Luxury Travel

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, how are you doing today? Welcome to Rhythm and Roam with Benef, Paul and Trecia. Hi guys, how are you doing today? Good up! What up? Hey, I was beginning to wonder if you guys were here.

[00:00:16] You feel a little bit cold, hence why I got a sweater on and stuff like that. It's literally 50 something degree to out here. Same here, same book. It feels good. Well it must be, it must be nippy. Well it's 95 here in the,

[00:00:29] and we go H-Chown. Yeah, nice and humid. But as we talk about the weather, I did want to continue to welcome the rest of you all here with us here today. As I said, this is Rhythm and Roam, our beautiful podcast, and we're 62 again. I'm so excited.

[00:00:49] So here we talk about all our cultural differences, similarities, you know, all the craziness in between. So buckle up with us and enjoy today's episode. We're talking about luxury travel and Benef you had a very, very interesting interview.

[00:01:05] You know, we talk, we talk about the fact that, you know, we're not a travel show, but we kind of are. So what do we talk about this week? Who do we talk to?

[00:01:16] Well, so first yes, before I say that though, I do want to quote, quote, Coco Chanel from Chanel company who says luxury is a necessity that begins where necessity ends.

[00:01:28] Okay, so what we're talking about is not a necessity. This is luxury travel. So it's, you know, it's not just like regular business travel or just went to, you know, anywhere down the street.

[00:01:44] This is a different category all together, which is what John Reese from J five travel specializes in. So he's got a travel company. I met him back when I thought I wanted to be a travel advisor for a hot minute because I love travel and I like planning.

[00:02:01] But what I didn't realize was that to own a business. There's a lot of things that need to be done and I was like, I don't want to do these things.

[00:02:11] I was a travel entrepreneur. I was challenging for me. I coming from the military, you know, I had people to do a lot of things. So I would just. To write to know for what I'm good.

[00:02:23] Yeah, so that was all by myself like it's so low for Neurna. Okay, so anyway, that's, but that's where I met him. And so he is very successful with his business. He's got.

[00:02:33] Eight people, including him in his company and each person specializes in different regions of the world or different. Just like cruises someone might do cruises, some might someone might do group travel. So yeah, I've used him before myself. I went to divide. He's in Charlotte, North Carolina.

[00:02:56] So yeah, and I believe his people are all over. And so he planned my trip with my for me and my family to divide everything went really, really smooth.

[00:03:07] And so that's why I wanted to interview him and ask him about a luxury travel and some other topics of a specifically, you know, what how to be defining what is luxury travel because I know what I think.

[00:03:22] And you guys are probably similar, but what is it really? Firstly, luxury is a, there's a very broad. Description for luxury because it's very different for every person for every client.

[00:03:38] If a son luxury is what's their hotel room, it has to be a suite with a private pool or something like that.

[00:03:45] For others, it's a trip to, you know, a remote region to connect with a tribe or something like that, or you know, to go to Mongolia right horses with the, some nomads.

[00:04:01] You know, that can be luxury. That'd be, you know, quite a rough experience, you know, sleeping in a tent. But for some people, that is complete luxury. Well, to do something so different and so wonderful to connect with other people. So it's a very big, balloon luxury.

[00:04:20] Okay. The trick is, you know, for each client is defining what their functional luxury is.

[00:04:28] I think for me, it's for me. I think it's, it's challenging to define as a whole luxury travel because like I think we mentioned before luxury travel, you know, it's different for so many different reasons and stuff like that.

[00:04:48] I don't know what it is for me personally. It's just me luxury travel to me is me giving myself a treat or or something that makes, you know, my brain think that I deserve this because we do we need to treat ourselves and for me.

[00:05:09] The treat, you know, for me kind of thing and it doesn't, it doesn't matter where the destination may be or something to that effect. It doesn't have to be something that's far, far away like for example, I can go to the French Riviera, which is just an hour flight from here.

[00:05:25] But I'm going to do it luxury, up, hampered up kind of thing to as well. So for me, it's more of I'm going to.

