Amanda Holidays

We had always dreamed of visiting Thailand, and Amanda put together the perfect itinerary - four nights in Bangkok at the beautiful Oriental Residence followed by Koh Samui at the charming Rocky's Boutique Resort. Bangkok was extraordinary. Amanda arranged a private full-day sightseeing tour and a trip to the famous floating markets, and our local guide Nina was utterly amazing - she took such brilliant care of us and felt like part of the family. Amanda's organisation of tra

I have been lucky enough to travel to South America twice with Latin Routes - and both trips reminded me why this part of the world gets under your skin in a way few destinations do. My first adventure took me to Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro; my second to Peru - Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. If Latin America is on your radar, please read on. I hope this post helps inspire you... If you were captivated by BBC's Race Across the World - watching t

Those who know me will know Orlando holds a very special place in my heart. After our last family adventure there a couple of years ago, I said I'd be back again soon - and the pull proved too strong to resist! This time though, we did things a little differently... We landed in Orlando and headed straight for Cocoa Beach - around an hour's drive after picking up our hire car. Staying at Beach Place Guesthouses for three nights - with hammocks, fire pits and beachfront views

Travel around Europe often means capital cities, history and culture. But venture to the northern extremities of this extraordinary continent and a very different world awaits. I joined the Ocean Explorer, operated by Quark Expeditions, for an eight-day expedition cruise around Svalbard - departing and returning to Longyearbyen - with a remarkable route taking in some of the most remote and dramatic landscapes on earth. The ship itself looked nothing like the river cruisers o

With neither of us having previously been to Thailand, we were super excited to ask Amanda to put together a three-centre trip to celebrate both of our 30th birthdays, built around visiting Elephant Hills. Part 1: Khao Lak - Hotel Bangsak Village After a long journey from the UK, we couldn't have asked for a lovelier welcome for our four-night stay - cool flannels, a refreshing local tea and the warmest smiles. The hotel is adult-only, which made it so peaceful and relaxing.

I’ve always loved the idea of cruising: unpack once, see somewhere new every day. But ocean cruises? Big ships, crowds and choppy seas? Maybe not for me. River cruising, though, is a whole different experience. Calm waters, smaller ships, beautiful scenery just beyond your window and a relaxed pace that lets you truly enjoy the journey. I was hooked from day one. From the moment my colleagues and I boarded Riviera Rose, I knew this was something special. Elegant yet welcoming

We went to Japan for my partner's 30th birthday, and it was honestly the best trip ever! I planned it as a surprise for him, and everything turned out perfectly. We stayed at Nohga Hotel in Tokyo, which was super comfy and in such a great spot for exploring. Amanda was incredible from start to finish - always quick to respond, so helpful with every detail, and made everything completely stress-free. The sweetest touch was arriving to find a birthday postcard in our room from

My recent trip to Abu Dhabi for the Designer Travel conference was the perfect blend of business and pleasure - combining essential...

Maria and Ian’s week in Rome - with some brilliant day trips along the way - was planned around a very special concert, and I’m so happy...

Thank you so much, Amanda, for arranging our incredible trip to the US - San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley and Las Vegas. This was the second big adventure we’ve trusted you with and, once again, we left everything in your hands - and we’re so glad we did. The hotels you chose for us were outstanding – four very different stops that worked perfectly for the road trip: four nights at the Warwick Hotel in San Francisco, four nights at Cedar Lodge (just 15 minutes from Yosem

I’ve always loved being near the water - whether it’s riverside walks or getting out on the water itself – but I’ve never actually been on a river cruise. So, this next chapter is something completely new for me… and I’m excited to take you along for the journey. I’ve recently signed up to become a Designer Travel River Cruise Expert, which means I’ll be doing training with lots of different river cruise lines over the coming months. Even better – I’ll be heading off on my ve

Three years ago, we hired a villa in Cyprus for a week to celebrate Ashleigh’s 30th, so it was only right that we did something similar...

As this was my first ever cruise, I wanted to tick something off my bucket list - and the Norwegian fjords delivered. At the time, nowhere else really appealed to me, but now I’ve experienced my first solo cruise... who knows where I’ll go next? I arrived at Southampton docks (Berth 46) around 2pm and, by 3pm, I was in my cabin and unpacked. The check-in and security process were an absolute breeze compared to Manchester Airport, where I usually travel from - simple, efficien

When Elegant Resorts invited me to join a small group of Designer Travel colleagues for a 7-night luxury trip to Bali, I couldn’t have...

At the start of 2024, Japan was high on our list of potential holiday destinations. The more we talked about it, the more excited we got;...

When my husband and his best friend decided to retire at the same time, we knew a 'retirement holiday' was the perfect way to celebrate....

This summer I had the unique opportunity to go travelling with my 11-year-old daughter during the summer holidays. The main challenge was...

Hi Amanda, We are back from Orlando and had such a great time – thank you. It was completely different to any holiday I have ever been on and I’m getting pestered by Kelly and Freya to go back asap. I’ve said in 10 years! The Loews Royal Pacific Resort was great although drinks are very expensive, but fantastic advice to stay on-site at Universal and if we did it again, we would do the same as the fast passes were a game changer. Taxis were so easy, and we used an app called

Julie is the partner of one of my husband’s oldest friends, and Jess is her wonderful daughter. As fellow Orlando enthusiasts, I’ve had...

Malcolm and I have long dreamed of taking a US road trip in an RV, with Yellowstone topping his list and Yosemite topping mine - just a mere 900 miles apart! Needless to say, it took some serious planning! This trip was a year in the making and the first where Malcolm had as much input as I did, which was only fair since he would be the one doing all the driving! Since we planned to stay in or near national parks, I pre-booked campsites, making sure they all had ‘full hook up