the month!

The plan to reopen to international tourists for the first time since the pandemic began comes as infections are steadily declining in Israel after a fourth wave.

22/10/2021

Malliouhana, An Auberge Resort still has some space over the holidays in December. This classic property, which some say sits on the best beach in Anguilla, should not be overlooked. Its classic island glamour makes for a perfect backdrop for tons of cool experiences: paddle boarding under moonlight, fishing where the chef will prepare your catch and amazing wellness programs. It also offers good setups for families and a great kids club. They are currently offering a fifth night free!!!

https://aubergeresorts.com/malliouhana/

21/10/2021

Great new addition to business class air offerings to London.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/jetblue-mint-suite-business-class-review

A seven-hour flight was barely long enough to enjoy the business-class amenities.

15/09/2021

Chile can be a great destination for late fall or early spring. Love these images from Patagonia.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/travel/torres-del-paine-patagonia-baqueanos.html

Southern Chile’s snow-capped mountains, vast plains and windswept lakes are often depicted in summertime. See the landscape dressed in autumnal hues.

08/09/2021

Good article. Now is the time for planning these bucket list trips.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/bucket-list/bucket-list-trips-to-book-for-2022

Looking ahead to 2022, one thing seems clear: It is the year of the bucket-list vacation.

13/08/2021

Final day of Virtuoso Travel Week. Such a great event every year.
Highlights include:

- I'm in love with an elegant 20 room hotel overlooking the square of Santa Maria Novella. The outdoor terrace overlooking the church is where I want to have breakfast in the morning.
- Germany is underrated as a destination. A lovely property in Dusseldorf offers master classes with locals including a craft brewer and a traditional baker.
- So many great properties in Tuscany. Another exquisite Relais & Chateaux property in Umbria has an outdoor cinema for families and the opportunity to visit local farms with the chef and then help prepare dinner.
- Fans of Bridgerton have a new property in Mayfair in London that sits on great pedestrian shopping street.
- A new property in Napa allows you to drink a 99-point wine from the minibar overlooking the vines that grew the grapes.
- Sicily is almost a destination beyond Italy. You can easily craft a 8-10 day itinerary exploring this island steeped in history.
-- Love a beautiful villa property in Phuket Thailand that has a farm-to-table pop-up restaurant (with everything coming from their organic garden) with zero waste cuisine!

Looking forward to the future when all the world can be explored again!

https://www.elitehavens.com/magazine/enjoy-zero-waste-cuisine-at-hideaway-by-jampa-in-phuket/

An innovative new dining experience featuring local ingredients cooked over a wood fire and the promise of zero-waste cuisine, Hideaway by Jampa is a culinary pop-up that is truly breaking boundaries as a creative, sustainable dining experience in Phuket. The brainchild of the luxurious Trisara reso...

12/08/2021

It has been so nice to explore the world with all of my partners and get real-time updates. We know a lot of this travel can't happen immediately but dreaming about all these destinations has been wonderful. A few highlights from Day 3 of Virtuoso Travel Week:

- a new glamping experience in the salt flats of Argentina (I only thought about Bolivia for salt flats) that can be combined with a hiking and wine adventure in Salta.
- A beautiful property in Douro Valley in Spain that was once a 12th century abby and now a 30 room hotel with a Michelin-star restaurant.
- I want to do one of the many walks in Cradle Mountain National Park in Tasmania, located just 2 hours from Sydney. This destination is the perfect blend of outdoor beauty and adventure + gorgeous wine and food.
- I was introduced to a new property in a quaint traditional neighborhood in Kyoto Japan with exceptional views over the temples in the city.
- Madrid is going to be on everyone's radar in the coming year. The city is opening up some spectacular properties. It has always been a favorite of mine.
- Don't skip over Rovinj on a trip to Croatia. It is a gem of a town and so easy to access from Venice.
- Those who love authentic travel, make a point to visit Portovenere in Italy. More grandma's kitchen than Michelin-star restaurants but a great homebase to explore the Cinque Terre.

https://www.australia.com/en-us/places/tasmania.html

Discover the natural beauty, diverse wildlife, culture and art scene of Tasmania. Indulge in gourmet food and world-class wines on the island state.

