Butterfield & Robinson - Bespoke Home

A Bespoke trip is a private B&R journey designed just for you.
They are private and personalized experiences, designed one at a time. With Bespoke, we take the same expertise and creativity that we apply to all of our trips, and focus them specifically on you. You pick the dates and the friends and let us know what you have in mind, and we craft an unforgettable experience just for you.

For some people, villa stays offer the utmost in flexibility (not to mention exclusivity). Accordingly, our Bespoke Trip Planners searched down every cypress-lined drive in Tuscany to find the very best properties—from grand villas to country homes—in the most compelling areas. Of course, we won't stop there; next in line for our exhaustive researchers are Provence, Catalonia, and the Amalfi Coast.

Consult "Trips to Inspire" for more information about villa-based trips—or give us a call.

Here are some of the amazing Bespoke adventures that trip planners Jeneen Sutherland and Andrea Amero had fun working on in 2007.

Argentina Photo Odyssey
A family of shutterbugs travelled by private plane to Torres del Paine for glaciers and condors, the Falklands for giant petrels, and Laguna de Tuyalto for flamingoes.

Texas Biking Birthday Bash
Sweeping, sun-drenched roads, refreshers in the Rio Grande, a two-step lesson in Terlingua Ghost Town and teeing up for a scenic 18 holes, with a 19th hole in Mexico. Seriously.

It all starts with you. We want to know as much about you as possible. Who is in your group? Is it a group of friends, family, colleagues, clients, school mates? Are you celebrating a birthday, planning a reunion, hosting a corporate retreat—or just enjoying an annual getaway? Who wants to bike, who prefers to walk, and who is the horseback rider in the group? Is everybody more into markets than miles? Just let us know.

Once we think we have a good idea of who you are and what you want, we get to work. One of our Bespoke Trip Planners will be your main contact and trip designer. They will co-ordinate all the preparation work, and brief the guides so that everyone knows exactly what you want. Your Trip Planner will also arrange for you to speak directly to our experts in the field, so that you benefit from the most up-to-date information. Together, we will consider the range of possibilities—but the choices are all yours.

Questions about Bespoke? Give us a call—we'd be happy to talk to you. 1.800.387.1147

Ready to start planning? We would love to design your next trip, whatever your vision may be. Remember, there are no rules.

As we go through the process of designing your trip, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to determine the right balance for your group; you choose how much time is family time and when everyone adjourns to the spa. Should every evening be planned, or do you want a few nights left to whim? How much structure should each day have? Do you need extra guides for the kids and three different options every day—including boules lessons for Uncle Fred? Is sight-seeing and cultural exposure more important than the activity—or do wining and dining trump all? Give us the word, and we’ll arrange a tasting every day. After all, this is one itinerary that’s created just for you.

Of course, you can be as involved as you like—or leave it all to us. Trip planning takes a lot of time, and that tends to be a precious commodity for most of our clients. That’s why they come to us. B&R's Bespoke team has both the expertise and resources to design exquisite trips with just the right balance of cultural enrichment, physical activity and relaxation—or whatever balance you tell us you're looking for. So if you want to just tell us who you are and let us do the rest, we’ll use our 40 years’ experience to plan the trip of a lifetime. We’ll also act as the main contact for everyone in your group, sending out the invitations and managing the communications so you don’t have to.

We are the master tailors! We’ll fit you and your friends with your custom trip—with every stitch of every day made to measure.

In your personal life, you've undoubtedly surrounded yourself with financial advisors, interior designers, architects, mechanics...all kinds of people you trust to give you the expert advice you need. We're no different. Like the great bespoke tailors on Savile Row, we'll learn your tastes and preferences, and craft your B&R holiday with a look and feel that's all your own.

MEET THE TEAM

We like to think of ourselves as theatre directors who string together vivid moments to make up a rich drama. Our aim is to always create a trip that’s different from the last. The challenge—our passion—is to make the drama unfold flawlessly.

Rachel Hilton
Rachel’s passion for travel and good food started in childhood on her frequent family trips. Since then, she’s had transforming travel experiences in more than 20 countries (Kasha and The Kirov in St. Petersburg, Russia being a definite highlight). Having just visited New Zealand’s spectacular Milford Sound, she’s looking forward to the Great Wall (and great dumplings!) of China. Rachel is a creative person at heart; with a background in graphic design and a love for silversmithing, she comes to B&R after years spent peddling culture – specifically, classical theatre. As our Director of Bespoke Travel she’s fueled by the incredible creativity that goes into our trips and the unlimited espresso that comes with the job.

