Over the years we’ve been lucky enough to create inspirational trips for our clients, and what better testament to this than to hear the great things they have to say about their experience, and our trip planning services. We have plenty of great reviews to share, but here’s a little taster of some from our discerning clients.
What they say
Don’t just take it from us, let our clients do the talking!
ITALY, EUROPE – “Thank you for crafting an impeccable Italian journey for us. Your responsive team, intuitive travel app, and exceptional recommendations effortlessly turned weather-related hiccups in Positano into highlights. Our stay at Masseria Borgo San Marco and the discovery of ancient wonders in Ostuni were unforgettable. Thanks to your meticulous planning, we enjoyed every moment stress-free.
We eagerly anticipate our next trip with Bespoke Travel Design!
Best regards,
PERU, SOUTH AMERICA – “Marie-France, the trip you planned for us exceeded our expectations. It was my first time using a travel agent to organize a full vacation for me so didn’t know what to expect. The selection of activities were perfect, a good mix of culture/museums, activities, relaxing and free time. I really enjoyed the gastronomic tour of Lima. Having a guide during this segment allowed us to fully experience Lima’s incredible food scene, and seeing the country from a different lens. All the hotels you chose for us were excellent and had something unique which I appreciated, especially the hotel in Puno (Titilaka) which was perfect and so beautiful. The local guides throughout the trip, from Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco and Puno) were all excellent. Could not ask for better. The hike to Machu Picchu will forever stay in my memory. Thanks again Marie-France for the organization and planning of our trip. I can definitely see the benefit of using your travel services and expertise especially for trips where it isn’t easy to travel from one city to another. Your depth of knowledge in terms of activities and recommended hotels that are worth splurging on (Belmond, Hotel Titilaka, etc ) was also very much appreciated. Thanks again for everything.”
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – “Marie-France planned our Dubai Family Vacation. She was very meticulous and thoughtful when planning all the details of our trip. I had some particular requests that she was always happy to accommodate. She handled all our big and small requests and made sure everything went smoothly even during our vacation. I look forward to planning our next vacation with Marie-France. Thank you Marie-France for planning our beautiful Dubai vacation.”
GREECE & LOS CABOS, MEXICO – “Marie-France is always a pleasure to work with. She has planned a trip to Greece for us that was off the charts! We recently utilized her services for One & Only Palmilla in Cabo. We had an amazing room, service, and additional amenities including breakfast and hotel credit. We have now planned our 2023 trip to Italy with Marie-France, and I’m certain it will exceed our expectations!”
TURKS AND CAICOS, CARIBBEAN – “Thank you so so much! We are having a great time! The hotel is amazing and the staff are super friendly and the service is fantastic. Our rooms is beautiful. Honestly, I am impressed I did not expect this … Thank you for the birthday wishes! So nice of you to think of Gala. Here is a family picture we took today. They did a beautiful set up for dinner and even brought her a gift was was really nice. We look forward to planning our next holiday with you”
“THAILAND, CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM – Overall our guides in Saigon, Siem Reap and Chiang Mai were awesome. Our Driver in Siem Reap (King) and Mr. May in Chiang Mai were also great! A few highlights of our trip included: sidecar and night time scooter outings were awesome, loved the Aqua Mekong for the people and the experiences, the staff was insanely good, boat is lovely, food is great and really good guides/activities. In Thailand, it was beautiful to spend time with the elephants and our guide Lee who led us through the temples in Siem Reap, was a lovely guide. We also appreciated the free amenities whenever we got them, thank you!
“Our 5 star hotel, the Relais & Chateaux ‘Manoir Hovey’ in North Hatley was lovely. We particularly enjoyed picnicking in the lounge chairs overlooking the peaceful Lake Massawippi. We tasted the region’s bounty and feasted on locally produced cheese and french baguette. We were also grateful for the complimentary amenities.
