Brownell - travel beyond your expectations

I don't believe I have ever blogged about Brownell Travel, the agency with which I am so proud to be affiliated. This video will give you a hint of why I love being a part of the Brownell family.



We are a team with more Conde Nast and Travel & Leisure recommended experts than any other agency in the world. Obviously no one travel consultant knows everything, but if you call or email your Brownell travel consultant with your vision for a world-stretching vacation, we regularly call upon the expertise of our colleagues to help us plan your trip of a lifetime.

We are also blessed to have great relationships with some of the most outstanding travel partners in the industry. Our on-site partners located virtually everywhere on earth have relationships with reliable ground operators and the best tour guides available. They can ensure that your trip goes as smoothly as possible - and they're there in the event the unexpected happens and you need help thousands of miles away from home.

I love the way Troy Haas describes "luxury travel" in this video:

To see the change from having to worry about when do we have to make the transfer?, is the driver there on time?, are the rooms all OK in the hotel?, do you have your bags? ... When our people we lined up are taking care of all of those things, the client can then relax and enjoy the experience.

Brownell travel consultant (search here on Google)

Click here to visit Brownell's website.

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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barging on the River Thames

While I am not into cruises, I thoroughly enjoyed a barge trip I took several years ago in the south of France. So when I received news of this special offer on the Magna Carta for selected sailings this spring, I wanted to pass it along. This cruise is on my own wish list; it glides down the River Thames through some of the most beautiful English countryside you'll ever see.

A barge cruise is nothing like an ocean cruise. You're not on a big ship with hundreds or thousands of other passengers; you'll be one of eight exclusive guests. No extra charges for drinks or shore excursions; everything is included. You won't be having your meals in a large dining room in which hundreds of meals are being prepared simultaneously; every night is like a wonderful dinner party, thrown by the crew, with exquisite meals elegantly served.

Carrying just eight passengers and ideal for groups of friends or families, a Magna Carta barge cruise is an intimate and exclusive experience. The barge boasts two decks with four luxurious, spacious staterooms on the lower deck, each with beautiful hardwood floors, under-floor heating, independent air conditioning and en-suite facilities complete with oversized showers and basins, heated towel rail, independent under-floor heating and other fine guest amenities.

On the upper deck, guests will find the saloon with picture windows offering panoramic views of the charming English countryside. Here, passengers can relax on Italian leather sofas and enjoy a fully stocked bar, library complete with reference books, a selection of games and a comprehensive CD collection. Exquisite dishes are delivered from the professional galley and are enjoyed in the adjacent fine dining area. Leading from the saloon are split-level sun decks offering a sun umbrella and chairs. Sunk within the upper level is a large, bubbling Jacuzzi, providing passengers with an oasis for complete relaxation.

Save $2,000 per cabin on cruises departing March 21, March 28, April 3, April 18, April 27, and May 30, 2010. Guests can save $1,000 per cabin on dates outside those listed above. Contact me to book your cruise and to make your pre- and post-cruises arrangements.

Magna Carta barge cruise (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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full solar eclipse | July 11 in Tahiti

As if you needed another reason to visit one of the most idyllic spots on earth, French Polynesia will experience a total solar eclipse on July 11, 2010. A solar eclipse occurs when the new moon passes directly in front of the sun, blocking out its light and creating a mystical "twilight in the middle of the day" experience. According to Nasa's eclipse website, "the southern coast line of French Polynesia's Tahiti lies a tantalizing 20 km north of the eclipse path and experiences a deep 99.96% magnitude partial eclipse at 18:28 UT."

Tahiti and Moorea will experience a 98% eclipse of the sun. There is room availability on both islands that evening, and you can spend the rest of your Polynesian holiday on Bora Bora. The warm waters of its lagoon are the most incredible shade of aquamarine, and this is one of the best places on earth to snorkel. My recommended places to stay? Four Seasons Bora Bora (the ultimate five star resort with a distinctly Polynesian flavor) and Bora Bora Lagoon Resort (an Orient Express property with reasonable prices and the best snorkeling anywhere).

