Small yet mighty, Switzerland is a truly sublime destination and a must for anyone who loves snow-capped mountains, exclusive hotels and the very finest watches, cheese and chocolate.
To get the inside view on visiting Switzerland, we caught up with Luxury Gold Traveling Concierge Daniele, who has recently returned with happy, satisfied guests from our Majestic Switzerland luxury guided tour. Passionate about people, travel and Switzerland, Daniele has worked with The Travel Corporation since 2006 and has been leading tours for Luxury Gold since its inception in 2012.
As highly experienced Traveling Concierge, we asked him what makes this tour so special, and heard more about his role along the way.
Why choose Majestic Switzerland for your next vacation?
“The beauty of Switzerland is quite unique. The scenery and nature are simply amazing, and it is an undeniably ritzy and glamorous destination. Guests who chose this tour have a shared passion for nature, the Alps, and for comfort and luxury.
“Every day we are in beautiful or exclusive places and, as it is not a crowded destination, there is no waiting to see things. On our first night celebration dinner we take a cable car to an amazing restaurant, which we have to ourselves. All the attention is for you, our guests. It still leaves me speechless, and I have done it quite a few times!
“On this tour we tend to start around 09:00 each day, so you have the time to enjoy the exclusive hotels in which we stay, something we know our guests really appreciate. There are also plenty of choices through the days of how you spend your time. Overall, this relaxed pace gives us the opportunity to make things really extra special.”
What inspired you to become a Traveling Concierge?
“I think it was something I had in my DNA already! I actually started off on this path accidentally but quickly realized that I was having so much fun taking people around, sharing my knowledge and taking care of them. At first, I honestly did not realize it could, and would, become my career. I worked all over Europe, and then worldwide, always striving to go higher and higher. When Luxury Gold first began operating it was an opportunity not to be missed – when things are meant to be they just are, they fall into place.”
“Sharing the enthusiasm with someone who is enthusiastic about the same things is the best thing about this role. I love being in a position to make people happy – when I see people that are happy then I am happy. That is always my goal.”
Tour highlights
Stunning St Moritz
“The luxury alpine resort town of St Moritz, one of the early stops on the Majestic Switzerland tour, is a simply splendid location. Guests can choose how to explore the town with choices of scheduled activities, including a hike with a nature guide and a wildlife tour, and also choose for themselves what they want to do. Choice and personalization is an important feature of Luxury Gold tours.”
“When we first arrive at our destinations, I talk with guests to get a feel for what they are interested in doing and seeing in their free time. I will tell them the possibilities and show them the various transport options etc. I also work in tandem with the concierge of the hotels to help with tickets to special events such as the theatre, or the opera. In St Moritz, some guests want to visit the famous whiskey bar Devil’s Place, renowned for offering the widest selection of whiskeys in the world. Others are interested in hiking and so we would host a briefing with small parties and then off they go.”
First Class on The Glacier Express
“This is a really elegant, first-class experience – soak up spectacular scenery over a delicious five-course lunch. You get a unique feel for a country when traveling by train.”
Magnificent Mountains – Zermatt & Gornergrat Experience
“This is always a very memorable day in the sense that it is the day our guests meet the mighty Matterhorn. We take the cogwheel train, a spectacular yet gentle ride through the woods and past waterfalls and valleys to arriver arrive at the Gornergrat, which faces the Matterhorn. Here we dine at a beautiful restaurant with unforgettable views.”
Reside like Royalty in Geneva
“In Geneva we stay at the exclusive Hotel d’Angleterre. All our hotels are exceptional, but this is my very favorite on this tour and plays a huge role in our stay in Geneva. It is great base to explore this international city, with perfect views out over the lake and the famous Jet d’Eau.”
Fondue in La Gruyere
“In Switzerland, despite a wide variety of choices of cuisine, the big question always comes down to rösti or fondue! When we visit La Gruyere, we enjoy a very tasty cheese fondue which is delicious, followed by traditional meringues with double cream – true culinary decadence.”
VIP visit to the Rosengart Collections in Lucerne.
“What makes this so VIP experience special is that you can enjoy the most beautiful artwork, by Kandinsky, Picassos, Cézanne and Monet among others, all to yourselves. As this location is less well known to the wider public, it feels like being invited to a private collection. Whether you are an avid art lover, or just like to look, you will greatly enjoy the whole exclusive experience.”
What makes travel with Luxury Gold extra special?
“I really take the time get to know the guests, so I can tailor and personalize their vacation. The notes sent at the time of booking contain precious information. I can see who is traveling with who, friends or family for example, and what their interests are. From this I can fine-tune their tour.
“People often celebrate major birthdays and anniversaries with us and we make these occasions extra special. Little touches here and there, and a big cake of course! I always let the hotels know ahead of time if people are celebrating something special so that they can take extra good care of them as well.
“The bottom line of Luxury Gold is that guests actually receive much more – we always try to exceed expectations.”
For more information on Majestic Switzerland, and our full collection of luxury guided tours please visit our website and download our 2022 & 2023 interactive brochures.
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