“COSTA RICA – Amazing country, amazing trip and adventure – absolutely 10/10. Your itinerary rocked! We had alot of fun and this was twice as true for the kids. For the hotels, the Lapa Rios was beautiful! We loved the 8 seater plan to get there and then the 4×4 across little rivers and fields. The night tour was amazing and the birdwatching tour – terrific. Lots of monkeys and amazing fauna. The guides when we traveled up north were amazing that we went there and told us we saw the ‘real Costa Rica’. The final hotel – Tabacon Springs was AMAZING. A true highlight. The hotel springs were not crowded, felt authentic and were really therapeutic. Well worth the time and expense. THIS IS A MUST! STUNNING!!! The food was terrific and the service was exceptional. Memorable WOW moments on the overall trip – the sunsets, the monkeys, Lapa Rios setting up a private picnic at the beach which was deserted except for us and some amazing parakeets … and for me the ziplining – which was very intense but very exhilerating! Sincere thanks – another trip of a lifetime. “
“We are just back from ITALY, and the trip was top of the line and definitely met our expectations. We loved all the accommodations you proposed for our trip, our guides were excellent and our private drivers were all very professional, punctual and helpful. Overall, the guides enriched our visit and taught us a lot. Our favorite guide was Sabrina in Venice, because she was particularly warm and very responsive to our interests. In terms of ‘wow’ moments, there were many, but, among the outstanding parts of the trip were the private boat in Venice, spending the day on the islands, seeing the fabulous glass blowing factory in Murano, going to a small opera performance in Florence at the Anglican Church, the biking trip with Marco, which included a visit and lunch at the small organic winery/farm (can’t remember the name).”
“Marie-France – On behalf of our group I wanted to pass on a sincere thank you for the work in helping to plan and execute a wonderful trip to SCOTLAND. Phenomenal golf, the accommodations and transfers were perfect. Anyone who has done work with you holds you in high regard. I know you have 8 golfers who will refer your services when the opportunity presents itself. Again thank you and a few shots from the Old Course, Kingsbarns and Edinburgh to share.”
“We were nervous arriving in the BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, just a few weeks after the reopening of the Moorings post Hurricane Irma. We needn’t have worried. The Excelsior had been repaired and was in immaculate condition. The crew of Kevin, Sally and Kay were top notch. The weather was perfect and the itinerary ideal with the right mixture of sailing, snorkeling, caving and beach time. We had two families totaling 10 adults and almost all of them called it their best holiday ever. Our challenge now is how to improve on it for our next holiday!
“Thank you SO much for the amazing job you did planning our recent family trip to PERU & ECUADOR (MACHU PICCHU THE AMAZON AND THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS). There were lots of things we wanted to see and do in a short amount of time, so couldn’t afford to miss a day, along the way. You listened to our ‘wishlist’, made great suggestions of other things we should see and do, and managed to fit EVERYTHING IN. Our trip to Peru and Ecuador ending up being one highlight after another.”
“A special thanks for Marie France organizing my family trip to EUROPE. Its no easy task dealing with me and the fact that there is 6 of us. She did a wonderful job and was so patient with me. I am so thankful for her efforts and I highly recommend her services.”
“We are so lucky to have had this extraordinary adventure on the other side of the globe – AFRICA. Thank you to Marie-France Gravel of Bespoke Travel Design, for planning this trip of a lifetime for us!”
“Hi Marie-France. Made it to VENICE, ITALY without incident. The hotel is lively and perfectly located. My guide, Nora, has been fantastic. Today we had the walking tour and as an added bonus she took me to Murano for a private tour. Bought myself a lovely handblown glass bowl. Did some meandering around the shops of San Marco and picked up some leather gloves. The trip has been terrific.”
“We are back from our Moroccan getaway and the trip was incredible! I wanted to pass on a thank you to you for your help in organizing such a diverse itinerary. Tanya and I feel we were able to enjoy the beauty and diversity of MOROCCO while also having a chance to understand the people, their background and customs. A special shout out to our tour guide (Said) and driver (Moustafa) who were courteous, insightful and always on time. They were a pleasure to tour with and provided enjoyable company esp. over some of the longer drives. The accommodations were incredible (every location was unique). Kasbah Tamadot in particular was a real treat and Eve Branson was there as well so you can see her passion for the property and the local Berber’s her foundation supports. Again, much appreciation from Tanya and myself. Now we can begin planning for Hawaii in March!”