Jeneen Sutherland (on leave)
In 1999, Jeneen took a leave of absence from her fashion design career in Vancouver to guide trips for B&R. Her passion for cycling (as well as a fondness for great food and wine) took hold and she has never looked back! In addition to guiding more than 50 trips around the world, including Morocco, Ireland, Switzerland, Texas and Spain, she has been the Regional Director responsible for planning trips throughout France. Her favourites include the Pyrénées, Languedoc, and the French Riviera. Now based in Toronto, Jeneen’s expertise as an athlete and epicure serve her equally well in her roles as Bespoke’s Assistant Director and as mom to a spirited toddler.

Andrea Amero
Andrea was first bitten by the travel bug after a coast-to-coast tour of Canada. A former figure skater, she now spends energy once dedicated to triple salchows creating custom trips made to fit for B&R’s Bespoke department. In her previous role with B&R she travelled across Italy and Spain, personally inspecting the trips to make sure that they were all up to snuff. These days as a Manager, Bespoke Administration, Andrea is equally meticulous when it comes to ensuring all Bespoke travellers get the information they need when they need it.

Anne Zakula
A Toronto native, Anne joined B&R in 2005 after taking a turn in the field of finance. In her earlier life she lived in the Provençal town of Apt and in Paris exploring her French side. More recently, with a beau in Sweden, Anne has taken a fancy to exploring the Nordic countries—can you blame her? Along her path with B&R, Anne has travelled through Vietnam, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Burgundy and Brazil, all of which have been added to her growing list of beloved countries. She is still partial to Sweden. As a Bespoke Trip Planner, Anne loves creating dream trips in exotic areas of the world.

Eimear Duggan
Born in Dublin, Eimear has lived in a host of European cities, as well as San Francisco and now Toronto. Since joining B&R in 1999 she has guided over 50 trips in Burgundy, Alsace, Provence, Normandy, Andalusia, Catalonia, Portugal, the Amalfi Coast and Ireland. While living in Spain, Eimear was our resident expert responsible for all B&R explorations and operations. She also spent time in B&R’s Beaune office handling logistics for Bespoke trips in Europe. As a Bespoke Trip Planner, she now focuses all of her globe-trotting energy to connecting with travellers and designing their perfect trips. Does that mean her own wanderlust is behind her? No way. She says the Far East is next.

Michele Harvey
Based in South Africa and travelling all over the world, Michele is always keen to share her insider secrets when it comes to creating magical trips for her clients. After guiding 96 B&R trips over 12 years, she understands the true meaning of living out of a suitcase. Specializing in our Expeditions world—South Africa, Morocco, Nepal, Bhutan, Turkey, Vietnam and India—Michele is our “exotic” Bespoke Trip Planner. Ever the well-rounded traveller, she spends the off-season guiding across Europe: in Greece, the Dalmatian Coast, Provence, Holland, Burgundy, Normandy, Provence and the Dordogne. A recent highlight from the road was putting together a temple feast in Cambodia for a family. Frankly, she loves that in Bespoke there are no rules.

Ulla Erhardt
Before joining the Bespoke team, Ulla was already one of B&R’s most experienced people. Since her rookie year in 2000, Ulla has guided more than 75 trips, including Veneto, Umbria, Puglia, Parma, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Prague to Vienna, Austria, Provence, Normandy, Paris to London, Vietnam, New Zealand, Sicily, Greece—wow, we’re exhausted just thinking about it. On top of that, Ulla put her ability to speak five languages to good use as the regional director for all our By Sea trips, not to mention designing our Puglia and Bologna to Venice trips, among others. From her background working for the World Bank to a long, nomadic career of exploration with B&R, Ulla has brought her considerable skills and experience to the role of Bespoke Operations Manager. We’re happy to report she’s feeling suitably at home.

Georgia Yuill
Georgia joined B&R for a one-time summer getaway – that was 12 years ago. In 1996 she began guiding in France and soon expanded across Europe. However, after her first trip to Italy there was no looking back. Since then Georgia has been a guide, researcher and program director for the entire region: the Italian Lakes, Tuscany, Veneto, Piemonte, Dolomites, Amalfi Coast, Umbria, Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia. For one year, Georgia thought outside the boot and managed B&R’s hotel relations across Europe. But as a Bespoke Trip Planner she is able to return her focus to her adopted homeland (she lives in Milan) where she creates wonderful villa-based trips for families.

Kathy Stewart
Kathy got the travel bug early on in life thanks to parents who were in the Foreign Service. That meant travel in more than 30 countries by the time she was 18. Kathy has worked at B&R since 1994 years, selling, designing and guiding trips that include the Loire Valley, Dordogne, Alsace, Provence, Tuscany, Sicily, South Africa, Morocco and Ireland. In 1999 Kathy led B&R’s first foray into family adventures. Along the way she has inspected and perfected each With the Kids trip including Puglia, Switzerland, the Dolomites, Normandy, Brittany, Portugal, Spain, Panama, Belize, Québec and British Columbia. She has also had three kids of her own, providing even more insight into the ingredients that make the perfect family trip. Now, as the Bespoke Sales Manager, Kathy is busy creating one-of-a-kind adventures one family at a time.