[00:05:34] What is that spa, is that you know, is that the whole today. Hills to the yeah it's the it's from okay, it because it's an hour away it's from the the plane to definitely the whole tell stay with all the amenities that goes in it. So we're talking about four to five stars with the pampering involved and must be on the beach and you know the eating doesn't necessarily need to be

[00:06:01] the initial in but it has to be a really nice restaurant within that area of stuff like that. So that's for me and treating so treating myself and pampering everything that goes with it.

[00:06:12] Yeah, it's about you've been asked what's not. And I was just what I was saying it's about the experience that while each individual client wants to have like each person.

[00:06:22] My experience of luxury what I want to have is I do want to have like a seamless experience where I'm not feeling stressed that I have to worry about getting to the next location that I have to worry about.

[00:06:37] If the flight delayed and now I have to you know, I've missed my other flight now I have to do all that calling and figuring out someone else is doing that.

[00:06:48] So it's and it's also I mean, took a what with what Paul said to about the higher end hotels that have those amenities that have that customer service that I'm more of that quality on the food goes into that.

[00:07:03] And the whole experience I mean from the from the you know getting to the airport to arrive at the hotel and then the types of tours that I'm doing for me all of that go go factors into it.

[00:07:17] But it's not the same for everyone as as John explained. It could be trying to really connect with the locals on the area, a really understand the culture which could look very different for someone else. Right, right.

[00:07:37] So I mean luxury I mean for me, I kind of feel that you know luxury for me and and I think what has I think it's a little bit of both for from what you all have said.

[00:07:50] For me it's it's been it I'm my luxury has gone with group travel for the most part when it's the planning part of it and making sure that you know we have an itinerary and things to do.

[00:08:04] But I guess that the thing that I do for myself is those those extra special little things you know like you know Paul we did afternoon tea when high tea things like that are having that really nice meal or.

[00:08:20] You know those experiences those are those are the things you know having air condition. That is not it's a gun like that should just be that. I think that's a really good. But it's not necessarily all the time when you travel to me that's luxury.

[00:08:37] It also depends on to it also depends on where you're at right because Americans we love our air conditioning kind of thing and you know I've been in hotels that are saying that their four star hotels and don't have air conditioning.

[00:08:51] Well, I'm not going to experience that if I if it's well-touring outside and I'm like dying then it's it's now not the experience no longer unless.

[00:09:02] You know you're in a place where they're air conditioning just isn't possible like you're out in a tent somewhere right in that's different.

[00:09:10] But as far as like the travel advisor that John and his team that they are you know how do they help us with this this type of travel. I think he really explained that.

[00:09:25] No, I was just going to I was just curious because you mentioned something banana when you said. Hard of your luxury experiences you know not have to deal with you know if a flight delays whatever it may be or whatever.

[00:09:39] You said you can call them but if you're in an airport like I'm not called them but they take care of it like when you say that I didn't say that no actually they're tracking it the whole time. I'll do it.

[00:09:52] Yeah, so if there's a they will let you know in advance that there has been an issue. Wow. They are taking care of it or they've already taken care of it.

[00:10:01] Yeah, I do no travel agencies do that because a lot of times I'm sitting there called them saying hey. It's a good travel on the travel advisor. I mean, so the the 25 is a bespoke travel agency. So they are like kid-gloving their clients from one look.

[00:10:19] So that is a camper that is. Yeah, you are that's it's a higher in travel so it's not going to be even if you're just booking a flight and hotel. Everything is going to be more because it's luxury. It's not here.

[00:10:33] And typically yeah and typically who I was just saying typically who I go who I travel with as well with group travel may not be you know. So that's high end as John but even in the group travel.

[00:10:47] Company that I use they do make sure that that goes seamless as far as transportation you know where you're you know where you're you're set up and with flights and everything so we never have to worry about certainly with that portion of it and I think that part of it is is the reason why keep going back is the seamlessness of that.

[00:11:07] Yeah, well and so I guess I have to I mean my question is we know it's going to cost more a lot more in some cases so are we going to pay for that like.

[00:11:17] Is that something that we do all the time I mean I guess some people do I'm just trying to understand the Americans as a whole.

[00:11:26] I don't know what use your experience for example like you don't do it every time you travel so for example and we add is it doesn't matter if it's.

[00:11:36] Yeah, I want to as well right but I doesn't matter on the example with J5 I believe this is company John.