“Hi Marie-France,
We’re having a great time in PANAMA. Our tour guide Raul is great and he was even able to get us a photo op with the President, Juan Carlos Varela!
Sanyo
The Lotte Palace NEW YORK, was great, excellent weather, Rockette’s show was impressive, lot’s of walking, good time. Thanks again for planning this fun little getaway for us!
I really enjoyed visiting with a local family in the Hutongs, sitting for tea and cookies with them in their home, talking (through my guide as a translator) about daily life in CHINA, having her granddaughter show me her art projects and English homework … this was something special that I didn’t expect and really appreciated!
We didn’t realize how educational our trip to the AMAZON and the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS (ECUADOR) would be. The guides were so good, especially Richard in the Galapagos. We also didn’t expect to be so busy, but we did not want to miss a single thing. The Galapagos trip, in particular, required good physical fitness and courage sometimes to snorkel in the ocean. Both parts of the trips, Amazon and Galapagos were excellent. The timing of the guides and the activities were very well thought out. The breadth of Richards knowledge exceeded our expectations. Overall, we would rate this trip a 10/10.
We are just back from GRENADA and we loved our honeymoon. The resort was beautiful and our room, the beach, service, food and everything was perfect! Thank you so much for all the perks.
MOROCCO, AFRICA. “Our trip to Morocco was incredible! This was our first time working with Marie-France and she exceeded our expectations. She understood exactly the type of experience we were looking for and was super helpful and accommodating. No detail was left to chance, from the moment we landed everything was taken care of … the properties she sourced were AMAZING and our experience in the desert was one that we’ll never forget!!! Thanks again for making our trip to Morocco so memorable. I look forward to working with you again for future trips.”
MOROCCO, AFRICA. “Our trip to Morocco was incredible! This was our first time working with Marie-France and she exceeded our expectations. She understood exactly the type of experience we were looking for and was super helpful and accommodating. No detail was left to chance, from the moment we landed everything was taken care of … the properties she sourced were AMAZING and our experience in the desert was one that we’ll never forget!!! Thanks again for making our trip to Morocco so memorable. I look forward to working with you again for future trips.”
CELEBRITY CRUISE, ATHENS TO VENICE. “Bonjour Marie-Frnace . We just got back from our cruise onboard the Infinity and had a wonderful time away. We found a new love for cruising. We will definitely be in touch when we start planning our cruise for next year. Thanks again. We appreciate all your help.”
TOFINO, BRITISH COLOMBIA, CANADA. “Great! Love that Marie-France listens to what we need and then meets and exceeds our expectations!”
“Thank you so much MF for planning our trip to SEDONA, ARIZONA. We are loving Enchantment Resort. The views, the hikes, the mountain biking, even the breakfast menu is to die for, it has everything. Next trip is the French Open at the end of May. Maybe Portugal beforehand and a photography trip to Patagonia is also on the bucketlist. xoxo”
“Our bespoke holiday to beautiful COLOMBIA both met and exceeded our expectations! The Casa San Agustin in Cartagena and Las Islas were both exceptional properties with wonderful rooms and service. The land services (guides, private transfers, excursions, etc..) provided by your preferred partner in Colombia were excellent. We were also thankful that they could accommodate real-time adjustments as we went along. As for any “wow” moments, Las Islas Resort is itself something to experience.”
“The Cape, Thompson Hotel in CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO exceeded our expectations! Stunning design and architecture, great service, concierge was responsive, spa and spa services were AMAZING (definitely top 3 massages of all time). Room was fabulous. Food was also amazing! Shrimp tacos at poolside menu, smoothies at breakfast, the huevos rancheros were the best I ever had! The included breakfast (free bespoke amenity) was definitely generous and great quality. Rooftop was also great! As far as a favourite activity or dining experience – Flora Farms for lunch, El Farallon for dinner and outdoor Massages at the hotel spa. I’m SO grateful for all your help and have already passed on your name to a whole bunch of friends. When we’re ready for the next adventure, we will be sure to reach out!!!”