Never look directly at the sun. The only time that the Sun can be viewed safely with the naked eye is during a total eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun. It is never safe to look at a partial or annular eclipse, or the partial phases of a total solar eclipse, without the proper equipment and techniques.


Bora Bora (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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has the travel economy turned the corner?

Has the economy turned the corner? The collapse of the credit markets in the fall of 2008 was devastating. My own sales dropped 38% from the preceding month in October '08. For the six months following the crash, my sales were 15% lower than the six months preceding the crash.

2010 has started with a bang. While my own experience is hardly paradigmatic of the entire economy, January and February, 2010, have been the two busiest months I have ever experienced (and many of my colleagues at Brownell make similar reports). I specialize in luxury travel, so I cannot speak to what is happening with mass market travel, but these are some impressions I can convey about the state of the luxury travel market.

(1) There are long hold times when calling wholesalers who put together packages to Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

(2) Third, fourth, and fifth-night free rates continue to be very popular with upscale travelers and have helped fill these properties. Throw in hotel amenity programs that include such as free breakfasts, spa credits, lunches or dinners, and there continue to be some compelling luxury values out there.

(3) Hotels have been willing to extend upgrades at the time of booking in order to make a sale, especially with preferred partners who send them lots of guests.

(4) Now is the time to take advantage of these values. As the economy continues to strengthen, these steep discounts will become harder to find. In the long term, this is good news for the luxury traveler, because it's in everyone's interest for luxury hotels and resorts to return to profitability.

(5) If you normally stay at mid-level hotels (Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, etc.), take a look at some of the values you can get at Four Seasons and Ritz-Carltons in the destinations you're visiting. With discount programs still in place - and generous hotel amenity programs that will continue even when the discounts are over - you can often enjoy the best for practically the same price as the big mass-market chains charge.


hotel amenity programs (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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hotel upgrades at time of booking

When you can get a guaranteed upgrade at the time of booking, it's a great deal for you. It simply means you get more value for your money. Pay for a smaller, lead-in room and get a free upgrade into a larger room. Pay for a Garden view room and get to enjoy a room with a view of the Ocean. Or pay for a Deluxe guestroom and enjoy the spaciousness of a Suite. A guaranteed upgrade is an automatic discount over the rates that everyone else has to pay.

Listed below are Virtuoso hotels that graciously offer "upgrades at time of booking" — and offer, in addition, complimentary daily breakfasts and other valuable amenities. To get your guaranteed upgrade at any of these hotels plus free breakfasts and other perks, just make your booking through a Virtuoso travel consultant.

