This month we've been: November 2019

We enjoyed a day of good food and fantastic company with our annual Patrons’ Lunch. Taking place at Isabel in Mayfair, our top 30 advocates for Winged Boots were invited. “It was just our way of saying thanks to all the guys that do so much for us, make so many introductions and have really helped to grow Winged Boots so substantially over the past three or four years,” managing director David Ox said. “We were very fortunate that the lunch was co-sponsored by Four Seasons Resorts who kindly provided three of the top prizes.”

Entertainment was provided by musicians Ozzy&Stix as well as comedian Bobby Davro. “Ozzy&Stix are just great. They play to the crowd, they’re really adaptable and I really enjoy working with them,” David said. “When it comes to Bobby Davro, he performed at a Champney’s charity ball I attended, and we thought he would appeal to our customers. He was very funny and went done well.”

Administration executive Joe Head and managing director David Ox then enjoyed seven-nights of bliss in Dubai. “We stayed at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai which was lovely,” Joe said. “The food was the best in-resort we’ve had in the emirate and the half board at Caesars is quality. We went to Zhen Wei which was delicious, and we also had lunch a few times on the beach. If you’re a younger couple then you’ll definitely love this hotel as the rooms are nice and you have everything you could possibly need in the resort including pools, beach clubs and more.”
 
It wasn’t just in-resort that had fantastic food, as Joe enjoyed dinner at COYA in Four Seasons Resort Dubai. “It’s Peruvian in style and I had the yellowfin tuna as well as chicken skewers. The inside looks cool as there are plants everywhere, and colourful sofas but it still retains some sophistication with the dark wood furniture and mood lighting,” Joe said.

Joe also got wet and wild with a day at Aquaventure Waterpark in Atlantis, The Palm. “It has a couple of new rides which were amazing,” Joe said. “Poseidon’s Revenge was my favourite as the floor goes from under you and you jet down a slide and you even go upside down.”
 
Discover the delights of Dubai by enquiring here or calling one of our personal travel managers on 0203 816 0985.

World Travel Market or WTM brings travel industry professionals from around the world together for two days. Taking place at ExCel London, product manager Anna-Maria Janssen and product executive Ellen Stevens both attended, and it was a great chance to network with top industry suppliers to negotiate great rates so we can offer great value holidays and ensure that our customers get the best holidays every single time.

“We had many meetings over the two days with our partners from across the globe. We managed to get a lot of deals ready for December, and we also confirmed training sessions for the team back in the office, and just a general update on business,” Ellen said. ‘We also started planning for 2020 to ensure that the year starts positively.”

After WTM, product manager Anna-Maria Janssen, product executive Ellen Stevens and personal travel manager Dean Jeffries attended a networking event at The Victorian Bath House with Hyatt. A unique event venue, the focus was on relaxation and networking with like-minded travel professionals.

 

“It was lovely,” Ellen said. ‘It was really personal, which luxury travel always is, so with Hyatt’s events, they ensure that they are just that… it was tailormade and just amazing.”

Personal travel manager Claire Baker went to Oman for four-nights to uncover its delights. “It was one of my favourite work trips I’ve ever been on,” Claire said. “We went on excursions through the mountains and I also visited Al Bustan Palace which is full of history and culture.”
 
In terms of hotels, Claire stayed for one night each at Kempinksi Hotel Muscat Oman, The Chedi Muscat, Al Nahda Resort & Spa and Al Bandar Hotel at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa. “The hotels were beautiful, and each had its own selling points. Kempinski is one of the newest properties and each room has a sea view so it’s terrific if you’re after fantastic vistas. Al Bandar Hotel is great for families as it’s one of three resorts in the complex and there’s plenty to see and do while Chedi is more contemporary and even has the longest pool in the Middle East,” Claire said. “If you’re looking to twin in Oman and enjoy two experiences, Al Nahda Resort is perfect as it’s in the desert and the rooms are like tents which are amazing.”
 

Claire was bursting with facts and top tips. “You need a Visa to visit Oman which can be done online. I would say that’s my top tip,” Claire said. “There are also a few new hotels that are opening up, or have recently, such as W Muscat and there’s a Jumeirah hotel which they think will be open next year. Oman as a destination is definitely one to watch and a big thank you to Oman’s Ministry of Tourism for inviting me.”
 
Discover more about Oman here. To book, enquire here or call one of our personal travel managers on 0203 816 0985 now.
 

It was a busy month for product executive Ellen Stevens, as she also managed to attend an afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason in association with Expedia. With a party of five other travel professionals, the traditional afternoon tea was intimate.
 

“We were really lucky to be invited to the event,” Ellen said. “I had a strawberry black tea which was delicious, and of course I enjoyed lots of champagne. We went and watched the Regent Street Christmas Lights get turned on afterwards. It was magical.”

Picture-perfect beachy scenes were then on the cards for Ellen Stevens as she ventured to the Maldives for six nights. “I started off at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort for three nights which was brilliant,” Ellen said. “It’s a new property, really quiet and I stayed in a brilliant Beach Villa with Pool. The hotel even has a lighthouse restaurant which served Mediterranean dishes with a contemporary twist and then we watched a film on the beach which was insane. Swimming with manta rays was pretty memorable, too.”

Ellen then spent the following three nights at Niyama Private Islands Maldives. “Niyama is amazing. You have two islands to explore – Chill and Play. My favourite restaurant there was Nest. I just love Asian food and luckily the restaurant serves just that, I was in my element. You also dine in the trees and you had incredible views which were just breath-taking.”
 
Find out more about the Maldives here. To enquire, fill in our enquiry form here or call one of our personal travel managers on 0203 816 0985.

Part of The Emirates Group, Arabian Adventures has more than 50 divisions dedicated to various experiences in the UAE. What this means for our lovely customers is that, by working with them, Winged Boots is able to provide fantastic experiences from desert safaris to quad biking and more. Recently, the whole Winged Boots team met with two representatives, to discover more on the latest excursions.

“Having a training session with Arabian Adventures was very useful and insightful,” operations executive Sophie Azeem said. “It was great to find out more about the tours on offer, and they really explained them too and answered any queries we had. Not only that, but Arabian Adventures were very hospitable as they provided champagne and doughnuts which was very nice of them.”
 
Discover your own Arabian adventure for yourself and find out the various things to do in Dubai by clicking here.

With hotels situated in 60 countries across five continents, Relais & Châteaux are masters of the travel industry, and product executive Ellen Stevens and product manager Anna-Maria Janssen saw this for themselves at a networking event held at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London.
 
“There were so many different properties there and the event was a great success,” Ellen said. “We got to meet new people and see hotel representatives from properties that we’ve worked closely with in the past, and hopefully we will work together in the near future.”
 

It’s coming to the end of the year, and if you’re thinking of heading away in 2020 then we have your travel plans covered. Simply browse our website, or pick up a copy of our brochure which is released at the end of December, and either enquire or give one of our personal travel managers a call on 0203 816 0985 now.