[00:11:46] So that's one avenue but what about the concierge services like Sapphire chase F our credit card they have that concierge service that's supposed to be kind of that. I don't know if it's that high and like johns service but I'm thinking.

[00:12:07] Haven't that there and haven't the experience and haven't them do it I don't think they're going to wait on you. I just I just yeah I think that because they're you know chase that fire is large or corp. Yeah, I think it's like personal.

[00:12:22] I don't know you you know what I mean right exactly they try but but I've used their concierge service once and what you are describing. Beneath when you said you use it.

[00:12:34] Yeah, they gave me an I tend to write to give it to me quick they gave me the cheapest or I guess the cheapest price to what I want so if I wanted a five star that gave me they look for the most cheapest they have.

[00:12:46] The cheapest is not luxury let's just be clear cheapest price. Can't be the most comfortable thing I mean, that's not yours there were cheap and lucky.

[00:12:56] Okay, I don't know what they were to use but for example if I want to stay at the four seasons best price is the best price. For the for the for season.

[00:13:07] But but my point is I like the fact that when I think of luxury like we already agreed it's that you know feel like a celebrity where you do absolutely nothing it's kind of like. You know my experience when I went on lapar miya for well.

[00:13:25] You know from beginning to end I did absolutely nothing from. Well, that's super that's super luxury. I mean that's a whole that's a whole another level of.

[00:13:36] Well, I mean like the nephew had the same situation too when you flew Emirates and all this other stuff so that's what I think a good way of defining but to get back to your question is it something that we want to do all the time I wish I could do it all the time.

[00:13:50] But yeah, this is why my mind I say for me the definition for luxury is when I can I can treat myself.

[00:14:01] To that pampering type of lifestyle for that vacation time period that I'm doing it for but are you getting are you getting that you know are are you really getting that experience that you know that you really want is it about is it about the luxury and the fact that you can go from one destination to the next.

[00:14:17] smoothly or is it a or is it truly really about immersing yourself in the culture or and what you're going on vacation for which is that experience right it's your it's your. You're it's for you to experience.

[00:14:34] Yeah, I mean I mean am I really experiencing the local population if I'm you know in some five star hotel probably not. How am I but you are leaving the five star hotel to go out and immerse yourself into this.

[00:14:51] But if it's still part of the luxury package, you know it's still that that is still that one percent. I don't know again. It's not like I mean I don't know that's that's the real that's the question because it's.

[00:15:04] And yeah, and that's why I use the example of the French would be right I go into a plush hotel.

[00:15:11] But I I tend to ask if I don't want to eat at that plush hotel or something I will ask the concierge on I'm like hey what's a really nice fine dying dining place where I can get the local culture food. At a nice place that's very high.

[00:15:27] I mean and here's this this may be you know a question that we don't want to answer but do we really want to see the the local living conditions of some of these places like to be honest.

[00:15:38] Yeah, why not it's part of the mercy yourself and to be able to you go into to Rio de Janeiro you really want to go to those.

[00:15:47] Yeah, as long as I know I'm going back to the foreseason but you don't want to go and no God so far right but you're going to go it's a dangerous barrio. I told you I'm a city boy I can survive.

[00:15:58] Yeah, I thought that that comfortable to go going to know because I've got you want to be able to go back to the pushy spot afterwards.

[00:16:04] But here's the thing I would not do it by myself though going into those areas but I mean as a know I don't know that I'd be doing that at all.

[00:16:11] I just have not comfortable walking along even if you're with people even if you had a lot of dog on people not just to be in like another for a friend. No, I'm not doing it.

[00:16:22] Yeah, and that's what these you know like those types of places I don't I'm so I'm not going to be in inner city areas.

[00:16:31] And so if that's like if I go to Bangkok, I am not going to be walking around in places that seem dangerous to me but that might be where the real people are like you know the you get more of the culture of unfortunately have some of the poverty and like the you know understanding how those people.

[00:16:48] Yeah, but I don't want to well that. Yeah, but most of the time when you're traveling anyway right I mean, I mean you're not seeking you're not seeking those places out right so you know we've talked about that.

[00:17:00] We're not we're not we're most in most cities and most places you're going to visit they're not going to you know they tell you we're not to go yeah that's you know they tell you we're not to.

[00:17:11] You're going to get you know you're going to get the mission from where but that's a good point though because isn't that what.