“We are just back from THAILAND and BHUTAN, and had such a wonderful trip! The trip exceeded my huge expectations! Our guide Poy and driver were very friendly and accommodating. My favorite day was the day out in Ayutthaya (UNESCO World Heritage Site). I would definitely recommend your trip planning services and already looking forward to our next trip”.
We recently came back from a 10 day bespoke trip to ICELAND. I couldn’t be more happy with the trip Marie-France planned for us. Everything was wonderful and when we did have an issue I was able to reach out immediately even with time difference and issue was solved immediately. I would strongly recommend Bespoke Travel Design to anyone looking for a customized trip anywhere and know they were in great hands and that all would be above expectations.
Many thanks to Marie-France of Bespoke Travel Design for planning the details of this spectacular vacation in TAHITI and BORA BORA. Small trips we book ourselves, on the big stuff (like this trip and my trip to China a few years back), I wouldn’t travel any other way. Every detail covered, and you find you’re treated like a VIP (lord knows what she must write in our travel dossier to the hotels!!??).
“G’day from downunder! Really enjoyed Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. What a special place! Got to swim with a whale shark and saw 2 blue whales!”
“MF was great and was available 24/7 while we traveled in PERU. She made our trip so easy and stress free. We didn’t have to worry about booking tour guides, transportation, or accommodations. She even gave us lots of restaurant recommendations. Our holiday was a breeze!”
“Marie-France did an amazing job booking the Four Seasons Hotel TORONTO, CANADA for my daughter’s stay the night before her wedding. Service was excellent, she was able to get guaranteed early check in and late checkout, free room upgrades, resort credits and VIP service. She was always checking everything was up to our standards. It was a pleasure working with someone so dedicated to their job. Many thanks to MF and will definitely book again with her for all future travels.”
“We loved the upgrade at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado and all the free Virtuoso Amenities. Thank you, Bespoke Travel.”
“Hi MF! So sweet of you to check in. The hotel is amazing! Absolutely beautiful and all positive experiences. My Dad can’t stop thanking me for organizing such an amazing trip – he and the whole group are blown away. And of course, all I can say is how great you are at what you do! Thanks MF – you made our trip to PUERTA VALLARTA, MEXICO, easy & so enjoyable.”
“MF, thanks for another great holiday for our family! We loved our stay in ARUBA, and you found us the perfect place for the week. Looking forward to the next trip!”
“MF, The AQUA MEKONG (VIETNAM, CAMBODIA) is a beautiful ship. Enjoying it so far!
“Marie-France, Thank you for organizing such a perfect trip to Hawaii. The location of our resort on the beach and all the handpicked excursions were perfectly chosen. This was one of our best family vacations we have had. Thank you again!
I wanted to say THANK YOU so much for all that you did to make our trip such an amazing one!!! We absolutely loved Half Moon Bay, JAMAICA. Upgrading to the cottages (junior suites?) was just perfect- we had four rooms that made up a stunning cottage about 10 feet from the beach. We were so happy to have gone all inclusive and definitely appreciated the spa credits, tennis, and airport transfers. Thank you!!! I know working with our family was a bit chaotic and all over the place. Thank you so much for your patience and for your recommendations!!
Thank you again.
Our trip to PERU was great. A definite highlight was hiking the Inca trail and ending our trip in the Amazon. Thank you for planning such a fantastic trip. Looking forward to our next bespoke trip.
We have are in Collioure at the moment and loving all of it. The apartment you found for us in Cassis, FRANCE was great and the B&B we are currently at is superb as well. Thanks so much for your help!
