Hi friends…today you are in for a treat so sit back, pour yourself another cup of coffee and take a few minutes to enjoy this post:) I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t absolutely love to travel…..the places it can take us, the people we can meet, the experiences we can partake in, few things can get ALL my senses into overdrive like travel can. Travel to me is simply? magical and there are few things as exciting as boarding a plane for some wonderful destination, getting away to a whole new experience.
So today we are really lucky to have the travel expertise and wisdom of my very favorite travel advisor? of them all, Sandy from You May Be Wandering. She is both a travel advisor/guru and friend,? who has made every trip of mine an absolute breeze. Sandy is one of those people who truly goes above and beyond, she will check in while I am on vacation to be sure we are happy and it is everything we wanted it to be. I was so impressed with this “above and beyond” approach the first time she booked us for our Dominican Republic trip.
Her followup, expertise and thoroughness know no bounds. I am telling you you will not find a better travel advisor out there! So we decided to do a post where I would ask her a bunch of interesting and must know travel questions (and spill a few trade secrets in the process).So whether you have a trip you are just starting to plan or this might ignite a desire to go on one…you will want to read every word, lots of good info here!
There is more! Horchow has so generously offered a very special travel related giveaway (details at bottom). Sandy and I are featuring some of our favorite travel items from Horchow scattered throughout the post, they are a fabulous source for just about all your travel needs…..and surely will get you on your way in style.
So ready to unearth things you have always wanted to know about the travel biz, maybe debunk a few myths? and travel in general? Sandy, take it away…..
1. Tell me about what are the biggest trends in travel right now?
I am seeing a lot more interest in personalized travel experiences such as cooking classes, unique tours and insider access to experiences not available for the average tourist. Also, luxury travel is more popular than ever ? the best five star resorts regularly sell out months ahead of time during the busiest seasons.
This is one good looking set of luggage from Bric’s and it’s on sale! Click here
2. What is a top pick or two for girlfriends travel, family travel and couples travel?
Any place with good food and good shopping usually equals a perfect girls weekend ? recent girls? trips I have loved were to the Napa Valley and Charleston.
For couples, the most romantic city on earth is, of course, Paris, but any luxurious five-star hotel will make for a romantic weekend getaway ? even in your own city!
For family trips, I am a big advocate of taking children abroad as soon as they are old enough to handle the long flight and comfortably eat out in restaurants. It is so important to instill a broader world view into your children. My first choice for families would be Italy because Italians LOVE children!
Everyone needs a chic passport cover like this one!Click here
3. What do you think are a few myths that people think of when using a travel advisor that you want to set the record straight on?
The biggest myth is that it is expensive to use a travel advisor. It usually doesn?t cost the traveler anything extra to use a travel agent ? we get paid by the hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, etc. Often, using a travel agent can actually save you money because we have access to deals that the individual does not.
Another myth is that you only need to use a travel advisor for the big ticket trips ? whether you are taking the trip of a lifetime or a weekend away, a good travel advisor can make your life a lot easier and possibly SAVE you money, all while making sure you are treated like a VIP.
This luxurious 3 piece set will insure a comfy plane ride for sure! Click here
4. What is the biggest advantage to using a travel advisor for trips, both big and small?
When you use a travel advisor, you will be treated better. Not only do you benefit from his or her expertise, the hotels do not want to risk losing your agent?s future customers. If you have a problem, you have someone acting as your personal advocate.
Also, these days travel agents now function more as personal travel consultants ? not just booking flights and hotels, but using their expertise and contacts to arrange specialized experiences, drivers and even restaurant reservations.
These ultra stylish luggage tags and passport covers are must haves for any seasoned traveler, great gift idea too! Click here
5. Are there any secrets or any type of methodology to getting easy upgrades for hotel rooms?
Book your hotel through me! Seriously, if your travel advisor is a member of a consortium like Virtuoso (of which I am a member), not only will you get added amenities at many of the best hotels in the world, including breakfast and resort credits, you will also be first on the list for upgrades.
Also, just ask nicely about the possibility of an upgrade upon check-in?the worst that can happen is that they say there is nothing available. Quite often, an upgrade can be a ?better? room in the same category you already booked just waiting to be assigned to you.
Are these the cutest sleeping masks or what? I have given these as a gift, so stylish! Click here
6. Come on?spill a few “insider” secrets!
Several hoteliers have told me that when people book online through an internet booking site, that they are often assigned the worst room in the hotel. Always use a travel advisor or contact the hotel directly (you can use their booking site) ? internet booking sites might look less expensive but they are not always the bargains they appear to be.
Never book the least expensive room in a hotel ? it will invariably be the one looking over the loading dock, the highway or the alley next door. It is better to be in the best room in a 4 star hotel than the worst room in a 5 star hotel.
A sure and practical way to make sure your black luggage is identified immediately! These bright hard tags are a great idea, click here
7. If you could hop on a plane tomorrow where would you be headed?
Italy…I just can?t seem to spend enough time there!
Think this red set of travel goodies is so elegant! Click here
8. In what way has the travel industry changed the most in the last 10 years?
The days of the travel agent who sits in the office making flight or hotel bookings are gone. Today, the best travel advisors are their clients? trusted consultants, hired for their expertise, rather than to simply make bookings ? we help clients sort through the huge amounts of information available online, we stay on top of global issues that might affect our clients? travel, and we know the best hotels, guides, drivers and restaurants (often from personal experience).
A more stylish tennis bag I cannot imagine you will find! Click here
9. What are your favorite sites/sources when you want to do? research on a particular property or destination?
My first source is always Virtuoso.com ? only the top 1% of travel advisors belong to Virtuoso so I am very lucky to be part of them. Whether it is to research hotels or to get advice from destination experts, the resources I can tap through Virtuoso are limitless. I also regularly check TripAdvisor even for the finest hotels. Another great site for hotel reviews is Oyster.com.
This elegant set from Bric’s is both good looking and practical…also on sale! Click here
10.? Tell us something most of us wouldn’t know about airline fares!
I am surprised that not many people know that by law you can cancel any plane reservation within 24 hours of booking if the flight is at least seven days from the date of booking. Also, many people still think that you must fly round trip to get a reasonable fare ? most airlines now let you fly one way without charging an arm and a leg.
Monogrammed anything makes such sense for travel…that way no one can claim it’s theirs, and these are so very pretty. Click here
11. Any exciting new hotels or destinations worth telling the world about?
The hotel opening I am most excited about is the re-opening of the Ritz Paris?hopefully it will be worth the wait!! Recently, I wrote a blog post sharing some new and soon to open hotels – go here to read it.
I just ordered these, love them….and they will surely jazz up? my luggage in a most beautiful way! Click here
12. What is on your short list (5 things or less) that you absolutely must bring on vacation when you travel?
-comfortable shoes ? my faves are Tieks
-a crisp white shirt ? it can be dressed up or down with accessories
-a lightweight cashmere scarf ? it can do double duty as a blanket on chilly flights
-an extra carry-on bag that folds up in my suitcases for all my purchases while I am traveling?-my ipad filled with information on my destination, lots of travel apps and good books
This is the next set of luggage I am coveting….just love it! Maybe Valentine Day? Click here
Thank you SO much, Tina, for the opportunity to share my passion for travel and a little insight into the travel advisory business with your readers! Happy Travels!!
____________
OK just when I thought I was a pretty savvy traveler…now I realize there was much to learn!? I love the tips on scoring great hotel rooms and your must pack list and lust for Italy I completely agree with:)? I think the biggest misconception for me personally is that they are really expensive to use.
It is amazing to the contrary,? how reasonable a travel advisor is to the point where I would not plan a trip without one…and I always feel so much more comfortable with the expert knowledge and experience of a travel advisor on my side…especially one who is backed by Virtuoso.
So whether you have a trip in mind or this post has some ideas peculating…drop Sandy an email, trust me she will make all of your travel dreams come true! You can visit her at her blog by clicking hereor email her directly at ssgrodsky@gmail.com.
THE GIVEAWAY-
One lucky reader will win a very special? travel gift, it is a surprise but rest assured something that will make your traveling all the more stylish, a given since it’s from Horchow.? All you need to do is visit Horchows travel section by clicking here, take a peek and come back here to tell us your favorite item, while you are it tell us the best trip you ever took.
You must leave a comment on this post to be eligible (emailing me does not enter your name into the drawing only leaving a comment here does).? I will announce a winner on Sunday morning so be sure to check back!
Thank you Sandy for this most enlightening post, you surely have me in the mood to get on a plane and go somewhere and to Horchow for the giveaway…two greats coming together! Thanks for stopping in, wishing you a fabulous day. Until next time…..
My favorite Horchow item is the Bric’s My Safari travel bags. I am in desperate need of new suitcases and those look fabulous! My favorite trip I ever took was a month in Europe last fall. I am dying to go back and spend more time in Italy!!
Loving the Lug Blanket travel kit for my granddaughters. Adorable.
We took a great trip in the fall with Natural Habitat Adventures called Yellowstone Wild Safari, touring Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. so beautiful and fun. Great company to travel with too.
Love the Bric’s luggage (leather & olive are quite lovely), the monogram eye mask (the one with the monkeys & martinis is really cute too) and the leopard travel blanket combo! Such a fun post Tina and subscribed to You May Be Wandering as well! Looks like she posts very interesting travel info!! Thank you!!
If I’m going to dream I’m going to dream BIG! I love the Bric’s My Safari bags…any and all of them. I could really use some new luggage to take this Spring when I take my youngest on her High School Spring Break. Remembering my favorite trip taken it would be when we took our four kids to Dominican Republic – it was the year our oldest got married and our second oldest was home from his first deployment in the Army. Treasured time π
Hi. I too am in need of new luggage the first time I checked my luggage it came back torn and I didn’t replace it. I kept thinking it was just going to get torn again. We always stay in very nice hotels and I am always cringe a little bringing in my bag. We have begun traveling again in the last few years; I was unable to travel for health reasons. I had forgotten how much fun it was. We are planning to go to the UK and France in the next year and the passport covers are so fun and elegant I love them… Thank you for the fun post!
My family and I recently spent two weeks on a Uniworld cruise on the Rhine and Main rivers. In fact, while on the trip, I sent, and you posted two of my photos for the Fall Love contest! So, I was very interested in reading the travel tips. We used a Virtuoso travel adviser, and I agree with Sandy, that was a must! Now, one item I saw on the Horchow website I would take on our next trip is the travel wallet. I love the size and the sections. It would have been very useful. I always take two wallets–one to hold my extra credit cards, etc in the room safe, and another to take on day trips. Great post. And I’m going to look into those Tieks! A super walking shoe is hard to find!
I’m in love with Bric’s Bellagio luggage! What a pretty line.
My family and I just returned ( in the snow) from a belated Christmas family trip to Oahu. What a beautiful Hawaiian Island! We were so blessed to have our three children, two adult, one still in college, with us. Miraculously we were all on the same page! We went on mountain hikes to see gorgeous waterfalls, visited really cool local beaches ( the pacific waves were no match for this Jersey shore girl) and of course our trip would not have been complete without paying our respects at Pearl Harbor. I hesitate to write, but feel compelled: Unfortunately, while we were there, two Marine helicopters conducting a training flight, crashed on Oahu. I must say our hearts were very heavy the remainder of our trip. Our deepest sympathy to the families of those twelve brave, handsome men. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
My favorite items are the Brics pink luggage and the Courtly Check travel mug. So many great items to choose from!
My favorite trip was a cruise on Wind Star to Greek islands. Santorini is my favorite!
Hi Tina,
This is a great post, packed with good information.
I love the Bric Bellagio luggage. So stylish and very substantial.
One of my favorite trips was to Switzerland and Germany but then again I loved going to Peru.
Tina you’re right, Sandy is incredible! I was an Enchanted Home reader, and contacted her after you featured her here a couple of years ago. She helped plan a trip to Europe for our family of five. I can’t say enough great things about our experience–I hadn’t worked with a travel agent before, and it was so freeing to know that she had all of the details figured out for us. She found places and adventures we never would have found ourselves; we shared so many wonderful memories, and all within our budget. We’re now planning another trip with Sandy’s assistance.
I love the luggage the most–the sueded Bric is beautiful, and of course the Bellagio is absolutely gorgeous. The monogrammed travel tags are also a great idea.
One of my favorite items in the travel section was the Green Lipault- Paris luggage set. Everyone needs a little cool in their lives! My favorite trip was traveling to the beaches of Normandy. Emotional, educational and a must see for all Americans!
Great article! So many wonderful items on Horchow too. I liked lots of the luggage but the GiGi New York IPhone snap case was a top choice because it held your phone, credit cards, etc. it seemed practical for traveling. My college daughter studied abroad for a semester. Her brand new iPhone was pick pocketed in the Rome Metro within a few days of her trip! What a pain! Maybe if she had had this item, it would have prevented a lot of heartache? One of my favorite trips was the summer of 1979. I studied abroad and travelled to 17 countries that summer. A trip of a lifetime! Traveled with 45 students from all over the U.S.