[00:17:20] Your the travel for example, John's travel company will be able to do that legwork for you to be able to do that and that's what makes it feels trusting and good and luxurious because you don't have to do it.

[00:17:35] Yeah, well, because he knows especially if it's a place that. He should be on on.

[00:17:40] He don't speak the language or it's it's more difficult to navigate like some of the places in Asia they've got connections with the two operators with the hotel so instead of us trying to like search on the internet and hoping that that picture actually real exactly.

[00:17:57] They already done the language yeah I mean because they travel all the time and he's got a blog and he has a newsletter and he sends out you know places to go that they've vetted. That's the people.

[00:18:10] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah and and and hit that that wouldn't put my mind at ease if I know that because right now I don't do that right only thing I do is the chase.

[00:18:23] I don't want to chase that fire thing or I would do it on my own kind of them but you made a good point before banana and I don't want it to get lost is obviously it also differs. Mail.

[00:18:36] Female, you know kind of think to as well because there are certain things and I totally get it and I totally respect it that you wouldn't do that I probably like of course.

[00:18:47] So far, but other than that there are things that I would I would be like yeah I'll go out to this bad area but I won't put myself in danger but you know to just immerse myself. I feel like I would be in danger just showing up.

[00:19:03] Well because your female of course we have engineer you'll see how them. Not just that but even but I think it's I think it's also beyond male of female is just that you're not you're not of there you're not.

[00:19:16] Yeah, it'll be out there if you that I don't know. Yeah so I think I think that goes beyond male if you know I think you know I just we just don't know.

[00:19:25] Yeah okay I can see that I take that because you know I've even if you take going to when I went to Latvia you know and I definitely wasn't one of the ones. But that look like everybody else.

[00:19:40] Clearly yeah but you know I can yeah I definitely can see that any uncomfortableness of it and stuff like that to as well but I would definitely be curious to see or if people who are viewing what how did they define.

[00:19:56] Luxury travel in their own right because these are our obviously experience and expertise of what we think it is this is not to go all in. Right and I and I like for those luxury resorts that go in and you know buy up some land.

[00:20:13] And so I have to wonder if I'm traveling there because I've been to those resorts in Mexico or in the Caribbean and I helping the local economy by being here.

[00:20:22] You know is that money going back to them or now you're hoping that it is your hope because we we all don't know.

[00:20:30] And how do we even do our due diligence to like research I mean because it's the same kind of thing with the clothing industry like are the clothes that I'm bought and just fast fashion.

[00:20:40] It's going to be dumped somewhere off the coast of Africa and then back with all that or you know so this is resort I mean how would I even research that. Oh you would hope that just you would hope yes.

[00:20:54] You would hope that just you know like just going to a country or you know where or the city or wherever you're visiting that you know that you're I mean you're giving to the economy anyway right but second of all.

[00:21:07] The other thing is is you know what I try to look for is I mean there's nothing wrong with asking those questions do you hire local. I mean yeah, I can ask those questions yeah.

[00:21:17] You know who who who do you employ is it is it local you know local people you know do you get back I mean a lot of.

[00:21:26] Even websites of where you're staying you know each nobody has some type of well not everyone but most people have some type of.

[00:21:33] Especially the larger resorts or luxury places are going to have some kind of give back program or some kind of charity or some kind of thing that they want to to talk or talk about anyway on their website.

[00:21:43] So that's definitely something you can research on your own especially if it's part of a chain. But specifically what I like to do also is that once I'm there and.

[00:21:55] I actually try to do some type of report with housekeeping or someone that's there I do that here locally myself getting to know the people that that serve me. And actually having conversations like their human beings.

[00:22:09] Yeah and learning their names and finding out about them and their lives you know what they're not they it is true they share or whatever their circumstances are at some point I try to make some type of meaningful connection.

[00:22:20] And I try to give them a tip myself though it is so it's super fascinating though because then you mentioned that because I did go to the Dominican Republic and we stated in ice resort and yeah just getting to know like the guy coming around bartending.

[00:22:34] And the fact that you know his family was seven hours away so he would they live there somewhere near there they get busted and then they get busted out to. To a accommodation area for all the people working there is the word and he works.

