SEBASTIAN LUXE

Trips I'd Plan for My Closest Friends

Beautiful hotels are easy. The right hotel, in the right room, in the right part of town, is the whole point.

I plan elevated, design-forward trips for families and couples who want it to feel effortless once they land.

Because no one wants to cry in the lobby.

What I Do

What I'm Known For

European Ski Weeks That Actually Work

Zermatt. Lech. The Dolomites. The right hotel makes or breaks a festive trip. I care about ski school logistics, village layout, and where you'll want to have long lunches.

Design-Forward Beach Escapes

Riviera Maya. St. Barts. Costa Rica. Calm energy, strong architecture, and real service. Not chaos in a linen shirt.

Paris, Done Properly

Skip the tourist traps. Stay somewhere that feels like you live there. Do one museum well. Make dinner reservations before you even get on the plane.

Villas with Hotel-Level Infrastructure

Private space is lovely. Private space with staff, transfers, and a concierge who actually answers the phone is better.

CURATED PROPERTIES

The Shortlist

The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman

GRAND CAYMAN

The beach that ends every debate about where to go for a long weekend. Easy flight, easy resort, and somehow it never feels crowded even when it is.

Cheval Blanc

PARIS

Polished, warm, and surprisingly livable for a palace hotel. The spa alone justifies staying in for an afternoon.

Nekajui, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

COSTA RICA

Perched on a cliff above the Pacific with the kind of architecture that makes you stop mid-sentence. For when you want a hotel that actually changes your mood.

Four Seasons

COSTA RICA

The one that works for everyone. Kids are happy, parents are relaxed, the beach is right there, and the staff remembers your name by dinner.

Amanzoe

GREECE

A modern acropolis above the Aegean. Private pavilions with reflection pools and the kind of silence that makes you realize how loud your life has been.

Cap Juluca

ANGUILLA

One of the prettiest beaches in Anguilla, with beachfront rooms, a calmer rhythm, and service that knows when to appear and when to leave you alone. Polished, peaceful, and very easy to love.

Some hotels look amazing online and are exhausting in real life. My job is making sure you end up at the good ones.

Honest

This is probably a fit if:

You want someone to tell you which hotel is actually worth it.

You care about layout, light, and service.

You're willing to invest in getting it right the first time.

If you're looking for "cheapest available" and enjoy comparing 47 browser tabs at midnight, I support you. I'm just not your person.

Recently Planned

Trips I've Planned This Year

Paris with Kids

Rodin garden. Angelina hot chocolate. One beautiful dinner that makes the parents feel like adults again.

Zermatt for Christmas

Ski school dialed in, long mountain lunches, and kids asleep by 8:30 thanks to altitude and fresh air.

Costa Rica Reset

Morning surf. Afternoon spa. Early bed. Repeat. The kind of trip that actually makes you feel younger.

About Kate

I spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about hotels.

Which rooms are quiet. Which suites are worth it. Which locations make a trip feel easy instead of exhausting. Which properties look beautiful online and still are not quite right.

I plan thoughtful, design-forward travel for families, couples, and milestone group trips who want the trip to feel as good as it looks.

Choosing well from the start changes everything.

Kate Van Dell
Founder & Lead Advisor

"If I wouldn't recommend a hotel to someone I care about, it doesn't go on my list."

Kate Van Dell, Founder

Let's Talk

Most Trips Start with a Quick Email

Send me your dates. We figure it out from there.