Lucy Vieira
A recent addition to the B&R team, Lucy has more than 20 years of experience in the travel industry. Over those years she has worked in a luxury agency and owned her own business, where she specialized in designing custom trips around the world. Though she called it “work,” Lucy has travelled throughout the Caribbean, Canada, the eastern United States, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, Italy and France. She is fluent in four languages, and her passion for biking, cooking and entertaining help make her a perfect fit for B&R. Lucy’s expertise in top quality service is invaluable in her role a Bespoke Travel Coordinator—our client “quarterback.” She handles our new inquiries and makes sure travellers get the customized fit with the right Trip Planner.

Marie-France Gravel
Marie-France, zee French girl, is not new to adventure travel. She taught outdoor education in Australia, and led tours in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. In her spare time she wandered through Kenya, Tanzania, England and British Columbia. Just prior to joining B&R as a Bespoke Trip Planner, Marie-France had her own company that took explorers through the woods of Québec, retracing the steps of the coureurs de bois by snowshoe, cross-country ski, dogsled and canoe. While enjoying the Quebéc wilderness, M-F, as she is known, created a special women’s outdoor event to raise funds for local women’s charities. M-F is now enjoying the challenge of crafting unique expeditions to both familiar and newly beloved destinations, such as the Galapagos Islands.

Sarah Douglas
An English native, Sarah headed to North America with her man to re-conquer the new world. While working in the cruise industry in London she travelled extensively in Europe. She finds it hard to play favourites between France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland and Ireland. But she will admit to having an extra soft spot for the Amalfi Coast, Vancouver and the Gambia. As an Operations Assistant for our Bespoke team, Sarah makes sure that every detail for each trip is looked after.

Africa Bespoke

Africa Walking

Asia Bespoke

Asian Grand Journey

North America Bespoke

Gulf Islands Biking
Texas Biking

Latin America Bespoke

Brazil Multi-Active With the Kids
Argentina Multi-Active

Western Europe Bespoke

Tuscany Villa With the Kids

Dalmatian Coast By Sea

Puglia Biking

Call the Bespoke team at 1.800.387.1147 to discuss your ideal holiday and how we can make it happen for you. Or email us your questions and one of our team members will be in touch within one working day.

THE PROCESS

As soon as you call us, we begin a process that involves committing ourselves to both you and our contacts around the world. We want to make your experience the very best possible, and to do so we expend a great deal of time and energy in the development of your itinerary.

First of all, we’d like to get to know you better. The more we know about you and your tastes, the better equipped we’ll be to create the perfect itinerary for you. That's why we start by sending you our detailed questionnaire.

Next, we arrange for you to speak to our regional expert for the area where you want to travel. Together, we will consider the range of possibilities—but the choices are all yours.

Once we’ve got a good idea of what you want, our team will begin to organize the details: engage local guides, book hotels, reserve restaurants and plan events. Throughout the process, the administrative staff in both our Canadian and European offices are working on your trip.

At this stage, we will put together a detailed itinerary for you with a trip price for your review and approval. We can also assist you in sending out creative invitations for your group. Then we’ll take charge of the details—contacting everyone and gathering all of their information to make your trip perfect.

Before you travel, we will provide your group with a package including everything they need to know about preparing for their journey. Along the way, we are always ready to answer your questions and assist with any extra additions—a last minute birthday party request, a special transfer from the airport, an extra night in Paris…

Finally, we will introduce you to your guides and ensure they know everything about you and your special group before they take things over. Then they’ll hit the road for the famous pre-trip. They tune up your bikes, confirm your reservations, and scour the route for fallen trees. Like a dress rehearsal, they see to it that everything is as it should be, right down to the final flourish: making sure that a freshly uncorked bottle of Vouvray is awaiting you upon your arrival.

All of this involves expenses, some of which we would not be able to recuperate in the event that you cancel your trip. That’s why we developed our Bespoke Trip Agreement, which we’ll ask you to fill out and fax back to us. Key points of the Agreement are as follows:

Trip Development Fee
A non-refundable Trip Development Fee is required before we begin working on your proposed itinerary. This fee will be applied to your final balance. For trips six or more months in advance, the Trip Development Fee is US$500. Within six months of travel, the Trip Development fee is $1000.

Group Deposit
Once you have approved the itinerary and departure date, a non-refundable group deposit of US$2,000 is required. At this point we will secure hotel rooms, book events, reserve restaurants and hire local guides. This is due one week after we send you the itinerary with departure date and price. This deposit will be applied to your final balance.

