Dedicated to making your vacation exceptional, your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge has a huge bank of secret skills to draw from. Experts in their destinations, they ensure you have a highly personalized experience, whilst also taking care of all the details.

To give you a glimpse of the level of service you can expect, we asked John, Zsofia and Sharon to share some secrets skills of a Luxury Gold Travel Concierge.

Read more: Why a highly personalized travel experience has never been more important

John

John leads Luxury Gold guided tours in Britain and Ireland. His love affair with travel first began when he set off backpacking around the world in 2009. On his return he knew he wanted to share his passion with others and became a tour manager. Perfecting his trade over the last 11 years, he worked his way up in the industry to become a Luxury Gold Travel Concierge.  John shares with us two of his secret skills.

Read more: A day in the life of a Traveling Concierge

1. We know what our guests will enjoy

“With our destination knowledge we can make tailored suggestions for what our guests can do in their free time, that they may not know about otherwise. And it is the same with restaurants as well. Over and above what kind of food they like to eat, you get a feel for those guests who prefer to wander so you can suggest an area to explore. And you know which guests would like your help to have a specific booking made on your recommendation.”  

2. We anticipate what guests are going to ask

“Through observation and years of experience, we are adept at anticipating what our guests want to know about. This means I can offer information up front that will pique their interest. So, when we are driving, I don’t just talk on the mic stream of consciousness style. I read the group and the individuals and will tell them about something I know they will find interesting.”

Discover this on British Royale, Castles & Kingdoms

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Zsofi

Zsofi is an expert in Scandinavia, and she leads our Timeless Scandinavia luxury tour. This 12-day journey through Scandinavia’s Fjords & Mountains takes in the great sights of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. From Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, to the world-famous beauty of Norway’s pristine Geiranger Fjord. Enjoy a VIP after-hours reception at the Hollmenkollen Ski Jump Museum in Oslo, take a leisurely guided kayak adventure with your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge tailoring your vacation for you. She shares her secrets with us.

3. We have extensive personal experience

“I like building on my experience and sharing my personal recommendations about the locations, let it be restaurants, bars, a quirky detail, a must try or a sight.”

4. We learn guests’ likes and interests

“Through actively engaging with our guests I learn about their likes and interests. So I’m able to offer advice and recommendations before they even ask the question. Typically, this could be a local jewelry store, a gallery or in Scandinavia a specialty yarn store etc.”

5. We have a great relationship with Local experts and suppliers

“It helps to have a good relationship with the Local Experts and suppliers who can also assist with further tips and hidden gems.”

Discover this on: Timeless Scandinavia

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Sharon

Originally from New Zealand, Sharon moved to Europe initially for two years, and still remains 27 years later. She leads tours in Eastern Europe and the Balkans and is an expert in Croatia, her favorite European destination. Two of her great secret skills are:

6. We know the seasons, the sunsets and the light

“Some of the most perfect moments don’t come by accident, they are very well planned.  We know when and where the sunsets are going to be perfect and often this shapes how we plan our days. We know the seasons and the best places to stay cool in summer and get warm and cozy in winter. And the best spots to find spring blooms and autumn colors.”

7. We share the best cultural tips

 “As experts in our location, we know the cultural tips. Such as how to order coffee, what the local delicacies are that you simply have to try. Knowing which coffees you should try. For example in Split you can actually go to a patisserie and buy a snack and then go to a cafe and have a coffee, which would be very unusual to do anywhere else in Europe.  And for great snacks, when in Croatia I always recommend the burek, which is a delicious stuffed pastry that is typically found all over the Balkans.”

Discover this on: Croatia & The Dalmatian Coast

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Why not join us for your next luxury vacation and experience the delights of a Luxury Gold Travel Concierge for yourself. Tailoring your journey for you and ensuring every moment is stress free, they provide all of your travel guide tips. If you love exquisite hotels, fine dining, VIP experiences and amazing destinations, take a look at our full collection of limited-edition luxury tours.

We invite you to meet master brewer Takumi Sato and discover the magic of sake. This unique drink holds a special cultural significance in Japan, entwined with many of the country’s traditions and customs.

On our Majestic Japan luxury guide tour, you have the pleasure of meeting Takumi Sato for yourself. Take a special guided tour of his brewery in Oirase, and learn the history and importance of sake to Japanese culture.

