Clare Davis - Personal Travel Planner

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Clare Davis - Personal Travel Planner

I am a Travel Counsellor based in Co. Durham. I have over 22 years experience in the travel.

If you are looking for a holiday designed with you in mind then look no further! As a Personal Travel Counsellor I specilise in tailoring your holiday to your specific needs. As I work from home so I am available to discuss all of your travel needs at a time that is mutually convenient. Travel Counsellors is a leading independent travel company delivering a personal, bespoke travel service for ov

er 20 years. Travel Counsellors give me access to 100s of reputable suppliers who I have no obligation to therefore I am completely impartial when advising you! By booking your travel through me you will receive complete financial protection.

06/06/2026

If you’re thinking about planning a special holiday, I’d recommend a tailor-made trip to South Africa.

I’d include time in Cape Town, exploring the Garden Route, and finishing with a safari.

These are the kinds of trips I really enjoy putting together because it’s all about getting the balance right.

Not trying to squeeze too much in.
Making sure the route flows properly.
Allowing enough time in each place to actually enjoy it rather than constantly moving on.

South Africa works so well for this because every part of the trip feels completely different.

One day you’re driving through beautiful scenery along the coast, the next you’re on safari, and then suddenly you’re sitting at a vineyard with a glass of wine looking out at the mountains.

It’s one of those destinations that feels like a real experience from start to finish — especially when there’s a special reason behind the trip in the first place.

04/06/2026

Everyone has that one hotel you still think about years later.

Mine is Le Meurice in Paris.

It was one of my first experiences of true luxury travel and I still remember walking in and being completely taken aback by the space… and the size of the bath!

But what’s stayed with me most wasn’t really the room itself.

It was how everything felt.

Calm, effortless and quietly special without trying too hard.

The service was incredible, but not over the top, and it was one of the first times I really understood how much atmosphere and attention to detail can completely change a stay.

I think that trip probably shaped the way I look at hotels now.

Not just how they look in photos, but how they actually make you feel when you’re there.

02/06/2026

Italy just keeps coming up lately

I’ve been recommending Italy more and more recently, mainly because it works so well for the kind of trips people are looking for now.

It suits slower travel perfectly.

Rather than rushing around trying to fit everything in, it’s the kind of place where you can combine a couple of regions properly and really enjoy each part of the trip.

A few days in a city, time in the countryside, maybe finishing by the coast — it all links together really naturally.

And each area feels completely different.

That’s what I love most about it.

You can do Italy several times and have a totally different experience each time depending on the route, the pace and where you stay.

There’s also something about the atmosphere that people connect with straight away.

Long lunches, beautiful scenery, wandering through small streets in the evening, somewhere feeling busy without feeling frantic.

It’s one of those destinations that’s very easy to keep going back to… which is probably why so many people do.

01/06/2026

This is what makes a trip feel special

It’s rarely the biggest or most expensive part of the holiday.

For me, it’s usually the smaller things that stay with you.

A hotel that feels calm the moment you walk in.
Being welcomed properly after a long journey.
A room with enough space to completely switch off for a few days.

Sometimes it’s something really simple — sitting outside with a coffee in the sunshine with nowhere to rush to, or finding a place that just feels completely different to everyday life.

I think that’s why I’ve always loved trips where you explore a little more as well.

Some of our favourite family holidays have been Canada and Australia because we experienced so much along the way, rather than staying in one place the whole time. Seeing it all through the children’s eyes made it even more memorable.

Those are usually the trips that stay with me most.

Not necessarily the busiest or most extravagant ones — just the ones that felt special while you were there.

30/05/2026

A few reflections from this month

It’s been one of those months with a real mix of trips being planned.

Italy itineraries, Canada and Alaska combinations, Costa Rica, Mauritius, Bali… lots of long-haul and lots of tailor-made travel.

What’s stood out most is how many people are planning trips with a real reason behind them now.

Big birthdays.
Anniversaries.
Family time.
Trips people have talked about doing for years and are finally making happen.

Those are always my favourite ones to work on.

Not because they need to be complicated or extravagant, but because they tend to mean something a little bit more.

It’s also reminded me how different every client is.

Some want to explore as much as possible.
Others just want somewhere they can properly switch off and slow down.

The best part is building something that feels right for them, rather than trying to make everyone fit the same kind of holiday.

And in between all of that… we’ve also been planning our own next adventure too, which is always exciting.

28/05/2026

This is what makes a trip feel special

It’s not usually the big, obvious things.

For me, it’s the small details.

Being welcomed properly when you arrive.
A hotel that feels calm rather than busy.
Somewhere that just seems to suit you without you really thinking about it.

I’ve stayed in places where it’s something as simple as being greeted by name… and it changes the whole feel straight away.

And then it’s the moments you don’t really plan.

A slow morning with no alarm, sitting in the sunshine with a coffee.
Or something completely unexpected that ends up being the part you remember most.

Those are the things that stay with you.

Not necessarily the busiest days or the most packed itineraries — just the ones that felt right at the time.

26/05/2026

If I had to choose a Greek island…

It would probably be Zante or Corfu.

I haven’t actually been to either yet, which is part of the reason they’re both high on my list.

Zante for the coastline and that slightly more relaxed feel.

Corfu for the mix of scenery, history and the different areas you can explore.

They’re both the kind of places I’d want to take my time with rather than rush through.

I think sometimes the places you haven’t been to yet are the ones you’re most curious about — and these are definitely mine at the moment.

25/05/2026

Where people are already looking ahead to

I’ve been working on quite a few trips recently that are already into 2027.

It’s definitely leaning more towards long-haul at the moment.

Costa Rica is still coming up a lot — it’s one people are really drawn to when they want something a bit different.

I’ve also been planning trips to Sri Lanka, Alaska (often combined with a cruise), Mexico and Las Vegas.

They’re all quite varied, but they tend to have one thing in common — they’re not last-minute decisions.

They’re trips people are taking the time to think about properly, especially when there’s a bigger reason behind them.

Those are usually the ones that come together really well.

21/05/2026

The difference a better hotel makes

It’s not always the obvious things.

I still remember one of the first truly luxury hotels I stayed in — Le Meurice — and being completely taken aback by the space… and the size of the bath!

But it wasn’t really about that.

It was how everything felt.

The space to properly relax.
The calmness.
Not feeling rushed or crowded.

And the service makes such a difference.

Being welcomed in a way that feels genuine, or even just something as simple as being known by name when you arrive — those little touches stay with you.

Location plays into it as well.

If everything is easy, walkable, and you’re not constantly thinking about how to get from one place to another, the whole trip feels more relaxed without you really noticing why.

Individually, they’re small things.

But together, they completely change the feel of a stay.

It’s usually the difference between somewhere being perfectly nice… and somewhere you’d go out of your way to return to.

19/05/2026

My top three bestselling destinations

It’s been quite a consistent mix this year.

Italy is always there — it just works so well for tailor-made trips. You can combine a few places, take it at your own pace, and no two itineraries ever feel the same.

Canada has been another big one, often combined with an Alaskan cruise. It’s one of those trips that feels like a real experience from start to finish, especially when you explore a few different areas along the way.

And Costa Rica has definitely stood out as well. It’s been really popular for something a bit different — a mix of wildlife, scenery and a few different stops rather than staying in one place.

All quite different, but they all have that same thread — they’re trips that feel a bit more considered and a bit more memorable.

Address

Crook
DL158HP

Website

http://www.travelcounsellors.com/clare.davis

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