Category: Interviews

Interview with Philip Hamilton-Grierson, Marketing Director at Cox & Kings

Interview with Philip Hamilton-Grierson, Marketing Director at Cox & Kings

By on May 17, 2011 in Accommodation, Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belize, Burkina Faso, Celebrities, Central America, Going Out, Hotels, India, Indonesia, Interviews, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Restaurants, South America, Sri Lanka, Travel Miscellany
Philip has worked at Cox & Kings since 1993. Having travelled extensively in South America, Africa and Europe, both before and after University (Edinburgh), he had caught a severe case of the travel bug and he joined the company as a Latin America tour consultant. He was only supposed to be there as a two-week
Interview with John Dixon, Chairman and Managing Director of Prestige Holidays

Interview with John Dixon, Chairman and Managing Director of Prestige Holidays

By on May 07, 2011 in Africa, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Celebrities, Europe, Interviews, North America, Regions, South Africa, South America, Spain, Switzerland, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Worldwide
John Dixon is the co-founder, Chairman and Managing Director of independent tour operator Prestige Holidays and has worked in luxury travel for over 40 years. Prestige Holidays is celebrating its 22nd year in the luxury travel market and is  known for its quality holidays, excellent personal service and strong attention to detail. The company features four and
Interview with Will Bolsover, Managing Director of World Safaris

Interview with Will Bolsover, Managing Director of World Safaris

By on Apr 21, 2011 in Accommodation, Africa, Australia, Botswana, Central America, Costa Rica, Europe, France, Going Out, Interviews, Madagascar, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Restaurants, Rwanda, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe
Will Bolsover has worked in travel and Africa for the past 15 years. Starting out as a teacher in the remotewestern region of Kenya, he went on to study French and African and Asian Studies at Sussex University then worked as a safari guide in numerous African destinations. Six years ago, he set up the
Interview with Jack Sarvary, CEO of Itinerie

Interview with Jack Sarvary, CEO of Itinerie

By on Mar 28, 2011 in Argentina, Brazil, Celebrities, Cruises & Boat Travel, Ecuador, Europe, Going Out, Interviews, North America, Peru, Regions, Restaurants, Rhode Island, South America, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, USA, Websites, Western Europe
Jack Sarvary is the co-founder and CEO of Itinerie, a flash-sale startup. Itinerie expands on flash-sale sites like Jetsetter and Vacationist by offering full luxury vacation packages, rather than just hotels. All of these luxury one-week packages are fully private and include all accommodations and transportation to 2-4 destinations in a single Latin American country.
Interview with Anupam Dasgupta, General Manager of Ananda in the Himalayas

Interview with Anupam Dasgupta, General Manager of Ananda in the Himalayas

By on Mar 21, 2011 in Africa, Asia, Celebrities, Europe, Food and Drink, India, Interviews, Leisure Travel, Middle East, Oman, Regions, Spain, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe
Anupam Dasgupta has been with the IHHR group for over 6 years in several roles and is now the General Manager at Ananda. Ananda, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, is a world-leading spa where a holistic approach is taken towards rejuvenation using the three ancient Indian philosphies of Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedanta. The award-winning retreat combines
Interview with David Kanarens, General Manager of The Queens, Leeds

Interview with David Kanarens, General Manager of The Queens, Leeds

By on Jan 20, 2011 in Accommodation, Europe, Going Out, Hotels, Interviews, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe
David Kanarens took over the helm at QHotels The Queens in Leeds last year, having previously been General Manager at the Crowne Plaza Nottingham and QHotels Nottingham Belfry.  The four star hotel has 217  bedrooms, 16 conference and banqueting rooms and an award-winning restaurant, which not so long ago underwent a £10m refurbishment to return
Interview with Andrew Dunn of Scott Dunn

Interview with Andrew Dunn of Scott Dunn

By on Jan 14, 2011 in Accommodation, Africa, Austria, Going Out, Interviews, Kenya, Maldives, Peru, Regions, Restaurants, South America, Tanzania, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe
Andrew Dunn is the Founder of Scott Dunn which he started as a luxury ski company in 1986 and which has since become a tailor-made tour operator of luxury holidays around the world. What is it that you do exactly? If I’m not going to our London office, I’m up by 6.45am and drive my
Simon Rindlisbacher, Hotel Manager at the Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok

Interview with Simon Rindlisbacher, Hotel Manager of The Rembrandt, Bangkok

By on Nov 12, 2010 in Accommodation, Asia, Europe, Hotels, Interviews, Regions, Singapore, South America, Switzerland, Thailand, Travel Miscellany, Venezuela, Western Europe
The Rembrandt Hotel and Towers, one of the most renowned hotels in Bangkok, has undergone a new makeover this year. This also resulted in the promotion of Simon P. Rindlisbacher to the position of Hotel Manager – one of the youngest hotel managers in town. Simon’s rise in the ranks has been quite meteoric. From his
Interview with Todd Harris, Senior Vice President at Exclusive Resorts