Loved reading Sandy’s insights. And signed up for “You May Be Wandering”-so timely as this is a big birthday year for me. I’m planning six trips-from very special getaways with my husband, sisters’ gatherings to a fun-filled girls weekends to celebrate each decade and the relationships in my life. The first is in February to Boracay, Philippines.
I love the whimsical jewelry rolls-perfect for myself and as gifts for my traveling companions. Thank you for the inspiration!
My favorite trip was Easter in Paris. Loved seeing the Easter Egg hunts in the public parks, attending services at the American Cathedral, dining at Jules Verne.
Being an avid traveler, I loved this post! My favorite Horchow travel item has got to be Bric’s Life Pearl Pink luggage —- it’s so elegant, just like my favorite European city, Salzburg! (Although, must confess, I wish I had the Parker Thatch tennis tote for my trip to Ocean Reef next week! Will be ordering that soon!)
Love, Love…..Brics Bellagio luggage in white with
Tuscan Leather Straps from Horchows website!!
Its a must for traveling to Italy!
Best European Trip ever………
South of France, medieval town Castlet
And Venice, Italy. Love sitting in St Marc Square with sweet sounds from the violinist
I love the personalized passport cover. It looks chic and I feel like I will always know where my passport is in my bag without having to pull all my others items out.
i AM IN LOVE WITH THE BRIC’S Bellagio spinner trunk! It is so beautiful. Recently my husband and I went along with our daughter and son-in-law on a trip of a lifetime to Greece. We were there for 2 weeks and saw 2 clouds during that time. It is such an amazing country and the people there were absolutely wonderful. It is a trip we will never forget.
All the Bric luggage aside, I never travel without my folding vanity tray, and am so glad that Horchow offers them! It’s so great to have a place to put your jewelry while traveling – no more searching the bathroom, the night table, the floor, trying to remember where you put your watch etc. it’s part of my routine on a trip, even as a house guest- no scratching the furniture with earrings and rings! Favorite trip? Sri Lanka
My favorite selection is any of the Brics luggage.
When I travel,I take ONLY a carry on bag,no matter the length or distance of the trip.
My FAVORITE trip was just last summer,when we rented a Villa in Tuscany for our entire family.
12 in all,including four teenage grandchildren.
We spent three days in Rome(all booked through my Virtuoso travel agent).
It was PERFECTION,and we all know that’s difficult to achieve in life.
My favorites by far are the Bric’s hard case trunks, but I also love their canvas rollers as well. The Blue Entrepreneur cases are gorgeous, but I’m wondering about the quality. Nevertheless, I’m more than ready for luggage in a color other than black! We are planning a trip to France for the Fall with 2 other couples. We will stay mostly in Paris and will tour Versailles and Normandy from there. From there, we’ll rent a villa in Provence for the other half of the trip! JOY! With these same two couples, we toured Italy about 5 years ago and it was magical to say the least. We spent 2 weeks and covered everything from Rome upward, which included several days there, Venice, Florence, Sienna (in Tuscany), Lake Como/Bellagio and even spent our first nights in Lugano,Switzerland, which is on the border of Italy. As far as travel agents, we are using one for France, and booked our Italy trip with Tauck….highly recommend them!!!
My favorite item was the Kate Spade white carry-on bag! And the best trip I have ever taken was a two week journey to Italy–we started in Rome, went to Positano, then Tuscany and ended in Venice. All of those places are beautiful.
Your post had excellent information, Tina. I hope to use Sandy’s expertise soon.
All travel items selected in this post are, of course, so worthy but monogramed luggage tags make identifying our luggage so much easier. Such an inexpensive travel necessity! Can’t say enough good things about how using Virtuoso eases so many headaches associated with travel.
Thanks for the great travel trips! As a seasoned traveler I still like to learn insider recommendations. Horchow is a favorite, so many great items. The Bric 22 inch folding duffle bag (any of the colors shown) is a perfect carry-on, good for tucking in special treasures purchased along the way. Hard to choose one trip, but sharing 12 days of incredible experiences with 3 gals in China was phenomenal. Four days cruising on the Yangztee River was icing in the cake!
I absolutely love the cream color Bric’s luggage!! So nice to see they offer it in many colors.
Can’t wait to drop Sandy an e-mail to help me plan my next vacation.
Very informative post. Thank you,
Karen
Let me pack that Bric’s 32 inch black and tan spinner with my favorite stuff and head to Paris, London and a tour of Scotland! Let me embrace my inner Dowton Abbey!
My favorite trip was chartering a sailboat out of Tortola and sailing the BVI’s for 9 days. We crewed it ourselves with two other couples which was surprisingly affordable. What a wonderful time dropping anchor at a different island each night, going ashore for dinner and drinks and sometimes dancing. Also, can’t forget the friendly fire water balloon fights with other sailboats! : )
My favorite for a big item is the Bric’s luggage/ small item would be the personalized passport case.! Being in the villa rental business, one of most memorable trips was living in a villa in Tuscany,Italy and living like a local…..satisfied every passion…food, wine, people, landscape, shopping, museums,….I could go on……….
Wow, the Brics Pilot luggage looks lightweight and easy! Best trip ever? France, except we arrived at Giverny too late to see Monet’s gardens and they had just closed. My sweet teenager son hoisted me up onto the wall so i could at least get a glimpse of Monet’s famous green bridge! Can’t wait to go back someday. Next trip we’d love to see Iceland!
Great post with lots of wonderful information. So many things on Horchow that I would love, but I think the crocodile luggage tags and passport cover would be awesome! Loving the MacKenzie Childs items too! About a year and a half ago my daughter and I took a cruise to Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Curacao and Aruba. It was spectacular and the time spent with my daughter was priceless! Blessings from Missouri!!
Thanks for the tips! Wish I had known about Sandy before I booked our Australia/New Zealand trip coming up!!! I definitely will keep her in mind for future travels. Thanks again!
my favorite item is the MacKenzie-Childs jewelry roll … I love everything MacKenzie- Childs ….
my most favorite trip was to Cabo San Lucas — it is breathtakingly beautiful and the beach was a dream come true. Thank you for your travel tips. And I will be contacting Sandy.
I just love the Citrus Zinger Biggie, a great to be hydrated (and adding a your favorite citrus fruit is so flavorful. Really enjoyed the travel tips, and agree that using a travel agent usually ensures a carefree trip. Thanks
Omigosh! I will definitely use a travel advisor going forward. Thank you, thank you for sharing this wonderful information! I am ready to fly way! I love the Bric’s Bellagio luggage and would choose that as my favorite, but there are tons of small items that are definite must haves as well!
Oh, there are so many travel items I would love to get from the Horchow selections. But, I have been looking for new luggage, and the Bric luggage has a couple that really stand out. I am tired of black luggage and want something pretty. It will be a hard decision. We have been traveling a lot in the last few years, but my favorite trip was a cruise we took on Seaborne from Istanbul to Venice with two other couples. It was a great trip and loved all the stops we made along the way. This spring we are taking a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, with side trips to Paris and Prague, so we are busy planning that now.
Our dinner group spent a week in San Fransico and Nappa Valley. It is always fun to visit, but was so much more fun with the eight of us together! The memories will last a lifetime!
My favorite travel item is the very inexpensive plastic luggage tags that come in seven colors. Great for travel and keeping up with all the kids bags and gear for school and sports.
Tina I’m with you on the Birc’s luggage. Love it! One of my favorite trips was to Sicily and Rome Italy.
Primarily because my son and his family were stationed there and I hadn’t got to see him in 3 years. (he was deployed before that), I agree with Sandy about Italy. There is so much more of it I want to discover, Florence, Milan and so on.
Deep in history and culture and some really divine food. If you haven’t been I highly recommend you go.
I truly love the bellagio spinner trunk in white/tan! It is the perfect size,looks chic and glides through the airports and over ancient cobblestones in foreign destinations!
Thank you for the great information. I will definitely look to a professional for my next excursion. I love the Kate Spade New Yorker Carry-on and think it would pair perfectly with the MacKenzie Childs Butterfly Garden Luggage Tag – how wonderfully whimsical.
I’ve been blessed with lots of travel experiences but I think the most special was a 10 day trip my husband surprised me with for our 25th anniversary. I’m a florist and he, along with an amazing travel advisor, booked a trip through the English countryside and Lake District where we stayed in fabulous manors and castles and toured exquisite gardens. It was magic and totally changed my gardening aesthetic.
I love the bellagio bag in the cream with leather straps. Just so elegant and I could use some new luggage. One of my most fun recent trips was a my college roommate and I rented an apartment in Paris on the left bank for a week then toured the countryside for another week. It was great with the apartment as we shoppes the markets and cooked in addition to enjoying all the fabulous cafes.
There was a massive fire at the Ritz Paris on Jan 19th that started on the top floor and destroyed much of the almost completed renovations.
What sort of travel advisor wouldn’t have known that?!? Why would I take someone seriously who isn’t even up to date in their own industry?
And it is extremely easy to get upgrades on your own when booking a 5 star hotel if you ask to speak with the general manager. Don’t need Virtuoso for that.
Hi Tina…thank you so much for having me share your beautiful blog with you today! You know I am your biggest fan! I never get tired of talking travel, as you know all too well. Enjoy this sunny day – hopefully some of the snow will melt! xoxo
A Brics bag please and love Horchow’s Tic Toc daily deals. Tina, can’t believe your post was about travel today as finding a top notch travel agent was on my to do list for today. Check!
My favorite travel item from Horchow is the Bric’s Bellagio Spinner. I was in the travel business for a long time so choosing a favorite trip is difficult, but India and Thailand hold a special place in my heart. The people, the food, the shopping, oh my!
Like everyone else I love the Bric Bellagio collection especially the cream and tan color combination. Best trip ever was a family safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Thanks for the post!
What perfect timing for this article! My husband booked us a trip to the Riviera Maya as my Christmas present. We are going in 3 weeks. This is a belated anniversary trip by 3 years due to my husband being in an auto accident resulting in injuries and surgery that prevented us from going since then. So this will be my best trip ever!
I love the Neiman Marcus Red cosmetic case. Perfect for storing all my make-up and small toiletries all in one place. Perfect size to fit in a carry on!
My favorite pick from Horchow is the “Bric’s Brown My Life Luggage”. It is so nice to see a smart brown color instead of black for a change. As for my favorite vacation it was to Sun Valley Idaho over Christmas. It was truly magical being in snow country since I live in southern California. Christmas Eve was a sleigh ride to Trail Creek cabin for dinner and Sun Valley Carolers and Christmas dinner was a gondola ride to the top of the ski mountain “Baldy” at the wonderful Roundhouse restaurant. I recommend this to everyone! Thank you for the chance at the giveaway!
So many terrific choices, but in my case the charming tennis bags that are first in the queue are first in my heart! This post with all the lovely travel destinations has put me in resort mode. I belive this adorable bad may help me overlook the fact that my serve isn’t what it used to be. Thank you so much for sharing. I love your blog and your shop.
I love the crocodile luggage tags. We are planning a family trip this year in August and these would be great party gifts!
Thanks for this awesome post –
The trip I will always remember is the one I took to London to meet my husband returning from an overseas trip. We spent 5 days seeing the touristy things but also explored way off the beaten bath, walking miles while visiting bazarres and little dusty hole-in-the-wall shops.
One of the most memorable parts was when I first arrived at Gatwick. I spotted my husband from the top of the escalator, waiting for me at the bottom, and as I descended …somehow my luggage popped open and me and all of my things arrived at the bottom in a puddle.
This beautiful luggage – the Bric’s Bellagio Chrome/Pink Cabin Spinner – would have saved me the embarrassment!
Great travel tips Tina! I too think that using a travel agent, especially for things like cruises is an absolute must. There’s no downside and often there are lots of added benefits. I’ve also found that if you ever end up having a problem with a travel provider, the travel agent has a lot more clout than the traveler in helping to correct a problem. BON VOYAGE!
I like the Navy X-Bag 30″ Spinner by Bric’s. What a great bag to bring on a trip.
One of the best trips I have been on was a trip to Europe with my father and then about 2/3 of the way thru the trip my husband flew over to meet us. He had not been out of the country before. It was so nice to be able to spend time together in a beautiful area. This was about 11 years ago.
The Personalized All in One Bag with the Tori Tote and Jewelry Roll would be not only very functional but stylish and a great addition to any travel pieces you might have. All this talk makes me want to get on a plane right now!
The Bric Bellagio luggage is my pick. Italy and Scotland are my two favorite destinations abroad, but I’m looking forward to a family trip to Poland, my grandmother’s homeland, when my son is old enough for a longer flight. Until then, we are exploring the U.S., going to both large cities and also making iconic, scenic road trips.
Ooopppss, I forgot to tell you in my previous comment that I just love Horchow, and particularly love their Bric’s Bellagio Olive 32″ Spinner Trunk. My luggage doesn’t spin and spinning makes baggage handling so much easier!
