Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

We traveled to Malta with another couple in May. Damon Allan did an outstanding job of planning our 6-day trip for us. It was clear from the beginning that he truly loves Malta and wants his clients to love it as much as he does. We worked with Damon for several months, planning and tweaking our itinerary, and at one point ended up with a potential package that exceeded our budget. When we asked him to pare it back a bit Damon graciously and quickly came up with suggestions and options to bring it back in line.

We knew we were in good hands when we landed in Malta and were met on the (hot) tarmac and whisked to our (cool) private car whilst fellow travelers were herded onto (hot) buses to be driven to the terminal to collect luggage. We’re very committed to carry-on luggage only and this commitment, along with Damon’s organization and planning, resulted in us being driven directly to our hotel without stepping foot inside the airport terminal. This likely pared at least an hour off of what was already a very long travel day.

We stayed at the Iniala hotel in Valletta and, as a benefit of being Damon’s clients, received a food and beverage credit and a welcome gift of wine and snacks in our room. The hotel is lovely and the view of the harbor is even lovelier. We can’t imagine staying anywhere else in Valletta. In the fascinating old walled city of Mdina we stayed at the Xara Palace and had the delightful experience of walking through the streets after dark, when it seemed as though we were the only people in the city.

Damon arranged for us to have a driver and a guide for our entire week in Malta. This was crucial to the success of our trip as our itinerary was very full and we certainly couldn’t have seen and done as much as we did had we not had transportation arranged to and from — and between — each excursion. Our guide Pierre is hands-down the best guide we’ve ever had. He is extremely knowledgeable about Malta’s very complex military and political history and is equally well versed in architectural and art history. We simply would not have had as rich an experience in Malta had we not had the benefit of his wonderful story-telling style of explaining what we were seeing and experiencing. Pierre is not only an incredibly well informed guide, he’s also very good at assessing his clients’ needs and interests and adapting to same. When we started to lag a bit on a very hot day he sensed our need for a rest and quickly found us a shady spot for a drink. When he noted we were starting to overdose on church artifacts he suggested a change of pace. And on one occasion when a scheduled car didn’t show up as planned he quickly ushered us to an interesting shopping street while he sorted things out. The delay wasn’t a big issue and certainly wasn’t a problem for us, but his handling of the situation speaks to his commitment to customer service and his desire to shield his clients from any inconvenience. Similarly, he accompanied us with our driver back to the front door of our hotel at the end of every day, even though some days our activities ended close to his own home. His insistence on escorting us to our hotel likely added another hour or so to his work day but he wanted to ensure that all went well for us.

The food in Malta was great. Damon booked reservations for us at very good restaurants and we unfailingly had the best tables.

Everything we saw and did in Malta was interesting and enjoyable. Some of the more unique experiences (lunch in an olive grove with a surprise presentation — thank you Damon — by a scholar/maker of traditional Maltese musical instruments, a picnic on the beach in Gozo, a visit to a private palazzo hosted by the owner) were possible because of Damon’s personal connections in Malta. These experiences simply wouldn’t have been available to tourists traveling/booking on their own and were a huge part of the value in working with Damon. Similarly, tourists traveling on their own would likely not have ended up with a guide of Pierre’s calibre.

We’ve not previously worked with a travel planner to the extent that we worked with Damon. Having done so, we’ll likely never travel again without dealing with someone on Wendy’s WOW List. We’re converts. Our trip to Malta was not inexpensive but we came away knowing we received incredible value for our expenditure. As noted, we believe we had unique experiences due to Damon’s personal connections. While we were in Pierre’s very capable hands every day, we also had the benefit of Damon’s long-distance involvement while we were in Malta. When it looked like the weather was not going to be favorable for a boat trip to the island of Gozo, he and Pierre worked their magic to juggle things and postpone the trip to the following day. This is something we could not have done on our own without considerable stress and without sacrificing other parts of our itinerary. As it was, everything was seamlessly reorganized for us such that we didn’t miss out on anything. It’s difficult to put a price tag on that kind of service/attention.

We’ve been home from our trip for just over a month and are still digesting all that we saw and learned. Now when we run into any kind of a day-to-day glitch (a lineup at the grocery store, an inability to get reservations at a favourite restaurant, difficulty finding a parking spot) we look at each other and say “Where are Damon and Pierre? Surely they could sort this out for us!“ Does this tell you how much Damon deserves to be on Wendy Perrin’s WOW List?

Travelers Nancy Mazarin and her husband, Guy, with their guide Stephen in Malta.

Nancy Mazarin and her husband, Guy, with their guide Stephen.

Our trip to Malta was a “WOW.” Damon Allan, our tour operator, was excellent. From the planning stages right through our return home he took care of every detail. Damon spoke with Stephen, our outstanding guide, continuously, ensuring a seamless trip.

