For this installment of the “Love of Travel” series we are excited to introduce you to Paul, who runs the popular website A Luxury Travel Blog. Even though we don’t always travel in luxury ourselves, we do love to mix in some luxury with our adventures around the world when we can. His website is a great resource for planning your travels, as well as giving you some inspiration with some pretty awesome photos!
You run “A Luxury Travel Blog” which is an impressive resource! Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to work in travel and hospitality industry?
I started working in the tourist industry at the age of 16 (which means I’ve now been working in the field for more than 25 years), helping my parents with their self-catering business (also known as a vacation rental business, depending on where you hail from). I later became a Partner of that business but in the meantime I’d set up my own tourism marketing business (The Dedicated Partnership Ltd.) which I ran whilst I was still a student.
I stayed on at University to do a PhD in glaciology and, when I was writing up my thesis, was when the Web that we know today first came along. I began dabbling with creating websites – first for my parents’ business, then for the local tourism organization and later for a leading regional tourist board – and haven’t looked back since. On leaving University, I went full time with my business and I now run another tourism business with my wife – Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. – which offers luxury riverside holiday accommodation between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks in England.
How long have you been running “A Luxury Travel Blog” and what inspired you to start the site?
I started the blog in 2005 which, in blogging terms, makes me a fairly early adopter. I had dabbled with a blog for my son before this, and noticed that travel blogs seemed to focus purely on backpacking and budget travel, so felt there was an opportunity to do something different. Initially it was just a hobby and labour of love that I ran alongside the online tourism marketing day job, but more recently it’s become pretty much my full time job.
How often do you travel? Are you based anywhere for an extended period of time?
It varies but I would estimate somewhere around 10 trips a year at the moment.
We’re sure you have stayed in some pretty amazing hotels. Do you have an absolute favorite that blew you away? How so?
Yes, I’ve been very fortunate. There are a couple that stick out in my mind. The end of our honeymoon was time spent on Mnemba Island, off the north-east coast of Zanzibar – an idyllic bare-foot paradise island (quite literally – you take your footwear off before getting there and don’t put it on again until you return to Zanzibar). Also memorable, but more so for its sheer opulence, was Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz.
Have you ever visited a destination that completely surprised you (either in a good way or a bad way)?
Yes – last Summer we went to Lithuania – a beautiful country (much of it forested) and one which Lithuanians are fiercely proud of. It’s not really somewhere people in the UK think to go, or a country you hear much about, so we went with open mind, but were pleasantly surprised with what we saw. If you get the chance, do visit.
When we opt for luxury travel, spas are our guilty pleasure! As a luxury traveler, what are your favorite indulgences?
I’m partial to the odd spa treatment also, but perhaps more so I do enjoy my food!
While we enjoy spoiling ourselves with luxury travel, sometimes we have to sacrifice luxury so that we can travel longer or visit more places. What are your top tips for how to get great deals on luxury travel?
Funny you should mention this, I did a blog post about this subject last month. You can read more here where one of our guest bloggers provides more suggestions: 10 top tips for affordable luxury travel
** All photos were kindly provided by A Luxury Travel Blog.
We want to thank Paul for sharing his story with us. Be sure to check out A Luxury Travel Blog! It’s a great resource full of information, and some pretty awesome photos from around the world. Even if you aren’t able to travel in luxury all the time, you will enjoy dreaming about it while reading his blog. Happy travels!