UNITED STATES

Canyon Ranch — Tucson, AZ

Fairmont Scottsdale — Scottsdale, AZ

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain — Paradise Valley, AZ

Capital Hotel — Little Rock, AR

Clift Hotel — San Francisco, CA

Four Seasons — San Francisco, CA

Mandarin Oriental — San Francisco, CA

Montage Resort — Laguna Beach, CA

Montage Beverly Hills — Beverly Hills, CA

Grand Del Mar — San Diego, CA

Vail Cascade Resort — Vail, CO

Four Seasons — Palm Beach, FL

Ritz-Carlton South Beach — Miami Beach, FL

Halekulani — Honolulu, HI

Mauna Lani — Big Island, HI

St. Regis Princeville — Kauai, HI

Park Hyatt — Chicago, IL

Boston Harbor Hotel — Boston, MA

Canyon Ranch — Lenox, MA

Inn and Spa at Loretto — Santa Fe, NM

Mandarin Oriental New York — New York, NY

St. Regis New York — New York, NY

Park Hyatt Washington — Washington, DC

EUROPE

The Goring — London, England

Ritz London — London, England

Grand Hotel — Eastbourne, England

Hotel Le Bristol — Paris, France

Adlon Kempinski — Berlin, Germany

Hotel Die Hirschgasse — Heidelberg, Germany

Regent Berlin — Berlin, Germany

Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome — Berlin, Germany

Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski — Munich, Germany

Hayfield Manor — Cork, Ireland

K Club — Kildare, Ireland

Hotel Brufani Palace — Perugia, Italy

Ca' Sagredo Hotel — Venice, Italy

Aquapura Douro Valley — Lamego, Portugal

Lapa Palace — Lisbon, Portugal

Reid's Palace — Funchal, Madeira

Hotel Baltschug Kempinski — Moscow, Russia

Gleneagles — Perthshire, Scotland

Barcelo La Bobadilla — Loja, Spain

Claris Hotel — Barcelona, Spain

Badrutt's Palace — St. Moritz, Switzerland

Beau-Rivage — Geneva, Switzerland

Dolder Grand — Zurich, Switzerland

Widder Hotel, Zurich, Switzerland

ASIA

Island Shangri-La — Hong Kong

Peninsula Beijing — China

Ananda in the Himalayas — Uttaranchal, India

Fullerton Hotel — Singapore

Sukhothai — Bangkok

AUSTRALIA

Lyall Hotel and Spa — Melbourne

CANADA

Fairmont Banff Springs — Banff

Fairmont Empress — Victoria

Fairmont Chateau Whistler — Whistler

CARIBBEAN

The Cove Atlantis — Nassau

The Reef Atlantis — Nassau

Half Moon — Jamaica

MEXICO

Villa Montana Hotel & Spa — Morelia

ARGENTINA

Iguazu Grand Resort — Puerto Iguazu

Park Hyatt — Mendoza

Virtuoso travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Virtuoso Best of the Best

Virtuoso's 2010 guide to the best luxury hotels and resorts in the world has been published. Featuring a cover shot of the new One&Only Cape Town in South Africa, this is just one of over 800 properties in 89 countries around the world in the exclusive Virtuoso collection.

Why should Virtuoso matter to you? Do you want to experience the utmost in comfort, service, and luxury when you travel? Do you care about maximizing the value you receive when you travel? Virtuoso offers added-value amenities at every one of the 800+ properties in this catalogue:

• complimentary daily breakfast for two
• room upgrades upon check-in, subject to availability
• an unique extra amenity or perk at each property that may include lunch, dinner, a spa credit, or transfers

You don't pay more — you just get more — simply by booking through a Virtuoso travel consultant. And just as important, you will receive the personalized attention and service you deserve from an experienced travel professional.

Click here to view the digital version of Virtuoso Best of the Best.


Virtuoso travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Southwest Airlines and Customers of Size

The hot topic in the today's news is the case of Kevin Smith and Southwest's two-seat policy for "customers of size." Mr. Smith bought two tickets for a flight from Oakland to Burbank. He was able to get on an earlier flight on which, unfortunately, two adjacent seats were not available. And that is where this tale of Southwest's public relations misadventure begins. Southwest Airlines determined that Mr. Smith did not fit into a single seat and asked him to deplane. This led to an exchange of blogs and tweets in which both parties wrote things they probably regret.

As a luxury travel consultant, my own issue in this incident is the entire question of comfort [sic] while flying in coach. I don't enjoy the "back of the plane" experience, but most of us who live in California do fly Southwest when traveling within state, and Southwest is an all-coach airline. SWA does offer a reasonably comfortable coach product with adequate pitch — their seats are not crammed as tightly as those of other airlines. Coach only becomes unbearable when the passenger in the neighboring seat is wider than that seat, and his/her body encroaches into your space.

I applaud Southwest's policy on "customers of size," requiring such passengers to purchase two seats.

As a Company committed to serving our Customers in Safety and comfort, we feel the definitive boundary between seats is the armrest. If a Customer cannot comfortably lower the armrest and infringes on a portion of another seat, a Customer seated adjacent would be very uncomfortable and a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement.

When an adjacent passenger occupies space you paid for (i.e., any portion of the vertical space between your armrests), it is simply unfair. Southwest's PR in response to this incident was unfortunate, but their policy is laudable.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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