Category Archives: Travel News

The Ranch at Rock Creek. Philipsburg, Montana

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There are places where heaven just feels closer, and Ranch at Rock creek is one of them.

From the moment I arrived and opened my car door, I immediately started to breathe a different kind of air. Somehow the creek, pine trees, crisp wind, sage and thistle all blended together and gave me that perfect quintessential Montana scent.

For a few moments before walking into the Lobby, I just observed the trees swing with the wind, the birds chirping, horses galloping in the distance, rays of sun peaking through the leaves, and the river streaming past us. It suddenly felt like a perfectly orchestrated choreography, and I was happy to be a part of it.

The neighboring peaks surrounding the ranch make this the perfect spot for you to live your western dream with a side of luxury. 

The ranch, which opened in 2010, is located in 6,600 acres in the heart of western Montana between Sapphire, John Long and Pintler Mountains. The ranch was such a success that shortly after it’s opening, it became a member of Relais & Chateaux as well as the Forbes Travel Guide in the same year.

While the price is enough to make you think twice about booking, it includes award wining cuisine and top notch activities. The ranch is comprised by a main lodge with 9 perfectly appointed guest rooms, 7 luxury homes, 10 luxury canvas cabins and 3 Conestoga wagons. Every accommodation has a very authentic style which is updated up every year without fail.

The perfect accommodations for a family are both Sweetgrass and Cutbow. Both have 2 connecting tents next to the creek, making you feel like you are in some sort of Lewis & Clark expedition, the only difference is that you have every luxury amenity you might need including a stand alone soaking tub, a wooden barrel hot tub as well as 4 indoor fire places and a fire pit next to the creek. 

However, if you are looking for a romantic spot, Trapper cabin is the one.  For guests looking for a less adventurous accommodation, Bear cabin is one of my absolute favorites for a large family or a group of friends that want to sleep in an actual wooden structure.

The ranch has a great way to add to your accommodation if you want even more adventure. If you are staying in a tent or a home, you can rent a Homesteader wagon to be parked outside your accommodation for a fun overnight adventure. The wagons are perfectly appointed with a king bed, bunk beds and a bar.

Before you arrive, the ranch plans a personalized itinerary for each party depending on your needs. Our itinerary was comprised by horseback riding, fly fishing, paint ball in the woods, archery, rimfire, sporting clays, mountain biking and sapphire mining. You can do as much or as little as you want, but because we had 4 kids our itinerary was action packed.

Flint Forest Rangers is the perfect spot if traveling with children. It’s a kids program where they have super friendly counselors doing activities like adopting a horse, obstacle courses, among other activities while parents engage in adult-only activities like long horseback rides or spa treatments.

Lastly and possibly my favorite part is the Silver Dollar Saloon. This saloon as as legit as it gets. It has billiards table, four-lane bowling alley, saddle bar seats and the best drinks in town.

The Ranch at Rock Creek is a place where you will probably book your next stay before you even check-out.

Travel News: Four Seasons Jet

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Talk about Four Seasons exploring new heights. Traveling around the world in a private jet is something most of us daydream of one day doing. Now imagine, traveling in a private jet with the Four Seasons crew, service and cuisine? Now, that is traveling in style.

Last week we interviewed Susan Helstab, Executive Vice President, and the answers to the upcoming Four Seasons product are mind-blowing.

1. When did the Four Seasons Jet idea start? The inspiration for the custom-designed Four Seasons jet is rooted in the company’s passion to redefine luxury hospitality and is a true reflection of our understanding of the evolving needs and preferences of our guests. In 2012 we introduced our first Around the World by Private Jet experiences and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Consistently sold out trips, which often had waiting lists, underscored how important this level of experience is to our guests. The popularity and success of these early trips demonstrated the considerable opportunity and growth potential in the future of private jet travel, and encouraged us to look for new ways to evolve the experience. The introduction of fully branded, customized Four Seasons Jet builds on feedback from travelers on our previous private jet experiences who expressed their desire to pair adventure and discovery with the luxury of a fully immersive Four Seasons experience.

