LOW-DOWN

new arrivals - Dubai’s newest icon Atlantis The Royal is scheduled to make it’s debut in March 2023. Maybe the best thing about it is it’s architecture? The building isn’t polite and rises 43 storeys high from the Arabian Sea – blocks symmetrically stacked like a work of art. There are 17 restaurants and a pool which hangs 90 metres of the ground. Step into the lobby and you’ll be greeted by the sight of 4,000 jellyfish gliding through the world’s largest tank. There is even a snow sauna. On any other occasion you might think “It’s too much, too grand.” But it’s Dubai. So let’s go big!

the low-down - To balance the travel chaos seen over the past year, (and there have been some serious moments) feedback from my clients has been thankful for my solid reassuring presence. They appreciate the practical details, quite often send me pictures of their dogs and love the fact that I am mildly obsessed with owls. They know just as much about me as I do them and are amused to hear I just don’t get boats. They love hearing there is more to Dubai than just bling and we all agree packing cubes are genius.

hot tips - A common question I am often asked is what’s on trend at the moment? What I am finding is people are really keen to travel and are craving culture with extraordinary journeys and experiences. It’s less about new locations and much more about how you are experiencing things. There is a real shift to venturing off the well-trodden paths, doing wonderful journeys and in general just maximising that feeling of being in something, totally in the moment.

A place that really captured my heart in 2022 was Dubrovnik. For a short trip I would recommend the riviera-alternative charms of Montenegro.

There is alot of excitement with Indonesia and Japan just re-opening. Indonesia, Malaysia … Japan they all have so much to offer. In the summer we journeyed to Vietnam starting in Ho Chi Minh. We journeyed north to Nha Trang staying in a gem-like hotel. Hoi-An was a stand-out moment. Staying in a lovely ocean-front property affored us blissful beach time. Another highlight was cycling through the countryside and visiting artists and villages who offered insights into their lives.

Tucked away in the Atlas Mountains, Kasbah Tamadot acts as wonderful basecamp for a week of cultural immersion. We saw a surge of bookings in October twinning this with Marrakech.

A quintessential safari with down time spent foraging in the Massai Mara and an introduction to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage is I promise you a magnificent idea.

what’s your vibe? - Do follow me on Instagram for snippets of joyful travel inspiration, spectacular offers and go to the contact form or call me to discuss your travel plans.

Clare xx