We all loved the K’oa Kea on KAUAI and the Mauna Lani Bay on the BIG ISLAND HAWAII was excellent. It was a big place, but it didn’t seem big. It was quiet and the staff was very attentive. I’d go back to the last two hotels in the blink of an eye and hope to go back soon. As for activities, the night time manta ray snorkel was an unforgettable experience. To have giant mantas with 15′ wingspans swim within inches of your face is really special. Our boat trip and snorkel to the Napali Coast on Kauai in a zodiak and helicopter tours of Kauai and the Big Island were also pretty special, as was our kayaking trip and hike down the Waialea river on Kauai. The weather was perfect every day (never wore pants or a long sleeve shirt) and the food was excellent everywhere. All in all, it was paradise, just like everyone says it is. I’m almost tempted to live there.
Notes from the road: AFRICA. “Hot air balloon ride was spectacular. We landed IN the migration … hundreds of thousands of wildebeest scattering as we touched down! We have seen everything in great quantity so all are happy.”
Just back from our hiking trip to PERU and everything was superbly organized and loved that everything was taken care of. The only thing we had to concentrate on was conquering the Inca Trail and enjoying Machu Picchu.
ANANTARA ELEPHANT CAMP, GOLDEN TRIANGLE, THAILAND – “Surreal experience being able to spend the morning walking with elephants while in Chiang Rai – Golden Triangle. All 20 elephants on the reserve have been rescued from various villags in Northern Thailand. These elephants are all now well fed, groomed and cared for rather than their previous lives where they part of logging, tourism riding, etc … “
“Hello Marie-France. Everything is wonderful! We had a lovely walking tour of Reykjavik and a delicous lunch. Just having a nap and then going to get ready for our cooking class. What an amazing city. We love it here. REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. Post trip – “Thanks again. We had an absolutely amazing time. Thank you for everything.”
All great here! Family Holiday to AMANGIRI, UTAH. We look forward to having you plan our next trip!
“Our bespoke holiday to BELGIUM and NETHERLANDS was 10/10. We had high expectations and they were exceeded! The places were both beautiful and the hotels (rooms, location, service) were perfect! The private tour guides were very informative and useful and our private transfers were on time and in nice cars. The services provided by your local partner exceeded our expectations, once again. A few highlights of our trip included: the beer tasting and local pub-crawl in Belgium to try all the local flavors. We look forward to having you plan our next trip!”
Notes from the Road: Family Adventure in MOROCCO. “A few of our favourite highlights included: staying in a traditional Riad and pottery making in Fes, hiking in the Atlas Mountains and staying at the incredible Kasbah Tamadot, exploring the souks of Marrakech, two nights glamping in the Sahara desert and riding into the sunset on camelback, a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
“After a few more amazing trips you’ve planned for us to Tahiti, BORA BORA, AUSTRALIA (again) and just back from MOROCCO, it’s time to update this review. Actually, not much has changed. You’re still a 5 star trip planner and, if anything, it’s even more apparent now how much you care about researching amazing places for us to go, things for us to do and hotels for us to stay at. These trips are definitely not “run of the mill” and you put so much work into making sure they’re perfect for us and not cookie cutter trips. You care about making sure we’re absolutely happy with everything, available to help while we’re traveling and do a wonderful job. Please keep it up! We can’t wait for our next trip!”
“We made it to our camp in beautiful BOTSWANA. Already encountered as we were driving to our camp, a leopard, baboons, African Buffalo’s, jackal and impalas. Had a wonderful dinner, fish for me and game meat for Marc with a sky full of stars. Five star dining. Great wines, Port for desert and Amaretto to complete our evening. Truly, a trip of a lifetime.”
Hi MF , Thanks for your note. Terrific time in CHICAGO. Great hotel, would definitely go back there & recommend it highly. Privately owned, second generation, lovely staff & concierge , first rate very central , rooms lovely! Over all great food, Vitare authentic Italian, lots of energy & fun! McCormick & Schmicks, great seafood & ambiance, service, close to hotel. Walked tons, everyone had a ball, good tours, some shopping, not too much! Lots more to see! Thanks so much for your assistance.