2. When will it have it’s grand debut? The inaugural flight will be February 2015.

3. Can you explain the overall idea of the Four Seasons Jet? From start to finish, we’re delivering a fully immersive Four Seasons experience delivering the brand’s signature service, from the moment a guest books their trip. Each of the three itineraries currently available deliver the glamour and adventure of international travel by private jet, enhanced with legendary service and the ultimate luxury of staying only in Four Seasons hotels and resorts. Our mission is to ensure that every single element of the guest’s experience meets Four Seasons level of service excellence, whether the quality of the beds, the calibre of the meals and the helpfulness of the staff.

4. How many trips a year will it make? Currently, we have three trips scheduled for 2015.

5. Can you hop on in different parts of the world? Or is it a set start and finish date? To experience the Four Seasons Jet, guests must book one of our Four Seasons Private Jet Experiences, which have start and end dates. Currently, there are three itineraries scheduled for 2015. The itineraries include: Around the World, February 2015 – Beginning in Los Angeles and concluding with a celebratory dinner in London, this 24-day, nine-destination journey explores dynamic cities, exotic islands, architectural wonders and awe-inspiring natural environments. Featuring an only-by-private-jet stop at the Taj Mahal, all accommodations will be at Four Seasons hotels and resorts. Backstage with the Arts, April 2015 – In the company of like-minded travelers who share a passion for the arts, guests will visit six cities and spend 16 indulgent days filled with backstage visits to Europe’s most stunning museums, outstanding performances at Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Estates Theatre in Prague, exquisite dinners and a private gala in the Pavlovsk Palace outside St. Petersburg. Around the World, August 2015 – Epic is the word to describe this globe-circling expedition through nine destinations, including stays in three of the newest Four Seasons hotels, plus the brand’s very first safari lodge in the Serengeti. From the Forbidden City in Beijing to the medina in Marrakech, the pristine waters of the Maldives to the excitement of the world’s largest fish market in Tokyo and a final, glittering dinner in New York, it will be 24 days no one will ever forget. For a truly customized travel experience, the Four Seasons Jet, including accompanying staff and crew, may also be privately chartered. All private charter stops must be designed in conjunction with stays at one or more of our hotels.

6. What is the difference from the Abercrombie & Kent Jet? We have taken the complete Four Seasons experience to the air to deliver seamless service every step of the way. We are the first hotel company to offer a completely branded, custom designed plane paired with exclusive itineraries and signature Four Seasons service. Travelers will stay at only Four Seasons properties, visit destinations through expertly curated itineraries and have access to exclusive experiences available only to Four Seasons Jet passengers. No detail is overlooked: from menus created by Four Seasons chefs to staff with comprehensive training from Four Seasons, the experience delivers the legendary level of service the brand is known for both aboard the jet and on the ground.

7. Who is the ideal market for this? Guests who book this trip are modern luxury travellers who have an insatiable curiosity for new experiences and value technology, identity, design and adventure. They want ultimate in personalization and luxury, but simple, seamless service delivery.

8. Who was in charge or the interior design? Both the interior and exterior re-design will be driven by direction from Four Seasons design and construction experts.

9. Is the jet affiliated with another airline? The jet is being leased from TAG Aviation through TCS Expeditions.

10. Were the pilots and stewardess trained differently for this voyage? All jet staff will receive comprehensive training from Four Seasons so that they are equipped to deliver to highest standards in service. The way our employees behave and respond to our guests is something that has been replicated in every one of our hotels around the world and will be at the core of the Four Seasons Jet experience.

11. What does a regular menu consists on? Will it be Four Seasons quality cuisine? In-flight menus are developed by a Four Seasons Executive chef using only the freshest ingredients and culinary influences from around the world. A professional onboard chef accompanies guests throughout the journey and manages all food preparation in flight and caters to any personal dietary needs.

12. What is the price per person? Our Backstage with the Arts itinerary starts at $69,000 while our Around the World, February 2015 and August 2015 trips start at $119,000.

