Porter and Olive Luxury Travel

06/06/2026

If a beach trip is on your mind, this one is worth a look, and we can personally attest to this.

St. Regis Punta Mita is on a private peninsula about 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and the recognition speaks for itself: Forbes Four-Star, AAA Five Diamond, and ranked among the top resorts in Western Mexico by Condé Nast Traveler readers.

A few of our favorites: Bahia, the main restaurant, is one of the best dining experiences on the Riviera Nayarit with seafood pulled fresh from the Pacific daily. The two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses include the famous Tail of the Whale hole, an island green only accessible at low tide. And every villa comes with a dedicated butler.

Advisor Tip: Sayulita is 20 minutes away and worth an afternoon. Bohemian surf town, great tacos, a farmers market on Sundays.

If Mexico is on your calendar, reach out and let's put this special property on your itinerary. [email protected]

06/05/2026

The difference between a private experience and a standard one isn't just about what you're paying. It's about how a trip actually feels from start to finish.

A private villa instead of a hotel room means a kitchen stocked before you arrive, a pool that belongs to your group, and a schedule that answers to no one else. A chartered yacht means the itinerary changes when you want it to, the ports are the ones actually worth stopping at, and the boat comes with a crew that knows how to use all of it. Private island access, exclusive winery visits, a restaurant that isn't open to the public but opens for the right reservation: these are the experiences that tend to define how a trip gets remembered.

Most of them aren't bookable online. Exclusive access experiences are almost entirely relationship-driven.

This is one of the areas where working with a travel advisor makes the most concrete difference. The access is real, the options are better, and the planning that goes into making a private experience actually work is considerable.

If this is the kind of trip you're thinking about, get in touch.

06/04/2026

Along Lake Atitlán, each village brings Maya heritage to life through language, textiles, and ancestral flavors, all set against breathtaking views of the surrounding volcanoes. 🌋 🌄

Read more, then reach out to plan a trip that pairs lakeside adventure with meaningful cultural encounters.

📷: Luis García

Luxury tours of Central America’s deepest lake visit bastions of Indigenous heritage in villages including San Pedro, San Juan, Santa Catarina Palopó, and Santiago Atitlán.

06/03/2026

Ready to experience Spain beyond Madrid and Barcelona? This is the property we keep circling back to.

Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine is in the Duero Valley of Castilla y León, about two hours from Madrid, and one of those regions that hasn't made it onto most Spain itineraries yet.

The estate covers nearly 1,800 acres; the vineyards produce some of the most decorated wines in the country; and the property's restaurant, Refectorio, has held a Michelin star for years.

What makes a stay here different: guests have access to the full estate. Vineyard walks, wine tastings with the winemaking team, and cellar visits that go well beyond what most hotel wine programs offer. The spa is built into the original 12th-century abbey structures, and the courtyard pool, flanked by stone walls and formal gardens, is among the best hotel pools in Spain.

Get in touch to see a different side of Spain.

06/02/2026

Explora Journeys is not your average cruise. Not even close.

Smaller ships. More time in port. No assigned dining times. An onboard experience that feels like a boutique hotel that happens to be moving. And itineraries that reach places the larger ships simply can't.

The Monaco Grand Prix itinerary is one of the most requested experiences we book: race weekend access, the right vantage point, and a ship positioned in the harbor where the view is part of the event.

If cruising has never quite been your thing, this is worth a second look.

06/02/2026

In Ecuador, luxury travel is helping protect some of the world’s most extraordinary ecosystems. At Mashpi Lodge, guests can support cloud forest restoration efforts, while Galápagos voyages aboard the National Geographic Delfina contribute to projects bringing giant tortoises back to Floreana Island. 🌎✨

Read more about the journeys featured on Virtuoso’s 2026 Impact List, then let’s plan your trip.

The best trips are more than just a great time – they also do good. Virtuoso’s 2026 Impact List celebrates travel experiences that make a positive impact in the world.

06/01/2026

A perfect day in Paris looks different when someone who knows the city plans it for you.

Not just the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. The neighborhood café where locals actually have breakfast. The museum that holds one of the world's great Impressionist collections. The bistro in Le Marais that doesn't need a review because everyone who goes comes back. The table at dinner that takes three months to get and is worth every day of the wait.

The iconic stops are iconic for a reason, but the moments that stay with you are usually the ones you wouldn't have found on your own. Finding those is exactly what we do best.

Ready for Paris? On y va!

05/31/2026

Can we talk about Amsterdam for a second? Because it doesn't get nearly enough credit.

Thirteen UNESCO-listed canals, two of the world's greatest museums, a neighborhood in the Jordaan that rivals anything in Paris for atmosphere, and a food scene that nobody talks about nearly enough. It's all there.

Here's the insider tip we give almost every client heading to Amsterdam: add a few days in Bruges or Ghent. Both are under three hours by train, and the contrast in atmosphere makes both destinations feel richer. Medieval architecture, incredible chocolate and beer culture, and a pace that is completely different from Amsterdam. Most people come back wishing they had built in more time.

Northern Europe is one of the most rewarding regions we recommend right now. Get in touch if it's on your list.

05/31/2026

Canada does outdoor adventure better than almost anywhere in the world. And it looks different in every season.

Summer: Banff and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies deliver glacier walks, kayaking on Moraine Lake, and wildlife encounters. The Icefields Parkway, connecting the two parks, is one of the great road trips on the continent.

Fall: Quebec and New Brunswick put on a foliage display that competes seriously with New England, with far fewer visitors. Charlottetown and the Gulf of St. Lawrence are both worth building time around. And then there's Niagara Falls, which is worth experiencing at least once from the Canadian side, where the views are significantly better.

Winter: Whistler for skiing that matches anything in Europe for vertical and variety. Quebec City in January for the Winter Carnival, and an atmosphere that doesn't exist anywhere else in North America.

Spring: Tofino in British Columbia for storm watching, old-growth forest walks, and a surfing culture most people don't associate with Canada at all.

What season would you prefer? Get in touch and let's start planning!

05/29/2026

Bodrum has seen a surge in new hotels over the last decade. Macakizi has been there since 1977, and it just gave the food world a reason to pay attention.

It earned one of Bodrum's first Michelin stars, and the food program here goes well beyond that. The chef dives for the catch every morning. The new restaurant, Ayla, serves a three-act dinner over two and a half hours, featuring olive oil from Memecik village, honey from Comlekci, and blue crab from Datca. Breakfast is unapologetically Turkish: simit, local cheeses, and tomatoes the size of small melons. No sad buffet eggs in sight.

This is the property we recommend when clients want the Bodrum Peninsula done properly. Get in touch to learn more!