Relaxury Travel by Josie

Relaxury Travel by Josie Relaxury Travel is a full service luxury travel partner catering to high end corporate, group and lei

What does the most ultra-private, most exclusive island resort in Southeast Asia actually look like? This.Amanpulo sits ...
06/07/2026

What does the most ultra-private, most exclusive island resort in Southeast Asia actually look like? This.

Amanpulo sits on Pamalican Island in the Philippines, in the Sulu Sea, accessible only by chartered flight from Manila. Here's what you can expect at one of the world's most exclusive addresses:

42 private casitas spread across the island, a house reef you can snorkel directly from the beach, dive sites with some of the most remarkable visibility and coral cover in Southeast Asia, and not a single day visitor in sight. The beach is yours, the schedule is yours, and the only transportation on the island is a golf cart.

This is one of the most exclusive trips I plan. Reach out if you'd like to be next.

The best destinations in travel right now are the ones that used to be someone's backup plan.Think of them as the B-side...
06/05/2026

The best destinations in travel right now are the ones that used to be someone's backup plan.

Think of them as the B-sides of travel: the places that aren't at the top of anyone's must-visit list but that leave travelers wondering why they didn't go sooner. Fewer crowds, more locals, better availability, and a sense of what travel used to feel like before everyone started going to the same places at the same time.

A few I'm recommending right now:

Milos over Mykonos. Same stunning coastline, a fraction of the crowd, and boat-access-only beaches, unlike anything else in the Greek islands.

The Faroe Islands over Iceland. Dramatically remote, dramatically beautiful, and far less visited. The sea cliffs and puffin colonies are the point.

Bacalar over Tulum. Turquoise lagoon water in seven distinct shades, a fraction of the development, and none of the crowds.

Koh Kood over Phuket. Dense jungle, white sand beaches, and a pace that Phuket hasn't been able to offer for years.

Franschhoek over Cape Town. World-class wine estates, long lunches, mountain scenery, and a small town that punches well above its weight.

Let me help you find yours. Get in touch.

06/04/2026

Switzerland goes well beyond the postcard.

The mountain views get the attention, but it's the experience that stays with people: lunch on a terrace while trains move through the Alps below, swimming in lakes surrounded by peaks in summer, riding panoramic rail journeys, then returning in winter for ski days and villages that feel completely transformed under fresh snow.

Ready to find your Switzerland?

Sometimes a hotel is the reason you book the trip. This is one of those.Capella Bangkok is on the Chao Phraya River, and...
06/03/2026

Sometimes a hotel is the reason you book the trip. This is one of those.

Capella Bangkok is on the Chao Phraya River, and the position matters more than most riverfront claims in this part of the world. The property has 101 rooms and suites, which is small by Bangkok standards, and the level of service reflects that. The river views from the upper floors are among the best angles on Bangkok from any hotel in the city.

The spa is one I specifically tell clients to book before they arrive, not after check-in. The treatments are built around traditional Thai protocols: tok sen, herbal compress work, and longer-format sessions. Block off a half day and adjust your plans around it.

Advisor Tip: The river access makes temple visits significantly easier than navigating from most central Bangkok hotels. Wat Pho and Wat Arun are both reachable by boat directly from the hotel's pier.

I'd love to help plan your trip. Message me to start planning!

There's a version of travel planning that's about finding the lowest price. There's a version that's about getting the m...
06/01/2026

There's a version of travel planning that's about finding the lowest price. There's a version that's about getting the most out of what you spend. They require completely different approaches.

Planning smarter starts before the destination is chosen. The right trip for the right season. A property that delivers on what you're actually looking for, not just what photographs well. An itinerary paced for how you actually travel, not how a highlights reel says you should.

It also means understanding where value really lives. Flying business class on a long overnight flight and staying somewhere quieter on the ground often produces a better trip than reversing those priorities. A private guide for two days in a complex city changes the entire experience of being there. And it means knowing when to move quickly. The best rooms at the best properties in the best seasons don't stay available. Waiting to see what's left is a planning strategy with predictable results.

Smarter planning isn't about spending more. It's about spending better. That's what I help clients do. Get in touch to learn more!

The Chobe River basin has one of the highest concentrations of elephants on Earth. Watching that from the water is an ex...
05/31/2026

The Chobe River basin has one of the highest concentrations of elephants on Earth. Watching that from the water is an experience of its own.

The Zambezi Queen is a luxury houseboat that cruises the Chobe River on the border of Botswana and Zimbabwe. Fourteen suites, a small group, and days built around the river.

Elephants crossing right in front of the boat is a regular occurrence. So are hippos, crocs, and some of the best birding on the continent. Game drives go alongside the river experience, so guests cover both water and land during the journey.

Advisor insight: This experience pairs naturally with a private game reserve stay in Botswana or Zimbabwe to complete an itinerary that covers the full range of a Southern Africa trip.

If Africa is on your list, this is one of the most unique ways to experience it.

Truffle hunting with trained dogs in the morning. Twenty-seven holes through Tuscan vineyards in the afternoon. Tablesid...
05/30/2026

Truffle hunting with trained dogs in the morning. Twenty-seven holes through Tuscan vineyards in the afternoon. Tableside tiramisù at dinner inside a medieval castle. That's a Tuesday at Castelfalfi.

It covers everything Tuscany does well in one place. Five restaurants, including La Rocca inside the original castle. A RAKxa spa with both indoor and outdoor pools. Falconry experiences, a cooking class with the executive chef, and a beekeeping session with the resident beekeeper that ends with a honey tasting.

The estate produces its own wine, olive oil, and wildflower honey, all available to taste and take home. San Gimignano is 30 minutes away, and Volterra is 35, so it works well as a base for the wider region too.

If Italy has been on your travel wish list, this is one of the most interesting places to build the trip around. Get in touch to learn more.

05/28/2026

Most people put Australia on the list and never quite get around to booking it. Here's your sign.

The range in one country is remarkable. World-class cities, ancient wilderness, extraordinary marine life, and a food and wine culture that consistently surprises first-time visitors.

The only thing worse than never going to Australia is waiting another year to start planning it. Message me to get started!

South Africa is one of the most itinerary-flexible destinations in the world. Here's how I recommend experiencing it:Cap...
05/27/2026

South Africa is one of the most itinerary-flexible destinations in the world. Here's how I recommend experiencing it:

Cape Town first. It's one of the most visually striking cities on earth, and the design hotel and restaurant scene here has matured significantly. Table Mountain, the Atlantic Seaboard, the Cape Peninsula. Most clients who go for a few days wish they had more.

For wildlife: the private reserves around Sabi Sands share an unfenced border with Kruger National Park. Big Five sightings are among the most consistent on the continent, and the private reserve experience means dramatically fewer vehicles per sighting than in the public park.

For wine: Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are genuinely world-class. The estate stays in Franschhoek in particular, with long lunches, cellar visits, and mountain scenery that doesn't match most people's image of Africa at all.

Most itineraries I design for South Africa cover all three. If Africa is on your travel bucket list, let's talk through what makes sense for your trip.

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