You picked the best person to talk about travel! Sandy knows of the the best tips, places to stay and things to do! I learned a few things reading this post myself today.
I am a huge fan of Bric’s luggage and frankly I love it all so I cannot pick just one thing.
As for the best trip I have ever taken, that would be a 3 week trip to England and Scotland!
My favorite trip was a cruise around Italy. Italy is amazing. We had an adventure everyday. And Sicily is so laid back and rustic.
I adore the Bric spinner trunks. Horchow has a great selection of so many travel and home items. Judy
I’m with you … the Bric’s Bellagio luggage set should be on everyone’s wish list!
Our favorite trip so far has been a stay in a farmhouse in Umbria, Italy – complete with chickens, horses, dogs and the most amazing view over acres of olive groves and daily trips to charming hill towns. HOWEVER, we are going to Bora Bora (thanks to “Make-a-Wish!!”) this June and it might be our new favorite!!
My favorite is the Pronto Chianti luggage. Prettiness with an excellent price! One of my most memorable trips was simply a Fall Foliage tour taken for 8 days and 7 nights through our New England states. Such beauty!
Hi Tina, I really like the Bric’s My Safari luggage, it’s classic. All trips are the best, but 41 years ago, our Honeymoon to Grand Caymon was amazing as it really had not been discovered by ANYONE yet!
I really love the Victorinox Swiss Army Spectra 32″ Spinner piece of luggage with a personalized passport case.
This would be perfect for our annul trip to Disney World.
Horchow has so many great travel items and it is really hard to choose.
Don’t you just LOVE all the glittery iPhone cases? I would cradle my phone and call it “My Precious!!” And the Bric’s luggage is lovely.
My favorite trip was visiting Peace Corps volunteers in Malawi when I worked at headquarters. Many of the volunteers worked at orphanages in a part of Africa that has a very high concentration of people with AIDS. The hard work our American volunteers contribute makes your heart sing.
How wonderful! What great suggestions! My favorite on the Horchow page was the brown Bric luggage. I love the subtlety of the color, but could be differentiated from all the black luggage on the baggage carrousel!
My favorite holiday was when we surprised my daughter with a trip to Scotland for her 21st birthday. It had long been her dream destination! I packed her suitcase for her, had a driver pick us up and head to the airport…she had no idea where we were going until we were standing in the International Terminal in the line to check in when I handed her a journal, a plaid scarf, a travel guide and our itinerary! She burst into tears! It was fabulous. The two of us us spent two days in London before flying to Edinburgh, where the next surprise happened. The rest of the family surprised her and joined us for the rest of the trip. It was the best memory-maker ever…all in the Scottish Highlands. Now my daughter, Caroline, has spent a summer there!
I am in love with the leopard print jewelry pouch and bag! What a great post this is. I am planning a three week road trip to the southeast USA and have been stumped as to how to do all the research and bookings. I’m headed over to Sandy’s site now. Thank you!
It is difficult to choose only one item, but the Bellagio Luggage spinner trunks wins for me. Beautiful classic style and craftsmanship. I’d take a trip to Italy with it. Great information today on your blog.
I love the Travel Blanket and Pillow set – so practical and needed on some of the chillier flights! Our favorite trips have been to Ireland – living in Southern California’s somewhat desert-y landscape leaves me longing for lush green lands and cloudy skies. Still, I am always, always happy to arrive home!!!
Tina, thanks so much for this very informative post! I must say that it’s made me re-think my attitude toward travel agents and I will be contacting Sandy! We are in need of new luggage, so the Brics Bellagio pieces were my fav ;).
This could not have been better timing for getting Sandy’s insight and contact information. I am planning my 40th birthday trip and feel completely overwhelmed. I will certainly be in touch. For Christmas I purchased the Streamline luggage for my daughter from Horchow. She absolutely loves it! I am in need of new luggage so my favorite item is Bric’s luggage (Life Pearl Pink Spinner and Duffle)
First of all I was just having Coffee with my good friend who just came back from CHarleston and then told me her daughter is doing a cooking class in Italy through her private school and she may go too! That Sandy she’s awesome! Next, wow that Parker Thatch tennis bag I love it!!
I love the suite case by Bric I am desperately in need of a new set. I have never been to Europe, Italy and would love to go for a visit. I am currently recovering from a torn rotator cuff surgery and it would be great therapy for me to see Italy.
Every bit of this post is a dream come true! I LOVE each piece but could enjoy the mask and bag on my trip to Capri. My husband just released his new single CRUSH and his cd IVORY SOUL will be out on March 1st and then we are off…………….I love your blog!
Love the GiGi New York a Graphic Image Company Personalized Passport Cover and am thinking of getting it for my daughter for her birthday. She will be traveling to Italy in May for her honeymoon! My favorite trip was in 1986 when I visited Paris for the first time. I have been back probably 16 times since (French major, Francophile), but that first time is unforgettable!
My favorite is the Bric’s Life Tri-fold Traveler because it is light to carry and bright to spot when traveling. It also provides extra pieces in which to place extra purchases. I had to buy another suitcase when we departed from our fabulous trip to the breath taking Almafi coast in Italy which was planned by a travel agent. We would have not been able to see and enjoy as much without the service. My other most treasured trip is one to Kyoto and Nikko, Japan.
Love the Bellagio Chrome/Pink Cabin Spinner, although it’s seriously out of my price range; I would never in a million years spend $600 for a suitcase. My favorite trip was a couple of weeks in Rome with my mom; we stayed in a convent and explored every nook and cranny of the city we could.
I love the Bric’s Bellagio suitcase. I have Bric’s luggage and love it. It’s held up so well and I get so many compliments on it. I might contact Sandy about a tennis vacation. I would love to go to a grown up tennis camp!
I love Gigi graphics! The citrus water bottle is genius and I bought three of them just now. If I had the choice it would be a lovely Kate Spade set, they are so fresh and look like greatest way to start a new adventure. I think every graduating child should get a set of luggage.
My best trip…oh my I’ve just had one of those moments where you realize how fortunate you have been, my parents were travelers and dragged their children everywhere. Still, there is nothing like the first still in university trip where everything goes right (love) and everything goes wrong (mugged)and you end up working as a barmaid in Prague where you meet the friends that carry you through life. Best advice to anyone of any age TRAVEL
Love the Bric’s Bellagio luggage! We have other Bric’s and can happily say they travel well! We are going back to Florence in April, to cooking class! (wine tasting in truth!) Something wonderful to think about during a grey winter.
Out of everything Horchow has for travel, I can’t help loving their rose gold iPhone case. I just love anything sparkly. And boy, that is sparkly and beautiful!
Love Bric’s Bellagio Cabin Spinner in PINK!! and Chrome – what fun!!
My very favorite trip was our 3 week trip to Italy for our 40th Anniversary – when we arrived in Venice, as we walked across St. Mark’s Square – our five children and their spouses were there waiting for us – a complete surprise!! Planned for a year by my husband!!! The Best!!!
Hi Tina
Great blog today.. I love to travel and my favorite vacation was with my husband to Africa with Abercrombie and Kent!!! A trip of a lifetime.. Loved it all! I love the bric Bellagio luggage !! Am planning a trip to chile (Patagonia ) the end of this month and to New Zealand in March!! If you or your readers have any suggestions I would love them!!!
Wonderful post that has me dreaming of a lovely getaway. I have always loved McKenzie Childs so I would have to list her Travel Umbrella as a favorite.
Ilove love love the Bric’s Bellagio series! What a stylish traveler I would be, rolling along with those beautiful spinners. Thanks for the giveaway. Fingers crossed.
I love the Brown MyLife Bric luggage – it is so timeless! My favorite trip would be when my husband and I were in the Burgandy region of France, got lost and ended up staying in the same fabulous hotel with Francois Mitterrand.
I LOVE the Bric’s luggage on the Horchow site! Can’t wait to use Sandy to plan an Italuan vacation. One of my favorite vacations was a recent trip to The Biltmore in Asheville. Loved everything about North Carolina in the fall!
This was such a fun post….travel dreams….the best! I visited the Horchow site and am going to be ordering 3 of the Citrus Zinger water bottles for Valentine’s Day gifts for family. Also loved the large travel tags with just the last name on them…..good for safety, so that your whole address isn’t printed on them. A favorite trip for our family was when the kids were teenagers we went to Wyoming to the Tetons and Yellowstone and then on to a family wedding in Snowmass, CO. Wonderful, wonderful adventures of a lifetime.
Wow Tina, another fabulous post. You outdid yourself with this one. I love, love the Kate Spade White Carry-on Bag. That is to die for! I had the great fortune of traveling to Florence, Milan, Venice, Italy when my daughter spent a semester abroad. The food, hotels, not to mention the people were all just fantastic. If I ever had the opportunity to return to Venice, I would do so in an instant. I would also like to visit Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina after reading your previous post. Palmetto looks beautiful and so timeless from your posts. I also look forward to following your posts as you build your new home. For me personally, any opportunity I get to visit a Ritz Hotel is vacation enough for me. I have so enjoyed each and every one I have visited. Thanks again for the wonderful post today.
I, too, love all the beautiful travel luggage and items that Horchow has to offer! But, my favorite item is the Kate Spade shoe bag. I love great shoes and have found a cloth shoe bag keeps the shoes clean and protected.
My favorite trip would be the Alaskan cruise that my husband and I took for our 40th Anniversary. We had a large suite, which was an unexpected upgrade, and it made the cruise so much more memorable! We enjoyed seeing Alaska and its beauty and would recommend the trip to anyone!
The Brics chrome and pink luggage is delectable. Enjoyed the post while learning the value of a trip advisor (beyond my hubby).
With two sons in the Navy, we are a traveling family.
I just received my monogrammed Ralph Lauren towels I ordered from Horchow thanks to your heads up on the sale. They do such an outstanding job on their monograms, only 3.99, thick, and large, that I’d probably choose the vertical toiletry bag for my bottles of lotions and potions when I travel. Monogrammed of course…
I love the personalized passport cover! So awesome.
My favorite trip was to Japan and India with my husband for a month before children were on the way. We had such an awesome time discovering things and cementing ourselves as a couple.
My favorite is the Brics pearl pink spinner suitcase set – totally gorgeous and girly. Absolute favorite trip? Without a doubt, my recent visit to Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey in England.
Nice items..I dig all the luggage. The travel umbrella, citrus tumbler and the travel charger and case.
I have had many a fabulous trip. Jamaica is one..but probably my fave is domestic right before 9-11 and no way would we be allowed to do this today, sadly.
An adventure, site seeing trip I put together. From Florida to San Francisco. With 3 huge long military style bags filled with all our camping and hiking gear, fishing poles, etc.
We camped and hike from San Francisco to Napa, Tahoe and Yosemite..many stops in between. Every 3rd day we would go to a nice resort to sleep in a bed, and hot shower. The best food every, and sites. Fresh caught trout. Much wild life. The last 2 days was exploring San Francisco on foot..such a great walking city with delicious food.
Hope to do something similar again soon.
Thanks.
Tina – who knew there were so many beautiful travel accessories! Leave to you to find the best. Thanks for getting all that great insider info – I’ll definitely try booking through someone next time I plan a trip!
We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary in June on The Windstar Sea Breeze ; Rome to Venice every hint you gave will be appreciated. I also take black flats and always a white shirt. But theat hard sided luggage, could sure make our travel plans complete. Must check out Horchow.
As the pillow on my bed says – Paris is always the answer, but for an exoctic destination you are hard pressed to beat Morroco- old and new worlds all meshed together – earthy and alluring.
We have been traveling with Bric’s luggage (bought in Italy) for many years.
After seeing the Belliago luggage on the Horchow site, they have taken luggage to a new level!
I was just looking at possible trip destinations for this year and really appreciate your blog today – perfect!
So many options for beautiful luggage but I also love the leopard jewelry bags to put inside them.
Best travel was a month driving through Italy from Amalfi coast to Venice then to the South of France.
I definitely, definitely love those pink Bellagio trunks! We have taken so many fabulous trips, but a very memorable one was to Rosewood Mayakoba where my husband and I were treated like royalty with a private villa, our own personal butler and daily lagoon rides. I cannot wait to go back!
For me, it has to be the Bric’s My Safari luggage?.just beautiful! Difficult to say my “favorite” trip. My visit to Paris was just wonderful, and I couldn’t get enough of the beautiful architecture there but I will have to say my favorite trip was right here in the USA to the beautiful state of Maine. We stayed at Owls Head and spent an unforgettable week eating delicious seafood and visiting the coast there?.just stunning and so unique! Thanks, Tina, for another great giveaway opportunity! I subscribe to Sandy’s blog and it is the best as you say!
Dear Tina,
All of your questions were things I’d always wondered about, So this post was very informative. My husband and I haven’t been anywhere for awhile because of glaucoma surgeries he’s had to have. So we were hoping sometime soon we might be able to go on a vacation.
