Ami Klykken
The ultimate luxury is having a trip filled with private experiences that are unique to your interests and preferences and being able to relax, knowing that everything is being taken care of with an eye towards delighting you. My repeat clients trust me, knowing they will have a great experience because I will make sure of it. My expertise and industry contacts enable me to create highly personalized experiences that can be private from the moment you step off the plane.
To ensure that I have left nothing to chance and tailored everything to your individual tastes, I walk through every detail your trip in my head, starting with where you’ll be sitting on the plane and how you will feel when you arrive. For example, the last thing most people feel like doing when they arrive in a new country is dealing with finding their way to their hotel. Having an English-speaking driver meet you is a relaxing way to begin your trip.
A private car and driver and private guides also can help you make the most of your time. One couple, whose goal was to take in as much of Rome as possible after a Mediterranean cruise, only had time for one night in the city. By having a private driver pick them up at the cruise port, and combining a private guide with skip-the-line tickets, they were able to see Rome’s historic center, including the Colosseum, the ancient Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. That evening, a foodie guide took them on a sampling tour through Campo de Fiori, the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere. The next morning, a private luxury limo took them to Vatican City for a pre-opening, private guided tour before whisking them to the airport for their afternoon flight. They were thrilled to be able to see so much in 24 hours and never felt rushed.
One couple I work with has taken to planning surprise trips for each other. Because I know their tastes, they increasingly have given me free rein. On a trip to Iceland, planned by the wife for her husband’s 60th birthday, I planned wonderful luxury experiences such as a visit to a secluded, upscale area of the Blue Lagoon with indulgent spa treatments, a guided nighttime excursion to see the Northern Lights, and a stay at the remote Budir Hotel, which sits in a lava field and is known for its seasonal and regional cuisine.
Recently, the husband gave me carte blanche to arrange a European itinerary for them and is not even telling his wife where they are going. Each morning when they awake, he will hand her an envelope containing what they will be doing that day. They told me they are thinking of it as “a week of surprise dates.”
When I book a trip, I envision myself in my clients’ shoes and imagine how everything will look and feel for them. If you are my client, you will not land at an airport and wonder how to get to your hotel or arrive in a city and be surprised to find everything closed. I will think through your trip, every step of the way. And I will probably add some small happy surprises. All you will need to do is show up and enjoy yourself. And isn’t that what true luxury is!