INSIDERS CLUB YOUR GUIDE TO THE INSIDE
JANUARY 2020 ISSUE
TABLE OF CONTENTS p 3-6
DISCOVER: WANDERLIST
p 7-10
NEW IN 2020 7. CHEVAL BLANC PARIS 8. ONE&ONLY MANDARINA 10. THE TOKYO EDITION, TORANOMON 11. VILLA IGIEA, A ROCCO FORTE HOTEL
p 11-16
EXCLUSIVE VIRTUOSO EXPERIENCES 12. THE MIDDLE HOUSE SHANGHAI, CHINA 14. CONSERVATORIUM HOTEL AMSTERDAM 16. CASA DE UCO VINEYARDS & WINE RESORT
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HELLO TRAVELERS Wanderlist is an innovative program developed by Virtuoso to provide a comprehensive portfolio for travelers who dream about all sorts of wonderful adventures but don’t have the time to do it right themselves. Just as a financial advisor guides you to make sound decisions in planning for the future, a Wanderlist advisor sets you up for success by putting together a portfolio of experiences that will ensure indelible memories without the stress and frustration of last-minute scrambling. Largay has the most Wanderlist advisors of any Virtuoso agency, and we’ve seen incredible results in bringing families together and making their dreams come true.
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DISCOVER WANDERLIST
INSIDERS CLUB
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We trust financial planners to handle our money and work with us to set long-term goals and a means for reaching them. Yet too often we aren’t as careful with our most valuablenonrenewable asset, time. Enter Wanderlist. It’s a comprehensive travel planning program from Virtuoso that helps travelers plan a lifetime of adventures.
Every member of the family can voice an opinion in the online Wanderlist portal, and your travel advisor analyzes the results, formulating questions about why certain destinations and experiences make the cut and others don’t. You can learn a lot from asking why not, DeVries said, noting that people can have misconceptions about a
“Wanderlist was born from the idea that travel planning shouldn’t be a hectic, one-off exercise,” program manager Betsy DeVries said. “We go through planning with life, with investments … why can’t we do this with travel?” Anyone who’s tried to book a lastminute trip during peak season and found the preferred resort is sold out can relate. While the Wanderlist process will certainly make sure you don’t wait too long to book your holiday travel, it can also help you discover things about your family you never would have imagined. “What your kids dream about might surprise you,” one testimonial reads. “I had all of my kids participate in Wanderlist. For my youngest daughter two top picks emerged: Disney and Thailand. My advisor asked me, ‘Disney is pretty obvious, but why do you think she chose Thailand?’ I had no idea. Then it dawned on me. We have a honeymoon picture of us with elephants hanging on our wall. I never knew this photo quietly impacted my daughter. Needless to say we will be creating new memories with HER in Thailand!”
destination that advisors can clear up. “It’s a great component of the human connection” you get with a personal travel advisor, DeVries said. “It’s less transactional, more of a long-term relationship.” The more your advisor gets to know you and your family, the better and more meaningful your trips will be. Plus, your advisor will be able to save you money in the long run by planning ahead and planning smartly. Knowing that a certain destination is on your list can help your advisor alert you when there’s a special going on, and your flights will cost less if you’re not booking at the last minute. While a lot of advisors already work this way, the Wanderlist portal adds a dimension of interactivity and fun that you can revisit in your free time and daydream about all the places you’ll go. Once you get an initial list put together, you set up a meeting with your Wanderlist advisor, who gets to work right away on planning the experiences that will mark the major milestones of your family’s life. As DeVries put it, Wanderlist provides sanity in a hectic world. We could all use more of that.
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NEW IN 2020
INSIDERS CLUB Cheval Blanc Paris
Born from the Seine, bathed by the Seine, reflected by the Seine, the Cheval Blanc Maison stands, immense and proud, like the figurehead of the Samaritaine. Over the centuries, this former pump supplied water to the Louvre, Paris and its inhabitants. It rises again today to inspire the City of Light with a new, vibrant, brilliant energy. Cheval Blanc beats to the rhythm of Paris. Cheval Blanc embraces its emotions. Cheval Blanc captures its spirit. A bustling place to live, an unmissable rendez-vous for Parisians, a haven of serenity where travellers and their families feel at home, Cheval Blanc holds the key to the heart of Paris.
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One&Only Mandarina Flanked by jungle clad mountains and the warm Pacific Ocean, One&Only Mandarina nestles in the heart of an intimate new destination on one of the last remaining beachfront jungles in Mexico. One&Only Mandarina will blend the best of chic resort living, tropical relaxation and authentic outdoor adventure. Its striking stand-alone villas, each with private pool, are designed to frame incredible views over the ocean, jungle and mountains. The celebrity chef cliff-side restaurant, The Point, offers creative cuisine, unforgettable views and sunsets. A polo club, beach club, spa and dining options provide an unforgettable experience.