Interview with Todd Harris, Senior Vice President at Exclusive Resorts

By on Sep 06, 2010 in Accommodation, Africa, Asia, Celebrities, Central America, Colorado, Costa Rica, Family Travel, Georgia, Hawaii, Interviews, Japan, Leisure Travel, North America, Regions, Resorts, South Africa, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, USA, Vacation Rentals
Todd Harris is Senior Vice President for Hospitality and Member Services at Exclusive Resorts, a luxury destination club offering members hundreds of vacation residences around the world. He supervises all aspects of the member experience. Previously Todd spent 14 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, serving as General Manager of some of their most acclaimed
Interview with Julian Carr, Managing Director of bmibaby

Interview with Julian Carr, Managing Director of bmibaby

By on Aug 19, 2010 in Bahamas, Canada, Caribbean, Celebrities, Fiji, Food and Drink, Interviews, Nevada, North America, Oceania, Regions, Travel Miscellany, USA
Julian was appointed Managing Director of bmibaby on 1st April 2010. He previously held the position of commercial director for two years, responsible for marketing, revenue management, public relations, network planning, e-commerce and customer services. Prior to this Julian spent two years working for IATA in Montreal where he was responsible for marketing and business
Interview with Aaron Ritoper, Vice President of Business Development at fly.com

Interview with Aaron Ritoper, Vice President of Business Development at fly.com

By on Jun 10, 2010 in Air Travel, Arctic, Celebrities, Europe, France, Hawaii, Iceland, Interviews, New Mexico, North America, Polar Regions, Regions, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, USA, Websites, Western Europe
Formerly with Skyscanner, Aaron Ritoper is the Vice President of Business Development at Fly.com, a website which scours major airlines, international carriers and online travel sites, and helps people easily sort and refine results by criteria such as number of stops and departure times and traveller class. What is it that you do exactly? I’m

Interview with James Grierson, co-owner of Albion restaurant, Kuala Lumpur

By on Jun 07, 2010 in Accommodation, Asia, Barbados, Caribbean, Celebrities, Food and Drink, Going Out, India, Interviews, Malaysia, Nepal, Regions, Restaurants, Thailand, Travel Miscellany
A relative newcomer to Kuala Lumpur’s restaurant scene, Albion restaurant is quickly gaining a reputation as a top place to eat. I described it elsewhere as “probably the best place to eat in KL”, so I wanted to be sure that A Luxury Travel Blog readers gained the benefit of the insider knowledge too. Here
Interview with Grant Thatcher, Publisher and Founder of LUXE City Guides

Interview with Grant Thatcher, Publisher and Founder of LUXE City Guides

By on May 30, 2010 in Accommodation, Asia, Europe, Going Out, Hotels, Indonesia, Interviews, Italy, Middle East, New Zealand, Oceania, Regions, Resorts, Restaurants, Syria, Travel Equipment, Travel Literature, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe
Formerly an actor with the RSC, Grant Thatcher began the series of LUXE City Guides back in 2002. There are now more than 30 guides, including the best of the best from 20 in-the-know residents in each location. What is it that  you do exactly? I’m Editor in Chief which encompasses everything from designing the
Interview with Drew Patterson of Jetsetter

Interview with Drew Patterson of Jetsetter

By on May 21, 2010 in Accommodation, Alaska, Asia, Brazil, California, Celebrities, Europe, Going Out, Hotels, India, Interviews, Italy, New York, North America, Regions, Restaurants, Singapore, South America, Travel Miscellany, USA, Websites, Western Europe
A true travel connoisseur, CEO and Founder Drew Patterson brings more than a decade of experience to Jetsetter, the private sales site that helps leisure travellers discover and purchase some of the world’s best vacations. An industry pioneer, Patterson was part of the founding team at Kayak.com where, during his five-year tenure as Vice President
Interview with Alison Scott of Elegant Resorts

Interview with Alison Scott of Elegant Resorts

By on Dec 16, 2009 in Accommodation, Africa, Anguilla, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Celebrities, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Interviews, Madagascar, Mauritius, New Zealand, North America, Oceania, Pacific Islands, Regions, Restaurants, South America, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe
Alison Scott is the Commercial Director for Elegant Resorts.  She has been at Elegant for just over a year and prior to that was Head of Product at ITC in Chester. Her background has always been in travel. She started in travel after she left University, as a Rep overseas, and has stayed in the
Interview with David Sutcliffe of Traveltalk

Interview with David Sutcliffe of Traveltalk

By on Dec 10, 2009 in Accommodation, Adventure Travel, Africa, Botswana, Celebrities, Cruises & Boat Travel, Eastern Europe, Europe, Going Out, Hotels, Indonesia, Interviews, Norway, Regions, Resorts, Restaurants, Russia, Spain, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe
A ‘skateboard/punk rocker’ in his youth, David Sutcliffe is now one of three partners who run a small travel agency in Harrogate, England called Traveltalk. Specialising in luxury, tailor-made and adventure travel, Traveltalk was created 25 years ago by David’s colleague, Christine Thompson. After much hard work establishing the company in the area they developed