HTL HTL TRAVELTATTLER Professional Purveyors of Travel
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Q4 2016
TRAVEL NEWS, TIPS AND TIDBITS
LETTER FROM THE CEO HTL NEWS SOUTHERN ITALY OMAN NORTHERN ITALY TRAVEL TIPS & TRICKS TATTLER TIDBITS
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Professional Purveyors of Travel
LETTER FROM THE CEO Dear Friends of Huffman Travel, The leaves are changing and there is a chill in the air. Fall is upon us! I am happy to report that I’m writing you today from the porch of my cabin at The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, WY. I can think of no better backdrop for this girls getaway (‘Cow Girl Up for The Cure’ supports Susan G. Komen), a guys getaway (check out their amazing French Creek Sportsman’s Club!), or an overall week of family fun with no shortage of activities. This was not my first trip to BCR and it will certainly not be my last!
Shawna Huffman Owen on a recent trip to Greece
Fall is the time of year when we reignite ‘our routine’ and focus on looking ahead. It’s also the time of year that allows me to reflect on how grateful we at Huffman Travel are to have such wonderful clients and partners. Every year we look forward to the week after Labor Day when our phone volume picks up and we hear from many of you … reflecting on your summer travels and brainstorming where to go next. Thank you for allowing us to assist you with ‘investing’ your most precious of all assets: your time. We love creating experiences that allow you to make the most of your trips, and we relish the relationships we forge by doing so. Not only have many of you enjoyed fantastic travels this past summer, but we at Huffman Travel have been doing our fair share of globe-trotting as well. We thought it would be fun to share with you – in a visual way – where your team of Luxury Travel Advisors have visited this year (see map on page 3). Please let us know what inspires you…. we’d love to tell you about our own adventures and find out how we might curate one for you! To travel is to live!
Shawna Huffman Owen President & CEO, Huffman Travel LTD
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HTL NEWS Each year several representatives from Huffman Travel (HTL) attend the annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas. It’s the largest gathering of luxury travel professionals in the world. We spend one week deepening our relationships with our hotel and supplier partners, making sure we are up on the latest trends in the industry and (overall) being inspired! It’s also Virtuoso’s opportunity to recognize some of the industry’s key players with awards, and for industry suppliers to host gala events for their top partners. Below are a few snapshots of the HTL team and some of our key associates! Huffman Travel has been a member of the Virtuoso travel network for over 15 years and we are pleased to announce that Tony Huffman, Chairman & CEO, was re-elected by peer agencies to serve another three year term on Virtuoso’s Member Advisor y Board (total of 12 members). Congratulations, Tony! We are also proud to announce that Huffman Travel was recently recognized by Four Seasons Hotels as being one of the Top 20 Four Seasons Preferred Partners based on production. From time to time, HTL advisors are invited to help shape the opening of new hotels and resorts worldwide. Krista Wissinger was selected to sit on Virtuoso’s Preview Board for Park Hyatt, St. Kitts. She tells us that the inspiration of the design came from the plantations on the island with a focus on immersive experiences. This luxe property will be the first of its kind in St. Kitts and will welcome guests beginning March 1st, 2017!
Virtuoso’s Travel Week is one of the largest gatherings of luxury travel professionals in the world.
HTL 2016 TRAVELS As a company, we believe the best way to advise our clients is to experience it ourselves. For this very reason, you will see us ‘on the go’ - whether it be a far flung destination we visit on our own or by participating in leading luxury travel shows around the globe. With our team ‘all over the map’, we thought we’d have a bit of fun and put together a visual that illustrates where we have collectively been this year - and it’s impressive!