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The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon EDITION Hotels is an unexpected and refreshing collection of individualized, customized, one-of-a-kind hotels. Showcasing the best of dining and entertainment, services and amenities, each EDITION property is completely unique, reflecting the best of the cultural and social milieu of its location and of the time. Conceived by Ian Schrager in a partnership with Marriott International, EDITION combines the personal, intimate, individualized experience that Ian Schrager is known for, with the global reach, operational expertise and scale of Marriott. Toranomon, where modern skyscrapers dwell amongst century-old rustic local homes, lending authentic charm that epitomizes the past, present and future of Tokyo. This is the address of The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon, built as part of a redevelopment of the former Pastoral Building, which is a high-end mixed-use project comprising also offices, residences and a medical center. Conveniently accessible to Kamiyacho Station, Roppongi-Itchome Station and Toranomon Station, the hotel also offers excellent proximity to the best of Tokyo’s neighborhoods and attractions. The hotel is set to debut in Summer 2020.
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Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel We are delighted to announce our latest addition to the Rocco Forte Hotels collection: Villa Igiea. This iconic palazzo occupies a peerless position at the foot of Mount Pellegrino, overlooking the azure waters of the Gulf of Palermo, just half an hour’s drive from Palermo Airport. Opened as a hotel in 1900, Villa Igiea became a fabled year-round sanctuary for royalty and the Hollywood elite. Built by visionary Sicilian architect Ernesto Basile for the family Florio, the historical Villa epitomises Palermo’s Liberty movement and is undoubtedly the most distinguished of the era. Before its grand opening in Summer 2020, this majestic listed palazzo will undergo an extensive refurbishment at the hands of Rocco Forte Hotels’ Director of Design, Olga Polizzi. Working in collaboration with Paolo Moschino of Nicholas Haslam Studios, Olga will ensure the hotel surpasses its former glory, preserving its’s exquisite period features and show-stopping Basile room, whilst enhancing its appeal with her signature heritage design.
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EXCLUSIVE VIRTUOSO EXPERIENCES
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Stay 3 nights, get 15% off The Middle House Shanghai, China Valid for Travel Now Through 29 Feb 2020 Experience one of Shanghai’s newest hotels, The Middle House, which just opened its doors in April 2018. Part of the award-winning ‘The House Collective’ by Swire Hotels, the hotel is fast becoming one of the most fashionable places to be seen in China’s most vibrant city. Located at Nanjing West Road, the hotel is right in the middle of Shanghai’s bustling city centre and offers quick and easy access to the Bund, the French Concession or Xintiandi. Virtuoso amenities apply! -Daily breakfasts for two. -Room upgrade at check-in subject to availability -Early check-in / late check-out subject to availability -USD100 (RMB 680) house credit. May be used at Cafe Gray Deluxe, Frasca and signature treatments in Mi Xun Spa.
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EXCLUSIVE VIRTUOSO EXPERIENCES
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Guaranteed Upgrade at time of booking Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam In addition to the existing Virtuoso amenities, guests will receive an guaranteed upgrade at time of booking in Quarter 1 of 2020. Terms & Conditions: Valid for stays until 31 March 2020. Signature Suites are not included. Upgrade will be to the next room category. Subject to availability of the following room category at time of booking. -Full breakfast daily, for up to two in room guests per bedroom, in restaurant -Bespoke welcome amenity -$100 USD equivalent Resort/Hotel credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full. To be used in Food & Beverage outlets or on Spa treatments) -Complimentary Wi-Fi
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EXCLUSIVE VIRTUOSO EXPERIENCES
INSIDERS CLUB Adventure & Wine
Casa de Uco Vineyards & Wine Resort Valid for Travel Now Through 03 May 2020 Ideal for adventure lovers to get outside and discover the world of Mendoza wine. Trek at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, relax in the spa, eat a delicious tapas menu paired to perfection by our sommelier, and visit the best wineries in the Uco Valley. You can choose for a 3- or 4-day program. The finest Malbec grapes are grown in Uco Valley, home to the 790-acre Casa de Uco Vineyards & Wine Resort. This estate is the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation: Days are filled with biking, trekking, horseback riding through vineyards and treatments in the Uco Spa. Guests are also invited to experience Argentina’s Wine culture with sommelier-guided tastings and personal-chef barbecues. Soak in views from any of 16 rooms and suites or the 3 new villas nestled within the vineyards. The essence of Casa de Uco is an impressive design inspired by the geography and ideal for adventures and unforgettable experiences.
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INSIDERS CLUB YOUR GUIDE TO THE INSIDE