“Thank you to Marie France for taking the time with us to select a perfect couple’s getaway. She spent time giving us different options and wanting to make sure we choose a trip that would meet all our needs. We finally decided on Club Med Turquoise in TURKS AND CAICOS. Thanks to MF for all your advice in making this a trip to remember.”
“I just completed my first trip with Bespoke Travel Design. One word: Excellent. The hotels were perfect, no issues checking in and out. The transportation arranged between destinations was very professional and on time. Everything was done for us (we were a group of 8 golfers, new to SCOTLAND). I will most certainly leave it up to the travel experts and plan my next trip with them. Takes out all the guess-work and I feel confident that all appropriate arrangements will be made, no matter where I go. I would recommend Bespoke Travel Design to anyone planning a trip! Thank you for the great experience.”
“Just left ARKABA, PERTH, WESTERN, AUSTRALIA. LOVED LOVED LOVED it. Both of us. Great group, great guides, great food, great weather. Thank you for finding this hidden gem for us!”
“Jamaica was fantastic! So many great memories! Room upgrades were MUCH appreciated by all and champagne too! Merci! Thank you for planning this amazing trip to JAMAICA for all 11 of us. It meant alot to be able to celebrate our milestone birthdays together. Thanks again for suggesting this great resort!
I really enjoyed an impromptu one hour chat with a Buddhist monk at a temple in CHIANG MAI, THAILAND. And going to the Elephant Sanctuary near Chiang Mai where I got to feed and bathe elephants in the river, were both ‘wow’ moments for me on this trip.
We are on our way home and wanted to thank you again for booking an incredible trip. Both the Resort in MEXICO and BELIZE were beautiful. Great weather and service. We even decided to do a second snorkeling excursion while here (doing both the inner and outer reef). Couldn’t have asked for more. Thank you again.
THAILAND – “I really enjoyed an impromptu one hour chat with a Buddhist monk at a temple in CHIANG MAI. And going to the Elephant Sanctuary near Chiang Mai where I got to feed and bathe elephants in the river, were both ‘wow’ moments for me on this trip.”
“We just returned from the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, and once again, want to thank you so much for organizing and finding the perfect resort for us. The beach was amazing, the grounds beautiful and the kids day club was a bit hit! Overall, it was a fantastic family trip, with many highlights. I look forward to our next trip.”
We have enjoyed ICELAND. The Golden Circle tour was very good and the weatherman cooperated bringing out the sun in the afternoon. Today, our last day, we went to three museums which were very good. We enjoyed walking around Reykjavik. Some of the guests here use the city hot spring pool which is a couple of blocks away. We like understanding how the people live. Breakfast at the hotel was perfect and staff were professional. As it is cold and wet we have eaten in the local places instead of the posh ones because we look awful! All food is great everywhere!
Our trip to the AMALFI COAST, ITALY was absolutely wonderful! We loved all the hotels you choose for us and our driver/guide was fantastic. We loved our day out on the water cruising in our private yacht and loved seeing the Blue Grotto. Thank you so much for planning such a perfect trip. I would definitely recommend your travel services to others and would give this trip a 10!
AUSTRALIA was fabulous! ‘Wow’ Moments at Southern Ocean Lodge:“Seeing the animals that we did kangaroos, koala bears, goannas, fur seals and Australian sea lions was amazing and fantastic that it was all included as part of the lodge experience. The food, people we met at the lodge and service was first class. We thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Staff are very helpful, personable and well trained. A great experience.
I cannot recommend MF and Bespoke Travel enough. MF’s attention to detail is amazing and the little ‘extra’s’ she does – like a surprise birthday cake in Milan- make everything extra special. MF has planned 3 trips for our family, one to Scotland, one to ITALY and one to CHICAGO and we were beyond thrilled! And coordinating for 4 very different people and personalities was no small feat! Exquisite unique hotels, customized tours, amazing friendly staff and guides at every point – We felt so well taken care of and were able to fully sit back and enjoy the beauty and life that surrounded us. MF is the person I trust with my travel plans – She makes it magical!
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