“Capri has been dazzling for decades.” - Monique Owen
SOUTHERN ITALY Italy consistently ranks among the top travel lists of globetrotters and it’s not hard to see why. The endless pursuit of “La Dolce Vita”… perfectly sun-ripened sweet tomatoes, soft white mozzarella cheese, and lazy, wine soaked lunches. The country that resembles a boot has an abundance of culture, charm and history making it not just a “one and done” travel proposition, but a country that beckons for many a return visit. My family and I arrived to Capri in late June ready for some fun in the sun after a whirlwind tour around Italy (Positano, Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Cortona and Rome). We had a private driver transfer us from Rome
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to the iconic Amalfi coast. I highly recommend private ground services in this region. Not only are the Amalfi Coast roads not for the faint of heart, but our wonderful ground services team took us from Rome (after a leisurely breakfast), to Pompeii (where we enjoyed a privately guided tour and a quick pit stop for pizza,) and, finally, on to Sorrento, where we boarded a hydrofoil….and found ourselves poolside at our hotel by 4:30pm. This was my second visit to Pompeii and a real highlight for our children; ages 4, 6 and 8. Boats arrive to Capri at “Marina Grande”, which in the peak of summer is a bustling hive of tourists and activity. Our on-site team
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Amalfi, continued was waiting for us as we stepped off the hydrofoil and we swiftly embarked one of Capri’s soft top taxis. The heart of Capri is a ‘pedestrian only’ oasis of cobblestone pathways with charming boutiques and restaurants. After hopping out of our taxi, the last part of the journey to our hotel was only 5 minutes on foot and a wonderful immersion into the allure of Capri. The island’s Tiberio Palace would be our home for the next 4 nights. We spent our first day on a private boat touring the local regions of the Amalfi Coast. Soaking up the sun, stopping for a swim and, ultimately, a delicious lunch at La Conca del Sogno were true highlights. Afterward, it was back on the boat to tour the green and blue grottoes of Capri. I recommend arriving to the Blue Grotto late enough in the day to avoid all the tourist boats and to swim freely in the electric blue waters.
Perhaps our favorite day was spent at La Fontelina beach club. We’ve all seen the classic Slim Aarons photographs of the beach club dotted with blue and white umbrellas…and the reality does not disappoint. A short walk down a beautiful, winding path with views of the blue sea below (dotted with mega yachts!) brought us to a wonderful oasis. A friendly attendant settled us into our comfy sunbeds and we spent the day laying in the sun and swimming in the sea with the famous Il Faraglioni islands as our backdrop. It’s not hard to see how Capri has been dazzling for decades….and I am certain this wasn’t a a “one and done” visit for my mia familia!
Monique Owen Luxury Travel Advisor monique@huffmantravel.com
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OH MY OMAN When I told friends that my husband and I were going to visit The Sultanate of Oman in April, the first inevitable question I was asked was, “Is it safe?”. Not only is it safe, it is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever seen. Positioned on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, this arid country offers visitors jaw-dropping vistas with rugged mountains and canyons at every turn. The capital city of Muscat is beautiful, clean and quite cosmopolitan…..and set on the edge of the Arabian Sea. Our visit included everything from fine dining, wonderful wines (discovery: Lebanon produces rather memorable cabernets!), spa time, shopping, hiking, swimming, and 4x4 outings in the Al Hajar mountains. In terms of activities, the possibilities are infinite! We stayed at the Chedi Muscat upon arrival and acclimated to the time change in their incredible spa. The Chedi is situated on the water and the spa’s lounge area offers stunning views of the sea. In a word? Tranquil. It is very contemporary and chic, while feeling quite exotic and arabesque. We used this as our home base as we toured the city of Muscat with private guides, and it was there that we visited a luxury parfumerie and Muscat’s impressive and lavish Grand Mosque. For our ‘desert adventure’, we lodged at Alila’s Jabal Akhdar, a luxurious and rustic resort that is perched at the mouth of a dramatic gorge, surrounded by mountains. After rigorous hikes in the local area, we had truly earned the spa time and infinity pool’s awe-inspiring views. This was our favorite hotel simply due to the fact that the setting was so raw and magical. I will never forget the night sky’s endless stars, nor the sight of a lighting storm approaching over the mountains as the sun was setting. It was an incredible place to disconnect from the world and re-connect with my husband. I found everyone we met to be warm and welcoming, the country’s infrastructure to be quite sound (in fact, impressive), and the accommodations utterly luxurious. For travelers with an appetite for adventure, the exotic, and for the great outdoors….Oman is a destination that should not be overlooked.
