the insider newsletter: sep 2023

Hi,

I'm hopping into your inbox with monthly updates and of course, your insider tips from my world of luxury travel ✈️.

This week:

• An update from my desk - the personal trip I'm planning
• Insider tips 🌍
• Blog posts that you'll love
• Upcoming client trips - great for inspiration!
• Recent client love

an update from abbay's desk

Where do travel advisors go on vacation!? 

I'm sharing my fluid thought process on how I narrowed down the best destination for my upcoming family trip because it's not too different from how I would help my clients narrow down destinations. But if you are only interested in seeing where we are going on vacation in September, skip down to the bottom of this section!

I'll begin with the fact that it's been a quintessentially British summer here in England (🌧). So I knew I wanted somewhere warm with a beautiful beach (in Europe). Alas, this only helped me narrow down my list to Portugal, Spain, Sicily, Sardinia, Croatia, Turkey, Greece, and a Moroccan gem I've just learned about. Still a long list, so there was more narrowing down to do, and how does one decide!?

The next factor that helped me narrow things down - my 11-month-old son, Leo. He's at the age where everything goes straight into his mouth, so avoiding pebble beaches became the next destination filter (otherwise I'm spending my leisure time trying to keep my son from swallowing rocks).

In the end, Sardinia and Portugal became the top contenders - Sardinia for its sandy beaches with its lapping water that's ideal for children and Portugal for Comporta's expanses of beautiful beaches and casual yet chic beach towns.

Ultimately, we decided on Portugal based on my son's age. Either would have worked well, but I knew the family-friendly hotels that I was eying in Sardinia would be such a better fit when Leo is a little older (mostly because of the wonderful children's amenities). So, this year it's a more adult-focused trip to Portugal, and maybe next year it will be a more family-friendly trip to Sardinia!

I'm sharing our 10-night itinerary that will give us a true Portuguese experience, yet is never more than a couple of hours' driving distance from Lisbon, so we can keep travel time to a minimum.

• 🇵🇹 Lisbon - 3 nights - Staying central to scout several hotels and experience the city
• 🏰 Evora - 1 night - Staying in a hotel that's foundations are based on the city's first wall; Evora is one of Portugal's most beautifully preserved medieval towns
• 🍷 Alentejo - 3 nights - Staying in an ancient small farming village that has been reimagined as a luxury hotel, surrounded by ancient oaks, olive oaks, and vineyards
• 🌊 Comporta - 3 nights - Staying across 2 properties to enjoy expanses of wild beach (an area also known as the Hamptons of Portugal)

Have you been to any of these destinations? If you have any tips, I would love to hear from you!

Next up, my insider tips! This is for my football fans (or maybe my Ted Lasso fans) ⚽️. 

The English Premier League 'kicked off' on August 12th, and demand for tickets is set to be at an all-time high.

Heading to Rome or Milan? Let's include tickets for Serie A Italian football. We have the connections to secure these hard-to-get tickets for you!

Insider Tip #2: A winter destination that might surprise you - Yellowstone 🦬.

It's no surprise that peak season is in the summer, but most people don't know that the winter is MAGIC.

It may be the chilliest months of the year, but snow-laden landscapes are the perfect contrast to colorful hot springs...

Incredible wildlife like bison herds and wolf packs wander across the park in search of food.

Geysers erupt with water and steam amidst the cold mountain air.

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

I recommend combining wildlife viewing, winter walks over snow-covered boardwalks and trails, and a bit of cross-country skiing or snowshoeing if you choose. Visit the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, spend time in the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley, and travel to Old Faithful on a snow coach. Then, plan to end each day with a beautiful meal and a crackling evening fire at cozy in-park lodges.

latest travel news

• 10 Best Places to Travel in October (AFAR).
• Aer Lingus Is Launching 2 Routes to Dublin From Denver & Minneapolis(Travel + Leisure).
• This Fashion Expert's Packing Hack Is a Game Changer for Carry-on-only Travelers (Travel + Leisure).
• What a nearly $16 trillion travel economy means for your future vacation (The Points Guy).

blog posts you'll love

is luxury travel for you? 6 things you didn't know about luxury travel

Years ago, luxury travel was synonymous only with 5-star hotels, butlers, and Michelin-starred restaurants.

While there is nothing wrong with those things, ‘luxury travel’ has since evolved...

Click here to keep reading.

10 reasons to visit the Azores

Have you heard of the Azores?

This was a new-to-me destination not so long ago, but the more I learned about this hidden gem, the more my curiosity grew!

Click here to keep reading.

upcoming client trips

Looking for inspiration? Check out where some of my wonderful clients are traveling this month:

• The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, South Carolina
• Action-packed trip to Portugal: Cycling tour followed by kayaking & fishing 
• Anniversary trip to the Azores (Portugal)
• Anniversary trip to France including Le Bristol (Paris) and Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat (Riviera)
• Multi-generational trip to Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu, Hawaii
• Several Italy trips, two including the Ryder Cup ⛳️

Inspired? Want to learn more? Get in touch!

client love

Star Travel Advisor. “I fully recommend booking your travels through Abbay, as you’re guaranteed to be 101% satisfied with everything when you arrive at the property. Staff will take good care of you, with champagne, upgrades and more.” Mr. C, Feb 2023

Check out our Reviews and Recommendations page to read more about what our clients are saying.

That's all for this month. I hope you've enjoyed it!