Illustrative Short Stories for Luxury Travel
I create elegant and enchanting illustrative short stories that feel deeply personal while representing the art de vivre (art of living). Crafting an engaging story that resonates with modern affluent consumers while remaining true to a brand’s traditions is no easy task and requires new & "snackable" storytelling formats.
Let's create magic.
Illustrative Short Stories
When something is bothering me, I seek refuge at my favorite hotel oasis, a realm of pink fascinations that continue to take my breath away. The famous pink walls frame the bright blue sky and butterflies fluttering through the enchanting gardens. I walk through the lobby hall and gaze upon the grand pink rose centerpieces beckoning the splendor of Spring. Quite suddenly I find myself thinking about the highlight of my escape: tea time. Afternoon Tea in the beautiful tea lounge is such a feast for all the senses, I can even taste the color of pink. I devour my worries with sumptuous cakes, pastries, and sandwiches and wash away my concerns with the special pink tea blended with roses from the garden. As I sit back listening to the live piano music, I bask in this moment of pink tranquility.
Belmond Mount Nelson, South Africa
I took a class with champion figure-skater Tamara Moskvina, twirling and dancing my way across St. Peterburg's ice arena when I noticed him set amid the sparking surface photographing me. A fellow hotel guest, his artist eye somehow captured my movements to unbelievably depict graceful. We agreed to share a night cap and I, attempting to mask an unfamiliar nervousness, moved with a sensuous slink as I approached him sitting at the Lobby bar. Spotting me, he looked up from his phone smiling and his eyes reminded me of a dark lake reflecting the moon, the way the lights springing from the bar hit them. After rounds of Grand Marnier cocktail conversations, this perfect stranger felt like an acquaintance, so we set out to explore more of the hotel’s resplendence; for our evening adventure had just begun.
Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, Russia
Ever since I could remember, Carina has been the hotel cleaning lady but nonetheless persistently maintains a degree of refinement reminiscent of the Portofino hotel itself - a 16th-century former monastery. When I lamented boredom while my parents spent hours pampering at the spa or gobbling fine pasta specialties, Carina would transform my childhood existence into a joyful retreat. During her work breaks, she kindly educated me on the cultivation of the courtyard’s ornamental wisteria blooms. Now some 20 years later, I’m celebrating my wedding here. On the night before the wedding – dressed in my wedding gown much to my superstitious family’s horror – I adventured for a secret midnight rendezvous to exchange my love’s faithful vow to my fiancé on the moonlit wisteria-draped terrace.
Belmond Hotel Splendido, Italy
Although our Amalfi hotel offered stunning views of the heavens and seaside, I insisted my Grandma and I leave the palace and cascade down the mountains to explore the lemon groves. The recollection of making freshly-squeezed Louisiana lemonade with her mother lived fondly in her heart despite the Alzheimer’s stealing her memories. Her eyes glistened with wonder as our personal tour guide spoke of his relationship with the sun-infused lemons near hand-carved rocks and recounted the old days when they carried baskets of lemons on their shoulders and traded them abroad for spices and iron. I think she died after that special moment. After returning from Italy, her body remained with us for 1 more week, but her mind departed at the end of the tour, because she knew saying goodbye in the lemon grove was better that way.
Belmond Hotel Caruso, Amalfi Coast Italy
Finally retreating from the corporate battlegrounds, I escaped to Portugal and hopped in a jeep to venture above the clouds and watch the sun rise at Madeira’s majestic mountain peaks. With champagne glasses in hand, my private butler Nuno and I toasted to life under a sky illuminating shades of crimson, gold, and violet. As a birdsong soared through the pine forest and wrapped a feeling of tranquility around me, I promised myself to always mindfully return to this moment whenever the stress of everyday life arrived to deliver its heavy load of burden. On the evening before my departure, I sat by the pool checking work emails. As soon as I felt tension slowly travel down to my shoulders, I put down my laptop, jumped in the pool, and felt free as a bird as the sunset danced across the sky.
Belmond Reid's Palace, Portugal