It sure is great having a travel Guru for a friend!
Thank you for all of the “inside” information, Sandy! I will go over to visit your blog.
Laura
I would choose the personalized tote from Graphic Image, it would ramps up my travel style.
One trip that will forever stand out was when I visited the Chateau de Versailles with American Friends of Versailles!
It was magical!
Thank you Tina for putting this together! Love you blog!
Julie
The Bric’s luggage is a handsome set. We are going on a cruise to Alaska in August and this set would be perfect. Getting excited! Thanks Tina for the Beautiful Blog you have.
Great post! I have only used a Travel Planner once, and it was such a smart thing to do. I don’t know why I have not used one more often. Great tips and insights to traveling. It makes me want to put on my wanderlust shoes!!
Horchow’s is so great, I really love so much of their merchandise. zi love the Bric’s Bellagio Luggase in Navy! So gorgeous. And I loved the colorful, embossed luggage tags. I really need to get some of those. I always get nervous looking for my luggage at the airport.
Well, thanks for the informative post and giveaway!
What an informative post! I will definitely use a travel agent like Sandy on my next big trip! The Horchow item that appeals to me is the Tori Tote. It looks like the ideal size for all the important bits and pieces — iPad, documents, etc. — that I like to keep close at hand when I travel. My daughter is getting married in Houston this April, so I will be flying back and forth to visit with her as our plans develop. The Tori Tote would be PERFECT on these hectic trips! Best wishes!! DD (ddu@triad.rr.com)
Love the leopard 3-piece travel set (pillows & blanket). How nice to have something cozy to take along. We have been on amazing trips throughout Great Britain, Canada & the U.S. (especially New England & Alaska), but my favorite trip is always the one returning home!
Horchow will have us traveling in style .
The leopard accessories are darling .
So many useful and chic items on Horchow.
Thank you for all the travel tips !
Thank you for the helpful travel information! I enjoyed looking through the Horchow travel items and was immediately drawn to the Bric Brown My Life luggage. Each piece looks lovely and has an old world look of excellence.
My favorite travel destination is Charleston, South Carolina. I have been to Charleston a number of times, and my favorite trip there is, of course, always my next trip!
This travel post was educational in two ways: learning about the things a travel advisor can do to enhance your journey and finding out that Horchow has a great selection of travel assessories. The luggage selections are impressive. I would be please to own any one of the sets, but if I had to choose, I would go with the Brix set.
Such a wonderful post, Tina!!!! Sandy’s advice is spot on. She helped our family take the most amazing trip to Italy and a romantic getaway to Nantucket for me and my husband.
I also learned the hard way that every trip we take needs to be booked through Sandy! We fell victim to using an online booking service, thinking it was a simple trip and now realize that had we gone through Sandy, we would have received so much more! Live and learn!!! π
Horchow always has amazing things….I have to say I love the passport cover in croc.
My favorite trip was to Paris, Brussels and London with my 3 grown children- what fun we had! This was a very informative post, thank you!
Horchow has so much to choose from, it’s hard to select. I think I live the lightweight Bric spinners.
I love the Bric’s Bojola Cream 22″ Cargo Duffel – very chic. It would have looked great on the best trip I’ve ever taken, which was last summer’s wonderful vacation on the Amalfi Coast. It is truly a magical place that exceeded my every expectation!
I love the Lug Travel Set from Hirchow! It looks SO incredibly cozy which would be perfect for travel!
One of the best trips we’ve taken was to Sint Maarten. Our children were over the moon traveling out of the US for the first time and getting to use their passports!
Any one of the Bric Bellagio spinner luggage would be a dream! Love this post and will start to follow Miss Sandy’s blog. I appreciate all the knowledge and expertise. Love your blog, Miss Tina, always fascinating and interesting!
We are planning a Danube river cruise in the spring so the travel info was much appreciated!! I really like the Bric-s-Bojola-Cream-30-Light-Spinner suitcase and also the Leopard jewelry cases with my monogram, of course!! Happy travels!
Bellagio Black 30″ Spinner is my choice. I haven’t traveled much, but have always thought of Provence area with the beautiful views, fabulous food and great people….so I’ve been told. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thanks for this article. I think Sandy’s info is what I have been looking for. This will really help. I love a Brown Bric’s set. So timeless and classy..
Such a timely post. I have been thinking about using a travel advisor to help our kids love and understand the museums better, when we visit NYC. I always have a hard time convincing the children and they get bored soon after. A guide who will tailor the experience for the kids would be so much more engaging for them!
Just picked up the Bric’s chianti 20″ and 25″ – amazing deal!! thanks so much for this post.
Recently discovered your blog and LOVE it.
My favorite is the Lily Pulitzer Foliage tote. You’d feel like you are on vacation just carrying it.
Best vacation was spending a week touring Italy in 1982 while my husband was on leave from the Army. Florence was intoxicatingly beautiful!
We used an agent for our trip to Australia. We had limited time and a list of our must see items. She arranged everything. We had some of the most amazing experiences. It was so nice to just pack and go.
i love love the Brown Brics luggage. My best and amazing trip was flying to Puerto Rico with my new husband and wondering around the island by ourselves. We stayed at a horrible little place and a 5-star hotel. It was pure bliss!
Sandy is terrific – I have been following her on You May Be Wandering for as long as I have followed you Tina (I think a mention in one of your posts took me there). I loved the article (thank you!) – I travel a lot but always great to learn some new tricks.
I have almost everything I need for travel but if I had to choose I would pick the GiGi New York
Python Luggage Tag, Personalized in Magenta for sure!!
Not only is The Enchanted Home one of my favorites to follow, I have ordered many lovely items from you.
My favorite and on my wish list is the Bric’s 21″ Bellagio Spinner in Olive – absolutely love it!
My favorite trip was to see my oldest and only son graduate from college on May 11 a few years ago. Not only my parent’s first grandchild/grandson to graduate from college, but it was a trifecta as my son refers to it “his graduation, Mother’s Day and my birthday.” Very special to me, lots of happy & proud tears that day, as I was a single parent for 14 yrs., so this was one of the best days and trips of my life!
That wonderful Bellagio luggage in pink. Thanks for sharing
All those wonderful travel tips. As a former meeting planner and hotel executive, she nailed it. Favorite trip was traveling the west coast from San Francisco to Oregon. Relaxing and the scenery was unsurpassed. Highly suggest it to everyone that has not visited this part of our beautiful country.
Best trip ever was to Italy in 1999. One of my co-workers was getting married in Florence. My boss took 10 of us for a week! Our spouses were included too! We spent the first 3 days in Venice and then 3 days in Florence. The wedding was in a beautiful old family chapel and the reception was up in the hills above Florence in a beautiful old home. We welcomed in 2000 watching the fireworks over Florence. We had one last day in Milan before we flew back home. The three days in Venice were fun but it’s the coldest I have ever been. My husband and I hope to go back one day during the spring or early summer months.
Ahhh, that Sandy, what a great woman she is! Great post, Tina! And, goodness, there is SO much good stuff on the Horchow website…but at this point in my life I prefer light-weight luggage. I have all leather in black, but it’s beginning to look “well-used” and I would go for the Horchow Bric’s Navy Ultra-Light Luggage, the complete line of it. The PINK would be a close 2nd. Always Italy. My favorite place on Earth and I think the most beautiful too. For me, there is nothing more romantic than overlooking the sea of the Amalfi Coast or the lakes in the North part of the country. I love renting an entire villa, inviting my friends and family to be our guests, using the house as home-base and driving all around, or shopping, or just sitting outside dining al fresco. I’ve been almost everywhere but it always REMAINS ITALY when I think of travelling again. I completely agree with Sandy about taking children to Italy. Goodness, just look at the new Dolce & Gabbana collections and you’ll know why immediately.
I think Bric’s Bellagio luggage is a stunner, the Parker Thatch cosmetic cases are sweet, and the Civico travel accessories are super chic. Thanks for sharing these great travel tips!
the luggage is so nice and all the travel accessories would be hard to narrow down what to order- you do not have to be traveling to use everything shown.
Hello Georgous Bric black Bellagio spinner 30″ spinner.
Italy is my favorite memory as we were fortunate to attend two home hosted dinners. One was in Sorrento and another in Rome. The Italian people are warm, family first and overall delightful
I’m with you! The Bellagio luggage… WOW! So freakin’ gorgeous. Right now my luggage consists of only carry-on size, for the few trips I’ve needed bigger I borrow one. It I had to choose my fav it would be the “Bellagio Metallic Brown 27 Spinner,” not carry-on but not too huge. Own way too many small travel accessories already; the only one I can see myself actually using would be the “Personalized Jewelry Rolls,” so cute.
My favorite destination (so far) would be Iceland. So amazing beautiful and peaceful. I always find myself looking for new routes or times in the year to go than my first trip but always have to stop myself as there is just so much more of the world to see π
Thanks for all of your great posts- this one included. Have already picked up several great gift ideas for family members who travel routinely: cute sleep masks are at the top of the list, followed by monogrammed luggage tags and passport holders. And while I have enjoyed many exciting trips abroad, my favorite trip was our first trip to Scotland where my 10-year old son announced “They really ‘get me’ here”!
I love the Bric’s Bojola pink cargo duffle, so cute! My favorite and most recent trip was a 10 day stay on Capri. It was beautiful, romantic and dream like!
Love the Bric’s Safari luggage. I have traveled a lot and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but continue to revisit Italy, the English countryside and New York. Still to see, Greece and Barcelona.
I don’t think this should be considered a travel item, but it’s with them. I love the Diamond Brilliance iPhone 6 Case — I’m not usually a “bling” gal; maybe that’s why it appeals to me!
Oh I can relate on the “not being able to spend enough time in Italy”. My favorite country for sure! Wonderful post as always! I am interested to see what this surprise is, but considering its from Horchow, it must be FAB!
I LOVE Sandy! She is helping us plan a trip to France and Spain and worked with my daughter and son-in-law in planning their “babymoon” to Istanbul. Extraordinary service and so darn sweet!
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Hi friends…today you are in for a treat so sit back, pour yourself another cup of coffee and take a few minutes to enjoy this post:) I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t absolutely love to travel…..the places it can take us, the people we can meet, the experiences we can partake in, few things can get ALL my senses into overdrive like travel can. Travel to me is simply? magical and there are few things as exciting as boarding a plane for some wonderful destination, getting away to a whole new experience.
So today we are really lucky to have the travel expertise and wisdom of my very favorite travel advisor? of them all, Sandy from You May Be Wandering. She is both a travel advisor/guru and friend,? who has made every trip of mine an absolute breeze. Sandy is one of those people who truly goes above and beyond, she will check in while I am on vacation to be sure we are happy and it is everything we wanted it to be. I was so impressed with this “above and beyond” approach the first time she booked us for our Dominican Republic trip.
Her followup, expertise and thoroughness know no bounds. I am telling you you will not find a better travel advisor out there! So we decided to do a post where I would ask her a bunch of interesting and must know travel questions (and spill a few trade secrets in the process).So whether you have a trip you are just starting to plan or this might ignite a desire to go on one…you will want to read every word, lots of good info here!
There is more! Horchow has so generously offered a very special travel related giveaway (details at bottom). Sandy and I are featuring some of our favorite travel items from Horchow scattered throughout the post, they are a fabulous source for just about all your travel needs…..and surely will get you on your way in style.
So ready to unearth things you have always wanted to know about the travel biz, maybe debunk a few myths? and travel in general? Sandy, take it away…..
1. Tell me about what are the biggest trends in travel right now?
I am seeing a lot more interest in personalized travel experiences such as cooking classes, unique tours and insider access to experiences not available for the average tourist. Also, luxury travel is more popular than ever ? the best five star resorts regularly sell out months ahead of time during the busiest seasons.
This is one good looking set of luggage from Bric’s and it’s on sale! Click here
2. What is a top pick or two for girlfriends travel, family travel and couples travel?
Any place with good food and good shopping usually equals a perfect girls weekend ? recent girls? trips I have loved were to the Napa Valley and Charleston.
For couples, the most romantic city on earth is, of course, Paris, but any luxurious five-star hotel will make for a romantic weekend getaway ? even in your own city!
For family trips, I am a big advocate of taking children abroad as soon as they are old enough to handle the long flight and comfortably eat out in restaurants. It is so important to instill a broader world view into your children. My first choice for families would be Italy because Italians LOVE children!
Everyone needs a chic passport cover like this one! Click here
3. What do you think are a few myths that people think of when using a travel advisor that you want to set the record straight on?
The biggest myth is that it is expensive to use a travel advisor. It usually doesn?t cost the traveler anything extra to use a travel agent ? we get paid by the hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, etc. Often, using a travel agent can actually save you money because we have access to deals that the individual does not.
Another myth is that you only need to use a travel advisor for the big ticket trips ? whether you are taking the trip of a lifetime or a weekend away, a good travel advisor can make your life a lot easier and possibly SAVE you money, all while making sure you are treated like a VIP.