Oirase

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A simply stunning location, Oirase Gorge is a river valley that runs for 14km between Yakeyama, at the foot of Hakkoda-san, and Nenokuchi, on the shore of Towada-ko (Lake Towada), in Northern Japan. It boasts some of the most picturesque surroundings you will have the delight to ever experience. Drawing visitors from far and wide, this is one of Japan’s most-revered nature havens.

“I know how special this location is,” Takumi Sato says. “And I believe that our sake represents that in a particular way. We capture the essence of Oirase at the brewery and that’s how we share it with others. This is my personal motivation – letting others feel that magic.”

Travel with Luxury Gold and as well as visiting the sake brewery, explore the spectacular Oirase Gorge, a place of special scenic beauty. Wander along the crystal-clear Oirase Keiryu stream, admire the cascading waterfalls and marvel at the seasonal colors of the indigenous forest.

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Meet Takumi Sato

“My inspiration to become a master brewer came from the former owner of the kuromato (brewery) here in Oirase,” Takumi Sato explains. “He had a phrase that translates roughly as, ‘local sake is the crystal of local food culture’.”

“I began making sake in 1990, but I did not become a toji (master brewer) until 2004,” he continues. “Becoming a toji is not simply about passing the examination. Personally, I believe that you must understand how sacred sake is and be mindful of the traditions that have been passed down through generations. I have pursued these traditions with a particular devotion and will continue to do so every day until I die.”

A brief Japanese sake history

Sake manufacturing in Japan began sometime after the introduction of wet rice cultivation to the country in the 3rd century BC. The first reference to its manufacture dates from the 8th century. The technique to ferment rice into an alcoholic drink was originally developed in ancient China.

Sake was produced primarily by the imperial court in ancient Japan, in temples and shrines. Japanese people have continuously refined production methods throughout Japanese sake history to create this truly unique drink, with manufacture by the general population beginning from the early 12th century.

Sake is often (incorrectly) referred to as a wine. This is easily done because of its appearance and alcoholic content.  It is in fact made in a process known as multiple parallel fermentation, in which a grain (rice) is converted from starch to sugar. It is then converted to alcohol. Special strains of rice are precisely milled to remove the outer layers, a process that reduces the grain to 50-70 percent of its original size.

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A sacred beverage

“Sake is the national drink of Japan, not simply because we like drinking it, but because we see it as a blessing from the gods,” Takumi Sato explains. “It is inherent to our culture and way of life, from the religious rites of thousands of years ago to the dinner table today.”

In Japan, sake is served with special ceremony. Before being served, it is warmed in a small earthenware or porcelain bottle called a tokkuri. It is then usually sipped from a small porcelain cup called a sakazuki. Premium sake, of a delicate flavour, is served cold or on ice. Sake is best when consumed less than a year after bottling.

“We commemorate every occasion with sake, from births and weddings to New Year celebrations, Memorial Day and funerals,” Takumi Sato tells us. “Some people drink sake every day, and of course you can, but it is usually served with meals and enjoyed with others. When you drink sake with friends or family, you must not pour it for yourself. First serve others and then someone else will serve you.”

The unique flavor of Oirase

“The unique flavor of our sake is a direct result of the environment here in Oirase,” Sato affectionately explains. “Here, you’ll see we’re near the lake, and the water that flows through the Hakkoda mountain range to Oirase is some of the purest on Earth. Not only is the landscape breathtaking, but the sake produced here is at the highest level. It reveals the distinct umami in dishes.”

“When you travel through the Towada-Hachimantai National Park to Oirase, you can immerse all five senses on your journey. The Japanese culture will enrich and enthrall you. I personally look forward to welcoming you here and sharing with you our sacred drink from the gods.”

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Learn the magic of sake, revel in the beauty of Oirase and meet Takumi Sato for yourself on our Majestic Japan luxury guided tour. Be captivated by the beauty and traditions of Japan over 11-days. Travel to Kyoto, bask in the serenity surrounding the iconic Golden Pavilion and see the Giouji Temple. Visit Hiroshima and Mount Fuji. In Tokyo, learn how to make sushi rolls during a private cooking class. Stay in exquisite hotels, travel on the bullet train and enjoy exclusive experiences along the way.

