Trip was absolutely amazing! The hotels were first class, the food was very good, and the daily tour guides were knowledgeable, professional, and personable. All of them were extremely easy to get along with. Sunny weather in London and the Cotswolds for an entire week didn’t hurt things, either!

We traveled to Scotland from 09/26/2024 until 10/12/2024. Scotland is a beautiful country with lovely people. We traveled from Glasgow to Edinburgh in a circle including the highlands into the lowlands. We had unusually beautiful weather and saw some Fall colors. It was a nice time to visit without excessive crowds.

Our trip planners provided excellent lodging suggestions and met our desire to see a lot of Scotland, hitting a lot of high points. We saw a lot of castles and learned much of Scotland history from the castles and visits to Culloden battlefield and Clava Cairns. Other highlights were a sheep dog demonstration at Great Times Farm which was fascinating, a wonderful boat ride on Loch Ness and seeing salmon jump at Shin Falls. Visiting Islay was also well worth it. We visited Lagavulin Distillery and Laphroaig Distillery, which were a good combination and quite different tours. We also spent a day learning about the history of the Island.

Our driver guides were great and very informative. Our walking tour of Edinburgh was really outstanding with a super informative guide. We also stayed at Inverlochy Castle, which was special. We did wish that rather than sightsee each day we might have had a down day there. Another very interesting visit was the Falkirk Wheel—quite a sight! We also very much enjoyed our visit to Dornoch. Quite a walkable and quaint town and even had a private dinner in a Vault at Dornoch Castle.

Jonathan and his team planned a fantastic five-day trip for my wife and me. It was our first time visiting Scotland, but it won’t be our last. Our trip was the first week of November, which was a perfect time to visit, as it was just after the tourist crush from summer and early autumn, and just before the tourist-heavy season of the Christmas Market.

Jonathan recommended we stay at 100 Princes Street. The hotel had not yet opened when we started our trip planning, but Jonathan knew the people who would be running it and was quite certain we’d love it. Just to be safe, he booked us at another fine property as well, in case early reviews from other clients of his were not stellar. The hotel’s location in Edinburgh is perfect for everything a first-time visitor could want to do and see, and every member of the hotel staff went above and beyond to make our stay perfect. The itinerary Jonathan put together struck a great balance between guided tours and activities, along with enough unscheduled free time to relax, shop, and visit a pub or two.

The guides were all very friendly and knowledgeable. We started with our guide Jill for an architectural walking tour of Edinburgh. While Jill knows a lot about the architectural history of the city, she shared so much more about notable people from Edinburgh and the impact they’ve had on the world. The time flew by before she ended the tour at Edinburgh Castle and gave us great recommendations about what to explore there. Another day we were met at our hotel at 5:30 pm by Tamara for an Edinburgh Food and Drink Walking Tour. We visited four different eating establishments where we learned about and sampled traditional Scottish dishes, including Haggis (it’s delicious!) and beverages. On another day we met our guide Murray for a one-hour drive to, and tour of, famous Stirling Castle. After the castle, Murray took us to Deanston Distillery, where we saw how Scotch Whisky is made and we got to taste several of the whiskies.

In addition to the wonderful tours, we ate at several restaurants recommended by Jonathan, all of which were excellent. We look forward to going back to see more of Scotland, and we will definitely have Jonathan do the planning for us.

We had a fabulous trip to Scotland in early October. Our decision to use Jonathan’s company was easy as we had a great experience with them on a trip to Ireland several years ago. This time Katie was our travel advisor. She was professional, responsive and a pleasure to work with.

We spent several days in Edinburgh after which we had a driver guide lead us through the Highlands and on to St. Andrews and Gleneagles. Hotels were all top-notch with excellent service.

The excursions were carefully catered to our desires and I can’t say enough about the guides. Our driver guide John, whom we were with for eight days and therefore key to our successful trip, was simply phenomenal. He was knowledgeable, interesting with a wonderful sense of humor.

Katie planned an amazing WOW Moment! We had a private three-hour tour at the headquarters/factory of a famous woolen/cashmere manufacturer. The company dates back to 1797 and we were able to see its extensive archives and then take a comprehensive soup-to-nuts tour of the manufacturing process. During the tour, we saw many recognizable designer products (not to be named here of course).

One thing you cannot predict in Scotland is the weather. Luckily we had lots of layers and rain gear. Come prepared!

Overall, this was an amazing trip. We were able to see and do the large majority of the identified sights and activities, even when accounting for weather challenges and other factors. Both London and Ireland are outstanding destinations and Jonathan’s team presented us with the perfect plan to enjoy our time in both. Guides were professional and ensured we had one of the best trips ever.

Ireland

Driver Guide:
Our driver, who picked us up in Dublin, was exceptional throughout our journey. He handled every change seamlessly, managing any issues at hotels or points of interest with professionalism. His flexibility, knowledge, and attentiveness made him an invaluable companion during our time in Ireland.

Accommodations:

• Ashford Castle – While the location and grounds were stunning, the room was disappointing. Both the Lodge and Castle buildings fell short of our expectations. Our room lacked a view, the service was mediocre, and overall, the experience did not meet our hopes. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t recommend Ashford Castle and are unlikely to return.
• Dromoland Castle – This exceeded all of our expectations. The service, the room, and the available activities (like falconry!) were outstanding. We highly recommend Dromoland over Ashford and would gladly return.

Points of Interest:
Our guide did a fantastic job taking us to all the planned locations. He quickly suggested alternatives when weather became an issue and introduced us to new stops when we had extra time. Jonathan and Katie’s recommendations were excellent, and the additional sites enriched our experience significantly.

Scotland

We absolutely loved our time in Scotland. When asked which country we preferred, our answer was “both!” However, Scotland stood out for several reasons, especially due to our fantastic driver/guide. Her humor, knowledge, and deep pride in her Scottish heritage made an immediate connection with us. We were genuinely sad to say goodbye in Edinburgh.

Accommodations:

• Gleneagles Hotel – This property was incredible! The staff, setting, activities, and accommodations were all outstanding. We had an unforgettable experience here and would highly recommend it.
• Isle of Eriska – While the location and grounds were beautiful, the accommodations and service didn’t meet our expectations. We wouldn’t recommend staying here or choosing it again.
• Cheval The Edinburgh Grand – Though the location was excellent, the room was disappointing. Several items, including the safe, were broken and remained unrepaired despite being reported. It may be suitable for families needing larger accommodations, but we wouldn’t recommend it or return. In hindsight, we wish we had chosen Gleneagles Townhouse instead.

Points of Interest:
Our guide was amazing. Not only did she take us to all the planned destinations, but she also surprised us with additional stops. Her enthusiasm and local knowledge made the journey even more enjoyable, and we would highly recommend her.

Additional Thoughts:
Overall, we enjoyed the trip, but there was one major issue that caught us by surprise. This was our fourth Wendy Perrin “Wow” trip, and while previous trips left us thoroughly “wowed,” this one fell short in one key aspect.

When we first contacted Jonathan and Katie, we proposed a budget. During our initial discussion, they asked if we could increase it by a few thousand dollars, which we agreed to as our maximum. We assumed, as with our previous trips, that the price would be all-inclusive. However, this trip excluded hotels (though they booked them for us as part of the itinerary) and many entrance fees. This was quite different from our prior Wow trips, which were all-inclusive except for meals and guide tips.

For future travelers, we recommend clarifying the total budget upfront with Jonathan and Katie, including hotels and entrance fees. Make sure you fully understand what the paid fee covers to avoid any surprises during your travels, as we experienced with our exceeded budget.

RESPONSE FROM WENDY:

I want to thank Brad for his review because it raises important points and takeaways for everyone.

First, it’s important to know that different trip planners work differently and have different pricing models and policies. So it’s always wise to assume that payment practices, and terms and conditions in general, will differ from one WOW List trip planner to another.

When it comes to how Jonathan and Katie work, depending on the itinerary they can often give travelers a choice: You can either (1) prepay for a fully packaged trip that includes the hotel costs, or (2) prepay for the transportation/touring/experiences only, then pay the hotels directly at the time of your stay (with the hotels using your credit card as a guarantee). Many people prefer option 2—waiting and paying the hotels upon check-out—since there are benefits to that, such as more lenient cancellation terms. In Brad’s case, Jonathan and Katie say they suggested option 2 because, like so many travelers, Brad wanted pricing transparency, and option 2 is the more transparent option.

As for Brad’s disappointment with some of the hotels, that’s a reminder of another important tip: If you’re unhappy with your room or a hotel’s service level during a hotel stay, notify the trip planner immediately, while you’re still at the hotel. Once you’re home, it’s too late for the hotel to take steps to fix the problem and improve your experience. Jonathan and Katie say they always tell every traveler to reach out to them during their trip if there is any issue, as they are “quick to fix things that a client may not like.”

Brad traveled during the peak summer period, when hotel rates are at their highest. Luxury hotel rates have been shockingly high in some parts of Europe, thanks to post-pandemic travel demand and local inflation—and, of course, the more a hotel room costs, the higher your expectations will be, and the less likely they’ll be met. I urge travelers to keep this in mind as they decide where and when to travel. If you can travel at off-peak times, do!

An excellent guide for a hike near Glencoe in Scotland’s West Highlands made for “the most fun and rewarding excursion of the entire trip.”

My husband and I have long wanted a trip to Scotland for just the two of us, and we finally took the opportunity while our girls were at sleep away camp. There were a hundred things that we wanted to do, but we narrowed it down so that we could both discover new things and spend time relaxed in the atmosphere and culture of Scotland.

We began our trip in Edinburgh where we wandered for miles and miles around the city’s Royal Mile and Dean’s Village. On a return trip, we would undoubtedly take the trail from Dean’s Village to Leith via the River Leith. The Royal Mile was a wonderful mix of small side streets, pubs, churches, and glorious architecture. I recommend the guided tour as well as walking on one’s own to better hear the stories that the centuries have to tell. Then we had dinner at Heron, which was an exceptional meal.

The next morning we hiked Arthur’s Seat, and I’m so glad we did! It was just the right level of strenuous. On the way there, we passed through a charming old cemetery, and we ended at Hollyroodhouse Palace, just at the bottom of the Royal Mile. We again walked up the Mile, seeing things from a different perspective and doing a little shopping along the way. (Note: I found the widest range of shopping for items Made in Scotland to be available in Edinburgh. We held off on buying too much wanting to see what came on the rest of the trip, and looking back, we should have stocked up there instead.)

That night, we did a food tour, which was wonderful, but quite a bit different than what I had expected. I sort of thought we would be experiencing haggis three ways at each stop. Rather, we had a very thoughtful guide who walked us through how Scotland has been shaped through the centuries by the world of which it is a critical part. It was lovely, and in the end, we did in fact get the haggis!

Our stay in Edinburgh was at Gleneagles Townhouses. A 10 out of 10. Fantastic food, service, and accommodations—I only wish the windows opened to enjoy the cool air.

From Edinburgh, we drove west. Our driver became a fast friend for sure, and having the driver made the entire trip more relaxing as the roads really are that narrow and windy. She recommended a couple of stops on the way out of town, but far and away our favorite part of this drive was the stop at Stirling Castle. We could have spent two days in and around the village. We were running a bit late by the time we left the castle, so we skipped Wallace’s Memorial, which even in retrospect seems like the right call.

One of the places we really dreamed of seeing on this trip was Isle of Skye, and though we did not have time to tour it properly, we did drive a portion of the Island after making our way to Eileen Donan Castle. Though a limited trip, we did feel as though we saw the Island in two ways as it was quite sunny on the way out, and quite cloudy on the way back. The drama of the mountains and valleys was exactly as we pictured it.

We made our way to Glencoe House, which was another exceptional stay. The Scottish weather rolled in as we departed for a guided hike one day. We were incredibly grateful to have the experience and navigational expertise of the guide—without her, we likely would have turned back and not ventured on the trail. With her help, we actually had the most fun and rewarding excursion of the entire trip. The next day, we had a tour of Lismore Island. The experience with the shepherd was fantastic. My only advice would be to ask—can we do that?!? The guides there seemed not quite as used to people who wanted to get out of the car or scramble up a muddy hill. One of the coolest historic spots on the Island was Tirefour Broch, a circular structure built in the Broze Age. There were lots of people walking and biking the Island, which in sunny weather would have been glorious indeed.

While at Glencoe House, we dined at the Loch Leven Seafood Cafe, which I’m so glad we did. It was a 20-minute drive, which our driver was wonderfully accommodating to take us on. The food was incredibly fresh local seafood, the vibe was super casual, and we left very happy. We also had a dinner at the Laroch Restaurant which featured more wild game. It was also delicious and attached to a pub that had an outdoor seating area that was a refreshing way to end the night.

From Glencoe we headed to Glasgow. We didn’t have much time in the city, but we did make sure to dine at Cail Bruich, which was far and away the best meal of the trip. The Glasgow airport is a smaller airport, so if you have an early morning flight, I recommend checking what time the gates open as we waited a little more than half an hour to check in.

We are so glad to have had our first taste of Scotland and look forward to exploring other parts of this gorgeous landscape in the near future.

Mike Lanaux, Lindsay Lanaux, Cathy Chessin, Andy Podolnick on the way to Applecross.

We wanted to take a trip to Scotland to see castles and stay in castles. Katie and Jonathan delivered castles and so much more. We had a driver/guide for 10 days who was so knowledgeable about Scottish history and culture and, most importantly, where the best pubs were along the way. We had all of the Scottish traditional dishes such as fish and chips, haggis, nips and tatties and cullen skenk, along with fabulous fresh seafood, especially oysters and mussels.

At our first castle stay, we toured Culzean Castle and Robert Burns’ birthplace. Our second stay was a traditional Scottish country house. Here we toured Glamis Castle and enjoyed a scotch tasting at a local distillery. Our third stop was another castle situated in the Torridon Hills. Here, we toured Eilean Donan castle and enjoyed a winding drive to Applecross with some of the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere. Our fourth stop was Royal Dornach where we toured Dunrobin Castle and enjoyed another scotch tasting. Our final stop was Edinburgh where we toured Edinburgh Castle and my husband was fitted with a kilt. Our walking guide in Edinburgh was also extremely knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor.

There were too many other stops and adventures along the way to mention. All in all it was a fabulous trip!

Traveler Jeannie Mullen in Kilmartin “transported back 3,000 years” among the Nether Largie standing stones.

Returning now from Scotland…. My most recent trip to Scotland was a delightful mix of town and country, art and architecture, lochs and moors, castles and cathedrals, leisurely drives and brisk walks, and…of course food and whiskey. The only other thing that I could have hoped for was to have had more days to spend experiencing all of the above.

Jonathan and Katie put together a terrific itinerary with great hotels and interesting day trips. Solo travel in the off season with a private driver/guide allowed for so many rich and unscripted moments. I was paired with Davie MacLeod, a member of both Clan Cameron and Clan MacCleod. Davie was great company, and told captivating stories that included Scottish history and lore interwoven with his and his in laws’ clan history. He also introduced me to a variety of local Scottish cuisine, including haggis, neeps and tatties, which I fully enjoyed and from which my waistline is currently suffering. Last but not least, I learned a number of colorful local phrases from him that I can’t wait to share back home.

Highlights from the trip include discovering Dean’s Village and the Water of Leigh Walkway in Edinburgh on my own after an unavoidable last minute food tour cancelation, spending an entire day driving around Isle of Skye at our leisure without the usual tourist traffic, eating fresh muscles straight from Loch Fyne, trekking up to Dunadd’s Fortress where kings were taken to be inaugurated with virtually no one else in sight, walking among the Nether Largie standing stones at Kilmartin again without any other foot traffic, spending a morning at GlenEagles working with May, an 16-month-old Harris Hawk in training, and my WOW Moment… meeting face-to-face with those distinctively gorgeous and very chill Heiland Coos (Highland Cows) (thank you Wendy!)

In all, a great experience on a trip which was planned and executed with incredible attention to detail. Thank you again Wendy, Jonathan and Katie.

We and another couple contacted Jonathan because our daughters had tickets to see Taylor Swift in Dublin. We spent a wonderful weekend with them in Dublin and sent them home after the concert. We then spent the next week traveling around the southern loop of Ireland. Jonathan and his colleague Katie put together an itinerary that included all of the must-sees but also off the beaten path sites, offering a more authentic experience—and fewer tourists.

Ireland is the Emerald Isle for a reason; the variety of green is unlike anywhere else. Jonathan insisted we use a driver for the week and that was probably the best advice he gave us. Tommy was fantastic! He is an active and self-taught student of Irish history, which is very handy when there are ruins on every corner. He also took the time to learn what we did and did not like and tweaked our itinerary accordingly. His guidance was truly catered to us on a day-by-day basis, even down to tiniest details.

This type of trip calls for a lot of driving. We do wish more physical activity (hikes, paddling) had been included. We should have made sure such activities were added to the itinerary. We just wish we’d had more opportunity to move!

One unexpected highlight was a private sheep dog demonstration at Caherconnell Fort. Who knew there was so much skill and communication between the farmer and the Border Collies? It was a privilege to watch them work together, as they have for generations. We debated keeping this activity in our itinerary and it would have been a big loss if we missed it.

All of the hotels were top notch, but none compared to Dromoland Castle. Everyone should experience a castle at least once, especially one where you can try falconry, clay shooting and archery all in one afternoon. We would not recommend dinner at the castle, but otherwise it was amazing!

Travelers Susan Ketchum and her husband at a prehistoric cemetery in Inverness.

Our first trip to Scotland exceeded our expectations. We worked with Jonathan and Katie. This was our second time working with them.

We discussed our thoughts before the trip and they responded quickly with a suggested itinerary. We chose to travel in August so we could see the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at the Edinburgh Castle. It was spectacular and we are so happy to have had this experience. Definitely a highlight of our trip.

We had a wonderful guide who provided a walking tour of Edinburgh one of the 3 days we were there. Our room at 100 Princes Street, which just opened in April, was lovely and the staff first class.

We had a driver/guide for the remainder of our trip and I definitely think this is the way to tour Scotland. Our guide John was delightful. He had loads of personal knowledge about all the places we visited. It was so nice to be able to enjoy the scenery and not worry about directions or oncoming traffic on the narrow roads!

With one exception, we felt that our accommodations were really special. We traveled to Glencoe Valley, the Highlands along part of the North Coast 500, back down to Dornoch, ending at the Gleneagles Hotel, which is celebrating 100 years. In our 2 week trek, we saw many interesting sites, including Inverewe Gardens, Urquhart Castle, Dunrobin Castle, and the Culloden Battlefield among others. We came away with a great appreciation of Scotland’s long and often difficult history, and also for the great beauty of the land, stunning! The Scottish people are wonderful hosts! Our itinerary was flexible allowing for time to have lunches along the way, walk into local towns, or decide to just enjoy the amazing hotels and resorts we were staying in.

One thing was clear throughout the trip… Jonathan and his team certainly have a known and excellent reputation in Scotland. Even the guides commented that they enjoyed working with clients of his company and felt the experience from their point of view was many levels above other companies they work with.

Two hours of private falconry was a highlight of Michelle Block’s “soooo memorable” Scotland travels.

THANK YOU Jonathan, Katie, Allyson and your team for planning our trip and our wonderful guides to Bath, Stonehenge, the Cotswolds (5 days, guides—Adgue and Maeve), and Scotland (16 days, Scott and Dave…our men in kilts)!!! It was flawless and soooo memorable. Each guide brought their own personalities and stories to enable us to learn about culture and history. It was fun learning the origin of some of our sayings.

Everything on our bucket list was met with some special additions. For example we opted due to the amount of steps to switch from a castle to visiting the wonderful preserved ruins of the St. Elgin monastery and then visit an abbey to hear the monks saying afternoon vespers, an experience indeed. Our goal of 2 hrs of private falconry and the highland games in Helmsdale (northeast Scotland) were remarkable. The hotels/castle of Glenapp, Isle of Eriska, and the Royal Crescent transplanted you into the world of luxury. Edinburg brought us the Scotsman right in the middle of everything to enjoy the royal mile and fringe fest. The Military Tattoo is a must if you visit in August. Pictures cannot describe the places we were taken, some off the tourist route, to appreciate the highlands and inner and outer Hebrides as well as special areas in southern Scotland, which Scott said is not on the tour guide itineraries (it should be).

We enjoyed going to distilleries which you may not have heard about and of course brought home a bottle. It is wonderful to see that all of the accommodations give accolades to Jonathan’s company. The phone app is great to keep track of where you went and where you are going in addition to helpful tips on tipping. We found the people friendly wherever we went and the hospitality was wonderful and charming. We can’t wait to start planning our vacation to Sicily and Italy with Wendy Perrin for the spring.

Jonathan’s team did a great job planning the last leg of our Scottish journey. We had started in Edinburgh and then did a Backroads biking trip in the Northeast near St. Andrews. Our wonderful guide James, selected by Jonathan’s company, picked us up at the end of our bike trip and brought us west to the Torridon and beyond.

It was a lovely trip and James really made it great. He quickly figured us out as clients—what we liked and cared about, our priorities. Then throughout the trip he figured out ways to adapt and customize each day. He was highly knowledgeable and resourceful—lovely in all respects.

The best hotel was The Torridan. We only spent 2 nights there but could have easily stayed for more. The whisky bar and tasting was world-class, the dinners excellent, and the grounds beautiful.

This was our fourth trip with Jonathan and Katie and their team did a tremendous job! The company helped plan a multi-generational trip for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, which was no small feat. There were dietary / health restrictions to consider along with preferences, and very different travel styles. But the team made the planning stress-free and the actual travel seamless.

Plus, at our request, they arranged for us to travel with a guide they had introduced my husband and I to previously. Robert delighted my whole family and truly is the most wonderful guide. Robert and the team arranged for 4 days of touring from Edinburgh to Inverness and back for us, with activities to entertain everyone from my 5-yr-old nephews to my 73-yr-old dad—including a fantastic (despite the cloudy weather) boat cruise across Loch Ness.

Our driver, Kenny, was also wonderful—extremely patient and such a good sport driving the 8 of us around Scotland! It was a lovely trip, full of memories for our family. I can’t thank the team enough for helping us pull it off!

Our family of 4 traveled to Ireland. We had a few things planned and worked with Katie Stewart to add driver/guides, accommodations in Dublin, and special touches. Katie and her team really nailed our intention to have a full but not hectic tour of the Southwest using the sweet town of Killarney as our home base. Our driver/guide, Ger, was exceptional in his approach—professional yet engaging and full of local knowledge and charm.

Killarney was an absolute highlight as a homebase due to its location in the national park, variety of dining, pubs, music and shopping. We would have been heartbroken to simply pass through this gem of a town. And, the Killarney Park hotel exceeded expectations with its lush garden setting, fabulous breakfast and doting staff. Our return to Dublin and stay at The Dylan introduced us to a new neighborhood and the attention to detail again exceeded our expectations. Katie and her team could not have been more on-point for our crew. Thanks for the memories!