This luxurious 3 piece set will insure a comfy plane ride for sure! Click here
4. What is the biggest advantage to using a travel advisor for trips, both big and small?
When you use a travel advisor, you will be treated better. Not only do you benefit from his or her expertise, the hotels do not want to risk losing your agent?s future customers. If you have a problem, you have someone acting as your personal advocate.
Also, these days travel agents now function more as personal travel consultants ? not just booking flights and hotels, but using their expertise and contacts to arrange specialized experiences, drivers and even restaurant reservations.
These ultra stylish luggage tags and passport covers are must haves for any seasoned traveler, great gift idea too! Click here
5. Are there any secrets or any type of methodology to getting easy upgrades for hotel rooms?
Book your hotel through me! Seriously, if your travel advisor is a member of a consortium like Virtuoso (of which I am a member), not only will you get added amenities at many of the best hotels in the world, including breakfast and resort credits, you will also be first on the list for upgrades.
Also, just ask nicely about the possibility of an upgrade upon check-in?the worst that can happen is that they say there is nothing available. Quite often, an upgrade can be a ?better? room in the same category you already booked just waiting to be assigned to you.
Are these the cutest sleeping masks or what? I have given these as a gift, so stylish! Click here
6. Come on?spill a few “insider” secrets!
Several hoteliers have told me that when people book online through an internet booking site, that they are often assigned the worst room in the hotel. Always use a travel advisor or contact the hotel directly (you can use their booking site) ? internet booking sites might look less expensive but they are not always the bargains they appear to be.
Never book the least expensive room in a hotel ? it will invariably be the one looking over the loading dock, the highway or the alley next door. It is better to be in the best room in a 4 star hotel than the worst room in a 5 star hotel.
A sure and practical way to make sure your black luggage is identified immediately! These bright hard tags are a great idea, click here
7. If you could hop on a plane tomorrow where would you be headed?
Italy…I just can?t seem to spend enough time there!
Think this red set of travel goodies is so elegant! Click here
8. In what way has the travel industry changed the most in the last 10 years?
The days of the travel agent who sits in the office making flight or hotel bookings are gone. Today, the best travel advisors are their clients? trusted consultants, hired for their expertise, rather than to simply make bookings ? we help clients sort through the huge amounts of information available online, we stay on top of global issues that might affect our clients? travel, and we know the best hotels, guides, drivers and restaurants (often from personal experience).
A more stylish tennis bag I cannot imagine you will find! Click here
9. What are your favorite sites/sources when you want to do? research on a particular property or destination?
My first source is always Virtuoso.com ? only the top 1% of travel advisors belong to Virtuoso so I am very lucky to be part of them. Whether it is to research hotels or to get advice from destination experts, the resources I can tap through Virtuoso are limitless. I also regularly check TripAdvisor even for the finest hotels. Another great site for hotel reviews is Oyster.com.
This elegant set from Bric’s is both good looking and practical…also on sale! Click here
10.? Tell us something most of us wouldn’t know about airline fares!
I am surprised that not many people know that by law you can cancel any plane reservation within 24 hours of booking if the flight is at least seven days from the date of booking. Also, many people still think that you must fly round trip to get a reasonable fare ? most airlines now let you fly one way without charging an arm and a leg.
Monogrammed anything makes such sense for travel…that way no one can claim it’s theirs, and these are so very pretty. Click here
11. Any exciting new hotels or destinations worth telling the world about?
The hotel opening I am most excited about is the re-opening of the Ritz Paris?hopefully it will be worth the wait!! Recently, I wrote a blog post sharing some new and soon to open hotels – go here to read it.
I just ordered these, love them….and they will surely jazz up? my luggage in a most beautiful way! Click here
12. What is on your short list (5 things or less) that you absolutely must bring on vacation when you travel?
-comfortable shoes ? my faves are Tieks
-a crisp white shirt ? it can be dressed up or down with accessories
-a lightweight cashmere scarf ? it can do double duty as a blanket on chilly flights
-an extra carry-on bag that folds up in my suitcases for all my purchases while I am traveling?-my ipad filled with information on my destination, lots of travel apps and good books
This is the next set of luggage I am coveting….just love it! Maybe Valentine Day? Click here
Thank you SO much, Tina, for the opportunity to share my passion for travel and a little insight into the travel advisory business with your readers! Happy Travels!!
____________
OK just when I thought I was a pretty savvy traveler…now I realize there was much to learn!? I love the tips on scoring great hotel rooms and your must pack list and lust for Italy I completely agree with:)? I think the biggest misconception for me personally is that they are really expensive to use.
It is amazing to the contrary,? how reasonable a travel advisor is to the point where I would not plan a trip without one…and I always feel so much more comfortable with the expert knowledge and experience of a travel advisor on my side…especially one who is backed by Virtuoso.
So whether you have a trip in mind or this post has some ideas peculating…drop Sandy an email, trust me she will make all of your travel dreams come true! You can visit her at her blog by clicking here or email her directly at ssgrodsky@gmail.com.
THE GIVEAWAY-
One lucky reader will win a very special? travel gift, it is a surprise but rest assured something that will make your traveling all the more stylish, a given since it’s from Horchow.? All you need to do is visit Horchows travel section by clicking here, take a peek and come back here to tell us your favorite item, while you are it tell us the best trip you ever took.
You must leave a comment on this post to be eligible (emailing me does not enter your name into the drawing only leaving a comment here does).? I will announce a winner on Sunday morning so be sure to check back!
Thank you Sandy for this most enlightening post, you surely have me in the mood to get on a plane and go somewhere and to Horchow for the giveaway…two greats coming together! Thanks for stopping in, wishing you a fabulous day. Until next time…..
PS In case you missed the ABC’s of edesign, click here
PPS To view current promotion (ends tomorrow) and it’s a good one, click here
My favorite item in Horchow is the Citrus Zinger Water bottle. We all take water with us, why not add a little zest?
One of my favorite vacations was to Charleston. It’s a beautiful mix of old and new.
I’d love to win this surprise trip. My family has been sick for weeks and I live in the Midwest. Baby it’s cold outside! I need some relief!
My favorite Horchow item is the Bric’s My Safari travel bags. I am in desperate need of new suitcases and those look fabulous! My favorite trip I ever took was a month in Europe last fall. I am dying to go back and spend more time in Italy!!
Loving the Lug Blanket travel kit for my granddaughters. Adorable.
We took a great trip in the fall with Natural Habitat Adventures called Yellowstone Wild Safari, touring Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. so beautiful and fun. Great company to travel with too.
Love the Bric’s luggage (leather & olive are quite lovely), the monogram eye mask (the one with the monkeys & martinis is really cute too) and the leopard travel blanket combo! Such a fun post Tina and subscribed to You May Be Wandering as well! Looks like she posts very interesting travel info!! Thank you!!
My favorite item on Horshow is the sharp looking brown suitcase set made by Bric Luggage. Why not travel with style?
My favorite trip was to Disney with my husband and children. Magical!
If I’m going to dream I’m going to dream BIG! I love the Bric’s My Safari bags…any and all of them. I could really use some new luggage to take this Spring when I take my youngest on her High School Spring Break. Remembering my favorite trip taken it would be when we took our four kids to Dominican Republic – it was the year our oldest got married and our second oldest was home from his first deployment in the Army. Treasured time π
Hi. I too am in need of new luggage the first time I checked my luggage it came back torn and I didn’t replace it. I kept thinking it was just going to get torn again. We always stay in very nice hotels and I am always cringe a little bringing in my bag. We have begun traveling again in the last few years; I was unable to travel for health reasons. I had forgotten how much fun it was. We are planning to go to the UK and France in the next year and the passport covers are so fun and elegant I love them… Thank you for the fun post!
My favorite item on Horshow is the white suitcase designed by:kate spade new york
My family and I recently spent two weeks on a Uniworld cruise on the Rhine and Main rivers. In fact, while on the trip, I sent, and you posted two of my photos for the Fall Love contest! So, I was very interested in reading the travel tips. We used a Virtuoso travel adviser, and I agree with Sandy, that was a must! Now, one item I saw on the Horchow website I would take on our next trip is the travel wallet. I love the size and the sections. It would have been very useful. I always take two wallets–one to hold my extra credit cards, etc in the room safe, and another to take on day trips. Great post. And I’m going to look into those Tieks! A super walking shoe is hard to find!
My favorite…the Bric’s luggage. Great for our many travels.
I’m in love with Bric’s Bellagio luggage! What a pretty line.
My family and I just returned ( in the snow) from a belated Christmas family trip to Oahu. What a beautiful Hawaiian Island! We were so blessed to have our three children, two adult, one still in college, with us. Miraculously we were all on the same page! We went on mountain hikes to see gorgeous waterfalls, visited really cool local beaches ( the pacific waves were no match for this Jersey shore girl) and of course our trip would not have been complete without paying our respects at Pearl Harbor. I hesitate to write, but feel compelled: Unfortunately, while we were there, two Marine helicopters conducting a training flight, crashed on Oahu. I must say our hearts were very heavy the remainder of our trip. Our deepest sympathy to the families of those twelve brave, handsome men. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
My favorite items are the Brics pink luggage and the Courtly Check travel mug. So many great items to choose from!
My favorite trip was a cruise on Wind Star to Greek islands. Santorini is my favorite!
Hi Tina,
This is a great post, packed with good information.
I love the Bric Bellagio luggage. So stylish and very substantial.
One of my favorite trips was to Switzerland and Germany but then again I loved going to Peru.
Tina you’re right, Sandy is incredible! I was an Enchanted Home reader, and contacted her after you featured her here a couple of years ago. She helped plan a trip to Europe for our family of five. I can’t say enough great things about our experience–I hadn’t worked with a travel agent before, and it was so freeing to know that she had all of the details figured out for us. She found places and adventures we never would have found ourselves; we shared so many wonderful memories, and all within our budget. We’re now planning another trip with Sandy’s assistance.
I love the luggage the most–the sueded Bric is beautiful, and of course the Bellagio is absolutely gorgeous. The monogrammed travel tags are also a great idea.
One of my favorite items in the travel section was the Green Lipault- Paris luggage set. Everyone needs a little cool in their lives! My favorite trip was traveling to the beaches of Normandy. Emotional, educational and a must see for all Americans!
Great article! So many wonderful items on Horchow too. I liked lots of the luggage but the GiGi New York IPhone snap case was a top choice because it held your phone, credit cards, etc. it seemed practical for traveling. My college daughter studied abroad for a semester. Her brand new iPhone was pick pocketed in the Rome Metro within a few days of her trip! What a pain! Maybe if she had had this item, it would have prevented a lot of heartache? One of my favorite trips was the summer of 1979. I studied abroad and travelled to 17 countries that summer. A trip of a lifetime! Traveled with 45 students from all over the U.S.
Hi Tina-
Loved reading Sandy’s insights. And signed up for “You May Be Wandering”-so timely as this is a big birthday year for me. I’m planning six trips-from very special getaways with my husband, sisters’ gatherings to a fun-filled girls weekends to celebrate each decade and the relationships in my life. The first is in February to Boracay, Philippines.
I love the whimsical jewelry rolls-perfect for myself and as gifts for my traveling companions. Thank you for the inspiration!
My favorite trip was Easter in Paris. Loved seeing the Easter Egg hunts in the public parks, attending services at the American Cathedral, dining at Jules Verne.
Being an avid traveler, I loved this post! My favorite Horchow travel item has got to be Bric’s Life Pearl Pink luggage —- it’s so elegant, just like my favorite European city, Salzburg! (Although, must confess, I wish I had the Parker Thatch tennis tote for my trip to Ocean Reef next week! Will be ordering that soon!)
Love, Love…..Brics Bellagio luggage in white with
Tuscan Leather Straps from Horchows website!!
Its a must for traveling to Italy!
Best European Trip ever………
South of France, medieval town Castlet
And Venice, Italy. Love sitting in St Marc Square with sweet sounds from the violinist
I love the personalized passport cover. It looks chic and I feel like I will always know where my passport is in my bag without having to pull all my others items out.
i AM IN LOVE WITH THE BRIC’S Bellagio spinner trunk! It is so beautiful. Recently my husband and I went along with our daughter and son-in-law on a trip of a lifetime to Greece. We were there for 2 weeks and saw 2 clouds during that time. It is such an amazing country and the people there were absolutely wonderful. It is a trip we will never forget.
All the Bric luggage aside, I never travel without my folding vanity tray, and am so glad that Horchow offers them! It’s so great to have a place to put your jewelry while traveling – no more searching the bathroom, the night table, the floor, trying to remember where you put your watch etc. it’s part of my routine on a trip, even as a house guest- no scratching the furniture with earrings and rings! Favorite trip? Sri Lanka
My favorite selection is any of the Brics luggage.
When I travel,I take ONLY a carry on bag,no matter the length or distance of the trip.
My FAVORITE trip was just last summer,when we rented a Villa in Tuscany for our entire family.