Shelane Nunnery Luxury Travel Advisor shelane@huffmantravel.com
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“In a word? Tranquil.” - Shelane Nunnery
“The Dolomites are the most dramatic mountains I’ve ever seen.” - André Koester
NORTHERN ITALY My husband and I take a week-long trip alone every July. It’s very good for the marriage given the fact that we have four young sons. This year we decided to explore some parts of Italy we’d never been to: Lake Garda and the Dolomite Mountains. Our first stop was Lake Garda. We flew direct from NYC to Venice, and spent our first day exploring Verona since it is halfway between Venice and Lake Garda. Verona is a charming, medieval city with narrow streets and beautiful architecture. There is a huge arena from the Middle Ages right in the center of the city that has a full schedule of evening operas all summer long. The highlight of our
day there was seeing the opera ‘Carmen’ under the stars. Our next few days were spent enjoying beautiful Lake Garda, which is the largest of the Italian Lakes, but not nearly as well known as Lake Como. We stayed at Villa Feltrinelli, which is a gorgeous 20-room hotel on Lake Garda’s shore. It has a lovely pool, a wonderful spa, and service that is beyond compare. By our second day there all the staff knew our coffee order for breakfast and our preferred drink for cocktails. Even though it was difficult to leave Villa Feltrinelli, there are several charming towns to explore on Lake Garda that can be reached by car or by chartering a boat. We chose
Italy, continued the latter and loved visiting Salo for its stylish shops,
mountains (some as long as a kilometer) that were
Sirmione for its dramatic Roman architecture, and Isola di Garda, a private island in the center of the
made by Italians and Austrians during WWI, as that area was a major front during the war. We had a
lake and the home of a stunning palazzo. There are lots of great restaurants where you can dock for an
great hiking guide on several of our days who showed us the most scenic routes and explained
alfresco seafood lunch and we loved jumping off the boat for a swim.
much of the WWI history.
ferrata, but we told him we’d bring our sons back to do that! He informed us
Next on our itinerary was San Cassiano in the Dolomites.
that the Dolomites are incredibly popular with
The Dolomites are about
families – both children
an hour and a half drive north from Lake Garda.
a n d t e e n s l ove t h e climbing and the thrill of via ferrata. We ate
They are the most dramatic, beautiful
as well for dinner as we did for lunch, as
mountains I’ve ever seen and a great
there are numerous Michelin-starred
destination, both summer and winter.
restaurants scattered throughout the
Summer activities include hiking, biking,
rregion. Our hotel, The
rock climbing and a
Rosa Alpina, was a highlight that manages to
type of climbing called via ferrata. Via
be cozy and chic at the same time.
ferrata involves climbing while clipped into steel cables, ladders and other anchors that are affixed to the mountain, allowing those not as experienced to hike dramatic ledges and climb vertical walls. It was my husband’s suggestion to go to the Dolomites, and I was a bit hesitant as I am not really the outdoorsy type, but I ended up loving our time there. We would hike in the mornings, enjoying amazing vistas at every turn, and follow our hikes with lunch at a rifugio. Rifugio is translated as a “mountain refuge”, but is really a cozy restaurant/inn on the mountain with delicious food and good wine. What made it even better was we could take a cable car or chairlift up and hike down if we weren’t feeling up for a major trek. One day we explored tunnels in the
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He wanted us to try via
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After a great week, we had a 2.5-hour drive to Venice airport for our direct flight home to New York. We promised each other that we’d come back to both locales – a successful trip in my book! e.
André Koester Luxury Travel Advisor andre@huffmantravel.com
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TIPS & TRICKS PACKING & PLANNING FOR…..
AMALFI COAST •
Do: Consider making Capri your one base for a stay on the Amalfi coast. Unpack, settle in and use charter boats and the wonderful public hydrofoils and ferries to explore neighboring regions like Positano, Amalfi, Nerano, etc.
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Do: Bring an extra bag for the amazing shopping on offer.
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Don’t: Miss a day at La Fontelina Beach Club.
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Don’t: Bother packing heels. The charming cobblestone laneways will wreak havoc on your stroll to dinner. Flat sandals or wedges are the way to go.
DOLOMITES • • Do: See an open-air opera in the Verona Arena. It is a highlight of a trip to Northern Italy, but tickets need to be purchased in advance for decent seats. •
Do: Splurge to charter a boat on Lake Garda. The towns worth seeing are far from each other by car, so going by boat is more efficient, not to mention more scenic and fun!
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Do: Bring a wrap or jacket for the Dolomites in the summer, as the temperatures drop in the evening.
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Don’t: Miss lunch at a refugio in the Dolomites. The food and wine are as good as the view.
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Don’t: Forget sturdy walking shoes and a daypack for hiking in the Dolomites.
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ADVISORS Each issue of Travel Tattler will help you ‘get to know’ two fabulous members of the Huffman Travel team..and what makes them so passionate about travel!