Our trip to London that Katie Stewart planned was fantastic! It started out rough, not because of Katie’s planning, but because our flights were cancelled due to the CrowdStrike issues. Katie was quick to rearrange our plans due to these glitches and all was done smoothly and seamlessly. The hotel that was arranged was top-notch. Location was amazing on the edges of central London and SOHO. Highlights of our trip included a “behind the glass” tour of Churchill’s War Rooms. If you like history, even if you don’t, we highly recommend this tour. The bunker rooms are just like they left them at the end of the war. From there, we walked through central London, Parliament and Big Ben, but more unique highlights included the historic hat shop to all the royals, Churchill and others. The cigar store that kept Churchill supplied during his stressful war days. And a personal view of King Charles leaving St James Palace! Can’t guarantee that on every tour, but our guide, Angus, was very knowledgeable and observant to place us in a spot that was likely to see King Charles.

We also replicated the iconic Beatles’ Abbey Road crossing and saw many of the studios and venues in SOHO that vaulted the careers of artists such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Elton John, The Sex Pistols and more. We also toured London and learned its history through 4 drinks, tea, coffee, beer and gin, as well as a food walking tour through East London that taught us London’s food options have matured and match that of any place in the world. A huge improvement from the poor reputation of yore.

Katie customized our trip to our perfect interests. And we finished our trip watching our daughter perform in an honors choir at Royal Festival Hall, a short walk across the Thames from our hotel.

Our tour guides, Emma, Angus, Chris, George and Nicholas, were all fantastic. All knowledgeable and all attentive to our wishes. They made our London trip amazing and left us wanting to visit again. London is now one of our favorite places in the world and a place we definitely recommend all to experience.

Cheers!

We went to Scotland and Katie helped us mostly with the Highlands. The trip was great. Katie found an incredible hotel in the Highlands called Isle of Eriska. We could have just hung out there for a few days and participated in the many activities they have there. We did take advantage of the hotel’s trip to the Isles of Mull, Iona and Staffa (as recommended by Katie). The trip was great. We also spent a day at the hotel bike riding and taking advantage of the spa activities.

We had good car tours of the Highlands and saw many of the highlights. The only drawback was that Katie arranged a driver, but not a guide, something I was unaware of when setting up the tour. That may have been my fault for not reading that we’d have a driver, but we never discussed the options. We wanted a guide to learn about the history of Scotland and the Highlands. Also, hotels were not included in the pricing, unlike many other travel agents recommended by Wendy Perrin.

Response from Trusted Travel Expert Jonathan Epstein:

We appreciate April’s feedback, as it helps us improve and gives us the opportunity to clarify some of the items raised.

We are sorry there was confusion on how hotel payments would work. Most travel companies price trips as a complete package. We sometimes do that, but because of our special relationships with hotels, on many trips we are able to break out hotel pricing separately from the other trip costs, with the travelers paying the hotels directly upon check-out. This provides greater transparency, and in April’s case, it allowed us to move lightning-fast to get the hotels booked – availability was extremely tight! So we got accommodations secured first, and then we priced the driver guides and other services separately. We noted this on a few occasions with April, including in our initial call, the original proposal, the final itinerary, and the hotel confirmation documents.

We paired April with a driver guide who had led other trips with great success. But as a result of April’s feedback and others that we received during this time, we will no longer be working with him.

Our family of five (kids ages 25, 24, 17) had a terrific trip to Ireland planned by Jonathan’s office. We flew into Dublin and a car service brought us directly to Galway for a three-night stay. We loved the Glenlo Abbey Hotel — it’s in the country, but only a quick shuttle ride away from Galway City. Our “can’t miss” Galway favorites were: falconry experience at Glenlo Abbey, Galway food tour, sheepdog demonstration at Caherconnell Fort, and of course the Cliffs of Moher. Votes were mixed on the Aran Islands (Inisheer) — some of us loved its rustic, authentic vibe and others got bored after a couple hours.

Our next stop was three nights in Killarney. The Aghadoe Heights Hotel was our favorite hotel of the trip. Spring for a lakeview room at this hotel! Our Killarney highlights were dinner at Mizu, hiking the Torc Waterfall, holding baby lambs in Dingle, and our private tour at Molly Gallivans. Molly Gallivans had it all — bread making, moonshine tasting, prehistoric rock formations, and cute animals to feed. Reviews were mixed on the Dingle Peninsula/Slea Head drive. We all loved the gorgeous scenery, but some of us got tired of sitting in the car.

Our last city was Dublin with a three-night stay at the Shelbourne. Our city highlights were a walking tour with Ronan from Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours, strolling St Stephen’s Green, the Long Room at Trinity College, and lunch at Cake Cafe. In retrospect, two nights would have been enough in Dublin, but we enjoyed our time there.

Our biggest piece of advice is to invest in a driver guide! Our driver, Sean, had great advice throughout and made the entire trip so low-stress and enjoyable. Worth every penny.

Our trip to Scotland was very enjoyable. The logistics went well and there were no real hiccups. Jonathan’s staff was very responsive when we had a minor issue with our room at the last hotel. Our driver was friendly, safe and prompt. We had two local guides for the more challenging hikes, and they were excellent—very experienced and personable.

Cromlix was an excellent hotel (and not the one originally chosen by Jonathan’s team for us, which we didn’t like after looking at reviews). Glencoe House was not at all the right choice for us. It’s stuffy, formal, austere, and not comfortable. The room was laid out strangely, with old furniture, poor lighting, and the bedroom window looked right out on the parking lot at street level. Although the windows do open (necessary in order to be cool enough to sleep), there were enormous folding wooden shutters that kept the air from circulating if closed, and if open, light would pour in. That said, the view from the room where we had our meals was gorgeous and the staff was excellent. Overall, it was extremely expensive, and we would have been much better off in a village where we could have walked to a pub for a meal. The Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh was very good and extremely well located.

Most of our comments go to your last question—did the travel planner add value? We feel we paid a lot of money for them to book us into the hotels and hire a driver, which we could have done ourselves pretty easily. Their ideas on where to go were good, but they subcontracted the planning to a Scottish agent who it seemed had never planned a hiking trip before. We were told that our driver would also be a guide, and would accompany us on our hikes if we wanted. While we didn’t need or want him to, it was clear he never had any intention of doing so if we had. He was a driver and not a guide, and had previously only driven guests who played golf, visited distilleries, and stopped at viewpoints to take photos. He made some good suggestions about places to stop on our drives, but in every instance, he simply pulled into a parking lot and waited for us there—he never once “guided” us on any of our stops. Another thing we would have appreciated was the ability to speak directly to the local guides ahead of time so that we—and they—could make well-informed decisions about the hikes based on our interests and ability. Things worked out fine, but it would have been better to do some planning in advance with them. Finally, when we asked Jonathan’s office for restaurant advice for Edinburgh, they simply contacted the concierge at The Scotsman Hotel and had them send us their generic list. Other travel planners we’ve worked with have their own tried and true recommendations. We found places on our own, so no value added there.

The bottom line is that we paid a lot of money for what we felt was little planning. The areas we went to were great, but likely places we would have found on our own, so there was no real value added. Their fee did not include the hotels, any meals, or really anything besides hiring the driver, two local guides, and booking the hotels. This is very different from every other trip we have taken with WOW List companies.

Response from Trusted Travel Expert Jonathan Epstein:

We appreciate Richard’s feedback, as it will help us improve and gives us the opportunity to clarify some of the issues raised.

We’re glad Richard enjoyed Cromlix; though our initial proposal focused on elite hotels near hiking and outdoor experiences, we suggested Cromlix after Richard shared that he preferred more intimate, high-end properties, even if farther from hiking areas. We are sorry that Glencoe House was a disappointment. While we understand that Richard would have liked to be in a town, this is a rural region with few towns, and the town hotels would not have matched the caliber of property that Richard requested. We should have done a better job of setting expectations and explaining the hotel landscape in this expansive, less-populated region, and the sacrifices made when opting to stay in town.

One thing I must make clear: We do not subcontract the itinerary-design process. I am not sure why Richard felt this way. Of course we enjoy collaborating with our excellent partners such as driver guides, but we maintain complete creative and structural control of every trip. As noted in many other reviews, our driver guides are typically one of the best parts of a traveler’s experience, and it disappoints me greatly that Richard did not enjoy the driver guide we matched him with. We took his feedback seriously, and though other travelers had enjoyed this driver guide, my investigation and subsequent reviews led me to decide to no longer work with him.

With regard to dinner reservations, we collaborate with elite concierge teams at our preferred hotels. The restaurant industry is constantly changing, and though I have enjoyed many wonderful meals in Edinburgh, I feel it would be a disservice to our travelers to not get the very latest news from concierges, who are booking hundreds of reservations and constantly getting feedback from their hotel guests. In addition, if a traveler wants to change a reservation, the concierge is right there to help. Working closely with concierge teams on dinner reservations is one of our evolutions since Covid and has led to improved feedback.

We went under Jonathan’s arrangements to the south of Ireland on our honeymoon for a week after our Sligo-based wedding and really enjoyed our time! We were so busy planning our wedding and coordinating with close family & friends to travel that it left very little time & energy to plan our honeymoon, so we reached out to Wendy Perrin’s team as we’d been on a few other family vacations that were marvelous with them. On our solo couples trip, we experienced some wonderful places of Ireland and of working with an experienced team and some that weren’t quite as ideal.

The Poor
When we reached out to Jonathan’s team, we provided an initial budget and were told that we needed to increase it considerably to get the full experience. Understanding that luxury pricing often leads to a luxurious experience, we discussed and did a bit of research, and ultimately decided to move forward with a refreshed budget as informed by their team. Unfortunately, when all was said and done, even the higher-end budget that was provided wasn’t inclusive of planning, touring, and accommodation costs incurred during the trip, not to mention food & extras, leading to some strain as a newly-married couple. More transparency in what is included, what isn’t, etc. would be helpful for those that may be more price conscious!

On the trip, there were very few aspects that we didn’t enjoy, but there were a few that were somewhat unfortunate, namely our first stay just post-wedding. The first hotel that we were recommended & stayed at was a very nice hotel, the G, in Galway and usually would likely be marvelous. We were given a suite facing the bay with floor-to-ceiling windows—gorgeous views. Unfortunately, the hotel had recently switched owners and the staff informed us that they’d had difficulty with the central heating & cooling for months. The days were on the warmer side for April and, to top it off, the floor-to-ceiling windows created a greenhouse effect in the room, leaving us in a 90+ degree Fahrenheit room every evening. The staff did provide a bucket of ice for us to use to cool ourselves off, but unfortunately there was little to help with the issue (aside from drawing the blinds upon entry into the room each afternoon!) and no alternative rooms available.

The Wonderful
Everything else. Truly, nearly everything else was marvelous. The locations—Connemara, Galway, Killarney, Dingle, and Dublin—were all wonderful to see, the food was fabulous, the people were so nice. It’s hard to whittle down to a few things, but I’ll try to put the best of the best below!

We so enjoyed the driver, Pat, that we worked with throughout the trip. He was so knowledgeable, friendly & informative and was able to tailor each day to feedback that we provided throughout the trip. The true gems of Ireland came through Pat’s recommendations and timing. We went to a sheep farm for a private sheep dog show and, by happenstance, watched two lambs be born and then got to feed them their first bottles! Pat drove us to a perfumery in the Burren where we picked out signature scents for our honeymoon; a place we truly would’ve never known of or found without him. Pat altered a driving-heavy day after hearing that we were still wiped out post-wedding to instead send us on a serene horse & buggy ride through the mountains of Kerry, giving us some of the best views we saw the whole trip! He provided some of the most marvelous food and drink recommendations each night, sending us to fantastic pubs for live music, steakhouses, and local fish-and-chip shops. Pat seemed to know everyone and everything and truly made our time there unforgettable.

Our favorite hotel that we stayed at was the Aghadoe Heights in Killarney. It was a bit outside of the town, which added a bit of travel time to the evenings, but taxis were incredibly easy to nab and the staff was generally willing to drop you off & pick up within certain times. The hotel’s views were unbeatable regardless of the time of day and the bar & restaurant there was incredible. We had a dinner there that, shockingly, may have been one of my favorites of the whole trip. I’m not usually a fan of hotel-based restaurants—sometimes they’re poorly done—but the chefs & wait staff outdid themselves. There was an asparagus soup dish that I’ll dream of having regularly from here on out and the veal was perfection.

As far as the landscape & culture, don’t miss out on the Dingle Peninsula. That was likely the most picturesque views of the whole trip and the local artisans throughout that region were really neat. We got keepsakes at a workshop where you could go back and watch hand-cut crystal be made by former Waterford craftsmen, we had a silversmith make an Ogham bracelet for me with our wedding details on it, and bought pottery from a marvelous shop inspired by the local nature. That’s not to mention the food there—local ice cream, fish brought off the boat that very morning, and more—and the rest the area had to offer including ancient dwellings, more sheep than you can count, and Star Wars filming locations.

All in all, it was a packed but absolutely marvelous honeymoon. We enjoyed ourselves to the fullest and got to see a side of Ireland we weren’t yet familiar with—and do so in style!

Response from Trusted Travel Expert Jonathan Epstein:

We appreciate Reagan’s review and are so happy that they had such a special honeymoon trip!

Every one of our trips starts with a call, during which one of the biggest areas of focus is the trip budget. We share estimates of what things cost and manage expectations. Prices across Europe have risen significantly from 2020 to 2024. We initially told Reagan that we may not be the right fit because of her budget and fears that it would not align with current pricing. However, after a few discussions, Reagan chose to move forward with us. We did our best to keep everything within budget and worked to squeeze as much value as we could into the trip. We transparently presented prices for each trip element, and the hotel costs included extra amenities, full breakfast, and VAT. In our budget discussions, we could have spent more time discussing trip costs that were not part of our itinerary, such as lunches and dinners that would be purchased independently. Pricing for meals is generally the same as in the U.S., so we do not focus too much on this, but we will talk more about these budget elements in the future.

While the g Hotel in Galway has delighted many Wendy Perrin travelers, the situation at the hotel on this occasion was not optimal, and we are sorry for that. Given our strong relationship with management, we wish we’d had the chance to fix the situation when Reagan was still there. This is a good reminder for all travelers: If you are ever unhappy with anything during a trip, please notify your planner immediately so we can take action. Once the trip is over, we feel terrible as we never had the chance to solve the problem. With our knowledge and relationships, we are confident that we can always make things better, and we relish that opportunity.

First-time visit to Scotland and was fortunate to have our June trip planned by Jonathan Epstein and Katie Stewart. They are a WOW team. Every aspect of our trip was letter perfect. We visited Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as the Inverness and West Highland regions, which gave us an excellent overview of the country. While the temperature was a few degrees below normal, we never had to open our umbrellas during the 2-week visit. It did rain but only during the night or during a relocation drive.

Every one of the 5 selected hotels was truly outstanding. Room size and location was ideal. Staff always friendly and helpful. Then there were our guides. We were fortunate to have John McElwee escort us for most of our 2 weeks. He is the consummate professional. An excellent driver who quickly learned our interests and worked hard to ensure we saw and did everything of interest. He knows his whiskey and we (I) enjoyed many tastings during the trip. Didn’t try haggis. Perhaps next time.

When my husband and I wanted to plan a week in the Cotswolds, we knew Jonathan and Katie and their group were the ones to contact. We had utilized them previously for a trip to Ireland, and trusted their knowledge and professionalism.

As before, they excelled in every facet of this trip. We explained that we wanted to spend days with cultural activities, hands-on experiences, plus have downtime just to be. The accommodations and itinerary they put together suited us perfectly (thanks, Jonathan, for encouraging us to stay at the Whatley Manor; it is a VERY special place).

From visits to a cheese-making factory, a trip to a brewery that uses the same equipment and techniques it has for hundreds of years, to a tasting at the wonderful Cotswold Distillery (the first full-scale distillery in the Cotswolds), to visiting Bath and the myriad of beautiful villages in the area, everything worked perfectly. The drivers and guides who took us on these adventures were second to none, and provided us with so much information on the area.

As if that were not enough, Wendy and Jonathan’s staff arranged for an incredible WOW Moment during our stay at Whatley Manor. We spent a day with Ricki Weston, their Executive Chef, foraging in his favorite places and then returned to his kitchen where he gave us a lesson in cooking, and even prepared a meal for us. What a special experience; thanks to you both, Wendy & Jonathan!

Jonathan’s team made our vacation a smooth and seamless experience, and we will not hesitate to call on them again.

The hotels chosen by Jonathan’s team were outstanding for the most part. The Manor House in Castle Combe and Lainston House just outside Winchester were both exceptional, with beautiful grounds, great food and very helpful staff. We especially enjoyed sitting in the garden and taking in the view at Lainston House. Great Fosters, near Heathrow, was a beautiful place and we had a fine dinner at their Michelin-starred restaurant, The Tudor Pass. (This 7-course meal took more than 3-and-a-half hours, so be prepared for an investment of your time.) However, their breakfast buffet was a bit skimpy, our bathroom was a bit grungy, and the staff left a great deal to be desired. One girl at the front desk was very friendly and helpful, but just about everyone else acted like we were imposing upon them.

Jon Moorhouse was the driver-guide on our first trip with Jonathan in 2022, and my mother and I were so glad to see him again! Jon massaged our itinerary to take advantage of better weather, and, knowing our interest in churches and cathedrals, made sure we got to attend a service with music at Wells Cathedral, found a cathedral for us to visit while we explored Wales, and even took us round to visit his own parish church. (The church was a gem, by the way, but to protect it from Instagram I won’t name it.)

We began by visiting Westonbirt Arboretum and Bowood House & Gardens, where we had a lovely walk around the lake and enjoyed the “Capability” Brown landscape. We explored Wells Cathedral, where we met Basil, the Cathedral Cat. He has a bed on the ticket counter and an official identity badge. We also visited nearby Glastonbury Abbey, which we felt like we could have skipped. We took a day off from touring on a Bank Holiday and enjoyed The Manor House and the village. Castle Combe really is charming, with a lovely little country church and war memorial. I know we had to spend the holiday somewhere, but maybe it shouldn’t have been in “England’s prettiest village,” which may also be England’s smallest village and was simply overrun with selfie-takers. Ugh!

We spent two more days touring with Jon. We drove into Wales, visiting Tintern Abbey (much more interesting than Glastonbury), Raglan Castle and Brecon Cathedral. Then we visited the gardens at Stourhead House, which were simply magnificent, on our way to Salisbury Cathedral. Jon deposited us at Lainston House and it was time to say goodbye! Based at Lainston House, we explored Winchester, touring the cathedral and the historic city center, and taking the “Keats Walk” through the water meadow to the 12th-century Hospital of St Cross. (This walk was pleasant but would be simply breathtaking in the autumn.) Moving onto Great Fosters, we finished up our trip by spending a day at Hampton Court Palace, where we attended Evensong in the Chapel Royal.

We enjoyed our trip very much, especially reconnecting with the world’s (or at least England’s) greatest driver-guide. Everything went smoothly and we were confident that Jonathan’s office would step in if we experienced any difficulties. Thank you, Jonathan and Katie, for another memorable trip!

Kitty Yancey on an Irish Cob horse at Sheen Falls Lodge, outside Kenmare.

My partner, Barry, and I are just back from a 10-day vacation in Dublin and Southwest Ireland (May 26-June 4) that exceeded our expectations. We never have experienced more warm, helpful, fun and friendly English-speaking locals and such magnificent countryside. The trip was tricky to plan, since hordes of Americans and other nationalities are descending on the Emerald Isle this year, and the summer tourist season started early. As a semi-retired travel writer, I know Ireland but was not familiar with County Kerry and decided we needed help to make the most of our stay, especially since hotels were booking up fast and we like the perks that Wendy’s WOW List agents provide. We consulted with a few travel specialists, including Jonathan Epstein and his efficient team, including Ireland-based Norma. They charge a fee to prepare an itinerary, but know every nook and cranny, have access to drivers and guides if needed and recommend a well-curated selection of lodgings. They mapped out a great stay, including hiking guides and drivers, since we didn’t want the stress of driving on the left on Ireland’s tricky country roads.

In the end, we opted for two of their hotel choices and decided to explore on our own. We stayed at the small and personable Dylan in Dublin, which is in an upscale residential neighborhood within an easy walk to the main tourist areas, and the amazing Sheen Falls Lodge outside the town of Kenmare, a country manor by a roaring waterfall that is a very special place to stay. I rode at their stables, and we did independent walks on hundreds of acres surrounding the property. The hotel shuttles you for free into nearby Kenmare, packed with pubs playing all kinds of music and very good eateries. I wound up singing along with a group of merrymakers playing American country music at a sidewalk cafe. That was a common experience. Interacting with pub-goers was easy and memorable.

Spectacular experiences and scenic views, wonderful guides and drivers, exceptional dining and accommodations. Fabulous planning and forethought, unparalleled logistics and advice, fantastic communication and attention to detail. We had a remarkable trip to Ireland.

From our initial conversation with Jonathan and throughout the planning process with Katie, we received exceptional care and guidance for our trip to Ireland. Katie listened, advised, researched, followed up and created an amazing itinerary for us. This was our first experience with someone on The WOW List and they were wonderful, outstanding, and world-class.

The food tour in Galway with Claire as our outstanding guide was delicious. From coffee to chocolates (including vegan options), it was a tasty way to begin our trip. Dromoland Castle was exquisite and every experience was incredible. Thank you Katie for encouraging us to participate in falconry, everyone agreed it was a unique experience and the highlight of the trip. We were hesitant to dine in the castle at the Earl of Thomond due to a food allergy. Katie encouraged us and confirmed that the restaurant could accommodate our restriction. The chef prepared the best meal of our trip and Raquel provided impeccable table-side service, double checking each course for the food allergy. Beautiful dining room, delicious meals for everyone, fabulous service, a real treat! Our horse-drawn carriage ride with a delightful guide completed a fantastic stay. On our way to Killarney we visited Limerick, bringing Frank McCourt’s book Angela’s Ashes to life. King John’s Castle provided magnificent views and allowed us to connect with our younger selves on the seesaw and playing other courtyard games. Rain did not deter us in Killarney, as we drove the Ring of Kerry and visited Ross Castle and the Muckross House. Dublin was our last stop and we had an informative and delightful tour with Ger. Our itinerary provided an array of activities and gave us a comprehensive view of Ireland.

A special note about our exceptional driver/guide, John Clancy. We spent 5 days together and felt very comfortable talking, dining and touring together. He went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of, moving the car to pick us up, changing the itinerary when the drive had too many switchbacks etc. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to view Ireland through his eyes and learning about this wonderful country.

