Lunch at El Encanto, Santa Barbara

Photo: www.elencanto.com

Yesterday, Carol and the staff closed the office and drove up to Santa Barbara for a lunch seminar hosted by JH Hotel and Companies at the exquisite El Encanto Hotel.

Photo: www.elencanto.com

No one could have asked a more pleasant day - while the fierce Santa Ana's were blowing in Camarillo, Santa Barbara's weather was refugee from the winds. Perched on the hills of Santa Barbara (many know it as the California Rivera), sits this beautifully renovated El Encanto Hotel. Our staff did a hotel inspection of the accommodations and Carol said they were "some of the most beautiful rooms - modern and sophisticated yet relaxed. The bungalows are special for a romantic getaway yet comfortable for families. This is the way our clients should experience Santa Barbara."

Joanna Heathcote of JH Hotels and Companies treated us to wine on the patio and lunch in the ballroom. She showcased some of the small boutique hotels in France, Italy and Spain her firm represents. And we noted that all of them were just as special as the El Encanto. We often hear from our clients that the most important part of their trip were the accommodations - whether it was the feel of the sheets on the bed or the way the hotel smelled that evoked a certain feeling.

Joanna also brought representatives from limousine and tour companies from France, Italy and Spain to tell us about their product. The options are endless from private museum tours (yes, they actually close down the museum for you to tour!) to total culture immersion (why not learn to make pasta from a recipe that is more than 100 years old). One thing we learned is that our clients can actually enjoy a private and catered 5-course dinner in front of Michelangelo's David…you and 20 of your nearest and dearest for around $60,000.

Obviously, "exclusivity" doesn't come inexpensively (dining in front of David while the museum is closed is one of the more expensive options). However, Carol does suggest that when traveling, splurge on at least one thing and do it at the end of your trip; "it will be the last thing you remember about your vacation. It's a guarantee that you'll be talking about what you saw and how it made you feel for years to come."