11/08/2021

Day two of Virtuoso Travel Week. I have so many cool destinations and experiences to share. A few highlights from today:

- Imagine visiting the South Pole where it is -11 degrees, every direction you look is north and you get to meet a colony of more than 6,000 Emperor Penguins.
- Two hours south of Abu Dhabi is a unique property surrounded by the world's largest sand desert. I want to do a moon walk in the desert!
- A new tented camp to discover in Costa Rica perfect for families (that is also Relais & Chateau which = great food.)
- the perfect spot for your next beach trip offering 3-6 bedroom villas on 600 oceanside acres in New Providence in the Bahamas.
- I want to explore Tamil Nadu in Southern India filled with temples, incredible food, hiking and a wonderful tradition of handicrafts.
- an iconic new hotel opening in Paris with the largest indoor pool, a kids club and a Dior spa.
- a hotel in a great residential area in Amsterdam with the largest private garden in the city which also has a 9-bedroom home complete with your own staff.

Many ideas to dream about!!!

photo: White Desert

10/08/2021

What a great first day at Virtuoso Travel Week. I connected with so many great people I hardly know where to start. Biggest headline: Don't wait to plan summer 2022. It is going to be crazy with so many popular destinations booking up.

Here are some highlights:
- See 6 national parks in one trip with a private air journey.
- I met with three incredible private lodges in Alaska, one only accessible by small plane with extraordinary wildlife and adventure.
- A beautiful country estate in Tuscany with incredible apartments for families, a farm-to-table culinary program (and farm) and artists-in-residence for art classes.
- Skiing in Switzerland this winter is still possible with generous cancellation policies.
- The “Coastal Park Riviera dei Fiori” is a 24 kilometer biking path along the sea, perfect for biking, running or just a stroll after dinner that runs through small villages along the coast. A lovely resort stay in San Remo Italy offers this as well as everything from mountains to the beach.
- Patagoina is booking up for 2022. My favorite property there is introducing helicopter excursions to explore the remarkable landscapes.
- One of my favorite properties in Venice feels like you are staying in a private Venetian home with a staff that has worked together for years has a new rooftop terrace with 360 degree views.

09/08/2021

Today marks the start of Virtuoso Travel Week 2021, the world's number one luxury travel conference. I am so excited to meet with my parters (and friends!) around the world representing hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, etc. I get to reconnect and get real-time updates to help navigate and craft the best adventures and extraordinary experiences for my clients. These relationships make all the difference right now.

21/07/2021

Sabi Sands Game Reserve has outstanding game viewing. This area is known for leopards and we easily saw one each day. It is incredible to hear the backstories on these animals. The guides know each one intimately.

You also have the chance to see wild dogs which are AMAZING. Did you know wild dogs have the highest success rate of any hunter? We spent two days tracking the dogs and ended up finding their den with weeks-old puppies.

20/07/2021

Lion Sands River Lodge is a gem of a property. Owned by the More family, this property offers great value, works really well for families and offers every amenity one could ask for. Their attention to detail was extraordinary.

Our guide picked us up from the airport, immediately wished my son a "happy birthday" and knew my daughter was celebrating her graduation. Knowing I love wine, the sommelier was waiting to introduce himself as we were shown around the property. In our room they had a typed up a personalized reference as to how to dial our kids' room. The chef came out at the first lunch to introduce herself and confirm our favorite foods. I could go on and on.....

This spot also has a beautiful gym. Not a minor point when you can't exactly just go on a run AND you are eating many multi-course meals each day (plus absolutely gorgeous pastries at tea time before your afternoon game drive). And, they have a photo lab with someone who can help you work on some of your photos with photoshop or you can print out some of your favorites. Such a great resource.

photo of lodge: Lion Sands

19/07/2021

Next, we were off to Lion Sands River Lodge located on Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. The journey took us only 20 minutes from the airstrip located right at Ngala Safari Lodge to Skukuza Airport which is the main airport for Kruger National Park. Lion Sands River Lodge is located on the banks of the perennial Sabie River offering us a unique view point for the animals that visit. Super amazing to see elephants crossing the river from our room!

16/07/2021

Guided bush walks are always a highlight for me on safari. Placing your foot on an elephant track puts everything in perspective. So exhilarating to be walking on foot among these animals. Can't say enough good stuff about our guide at Ngala Tented Camp. So much learning and insight in every activity!

15/07/2021

Our first game drive, just minutes from leaving the lodge, we encountered a group of lions who had killed a Cape Buffalo early that morning. This pack of females, one male and many young cubs sat and devoured the animal. Quite a gruesome thing to see on the one hand but the chance to observe the pride's dynamics with the incredible insight of our guide and watching all the other animals who survive off this was fascinating.