Scotland was absolutely fabulous. We are more than happy with our destination choice, timing, and with Jonathan’s office. The sunny weather we enjoyed was unprecedented, my sister-in-law learned how to appreciate Scotch from our driver/whisky expert/guide John McElwee, and I discovered I loved haggis and black pudding. Who knew?!

Here are some bits and bobs of feedback from our merry band; my husband and myself, and my brother-in-law and his wife…

Accommodations

Gleneagles
Wow. Quite possibly one of the BEST hotels in which we have ever stayed. Warm, genuine regard from the staff. A beautiful grand dame of a hotel which did not disappoint. Fabulous breakfast buffet, top-flight dining in all venues. Fun American Bar with a really chill jazzy vibe. Andrew Fairlie, the two-star Michelin restaurant, did not disappoint. Falconry was breathtaking and fabulous (as long as you did not mind watching the raptors eat formerly live chicks…). In retrospect staying here might have been better at the end of our journey, for some relaxing and elegant recharge prior to the trip home.

Ness Walk
Again, genuinely warm and welcoming staff. Great location and proximity to restaurants for walking, but the riverfront was all torn up with construction. Great breakfast and the dinner we had onsite was wonderful. The rooms we had were small and had minimal storage for clothes and such. It felt like a wee step down after the stunning stay at Gleneagles. Their bar was open 24/7, perhaps for those needing a wee dram in the wee small hours?! The TV oddly required two remotes and we needed to call the concierge to get it working; she noted that this was a fairly regular part of her job, as the TVs are near impossible to suss out on guests’ own! Probably our least favorite, but still a good experience.

Isle of Eriska Hotel
What a beautiful setting! Another grand dame of a hotel. Public areas are beautiful. Our room was spacious and well appointed. Would not be accessible for those with mobility problems as there are no elevators and rooms are either on second or third floors; luckily our new hips and knees were functioning fairly well! Scotland was unseasonably warm for this time of year, and there was no AC—the advice was to open windows, but there were no screens, so we got to share our lodgings with wee midges. Service was mostly gracious…but a bit inconsistent. The fairly new manager, Massimo, was warm and welcoming—especially after we told him we had met his mom at Johnstons of Elgin the day previous, who told him to call her! That night, however, our toilet stopped working, and housekeeping was not able to fix it, so the desk man on duty said it would need to wait till the morning (!). Later he called us with a new scheme—the room next to ours was being renovated, and they could give us a key to use the loo in case we needed it during the night (!). Still not optimal. At some point Massimo evidently called to see how things were going—heard about this—and came back to the hotel himself to see if this could be fixed—and when it could not even though it was now late at night, called in maintenance to fix things. Which they did. His behavior should be a model for the rest of the staff, many of whom were quite new/in training, it seemed.

We waited a day for the perk offered by Jonathan’s office, a cream tea, and when it did not appear we asked staff, who curtly remarked that we should have stepped up to get this at the beginning, and it required 24 hours advance notice (!). I suppose we could have gone to Massimo but opted to let this go. On check out he did credit our bills for a bottle of wine as an apology for any inconveniences during our stay.

Overall…. Staff needs work. Some were fabulous, others did not seem to know what they were doing and perhaps did not care. Quite the disconnect from the stunning surround.

Kimpton Charlotte Square
Nicely located in the thick of things. Our room looked out at another wing of the hotel and wasn’t optimal; our companions’ room had a lovely view of a town square. Staff were quite busy, understaffed most likely, but always helpful and kind. After so many wonderful Scotch tastings we enjoyed an entertaining gin tasting with Michael in the bar. Hotel was very busy with a number of meetings/conventions, so not as relaxing as our previous accommodations, but still a good vibe.

Activities

Falconry at both locations was wonderful. Had a fascinating walkabout in St Andrews. Stirling Castle was an absolute highlight. Thoroughly enjoyed the distilleries. Deanston was especially wonderful as we saw all parts of the working floor. Our stop at Pitlochry, House of Bruar, was great—we just stayed in the Sale Barn and made some great buys. Dunrobin Castle was a great comparator to Stirling Castle, leaving nothing to the imagination. The Balvenie Tour was also spectacular—and it enabled us to skip the Speyside Cooperage, as Balvenie had their own cooperage operation. Johnstons of Elgin did not disappoint, nor did their retail store! Culloden Battlefield was sobering; reminded us of our own history at Gettysburg. The Edinburgh food-and-drink walking tour was lovely and informative, as was the Old Town Walking Tour the next day. For the latter, we wound up taking a taxi up top to the Castle, then walking our way down. For exploring the city, best to use the on/off bus.

Dining

All the Gleneagles venues were top rate. The breakfast buffet was the best we have ever experienced!

The Tom Morris Bar and Grill at St Andrews was a great place to soak in golf history and have fabulous fish and chips.

In Inverness, The Mustard Seed was a disappointment. Crowded, hot, understaffed, and poor service as a result. Overcharged us on our bill. Would not recommend.

As disappointing as The Mustard Seed was, Rocpool was exquisite! Cool vibe, great music, outstanding food and drink, welcoming owner (who knew our driver quite well).

Torrish at Ness Walk was quite good.

Isle of Eriska Hotel dining was first rate. Ee-usk in Oban was a bit of a disappointment—again, seemed a bit understaffed, and the seafood was so-so. Beautiful setting on the waterfront, however.

BABA at the Kimpton was fabulous, though not for everyone if they did not like Eastern/Mediterranean food. We were so stuffed after our food walk we wound up cancelling Scran and Scallie and had bar food at BABA. We were quite tired after our Old City Walk in Edinburgh so cancelled Monteiths and walked across the street to Browns, recommended by our driver, which was wonderful.

The WOW Moment

Quite simply…WOW!! Our whisky tasting at The Malt Room was over the top. There was a marvelous charcuterie board to get us started, and we were treated to a selection of 5 rare Scotches to sample. It was a fabulous experience and we think it was one of our trip’s highlights. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this experience. 5 stars plus.

The Driver

John McElwee went above and beyond on this trip with us, and truly was the ingredient that made our journey so special. By the time we finished spending time together he felt like our “Da”! His knowledge of Scotch and Scottish history is encyclopedic. He is a skillful driver with a wonderfully comfortable vehicle. Everyone in Scotland seems to know, and love, John, so we were able to use his influence while gaining entry to activities, pubs, you name it! He packed all of our suitcases into his car after leaving each hotel with the ease of a Rubik’s Cube Master. He looked at our activity suggestions in the Itinerary and advised which we might skip in favor of others which might hold more and different interest. Simply stated, having John as our driver made this vacation. He was kind, gracious, funny, and the best ambassador Scotland could want.

Overall Experience
11!! on a scale of 1 to 10.

Thanks again for making this trip wonderful, and memorable. We have a number of countries still on our bucket list, so you can count on us being in touch soon to plan the next adventure!

Sheila Morse and husband Dick Smith at Killarney National Park’s Torc Waterfall.

From the initial planning stages to nearly the end of our time in Ireland everything was wonderful. Jonathan’s office not only created a thoughtful and thorough itinerary for us, they went out of their way a couple of times. The first was that we had a great preliminary conversation with Jonathan Epstein (just a few days after he’d suffered a concussion) and Katie Stewart. The last was assisting us to connect with one of our hotels who had double billed us in (unintended) error.

My initial approach was to downplay the importance of nice hotels, as we intended to spend so little time in our rooms. Thank goodness Jonathan convinced us otherwise. Each of the three hotels reserved for us were not just great places to sleep. The ambiance, breakfasts, locations, special welcomes in each room, staff — all were superb and much appreciated after a full day of exploring and learning.

• Windows in our room in the Great Southern Killarney hotel opened on to an inner garden. Despite being very near the downtown area, it was dead quiet at night. Hotel staff recommended and reserved excellent restaurants during our stay. We thoroughly enjoyed an Irish whisky tasting one evening after dinner.

• Mount Juliet near Kilkenny was beautiful! Our “windows” were doors opening into beautiful green spaces. It was lovely to have a delicious cake and local honey waiting for us in the room. We ate wonderful breakfasts there, enjoyed drinks at the bar, and also a delicious dinner during our stay. We don’t play golf but this is a golf lovers’ (and equestrian) paradise!

• The Dylan hotel in Dublin was extraordinary! Again, superb breakfasts and drinks on the house one evening. It was within walking distance of every place we wanted to see, and a good place from which to set out on our walking tour of the city.

We had naively thought that it was possible to drive far greater distances than the itinerary we finally settled on. Again, Jonathan’s gentle guidance proved wise. We travelled from Shannon to Killarney and ventured out from there for three days, then to Kilkenny for two days, and on to Dublin for three. That, in fact, was a lot to take in and we now are eager to plan more trips to Ireland through Jonathan.

Weather was the only thing that didn’t sync up with all these extraordinary arrangements.… During the beginning of April this year we experienced rainy, cold, blustery winds, and moments of sunshine. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

We can’t think of anything to avoid, although our walking tour guide in Dublin could not hold a candle to our driver/guide the rest of the trip. I think it was because the weather was, still, cold and rainy — enough to put a damper on anyone and anything.

Brendan Glynn was our driver/guide for all but Dublin. He met us at Shannon and spent five full days with us. When we parted company, I felt that we were saying goodbye to a brother. Brendan is smart, gracious, well-prepared, discreet, funny, full of stories, and has a vast store of knowledge about everything we were seeing. He’s a fabulous driver. He provided valuable and entirely reliable recommendations throughout our stay. We had the great good fortune to be able to spend down time with him, too. There were days when we spent 12 or more hours together and we did not, for a moment, tire of his company. I lost my debit card and could not make satisfactory arrangements to get cash. Brendan allowed me to transfer funds from my bank to his and, in full faith that the transfer would be executed satisfactorily, advanced me Euros. I’m afraid any other guide would have a tough time meeting our expectations after having spent time with Brendan.

On our first afternoon of touring, we met a friend in Kildare. We had a bit of private time with her after which Brendan drove us all out to Helen’s Bar at the end of the pier in Ardea, Kilmackillogue and joined us for dinner. The pub was filled with locals only: a couple of men played dice, there was a women’s knitting group at a long table, and a book club met in an adjacent room. For all the fancy meals we had in Ireland, this simple meal of mussels and the like was exquisite! The fact that Brendan agreed to join us only added to the special nature of the evening. After that, we had several pints and/or meals together!

Brendan took us to Dingle Crystal, a small seemingly out-of-the-way artisan craft shop where we saw some of the most beautiful crystal designs we’ve ever seen. Despite the fact that this place seems to be on at least a few tour guides’ itineraries, we were made to feel uniquely welcome by Sean Daly, the owner, and his sons. We spent time in the glass cutting room getting a glimpse of how they ply their craft and my husband purchased two beautiful whisky tasting glasses. We are not shoppers, so this was our only purchase, other than a couple of books, the entire month we were away!

During our time in Kilkenny, Brendan was able to arrange with the owner of Jerpoint Park to open up weeks in advance of her scheduled opening date. Maeve gave us a private, guided tour of the Lost Town of Newtown Jerpoint, a 12th century settlement that she and her husband found was on land they bought to farm and which they excavated and reclaimed, inch by inch. We learned so much about the time, the confluence of events and landscape, and the special import of that particular location. This particular visit was a highpoint of our 8 days in Ireland!

The drives and views were incredible, all day every day!

Brendan recommended two restaurants in Dublin that were extraordinary: we enjoyed Matt the Thresher twice and Hugo’s. At Hugo’s we met the owner, courtesy of Brendan, and discovered that she and my husband had worked in the same Vermont ski resort area some decades ago!

We had a fantastic trip to Ireland, planned primarily by Katie on Jonathan’s team, that got us to spectacular parts of the country and opened doors we couldn’t have on our own. We focused on the west coast of Ireland, mostly along the Wild Atlantic Way, and enjoyed stunning scenery, excellent food, and welcoming locals. Dromoland and Ballynahinch Castles were amazing properties to stay at, and our driver Fergus went out of his way to make us feel welcome in his country and to make sure we were getting the best experience. The true highlight was a private food tour in Galway with Sheena, who highlighted the best of the new Irish culinary scene in the city. The WOW Moment Sheena and Katie arranged was something we never would have thought to do on our own, but was amazing. We had a private Irish dancing demonstration and lesson with a highly accomplished dancer and musical accompaniment by an excellent fiddle player. While I can’t say I got any good at Irish dancing, I can say that my wife and I had a blast and can’t wait to go back to Ireland to explore even more.

We are just back from the Cotswolds and Wales. Jonathan Epstein and Katie Stewart arranged a perfect trip for us. This is our third trip with them and all were seamless. Jonathan Moorehouse and Shan Eastwood were our guides. They made our trip very enjoyable and we cannot say enough good things about them. Our goal was to experience the English and Welsh countryside and the villages. We did all that and more. Thanks again to Jonathan, Katie, Jonathan and Shan.

Our family went to Ireland in late March 2024 on a trip planned by Jonathan and Katie. We had a wonderful trip that started in Dublin (stayed at the Shelbourne), went to Ashford Castle in Cong and ended at the K Club outside of Dublin. Jonathan and Katie arranged wonderful guides that provided a perfect mix for us and our two children. We did a walking tour of Dublin, a food tour of Galway and a day trip to Connemara that included a sheep farm visit (highlight of the trip). It was a great mix of city and countryside. The guides were extremely friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. Jonathan and Katie were able to guide us down to the specific rooms at each hotel that were the best setup for our family. This is the third time we have used Jonathan and can’t speak any more highly of him and his team.

My husband and I had a wonderful trip to Ireland with the help of Wendy Perrin WOW travel advisor Jonathan Epstein (specializing in the British Isles). I told Jonathan’s colleague Katie Stewart about the type of trip we wanted, and she created a 10-day itinerary reflecting all the activities we hoped for.

Katie listened carefully and made adjustments so that we were sure to have time every day to walk or hike and to see spectacular scenery, as many antiquities as possible, and charming towns to visit and shop in. In addition, she worked within our budget and sent us to hotels we will never forget.
Within the first two days we knew we had been in good hands. First, Katie set us up for a half-day tour of Dublin to give a sense of the city and its history. The surprise was that our guide happened to be the owner of the guide company, Pat Liddy, who has a vast range of knowledge about Dublin, and who is extremely charming and intelligent. What a great introduction for that trip!

After a short stay in Dublin, we set off to see some of the West Coast. The surprise that day was our driver, Dolan Stevens, who picked us up to tour with us for the next 8 days. I could never have found such a terrific man had I searched for drivers myself. Dolan became “a friend” after a few hours with him. He had humor, knowledge, kindness, and humor. He followed Katie’s schedule and even added a few towns we hadn’t heard about.

We enjoyed a day driving down the Dingle Peninsula, with stunning views of the waves crashing against the rocky cliffs and stopping to explore some ancient stone “igloo-shaped” houses that were thousands of years old. Dolan squeezed a great deal into that (and every) day for us: Stops at Muckross House, picturesque oceanside towns, and the entire peninsula fit in that first day. We were so glad to have a driver on the narrow roads along the ocean as well as the countryside. Never did we take a wrong turn or even have to read a map.

Among the stops we liked so much were the hours we could walk/hike in gorgeous areas. Our driver knew exactly where to park and which hikes were suited to our abilities. We enjoyed the visitors’ path on the edges of the Cliffs of Moher, where the ocean’s frothy waves crashed against the brownish cliffs. And on a second day out, we took a beautiful path across rolling green hills of Connemara National Park.

Besides the natural beauty, we loved our accommodations. One favorite was the Ballynahinch Castle (actually a glorious country house) with its many sitting rooms, crackling fireplaces, friendly staff, and exquisite suite overlooking a fast-moving stream. If we’d had more days there, we would have spent hours walking the many paths of the extensive grounds. Our last hotel was one we’d never heard of: The K Club. It’s a world-wide known golf hotel in an enormous enlarged country house with acres of greenery and paths around the courses. We were booked there because it’s only an hour to the airport, but it was the most elaborate hotel we stayed at! We discovered original oil paintings on the walls. Originals, including a large Botero! and some Modigliani! I’m certain that we wouldn’t have had such pleasing rooms everywhere if it hadn’t been for the relationship between our agent and each hotel.

I can’t leave out the marvelous sheepdog training exhibition we were lucky enough to see. Katie was so enthusiastic about this stop that we agreed to include it. And was she ever right! No one would believe that little, young dogs could tell a group of sheep exactly where to sit or run, but we saw it, standing a mere 20 feet away with the trainer using either voice commands or a whistle. It’s a NEVER forget experience.

This was the fourth trip we planned with Wendy Perrin. I’m so convinced that the WOW agents have made them each exceptional. In Vietnam, Sicily, the area of Florence in Italy, and in Ireland, our travels were easy and enormously fulfilling. I influenced my daughter-in-law to use one of her agents for Panama, and she, too, was extremely grateful. At this point, I wouldn’t plan a trip abroad without finding a WOW agent so that I could relax and know I’d have the best of everything.

The medieval ruins of Lindisfarne Priory in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. Photo: Traveler John Masko

Jonathan and his team are expert at both designating superior lodging and choosing guides, but also keeping track of staff/ownership fluctuations that might shift the character of a guest’s experience. We are well traveled but a couple of the hotels recommended by his office were among the finest that we’ve ever enjoyed. Also, at our request, the team was able to arrange a tour of a specialized facility that generally doesn’t offer tours.

Another significant aspect of Jonathan and his team is that they are hyper-responsive to the issues/concerns that inevitably arise:

— I think, without exception, that our many queries over the months were responded to within hours, and there was never any question as to whether the response was correct or that it had been rushed/poorly-thought-out,

— It was obvious that our guides were chosen because of expertise in our areas of interest, and they seemed very aware of our passions and hobbies, sometimes in minute detail.

— I have no doubt that if we had had a significant lodging concern during our trip that wasn’t being addressed by the local vendor, Jonathan’s staff would have intervened immediately on our behalf.

Jonathan and his office generated and constantly revised a meticulous and well-organized virtual itinerary — including pictures and descriptions — that worked nicely in the related phone app that we used daily during our trip.

I’d note that while Jonathan’s office makes dining recommendations, reservations were left to us, as were flight and auto rental arrangements/reservations. Because we’ve planned way-too-many trips ourselves, this was no problem for us.

Overall, we were delighted with both Jonathan and the whole staff, who organized one of the best trips of our lives.

In terms of Scotland itself, I’d say that the Scottish people are generally delightful: We found the Glaswegians (folks from Glasgow) especially talkative and spontaneously helpful. Although we ate well throughout Scotland, I’d single out two excellent restaurants in Glasgow: Cail Bruich; and The Gannet.

I’ve been wanting for decades to visit the holy sites of Iona (Scotland) and Lindisfarne (England). We had the opportunity to visit Lindisfarne this time and would note that, other than getting some exercise with a hearty walk, visiting Lindisfarne Castle was a disappointment. However, we found Lindisfarne Priory haunting and inspirational.

The island of Islay is great for everyone loving peaty scotch whisky. The warehouse tasting at Bruichladdich was worthwhile, fun and educational.

A final note: We’ve driven through much of western Europe — Italy, Ireland, France, England, et al — with both manual and automatic cars. Most everyone knows the usual driving challenges: Drivers ignore rules in Italy, and there are motorbikes buzzing around your car like mosquitoes; there are narrow, almost one-lane roads with hedgerows in Ireland; etc. But in country areas of Scotland and northern England, there are narrow country roads with hedgerows…and frequent massive “lorries” hurtling around corners at 50 miles per hour. It can be unnerving: Several times I was amazed that neither we nor others lost side mirrors.

Vicky Pendell and family at Dublin’s Pearse Lyons Distillery, which is housed in a former church.

Some of “our kids” (spouses of our kids) had never been on a “Family Trip” before and they were astounded at the level of detail and quality of EVERYTHING, as were our own children. There were ten of us ranging in age from early 40’s to mid 70’s and we could not have had a better time together! The hotels were 5-stars, above and beyond, our driver guide Martin, who picked us up on our first day and stayed with us for 6 days total, was phenomenal; he was a treasure trove of historical information wherever we drove, he was the epitome of a gentleman, taking care of all of us and our varied needs constantly, checking on arrangements for future outings, and more. There were very real tears shed when we said good-bye to this man as he dropped us at our final hotel in Dublin, at the end of our trip.

Katie and Jonathan suggested a variety of activities that made everyone happy, including a falconry walk at our first hotel (Dromoland—a 16th-century castle that truly set the tone for what a spectacular trip this was going to be…). We learned so much from Liam about the role falconry has played throughout history and throughout our language—all fascinating! Our outing to the Cliffs of Moher was truly breathtaking…and enroute the countryside alone was worth the trip. A trip to Caherconnell Farm provided us with an incredible sheepdog demonstration, followed by our getting to know the pups up close and personal, followed by artisanal cheeses and hot toddys served in a charming back room of the farm shop. The staff at Dromoland were all amazing and the foods and drinks we had there were simply the best! Weather was beautiful for us our first few days but the day that our daughter and sons were set to play Dooks, one of the oldest golf courses in Ireland, winds kicked up and rain pelted down, yet they played anyway and said they would do it all again for the experience of playing that course!

We sadly left Dromoland after 2 nights and went to Killarney for 3 nights, where we completely enjoyed all of the amenities offered at The Europe, our hotel there. Every one of us utilized the fitness center, spa treatments, pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, all while enjoying the most gorgeous views from our rooms overlooking Lough Leanne. The hotel staff was SO SO helpful and accommodating…. Padraig arranged a birthday dinner at a local restaurant for us one evening, and it was one of the best meals we had during our stay, at a lovely little restaurant owned by the same family since the ‘50’s, and they even prepared a special birthday dessert for our daughter. Across the street from our dinner we found a small authentic pub where we enjoyed lively Irish music afterwards. Killarney was a lovely little town and we spent time exploring there in between hiking nearly 7 miles through some of the most diverse, rugged and beautiful landscape I’ve personally seen. It was such a thrill to be able to do this with my kids!!! On our last night there, I asked for help in getting some drinks and appetizers brought to our suite so we could have a small cocktail party for all of the family. Padraig once again rose to the occasion, brought huge candle-filled lanterns to our room “to create more ambience” (as if the beautiful view wasn’t enough!) and we had the most lovely little “party” with our kids on our last night there.

