19th November 2019
As ever, the Dream Escape Team have been busy out and about, topping up their knowledge, visiting agencies and suppliers and attending meetings and roadshows. Here is the low down!
Holly and David Tobin, Owners
Holly and David were excited to attend some key agency events over the last few months. They had a wonderful few days at the Cadence Connects 2019 event in beautiful Newport Beach, California where they had a productive few days meeting advisors.
They attended the Brownell Academy in Atlanta where we are very proud to announce that David was awarded the MVP For Excellence by the Brownell Advisors. Nominations and voting for this award are by Brownell Travel advisors themselves based on demonstration of the core values of Brownell – Passion, Integrity, Graciousness, Innovation and Excellence.
To have received this award is fantastic and reflects Dream Escape’s commitment to it’s agencies and advisors. David and Holly are pictured below with Brownell Leisure Operations Coordinator, Ashley Pate and VP of Leisure Sales, Beth Flowers.
Rosie Peattie, Head of Guiding
Rosie has been busy covering every corner of the UK and Ireland. Here are some highlights of her last few month’s travels.
England: Rosie spent some time in the Cotswolds exploring the iconic English villages, stately homes and glorious gardens. These included, Bibury, Burford, Bourton on the Water, Painswick, Sir Winston Churchill’s grave at Bladon Church, Sudeley Castle and Gardens, Hidcote and the UNESCO World Heritage Avebury Stone Circle. She also visited Blenheim Palace for Salon Prive and the Maurizio Cattelan Exhibition.
Rosie was in London recently to visit the Tutankhamun: Treasure of the Golden Pharaoh Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery and enjoyed a walking tour of Bristol’s historic dockside and pubs.
Scotland: Rosie has visited the Scottish Borders region with its splendid houses and historic abbeys including Traquair House, Abbotsford House and Gardens, Melrose Abbey and Floors Castle. Back in Edinburgh Rosie enjoyed a visit to Camera Obscura, a world of illusions in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Further afield she has spent time at Newmiln Organic Farm, Perthshire, hiking in Glencoe and a wildlife safari in Royal Deeside. Very special experiences include Glamis Castle for a private tour and private lunch in the 16th Century vaulted chamber and the Duke of Rothsay’s Highland Games Pavilion at Braemar.
In Northern Ireland Rosie has visited Hillsborough Castle, Robinson Library, Armagh, a city tour of Londonderry (including Walled City Brewery pictured below) and a civic reception at the Town Hall hosted by the Mayor of Londonderry. In Ireland she spent time in Slieve League and Dublin, visiting the historic GPO.
Phew!
Sally Strange, London Blue Badge Guide
Sally has been out and about exploring London with clients and discovering new experiences. She is pictured here Brass Rubbing a friendly skeleton in the Crypt of St Martin in the Fields!
Sally attended the Antony Gormley Exhibition at The Royal Academy and visited the fascinating Dickens House and Museum. Sally and Louise (Creative Planner, London) paid a special visit to one of London’s most iconic buildings. They went on a ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour of St Paul’s Cathedral. One of the highlights was climbing the Geometric Staircase in the South West Bell Tower which features in the Harry Potter movies.
Great King St Office, Edinburgh
Dream Escape are delighted to welcome 2 new members to the Creative Planning Team in Edinburgh joining Lesley, Alasdair and Annika.
Felicity lives near Prestonpans, a renowned battle site from the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion. Felicity has a strong background in copy-writing and marketing and is passionate about all thing’s literature related.
Sandra, who lives in Gullane on Scotland’s Golf Coast, brings over 20 years’ experience working in the luxury events and hospitality sector in Scotland, Ireland and London delivering five star experiences for incentive and private high-end groups. Away from the office, travel and exploring new places have always been Sandra’s passion and her favourite cities are Paris, New York and Edinburgh.
Dream Escape team members experienced and enjoyed ‘Scotland in Miniature’ in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park on the shores of the ‘Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond’. A wonderful day was had by all which included a very special whisky experience, a trip on a luxury motor cruiser on Loch Lomond, lunch at The Boathouse, Cameron House and a Bird of Prey experience. What could be a better day out from the office! (Karen Darlow – Head of Client Services, pictured below)
Alasdair Wells, Creative Planning Executive
Alasdair attended the Tourism Ireland ‘Taste the Island’ FAM trip visiting Dublin, Sligo, Donegal, Derry, Ballycastle and the Causeway Coastal Route sampling the best of Ireland’s epicurean experiences.
He also spent 2 days exploring Perthshire enjoying the autumnal colours and hiking through woodlands connected to Rob Roy Macgregor, the Jacobite rebellion, Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns, plant collector David Douglas, Queen Victoria and more recently Series 5 of Outlander! The area is famous not only for scenery and hiking but also for its Roman history, battle sites, clan history, castles, palaces, cathedral’s, distilleries, gardens, golf, fishing, lochs, water sports, Wildlife Safaris and 5 star hotels!
Sue Morris, Head of Marketing
The Marketing Team met with London Creative Planner Louise, for a very informative show round of The Corinthia Hotel, Browns Hotel and the the Maybourne Group hotels, Claridges, The Connaught and The Berkeley. Kindly hosted by Maybourne Group Sales Manager, Lucie Faucon, they finished at The Berkeley Bar where they were treated to Champagne and some amazing treats!
Sue also attended the Luxury Travel Show in Olympia, as well as World Travel Market at ExCel, London where she attended the Tourism Ireland lunch and met Louise in Belgravia for a Christmassy catch up (pictured below). Sue, Louise and Sally were also treated to a show around and outstanding lunch with the Dorchester Collection, at 45 Park Lane, London. Thank you Susannah Lurie.
Louise Murray and Michael Davies, Creative Planners
In addition to the trips above, Louise is currently visiting the Cotswolds with Michael. They are planning to visit the Lygon Arms, Buckland Manor, Lower Slaughter, Cotswold House Hotel and The Fish, Dormy House and Foxhill Manor. Michael recently took a trip to Ireland and embarked on a journey on the Belmond Grand Hibernian. En route he visited Westport House Co. Mayo where he enjoyed a hawk walk at the Birds of Prey centre. (pictured below)
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