Ever wonder how luxury travel experts manage to find unique accommodations and one-of-a-kind experiences?
- Representation companies hold the keys to many of the best accommodations that luxury travel advisors find for their clients.
- The best luxury travel experts build valuable relationships with representation companies – because your network is everything.
- Representation companies are often a team of targeted experts.
- Accommodations found through representation companies are usually boutique, historical, or secluded and not easily found in an average web search.
- Preview the incredible Irish and Scottish properties we have discovered through our relationship with one representation company.
There’s a well-kept secret among luxury travel agencies. As much as we would like to take all the credit, our relationships with representation companies are behind our success.
Representation companies operate as a marketing team of niche experts and hold the keys to incredible little-known spots around the world. As travel agents, we act as a fractional sales force that can deliver those opportunities to our clients.
The properties offered by representation companies aren’t the average resorts your friends will recommend. These accommodations are historic or boutique finds that are too quaint to appear on a mainstream marketing platform.
I recently met with an old friend from a representation company to look at their latest distinctive destinations in Ireland and Scotland and was completely blown away. Here are some highlights from the incredible stays she showed me:
Nestled in the emerald countryside one hour and fifteen minutes from #dublin lies a historic treasure. It is the perfect destination to escape into the bygone world of #DowntownAbbey. This immaculately renovated Regency mansion boasts 20 boutique bedrooms and a pristine sprawling estate. Get into the spirit in early 20th-century historic dress and attend a themed dinner with a world-class menu.
Invoke your royal side at a historic lodge that acts as the perfect jumping-off point for the #RingofKerry. Experience clay pigeon shooting, archery, and horseback riding. Fish for wild-caught salmon, have the lodge smoke your catch on-site, and ship it back to your home in the US. Drive into the Irish countryside in a vintage car and indulge in a romantic basket lunch by the bay.
Disappear behind the ivy-covered walls of an 11th-century Knights Templar castle. Sitting on a rolling golf course with winding gardens and shimmering ponds, this destination is a quintessential Irish experience. Go on a whiskey tour and tasting at the nearby #Jameson distillery and relive the past at the world-famous #Titanic Museum.
Leave the mundane world behind as you approach this magical stone castle in the dramatic Scottish highlands. Featuring 17 historic suites with sea and woodland views and a historically accurate apartment-style penthouse, this luxury hotel was voted the best castle experience in the UK. Excite your palette at the critically acclaimed restaurant serving traditional Scottish cuisine. This whimsical spot is the ideal gateway to the Highlands and the nearby Islands of the Firth of Clyde.
Among the endless greenery of the stunning Yorkshire Dales is a wellness retreat like no other. Rejuvenate your body and mind surrounded by the serenity of gardens and streams. Visit the world-class wellness spa with amenities like hydrotherapy, sauna, steam room, snow room, and wellness treatments by celebrated practitioners. Dine at one of five distinct restaurants, including a Michelin-star high cuisine locale.
These are just some of the incredible opportunities we access through our well-curated partnerships with representation companies. Want to discover more of our incredible destinations? Contact us about your next dream holiday.
I’m Stuart Marra – world traveler, photographer, and your luxury travel expert.
My passion for guiding others around the globe began during my own travels to 66 countries across seven continents. As a travel photographer and enthusiast, I gained a lot of insider knowledge on how to get THE BEST, wherever I roamed. From there, I grew The Opulent Explorer to what it is today: a modern travel agency with four of the best advisors in the business and senior travel relationships worldwide.
Professionalism is serious for me, which is why I have certifications as a Virtuoso Ultraluxe Travel Advisor, a member of the Top Producers Club of the Gifted Travel Network, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Gifted Travel Network. While I’m very proud of these marks of industry credibility, there’s a more important reason you can trust me as your luxury travel expert – I’ve been where you’re going next.