12 in all,including four teenage grandchildren.
We spent three days in Rome(all booked through my Virtuoso travel agent).
It was PERFECTION,and we all know that’s difficult to achieve in life.
Linda
My favorites by far are the Bric’s hard case trunks, but I also love their canvas rollers as well. The Blue Entrepreneur cases are gorgeous, but I’m wondering about the quality. Nevertheless, I’m more than ready for luggage in a color other than black! We are planning a trip to France for the Fall with 2 other couples. We will stay mostly in Paris and will tour Versailles and Normandy from there. From there, we’ll rent a villa in Provence for the other half of the trip! JOY! With these same two couples, we toured Italy about 5 years ago and it was magical to say the least. We spent 2 weeks and covered everything from Rome upward, which included several days there, Venice, Florence, Sienna (in Tuscany), Lake Como/Bellagio and even spent our first nights in Lugano,Switzerland, which is on the border of Italy. As far as travel agents, we are using one for France, and booked our Italy trip with Tauck….highly recommend them!!!
My favorite item was the Kate Spade white carry-on bag! And the best trip I have ever taken was a two week journey to Italy–we started in Rome, went to Positano, then Tuscany and ended in Venice. All of those places are beautiful.
Your post had excellent information, Tina. I hope to use Sandy’s expertise soon.
Love the MacKenzie-Child travel umbrella in the Courtly check pattern.
Interesting post with great info. Thanks, Ruth
All travel items selected in this post are, of course, so worthy but monogramed luggage tags make identifying our luggage so much easier. Such an inexpensive travel necessity! Can’t say enough good things about how using Virtuoso eases so many headaches associated with travel.
Nancy
Thanks for the great travel trips! As a seasoned traveler I still like to learn insider recommendations. Horchow is a favorite, so many great items. The Bric 22 inch folding duffle bag (any of the colors shown) is a perfect carry-on, good for tucking in special treasures purchased along the way. Hard to choose one trip, but sharing 12 days of incredible experiences with 3 gals in China was phenomenal. Four days cruising on the Yangztee River was icing in the cake!
Tina, again a great article! Sandy is s wealth of knowledge . The Brics spinner luggage is to die for!!
I absolutely love the cream color Bric’s luggage!! So nice to see they offer it in many colors.
Can’t wait to drop Sandy an e-mail to help me plan my next vacation.
Very informative post. Thank you,
Karen
Let me pack that Bric’s 32 inch black and tan spinner with my favorite stuff and head to Paris, London and a tour of Scotland! Let me embrace my inner Dowton Abbey!
My favorite trip was chartering a sailboat out of Tortola and sailing the BVI’s for 9 days. We crewed it ourselves with two other couples which was surprisingly affordable. What a wonderful time dropping anchor at a different island each night, going ashore for dinner and drinks and sometimes dancing. Also, can’t forget the friendly fire water balloon fights with other sailboats! : )
My favorite for a big item is the Bric’s luggage/ small item would be the personalized passport case.! Being in the villa rental business, one of most memorable trips was living in a villa in Tuscany,Italy and living like a local…..satisfied every passion…food, wine, people, landscape, shopping, museums,….I could go on……….
I love the crocodile-embossed luggage tags!
My favorite item is the Brics Bellagio…the chrome and pink is calling my name….beyond chic….
Wow, the Brics Pilot luggage looks lightweight and easy! Best trip ever? France, except we arrived at Giverny too late to see Monet’s gardens and they had just closed. My sweet teenager son hoisted me up onto the wall so i could at least get a glimpse of Monet’s famous green bridge! Can’t wait to go back someday. Next trip we’d love to see Iceland!
Great post with lots of wonderful information. So many things on Horchow that I would love, but I think the crocodile luggage tags and passport cover would be awesome! Loving the MacKenzie Childs items too! About a year and a half ago my daughter and I took a cruise to Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Curacao and Aruba. It was spectacular and the time spent with my daughter was priceless! Blessings from Missouri!!
The crocodile luggage tags are fabulous!
Of course the luggage…but realistically I LOVE the cute Lily travel kit?
Thanks for the tips! Wish I had known about Sandy before I booked our Australia/New Zealand trip coming up!!! I definitely will keep her in mind for future travels. Thanks again!
my favorite item is the MacKenzie-Childs jewelry roll … I love everything MacKenzie- Childs ….
my most favorite trip was to Cabo San Lucas — it is breathtakingly beautiful and the beach was a dream come true. Thank you for your travel tips. And I will be contacting Sandy.
I just love the Citrus Zinger Biggie, a great to be hydrated (and adding a your favorite citrus fruit is so flavorful. Really enjoyed the travel tips, and agree that using a travel agent usually ensures a carefree trip. Thanks
Omigosh! I will definitely use a travel advisor going forward. Thank you, thank you for sharing this wonderful information! I am ready to fly way! I love the Bric’s Bellagio luggage and would choose that as my favorite, but there are tons of small items that are definite must haves as well!
Oh, there are so many travel items I would love to get from the Horchow selections. But, I have been looking for new luggage, and the Bric luggage has a couple that really stand out. I am tired of black luggage and want something pretty. It will be a hard decision. We have been traveling a lot in the last few years, but my favorite trip was a cruise we took on Seaborne from Istanbul to Venice with two other couples. It was a great trip and loved all the stops we made along the way. This spring we are taking a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, with side trips to Paris and Prague, so we are busy planning that now.
Our dinner group spent a week in San Fransico and Nappa Valley. It is always fun to visit, but was so much more fun with the eight of us together! The memories will last a lifetime!
My favorite travel item is the very inexpensive plastic luggage tags that come in seven colors. Great for travel and keeping up with all the kids bags and gear for school and sports.
I love the crocodile embossed luggage tags!
One of my favorite trips has been to Kauai. It is still very natural and untouched by commercialism,
My favorite travel items from Horchow are the Citrus Zinger water bottles and the soft looking traveling blanket!
A family trip to Disney was very memorable for us! We were exhausted but worth it.
I love the Bric’s luggage and, I llove this post. So many misconceptions regarding using a trip advisor. It is a must!
Thanks, Tina.
Tina I’m with you on the Birc’s luggage. Love it! One of my favorite trips was to Sicily and Rome Italy.
Primarily because my son and his family were stationed there and I hadn’t got to see him in 3 years. (he was deployed before that), I agree with Sandy about Italy. There is so much more of it I want to discover, Florence, Milan and so on.
Deep in history and culture and some really divine food. If you haven’t been I highly recommend you go.
my favorite is the peacock compact!
I truly love the bellagio spinner trunk in white/tan! It is the perfect size,looks chic and glides through the airports and over ancient cobblestones in foreign destinations!
Thank you for the great information. I will definitely look to a professional for my next excursion. I love the Kate Spade New Yorker Carry-on and think it would pair perfectly with the MacKenzie Childs Butterfly Garden Luggage Tag – how wonderfully whimsical.
I’ve been blessed with lots of travel experiences but I think the most special was a 10 day trip my husband surprised me with for our 25th anniversary. I’m a florist and he, along with an amazing travel advisor, booked a trip through the English countryside and Lake District where we stayed in fabulous manors and castles and toured exquisite gardens. It was magic and totally changed my gardening aesthetic.
I love the bellagio bag in the cream with leather straps. Just so elegant and I could use some new luggage. One of my most fun recent trips was a my college roommate and I rented an apartment in Paris on the left bank for a week then toured the countryside for another week. It was great with the apartment as we shoppes the markets and cooked in addition to enjoying all the fabulous cafes.
There was a massive fire at the Ritz Paris on Jan 19th that started on the top floor and destroyed much of the almost completed renovations.
What sort of travel advisor wouldn’t have known that?!? Why would I take someone seriously who isn’t even up to date in their own industry?
And it is extremely easy to get upgrades on your own when booking a 5 star hotel if you ask to speak with the general manager. Don’t need Virtuoso for that.
Hi Tina…thank you so much for having me share your beautiful blog with you today! You know I am your biggest fan! I never get tired of talking travel, as you know all too well. Enjoy this sunny day – hopefully some of the snow will melt! xoxo
A Brics bag please and love Horchow’s Tic Toc daily deals. Tina, can’t believe your post was about travel today as finding a top notch travel agent was on my to do list for today. Check!
My favorite travel item from Horchow is the Bric’s Bellagio Spinner. I was in the travel business for a long time so choosing a favorite trip is difficult, but India and Thailand hold a special place in my heart. The people, the food, the shopping, oh my!
Like everyone else I love the Bric Bellagio collection especially the cream and tan color combination. Best trip ever was a family safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Thanks for the post!
Great post and lots of info. Thank you. A stainless compact flashlight is my pick.
Chic and Clever!
I would love the travel blanket and pillow set–I’m always cold on the airplane.
My favorite trip was a European cruise with a week’s stay on the Amalfi coast afterwards.
What perfect timing for this article! My husband booked us a trip to the Riviera Maya as my Christmas present. We are going in 3 weeks. This is a belated anniversary trip by 3 years due to my husband being in an auto accident resulting in injuries and surgery that prevented us from going since then. So this will be my best trip ever!
I love the Neiman Marcus Red cosmetic case. Perfect for storing all my make-up and small toiletries all in one place. Perfect size to fit in a carry on!
My favorite pick from Horchow is the “Bric’s Brown My Life Luggage”. It is so nice to see a smart brown color instead of black for a change. As for my favorite vacation it was to Sun Valley Idaho over Christmas. It was truly magical being in snow country since I live in southern California. Christmas Eve was a sleigh ride to Trail Creek cabin for dinner and Sun Valley Carolers and Christmas dinner was a gondola ride to the top of the ski mountain “Baldy” at the wonderful Roundhouse restaurant. I recommend this to everyone! Thank you for the chance at the giveaway!
So many terrific choices, but in my case the charming tennis bags that are first in the queue are first in my heart! This post with all the lovely travel destinations has put me in resort mode. I belive this adorable bad may help me overlook the fact that my serve isn’t what it used to be. Thank you so much for sharing. I love your blog and your shop.
Love the Lily cosmetics case!
I love the crocodile luggage tags. We are planning a family trip this year in August and these would be great party gifts!
Thanks for this awesome post –
The trip I will always remember is the one I took to London to meet my husband returning from an overseas trip. We spent 5 days seeing the touristy things but also explored way off the beaten bath, walking miles while visiting bazarres and little dusty hole-in-the-wall shops.
One of the most memorable parts was when I first arrived at Gatwick. I spotted my husband from the top of the escalator, waiting for me at the bottom, and as I descended …somehow my luggage popped open and me and all of my things arrived at the bottom in a puddle.
This beautiful luggage – the Bric’s Bellagio Chrome/Pink Cabin Spinner – would have saved me the embarrassment!
Bric’s Bellagio Chrome/Pink Cabin Spinner
Great travel tips Tina! I too think that using a travel agent, especially for things like cruises is an absolute must. There’s no downside and often there are lots of added benefits. I’ve also found that if you ever end up having a problem with a travel provider, the travel agent has a lot more clout than the traveler in helping to correct a problem. BON VOYAGE!
I like the Navy X-Bag 30″ Spinner by Bric’s. What a great bag to bring on a trip.
One of the best trips I have been on was a trip to Europe with my father and then about 2/3 of the way thru the trip my husband flew over to meet us. He had not been out of the country before. It was so nice to be able to spend time together in a beautiful area. This was about 11 years ago.
The Personalized All in One Bag with the Tori Tote and Jewelry Roll would be not only very functional but stylish and a great addition to any travel pieces you might have. All this talk makes me want to get on a plane right now!
The Bric Bellagio luggage is my pick. Italy and Scotland are my two favorite destinations abroad, but I’m looking forward to a family trip to Poland, my grandmother’s homeland, when my son is old enough for a longer flight. Until then, we are exploring the U.S., going to both large cities and also making iconic, scenic road trips.
Ooopppss, I forgot to tell you in my previous comment that I just love Horchow, and particularly love their Bric’s Bellagio Olive 32″ Spinner Trunk. My luggage doesn’t spin and spinning makes baggage handling so much easier!
So many great things but I especially love Bellagio Spinner trunk by Bric.
Hello Tina,
You picked the best person to talk about travel! Sandy knows of the the best tips, places to stay and things to do! I learned a few things reading this post myself today.
I am a huge fan of Bric’s luggage and frankly I love it all so I cannot pick just one thing.
As for the best trip I have ever taken, that would be a 3 week trip to England and Scotland!
Have a great day!
I love the Bric My Safari luggage set. My favourite trip was a cross country car trip to California with our three youngest boys.
My favorite trip was a cruise around Italy. Italy is amazing. We had an adventure everyday. And Sicily is so laid back and rustic.
I adore the Bric spinner trunks. Horchow has a great selection of so many travel and home items. Judy
I love the Bric’s Chianti 20 ” ultra light spinner.
Thanks for the travel advice too!
I’m with you … the Bric’s Bellagio luggage set should be on everyone’s wish list!
