We wanted to take a moment to look back and recap one of our most successful and now, often requested trips we did last year, hosted by Christina Willett.
About a year ago, I approached a few of our partners with the idea of hosting a family friendly trip. I was able to bring the trip to fruition this fall, when along with my 9 year old son, I brought a small group of advisors, along with one of their children each, to France. The trip was unique for so many reasons. It was extremely special to be able to introduce this group of kids to one another and watch them become a crew instantaneously, even calling themselves “brothers and sisters”.
My idea behind the trip was really looking for a new and creative way to showcase our partners. I wanted advisors to see and experience what we can offer so that they could come home and sell from a first-hand perspective. Family travel is something that most of you book regularly, but as an example, have you experienced a scavenger hunt in the Louvre for yourself? Most likely not. However, doing so, and especially seeing it through a child’s eyes, is so beneficial.
Our trip began in Evian-les-Bains, on the shores of the French side of Lake Geneva – a destination that pairs so well with itineraries that include Geneva, Lausanne, Annecy, Lyon, Paris and more. Our partner, Hotel Royal, is the crown jewel of town, and a 5* palace level property. For families with children in particular, the hotel offers a kids resort that is a destination unto itself and free of charge for kids from 3-16 (babies as young as 4mos are welcome with a small supplement). Our group was blown away by the kids facilities, which feature a dedicated swimming pool with lifeguard, a stage for shows, quiet rooms, sports fields, etc. And just think, everything mentioned is just on property, when in fact, the destination itself is spectacular as well. On our trip, the hotel’s Sports and Culture Department, in coordination with our DMC Deluxe France, organized a hike in the alps while the kids rode donkeys, a daytrip to explore Yvoire, a kayaking adventure on Lake Geneva and even an afternoon boating on the hotel’s incredibly spectacular yacht. One of my favorite moments of the trip was when after a long day, my son and I snuck down to the spa at 10 p.m. We enjoyed the facilities together – most particularly the snow cave for my son – and went back to our rooms to have the best night’s sleep of the trip.
While it was sad to leave, we all left happy and inspired, excited to hit our next destination – Paris!
Traveling by train, we made the trip with ease and arrived to our new home, the Grand Powers, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle, yet tucked away just enough to be out off of the major throughways. The style is so chic and the team is so warm and welcoming, the entire ambiance is special – and the views of the Eiffel Tower are the cherry on top! During our time in Paris Deluxe France really showed out and treated us to some incredibly special experiences such as a private boat ride on the Seine, dinner in the Eiffel Tower (WOW!), a Louvre scavenger hunt, lunch at Angelina and even a trip to the Opera House where with our incredible kid friendly guide, we went on a hunt for the key to the Phantom of the Opera’s box. We even snuck in a visit to the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal where they had set up their rooftop suite for a little afternoon party for us. You would have thought they were expecting Willy Wonka – everyone’s eyes almost popped out of their heads by the fabulousness and decadence of the treats. Everything was exceptional, but I do have to note that another favorite memory came on our last evening at the hotel, in our suite, with my son popping a bottle of (non-alcoholic) Champagne, the lights of the Eiffel Tower twinkling out the window behind him. This was the perfect finish to our trip, a trip full of special memories that none of us are soon to forget!
Thank you for joining me on this recap of our incredible experience! If you’d like to see photos and videos of this special trip, pleases feel free to visit my Instagram page (@theliltornado) where you can find the albums under “Evian 2024” and “Paris 2024”. And to our partners, Deluxe France, Hotel Royal – Evian Resort, Grand Powers and Grand Hotel du Palais Royal – thank you a thousand times. I was blown away by the attention to detail and special experiences that all of you provided – and on top of that, we could tell that you all loved planning these special surprises from beginning to end!