12/07/2021

Our safari started at Ngala Tented Camp which is a on a private concession set within Kruger National Park. You are situated in a great spot for close-up game drive sightings of the big five and more. Our guide and tracker were amazing here. So well trained and full of knowledge about the 36,000 acres of wilderness we had access to.

Tented camp has just nine suites or "tents" that spare no luxury.
The intimacy of the lodge makes a big difference. The staff are like family, the meals are incredible -lunch was beautifully curated tapas-sized offerings and dinner was always a bit different, including a traditional BBQ in the garden.

When we arrived, we had lunch outside on a deck overlooking a herd of elephants across the dry riverbed.

09/07/2021

If you have time in Cape Town, a great experience is an afternoon surfing in the seaside town of Muizenberg which is the main surf spot. No experience necessary - and such a fun adventure for a family. The drive down the coast is also beautiful!

06/07/2021

Everyone knows Cape Town is an amazing city but there are some hidden gems to discover. We had lunch at Neighbourgoods Market Cape Town an outdoor food market in Woodstock filled with local food purveyors - a foodie paradise. This cool area is filled with reclaimed warehouses with galleries and creative business. After lunch we did a graffiti wall art tour. This neighborhood hosts an annual festival each year that draws artists from around the world.

05/07/2021

And so our adventure begins! We arrived in South Africa just a few days after the President invoked stricter Covid restrictions -closing restaurants, museums and introduced a mandated curfew - threw our carefully crafted plan out the window. Thankfully our great partners at Africa Inscribed Private Travel were ready to pivot (as they always are which is why we LOVE them). Our terrific first day finished with a private chef dinner at a beautiful house in Cape Town. Ended up much more memorable than what we had on the books anyway!

28/06/2021

My wonderful clients arrived in Iceland yesterday! Current protocols require you to be tested for COVID at arrival and you must quarantine at your hotel until you receive your negative test result. This can be an hour or a day - impossible to control or predict. (this will be waived in July)

With a very tight schedule, they really only had one day to see the active volcano and it was arrival day. We worked with our partners on the ground to have a guide and driver on call. This way, if the test came back early, they could go out and hike to the volcano. If it didn't, they wouldn't have to pay for an activity they couldn't do.

Their tests came back in just a few hours and they were able to get out and see the volcano. I was so pleased we could make this work for them! Makes me so happy!!

Followed by weeks of intense seismic activity when magma was stored in a new shallow reservoir, a volcano eruption finally started lat on 19 March 2021 on the Reykjanes pneinsula. Follow our updates on this page!

24/06/2021

This project has been absolutely fascinating! It turns out, several sections from Rembrandt's famous Night Watch were cut from the painting in the past. The Operation Night Watch team has successfully recreated these missing pieces, which have now been mounted around Rembrandt’s world-famous work. The reconstructed painting will remain on public display at the Rijksmuseum for the coming months.

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/stories/operation-night-watch

Op 8 juli 2019 start het Rijksmuseum Operatie Nachtwacht, het grootste en meest veelzijdige onderzoeks- en restauratieproject van Rembrandts meesterwerk in de geschiedenis. Operatie Nachtwacht heeft tot doel het schilderij optimaal te behouden voor de toekomst.

17/06/2021

Switzerland is opening to vaccinated travelers June 28! The Grand Tour of Switzerland combines the highlights of Switzerland in one single journey. The route takes you through four linguistic regions, crosses five Alpine passes, taking you to 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites, two biospheres and along the banks of 22 lakes. So much to see and do.

The interactive Grand Tour of Switzerland web route is sure to awaken the tour fever that lies inside.

14/06/2021

Denmark is open to vaccinated travelers from the United States. While I still have yet to eat at Noma (I visited before it existed) I didn't realize that Copenhagen boats 13 Michelin starred restaurants! And, with crowds significantly down this summer, it may be the best time to get reservations.

In the summer, the city is spectacular to just wander and enjoy the beautiful public parks. There are so many easy day trips too including the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Kronberg Castle, home to Shakespeare's Hamlet. A great destination for families.

12/06/2021

I thought this article did a good job of highlighting the many different experiences you can have on safari in Africa. I'm excited to check out Ngala Tented Camp in a few weeks on Safari with my family. This is the summer to do Africa!

These are the safari experiences worth doing soon, by which we mean, now.