SANDI TODOROVICH
JAYME HOOD Born and raised in Dayton, OH, with a degree in Business Management, Jayme worked in the finance industry for six years until she started to feel like something was missing. So, she decided to follow her heart, taking her love of experiencing other cultures and making it into a career in the travel industry. She is thrilled to have joined her uncle, Jeff Hood, on the Huffman Travel team! Jayme brings fresh passion for travel to the office. She appreciates learning about other cultures and is fascinated by rich histories, beautiful architecture and profound customs. In her free time, Jayme enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, is an avid sports fan and loves to cook! Jayme has most recently become Huffman Travel’s newest Disney specialist. She has also taken a deep dive into stunning Spain, visiting Seville, Cordoba, Madrid and Barcelona! Jayme sees travel not only as an opportunity to see beautiful parts of the world, but also a chance to experience life from another perspective. She brings that philosophy to her work as the foundation for the adventures that she and her clients will plan together.
After graduating from Michigan State University in 1998 and doing a month-long tour of Europe, Sandi realized she had found her passion in traveling. Since then, she has cultivated this fervor by exploring the world as much as possible. Recently living in both London and Copenhagen for 6 years allowed her to travel the world extensively and shaped her decision to move out of the accounting/finance arena and develop a career in travel, and she hasn't looked back since. Her trip to Turks & Caicos this October will put her at country #49, and there is no slowing down in sight. Sandi's passions include photography, fine dining, wine, hiking, and adventure, and she tries to incorporate as much of this as possible into her personal travel. Due to her enthusiasm for trying the newest and best places to wine and dine, as well as locating the best vantage points everywhere she travels, she is a consummate source of knowledge on the hottest restaurants and hidden gems in each city. "Go where the locals go" is something she takes to heart. Sandi considers herself lucky enough to not be able to pinpoint a favorite travel experience, but there are a few that come to mind whenever she's asked. Hot air ballooning over the fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, hiking through Petra/Bedouin, camping in Wadi Rum, and traveling around Nepal are three that stick out in her mind.
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SERENE SANCTUARY IN RIVIERA MAYA Rosewood Mayakoba may very well be Riviera Maya’s best kept secret! A Huffman Travel staff favorite, this 1,600 acre resort sits on a mile-long stretch of pristine Caribbean sand. We love the outdoor showers, rooftop decks and kids activities center with a focus on nature! Activities abound with three swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center and on-site golf. Indulge body and soul at SENSE, the 17,000 square foot tropical spa that lies on its own island. Secluded from the rest of the resort, this spa offers an array of treatments inspired by the resort’s natural and magical setting. With multiple restaurants to choose from, you may never want to explore the dining options in nearby Playa del Carmen!
MEXICO CITY’S LUXE LAS ALCOBAS Starwood Luxury Collection’s recently added Las Alcobas a contemporary, boutique hotel located in the heart of Mexico City’s chic Polanco area (think Rodeo Drive). The 35 sophisticated rooms range from guest rooms, deluxe suites and Penthouses with verandas, but our favorite are the corner rooms that serve up panoramic views of the Polanco neighborhood. Special touches? A menu of hand-made soaps for every guest to choose, free snacks and soft drinks from the mini bar, and sumptuous spa bathrooms in every room. Acclaimed Chef Justin Ermini created a concept inspired by international dishes with a farm-to-table driven ingredients menu at Anatol, while Dulce Patria offers a contemporary version with exquisite presentation of Mexican cuisine. Las Alcobas is the perfect ‘launching off point’ to explore the city’s amazing cultural and archeological scene, contemporary art and culinary scene.
ROMANCE ON THE SHORES OF LAKE ORTA Another favorite from revered J.MAK Hospitality, this enchanting haven is a mere 45 minute drive from Milan’s Malpensa airport, yet you’ll feel a world away. Set on a hill overlooking Lake Orta, Villa Crespi was built in 1879 and the villa’s arabesque architecture and stunning gardens are a magical backdrop for your Italian getaway. As part of the Relais & Chateaux collection, this lovely property will not disappoint culinary travelers! Chef Antonio Cannavacciuolo’s masterful cuisine takes you on an itinerary from southern to northern Italy. Rooms are opulent, traditional and colorful with four poster beds and intricate parquet flooring. Pamper yourself with an Ayurveda treatment using local organic ingredients after a day of exploring the charming medieval village of Orta with its cobbled streets and tiny cafes.
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