Our favorite trip so far has been a stay in a farmhouse in Umbria, Italy – complete with chickens, horses, dogs and the most amazing view over acres of olive groves and daily trips to charming hill towns. HOWEVER, we are going to Bora Bora (thanks to “Make-a-Wish!!”) this June and it might be our new favorite!!
My favorite is the Pronto Chianti luggage. Prettiness with an excellent price! One of my most memorable trips was simply a Fall Foliage tour taken for 8 days and 7 nights through our New England states. Such beauty!
Love the Lipault carry on–very elegant. So glad you are affiliated with Horchow–have been a fan of the company for years!
Hi Tina, I really like the Bric’s My Safari luggage, it’s classic. All trips are the best, but 41 years ago, our Honeymoon to Grand Caymon was amazing as it really had not been discovered by ANYONE yet!
How cute is that MacKenzie Childs Kaleidoscope Travel duffel? Thanks for sharing all the travel insider tips!
AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING HORCHOW ITEM: THE GIGI NEW YORK A GRAPHIC IMAGE COMPANY HAIRCALF DUFFEL WITH PERSONALIZED LUGGAGE TAG! LOVE IT!
I love the Gigi passport cover–stylish and practical at the same time.
The Bric’s luggage in pink is so chic. Love it! I think I’d have to say my favorite trip would be the one we’re planning now….a cruise to Alaska!
I really love the Victorinox Swiss Army Spectra 32″ Spinner piece of luggage with a personalized passport case.
This would be perfect for our annul trip to Disney World.
Horchow has so many great travel items and it is really hard to choose.
Don’t you just LOVE all the glittery iPhone cases? I would cradle my phone and call it “My Precious!!” And the Bric’s luggage is lovely.
My favorite trip was visiting Peace Corps volunteers in Malawi when I worked at headquarters. Many of the volunteers worked at orphanages in a part of Africa that has a very high concentration of people with AIDS. The hard work our American volunteers contribute makes your heart sing.
How wonderful! What great suggestions! My favorite on the Horchow page was the brown Bric luggage. I love the subtlety of the color, but could be differentiated from all the black luggage on the baggage carrousel!
My favorite holiday was when we surprised my daughter with a trip to Scotland for her 21st birthday. It had long been her dream destination! I packed her suitcase for her, had a driver pick us up and head to the airport…she had no idea where we were going until we were standing in the International Terminal in the line to check in when I handed her a journal, a plaid scarf, a travel guide and our itinerary! She burst into tears! It was fabulous. The two of us us spent two days in London before flying to Edinburgh, where the next surprise happened. The rest of the family surprised her and joined us for the rest of the trip. It was the best memory-maker ever…all in the Scottish Highlands. Now my daughter, Caroline, has spent a summer there!
I am in love with the leopard print jewelry pouch and bag! What a great post this is. I am planning a three week road trip to the southeast USA and have been stumped as to how to do all the research and bookings. I’m headed over to Sandy’s site now. Thank you!
It is difficult to choose only one item, but the Bellagio Luggage spinner trunks wins for me. Beautiful classic style and craftsmanship. I’d take a trip to Italy with it. Great information today on your blog.
Rearly love that hard sided Bella bio luggage. That should be able to survive airline luggage handlers.
I love the Travel Blanket and Pillow set – so practical and needed on some of the chillier flights! Our favorite trips have been to Ireland – living in Southern California’s somewhat desert-y landscape leaves me longing for lush green lands and cloudy skies. Still, I am always, always happy to arrive home!!!
Tina, thanks so much for this very informative post! I must say that it’s made me re-think my attitude toward travel agents and I will be contacting Sandy! We are in need of new luggage, so the Brics Bellagio pieces were my fav ;).
This could not have been better timing for getting Sandy’s insight and contact information. I am planning my 40th birthday trip and feel completely overwhelmed. I will certainly be in touch. For Christmas I purchased the Streamline luggage for my daughter from Horchow. She absolutely loves it! I am in need of new luggage so my favorite item is Bric’s luggage (Life Pearl Pink Spinner and Duffle)
Steamline luggage, Sorry autocorrect.
First of all I was just having Coffee with my good friend who just came back from CHarleston and then told me her daughter is doing a cooking class in Italy through her private school and she may go too! That Sandy she’s awesome! Next, wow that Parker Thatch tennis bag I love it!!
I love the suite case by Bric I am desperately in need of a new set. I have never been to Europe, Italy and would love to go for a visit. I am currently recovering from a torn rotator cuff surgery and it would be great therapy for me to see Italy.
Every bit of this post is a dream come true! I LOVE each piece but could enjoy the mask and bag on my trip to Capri. My husband just released his new single CRUSH and his cd IVORY SOUL will be out on March 1st and then we are off…………….I love your blog!
My favorite was the Red Personalized Passport cover. Thank you for the Travel expertise from Sandy.
The Bellagio luggage in pink(!) is wonderful and so practical!
Thanks for the travel info!
Love the GiGi New York a Graphic Image Company Personalized Passport Cover and am thinking of getting it for my daughter for her birthday. She will be traveling to Italy in May for her honeymoon! My favorite trip was in 1986 when I visited Paris for the first time. I have been back probably 16 times since (French major, Francophile), but that first time is unforgettable!
My favorite is the Bric’s Life Tri-fold Traveler because it is light to carry and bright to spot when traveling. It also provides extra pieces in which to place extra purchases. I had to buy another suitcase when we departed from our fabulous trip to the breath taking Almafi coast in Italy which was planned by a travel agent. We would have not been able to see and enjoy as much without the service. My other most treasured trip is one to Kyoto and Nikko, Japan.
Love the Bellagio Chrome/Pink Cabin Spinner, although it’s seriously out of my price range; I would never in a million years spend $600 for a suitcase. My favorite trip was a couple of weeks in Rome with my mom; we stayed in a convent and explored every nook and cranny of the city we could.
I love the Bric’s Bellagio suitcase. I have Bric’s luggage and love it. It’s held up so well and I get so many compliments on it. I might contact Sandy about a tennis vacation. I would love to go to a grown up tennis camp!
My mistake. Please only email me about new posts by email, not follow up comments each time someone makes a comment.
Thank you!
I love Gigi graphics! The citrus water bottle is genius and I bought three of them just now. If I had the choice it would be a lovely Kate Spade set, they are so fresh and look like greatest way to start a new adventure. I think every graduating child should get a set of luggage.
My best trip…oh my I’ve just had one of those moments where you realize how fortunate you have been, my parents were travelers and dragged their children everywhere. Still, there is nothing like the first still in university trip where everything goes right (love) and everything goes wrong (mugged)and you end up working as a barmaid in Prague where you meet the friends that carry you through life. Best advice to anyone of any age TRAVEL
Love the Bric’s Bellagio luggage! We have other Bric’s and can happily say they travel well! We are going back to Florence in April, to cooking class! (wine tasting in truth!) Something wonderful to think about during a grey winter.
Out of everything Horchow has for travel, I can’t help loving their rose gold iPhone case. I just love anything sparkly. And boy, that is sparkly and beautiful!
Love Bric’s Bellagio Cabin Spinner in PINK!! and Chrome – what fun!!
My very favorite trip was our 3 week trip to Italy for our 40th Anniversary – when we arrived in Venice, as we walked across St. Mark’s Square – our five children and their spouses were there waiting for us – a complete surprise!! Planned for a year by my husband!!! The Best!!!
Hi Tina
Great blog today.. I love to travel and my favorite vacation was with my husband to Africa with Abercrombie and Kent!!! A trip of a lifetime.. Loved it all! I love the bric Bellagio luggage !! Am planning a trip to chile (Patagonia ) the end of this month and to New Zealand in March!! If you or your readers have any suggestions I would love them!!!
MacKenzie-Childs Courtyard tote…isn’t that just the cutest and chic, to-bout!! Really interesting blog today, etc!! Thanx!! franki fmparde@gmail.com
Wonderful post that has me dreaming of a lovely getaway. I have always loved McKenzie Childs so I would have to list her Travel Umbrella as a favorite.
Ilove love love the Bric’s Bellagio series! What a stylish traveler I would be, rolling along with those beautiful spinners. Thanks for the giveaway. Fingers crossed.
I love the Brown MyLife Bric luggage – it is so timeless! My favorite trip would be when my husband and I were in the Burgandy region of France, got lost and ended up staying in the same fabulous hotel with Francois Mitterrand.
Tina,
Love your blog! Love Horchow! Love Paris! Would love Brics Bellagio Luggage.
I LOVE the Bric’s luggage on the Horchow site! Can’t wait to use Sandy to plan an Italuan vacation. One of my favorite vacations was a recent trip to The Biltmore in Asheville. Loved everything about North Carolina in the fall!
This was such a fun post….travel dreams….the best! I visited the Horchow site and am going to be ordering 3 of the Citrus Zinger water bottles for Valentine’s Day gifts for family. Also loved the large travel tags with just the last name on them…..good for safety, so that your whole address isn’t printed on them. A favorite trip for our family was when the kids were teenagers we went to Wyoming to the Tetons and Yellowstone and then on to a family wedding in Snowmass, CO. Wonderful, wonderful adventures of a lifetime.
Wow Tina, another fabulous post. You outdid yourself with this one. I love, love the Kate Spade White Carry-on Bag. That is to die for! I had the great fortune of traveling to Florence, Milan, Venice, Italy when my daughter spent a semester abroad. The food, hotels, not to mention the people were all just fantastic. If I ever had the opportunity to return to Venice, I would do so in an instant. I would also like to visit Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina after reading your previous post. Palmetto looks beautiful and so timeless from your posts. I also look forward to following your posts as you build your new home. For me personally, any opportunity I get to visit a Ritz Hotel is vacation enough for me. I have so enjoyed each and every one I have visited. Thanks again for the wonderful post today.
I, too, love all the beautiful travel luggage and items that Horchow has to offer! But, my favorite item is the Kate Spade shoe bag. I love great shoes and have found a cloth shoe bag keeps the shoes clean and protected.
My favorite trip would be the Alaskan cruise that my husband and I took for our 40th Anniversary. We had a large suite, which was an unexpected upgrade, and it made the cruise so much more memorable! We enjoyed seeing Alaska and its beauty and would recommend the trip to anyone!
The Brics chrome and pink luggage is delectable. Enjoyed the post while learning the value of a trip advisor (beyond my hubby).
With two sons in the Navy, we are a traveling family.
Love the Bric’s Navy Cabin Spinner! Best trip was a trip through Europe π
I just received my monogrammed Ralph Lauren towels I ordered from Horchow thanks to your heads up on the sale. They do such an outstanding job on their monograms, only 3.99, thick, and large, that I’d probably choose the vertical toiletry bag for my bottles of lotions and potions when I travel. Monogrammed of course…
I love the personalized passport cover! So awesome.
My favorite trip was to Japan and India with my husband for a month before children were on the way. We had such an awesome time discovering things and cementing ourselves as a couple.
Such sights and memories!
My favorite is the Brics pearl pink spinner suitcase set – totally gorgeous and girly. Absolute favorite trip? Without a doubt, my recent visit to Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey in England.
Nice items..I dig all the luggage. The travel umbrella, citrus tumbler and the travel charger and case.
I have had many a fabulous trip. Jamaica is one..but probably my fave is domestic right before 9-11 and no way would we be allowed to do this today, sadly.
An adventure, site seeing trip I put together. From Florida to San Francisco. With 3 huge long military style bags filled with all our camping and hiking gear, fishing poles, etc.
We camped and hike from San Francisco to Napa, Tahoe and Yosemite..many stops in between. Every 3rd day we would go to a nice resort to sleep in a bed, and hot shower. The best food every, and sites. Fresh caught trout. Much wild life. The last 2 days was exploring San Francisco on foot..such a great walking city with delicious food.
Hope to do something similar again soon.
Thanks.
Tina – who knew there were so many beautiful travel accessories! Leave to you to find the best. Thanks for getting all that great insider info – I’ll definitely try booking through someone next time I plan a trip!
I would definitely want one of the BRIC’s Bellagio Spinner trunk!
Thank you for such a wonderful interview/post! Sandy is my travel guru and now I understand better on what she does and how well she does it!
We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary in June on The Windstar Sea Breeze ; Rome to Venice every hint you gave will be appreciated. I also take black flats and always a white shirt. But theat hard sided luggage, could sure make our travel plans complete. Must check out Horchow.
My absolutely new must have for travel is the Bric’s Bellagio Navy 21″ Spinner. Lovely! My favourite trip – the Caribbean cruise with my husband.
As the pillow on my bed says – Paris is always the answer, but for an exoctic destination you are hard pressed to beat Morroco- old and new worlds all meshed together – earthy and alluring.
We have been traveling with Bric’s luggage (bought in Italy) for many years.
After seeing the Belliago luggage on the Horchow site, they have taken luggage to a new level!
I was just looking at possible trip destinations for this year and really appreciate your blog today – perfect!