When you first meet Princess Anita Von Hohenberg, you will be bowled over by her warmth and charm. With your exclusive Founder’s Collection invitation, you get to step inside the majestic yet welcoming Artstetten Castle, home to Princess Anita and her family. Once inside, get ready for an unforgettable royal rendezvous filled with personal insight into key moments of history.

One of the exclusive encounters as part of Luxury Gold’s Founder’s Collection, this is a meeting like no other. For the Princess’ great grandfather was Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, who was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914, leading to the outbreak of World War I.

These exclusive travel experiences were personally curated by our founder Mr. Stanley Tollman, calling upon his extensive connections and inspired by his life in travel.

Discover this on: Harmony of Central Europe

 A warm welcome

She may be royalty, but Princess Anita will welcome you into her home, the beautiful Schloss Artstetten, as if you were family. With a love of talking to Luxury Gold guests about the past, the Princess also looks to the future with her ever growing family.

Refreshingly down to earth, Princess Anita comes from a long line of Habsburgs, one of Europe’s oldest sovereign families, dating back to the 15th century. She lives with her family in Schloss Artstetten the whole year round and running the estate is a real family affair.

There is a warm sense of home at Artstetten Castle, and Princess Anita Von Hohenberg likes to stress to guests that it is not only a castle but a family home. They have everything from official meetings to family feasts here and the Princess has a great love of gardening.

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 A regal setting

@schloss_artstetten

An enchanting sight, Artstetten Castle is situated high above the Danube in a charming park and is flanked by seven characteristic towers. The former summer residence of the Imperial family, the castle today is open to the public and serves as the final resting place of the Heir to the Throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este, whose assassination in 1914 set off a chain of events that led to World War I.

The first record of the name Artstetten was in the mid-13th century. Soon afterwards the medieval fortress became a castle that had a rapid succession of different owners, until Emperor Franz I. acquired it in 1823. Archduke Carl Ludwig (a brother of the Emperor Franz Joseph) extensively redesigned the house inside and outside from 1861 onward. Since 1913 Schloss Artstetten has presented itself as we know it today.

 The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este

@schloss_artstetten. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his nephew Carl, 1913/Archiv Schloss Artstetten.

Once inside the castle, take your time to view the family portraits, past and present, that surround the regal Red Salon Room. It is in this magnificent, yet intimate setting, that the Princess first receives her guests. Such personal décor will urge you to ask more about Princess Anita’s intriguing, yet at times painful family history.

The historic event is one that not only changed world history but devastated the Hohenberg family. Princess Anita’s grandfather Maximilian and his brother Ernst were later deported to the concentration camp at Dachau after the annexation of 1938 and Artstetten was confiscated from the family until 1949.

Beyond political and historical considerations, Princess Anita Von Hohenberg also wants to help reveal another side of her ancestors. Today she is keen to talk about the more romantic side of her family history and the ‘scandalous’ love between her great grandfather and her great grandmother, Sophia Duchess of Hohenberg. Her eyes glistening, she will tell you how there was quite a fuss at the time.

There was drama with the fact Franz Ferdinand was from an imperial family and Sophie from a family of Counts. With the law at the time meaning royals could only marry other royals, Franz Ferdinand had to make an oath that his descendants would not be of royal blood. That’s why the family is now called Hohenberg and why the chief of the family is a Duke.

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The Luxury Gold Chairman’s Collection

@schloss_artsetten

Available on selected departures of our luxury guided tours, choose a Founder’s Collection departure of Harmony of Central Europe and have the privilege of meeting Princess Anita Von Hohenberg for yourself. One of the amazing people you can meet as part of our Chairman’s Collection, these exclusive encounters include Italian nobility, an English Duchess and a distinguished Peruvian politician.

Often one of the most rewarding aspects of travel is the people we meet. These cherished interactions forge an unforgettable connection with a destination and create lasting memories. And these exclusive meetings really set Luxury Gold apart.

Read more: Royalty & Noblemen: The fascinating people you’ll meet in Europe with Luxury Gold

 To see who you could be meeting on your travels, take a look at our exclusive Founder’s Collection and our Harmony of Central Europe luxury guided tour.