Next morning on our way to Dublin, Martin took us to the Rock of Cashel where we stepped back hundreds of years in time to explore that historic site, and also had a delightful lunch in a locally owned place where Mary, the owner, made us feel like their most important customers of the day! On to Dublin for our last 3 nights and the Shelbourne Hotel did not disappoint either…incredible staff, a sumptuous high tea service, delicious foods and drink, and within walking distance to some very cool parts of the city. Pat Liddy was an exceptional guide for our half-day walking tour there; he was so interesting we stopped for coffee together so we could hear more about all he was showing us! Seeing The Book of Kells, and the “Long Room” (the massive library at Trinity College) nearly had us in tears; the books are shelved floor-to-ceiling and it was a sight never to be repeated, at least not in my mind. Our final evening here, Nikita helped me arrange a special dinner in a private room for our family, next to a smaller room alongside where an Irish duo came to entertain us before dinner. The Irish pipes and the violinist were incredible—we were clapping, laughing, singing, playing flutes along with the duo, and ended up dancing before they were done! The dinner was exquisite, with a gorgeous linen-laid table, crystal, and servers timing the “reveal” of each dish just perfectly. We felt like royalty. What a way to end our time together!!

None of us will EVER forget this trip and it only solidifies my thinking that when it comes to trip planning, Wendy’s WOW List of agents is the ONLY way to go. Even the simplest things, like having airport transportation already set up, is worth any extra cost. Knowing you are with a knowledgeable guide and that your group is NOT part of a busload of 50 or more people, is worth any extra cost! (Our vehicle, by the way, for the ten of us, was incredibly comfortable and luxurious—a Mercedes “van” that was all windows and comfortable seating for our group!) This was our fourth trip using Wendy’s resources and it will NOT be our last. Kudos to Jonathan, Katie, Norma and all the staff who made this an unforgettable family trip. The connections and reconnections that were made in our little group of ten were priceless.

We had a fabulous first trip to Ireland in September, thanks to Jonathan Epstein and Katie Stewart! Our little group—my husband and I, our daughter, and her friend—only had a week to squeeze in the trip before the kids were due back to college. And our decision to go was comparatively last-minute given the increasing popularity of fall travel. Knowing we couldn’t see everything, we still hoped for a varied sampling of the culture, history, and sights that make Ireland special, and Jonathan and Katie absolutely delivered!

We started at the stunning Ashford Castle, which offered impeccable service and surroundings, wonderful dining and activities, and the perfect base for a food-tasting tour of charming Galway one day, and for exploring Sky Drive, Connemara National Park, and Kylemore Abbey on another. Then, making our way to the lovely Cashel Palace Hotel, we first enjoyed a spectacular day on a “Secret Ireland” guided yacht trip on scenic Lough Derg, stopping to visit both a modern home with an inspired art collection, and a restored medieval tower castle. Everyone was welcoming, and spoiled us with food and drink and fascinating stories.

Another day we spent the morning at Rock of Cashel and afternoon exploring Kilkenny, soaking up more of Ireland’s history. Throughout the trip, our primary driver-guide was always ready, anticipated things we might need or want to see, and always game for making little adjustments in our itinerary to ensure we made the most of each day. Our last two days in Dublin were full but not rushed, and our guides there were equally perfect—extremely knowledgeable as well as fun to be around. Highlights included a walking tour brimming with history and stops at pubs with special literary significance (for our bibliophiles), as well as visits to Trinity College, Kilmainham Jail, and several museums. Jonathan and Katie listened carefully when we talked about our interests and goals for the trip, and arranged an itinerary that hit all the right notes. We made wonderful memories and look forward to seeing more of Ireland soon!

We booked a trip to England from September 15 to September 24, 2023. We spent three days in Bath and the remaining time in London. All the tours, pickups and hotel reservations made by our travel agent went exactly as planned. The two hotels—the Queensberry in Bath and the Milestone in London—were excellent. The hotel staff in both hotels were very warm and welcoming. All our tour guides were great and ensured we had a full and entertaining time. I would highly recommend Wendy Perrin’s group if you are planning a vacation. For us this trip was one of our memorable traveling experiences.

Just back from the beautiful country of Ireland. This trip was different than past trips thanks to the stellar itinerary that the folks from Jonathan’s office put together for us. We focused on the west coast of Ireland and our new favorite: County Donegal. Micheal and I were treated to the stunning and rugged coastline views, including Slieve League, which I had never heard of before. These are cliffs on the Donegal coast that are not to be missed. While on the west—Jonathan’s group set up a border collie / sheep herding demonstration. It was so interesting and fun—the dogs and their skilled trainers are amazing. From Donegal, we made our way east to Derry and ultimately Belfast. We toured an entire day on the coastline north of Belfast in County Antrim. Our driver/guide Colm made the trip so much better with his knowledge, wit and that undeniable Irish humor. I loved the pace and the time spent in three main areas. Everything was planned to perfection and the guides in Ireland were the BEST!

Jonathan and Katie did a wonderful job with hotel selections and suggestions for restaurants, etc. Scotland was a wonderful experience. Jonathan did a great job asking us questions about what we were looking for and made wonderful recommendations from what we gave him.

Jonathan’s office did a fantastic job planning our month-long vacation to England and Scotland. We traveled with our three young children, and they come with their own set of unique touring and lodging challenges. The team did a wonderful job of finding the perfect accommodations for our family, with knowledge of which properties would best suit our needs and put us right where we’d want to be in each locale. More than that, however, they did a fantastic job finding the most patient, knowledgeable, and caring guides and drivers who were so kind to us and our (busy) children. In particular a big shoutout to Susie in the Cotswolds for her kindness to our children, and Murray in Scotland for braving both us and the conditions (it rained a lot but was still wonderful). Jonathan planned a 28-day trip and not once did we have any logistical, lodging, or touring issues. It was a fantastic trip.

We had a wonderful trip. Jonathan’s team curated a terrific itinerary that took us from Dublin to Mayo to Clare, Kerry and then back to Dublin. They arranged a private driver for our party of five, which included my parents who are 82. The driver, Kenny, was wonderfully knowledgable of the history, people and culture. He was also exceedingly kind. It made the entire trip so easy and pleasant and definitely worth the $.

My wife and I traveled with our 3 adult children to Northern Ireland and Ireland July 1-12, 2023. Jonathan and his team planned and executed our entire trip for us from beginning to end. The logistics of the trip were essentially flawless. The itinerary was a combination of the typical tourist agenda with some unique and more personalized experiences thrown in, and most importantly, a cadre of guides whose authenticity was only exceeded by their graciousness.

We were delighted that Jonathan got on the phone with us for our first meeting, which he assured us is only a certainty with clients referred through Wendy. Indeed, when this came up in conversation during our trip, one of the experienced guides remarked that it was distinctly unusual to speak directly with him! It was Jonathan’s strong suggestion that we include Northern Ireland in our itinerary instead of just Ireland, and we are glad that we did. Our experience in N. Ireland was the soul of our trip, and we could never have understood the country without that experience and the help of our guide for 3 days while there, Mark Murphy. His authenticity was palpable, in addition to being a consummate professional. For example, he not only took us through a small Catholic village to watch children learning the Irish sport of hurling on a field surrounded by Irish national flags, but then took out his equipment so we could all give the game a try on an adjacent field. Every experience with Mark was like that, including his lessons on tasting Irish Whiskey at Bushmills and getting me the opportunity to hold the great N. Irish golfer Rory McIlroy’s PGA championship trophy at his home golf club in Belfast! We also spent a morning at Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen, making (and eating) delicious soda bread along with other delectables. Like all the folks we encountered, Tracey was an absolute delight, and we loved getting to go out to the countryside and spend some quality time with people who were so happy to share their lives with us.

We then went on to spend 3 days in Dublin, staying at a classic property called The Shelbourne. This gorgeous masterpiece offered impeccable service and a perfect location. One of the benefits of working through Jonathan’s office are some small perks offered to you at each of the hotels, and we enjoyed oysters and Guinness in the beautiful lobby bar at the Shelbourne one early evening before heading to dinner. We had less time than we thought in Dublin, and probably only did about half of what we intended, but we really enjoyed the city.

Galway was our next stop, and we used that as the base for our exploration of the Connemara National Park and the Cliffs of Moher. Once again, our guide for 3 days, Anne Marie Lally, was lovely and extremely accommodating. She made sure we found the shopping that we needed, and the restaurants that would satisfy us. Another absolute highlight of the trip is the Killary Sheepfarm. It’s on an absolutely beautiful fjord, and it’s fascinating to watch the sheepdogs in action and to participate in shearing the wool off the sheep. Tom, a 3rd generation proprietor, is eager to share his place, and it helps keep the lights on for these family businesses.

Our last stop was Dromoland Castle. At this point we had been on the move constantly for 10 days, and I think it was brilliant planning to let us decompress at this gorgeous castle for a few days before returning home. They do make you feel special there, although it is an expensive treat during the peak season.

As you can see, we left the planning and logistics entirely up to Jonathan, Katie and their team. We are glad we did, and I don’t think we would have changed a thing. As Wendy has written about before, the real difference maker is the quality of the guides and their gracious attitude and terrific knowledge and pride in their homeland. Perhaps the only thing I would do differently is giving a bit more guidance on special or unusually good restaurants or places to eat. We were told to rely on the concierge at the respective hotels, and they were fine for the most part, but it was a mixed bag. We did get shut out of one place since we made no reservations ahead of time, and another restaurant we tried was fairly pedestrian. Restaurants change from time to time, and it’s hard to predict individual tastes, but perhaps a few “classics” should be suggested in each area that capture something unique about that particular place.

It’s always hard to decide on the “value” of any trip. From our perspective, having Jonathan and his team create our trip for us was “invaluable”! Most of the cost was not the guides and extra experiences, which really made the whole trip! It was more the hotels, airfare, etc in peak season and there is only so much you can do about that. We chose not to, but I’m sure you can be guided to less expensive hotels and shoulder-season prices to make an experience more affordable. We rarely travel anymore without using Wendy’s WOW List planners, because you really do get spoiled. Thanks again to Wendy and Jonathan!

Johathan and Katie were wonderfully prepared to help me put together a last-minute trip to Ireland with two of our grandchildren. Having been there twice before, I wanted to see “what I had missed.” There are things they know about that you will not know is important just by reading a guide. They were also able to find us hotels and restaurants and get them booked in a short period of time. We felt confident that our drivers and guides and experiences would be perfect for our 15- and 14-year-old grands! Thanks for all your help.

My husband and I traveled to Ireland, May 12-29. We had worked with Jonathan Epstein and his team on a pre-pandemic trip and it was such a good experience that we asked them to help us again. Once again, the arrangements were flawless. We wanted to see a part of Ireland we had not been to before and we wanted to cover a lot of ground before meeting a group of friends on the Aran Islands. On our previous trip, Jonathan had suggested we use a driver/guide and it was such a wonderful experience that we asked if Sean might be available to drive us again. We were delighted that he could be our guide for this trip also. Sean is a great raconteur, well versed in Irish history and culture, and his knowledge added immeasurably to our experience. Sean, knowing we like to walk everyday, identified several off-the-beaten-track locations for us to stop and walk for a couple of hours. They were highlights of the trip and we never would have found them on our own. Jonathan and Katie choose wonderful hotels for us in every location and advised us on room selection; we were very pleased with all of the accommodations — the rooms, the facilities and the service were all top-notch.

Our trip was fabulous! We were very happy with the destination, timing and our trip planner. I would have no hesitation recommending our planner to others.

Our planner recommended and coordinated our hotels, several guided tours and all transportation to/from the airport and to secondary locations throughout our travel. In addition, they connected us with the concierge at each hotel to assist with the coordination of dinner reservations. We were traveling with our teenage children and they recommended a nice variety of experiences that would appeal to them and us. For example, a tour of the sites in London where Harry Potter was filmed, tour of street art in Shoreditch, tour of Westminster Abbey and surrounding areas, including watching the changing of the guard. We knew we wanted to spend a couple of days outside of London and our planner coordinated a driver/guide to take us to Castle Combe, Lacock Abbey and Bath. This was the highlight of our trip and we never would have been able to come up with that part of the itinerary on our own. I would highly recommend this!

Two of the hotels, in particular, that were recommended by our planner were beautiful and unique: Royal Crescent (Bath) and Kimpton Charlotte Square (Edinburgh). I was “wowed” by the service and accommodations. These were, without question, the nicest hotels we have ever stayed in.

Our trip planner added loads of value to our trip. First, this was a huge time saver for me. We had never been to the U.K. before and I never would have found the amazing hotels and experiences we had on our own without a ton of research. Second, at each hotel, we received room upgrades, early/late check-in & check-out, and/or a credit towards services at the hotel. Third, they had a very handy app that held all of our travel and reservation details (hotels, meals, drivers, tour guides). Finally, they provided helpful tips on the customs of each country we visited (public transportation, tipping, weather, phone and electrical usage).

View from Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland. Photo: Melvin Woodworth

In 2019, when we promised our daughter a trip to Great Britain as a 40th birthday gift, we expected to give that gift in 2020. Our daughter is an avid devotee of Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and many facets of British life. She is also a passionate, amateur photographer and author of fan fiction, with an abiding desire to be accurate in her writing. She felt that she had reached a plateau in her research of British times and places, and could refine her work if she could experience the sights, smells, sounds, flavors and textures of the places where her stories take place.

The pandemic postponed our trip until 2023 and during that interval we were able to refine our list of goals and fortuitously become aware of Wendy Perrin’s team and The WOW List. Wendy’s team put us in contact with Jonathan’s team. What a blessing!

Unfortunately, the delay also tempted us to compile a list of desired experiences that far exceeded the time and resources we had available for the trip. Jonathan was wonderful, and gentle, in helping us refine and organize our list to maximize the success of our journey.

What we wanted most of all was a sensory experience of Great Britain, bringing to life a broad sampling of the different historical, regional and hierarchical offerings of the island. Our wish list included castles, abbeys, manor houses, local foods and gardens. We wanted to visit the big cities, small villages and rural farmlands. We wanted to minimize the barriers between us, as visitors, and the people of England and Scotland.

By the time we had honed our wish list, Jonathan’s team had a real sense of who we were and what we wanted. We divided our time around four major centers: London and surroundings; Bath and the Cotswolds; York and northeastern England; and Edinburgh and rural Scotland. In each of these locations we had one or more walking or driver guides, who was a resident in the selected area and extremely well versed in the many facets of the location. Our guides, Angus, Adge, Howard, Val, and Davaidh, were surprisingly well informed about who we were, our itinerary and what we were hoping to experience.
Many of our desires were predictable (to name a few): Hyde Park, Kensington Palace and Gardens, Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Big Ben, Parliament, Highclere Castle, Bampton, Castle Combe, Broadway, York Minster, the Shambles and the Jorvik center, the Cotswolds and Moors, Salisbury, Magna Carta, Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Inverary Castle, and, of course, fish and chips and other local cuisine.
Other “must haves” were less predictable: Camden Market, Abney Park Cemetery, Avebury Henge, Haggis, All Butter Eccles Cakes, the Alnwick Castle Poison Garden, a coin shop, and the Costco in Stevenage. In every case, our guides were able to help us satisfy our desires.

Beyond that, the guides were able to suggest modifications to our schedule, suggesting experiences we had not thought of, adjusting our schedule to be more efficient or carving out time for desires we had given up on. Several of our favorite stops had not been on our list of desires, such as the Two Chairmen Pub, Castle Howard, Writer’s Museum in Old Town Edinburgh, up close and personal with Highland Coos, Eilean Donan Castle, Dalmally-Lochawe, Whitby-Goathland train station, a Tartan factory and Inverary Jail.

Our history lessons were of the usual kinds: names; dates; and events. Our visceral learnings were all through our senses: the incredible accommodations that provided us a glimpse into a life of luxury and privilege — Roseate Hotel in London, The Manor House at Castle Combe, The Grand in York, Intercontinental The George in Edinburgh, Inverlochy Castle and Cromlix; the peaceful and rich openness of the moors; the smell of salt air, sound of waves, beauty of dunes and beaches of the North Sea; the sights and sounds of Morris Men in Bampton; the timeless cry of bagpipes near the ancient walls of Edinburgh Castle; calm, clear waters of the many Lochs reflecting sky and mountains; and the feel of cobbles underfoot in the early-morning and late-at-night walks.

Perhaps the greatest parts of our trip were the personal reflections of our guides. Each in his or her own way expressed a deep love of their land, their nation and their people. The social hierarchy was expressed in ways that reflected a candid acceptance and pride of their system. The history was related in ways that honored and respected each culture’s contribution to the current nation. Their gift of many stories was priceless. Special thanks to Jordi, the Concierge at The Grand in York, who went above and beyond to help make our time in York relaxing and memorable.

One guide assured us that the “Seashell of Lisson Grove” had the best fish and chips in London. Another assured us that the “Oyster House” in Scotland had the best fish and chips in Britain. We tried both. However, we cannot agree with either, only because we haven’t tested the fish in every other restaurant. What we can agree on is that they were both so wonderful that we would love to return and test the fish in every place, so that we can know for certain.

Nancy and Guy Mazarin enjoying their WOW Moment in the wine vault of Ashford Castle.

My husband and I (Nancy and Guy Mazarin) just returned from a fabulous two-week vacation in Ireland (May 18 – June 1). We worked with our tour operator Jonathan to develop our trip. We agreed not to try to see all of Ireland, electing a more leisurely pace by spending time at some spectacular locations, particularly Ballyfin and Ashford Castle, where we enjoyed the extensive onsite activities and amenities. The food at Ballyfin and Ashford, as well as the restaurants selected, was delicious and the pubs were as much fun as expected. My husband started drinking Guinness and I tried a different gin every night. One of the most memorable moments of the trip occurred at Ashford Castle, where we were treated to a special WOW Moment, a wine and cheese tasting in the wine vault of Ashford Castle.

Jonathan coordinated our entire trip down to the smallest detail, providing expert advice about where to stay, what to see, and even when to visit. Jonathan’s team of guides and drivers were extremely professional, knowledgeable, and personable. We toured and were delivered from place to place in comfort and style.

Anyone planning a trip to Ireland can depend upon Jonathan to personalize and execute a wonderful trip.

We just returned from a fabulous trip to Ireland (May 24-June 4). Jonathan and Katie S. did an excellent job of planning a customized trip for us, we are so happy that we used a trip planner. Our driver/guide, Donal, was the best, so knowledgeable and personable. The itinerary was great with wonderful hotel stays everywhere. Some of our highlights were the hawk walk with a falconer at Dromoland Castle, a sheep herding dog exhibition, the Cliffs of Moher, the Jameson Distillery tour, the Galway food and spirits walking tour. Ireland is a beautiful country with very friendly people!

Jonathan and his team called initially to discuss our travel goals and wish list. They also followed up with emails to confirm various details. As a result they were able to put together an itinerary that kept us busy and met all of our wants and needs.

The highlight of our tour was our time in Belfast. We bonded right away with our driver/guide, Dee. Her insights, humour and knowledge made her the perfect guide for us. We thoroughly enjoyed all of our time with her.

Both hotels, The Culloden Estate in Belfast and The Shelbourne in Dublin, that we stayed at were outstanding, with first-class service and the little extras (thanks to Jonathan’s company) adding to our stays.

Our two cooking experiences were fantastic. First, in Northern Ireland, we had a great time with Tracy at her Farmhouse. Also, we left our Dublin lesson totally stuffed after a wonderful dinner with Alex Gardner.

The food tour in Belfast and the Titanic Museum and Epic Ireland in Dublin were first-rate!

The Powerscourt Distillery event was superb, with unique food tastings that complimented the whiskeys that we sampled. Same with our “Whisky on the Rocks” at the Giant’s Causeway. As we sat to enjoy our Bushmills, a pod of at least ten dolphins swam by just offshore.

A superb trip, well planned with great guides, drivers (we didn’t have to drive at all) and events!

Hayden and Robin Stone at the Cliffs of Moher.

Having used Wendy Perrin’s WOW List last year to travel to Greece, we chose Jonathan Epstein to book our trip to Ireland and his team made the entire process extremely easy and valued our input every step of the way. This was a mother and adult daughter trip that was supposed to happen 3 years ago. My daughter was studying abroad in Ireland and my trip to visit was cancelled and she had to come home due to Covid-19. She never travelled around Ireland because she was waiting on me to get there. She has since graduated, but we still wanted to see Ireland, so booked the trip on a whim one night while talking! I had planned this trip once before on my own and really didn’t want to do that again, so I looked at Wendy’s list and contacted Jonathan. I had a lot of specifics I wanted to do and see and even some specific places I wanted to stay. Jonathon and his team (Katie and Katie) were more than willing to plan the trip — they were incredibly accommodating and included everything we wanted and more.

We started our trip by flying into Dublin and then heading straight toward the west coast to stay in the historic Dromoland Castle in County Clare. Upon arrival in Dublin, we had a driver and tour guide, Donal, waiting for us and he would be with us for the duration of our trip. Donal was absolutely fantastic, and we cannot rave about him enough. He was extremely nice, accommodating and very knowledgeable about the history of Ireland and about each area and town we visited. He gave us great recommendations and was very flexible with our schedule and adapted it to the weather.

Speaking of weather, the weather on our first day in Ireland was less than desirable. Originally, we had a falconry lesson scheduled when we arrived at the castle. Unfortunately, due to weather we had to cancel and had afternoon tea instead. The tea was really lovely and I’m glad we got to experience it. The staff at Dromoland was wonderful and worked to rebook the falconry lesson around our schedule two days later, and it was a fascinating experience. The falconry guide, Dave, was very knowledgeable both about the magnificent animals we were interacting with and the grounds of the castle. Dromoland Castle was an extraordinary experience all around!

While staying at Dromoland Castle, we took day trips to go explore the west coast of Ireland. Our first full day was spent in Galway doing a food tour through the city and experiencing the best food the city had to offer. Our guide Regina was great. She was a chef herself and you could tell she thoroughly enjoyed sharing the amazing food that Ireland, and Galway specifically, had to offer. During this tour, we had the best raspberry croissant with red striping and a delicious raspberry puree center. We also had a whiskey tasting where we tried Irish Poitin, which is Ireland’s version of American Moonshine, and it definitely made you cough on the smallest sip. The other highlight for me of the food tour was at lunch when we had local oysters. I am not usually a fan of oysters, but Regina described them as a little burst of fresh saltwater, and that’s exactly what it was!

Our next day was spent sightseeing. We went to the Cliffs of Moher, Burren National Park, and went to a sheepdog demonstration at Caherconnell Sheepdogs. The weather this day was stormy, so Donal had us skip the cliffs in the morning and circle back to them in the afternoon in hopes of better weather. This ended up being a great decision and I’m glad Donal was looking out for us. We ended up having the clearest blue sky and were able to see the cliffs perfectly and it was definitely a top highlight of our trip. The Burren National Park was also very cool to see; with the dreary weather it was giving futuristic doomsday vibes. In the Burren, there is a perfumery that uses the wildflowers in the park to make perfumes. Both my daughter and I found one that we like and treated ourselves to a new scent. The sheepdog demonstration was interesting; I was not really sure what to expect going into it but it was really fascinating and we saw two lambs being born, which was beautiful.

