TRAVEL: DREAM ESCAPE
Whether you are a fan of royal weddings, rugged Scottish or Irish landscapes or even Mary Poppins, Venetia van Kuffeler says this luxury travel design company can plan you the trip of a lifetime
A destination specialist offering the ultimate in tailor-made high-end journeys through England, Ireland and Scotland, Dream Escape has built a reputation for its extensive contact book, guaranteeing private access to sights and activities usually off-limits to the public.
Masters in creating one-of-a-kind travel experiences for private clients, families and incentive groups, Dream Escape’s team of creative planners can seamlessly combine country sports with spectacular parties in private castles, arrange off the beaten track whisky and golf tours, and secure incredible jet-setting experiences or private boxes at the finest sporting events. Dream Escape is the only destination specialist to have Scottish staff in Scotland, English staff based in England and Irish staff in Ireland. Dedicated guides are on hand in each country, to handle every aspect of a guest’s experience, creating a truly spectacular experience.
Unique itineraries that have been created for clients in the past include those centred around the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with visits to the exclusive Members Day, plus the private gardens of Highgrove, and tours of Sissinghurst Castle Gardens and Blenheim Palace. Or how about a bespoke Royal Wedding Experience? Guests can visit the UK’s royal castles and regal residences, including a private tour of Clarence House, a pre-opening private guided tour of the Tower of London, and a Thames cruise to Windsor to explore the Castle and Great Park, with a unique private tour of HRH Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new residence, Frogmore House (open only three days a year to the public) thrown in.
Or perhaps you’d like to delve into the wild beauty of Ireland or Scotland?
To experience remote, enchanting Ireland at its best, itineraries could include: the Causeway Coastal Route (rated as one of the Top Five Road Trips worldwide) or a sail aboard a classic cruiser around Strangford Lough, County Down, one of the most beautiful spots in Northern Ireland with your skipper, the great-great nephew of Thomas Andrews, designer of the Titanic.Once back on land, you can settle in for a picnic of Strangford Lough Oysters on an uninhabited island, washed down with black-velvet (Guinness and champagne). Whether you choose an inn or a castle, accommodation will showcase the impeccable Irish hospitality for which the Emerald Isle is renowned.
Company co-founder David Tobin has been announced as a Conde Nast Traveller top travel specialist for Scotland for another year. So perhaps your party would like to stay at Corrour Lodge in the Highlands? Only accessible by train, the small (request stop) station at the end of the loch is the highest railway station in the UK. The journey takes you on one of the most spectacular railway journeys in the world.
Or for those fans of Mary Poppins, Dream Escape can arrange a super-cali-fragilistic itinerary. Ideal for a family holiday, guests stay at a beautiful private home on a pastel painted terrace in Chelsea. Proceedings kick off with a horse-drawn carriage ride around town and indulging in a Mary Poppins-inspired afternoon tea with spectacular views over London’s rooftops.
During their stay, guests will explore London with a ‘Mary Poppins’ guide to the places that originally inspired PL Travers, such as a private tour of the Houses of Parliament and tasting the Queen’s favourite English fondants, created by an award-winning chocolatier. There will be time for flying kits in London’s Royal Parks, spotting artists creating chalk drawings on the pavement by the River Thames, and feeding the birds on the steps of St Paul’s. So go on, make your dreams a reality!
Dream Escape
E: enquiries@dreamescape.co.uk T: +44 (0)845 260 1085