Booking a holiday has become an exhausting internet trawl for many of us, with effusive online descriptions and filtered photographs as our only guide.
But the founder of new independent luxury travel agency Willow & Bird, which has just opened in Cheltenham's Montpellier, believes that unforgettable adventures don't begin with a click, but with a conversation.
Inside Willow & Bird’s luxury travel studio in Cheltenham
Willow & Bird has brought a different kind of travel agency experience to Cheltenham. Gone are the rows of desks and ceiling-high racks of holiday brochures that we associate with traditional high street travel agencies.
Instead, stylish surroundings with light flooding in create a more perfect ambiance to plan a dream tailor-made getaway – honeymoons, luxury holidays, family travel and extraordinary escapes around the world.
Founder, April Bellchambers, said: 'You'll find a relaxed, beautifully considered space where we can sit down over coffee or a glass of something chilled.
'Our studio is based in Cheltenham, but we create journeys for clients throughout the UK and can plan everything remotely if you can’t visit us in person.'
Bespoke luxury holidays with Willow & Bird
Named after April's daughter Willow and her son's nickname Bird, the Willow & Bird approach is deeply personal. Each client has a designated travel curator who takes time to fully understand their detailed preferences and what matters most to them.
Using insider knowledge of each destination and resort, as well as trusted relationships forged throughout the international travel industry, the travel curator works with each client to thoughtfully design the perfect itinerary designed around the way they like to travel.
April believes that the best travel recommendations come from actually being there, and she travels regularly to experience the hotels, airlines and destinations that Willow & Bird recommends, always on the hunt to find the details which an online search would not reveal.
Travel specialists with first-hand destination knowledge
She said: 'I loved travel, but found the process of having to arrange it more of a chore. Knowing the pain-points first-hand has helped me to build a business that can really put the customer first and focus on making booking a holiday a more enjoyable experience.
'Our travel consultants are actively encouraged to explore the world so they can really immerse themselves in what they think their clients will love.
'We have a Willow & Bird little black book of all the secret upgrades, hidden benefits and experiences that other travel agents aren’t aware of, off the back of this first-hand experience instead of relying on tour operators.'
Willow & Bird's head of travel, Stacey Clinton, has more than 20 years' experience, impressive contacts and depth of knowledge about the global luxury hotels and places worth knowing.
Flexibility is integral to the Willow & Bird approach, whether some clients prefer to send a quick WhatsApp message, or others favour a more considered conversation.
Personal holiday planning, from flights to hotel reservations
Detail is a key component too – the small touches that elevate a stay and the little details that make a big difference.
Once all travel arrangements are confirmed, Willow & Bird takes care of every detail, managing all flights, transfers, reservations and more for a smooth and effortless experience from start to finish.
A mobile-phone-friendly portal gives instant access to all details in one place, from hand-picked recommendations to key contacts.
Luxury family holidays with Willow & Bird’s Little Explorers
As a mother of two, April is an expert in spotting what makes a holiday and hotel genuinely good for families – the inspiration behind Little Explorers, the luxury family travel wing of Willow & Bird.
She said: 'Before children, my husband and I loved to travel. Then we became parents to two little ones in quick succession — and suddenly holidays felt very different. Getting there came with a whole new mental load. I found myself spending hours researching every tiny detail.
'I wanted to create the family travel service I wished I’d had — one where someone has already thought about the things keeping you up at night.
'Having children changes the way you travel, but we believe that it shouldn’t change your ability to see the world beautifully.'
With Willow & Bird's Cheltenham travel studio already proving to be a success, the company is already looking to expand, with a new office to open soon in another prominent location in the Cotswolds.
To find out more, visit Willow & Bird or pop into the new studio.