On our third day, we checked out of Dromoland Castle and headed over to Limerick City to stop and visit King John’s Castle and the Hunt Museum. We then continued on to Killarney, and checked into the Killarney Park Hotel. This hotel was so beautiful, and our room was perfect. That evening we had a very interesting whiskey tutorial and tasting with the head of spirits at the hotel. The next day was spent driving the Dingle Peninsula and exploring Dingle. Here, we went to Louis Mulcahy’s pottery shop and local art galleries. We also had to get some more Murphy’s ice cream. Thursday was spent exploring part of the Ring of Kerry. We started with visiting Muckross House and Gardens and each got a scarf from the Muckross weavers. I got to watch as mine was getting finishing touches from the weavers and is one of the coolest souvenirs I’ve gotten during all my travels. We also explored the town of Kenmare and took a chocolate-making class at Lorge Chocolates. Neither of us had ever done a chocolate-making class or anything of the sort before, and it was very fun and educational. Benoit Lorge ran the private lesson with the 2 of us and he was so enthusiastic and passionate about his chocolate and the quality of chocolate that he creates.

Friday was Saint Patrick’s Day and we left Killarney and headed to Dublin. This was also our last day with Donal, and we were sad to part with him. He truly was one of the best things about our trip. We stayed at The Shelbourne while in Dublin, and it was gorgeous. While we were in Dublin, there was also a big rugby match between Ireland and England and the Irish Rugby players were staying at The Shelbourne as well. It was quite fun to be in the middle of everything going on! For Saint Patrick’s Day, we walked over to see a bit of the parade and then went and had a pint and a bite to eat at a pub close to our hotel.

On our last day, we did a walking tour of Dublin in the morning and got a history lesson on St Stephen’s Green, Georgian Dublin, Dublin Art Museum and the Book of Kells at Trinity College. Our tour guide, Kate, was very personable and entertaining. She did not have us down to go to the Book of Kells, but found out that we were supposed to based on what we were told, so she worked with her boss to make sure we were able to go that afternoon. That evening we took a private cooking class with Alix Gardner’s Cookery School and there we learned how to make all the essentials for a true Irish feast. We made scones, soda bread, shepherd’s pie with lamb, and a Guinness cake. My daughter and I both cook a lot and consider ourselves to be decent cooks, but I think we both learned new techniques that we’ve applied to our cooking since. The food was delicious and we got to take home our leftovers. We managed to bring a whole Guinness cake on the plane home with us to the States! A slice of Guinness cake after a full day of traveling was well worth the trouble of packing it.

Overall, our trip was absolutely fantastic and we both had such a good time. All the activities we did were great and the food was amazing. Ireland will always hold a special place in our hearts.

We were lucky enough to travel to Ireland from May 1-9, 2023. Our trip planner, Katie Stewart, helped us to plan an extraordinary trip. Because we had limited time (7 days, excluding travel to and from) she took the time with us prior to our trip to make sure we got the most out of our time. She suggested we fly into Shannon and out of Dublin so that we didn’t waste time doubling back to airports. She asked us about our goals and then provided us with options to finalize our itinerary.

We started off at Dromoland Castle, and that was an experience we will never forget. Not just because of the attentive and impeccable service, but also because of the grounds, the time we spent with a Falconer on the estate and the live music in the bar area at night.

We hired a personal driver/guide and this was the absolute BEST THING WE COULD HAVE DONE. This took all of the stress out of having to rent a car, navigate directions and drive on the opposite side of the street. We were able to relax, take in the sights and enjoy our time while Peter, our driver/guide, took us to our destinations in a luxurious executive stretch BMW. This was all set up by Katie Stewart.

Peter, our guide from Pro Bus, is now considered family. He was respectful, fun and informative. We highly recommend talking to Katie about hiring a driver/guide.

In Dublin, Katie set up a 3+ hour tour with an historian and professional tour guide. This was lots of fun and informative. If you want to see something specific that may require reservations and/or timed entrance — make sure to let Katie know so you can get those tickets ahead of time to avoid lines and also to ensure you are able to get in.

We did visit the Guinness Storehouse and although we weren’t sad that we went, it was not what we expected. We are from Bourbon Country and are used to guided Bourbon distillery tours and thought this would be similar. It isn’t a guided tour that shows the production facilities or brewing process. It is more of a self-guided museum. with placards and a tasting room. They push a lot of people through on a daily basis and it is crowded and somewhat commercialized. Unless you feel like your trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Guinness, there are many other places you could spend a few hours in Dublin.

While in Dublin, we stayed at the Shelbourne and it was lovely. Attentive service, beautiful rooms and great location. While in Killarney, we stayed at The Killarney Park hotel. It is a locally-owned hotel and the staff were some of the best we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. It is also centrally located and we were able to walk to and from bars/restaurants very easily. Our desire to walk to places and interact with local people was all discussed ahead of time with Katie and she made suggestions for hotels based on these talks.

We highly recommend Katie and will use her for future trips.

We have just returned from London and Ireland. Our trip was fantastic, thanks to the superb itinerary from Jonathan and Katie. We had wonderful guides throughout Ireland, and I don’t know how we could have possibly enjoyed the superb experience we had without their knowledge and the ability to get us comfortably from one magical place to the next. We learned so much about the culture and history of the regions we visited, which added to the pleasure of visiting Ireland. The hotels that our trip planners selected were beyond amazing. One treasured memory is staying in the Europe hotel and overlooking the most beautiful lake and mountain scene imaginable!

Wendy, thank you so much for what you do and connecting us with Jonathan Epstein and his team. Jonathan, Katie Stewart and Katie Galvin went over and above to make sure everything was in place for our trip to Scotland. From hotels, guides, drivers, dinner reservations and more, they offered a wealth of excellent resources and support that we wouldn’t have had access to on our own.

We have to mention Jim Johnstone, our driver/guide for 8 days, who was outstanding! He was very knowledgeable, experienced, personable and just delightful to be around. We feel very fortunate to have had him as our guide — he was the icing on the cake!

We will be forever grateful for everyone who contributed to this trip of a lifetime and will definitely use Wendy Perrin again for another extraordinary trip!

Thank you!

We wouldn’t plan an international trip without a Wendy Perrin travel specialist. Jonathan Epstein and his team made our trip to Scotland amazing. The hotels were exceptional and our guide/driver could not have been any better. We love to visit new places and having an expert like Jonathan who knows the area very well makes all the difference!

Jonathan and Katie planned our March trip to the UK (Scotland/England).

The weather in early March was surprisingly mild. As a result our itinerary was unaffected and we experienced the full beauty of Scotland.

We had a great introduction to the whisky industry during our WOW Moment at The Pot Still in Glasgow. It was a great way to start our journey. Our guide John was a true difference maker the five days we were together. He eagerly shared his knowledge of Scotland and drove us through the country with high-speed Internet available to us for the inevitable interruption. John also has a vast knowledge of the whisky industry and its history in Scotland.

The hotels we used were all top-notch and we will look forward to returning to Gleneagles to take advantage of all the activities they have to offer. Unfortunately we did experience a day of bad weather during our time at Gleneagles. The American Bar at Gleneagles is a must-visit if you are a hotel guest.

Our guide in Edinburgh was Val, and she had an incredible knowledge of the city and pointed out many out-of-the-way places that truly brought the city to life for us. Neil toured us through Stonehenge and Oxford, providing a lifetime of knowledge about that part of England. Our experiences were greatly enhanced by the services of these people. We were able to see and learn so much more by not wasting time being lost or trying to figure out which side of the road to drive on. Thanks to Katie and Jonathan for planning this great experience and for connecting us with such outstanding people.

My friend and I took our four teenage sons on a March spring break trip to Ireland. We worked with Jonathan Epstein, Katie Galvin and Katie Stewart. They worked as a team with us and each of them could not have been more helpful and professional. We all spoke about what we were looking for on our trip. It was the perfect mix of sightseeing, adventure, and downtime, which was perfect for all of us. Our tour guide and driver for most of the trip was Frank Kelly. I can’t speak highly enough about our time with him. Frank got to know the boys and their interests and went out of his way to add to the itinerary with activities such as Gaelic Games and time with a local club soccer team. Our boys loved getting to spend time with other teens from Ireland.

Jonathan’s office chose the perfect hotels for our stay and activities. Some favorites were our boat ride in Killarney National Park followed by a 7-mile jaunting cart ride. Our time in Galway and the Galway food walking tour was a hit for all. While the rest of our group did Gaelic Games, I did a walking tour of Dublin with Kate McCartney and had a wonderful time walking the streets of Dublin learning about the past and present.

This is my second trip that I have done going through your WOW List. Your trip planners make vacations memorable and special. I will never plan a trip without going through Wendy Perrin and I freely share this advice with others. :)

We recently returned from a trip to London with our family of 10 people that we had planned with Jonathan Epstein. We traveled over the Christmas holidays with our children and 4 grandchildren, aged 10-13. Jonathan and Katie’s attention to detail was superb! We stayed at the One Aldywich Hotel in Covent Garden. The hotel was amazing in every way! Our kids each had a 2-bedroom suite to accommodate their families of 4. We arrived the day after Christmas, and the kids had gifts waiting for them in each room with their names on them. The adults all had Christmas stockings filled with treats. All of the rooms were beautiful, and it was a perfect choice for people traveling with families. Our guide, Alex, was with us for 4 days. He and Olivia, our driver, exceeded all of our expectations. Alex was great with the kids and his scavenger hunt in The British Museum was a real blast! A highlight of the trip was traveling to Hampton Court to learn all about Henry VIII and his six wives. Later that same evening, we went to the theater to see Six, which is about all of the wives. The kids also loved their visit to the Chelsea Stadium. Everything went like clockwork, from our arrival in London to the time we left for home.

To celebrate my husband’s birthday I surprised him with a trip to London. And more importantly, with tickets to an English Premier football match between his two favorite teams, Chelsea and Arsenal. It was an absolutely amazing trip from start to finish thanks to Jonathan and Katie. They curated a perfect few days for us in London, and all of their recommendations were first-rate and spot-on. The highlight of the trip was most definitely the football match, but everything else was a very close second. Jonathan recommended we stay at Beaverbrook Townhouses in Chelsea, and I never want to stay in another hotel. The hotel has 14 beautiful rooms and a bar of my dreams. It is perfectly located and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating (the manager went out to get my husband a sandwich when he was suffering from dramamine-induced jet leg). Jonathan’s office helped plan three separate tours while we were there; a walking tour of Chelsea, a history and food tour of Borough Market and a “In the Footsteps of Winston Churchill” tour ending at the Churchill War Rooms. All of the tours were fantastic and by the end of each one we felt like we were old friends with the guides. I highly recommend the food tour—be sure to go hungry, as you’ll be tasting your way through the market. It was a great trip and we’re ready to go back! Thank you Jonathan and Katie.

What started off as a trip planned just for the Laver Cup in London for 5 days, grew into a few more days’ length so that I could have a wonderful and active trip to explore beyond the tournament and the city! Jonathan and Katie guided me to select the English countryside to start my trip off, and it was an excellent choice. I was transported to what felt like a different time period while staying at Lucknam Park Hotel in the Cotswolds, with its lovely rooms, grounds and staff. The guides for this trip were also a big part of making it as fabulous as it was. Peter, my tour guide in the countryside, helped me navigate so many amazing sites like Bath & a Roman baths tour, Cotswolds village stops, Stonehenge, & the tower climb at Salisbury Cathedral, all in 2 days! Once back in London, Emma, my London tour guide, was like touring the city with a friend! We had such a great time walking around, seeing the sites, and learning about the history of London, including its culture with tea, coffee, beer and gin! Staying in Mayfair was a great spot too, with its close access to the underground station nearby. Of course, being at the tennis tournament for 3 days was a true highlight as well, but the other days along with the ease of travel, even arriving the day of the Queen’s funeral and being there throughout the mourning period, were also a standout! It was a historic time to be in the UK and I would not hesitate to use Jonathan’s team for my next journey to those areas!

We recently returned from 12 days in Scotland. To plan our trip, we worked with Jonathan Epstein and Katie Stewart – they listened to our travel preferences and designed the perfect trip for us. Scotland is an incredibly picturesque country and the people we met there could not have been more welcoming and enjoyable.

Some of the highlights….
On our first day in Edinburgh, Jonathan arranged a full-day walking tour with Paul, a dynamic and knowledgeable guide. As we wandered the Royal Mile going in and out of churches and museums, he pointed out architectural details, and shared stories and the histories of the landmarks and of the country. Many things we would have missed on our own that made us understand and appreciate the city even more.

St Andrews, a picture-perfect town with amazing golf, pubs, and restaurants. Wish we were there longer.

The Culloden Battlefield tour, our driver recommended the visitor center and tour and we were so glad she did – it was incredibly informative and gave us a deeper understanding of Scotland’s history.

Jonathan also arranged for us to drive through The Great Glen. The natural awesome beauty of the place was breathtaking.

Every hotel we stayed at was amazing and we were given exceptional treatment while there – no doubt because of the relationships they shared with Jonathan. Our favorite hotel, where they went above and beyond in every way, was the Airds Hotel in Port Appin. A small, family-run place, we felt at home the minute we walked in. Ryan, the manager, Luka and Norbert were incredibly professional, yet so friendly – I felt sad saying goodbye when we had to leave…and the restaurant served some of the best food I’ve ever had.

On our last day in Scotland, we had our WOW Moment. After our day of touring the Glasgow area, we were dropped off at The Pot Still pub – a small homey place with hundreds of whiskies lining the walls. We sat at a table in the back of the place with locals all around us enjoying drinks with friends. There we were welcomed by Chris, who knew more about whisky than anyone I’d ever met. He spent 2+ hours explaining the intricacies of Scottish whisky, the differences between single malt, single grain, and blends. He told us where the various distilleries were and how the locations and production styles affected taste. And while we listened, we ate haggis pies and tasted a variety of different whiskies. That afternoon was the highlight of our trip, and one of the reasons we’re already talking about a return trip to Scotland.

Jonathan and Katie planned a magical 2-week tour of Ireland from July 19 – August 3, 2022 for me and my husband. From our first phone call with them I was impressed with their curiosity about our desires and goals for our trip and their professionalism in planning a detailed, illustrated itinerary. They made some small changes and additions that we requested and answered all of our questions promptly.

When I told Jonathan that I had recently watched the movie “Belfast” and loved the Netflix series “Derry Girls,” he suggested that we might enjoy traveling off the beaten path a bit to Northern Ireland. That ended up being excellent advice, as we really felt like we were on an exciting adventure instead of following a more predictable itinerary through the south.

We started in Dublin and had a memorable tour of Powerscourt, Glendalough and the lovely Wicklow Mountains with Mark as our driver and guide. We highly recommend staying at the Trinity Townhouse Hotel, which was in the perfect location for exploring Dublin.

We then traveled to Belfast and Derry, where we toured The Murals and learned the sad but interesting history of political and religious conflict from our private guides. Our hotel in Belfast, The Culloden Estate, upgraded us to a fabulous suite and provided us with tickets to the Titanic Museum (fascinating—don’t miss it!).

On to the Donegal region for perhaps the most awesome sights of our trip during our hike up Slieve League, the highest sea cliffs in all of Europe! We stayed at the Lough Eske Castle, another lovely hotel where we were treated like royalty.

Our last stop was in Galway, which was a nice contrast to the previous towns. We spent several hours one day with Paula, who instantly became our friend, took us on a fabulous food tour, and taught us so much about traditional Irish culture.

After one last night back in Dublin, we returned home happy with many warm stories and memories. We were absolutely charmed by Ireland and feel like we soaked in the magic every minute of each day. It truly was a trip of lifetime that would not have been as memorable without the excellent guidance and advice from Jonathan and Katie!

We (two couples) had a fabulous trip to Pugllia and Sicily thanks to the expert advice and planning by Jonathan Epstein and Marianna Mazzuccato. We had worked with Jonathan several years ago on a trip to Ireland and were confident about receiving the same service for an Italian adventure.

After several calls working through our goals regarding activities, hotels and budget, Marianna put together a preliminary itinerary. We greatly appreciated the transparency regarding hotel choices. We were easily able to pick and choose the hotel and room type in each location—each choice already vetted by Jonathan’s team. Additionally, Marianna provided us with a myriad of different excursions, particularly curated to meet our desire to be active and busy. Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly—our all-day trip to and around Mount Etna was a highlight—and included several impromptu stops at a honey farm and a local olive-oil cooperative.

Marianna also provided an extensive list of restaurants for each city—making it much easier to navigate the local food scene.

Our trip was two weeks total—we could have stayed even longer!

London and Scotland for a week each in late August, 2022. The Milestone in London was super: location, people, rooms, food and The Bar. All of the guides were great!! Prompt, nice, funny and SO knowledgeable. Everything went very smoothly and I would use Wendy Perrin again for sure.

We used Jonathan Epstein’s office for a trip to Ireland June 8-20, 2022. His travel planner Katie Stewart was our go-to contact. Our group consisted of two couples. We are old friends and travel together often. Jonathan and Katie met with us on Zoom and listened to our wants and ideas for our trip. They then came up with an itinerary that checked all of our boxes. They had great recommendations and steered us away from a few things that they thought we would not enjoy.

We flew into Shannon and spent our first three nights at Gregans Castle in the Burren near Ballyvaughn. The hotel was wonderful. The cozy bar and the restaurant were exceptional. We met our driver/guide there and started a great adventure. Our guide Brendan was absolutely perfect for us. He had great insight into what we would enjoy and could turn on a dime if something was not working. We asked him a million questions which were answered graciously and had great discussions with him on Irish politics and customs. We went to Galway for a day and moved on to Killarney for three more nights at Cahernane House. The men played a round of golf there and Brendan wrangled reservations for us at several popular local restaurants. We never had a bad meal. Murphy’s Bar was a favorite. We drove to Dingle and around the peninsula. Ireland is an enchanting place.

We left Killarney for Cashel and the Cashel Palace. On the way we stopped in Middleton for a tour of the Jamison Distillery. This was informative and very enjoyable. Our room at the Cashel Palace had a wonderful view of the Rock of Cashel and we had a delicious and very fun dinner at Mikey Ryan’s Bar and Kitchen. The Rock of Cashel is part of the grim history of the English exploitation of Ireland and is a beautiful monument to the Irish people.

We left Cashel for Dublin and Brendan deposited us at the Conrad Dublin. We were sad to say goodbye to our new friend. The best decision we made for this trip was to have a driver/guide. The driving would have proved challenging and even dangerous for us to undertake on our own. We gleaned so much more enjoyment from the trip by being able to look at the scenery instead of worrying about where we were going. We learned a tremendous amount about the people and history of this beautiful country and had a blast doing so.

Many thanks to Jonathan’s team for making all of this possible.

My husband and I have just returned from a fantastic 3-week trip planned by Jonathan and his team. From our first conversation with Jonathan and Katie, we knew we were in good hands. We had some idea of the places we wanted to visit and things we wanted to see; they listened to us, asked questions, made suggestions, and put together an itinerary that was better than we hoped.

Because we were traveling to different cities (Belfast, Dublin, Killarney, Cong and Galway), Jonathan suggested a driver rather than self-driving, and he was so right! Having the pressure of driving removed gave us so much more freedom to explore the areas and enjoy the days. Also, the drivers did not just drive, they provided historical facts, made suggestions of out-of-the-way places to visit, knew the best local places for a pub lunch, the best place to buy a special gift, the place to stop for the best view/photos, etc.

The hotels Jonathan suggested were truly amazing. In each, we felt very special, and we are sure Jonathan’s connections made a huge difference. The Merchant in Belfast, the Shelbourne in Dublin, and the Killarney Park in Killarney were all wonderful; it is difficult to describe how nice it is to walk into a hotel and be greeted like an old friend! And Ashford Castle…there are not enough superlatives to describe this hotel…top-notch service, magnificent rooms, excellent restaurants & bars, and an attitude that ‘nothing is too much to ask.’ We could have certainly stayed there longer.

We had too many outstanding experiences to list here, but some were: visiting the area of the ‘Troubles’ in Belfast, including the murals and Wall of Peace; tours of the Book of Kells and Kilmainham Jail in Dublin; Rock of Cashel; Dingle peninsula; the Hawk Walk and cruise at Ashford Castle; a day trip to the Aran Islands; sheepdog demonstration; Cliffs of Moher; and a food tour in Galway. Many of the activities we would not have known about had it not been for the suggestion of Jonathan and Katie.

Thank you, Wendy, for another memorable WOW Moment. Sitting on one of the columns at the Giant’s Causeway sipping Bushmill’s Reserve whiskey gives a new meaning to ‘whiskey on the rocks.’ Everyone passing by us was jealous!

Thanks, Jonathan and Katie for putting together one of the best vacations we have had. We cannot wait to return to Ireland!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We are just back from Ireland and are thrilled to recommend Jonathan Epstein as a travel planner. Our family of 4 (including 2 college-age sons) spent 8 days in Ireland and worked with Jonathan and Katie Stewart in planning a trip that our family will always remember. From our first telephone call, I felt like a valued client, and they took my ideas of the way we wanted to travel and the top things we wanted to see, then designed an itinerary that was better than I could have ever planned.

One of the first recommendations that Jonathan made was to use a driver rather than to drive ourselves. Although I was nervous about spending days with someone we didn’t know, we all heartily agree that it was one of the best things we did. Not only did our drivers, Gerry and Seamus, know details and have suggestions we would never have known, but spending time with someone who loves and knows Ireland added an unexpected dimension to our trip. Seamus always knew places to stop for lunch, unexpected detours with the most amazing views, a perfect spot for coffee or for shopping, and the best local pubs with music that our boys would love. When we told him about one son’s interest in prehistoric and Celtic history, he took us to several out-of-the-way stops and tiny towns where we saw stone circles and ruins, and also had fun pub lunches away from crowds of tourists. Our boys learned all about hurling from Seamus and we talked about and watched matches on the trip.

We made a large circle around the Republic of Ireland, starting and ending in Dublin. We saw Cashel and the historic Rock of Cashel, Cork, Cobh, the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, the Burren region, Galway, and Dublin. Jonathan suggested the behind-the-scenes tour at the Jameson distillery, which was excellent, and a food tour in Galway which was one of the highlights of the trip. We explored towns and countryside, hiked through the Burren area, saw historical Irish sites and ruins, and explored the city highlights of Dublin. He managed to weave it all together in a way where we felt like we saw an incredible view of the country without being rushed.