We spent seven nights in Valletta (Iniala House) in a beautiful suite with a view of the harbour — well worth the cost. We toured during the day and had wonderful dinners in the evening, followed by vibrant nightlife on the streets after dinner. We spent the last three nights in Mdina, a medieval walled city, and again a wonderful hotel with a fabulous suite and views.

The history of Malta begins over 5,000 years ago and runs to the present — archeological sites through WW2. Our tours were all private tours, but some were more exclusive in private homes or special locations not available to the public: a dinner with two Knights of Malta, a private visit with a World War 2 collector in his home, a tour of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s villa which is being renovated, a tour by the wife of a 5th-generation Lord of her villa and grounds, just to name a few.

We had days filled with many different activities, adventures, learning, and fun. We allowed time to rest or hang out in the late afternoon followed by marvelous dinners.

Before our trip, friends asked us “what are you going to do on this small island for 10 days”? All I knew was that Damon planned what appeared to be a very good trip. I can answer now, we had 10 full days and nights and could have easily stayed another couple of days. Thanks Damon and Stephen.

The six of us well-travelled adults could not have been more pleased with the wide array of arrangements that Damon Allan and Denise Cassar put together for us. We arrived on a Sunday on four different flights and boarded a small ship on a Wednesday (May 12-15). From the pre-trip Zoom until the drop-off at the port, everything went smoothly and we learned a lot about the rich history of this island. Damon made arrangements for us to stay in a quieter part of Valletta and all of our activities were structured to avoid the crowds arriving and departing on two huge cruise ships. Our hotel was in a 16th-century building, with a lovely view of the harbor, friendly staff and excellent breakfasts. We could walk or take a little dghajsa boat during our free time to visit other parts of the city.

We got to contemplate the two Caravaggios at St. John’s Co-Cathedral a bit ahead of the crowd. We had one full day exploring the capital city with our guide Pierre and driver Mario, then a second day with them exploring ancient Malta. Both of them were delightful and knowledgeable and shared their perspectives on Malta while teaching us the complicated history of this small island. Wendy arranged for us to have a unique WOW Moment, touring the Villa Guardamangia with the curator, and it was a WOW! It is not currently open to the public due to renovation — it is where Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip lived during the early years of their marriage while Philip was in the Navy. We all loved the TV series The Crown and of course were thrilled to be able to visit! But to let you know how terrific this trip was, we joked that we were not certain what the WOW Moment was, because the entire visit was full of wow moments!

We also loved being able to visit a private palazzo in Mdina, which the owner had not yet opened to the public. We learned about his family history, including a political murder that took place on his balcony, knick-knacks and treasures found in the attic and what it takes to renovate a home dating back 400 years! The entire Mdina area was fascinating and we wished we could have had more time there. We also loved a private dinner at the Markus Divinus Winery during which the owner told us what is involved in growing grapes and making wine on this relatively small island. My inner nerd was pleased to visit the Hagar Qim, a prehistoric temple built to worship the fertility goddess and according to UNESCO, the oldest continuously standing structure in the world. Even before I had a chance to write my feedback, I received a phone call from the friend of a friend, who wanted to hear all about this trip and whether or not I could recommend a travel agent. I certainly encouraged her to call Damon’s office.

When we were trying to decide where to go next, we looked at some of the reviews from Wendy Perrin for inspiration. We were immediately drawn to Malta with Damon and Jason. This was our 109th country (we’re old). We wanted to do something a little different instead of just walking around old cities and visiting churches. We were intrigued with the many different activities we could choose from that were so different from anything we had done in the past.

I can’t even put into words how great it was. Unfortunately, we had to reschedule the trip 3 separate times. Damon remained the incredible professional, and changed everything repeatedly. I just wouldn’t give up. I was determined we were going to Malta.

Where to start? Damon. Never have I worked with someone who is so kind and great at his job. We were even lucky enough to meet him. He now lives in London, but obviously he spends time in Malta. He timed his trip so he could surprise us. We just adore him.

Hotel. He put us at the Domus Zamittello on the pedestrian street in Valletta. We loved it. Great location, great room, and wonderful staff. Damon booked us dinner reservations every night that were only a short distance from the hotel.

Guide and driver. We had Martin, who is a Knight of Malta. We were just fascinated with the knight history. He knows his stuff, and it was a pleasure to have him. Manwell was our driver and I just loved him. What a sweet unassuming man. I have some mobility issues, and he took such good care of me. (Damon even bought a foldable seat for me so I could sit down.)

Sights. Loved everything. Damon worked really hard to make sure our itinerary didn’t have a ton of steps and too much walking. Martin took it from there and adapted when necessary.

I loved all the unusual activities like the sheep farm, lunch in the olive grove, the picnic on the beach, the tour of the palazzo, the guilder, etc. We could go back and pick all different activities and be just as happy. Everything could have been our WOW Moment. That’s how special it all was.

I really can’t think of one thing I would change. It was just perfect, and I’m not the easiest to please. I suggest if you’re looking for something a little different, book Malta immediately.

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