So many options for beautiful luggage but I also love the leopard jewelry bags to put inside them.
Best travel was a month driving through Italy from Amalfi coast to Venice then to the South of France.
I definitely, definitely love those pink Bellagio trunks! We have taken so many fabulous trips, but a very memorable one was to Rosewood Mayakoba where my husband and I were treated like royalty with a private villa, our own personal butler and daily lagoon rides. I cannot wait to go back!
And I love the travel tips!!!
For me, it has to be the Bric’s My Safari luggage?.just beautiful! Difficult to say my “favorite” trip. My visit to Paris was just wonderful, and I couldn’t get enough of the beautiful architecture there but I will have to say my favorite trip was right here in the USA to the beautiful state of Maine. We stayed at Owls Head and spent an unforgettable week eating delicious seafood and visiting the coast there?.just stunning and so unique! Thanks, Tina, for another great giveaway opportunity! I subscribe to Sandy’s blog and it is the best as you say!
So hard to choose from many beautiful items, I love them all.
I would love an iPhone 6 cover
Dear Tina,
All of your questions were things I’d always wondered about, So this post was very informative. My husband and I haven’t been anywhere for awhile because of glaucoma surgeries he’s had to have. So we were hoping sometime soon we might be able to go on a vacation.
It sure is great having a travel Guru for a friend!
Thank you for all of the “inside” information, Sandy! I will go over to visit your blog.
Laura
I would choose the personalized tote from Graphic Image, it would ramps up my travel style.
One trip that will forever stand out was when I visited the Chateau de Versailles with American Friends of Versailles!
It was magical!
Thank you Tina for putting this together! Love you blog!
Julie
The Bric’s luggage is a handsome set. We are going on a cruise to Alaska in August and this set would be perfect. Getting excited! Thanks Tina for the Beautiful Blog you have.
Great post! I have only used a Travel Planner once, and it was such a smart thing to do. I don’t know why I have not used one more often. Great tips and insights to traveling. It makes me want to put on my wanderlust shoes!!
Horchow’s is so great, I really love so much of their merchandise. zi love the Bric’s Bellagio Luggase in Navy! So gorgeous. And I loved the colorful, embossed luggage tags. I really need to get some of those. I always get nervous looking for my luggage at the airport.
Well, thanks for the informative post and giveaway!
What an informative post! I will definitely use a travel agent like Sandy on my next big trip! The Horchow item that appeals to me is the Tori Tote. It looks like the ideal size for all the important bits and pieces — iPad, documents, etc. — that I like to keep close at hand when I travel. My daughter is getting married in Houston this April, so I will be flying back and forth to visit with her as our plans develop. The Tori Tote would be PERFECT on these hectic trips! Best wishes!! DD (ddu@triad.rr.com)
Absolutely love Bric’s Bellagio Black 30″ Spinner. i would love to take it with me on my trip to Ireland this summer.
Love the leopard 3-piece travel set (pillows & blanket). How nice to have something cozy to take along. We have been on amazing trips throughout Great Britain, Canada & the U.S. (especially New England & Alaska), but my favorite trip is always the one returning home!
Horchow will have us traveling in style .
The leopard accessories are darling .
So many useful and chic items on Horchow.
Thank you for all the travel tips !
These travel tips are great – thanks! I really like the Brics black luggage with the tan trim.
the Bric’s luggage, pretty please! awesome tips from a pro, tina.
Thank you for the helpful travel information! I enjoyed looking through the Horchow travel items and was immediately drawn to the Bric Brown My Life luggage. Each piece looks lovely and has an old world look of excellence.
My favorite travel destination is Charleston, South Carolina. I have been to Charleston a number of times, and my favorite trip there is, of course, always my next trip!
This travel post was educational in two ways: learning about the things a travel advisor can do to enhance your journey and finding out that Horchow has a great selection of travel assessories. The luggage selections are impressive. I would be please to own any one of the sets, but if I had to choose, I would go with the Brix set.
Such a wonderful post, Tina!!!! Sandy’s advice is spot on. She helped our family take the most amazing trip to Italy and a romantic getaway to Nantucket for me and my husband.
I also learned the hard way that every trip we take needs to be booked through Sandy! We fell victim to using an online booking service, thinking it was a simple trip and now realize that had we gone through Sandy, we would have received so much more! Live and learn!!! π
Horchow always has amazing things….I have to say I love the passport cover in croc.
xoxo Elizabeth
My favorite item is the Bric Pelle Cognac 22″ Cargo Duffle. It is beautiful! And my favorite trip was my most recent – 2 weeks in Scotland. Beautiful.
My favorite trip was to Paris, Brussels and London with my 3 grown children- what fun we had! This was a very informative post, thank you!
Horchow has so much to choose from, it’s hard to select. I think I live the lightweight Bric spinners.
Thanks!
I love the Bric’s Bojola Cream 22″ Cargo Duffel – very chic. It would have looked great on the best trip I’ve ever taken, which was last summer’s wonderful vacation on the Amalfi Coast. It is truly a magical place that exceeded my every expectation!
I love the Lug Travel Set from Hirchow! It looks SO incredibly cozy which would be perfect for travel!
One of the best trips we’ve taken was to Sint Maarten. Our children were over the moon traveling out of the US for the first time and getting to use their passports!
Any one of the Bric Bellagio spinner luggage would be a dream! Love this post and will start to follow Miss Sandy’s blog. I appreciate all the knowledge and expertise. Love your blog, Miss Tina, always fascinating and interesting!
We are planning a Danube river cruise in the spring so the travel info was much appreciated!! I really like the Bric-s-Bojola-Cream-30-Light-Spinner suitcase and also the Leopard jewelry cases with my monogram, of course!! Happy travels!
These are some great tips. Thanks so much!
Bellagio Black 30″ Spinner is my choice. I haven’t traveled much, but have always thought of Provence area with the beautiful views, fabulous food and great people….so I’ve been told. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thanks for this article. I think Sandy’s info is what I have been looking for. This will really help. I love a Brown Bric’s set. So timeless and classy..
What a fabulous post with great travel ideas! I love the Red Travel Accessories – what a stylish way to stay organized!
Such a timely post. I have been thinking about using a travel advisor to help our kids love and understand the museums better, when we visit NYC. I always have a hard time convincing the children and they get bored soon after. A guide who will tailor the experience for the kids would be so much more engaging for them!
Just picked up the Bric’s chianti 20″ and 25″ – amazing deal!! thanks so much for this post.
Recently discovered your blog and LOVE it.
My favorite is the Lily Pulitzer Foliage tote. You’d feel like you are on vacation just carrying it.
Best vacation was spending a week touring Italy in 1982 while my husband was on leave from the Army. Florence was intoxicatingly beautiful!
I love to travel and love the Gigi iPhone flip case. Good protection for my phone.
Tina thank you so much for featuring Sandy, she is amazing and I would go to her for any trip!
Personally, I love the Navy Bric Bellagio Spinner from Horchow!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
We used an agent for our trip to Australia. We had limited time and a list of our must see items. She arranged everything. We had some of the most amazing experiences. It was so nice to just pack and go.
I love the eye masks!!! All about monogramming everything. SO CUTE!!! Love this post and so enjoy working with you and now Sandy π Happy Friday!!
i love love the Brown Brics luggage. My best and amazing trip was flying to Puerto Rico with my new husband and wondering around the island by ourselves. We stayed at a horrible little place and a 5-star hotel. It was pure bliss!
Sandy is terrific – I have been following her on You May Be Wandering for as long as I have followed you Tina (I think a mention in one of your posts took me there). I loved the article (thank you!) – I travel a lot but always great to learn some new tricks.
I have almost everything I need for travel but if I had to choose I would pick the GiGi New York
Python Luggage Tag, Personalized in Magenta for sure!!
Not only is The Enchanted Home one of my favorites to follow, I have ordered many lovely items from you.
My favorite and on my wish list is the Bric’s 21″ Bellagio Spinner in Olive – absolutely love it!
My favorite trip was to see my oldest and only son graduate from college on May 11 a few years ago. Not only my parent’s first grandchild/grandson to graduate from college, but it was a trifecta as my son refers to it “his graduation, Mother’s Day and my birthday.” Very special to me, lots of happy & proud tears that day, as I was a single parent for 14 yrs., so this was one of the best days and trips of my life!
Susan
That wonderful Bellagio luggage in pink. Thanks for sharing
All those wonderful travel tips. As a former meeting planner and hotel executive, she nailed it. Favorite trip was traveling the west coast from San Francisco to Oregon. Relaxing and the scenery was unsurpassed. Highly suggest it to everyone that has not visited this part of our beautiful country.
I love the 21″ black Bric’s Bellagio Spinner!
Best trip ever was to Italy in 1999. One of my co-workers was getting married in Florence. My boss took 10 of us for a week! Our spouses were included too! We spent the first 3 days in Venice and then 3 days in Florence. The wedding was in a beautiful old family chapel and the reception was up in the hills above Florence in a beautiful old home. We welcomed in 2000 watching the fireworks over Florence. We had one last day in Milan before we flew back home. The three days in Venice were fun but it’s the coldest I have ever been. My husband and I hope to go back one day during the spring or early summer months.
Ahhh, that Sandy, what a great woman she is! Great post, Tina! And, goodness, there is SO much good stuff on the Horchow website…but at this point in my life I prefer light-weight luggage. I have all leather in black, but it’s beginning to look “well-used” and I would go for the Horchow Bric’s Navy Ultra-Light Luggage, the complete line of it. The PINK would be a close 2nd. Always Italy. My favorite place on Earth and I think the most beautiful too. For me, there is nothing more romantic than overlooking the sea of the Amalfi Coast or the lakes in the North part of the country. I love renting an entire villa, inviting my friends and family to be our guests, using the house as home-base and driving all around, or shopping, or just sitting outside dining al fresco. I’ve been almost everywhere but it always REMAINS ITALY when I think of travelling again. I completely agree with Sandy about taking children to Italy. Goodness, just look at the new Dolce & Gabbana collections and you’ll know why immediately.
Love the Bric’s Navy Rolling Pilot Case! My best trip memories are from a summer to Cape Town, South Africa – I would love to go back someday!
I love the Bric’s Bellagio Spinner Trunks. I’ve been eyeing them for a while now.
My favorite trip was to turkey last summer. It was a “last hurrah” before my daughter started college.
I think Bric’s Bellagio luggage is a stunner, the Parker Thatch cosmetic cases are sweet, and the Civico travel accessories are super chic. Thanks for sharing these great travel tips!
the luggage is so nice and all the travel accessories would be hard to narrow down what to order- you do not have to be traveling to use everything shown.
Hello Georgous Bric black Bellagio spinner 30″ spinner.
Italy is my favorite memory as we were fortunate to attend two home hosted dinners. One was in Sorrento and another in Rome. The Italian people are warm, family first and overall delightful
I’m with you! The Bellagio luggage… WOW! So freakin’ gorgeous. Right now my luggage consists of only carry-on size, for the few trips I’ve needed bigger I borrow one. It I had to choose my fav it would be the “Bellagio Metallic Brown 27 Spinner,” not carry-on but not too huge. Own way too many small travel accessories already; the only one I can see myself actually using would be the “Personalized Jewelry Rolls,” so cute.
My favorite destination (so far) would be Iceland. So amazing beautiful and peaceful. I always find myself looking for new routes or times in the year to go than my first trip but always have to stop myself as there is just so much more of the world to see π
Thanks for all of your great posts- this one included. Have already picked up several great gift ideas for family members who travel routinely: cute sleep masks are at the top of the list, followed by monogrammed luggage tags and passport holders. And while I have enjoyed many exciting trips abroad, my favorite trip was our first trip to Scotland where my 10-year old son announced “They really ‘get me’ here”!
I love the Bric’s Bojola pink cargo duffle, so cute! My favorite and most recent trip was a 10 day stay on Capri. It was beautiful, romantic and dream like!
Love the Bric’s Safari luggage. I have traveled a lot and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but continue to revisit Italy, the English countryside and New York. Still to see, Greece and Barcelona.
I don’t think this should be considered a travel item, but it’s with them. I love the Diamond Brilliance iPhone 6 Case — I’m not usually a “bling” gal; maybe that’s why it appeals to me!
Oh I can relate on the “not being able to spend enough time in Italy”. My favorite country for sure! Wonderful post as always! I am interested to see what this surprise is, but considering its from Horchow, it must be FAB!
I love the Bellagio spinner trunk!!
Love the Bric’s Pronto Chianti Luggage, the (20″ spinner) is perfect.
I LOVE Sandy! She is helping us plan a trip to France and Spain and worked with my daughter and son-in-law in planning their “babymoon” to Istanbul. Extraordinary service and so darn sweet!
Very interesting article.
I love the Brics luggage and the Park Thatch collection and the Entrepreneur cases.
Lots of lovely things.
Thanks Tina
Love the Brics line
Bjola Cream 18″ Cargo Duffel and the Life Frosted Silver Cargo Duffel