The hotels where we stayed were wonderful, with beautiful rooms and grounds and exceptional service. The Cashel Palace and Greghans Castle were places where we wished we could stay for a month, and the kind of places where we got to know staff and felt like welcome family rather than just customers. All of the hotels and venues knew Jonathan and his company. Having Jonathan and Katie plan this trip was worth every penny. We were able to relax and enjoy the scenery without worrying about every detail or running over sheep on windy Irish country roads! It truly makes a difference to work with a professional. I can’t recommend them more highly, and this trip will be a part of our family’s memories always!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Jonathan Epstein and Katie Stewart custom-planned a special trip to London for my grandson and myself. They managed almost everything, from hotel accommodations to an itinerary perfectly suited to the very specific interests of my 15-year-old grandson. …..”no Crown Jewels, little to no pageantry. Everything history, specifically World War 2 and Churchill. “ Our guides heard his wants and tweaked tours to maximize his experience. His attention never flagged, a testimony to their skill.

London in June, 2022 was daunting. Unbelievable crowds, skyrocketing prices, and rampant covid…I did bring it home with me and am recovering well. Am I glad we traveled now? You bet! The trip was a priceless experience for both of us, one I’d be happy to do again. Hopefully I’ll take my younger grandson to Europe next summer, and hopefully he’ll choose another destination Jonathan covers!!!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We had wonderful time on our family trip through Ireland with the knowledgable guidance of Jonathan and his staff. Our initial planning was spot-on with terrific advice and insight on everything from hotel choices to efficient and enjoyable sequencing of our many selected destinations to the pros and cons of spending more for extras. Jonathan was quick to understand our special requests as we returned to Ireland for the first time in 25 years, bringing our teenaged daughters to see so much that we remember fondly. He seamlessly wove together an itinerary to include both the common (Ring of Kerry, Dublin museums) and the somewhat less travelled (Cahir Castle, Rotunda Hospital) and wisely counseled us to arrange for a private driver.

This expertise was even more appreciated when we had to reschedule our trip from June 2020 to June 2021 and then again to June 2022. Jonathan and his team did all the leg work to rebook our rooms, guides, and driver—and even secured additional perks and discounts along the way.

Some highlights of our trip that circled Dublin – Cong – Killarney – Laois (Ballyfin) – Dublin: We had gorgeous rooms, amazing service, and real value-added perks at the hotels where we stayed. The staff often mentioned Jonathan’s company, and it was clear that Jonathan had a connection with them. The suggested tours and activities were exactly as described—and sometimes even more appreciated by our teenagers than we had expected. The food tour in Galway and the sheepdog/lamb experience were real highlights that we would not have pursued without Jonathan’s urging. Our driver Pat was jovial, punctual, kind and flexible—as well as completely at ease driving in any number of crazy or frustrating settings. We were so grateful not to have had to drive—or even to have had to select a driver!

Our only disappointment is that we were due to have a WOW Moment on this trip—this was confirmed when we rescheduled the dates from 2021 to 2022… but somehow Jonathan and his team forgot about it. A key staff member left during that time and I suspect the ball was dropped during her transition. We got a sincere apology, but we definitely felt a bit shortchanged.

That one omission notwithstanding, we would definitely work with Jonathan again if we were to return to Ireland. His assistance made our trip easier, more fun, and a better value for us.

Response from Wendy:

I am dismayed that Jilda’s WOW Moment was missed—a highly unusual circumstance thanks to a Covid-related snafu—and we will certainly more than make it up to her on her next trip! As a reminder to all travelers, here’s how our WOW Moments project works, and here are the rules for redeeming your WOW Moments gift certificate. While every WOW Moment is a surprise, if your final trip itinerary does not include mention that this surprise will occur and when, by all means let us know immediately at info@wendyperrin.com.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  After two years of waiting to re-book our Scotland/Ireland trip with Jonathan, we were ready to leave behind the reality of COVID, meet warm and generous folks, and experience the wonder of our world.

Driver/guides, from kind-hearted Neil Spowart and dry-witted Robert Mcelwee in Scotland, to youthful Jordan Schmidt in Ireland, became fast friends and wonderful ambassadors for their countries. Treacherous, single-lane roads were no problem for them and while they kept us safe, we were happy to watch indescribable scenery pass by. How many different ways can you express the word “beautiful”? We were simply filled with awe. All three drivers tapped into our sense of adventure, making diversions from our itinerary, exploring less traveled mountain roads and stopping often for photo opportunities and walks. Three different drivers came down with COVID the day before we expected to meet them but these three incredible substitute drivers were found overnight. Pandemic related problems were quickly solved as Jonathan only works with the best companies.

Jonathan has relationships with magnificent hotels and we entered each one with excitement. Stately Culloden House, thank you for your kindness, and a shout out to Stephen for figuring out a way to retrieve items we had left in Edinburgh! Glenapp Castle welcomed us with beautiful gardens, views of Ailsa Craig, and attentive staff. What a magical place overlooking the sea and what a glorious sunny half-day boat ride and tour of Ailsa Craig we had!

In Ireland, Killarney Park Hotel gave us the best hotel greeting of the trip, with warm smiles, elegant rooms, lit fireplaces and the feeling of being in a real home. How fun it was to do a Jonathan-provided perk of an Irish Whiskey tasting in the library our last night there! Thinking no hotel could top Killarney Park, we made our grand entrance into Ashford Castle and felt like royalty coming home. We experienced good food, sumptuous rooms, walks in gardens, a lake cruise, and a juice sommelier at Breakfast! But the Hawk Walk at Ashford and the wonder of communing with a hawk, seeing it fly off your hand and return, filled us with such childlike joy. What a perfect ending to to a life-affirming trip!

Thank you Jonathan Epstein and Katie for orchestrating a magnificent tour for us! Our spirit of anticipation of what would be down the road continued from start to finish and we were never disappointed! And thank you Wendy Perrin for always introducing us to the world’s best travel experts!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My mother and I returned last week from 10 days in the Cotswolds (June 5-14). Our trip was planned by Jonathan. This was our first time to use a trip planner and we weren’t sure what to expect. Jonathan and his team made everything go smoothly, from our airport transfers to dinner reservations, and we had exactly the trip we had envisioned.

During our initial consultation, we discussed what my mom and I wanted from the trip and listed our must-see sights. Jonathan then designed a trip where we based out of three beautiful villages (from small and remote Painswick and Lower Slaughter to bigger and more bustling Chipping Campden) and worked our way from south to north, ticking items off our sightseeing list along the way: Tewkesbury Abbey, attending Evensong service at Gloucester Cathedral, Sudeley Castle & Gardens, Kelmscott Manor, St Mary’s Church in Fairford, Hidcote Manor Gardens, Kiftsgate Court Gardens, and Blenheim Palace. One of the gardens we wanted to visit wasn’t running their normal tours because the head gardener was out on medical leave. At no cost to us, Jonathan was able to arrange a short private tour with the general manager of the property, after which we were left to enjoy a pot of tea in the magnificent garden.

All of our accommodations were outstanding (in fact one of them, The Painswick, couldn’t have been more perfect if we’d designed it ourselves), with superb locations, amenities and food. For our last night before flying home, we were booked at The Runnymede on Thames. Though only 10 minutes from Heathrow, it’s right on the river. After a long day of sightseeing and then driving back to London, we were able to spend one final glorious summer evening enjoying gin & tonics outside by the river.

Jon, our driver/guide, was a simply a gem. He was prompt, professional, knowledgeable and lots of fun! Ahead of our visits, he provided us with printed materials about our chosen sights so we could familiarize ourselves and make sure we didn’t miss anything that would be of interest to us. He booked lunches for us at wonderful local pubs so we didn’t waste valuable time looking for a place to eat or standing in queues. He chose beautiful scenic routes and stopped in several villages along the way so we could have a short ramble, and he gave us good advice on our plans for the days we were on our own. After a visit to Blenheim Palace on our final day, he drove us away from the tourist crowds to the little village churchyard where Winston Churchill is buried. This was the perfect way to end our trip!

Jonathan and his team allowed us to really relax and enjoy ourselves, making our “dream trip” a reality.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Another great trip from Jonathan Epstein and his team!

After a 2-year delay due to Covid restrictions, my son and I were able to finally make it to Northern Ireland and Scotland for a great 7-day trip which included visits to Belfast, Islay and Glasgow. This was my third time using Jonathan and every trip has been fantastic. We landed in Dublin where we were met by Jimmy, our driver-guide for the first leg of our trip – Jimmy was excellent. The drive to Belfast from Dublin gave us a chance to see the Irish countryside and learn more about the evolution of Northern Ireland since the “Troubles” were resolved in the 1990s. The natural beauty of the area remains strong and while you can tell that the area is still struggling to recover from Covid, the experience was top-notch including a private Bushmills tasting that Jonathan arranged for our hotel. Our next stop was Islay, which remains an undiscovered gem. Hard to get to, but worth the effort, especially if you are a fan of peated scotch. Our driver-guide David – also excellent – guided us through two full days of distillery tours and sight-seeing, including a private, “behind the scenes” tour of the Laphroaig distillery – what an incredible experience! Our final stop was two nights in Glasgow with John McElwee – John is a superstar when it comes to driver-guides. John led us on a trip to Oban where we had the best, freshest fish & chips that we’ve ever eaten, not to mention a great tour of the Oban distillery. We finished up our trip with a visit to Culzean Castle and Burns Memorial Gardens before heading to the airport for our flight home.

Overall, this was another amazing trip delivered by Jonathan’s team. It was astounding what they were able to pull together in a world still trying to recover from Covid. Their knowledge of the hotels and the sights guarantees great trips, but the secret is the quality of the driver-guides. The driver-guides have all been excellent. They are the difference between a very good trip and a fantastic one. It is very likely that I will be using Jonathan and his team again in the future.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL I was extremely satisfied with Jonathan and Katie, the two people I worked to plan our family vacation in Ireland. They were able to take an amorphous concept that I had in my mind and make it tangible.
They arranged the perfect house for us to rent, with just enough amenities that we were not isolated, but enough space to enjoy and relax.
All details were as they promised, from the airport pickup, to the tour guides, to the restaurant recommendations.
We are a difficult family to travel with since two people have celiac disease. Jonathan made the experience seamless. Each restaurant had full menus from which to choose and that made my wife and daughter extremely happy. Similarly, at our hotel in Dublin for our last weekend in Ireland, the hotel staff knew about the dietary needs and we did not need to even address it.
Most importantly, Jonathan and Katie were both kind and patient with all my questions and worries, especially since we began planning while Covid restrictions were still significant. I am thankful for their skills and we will use their services again.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  This trip was planned for 2020, rescheduled for 2021, and then I was finally about to make it happen in April 2022. Jonathan’s team did a great job with the logistics. The properties were perfect, the driver/guide is now a friend, and the suggested activities/tours, and restaurants were very good. Ireland is a gorgeous country with absolutely lovely people and is a must-see destination. Jonathan and his team know Ireland inside and out and are great for personalizing your trip.

And, thank you so much to Wendy for the WOW Moment! A cheese and wine tasting in a very special wine cellar was amazing! The sommelier at Ballyfin was excellent!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Having lost a sibling earlier in 2021, my husband and I reached out to Jonathan Epstein in October to see about organizing a trip to Ireland for the remaining siblings and in-laws some time in 2022. Jonathan didn’t even flinch when we mentioned the group totaled 18, 3 of whom have mobility issues. Jonathan and Katie Stewart went right to work helping us think through best time of year to travel with a group that large and destinations to reasonably cover in a two week period. Then came the hard part. All accommodations, restaurants, sight seeing venues and transportation had to be largely wheelchair accessible — not an easy feat in historical venues — and had to meet local Covid requirements and capacity limits in effect earlier this year when most of the bookings were finalized. Jonathan, Katie and the team did an absolutely spectacular job for our family! The accommodations were all 5 star (Adare Manor is beyond 5 stars and not to be missed! and The Europe is so special right on the Lake), meals were a delightful mix of everything from pubs to gorgeous private rooms, the itinerary perfectly captured the scenic beauty of Ireland and the history and vibrancy of Dublin, and the private transportation was amazing. We were met at the airport by our incredible guide Brendan and chief driver Martin and instantly knew we were in great hands. They became part of the family, along with relief driver Patsy, and taught us so much about their beautiful country while appreciating the banter on the bus and often participating in it. For most of the group, this was their first time abroad and to say this was a trip of a lifetime is an understatement! Every detail was thought through by Jonathan, Katie and the team. They strongly recommended and booked an early private tour of the Book of Kells, they organized a private tour of the Kilmainham Gaol, helped us work with The Epic Museum for some research into ancestry (not an easy task for a family named Kelly) and presentation to our group, they organized a private music experience for our group that was one of the highlights of our trip, shared knowledge of exceptional crafts people for those interested in bringing back crystal and jewelry, organized an informative and memorable Falconry experience for the group and arranged for a private whiskey tasting at an up and coming distillery. With a group this large, there were of course some challenges to overcome. When a personal wheelchair proved too difficult to travel with, Brendan miraculously produced a scooter we were able to utilize and travel with for the length of our stay — I still don’t know how he sourced this but without it, that couple would have missed so much! At each stop, Martin and Brendan set up and repacked 2 wheelchairs, a scooter and an additional mobility device. We didn’t travel light but these gentlemen never made any of us feel like a burden and did whatever they could to make sure wherever we stopped could be enjoyed by all of us. Jonathan, Katie and the team were very helpful when some of the group experienced Covid (no one was seriously ill) and we will always be grateful for their assistance. (Covid restrictions of all kinds were eliminated just prior to our arrival and Ireland experienced a surge in cases as did most of Europe as a consequence of lifted restrictions). The final challenge came as an organized trucker protest was setting up just as we were heading to the airport. Jonathan’s transportation partner, Bruno, was exceedingly kind, calm and helpful in ensuring we made it to the airport in time for our flight! My husband and I have worked with a few of the listed travel specialists and I can honestly say that Jonathan Epstein was an absolute joy to work with and is absolutely worthy of a WOW label. I would work with him again in a heartbeat and highly recommend him without any reservation!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We took an incredible trip to Ireland using Jonathan and his team. They were very responsive in listening to what we desired and were patient with us when we felt the need to postpone during the Covid crisis. They booked us beautiful five star hotels and breath taking rooms. I figure they must have a map of each room at each hotel so they can fulfill your request, we never walked into one of our five hotels and thought they could have done better! It was always spot on. After our long flight they were thoughtful without asking by booking us two nights of rest before our touring at the Ballyfin. Every need is taken care of there by the experienced staff. After two days we caught our breath and the most professional driver/guide picked us up. Frank Kelley is a professional like no other. His knowledge on our touring was vast and his professionalism can not be beat. We moved on to Sheen Falls Lodge, Gregan’s Castle, Ashford Castle and the Shelbourn in Dublin to end our trip. We spent 6-8 hours a day with Frank. He found us wonderful restaurants and pubs for lunch. Took us to all the wonderful sights Ireland has to offer. Everywhere we went the hotel staff fondly talked about Jonathan Epstein. He and his company made a very good impression on not only us by the hotels we stayed at. Jonathan’s team booked all our dining reservations and most of our tours. We did also manage to add a few tours to our itinerary at the suggestion of our driver. We would definitely use Jonathan and his team for a future trip.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We travelled to London and The Cotswolds in March of 2022.

Our team, led by Jonathan Epstein, was exceptional. They helped us pick the perfect hotels for us (in London, The Goring, and in the Cotswolds, Lucknam Park) and for that reason alone they were worth it- we were so overwhelmed by all of the choices. Our transfers and all of the details that can be very tedious and annoying were all seamless and we didn’t have any kind of logistical stress during our whole trip.

The tours they chose for us were perfect and we got guides that were great for our family. We especially loved the Mini Cooper Harry Potter tour, and our tour of Oxford and the Cotswolds. They helped us organize our days so that each day was special but not overwhelmingly busy.

The Goring was amazing- the service was the best we have experienced and it was so charming and English. The bar, breakfast service, and afternoon tea were great and the rooms were beautiful. Housekeeping went above and beyond and the concierge is incredible. The location is great too.

In the Cotswolds we stayed at Lucknam Park, which is a beautiful, expansive property. My daughter loves horses and my son loves being in nature and we all really enjoyed it. It was a great change of pace from London and a relaxing way to end our trip.

In terms of Covid, it really wasn’t a concern of ours. The UK has dropped all protocols and it feels very pre-pandemic over there, which we loved.

This is our second time using Wendy Perrin and it certainly won’t be our last. Before, we always figured with the internet you really don’t need a travel agent. But we have learned that the value-add makes it well worth it. The headaches are removed, the itinerary is thoughtfully organized, and you have access to special experiences you wouldn’t otherwise have. We highly recommend Wendy Perrin!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We could not speak more highly of Jonathan and his team at the offices, as well as on the ground in Ireland. With three and a half weeks’ notice, they planned a fabulous 10 day trip to the Republic of Ireland for our family of two adults and three teens from 2/28/22 to 3/1/22. (We had put off planning, due to Covid concerns, and Covid hardly impacted our trip at all.) We gave them a budget and a couple of wishes and they prepared the perfect trip for our needs.

We stayed two nights in Dublin, where we did a lovely and informative walking tour with Fiona. The next day, our fabulous guide, Brendan, picked us up and spent the next 8 days driving us around. We spent three nights in Galway and three in Cork. During the days, we explored the countryside and visited both historic landmarks and out of the way finds. Along the way, Brendan charmed us with his unending knowledge of historical facts, local stories, jokes, and quick wit. As Jonathan had predicted, Brendan is now on our Christmas card list!

Some of the highlights included: visiting the Book of Kells and the Long Room in Dublin; a fantastic food tour in Galway with Clare; experiencing a private demonstration of sheepdog work in Connemara and getting to know Tom, the farmer; a tour of the Midleton distillery with a whiskey tasting; and visiting the Irish National Stud Farm. Each family member loved learning about the rich history and culture of Ireland. Our kids, aged 20, 18, and 14, were the perfect ages for this trip, as there was so much to learn but also a lot of time in the car to see the far-flung rural sites. We were fortunate to attend a Gaelic football game where Brendan, a former player, could explain all the rules. The kids are very into sports, so this was a definite highlight. In all, the itinerary was a perfect mix for all our interests, and the right amount of moving from one hotel to another.

We were aware how much work Jonathan, Katie in his office, and Brendan did to make sure we were treated as VIPs everywhere we went. Our schedule frequently changed on the fly, due to weather or our wish to stay longer to learn more about a particular place, and Brendan was able to arrange upcoming situations to fit, every time. He could always call ahead to the perfect restaurant to get us right in, and he knew people everywhere we went to pave our way. The weather was rainy and cold sometimes, and one morning it even snowed. This really did nothing to set back our enjoyment of the trip. In addition, we had the bad luck for four out of the five of us to catch a bug over three days, and Brendan was adept at organizing around these problems, always thinking of our needs and what would work to continue a fantastic vacation for our family.

In addition, Jonathan and Katie booked us the perfect hotels for our needs and budget with very short notice. They were all very high quality and we received wonderful service.

Lastly, this is our second family trip through Wendy Perrin, the first being to Colombia in 2020. It is even more clear to us that Wendy brings enormous value to the trip. Using her service guaranteed an agent who is not only an expert in the region, but also plans a dynamic, exciting, varied, and completely personalized holiday. We received the royal treatment wherever we went, and problems we faced were quickly arranged away. Each of us are experienced travelers, but we would not have been able to do the volume of planning required to make this trip happen so well and so quickly, or to sit back, relax, and experience all the joys of Ireland while trying to manage the myriad logistics on our own. For sure, we will be using Wendy from now on, whenever it is appropriate. Thank you so much to everyone involved, for making such a success of what was a very important trip for our family, before two of our children launch!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  I am just back from a magnificent visit to London thanks to Jonathan Epstein. Work and family obligations kept me from traveling for a few years and then when I finally was able to travel again the pandemic happened. As a regular reader of Wendy Perrin’s newsletter, I finally decided last fall that it was time to start traveling again, but that the services of an expert trip planner were probably in order. Wendy directed me to Jonathan and his wonderful colleague Katie who were super attentive to my interests and also my circumstance as a woman traveling alone. I could not be more grateful to them.

When Katie told me this might be one of few chances I would have to meet and hear mostly Brits in London I’m not sure I really believed her. January in London is the off season after all, but still I never expected to see Westminster Abbey with only 5 other visitors! The same was true almost everywhere I went, whether Churchill’s War Rooms, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s, Hampton Court Palace, Tower of London, British Museum. The food markets were busy but mostly with locals, and the same was true in the pubs and restaurants. Londoners were COVID cautious and respectful, with almost universal masking.

My tours were fantastic and my guides were smart, knowledgeable and fun. I really felt like I’d made new friends when we parted company. Jonathan and Katie steered me toward a few tours I might not have otherwise done – as a great travel planner should – and that made my days especially interesting. Alex and Emma made London come alive for me, not just through great history lessons and fun facts, but also by showing me different ways to experience the city. I would not have thought about London street art but Alex is an expert and I had so much fun learning about it from her. And Emma’s history of London in four drinks ended up in a gin distillery – what’s not to love about a great history lesson with a gin and tonic in hand! I really wanted to visit Hampton Court Palace again and fit in a visit to Oxford. Simon, my driver guide, made the day extra special by suggesting we include a stop at Runnymede and also asked if I’d like to attend Evensong at one of the college chapels in Oxford. The day was filled with great conversation, meaningful history, glorious sites and capped by a beautiful service at New College chapel.

My hotel could not have been more perfect – not just the room, also the dining room and mostly importantly the caring staff. Located across from Kensington Palace with easy access to the tube and bus and all of Hyde Park, I almost felt like a local. The Milestone is quintessentially English – just what I wanted.

Between the time I booked the trip and finally left the Covid rules must have changed three times. Jonathan and team kept me updated and reassured. Like many other travelers have said, I almost felt safer in London than I do here at home.

Thanks Jonathan and team for a memorable trip!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL I returned from a two week trip to Ireland in early October 2021. I was interested in a trip to Ireland and looked at many organized tours, but none were satisfactory. I reviewed Wendy’s Trusted Travel Experts and reached out Jonathan Epstein.

Jonathan and Nicole listened to all I desired to do in Ireland but also want I did not want do. They put together the perfect tour with a private driver guide. The hotels were spectacular, excellent dining reservations were made. The driver guide, John was outstanding! He was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and it was hard to say goodbye. Every detail was taken care of.

The tour needed to be rescheduled twice due to Covid. Nicole rebooked hotels several times graciously. She replied quickly to any questions and offered helpful tips and suggestions.