[00:22:52] Like three weeks on a week off or something like that it was quite a bit of time that he was away from this family maybe it was four weeks on on a month.

[00:23:02] I actually question that because of the fact that are they really like going back to the question on are you you know adding to the economy or. To the local area that you're visiting because when I see someone that has to work like that.

[00:23:20] I question are they really paying them what they really really deserve and then I look at a place like a Dubai.

[00:23:27] Already wealthy like when you went to Dubai when I went there they were still building it so I don't know what is like now but when you went there knowing what it's like now been if you really think.

[00:23:41] Well I mean to say to that economy you know and that's the I mean so that's a whole debate because we went there we spoke with our driver and I did tip and well but he said that.

[00:23:51] It's very hard to get citizenship it's not they don't they don't get it they don't they're like simply no you can't be a citizen unless you're. For born and divide like you know and and so he's got to apply every year and they.

[00:24:04] There's rules and regulations and things but we're he was from the just the opportunities more there it was better for him to be. Of course I with his family that he's but does that mean he's getting just do paying like.

[00:24:20] Yeah, but I don't think we it's but see I don't think I don't think we should get and and that's a thing we can't we ourselves cannot get caught up into in that.

[00:24:30] I think we're only responsible for what we do and what we don't do so I think if. I think we should not even think about it if is your if that's where you want to be going that's a luxury travel destination so be it.

[00:24:43] Well I mean but I think we need to have actively heart like supporting a company that actively harming the environment or the local population or the animals or something. And it's a general I know I feel that as individuals.

[00:25:03] I think we can do our due diligence you know you live with you live with what you live with and and you do your due diligence like for instance the best thing I can do and to say and I'm not saying this.

[00:25:15] I swear I would never reveal this but I have going to do this now.

[00:25:19] I went to my real estate convention happened to have happened when you remember when the big storm happened in was at the Bahamas of many but they had a really big storm like it was it was a hurricane it's gone through.

[00:25:34] Yeah and it was our I think it was our 20th anniversary for our our franchise our franchising.

[00:25:42] And I just so happened to coincide like right after this big storm that they had and it pretty much wiped out a lot of the island but we were at 11 you know we were still you know this had been planned for a year so.

[00:25:56] It had been about I guess about two or three weeks after the storm and that much of the film is very much you know still quite.

[00:26:05] And it's very important for the most part but here we were at 11 you know having a party you know and people people weren't work. You know they were there and needed to be there they needed to work right yeah well because I knew that okay.

[00:26:20] That was a case I brought extra clothes with me I brought extra shoes I brought extra clothes I bought brought extra things to donate.

[00:26:29] I left it in the hotel room with an out and said this this may not be for you this may not be able to fit for you whatever it is.

[00:26:37] And I said I said I would never say this because I hate people that do this and I said never be without person.

[00:26:43] But that's what I did and I said you know if you can use this if there's someone in the community that can use this whatever it was please you know distribute it how you can or if you can use it whatever it is and I love money.

[00:26:55] I don't see anything. I don't see anything. I know but I'm not trying to say that to make myself feel better to say hey but what I'm trying to say is is that you you can be socially responsible without having to.

[00:27:10] You know what I mean like to worry about if whether or not the company is doing it or yeah. What are the circumstances are right so I tried to leave behind as much as I could that I knew that I didn't need. I don't know. Like that's true.

[00:27:23] I just don't see I just I'm just saying when I had made the point of you know because you are going to travel to places that is exotic that is completely rich and all this other stuff that you know they don't need to you know what I mean and they're well off but.

[00:27:42] I just I me personally I think it should be left to whatever. I don't want to say that way because it going to make me sound like I you know social responsibility kind of thing but.

[00:27:58] Try to say that you have to do that on every vacation either I look at it. It doesn't have to be that way and it doesn't have to be that way. It's a matter of being informed like if you're informed then you can make that choice.

[00:28:11] Yes exactly that's that or maybe you don't have to just like I can't get into every homeless person that I say exactly. Exactly. Exactly. I can be.

[00:28:21] I'm always very mindful like when I went to Portugal and we had the discussion about how it all came about you know how you know Spain and we're with our.

[00:28:34] We were discussing that whole thing about how Spain and Portugal split you know the world and half and how they started to explore and how that came about so we had those discussions. You know how they kind of peered around you know.