13. Is the service level similar to a first class cabin in a top international airline? Our mission is to exceed the expectation of our guests by creating something that has never been offered before – delivering legendary Four Seasons service through every step of the journey. Each element of the experience – whether in the air or on the ground – meets Four Seasons level of service excellence. With Four Seasons on the fuselage and the iconic Four Seasons logo on the tail, the completely retrofitted Boeing 757 will feature interiors and exterior design customized by the company’s team of design experts. All trips aboard the Four Seasons Jet also include the highly personalized service of our Four Seasons-trained crew and on-board concierge to ensure a seamless travel experience. All on-board amenities and in-flight menus will also be carefully designed by the Four Seasons team. The completely retrofitted Boeing 757 will feature interiors and exterior design customized by the company’s team of design experts. All on-board amenities and in-flight menus will also be carefully designed by the Four Seasons team. Whether it’s the dynamic, locally-infused menus created by Four Seasons chefs, the individually, hand-crafted leather flatbed seats, or the dedicated on-board Four Seasons concierge, no detail has been overlooked. We all recognize the challenges of commercial air travel today, especially when travelling to remote or multiple destinations. Private jet travel maximizes our guest’s most precious commodity – time. Time is the one thing you cannot buy and how our guests spend their time with us is of the utmost importance.

14. What encouraged the Four Seasons brand to venture out to air travel? The Four Seasons Jet is a natural extension of what Four Seasons has been doing for more than 50 years as we continue to introduce industry defining innovations, products and services. We see considerable opportunity in the future of private jet travel, and are looking to continually evolve the experience. Our guests are constantly evolving, as such we’re always looking to re-imagine the guest experience in new and imaginative ways. The modern luxury traveler is eager for experiences that are tailor-made and are consistently Four Seasons from beginning to end – our private jet experience is one example of our response to this desire.

15. Are there any future plans to explore sea travel? Currently, Four Seasons operates the Four Seasons Explorer, a three-deck catamaran, which cruises between our Maldives properties, Kuda Huraa and Landaaa Giraavaru. Guests can choose from a 3, 4 or 7 night cruise, or private charter.

*Interested in flying in style? Email us for more information concierge@poshvoyage.com

 

Press: Posh Voyage Inteview

Travel News

See full interview: www.diwyy.com

See full video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJAwLXC6fjU

Stefanie Dee Kronemeyer Coppel set out to create incredible travel experiences for her customers.

If her early successes are any indication, we say she’s accomplished that and more.

We recently sat down with Stefanie, founder and CEO of Posh Voyage, a travel concierge firm that helps travelers narrow down the infinite travel destinations and luxury hotel options worldwide. It was awesome connecting with Stefanie and learning how she launched her travel business.

Below you’ll find her outlook on business, pursing a career while leaving time for travel, and some of her favorite locations to stay.

What is Posh Voyage?

Posh voyage is a luxury travel concierge and blog that recommends the best hotels worldwide, as well as plans bespoke itineraries for savvy globetrotters looking to travel stress-free.

Posh Voyage also features insider tips like which rooms have the best view, which restaurants are worthy of your visit and what to order when you get there.

My passion for hotels and obsession with luxury triggered the desire to start Posh voyage. However, when I say luxury, I do not mean necessarily the most expensive, but the most unique. My latest find was a gem in Florianopolis called Ponta dos Ganchos.

The idea is to turn a simple travel idea into an unforgettable experience for clients that do not have the time to do so. A recent example was when a client emailed me to book three hotels in different regions in France for his Honeymoon. Naturally this plan seemed like it was missing the WOW factor, so I told him to give me two days and transformed the bland 3-hotel itinerary to a Fairytale countryside voyage. Starting with a few nights at Plaza Athenee in Paris filled with unique private museum tours by night, architecture walks, foodie tours with a renown Parisian chef and dinners at the most decadent Michelin-starred restaurants, before heading to a unique boutique hotel in the Champagne region where they were welcomed with a hot air balloon ride and a private visit to the Dom Perignon cellars.

A few nights after, they drove to Dijon and stayed at an enchanting typical French castle and had the most unbelievable private mustard tasting tour upon visiting the best vineyards in the region. Then they headed to Bordeaux for a few more fantastic wine-tasting tours. Followed by a truffle hunting expedition in Cahors, before indulging a meal made by the truffles they had picked. Finally, they headed to Provence and stayed in a world-famous spa. There they had private cheese and wine tasting tours before heading back home… probably a few pounds heavier.

Who are your clients?

High-end clientele that do not have the time to plan a vacation, but want to have an amazing experience, clients that require a personalized itinerary with complex logistics and clients that want a better deal for their money. The fact that my client gives me a $50,000 budget for a ten-day trip, doesn’t mean I book necessarily the most expensive, I always look for the best possible offer with the most amount of amenities.