I cannot recommend Jonathan Epstein and his team enough. I absolutely will use them again for future trips!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Our family makes an annual trip to the UK which due to Covid was not possible. As soon as travel restrictions lifted we were on our way. We reached out to Jonathan Epstein, whom we had worked with a few years ago for a trip to Scotland, and started planning. Jonathan and Katie, she is amazing, scheduled a call with us and and made our trip to London fantastic. We were only in London for a few nights but stayed at an amazing hotel, The Goring, which is on a quiet street in the middle of everything. We had amazing dinners lined up, our favorite was called The Ivy Asia, our 17 year old daughter LOVED it. We had a tour set up called Hidden London, as we have been to many of the known sites, and our guide was fantastic. Now for Covid…we filled out all the required paperwork and did all the tests for Covid, easy with ZERO issues. Jonathan’s team provided us with all the links and ensured we had tests waiting for us. Other than the paperwork and the tests we moved around London with no problem and only wore masks on the Tube and in Ubers. We even attended a show where we just needed to show proof of vaccination. We were thrilled to be back in London and working with Jonathan and Katie made it perfect.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Jonathan and Nicole applied such useful knowledge of every aspect of our three-week trip to the UK. They walked us through the complexities of the vaccination procedures, always staying on top of the latest rules. They checked in on us during our trip, made sure that we had dinner reservations on the arrival day for each new city, and provided the friendliest and most knowledgeable guides for us. We never used to have guides, but the difference is night and day. They all knew Jonathan and Nicole intimately! I can absolutely endorse Jonathan’s team as our forever “go to” agency for the UK, Ireland, and Italy.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Jonathan and Nicole did an absolutely fantastic job curating our trip to Ireland. With our tight budget, we were out of our depth and overambitious with where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do, but Jonathan and Nicole helped focus our attentions. They treated us like royalty throughout the entire process. No inquiry about our trip was too small; no detail overlooked. This gave us an excellent experience in Galway and Dublin that we will cherish forever.
In the months leading up to the trip, Jonathan and Nicole monitored the COVID entry requirements and kept us updated, relieving us of the stress of wondering if there were any changes that would negatively impact our trip. Nicole gave us the necessary information to obtain our COVID tests for reentry into the U.S. at a clinic right around the corner from our hotel.
When we told Jonathan and Nicole that we were fine to take a train from Dublin to Galway, they suggested and arranged for a private driver to meet us at Dublin airport when our flight arrived at 5:05 am and drive us the 2 and a half hours to our hotel in Galway. This made our arrival into Ireland seamless.
We relied on Jonathan and Nicole’s expertise and knowledge of Ireland for experiences, accommodations, dining options and travel logistics. As a result, all of our experiences and dinner reservations went off without a hitch. We would not have thought to go to dinner at any of the restaurants Jonathan and Nicole recommended and we would have missed out on some truly incredible meals and dining experiences.
Our accommodations were wonderful and the staff at those places were very friendly and helpful. When the hotel in Galway overcharged us for our stay, Nicole contacted them immediately and procured a refund of the overpayment. I wasn’t able to accomplish this on my own when checking out of the hotel that morning so having Nicole as our advocate was a real bonus.
When I booked separate activities for us, Nicole happily added the details to our itinerary for me. Nicole arranged a number of private tours for us with local guides, something we wouldn’t have been able to do on our own. The value received by having Irish natives show us their cities was immeasurable. We were better able to interact with the locals and get a non-touristy perspective of Ireland. When I went back to one of the restaurants on our food tour in Galway for dinner, the owner fit me in without a reservation because I had been there earlier with our local guide, Sheena. I think I might have been turned away otherwise.
Jonathan and Nicole saved us so much time, energy and money by planning this trip for us, which allowed us to just go and enjoy ourselves. It was wonderful and comforting to know that all of the details had been capably handled by Jonathan and Nicole. I would highly recommend the private food tour in Galway. Spending that private time with a local was a priceless way to learn about Galway and its people and to have meaningful dialogue about the similarities and differences between U.S. and Irish cultures. It was also a fantastic opportunity to get additional suggestions from a local about places to go and places to avoid as tourist traps.
The next time we go to Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales, we will be contacting this WOW list planner!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Barbra & I just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland. We can’t thank Jonathan and Nicole enough for creating some fantastic memories for us! They connected us with an expert driver/guide, Robert McElwee, who took us to places we would have never thought of and led us through an exploration of this historic and majestic country. The hotels they chose were perfect, from the grand Scotsman in Edinburgh, to the St. Andrews Rufflets country house, the riverside Inverness boutique hotel, magnificent Inverlochy Castle and the comfort of Kimpton Blythswood Square Glasgow prior to our return. Each place and every restaurant they recommended made us feel totally safe and secure in these times of pandemic, and we had no problems with any of our necessary testing procedures. The pace was tailor made to our preferences and each day was filled with marvelous views and fun and illuminating events. They even arranged great weather for us! Thanks for putting us in touch with this talented crew.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  I can’t say enough about Jonathan and his team. After asking him in March to create a golf itinerary to Ireland for my husband and I and another couple, the other couple ultimately decided they wanted to go a different direction. However, when they backed out less than three weeks before we were supposed to leave because of COVID concerns, I sheepishly asked Jonathan if he might be able to pull something together on extremely short notice for just the two of us. What he did exceeded every expectation. He got to work right away and had an exceptional itinerary planned within two days. We played some of the best golf courses in the world along with a full itinerary of sightseeing, private sheep dog and falconry tours and a private tour/tasting at the first new distillery in Dublin in 125 years, Teeling Distillery. Our private driver/guides, Brendan and Noel, were exceptional and were full of interesting information about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Ireland. Brendan and Noel both went above and beyond to make our trip as stress free and relaxing as possible. From getting laundry done, shipping items back to the United States, setting up COVID travel testing and giving us Euros out of their own pockets when it proved difficult to change money, there was nothing they wouldn’t do for us. Brendan even met us on the 18th green at Doonbeg to present us with a gift and take a few pictures on our 16th wedding anniversary. The staff at the hotels told us that there would be no room services provided because of COVID protocols but each day we returned to find our rooms immaculately cleaned and made up. I have no doubt that Jonathan had a hand in this. When we were accidentally double billed at one of the hotels, I contacted Jonathan and he immediately got to work on the problem. I know he felt terrible about the extra charges on our credit card but I wasn’t concerned. We were in good hands and he wasn’t going to let anything take away from our Ireland experience. Thankfully we had no COVID troubles and the testing to return to the United States went off without a hitch but Jonathan gave me peace of mind when he told me that if something were to go wrong, he would make sure we had comfortable accommodations to catch up on Netflix while we quarantined and I have no doubt that he would have. I can’t recommend Jonathan and his team enough. They were thoughtful, considerate and took care of our every need and their attention to detail percolated down through everyone we dealt with on our travels, as well.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We are recently back from a truly wonderful month in the English countryside and am very grateful for the fine work Jonathan and Nicole did on our behalf. My wife and I have travelled to the UK many times before, but given Covid this time we wanted to skip the cities and really focus on the English coasts and countryside. From my first call with Jonathan to Nicole’s excellent and efficient hotel & restaurant bookings, we were very happy. We are experienced travelers in our 50s and typically do all the bookings ourselves, but given the specifics of this trip we wanted professional assistance and we sure got it. Their local knowledge and hotel recommendations were spot on and the trip exceeded our expectations. Thank you very much.

It has become our practice to consult Wendy Perrin’s WOW list whenever we plan a trip. This time our goal was to spend Christmas in London.

Although we have been to London several times, we know that the holidays can be a challenge due to closures on the holiday.

Wendy suggested Jonathan Epstein and he certainly came through for us. We had an initial phone conversation with Jonathan and Nicole, his associate. This is an important step when planning a trip with a WOW advisor. We were able to discuss our previous visits to London and our desire to see and do something new. They asked us a lot of questions, which was beneficial.

We had a hotel in mind that we stayed in on a previous visit. Jonathan, however, strongly advised us to select another hotel, The Stafford. We are so happy we took his advice. It is a much smaller hotel than the one we were thinking of and that proved to be a big factor in feeling like we were “going home’ at the end of each day of touring London. The friendly and efficient staff quickly knew our names and treated us royally. The hotel was first class and it was decorated beautifully for the holidays. There was even a small Christmas tree in our room.

As we had already seen most of the highlights of London on previous visits, Jonathan suggested other tours we would not have thought of. One was a Charles Dickens walking tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. We understand now how London during Dickens’ time influenced his writing.

Another highlight was a private “Behind the Glass” after hours tour of The Churchill Cabinet War Rooms. We had seen the War Rooms before, however, nothing can compare to actually going into the rooms not accessible to the public in the evening when it is closed. Our guide was passionate about the history of this place and she made it come alive for us with the many stories and facts.

These are tours we would not have discovered on our own.

Jonathan and Nicole executed a WOW Moment for us during our stay. It was a surprise private tour and tasting of the amazing wine cellar at our hotel. It was built in the 17th century and used as an air raid shelter during WWII! The Master Sommelier, Gino, gave us the tour and impressed us with his knowledge. It was very special!

Given the shorter time period of this trip, we feel Jonathan was able to help us plan the perfect amount of activity and also allow time to walk about London and enjoy the beauty of the lights and amazing window displays and decorations everywhere.

Jonathan and Nicole certainly added value to our holiday in London and we would not hesitate to call upon them again.

Another flawless performance by Jonathan and his team. From start to finish, every step of our trip was flawless. Their ability to fully understand their clients and anticipate not only the places, hotels, and activities that make for a perfect trip continues to shine through. From Perth to St. Andrews to Edinburgh, every day was bespoke and brilliant, as ever.

Jonathan Epstein did a wonderful job of planning an extensive itinerary for our 3 1/2 week self-drive trip to Wales, a bit of England, and lots of Scotland for mid-September to mid-October 2019. Unlike most of our trips planned by one of Wendy’s experts, this was not an itinerary with guide and drivers everywhere. For the most part, I went to Jonathan to get suggestions for accommodations and a broad outline of how best to spend our time. For a relatively modest planning fee, we got far more than I’d expected. For each of our stops (almost all were at least three days each), Jonathan laid out a list of highlighted things he recommended we do. He was spot on for so many of them and though I’d faithfully perused my guidebooks, he had so many creative ideas and brought to our attention lots of things I’d not considered and in some cases even heard of. I was quite impressed that this modest planning fee yielded a full-fledged itinerary, all hotel reservations, restaurant reservations and much more. Nicole Baratelle ably handled all logistics and was responsive to every detail and question I raised. Unlike a trip we did earlier in the year, it was clear to me that while we were on the trip, both Jonathan and Nicole were actively monitoring it and were quickly responsive on the few times we got back to them.

Now, mind you, this wasn’t one of the best trips my husband I have taken. But that was no fault of Jonathan and Nicole. The weather gods were determined to make me pay for 13 previous trips to the UK where I’d experienced virtually no rain and thus it rained on 22 out of 26 days on this trip. The weather kept us from doing a number of things we’d expected to do, such as hike the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales (locals told us not even the Welsh would hike that path in rain and 40 mph wind gusts). We did have one truly glorious day of full sun in the Yorkshire Dales. We never made it to Mull, Iona and Staffa, our principal reason for staying at Isle of Eriska resort. Mull became essentially off limits when we learned our dates coincided with Mull’s off-road rally (which Jonathan and Nicole should have known about) but we then made plans to hire a private boat for a full-day trip to all three islands. Alas, the weather did not cooperate and two days running our boat trip could not go. Deep into the trip in Scotland when we had completely wearied of the incessant rain and checked with them to see if we could leave our relatively isolated lodgings a night early (and couldn’t), Nicole came up some great ideas of additional things to do that made us glad we’d stayed put. Our accommodations were a bit of a mixed bag. Some we’d expected not much of turned out to be wonderful, especially Northcote in Lancaster’s Ribble Valley — a place I’d never even thought of going. While we found the Ribble Valley fine, its charms were a bit fleeting. However, it’s a great place for food. Northcote is not to be missed. We had the single best dish we’ve eaten anywhere in the world — and had it on two nights it was that good. Plus Northcote was a great base for us to see parts of the Dales I’d not been to before and the Lake District for a day since my husband had never been there. Thornbury Castle as a base for southeast Wales made for long daily treks as it is across the estuary in England (and had an irritatingly loud wedding our first night there) but we didn’t see any better base in our travels across southern Wales. The Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen was an unexpected pleasure. Though principally a golfing hotel, we loved our room, the food was excellent and it was wonderfully located for exploring Scotland’s eastern coast.

Finally, the one time we did have Jonathan and Nicole arrange a guide for us yielded one of our most memorable trip highlights — a day spent salmon fishing on the River Stincharfor with superb ghillie Gilbert Browne who taught us to fish for salmon (it is a different method from fly-fishing and a lot harder on the body), and regaled us with tales of how the 9th Duke of Wellington has been pestering him for years to sell him Gilbert’s side of the river, and how wild salmon have been decimated by the invasion of Norwegian-owned salmon fish farms and sea lice. The latter has much to do with our not catching any salmon that day (neither did he). He was so chagrined we didn’t he didn’t want to accept pay for the day (we insisted).

The only minor glitch in the trip was a restaurant reservation on a night that the restaurant was closed. It shouldn’t have happened and it precluded us from having a dinner at a place we’d very much wanted to eat at. However, I highly recommend Jonathan. The bang for the buck was exceedingly high and he and Nicole were both creative and responsive. If they’d only had an in with the weather gods….

Jonathan arranged a perfect trip for our group of 4 friends to Ireland. A perfect combination of golf and exploring the culture and natural environment of this beautiful country. He suggested and arranged the perfect accommodations based on the golf courses we were interested in playing. Most importantly, Jonathan found the perfect host, Frank, who not only drove us for 9 days but gave us impeccable attention and personal tours tailored to our interests. Highlight included a semi-private viewing point for the Cliffs of Moher (away from the tour buses), a private sheep farm and border collie demonstration, master craftsmen shops along the Dingle Peninsula, and the best seafood lunch stops of the entire trip.

We had Jonathan Epstein plan a trip to Ireland and Scotland in October, 2019. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Jonathan and his associate, Nicole. They were responsive, accommodating, and made the planning easy. They were also flexible with last minute changes and had great suggestions. The most valuable asset was the guides they booked for our trip in Ireland and Scotland. We loved not having to worry about transportation or directions. Each guide added their own character to our journey and we enjoyed every minute. All of the hotel suggestions were wonderful with one exception, but Jonathan corrected the error in a timely manner. There were several small perks at each hotel we reserved through Jonathan and we had breakfast included every morning, which was wonderful. Every step of our trip was available on a travel app, which made our days easy to navigate. I would recommend Jonathan’s help for any trip!

An excellent experience on our visit to the Cotswolds. Jonathan and Nicole REALLY listened to what kind of trip I wanted and tried to accommodate it in every way. They arranged for us to have the nicest rooms at the most charming hotels with local “flavor” and outstanding service.

All of our emails and questions were promptly answered with great care.

Our guide, Michael, was probably the most knowledgeable and gracious in that region…. including where to find the best local pubs for lunch….places we would never have found on our own. These small, local pubs had some of the best food on our trip and really added to the enjoyment and authenticity of our experience.

Michael knew all the back roads and most picturesque villages. He had an interesting story to tell about every stop on the way.

This region of Britain is exquisitely beautiful and if I have a chance to do more travels in the UK, I would definitely call on Jonathan and Nicole to point me in the right direction.

He and his assistant listened to our “to do list ” and assembled an itinerary that was just perfect! They made suggestions but did not “push” anything on us! The guides were extremely knowledgeable, on time, and friendly! The lodging was amazing! Everything went like clockwork! We saw so much that London had to offer. They suggested we visit the countryside and it was truly a highlight we won’t forget! We returned from our trip with many, many wonderful experiences!!

This was going to be our first trip to England. We had interviewed another England specialist, but thought her trip was too expensive and relied on too many meetings with wealthy people who owned estates and needed tourists to subsidize their lifestyles. So we went with Jonathan. We had already planned to stay with friends the first three nights in Nether Wallop in Hampshire. Jonathan had the remaining seven days to plan. My husband wanted to see Stonehenge and the Churchill War Rooms in London, I wanted to see anything royalty.

We were convinced to spend four days in the Cotswolds, Not knowing that you needed to spend only one day there to get an idea of what they are like, this was overkill. We had made the mistake of telling Jonathan we didn’t like to pack and unpack a lot. So we spend four nights in the Cotswolds, this was definitely overkill. I think Jonathan should have told us, that all we needed was really one day. We were stuck with a driver, who ran the agency that Jonathan subcontracted out to be our driver. My husband and I called him “the yapper” as all he did was yap. And not about any history, as he knew nothing. He was a former brick salesman and he could tell us about the brick, but nothing else. When we got to Stonehenge our first day, we were dropped off and told where to get our admission tickets, and where to get the shuttle bus. We had no guiding whatsoever. The rest of our four days we were driven around and told “You can stop here, and look at this garden or here”. All our previous trips prepared by Wendy Perrin advisors we were escorted with either knowledgeable drivers or drivers and guides. This driver did have a nice car and dressed well.

The room that we stayed at Barnsley House was extremely hot, with no air conditioning. The room was right next to the kitchen, and very noisy. This was one of the specialty suites also! The gardens that were so highly acclaimed were nothing special at all. We stayed at The Barnsley House in the Cotswolds and were told we were to have our WOW moment one evening. After an amazing WOW moment we had on our trip the previous month in Argentina with a private chef, and small string quartets playing we were most excited. This WOW moment was dinner in an alcove in the garden. We were given the regular menu and had no clue that our dinner would be comped by the hotel. That was it. A comped dinner. Another night’s dinner at the hotel we were charged 50 pounds for another guests wine! As we couldn’t stand our guide we cut everyday’s tours short by an hour so we could rest at the hotel’s swimming pool!

After four days traveling in the Cotswolds seeing lots of thatched roofs and brick buildings, with a side trip to Bath we drove to London with a stop at Oxford where we were told we could wander around by ourselves! In London we stayed at The Goring Hotel, a place I had always wanted to stay at. Unfortunately there was construction going on in the garden everyday. So our garden views that we paid extra for, were unsightly and noisy. Jonathan never told us that construction was going on and that another hotel might be a better choice. Our room was lovely. We did enjoy our guides in London. I wish we would have spent more time there and less in the Cotswolds. Although we did do the Churchill Museum pre opening tour, there was no time to see the other exhibits in the museum as we had to race to the next stop.

We found nothing special with this travel advisor’s planned trip. There was hardly any thought or creativity at all. The whole idea was to have someone else plan an exciting trip for us, not to wish that we had never gone on it. We found England extremely poor value for the money we spent, The whole idea of using a WP advisor is to get knowledgeable and personal guidance. We have used Wendy Perrin advisors for trips to Scotland, Italy, Kenya, The Maldives, Chile/Ecuador, and Argentina. We have recommend WP to numerous other people. Friends of our are shocked at our experience. They pushed me to write a review. I hesitate to write negative reviews, as I ordinarily vote with my feet by not going someplace again or not use a service again. We took this trip in May. It is now late October. If i had to write the review earlier, it would have been even more negative.

Wendy always say to complain write away if something is not working out. If you are given the owner of the Subcontracted agency to be your driver, who one would think would be the best and most knowledgeable driver, what can you do? If your hotel reservation had cancellation fees if you don’t stay there, you don’t change it. If your WOW moment is a dinner at the hotel in a garden where other guests stumble upon you, what are you to do? (Remember you are told that the dinner will be a WOW moment, but nothing about it is WOW. The only way to we could confirm that someone thought this was a WOW moment was that we didn’t see the bill upon check out at the hotel.) You suffer and wonder why this travel advisor got such rave reviews.

Response from Wendy:

There’s an important takeaway here for travelers, not just in England but anywhere: Express any disappointment to the trip planner during your trip, while the situation can be fixed. I wish Linda had followed this piece of advice that I send to each traveler shortly before departure (as part of my Trip Support System described here):

“If you should end up with a guide you’re not comfortable with (a rare occurrence, but possible), and that guide is assigned to you for more than one day, report it to your travel specialist immediately. If you wait till you get home to register your complaint, the travel specialist does not have the opportunity to fix it during your trip—and they often can. Report the situation even if you’re worried it might get the guide in trouble. Sometimes personal styles just don’t mix. Waiting till you get home to complain does not benefit anyone.”

Jonathan says the same: “I wish they had emailed us or called us just once during the trip to vocalize disappointment. I could have juggled guides, added experiences, layered in guides for the sites they visited, switched hotel rooms, even switched hotels and probably without penalty. It breaks my heart to get an email like this as we could have helped during the trip.”

Jonathan also says that his driver-guides in England do not go into sites for the most part because most travelers like to explore independently.  If a traveler wants lots of special VIP touring with guides inside the sites, of course Jonathan can set that up, but he got the strong impression from Linda that she did not want VIP touring. She had made clear that she did not want the level of expensive arrangements that the other England specialist had proposed for her.

It’s a shame that Linda found England to be poor value for the money. It’s certainly true that the U.S. dollar does not stretch nearly as far in England as it does in Argentina (Linda’s trip the month before the England trip). I’m sorry that Linda did not enjoy her WOW Moment, which was dinner in a private pavilion in this renowned garden. Most of all, I’m sorry that the Cotswolds didn’t appeal more to her. The Cotswolds are one of the world’s legendary picturesque landscapes with charming villages—the quintessential historic English countryside—and normally travelers want to spend at least several days, if not weeks, there.

Jonathan and Nicole did a wonderful job helping us plan a visit to London and the English countryside. We had fabulous experiences with all the driver/guides they chose. We were very happy to leave the driving down narrow country lanes and tiny villages to the very knowledgeable experts. The hotels were fabulous! They helped us find terrific restaurants in London and beyond and took care of everything….we felt like, well, royalty!

My husband needed gluten free meals and wherever they sent us, the restaurant was prepared. That was really, really helpful. If we had one thing we might do differently, it would be allowing for more time to walk through those ancient footpaths. Of course our guides would have accommodated, but we had so much to see!

Linda Johnsey, Ireland October 2019

Wow, did we just experience that? Thank you so much to Jonathan Epstein & Nicole Baratelle for creating an extraordinary birthday trip for my husband. After my trip planning conversation with Jonathan, I realized that he had asked all the RIGHT questions. I felt strongly at that point that I was in good hands planning this trip. It was one wow moment after another on a daily basis while we were on this two-week odyssey.

Thank you for suggesting a driver because he made all the difference in the world. I am so thankful that we had Seamus Hester as our driver because he truly went above and beyond the call of duty. He asked us at the beginning of the trip what we were interested in experiencing. He exceeded our expectations and made sure we experienced Ireland to the fullest. Even after a full day of driving us around, he would take us to Irish pubs after dinner. His lunch recommendations were spot on to our requests for delectable seafood. The highlight was finding the volunteer at St. Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh that shared so much information about the details of the structures interior. That was a very special moment in time.

Sheen Falls Lodge proved to be a very memorable place. Thanks again Jonathan for the room upgrade. What a treat! Falconry at this facility was spectacular. The falconer asked us to place our iPhones on Slo-Mo mode and the videos are incredible. Gin tasting by John was another Wow moment. Can someone really spend more than one hour talking about gin? What an experience, we loved every minute of it! However, being driven to dinner in their 1936 antique car was the highlight.

