A couple contacted me at Concierge Unique in late May one year asking about a villa for the first two weeks of August. They had been looking online for several weeks. They had found properties they liked. They had a budget that would have been entirely adequate in February. In May, it was adequate for […]
There comes a point every winter when the great British weather seems determined to test our resilience. When the novelty of cosy evenings and hot chocolate has well and truly worn off, the Christmas decorations are more of an annoyance than a celebratory feel good, and sunset arrives no sooner than you finish your afternoon […]
KwaZulu-Natal is one of South Africa’s most underrated and undiscovered destinations, especially given its wide range of highlights all within easy driving distance of one another. In just 10 – 14 days you can combine world class hiking, rich and diverse culture, delicious local cuisine (think Durban curries and bunny chows), a dramatic, emotive history […]
The table at Scorpios that appears on your screen when you search is not the table worth having. The table worth having at Scorpios does not appear on any screen. As CEO of Concierge Unique, I want to be clear about what I mean by this, because it sounds like the kind of thing people […]
There’s a particular kind of trip that makes a passport feel optional. The light hits differently, the architecture borrows from somewhere else entirely, and for a weekend, home feels very far away—without the jet lag or the visa paperwork. The United States is full of these pockets, places where a single well-chosen property and a […]
Every day, more than 10 million people fly to their destinations. Many of these people will be beginning or ending long-haul flights across the globe.Anyone with experience of travelling far and wide knows that long-haul flights can be exhausting and uncomfortable. That’s why planning ahead and preparing yourself for a long flight is so important. […]
Many parents notice something different about their teen but can’t quite name it. The behaviours seem beyond typical teenage moodiness, yet a clear explanation stays just out of reach. Knowing what the common signs of neurodivergence look like in teens can give families a real starting point, one that leads to answers, support, and actual […]
There’s a specific day every November when it tips over. Not a date you can mark on a calendar – more a feeling. The clocks have gone back, the heating’s come on, and somewhere around the third consecutive grey afternoon you start doing the maths on how many more weeks of this there are. Quite a […]
Dubai is a city that is seemingly synonymous with luxury. It’s a city where even the police force owns a Bugatti Veyron, and one where the acceleration of wealth is like nowhere else. It’s hard to imagine that in 1968 there were only 13 registered motor vehicles in the entire emirate of Dubai. Today, things […]
In an age when many cruise ships resemble floating cities, Windstar Cruises offers an elegant alternative: intimate yachts designed for a more personal way to explore the world. Carrying between 150 and 350 guests, Windstar’s fleet delivers immersive, authentic experiences with exceptional service. As the cruise line’s motto promises, sailing with Windstar is 180 Degrees from […]
There is a version of the private chef experience in Mykonos that goes like this. Someone books a villa. The villa description mentions that a chef is available. A chef arrives. Food is produced. The guests eat it. By the standards of what was promised, nothing went wrong. There is another version. The chef who […]
The world’s most rarefied tables are rarely found on the most obvious streets. They are tucked into medieval alleyways, nestled beneath alpine peaks, hidden behind dry-stone walls in lavender-scented valleys. For those who know where to look, a single reservation can become the most compelling reason to explore a corner of Europe you might never […]
Almost anyone who’s been to the Lake District will rave about the destination as one of the most beautiful corners of the UK. This UNESCO World Heritage Site enjoys repeat visits from those who know the area well, and regularly hosts Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, school trips, day trippers and more. Using UK demographic models, […]
Ask travel professionals who handle the Turkish coast regularly and most of them will say something similar about Kalkan. It gets an unusual number of repeat bookings for a destination this size. People go once and come back. People who come back twice tend to stop looking elsewhere. The standard explanation is the contrast between […]
Mykonos is not, by reputation, a place associated with rest. It is associated with the opposite of rest — with late nights, with music that continues until the sun comes up, with the specific kind of exhaustion that follows a week of doing everything the island makes available at full commitment. This reputation is entirely […]