[00:28:49] Right and she was Portuguese and she was able to you know have those discussions with us very candidly but. Yeah it was it's just very interesting so those are the types of things. I keep it to perspective and have social conversations.

[00:29:03] Well I don't want to make it you know where it's just you know the. Oh I like I like the role they part. They're wrong. Don't get me wrong. Yeah there are things that trust me.

[00:29:12] I mean just sitting here in Paris this is considered luxury for for some people because let me tell you know you guys seen it some of the hotels here are just like. Like I did it in how do you say on my birthday.

[00:29:25] I did exactly this in in the city I said I don't want to talk to nobody. I'm going to detox myself from everybody on my birthday and I literally went to the four seasons. I which is just right down the road for me.

[00:29:39] And I pampered the hell out of myself that was luxury travel for me as you should in in per like in where I live I was literally 15 minutes away from me and. I this is where I said I'm treating myself because it's my birthday.

[00:29:54] I'm just going to not worry about anything I'm going to get a nice room which was damn nice and just have people you know hand just. Talk to me like I'm a celebrity and that's what I'm saying yeah and there's something wrong with that absolutely.

[00:30:11] It is it is weird but. I'm just going to be a little bit more to do your house for these trips now like. Oh, absolutely not. It's a luxury.

[00:30:21] That means that you've saved the money or you've got the money as a as a disposable income and it's not something you know I don't be not. Be not.

[00:30:30] Why did you do that though but if why did you why did you feel that you needed to do a luxury travel let's talk let's talk a little bit on that point why did you why. I don't want to do that.

[00:30:42] So why did you let me do that with the Emirates trip. I did it was like a reward for hard work and I felt that I was yeah I was rewarding myself.

[00:30:53] And that and that's why and and or it's like a bucket list type of trip because I do want to go. To the Galapagos or Antarctica and I won't want to be uncomfortable going to places that are already kind of remote and uncomfortable so.

[00:31:09] Or a safari and that means that um because I don't want to be black like that's but I think.

[00:31:16] I mean stuff so I will I mean and that would be like a once in a lifetime type of thing because how many safari is I'm really going to do like. Yeah and so that's what I would be saving up for or or like it's a birthday.

[00:31:31] So that that's what we're that's how I think of it. And I guess this is where like you know as John said, you know where we've talked about this were John from J five, you know he can definitely help you with something like this.

[00:31:47] I mean even if you just consulted may not necessarily. You know. You may not use his services immediately but he definitely can help discern. There's definitely a value especially at the luxury level which is what we focus on.

[00:32:04] The idea when we're doing a trip for clients whether it's you know a simple Caribbean get away or. A whole week exploration Europe is to make it seem this and have one point or maybe two points of contact at J five.

[00:32:24] That you can always reach out to to get an answer quickly. Everything gets put together on my dinner it looks beautiful. It's simple to navigate everything you need is in there. There's no blocks of paper documents or anything like that anymore.

[00:32:44] We do flights transfers hotels, tools, fewer restaurant reservations insurance. Everything, please, or advice if you need visas for somewhere like. Barley Australia I forgot my Australia entry visa once for myself. I had to do it the airport and I got away with it which is very lucky. Yes.

[00:33:08] I know now to tell clients when in advance what they need to fit that that sort thing. Right enough.

[00:33:15] Yeah, yeah, I mean and even just his blog where they there they've got places they recommend they've got heal he does want a newsletter you know blog weekly and it lists. I like he likes to do like the top five of whatever it's super useful. So yeah.

[00:33:32] We share that on the we get to that on this podcast. To give us that knowledge and because they've done that research.

[00:33:40] I hope you guys have enjoyed we're actually going to put John's information at the bottom also in the link so you guys can follow his blog and also if you want to book travel with John and J five that we really appreciate any feedback that you have on this show and any of our other shows don't forget to check out our season one and our lovely now we're in season two I'm still so excited about that.

[00:34:03] So please tell all your friends we'd love to grow their show we'd love to continue to speak with you.

[00:34:09] And have some really great ideas for some great shows but we want to hear from you so please like comment subscribe please subscribe and share we would love to be able to continue coming to you so. Guys so next time till next time. Oh, I'll be the z.