Ballynahinch Castle is keeping a secret from everyone. I signed Don up for clay pigeon shooting. One question from the instructor, Don responds and the universe opens up. Three test shots & feedback from the instructor and Don is shooting at 100%. The secret is the instructor is Shane Bisgood. He has trained US Olympians. What??!!?? My husband had a lesson with this man and Don enjoyed every second of it. The lessons learned will last a lifetime and be passed on to sons and grandsons.

Lastly, our driver was building up our stay at the last castle of our journey. He kept telling us we were going to experience our very own Downton Abbey moment. Day after day he would make this comment. Wow, we did indeed experience this moment! Incredible! So glad we stayed 2 nights instead of one. I could have stayed there a full week. Opulent is the only adjective to describe the last castle.

There are many more exceptional moments to describe and they were all created by Jonathan. You delivered on my request for any exceptional birthday trip for my husband. It was perfect! Thank you!

Our 20th-anniversary trip designed by Jonathan Epstein was perfect in every way.

I am a control freak and plan all our family trips, but I knew I wanted this trip to be stress-free and extraordinary. I have followed the WOW List for years and decided to reach out to Jonathan. After a couple of lengthy conversations, asking questions regarding our interests, likes, dislikes, lifestyle, expectations, etc., I knew I could let go and trust this expert.

Our twelve days in Ireland were meticulously put together without one detail neglected.

We did not want to see the touristy Ireland; we wanted to experience the local scene. Jonathans suggested itinerary did precisely that. We connected with our driver/guide and felt as though we were traveling with a dear friend. We drove through the beautiful countryside and experienced small villages. With Jonathan’s insider knowledge, he arranged two walking tours with local historian experts, a private sheep herding demonstration, a hawk walk at the oldest falconry school in Ireland and numerous restaurant recommendations, and reservations. I didn’t worry about a thing.

Jonathan and his assistant, Nicole, found the perfect accommodations for our trip, making sure the number of days at each place was timed in tandem with the things to do/see in that area. We stayed in a luxurious castle, and small, quaint manor houses, and was surprised with a room upgrade at our first stop. During our planning stages, every time I reached out to Jonathan or Nicole via email, a prompt response was received.

Our anniversary trip was our most memorable to date. A fantastic experience, all because of the vast knowledge and incredible attention to details Jonathan offers his clients. I think my vacation planning days are over. I will call Jonathan for future trips. His passion for Ireland comes through in the journeys he plans for clients, and his colleagues equally respect him as an authority.

Jonathan and Nicole did a superb job planning our trip to Ireland, in fact they planned it twice!Last year we had to cancel the day before we were supposed to leave since our son got very ill. This year there were thankfully no problems so we went to – Dublin, Cork, Killarney and Galway! Jonathan and Nicole are a great team! First Jonathan listens to what you want to do, gives you his ideas originating from his extensive experience, and then listens again to how you want to use his suggestions. Nicole then makes the major arrangements. Finally you work with both of them to “accessorize” the trip. But it is not only the trip itinerary they help with – they also help with problems. When we had to cancel last year, Jonathan was up late calling the hotels to cancel for us if we were within a full cancellations time. When we realized a sister hotel was more to our liking after checking in, through calls Jonathan made it happen that we changed hotels. One scene that made us smile was the day both general managers walked us from one hotel to the other, as if we were dignitaries! Finally we had our first WOW Moment which was great fun! We were not told what it would be, only the time to be in the lobby, So the day of the event the hotel manager lead us through the city to a……. wonderful private whiskey tasting complete with a knowledgeable teacher, films, very expensive whiskey and a glass to take home! My husband had been worried about what this surprise WOW Moment would be, needless to say he was all smiles by the end of the time! So long story short – Jonathan and his organization certainly added value to our trip to lovely Ireland, and we would definitely recommend Jonathan and his organization to others that plan to travel to “The Emerald Isle”!

Jonathan planned a trip for four of us to Scotland. We enjoyed the trip immensely. Starting with great seats for the last night of the Edinburgh Tattoo through to the last day at Blenheim Castle, the sights were well chosen and spectacular. Our hotels were mostly top quality with one exception and the restaurants were foodie quality. A disappointment was Macallan distillery, where we had a Disneyland-like experience with a guide who had a memorized script. But then our driver-guide found another visit not on the itinerary that was spectacular: Oban Distillery. Our guides were wonderful, flexible and informative. Our only concern was the amount of time we had to spend in the car, but given the distances in Scotland, there wasn’t much choice.

Lin Knudson and Michael Waterford: Tour through Scotland, England and Wales starting with Edinburgh then York plus the Yorkshire countryside, Lake District, North Wales and the Cotswolds, ending in London, six stops in 17 days. Lots of rural palaces, castles, abbeys and manors.

What did the specialist do: great advice and meticulous preparation, good selection of restaurants and drivers/guides, also lodgings. Particularly helpful with guiding us for York and North Wales. Excellent detail, kept up to date, and the Axus app. to take it all with us on phone and tablet. With one exception, the people in the lodgings and restaurants they chose were really friendly and helpful. We could never have done this on our own. Specialist did not participate during trip and we did not contact them.

Would particularly recommend:

Edinburgh – Guide Fraser Parkinson, deeply knowledgeable and very attuned to the needs of the visitors. Restaurants: Ondine – excellent food in modern decor near the Castle. Also The Kitchin (sic) near the Forth estuary for outstanding execution and service, both have great fish.

York: Jorvik takes you on an underground rail trip through a reconstruction of the 9th century Viking settlement, the good, the bad and the surprising. We were surprised so we did it twice. Restaurant: Melton for good food in simple surroundings.

If you are in North Wales or North West England, try to visit Chester. Roman, Medieval, Victorian all still to be seen. Chance highlight; a sandwich with Father Bob in St. Peter’s At The Cross (half café, half Anglican church and built starting in the 14th century) under stained glass windows depicting the last supper. Ancient city walls and streets with black and white double decker shops called the Rows, but the shopping is modern and plentiful.

Cotswolds: Buckland Manor near Broadway took us back a few centuries, with mod cons, good food, great service and lovely grounds. Didn’t want to leave.

London: Milestone Hotel opposite Kensington Park, small with outstanding service, and excellent food in a Tudor dining room.

Lake District: would not go back to Holbeck Ghyll, a country manor. Downgraded our booked accommodation to cater to a large group. Laundry poorly done and expensive

Jonathan and Nicole made our vacation to England, Scotland and Wales truly enjoyable and effortless. They prepared a detailed itinerary that exceeded our expectations. The driver/guides and guides were prompt, knowledgeable, excellent drivers and delightful to spend time with on our days out. We enjoyed the hotels — each one a gem with lovely rooms, great service and delicious breakfasts. We asked for days packed with history and sightseeing and they made each day interesting and enjoyable. Jonathan and Nicole had excellent restaurant suggestions for each location – we had many memorable dinners.

I highly recommend Jonathan and Nicole – their expertise, excellent relationships with hotels, guides and restaurants made our trip a delight. I look forward to having them plan another trip for us!

Jonathan and Nicole were able to anticipate our exact desires and place us in the most lovely settings. From the moment we landed in Heathrow, driving to the perfect location in the Cotswolds for a base of operations, and then on to London for a first class time, we knew we had made the right choice. Both hotels were absolutely perfect, and treated us a honored guests since we were from their travel agency. We can’t say enough about them!

Jonathan and Nicole were very responsive and quick to answer any questions we had. They provided a room upgrade at dormy house which is a fantastic hotel in the Cotswolds. All of the drivers and guides were on time and friendly. I would recommend hiring Jonathan for help planning your trip to the U.K.

First of all, the trip was superb. Ireland was fantastic. If the weather experienced could be accounted to our Travel Specialist’s efforts, he would need a new title. Travel Miracle Worker comes to mind. Once on the ground we wished for more time at each location, but the schedule developed allotted us the opportunity to see as much of Ireland as possible.

The driver selected was absolutely wonderful. Total recommendation for Richard Curtin for any Ireland travelers wanting a courteous and knowledgable driver/guide. The accommodations selected were 5 star all around. Beautiful settings and wonderful amenities were the norm for our stays throughout southern Ireland. Logistical changes were handled with professionalism and excellent service. Customer satisfaction was evidently Jonathan’s objective.

Jonathan provided assistance with accommodating our daughter mid trip, arranging for her stay and making sure that we had adequate transportation for the added person. This was all handled with minimal concern and planned so that our trip went on without a hiccup.

To all involved – we truly appreciate your effort in making our trip one to remember for a lifetime.

As usual, Jonathan, Nicole, and their team effortlessly managed our trip to the Cotswolds, from planning through our return. Attention to detail and comprehensive knowledge are the hallmarks of their team, and – even for a mere long weekend- they delivered once again.

This 2 week trip to the South West of England (Sussex, Cornwall, Devon, Cotswolds, New Forest, Jurassic Coast) was our third trip using Jonathan’s team, after Ireland and Scotland, and Jonathan and Nicole have been consistently excellent. They are the best at getting back to you super promptly no matter the query or concern, and the relationships Jonathan cultivates with his chosen properties throughout the UK have always resulted in warm, wonderful service wherever we have stayed. This translates to added value during the planning process when we received some automatic upgrades as a perk, as well as an occasional additional upgrade – upon request and availability – while on the trip. Every place we stayed was amazing, and greatly enhanced our travel experience. Other hotel perks through Jonathan’s connections that we enjoyed on this trip were an airport transfer, picnic, wine tasting, kitchen and wine cellar tour, house history tour, full English breakfasts, welcome 1/2 bottles of champagne – all complimentary. I appreciated that when giving the lists of restaurant choices in each area, Nicole included what nights the restaurants were closed, which made the planning/choosing easier and more efficient. One bit of advice I would give is to double check during the planning process, and again just before traveling, the opening and closing times and dates of any sights, museums, gardens, houses, etc. that you plan to visit, so that you don’t plan your itinerary around seeing something that turns out to be closed on that day. Also, you may find, for example, that the grounds open at 10:30, but the house, palace, castle, museum, etc. doesn’t open until 12. Another tip would be to consider purchasing a membership in the National Trust – you can do this online or at one of their sights. If you plan to visit enough of them, this can save you money over paying the entrance fee each time. We are grateful to Jonathan for his advice to see this part of England – incredibly overflowing and chock full of outstanding sights – as one trip, and do Wales and the Lake District as a separate trip. We were originally thinking of doing it all in one 2 week trip, which would have been a big mistake!! Looking forward to planning that next trip with him someday soon!

We loved the trip that Jonathan and Nicole put together for our 10 days in Scotland. In the initial phone call, they really got to know what we were looking for, our travel style & interests, as well as what we didn’t like with past travel experiences. They provided great suggestions and recommendations. They were prompt and responsive to all of our questions and they arranged everything including accommodations and restaurant reservations. Even with all of the planning, our itinerary allowed for a good deal of flexibility (which we took advantage of depending on weather and our driver guides additional suggestions).

Our driver guide, John, was absolutely wonderful. He was prompt, helpful, so fun to spend time with, and extremely knowledgeable (about Scottish history, locations he thought that we should visit and when these places would be less crowded, and whisky). He got to know us quickly and made some wonderful alterations in our itinerary even fitting in Roslyn Chapel on our last day with him which was one of the highlights of our trip.

We would highly recommend Jonathan & Nicole and would use them again for future trips to the UK or Ireland.

Jonathan and Nicole did a wonderful job putting together a 10 day trip to Ireland for us and our two friends. They were very accommodating when we said the ladies like to sightsee and the men golf. Everyone was happy! Our driver Martin was always on time and very funny. Jonathan’s team was very good at keeping us organized and recommending and booking restaurants too. We visited Dublin, Cork, Killarney and Galway and everything in between. Our driver Martin did such a good job of incorporating stops on our long drives and recommending great places to stop to see or to catch a bite. I give our travel agents an A+!

The two factors probably most responsible for making our trip to the South of Ireland special were the driver guide and the hotels, both selected or recommended by Jonathan Epstein. A third factor was all the important detail work done by Nicole Baratelle. A few of the things we did that stand out in our memories, that were the result of Jonathan and Nicole’s suggestions, include doing falconry, visiting the Gap of Dunloe by horse cart & boat, and making chocolate with a chocolatier. And I loved the mobile phone app that lays out, in easily accessible form, all the details of the trip. I would definitely recommend Jonathan’s group for anyone looking for a high-end trip to Ireland.

That said, everything did not go as planned.
– While the food overall was good, our meal at the high-end restaurant at Mount Juliet was a terrible disappointment. In a chance conversation with a former pastry chef at Sheen Falls Lodge, I was told that he had had a similar experience at that restaurant.
– We missed both a Food Tour in Cork and a visit to a Sheep Farm near Kenmare because of some scheduling mix-ups. Fortunately, we were able to “recover” in both instances with good alternative suggestions from a contact in Cork and our driver guide.

We chose Jonathan through the WOW list after deciding that we did not want to plan our trip to Ireland ourselves. We have traveled all over the world and I have planned many of those trips myself. But as we have aged (sadly), and as our bodies, (even more sadly), have aged along with the accumulating years, we have decided to use travel specialists to pave the way as painlessly as possible when we travel to unfamiliar places.

Therefore, we spent 4 days in England on our own with family, and then used Jonathan and Nicole to plan a 15 day trip in Ireland. Our priorities were: no driving! We wanted a car and driver for all but the last 4 days in Dublin; we wanted help in planning an itinerary that included approximately 2 hour hikes each day – so more countryside than cities; and we wanted to be based at hotels for at least 3-4 days from which to make day trips. We eat lightly now, especially in the evening, so we did not want dinner reservations, but were happy to receive restaurant recommendations, some of which we did use. We also wanted excellent guides.

Jonathan and Nicole were exceedingly prompt and responsive to questions and concerns by phone or via emails, even when Jonathan was out of the country. Jonathan made lots of suggestions about activities, etc.. some of which did not interest us, like a food tour, but we researched them and actually agreed to others and were glad we did. My husband is passionate about plants so they arranged a private tour for him on the Burrens, in County Clare, which he found excellent. And both of us loved a private demonstration of sheep herding with border collies.

The hotels were top notch. We especially loved Castles Ballynahinch and Gregans. But most important for us was Will, our driver/guide and the very comfortable car he drove us around in. He was not only an excellent driver, but very knowledgeable and extremely flexible so that our itinerary was revised several times as we thought of additional things we wanted to do. We had beautiful scenery, good food, and edifying conversations about everything under the sun. We had no difficulties on the trip that we needed to discuss with Jonathan – one document was missing from AXUS, which Nicole immediately supplied – but if there had been a difficulty I’m sure it would have been taken care of.

It’s hard to pick out just one or two peak experiences because there are so many possibilities. Driving the SW coastline, which is what we did, is something not to be missed. The history of Ireland, fascinating but confusing at best, is also something we’re still reading about. Our visits to various museums were important. But here are some of the add-ons that we both found special: a ferry ride to Inisheer, one of the smaller, less touristy Aran Islands. This was a fabulous trip on a gorgeous day. We three (Will did everything with us – except shopping!) hiked to our hearts content and then had lunch on picnic tables in front of a woman’s house who was cooking lobsters and crab claws in her kitchen. Or a trip to a donkey sanctuary after I fell in love in with 2 rescue donkeys that the owner of Gregans Castle had from that sanctuary. And in Dublin, an excellent theatre performance at the Gate Theatre that was playing “The Glass Menagerie,” with an Irish cast.

In summary, this was a wonderful trip. We loved Ireland and were grateful that our experience was such a positive one, due, in no small part to Jonathan and his team’s expertise.

Jonathan Epstein and his team planned and executed a memorable introduction to Ireland. When we first contacted Jonathan we laid out a long list of desires relative to our eight night stay. Jonathan took the time to learn what kinds of experiences were important to us. He also learned what held no interest for us (such as pub crawls and whiskey tastings). He could have simply built a plan that met the stated objectives, but he went beyond that. We expressed interest in visiting Waterford to see the famed site of much of Ireland’s crystal industry. Jonathan suggested that we would be better off bypassing Waterford to stop instead at a small crystal factory on the Dingle Peninsula.

We indicated little interest in staying at fancy places like castles for fear of finding an environment that was too pretentious for our simple tastes. Even so, Jonathan recommended a stay at the highly regarded Dromoland Castle after assuring us that the staff there was friendly and down-to-earth. In both these cases, and in several others as well, Jonathan’s advice was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with the master craftsman at Dingle Crystal and watch him as he worked (we wound up buying some of the pieces that he personally had crafted). Our stay at Dromoland, especially the falconry experience, was a highlight of our trip.

All the other elements of our stay were excellent at well. The lodgings at Dylan in Dublin and the Killarney Park Hotel in Killarney were both excellent and perfectly located within easy walking distance of interesting places to eat. The Cliff at Lyons offered a unique opportunity to stay at a small 18th century village that has been remade into a stunning one-of-a-kind hotel.

Besides planning an excellent trip, Jonathan’s team followed through with perfect execution. The logistics were flawless. Everything happened exactly as planned. In addition, all our guides were excellent and added greatly to the enjoyment of our stay. We would recommend Jonathan to anyone planning a trip to Ireland.

Worked with Jonathan on a trip to the Cotswolds. He spent time with us before the trip to get an understanding of our interests and expectations and provided a wide range of options for us to choose from. When we had settled on the ones we were most interested in, he recommended lovely hotels and arranged for drivers. All the people we worked with were knowledgeable, prompt and flexible. Jonathan even included a side trip into Wales so I could visit the bookstores in Hay on Wye. Our trip was absolutely problem free and a week of delight.

Jonathan and Nicole planned a terrific trip for my wife and me to Ireland between April 25 and May 6. We are experienced travelers but were concerned about driving in Ireland and the fact that we were totally unfamiliar with the country. We told Jonathan and Nicole that we wanted to avoid crowds and very touristy places. In addition, we liked to be outdoors, to hike and see great scenery especially along the coast. They hit all of our “likes”.

They planned a great trip and helped us pick wonderful hotels and restaurants that were very commensurate to our tastes. We had a great walking tour of Dublin and great suggestions for sights and pubs. We especially liked the Dylan Hotel in Dublin in a great quiet part of town. The Cliff House right on the ocean was another favorite.

Our driver/guide Brendan was great! He quickly got to know us and our likes and dislikes and thus made appropriate changes to our schedule to maximize our pleasure. So glad we got a driver so I didn’t need to worry about wrecking the car, but also since I could enjoy the scenery and not be worried about where we were going. Furthermore, Brendan had such a depth of knowledge about all the sights and history. We never would have seen or learned so much on our own.

We strongly recommend the services of Jonathan and Nicole.

Jonathan and his team did a great job in planning our trip through southern Scotland and the Lake District in England. We have residences in other parts of Scotland and spend a lot of time in the country but had never been to the southern part of the country. From the first phone call it was clear that Jonathan knows his stuff including many locals places that tourists would never frequent. He also read us perfectly and chose accommodations that perfectly matched our travel style.

In planning our trip he made recommendations about places to visit and – more importantly – to avoid which would not have been obvious by trolling the internet. He saved us from ourselves and prevented some costly mistakes.

We have no hesitation in recommending Jonathan and his team for planning a trip to any place where they have expertise.

Working with Jonathan was a fantastic experience. We are very seasoned and frequent international travelers so I wasn’t certain if I needed to use a travel agent for a one week trip to Ireland. After speaking with Jonathan for two minutes I knew I did. And I am so very, very glad I did so. One of the best travel decisions I have made. Jonathan made the planning so effortless on my part. His team arranged everything — even restaurant reservations. Our logistics were not easy — our party was arriving from different continents on different days — but he handled it easily. His recommendation to visit the countryside (falconry, sheep dogs, castles) made our trip. And the local guides were great — so flexible and accommodated our interests, including an impromptu side visit to Sean’s Pub in Athlone (oldest pub in Ireland according to Guinness World Records).

Thanks to Jonathan and his team, we had a wonderful trip to the UK (England and Scotland) and made some lasting family memories. When we were walking around London on one of the days my 6 year old son Henry said, “Mom I want to learn another language so I can talk to all kinds of people.” If he takes nothing else away from this trip (which is unlikely because he learned a TON), mission accomplished!

Every guide and driver was amazing- each was totally patient and flexible with our party of five, including a 4 and 6 year old, and had vast knowledge and context of the sites we saw. It is nice to have guides that are conversational on many different topics and don’t just want to lecture. We can’t say enough about the quality of the people Jonathan set up for us.

We had a minor bump in the road the day we were set to leave the Cotswolds and head into London- the Brexit protesters were expected to bring 700K+ protesters into Westminster, which was right where out hotel was located. Despite the time change, Jonathan was responsive to trying to find solutions and his guides “on the ground” worked through some solutions real time. Within a few hours we had a game plan (staying a night in Windsor just outside London) and were able to get on with enjoying our last day in the Cotswolds- which ended up being a fantastic trip to Bath. Because of his relationships with the London guides, Jonathan was also able to move our tours the first day in London to the afternoon so we wouldn’t have to forfeit the fee we paid since we were outside the cancellation window.

Jonathan also graciously made hotel recommendations to us despite us using points for our accommodations. They were all 5 star quality and really special. I know this isn’t most WOW experts preference, but we appreciated the courtesy.

All in all, we had a fantastic trip and saw many awesome sights, had some great experiences and had a lot of laughs while spending time together as a family. We can thank Jonathan and his team for much of that!

For my trip to London, Jonathan Epstein discussed my options in great detail and once he determined my style, he zeroed in on choices and prices expertly. All of our reservations were detailed and uploaded including many extra attractions and restaurants for free time. He was available and prompt and I could not have asked for better service.

Only took us 6 months to get this review submitted from our European trip in June 2018. We have used Wendy Perrin’s Wow list several times now and have had nothing but exceptional travel planners help us craft unique and personalized itineraries. Jonathan helped us completely plan and book a 10-day tour of Ireland with stops at the K-Club in Kildare, The Kilarney Park Hotel in Kilarney and a final stop in Dublin at the Westbury. Quick review of each of the properties — The K-Club and Kilarney Park Hotel were amazing properties with great service while the Westbury had great service but the rooms were underwhelming. Their input and expertise on various tours helped us avoid lines, go at the best times and maximize our experience.
We left the driving and logistics of our entire trip on the island to their recommended drivers/guides which we highly recommend. Both drivers we had were amazing (unfortunately we lost our notes with their specific names – our apologies because we would really like to recognize their contribution to making our trip amazing)! They streamlined and customized to our tastes and we avoided a lot of crowds and got to see and learn about several things that we would have not had otherwise.
We had a few missteps during our trip that Jonathan and his team stepped up quickly and professionally to remedy and make right. We would recommend Jonathan and his team for any Ireland trip.

Fortier Family (2 adults, 10 & 13 year old Children)