Using numbers and stories, how big has your success been?

So far the company has been running for 10 months, and the number of monthly blog visitors went from 0 to 5,000 in the first few months, increased to 10,000 by the 6th month and currently up to 20,000 visitors for December. Now with the Travel Concierge Tool, most of the clients come from visiting Posh Voyage’s website and feel inspired by my articles to plan a trip in the near future. Since the opening of Posh Voyage Concierge in November, I have planned more than 40 bespoke trips worldwide.

Where did the idea for your business come from?

I arrived to Sao Paulo International Airport, and waited 2 hours for a car that was supposed to pick him up to take me to The Fasano. I then called the AMEX Centurion travel agent, only to find out the agent booked my flight arriving to the wrong airport, and forgot to book the car transfer. Attention to detail while traveling is imperative, and since that very moment, I decided to create a business that caters to jetsetters looking for personalized attention and bespoke itineraries while traveling.

The business idea also came while working in a luxury concierge service in New York. Since I had to be “in-the-know” in the travel and food world, all my friends, and friends of friends, started asking me what hotels I recommended for different destinations, and what to do in that specific location.

What did you do before this business?

Make impossible travel requests happen at Quintessentially Concierge. Working in the luxury concierge business, there is nothing you can’t do, and if there is, then this job is probably not for you. Two crazy requests I got from clients were: One was to have her private jet painted pink for a bachelorette party that I organized for her, and the second one was to book 3 presidential suites in 3 different countries because the client didn’t know which of the locations he was going to prefer that night, and did I mention they were non-refundable?

After working at Quintessentially for two years, I got offered a job at one of the most successful Private Sale Sites located in Boston, Rue La La, to help launch the Travel Flash Sale Site. My time in Rue La La inspired me to start my own on-line business with a focus on travel planning. I started working on my own business plan for Posh Voyage after work, and during the weekends. A year and a half later I left my job at Rue La La to launch Posh Voyage Blog and Concierge.

What was your first product/service like? How successful was it?

The initial idea was to have a blog featuring the best hotels in the world. After doing this for 4 months, I felt like I needed to put my previous experiences in to practice and start planning travel. I then had to take numerous tests to get certified as a Travel Agent by IATAN, a corporation that recognizes the best suppliers in the travel world.

What is your favorite inquiry?

Where the client gives me the travel dates, the type of vacation they want, but lets me go wild with the itinerary. I get to build the most unbelievable experiences, as simple or over-the-top as the client wishes.

How did you get your first customers?

Thanks to my great contacts in the industry, I emailed them as well as friends and family to introduce the new site. Since then, most of the clients contact me through word of mouth of satisfied costumers. I do not advertise, because I am a firm believer that if I exceed my client’s expectations, they will be the ones advertising me with their friends.

The biggest advantage is that I have actually traveled to most of the destinations and I have a firsthand experience, therefore I can give more accurate advice (taking into account what type of traveler you are, what style of the trip you are looking for and who you will be traveling with), than a travel agent from AMEX Centurion that most likely gets her information from the hotel’s website.

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

Getting customers to trust the “travel agency” world again, it is wrongly associated with adding an additional percentage to the price, when the truth is I get the best industry rates out there, therefore the client gets a better price, with additional hotel amenities like spa credit, late check-outs, breakfast included and other great perks.

What have been some of the biggest milestones along the way?

Getting certified as a Travel Agent by IATAN and planning travel for the CEO of one of the biggest technology companies in the country.

Based on your experiences, what advice do you have?

As an entrepreneur you have a great idea, but the real challenge is to actually make it happen. Along the way I had to be my company’s CEO, lawyer and marketing expert, therefore feeling lost along the way was a completely normal feeling, but I always remember that I was trying to master new subjects while running my company. Learning something new every day is a regular thing, so patience is key.

Do you think the travel industry has been affected by new media?

It has affected the travel agencies focused on short and simple itineraries due to the user-friendly online travel agencies like Orbitz, but it has enhanced the luxury travel industry.

There has always been a need for personalized travel planning, and media has only affected it positively, making my clients more aware of the infinite travel options out there.