Safari is more special
While safaris have long been communal affairs, private hunting homes are becoming more popular these days. Trailblazers include the eight-bedroom House in the Wild, set in a beautiful bend of the Mara River in Kenya, owned by Tarquin and Lippa Wood, founders of the surrounding Enonkishu Conservancy; and Onduli Enclave, three private stilt-top suites overlooking the hazy Martian landscape of Namibia's Damaraland. New additions this year include Singita Milele, a five-private suite at a vantage point of the wildebeest migration in Tanzania's iconic Grumeti Conservancy, and the high-design Merote House, embedded in the landscape like an eco-bond hideaway in South Africa's rhino-friendly Lapalala Wilderness Reserve. collectioninthewild.com, theluxurysafaricompany.com, singita.com, lepogolodges.com
Jacqueline Sienna Indo-Anna Gunselman
Meet the Billionaire Whisperer
Jacqueline Sienna India, founder of luxury travel concierge Sienna Charles, doesn't just cater to the wealthy: Her clients include former presidents and Fortune 500 CEOs, who shell out up to £120,000 a year for membership that includes fixer services and bespoke travel experiences.
“Our clients pay for access to my little secret book because they know we can make the impossible happen – whether that's closing the Hagia Sophia, securing last-minute tickets to the Super Bowl, or gaining royal permission to escape quarantine during a pandemic.”
“It's not just about knowing the customer, it's about knowing the inside story of any destination: the hotels, the restaurants, when the traffic is going to be. It's also my job to know whether there are too many billionaires at the Ritz in Paris. [high-end New York Italian] These days, Marea is better than Carbone, or whatever suite you book at the new Fifth Avenue Hotel.
“We really get to know our customers and their specific needs. When we took the former US President to the Omo Valley in Ethiopia, we also had to feed 30 of his Secret Service staff. We built a camp from scratch with everything he needed, including his favorite peanut butter sandwiches. Sometimes, simplicity is just as important as the sublime.”