Individual Deposits
A deposit of US$500 per person is required to confirm each participant’s reservation. These deposits are due one month after the Group Deposit, and are applied to each person’s final balance.

Price
The price is based on your itinerary and the number of participants in your group; additions to or withdrawals from the group may alter the price for each participant. If your group size changes between 90 and 30 days prior to your departure, the per-person price will most likely change as well. If your group size changes within 30 days, the price will not change.

Have a different question not shown? Email us!

ANSWERS

1. How can I reach a Butterfield & Robinson Bespoke Trip Planner?

You can phone the Bespoke department directly at 1-800-387-1147, or e-mail us at bespoke@butterfield.com. For details on how to request a brochure or to get more general information, see Contact Us.

2. How many people do I need to do a Bespoke trip?

Well, four would do it, but you would probably have more fun with a few friends. The average size of a Bespoke trip is 14 people, but we find that any fewer than 24 works just fine. That said, we recently organized a 50th birthday party for a group of 30 that was one of our best ever! It really just depends on where you want to go and the kind of trip you want to do. Give us a call; it's your trip, and we'll do what we can to facilitate your wishes.

3. Do I have to do one of the dates in your brochure?

You can select any date you wish, except for the published dates for any trip we've included in the brochure. We'll plan a trip around your dates, modifying the existing itinerary to match the needs and interests of your group. For example, perhaps you want an extra guide to provide more support, more emphasis on wine tastings or history lectures, or an extra night at the last hotel. Of course, if you choose to do a whole new itinerary in a region we're not currently featuring in our brochures, then there are no restrictions on dates at all—or really anything.

4. How much does a Bespoke trip cost?

The cost of a Bespoke trip is dependent on a number of factors, including the number of travellers on your trip, the level of customization, the region of travel and the time of year you wish to travel. If you would like an estimated price on your desired trip, please feel free to contact a Bespoke representative.

5. Can I do a Bespoke trip without a guide?

No. We just don't feel we could provide a true B&R experience without a B&R guide to facilitate your unique, once-in-a-lifetime active vacation.

6. Can I go anywhere?

Well, almost. We can create customized itineraries in countries where we presently travel, as well as places we've travelled to in the past. Of course, we can also conduct new research especially for you anywhere in the world—as long as we think it's a safe destination that's amenable to a B&R-style experience. B&R's world is a big one, so please contact us to talk about the wide range of destinations on offer.

7. How do I get started?

Simply fill out the Bespoke Trip Agreement and E-mail it to us or, if you prefer, call us at 1-800-387-1147.

8. What if my travel companion is less (or more) into active vacations than I am?

We know that many people travel in pairs but don’t necessarily have identical tastes and interests, so we design B&R trips to accommodate a wide range of abilities. During the day, we never bike or walk all together—the pace is entirely up to you. Some travellers visit every museum along the way, while others stop at all the cafés and pâtisseries. We’ve spent years searching for interesting diversions along our routes, but we leave it to you to decide which ones you’d like to visit and which you’ll breeze right past. Of course, our Bespoke trips offer the ultimate in flexibility. You let us know ahead of time who enjoys what, and we'll build the activities—and leisure time—into your itinerary.

9. Do I have to carry my own luggage or gear?

No. On a B&R trip, you don’t carry your own luggage and there’s no need to purchase special bike bags. Everything you need for the day can fit in the handlebar bag we provide on biking trips, or in a small day pack or “fanny pack” on walking trips. All other luggage is transported by local baggage handlers or the B&R van. Your bags will be waiting in your hotel room when you arrive at the end of the day.

10. What is the B&R difference?

In a nutshell, it’s everything we do to make our trips unique, memorable and filled with experiences that meet and exceed our travellers’ high expectations. The B&R difference is the best biking and walking routes in the world’s most incredible places. It's the smartest, most capable and genuinely interesting guides you'll find anywhere. It’s the best hotels in every region—and the best rooms in those hotels. It’s unique access to events and special places you’d find very difficult, if not impossible, to visit on your own. It’s amazing culinary experiences, state-of-the-art bikes (included in the trip price), great wines at dinner, a water bottle that’s always filled, route suggestions you won’t find in any guidebook, the B&R van popping up right when you need a cold drink, a snack, or a ride to the next café.

Above all, the B&R difference is the special touches—what's not written in the itinerary. We're a group of people who are passionate about travel and passionately devoted to delivering a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We provide unrivalled personal service, delivered by bright, creative people who anticipate your every need. We foster creativity in the way we put our trips together, making savvy choices in order to build memorable travel experiences. That's what the B&R difference is really all about—not just biking and walking, but experiencing.

For more on what we feel sets us apart, check out the B&R Difference.

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