Bon Vivant Journeys RSS Feed

What We Do

anabelunga@gmail.com (Anabel Fernandez) — Tue, 03 Sep 24 16:41:29 +0000

Specializing in the art of travel, we work with small groups, executives, families, and couples to plan for their most precious asset – their time while on vacation. Our clients come to us for anything from weekend hotel bookings to around the world trips.

When it comes to experiencing the best in travel, it is mostly who you know. Joy Simeonova uses her insider connections in the industry to add value to your vacation. They allow her to customize your trips with exclusive access and extras wherever your journey takes you. She is not only saving you 20-60 hours of planning time, but also finding experiences you didn’t even know existed. Everything she does is bespoke to you, based on her extensive personal travels around the world, as well as the tens of thousands of hours she spent in planning unique destination experiences.

Joy identifies and fosters relationships with extraordinary suppliers worldwide in pursuit of the extraordinary, with the ultimate goal of arranging more authentic, memorable and sustainable travel for her clients.

In addition, she personally inspects the destinations and the properties that the world’s most discerning travelers desire, so that she can flawlessly advise her clients. She listens to what you, your partner, or your family envision your journey to be, and then makes recommendations that will suit your tastes, interests, and budget.

Our clients place more value on the experience than price alone. Our service fees are worth their weight in gold and our clients concur that the extra amenities and upgrades alone more than off-set the nominal cost. Joy personally knows our global suppliers and they tirelessly go the extra mile for Bon Vivant Journeys’ clients.

EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS

In addition to Joy's vast experience, personalized service, and her passion for travel, you benefit from additional advantages from our partnerships with the most discerning and coveted hotels, villas, yachts, cruise lines, private aviation, and luxury consortiums around the globe. Through her affiliation with Travel Experts, Joy is a member of Virtuoso, a by-invitation-only network of the world's leading travel consultants.

HOTEL, RESORT, AND SAFARI STAYS

Receive additional amenities and value adds such as spa credits, food and beverage vouchers, room upgrades, early check-in & later check-out, and priority waitlist.

CRUISES, EXPEDITIONS AND PRIVATE YACHTS

Receive complimentary benefits, pre- and post-cruise trips, private shore excursions.

INSIDER ACCESS AND AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

Joy's close relationships with the world's leading travel and adventure companies and hand-selected country partners in every corner of the world ensures a unique, unforgettable experience and a local friend wherever you travel.

COVETED PERKS

Some of our clients ask about the advantage of using their American Express card for their travel bookings. In most cases, Bon Vivant Journeys offers our clients better perks through our own preferred partner programs with hundreds of hotels around the world. Additionally, our personal relationships with hotel owners and general managers result in added amenities, upgrades, and space clearing when it often appears impossible. We guide our clients to the right hotel via firsthand knowledge and experience.

VILLAS AND APARTMENTS

We have a spectacular network of villa providers around the world. We do not work with consumer rental web sites such as VRBO or AirBNB and only use accredited local brokers who visit and maintain their villas to vet and preserve quality control.

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to ensure the quality and seamless coordination of all trip components, we arrange touring, concierge services, dining, transportation, and personal recommendations in conjunction with lodging reservations and provide full trip coordination as part of a fully curated itinerary.

Important Information To Know Before You Travel Abroad

anabelunga@gmail.com (Anabel Fernandez) — Tue, 03 Sep 24 16:16:29 +0000

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

Most pre-paid trip arrangements are non-refundable regardless of the circumstance. Therefore, Bon Vivant Journeys, an affiliate of Travel Experts, strongly encourages purchasing Travel Insurance. We will be happy to provide you with a quote for travel and cancellation insurance, including the upgrade “Cancel for Any Reason”.

Please note that not all credit cards cover medical expenses incurred abroad. Travel insurance can protect you if you have a medical emergency or death in your immediate family before or during travel and you need to cancel or delay your trip or if you require medical attention or evacuation during travel.

MEDJET ASSIST:

MedjetAssist is a medical evacuation membership program that arranges medical transfer to the hospital of the member's choice. If a Medjet member becomes hospitalized more than 150 miles from home and meets transport criteria, Medjet will arrange medical transfer to the hospital of their choice at no additional cost. All the member pays is their membership fee. We can assist in purchasing a Medjet Assist membership. Please visit www.Medjet.com/TravelExperts for more details on this program’s membership opportunities and benefits.

NOTE: This ‘insurance’ does not replace travel insurance and is recommended to be purchased with travel insurance. This membership only allows a client to request to be transferred from a hospital where they have been admitted to a hospital of their choice (anywhere in the world). Clients can buy annual memberships or just short-term coverages.

PASSPORT AND VISA REQUIREMENTS:

Please ask us about passport and visa requirements to the countries to which you will travel. We are glad to assist with expedited passport and visa services. It is ultimately the passenger’s responsibility to ensure they have all correct documents prior to travel. Bon Vivant Journeys, an affiliate of Travel Experts, does not assume responsibility for missing, expired or incorrect travel documents.

Please email a copy of your passport page to us for our file and safe keeping during your travels.

For Visa and Passport assistance, we suggest CIBT. For discounted pricing, please use our noted account number below:

US Citizens - http://cibtvisas.com/ Input our account # 65371 for discounted pricing.

Canadian Citizens - www.cibtvisas.ca Input our account # 11657 for discounted pricing.

For country information and visa and passport requirements, please consult the Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html

IMMUNIZATIONS:

Many countries require immunizations prior to travel and for some locations your travel doctor may suggest preventative medicines for malaria, altitude sickness, or other illnesses. Please consult your local travel doctor or ask your primary care physician for a referral ideally 6 weeks prior to travel.

For immediate information, we suggest you consult the Center for Disease Control website: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

REGISTER BEFORE YOU TRAVEL:

Register for the STEP program before leaving (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), so that US embassies worldwide know where you are in the instance of a global emergency.

https://step.state.gov/step

TRAVELING WITH CASH ABROAD:

We are often asked how much cash clients ought to bring on a trip. The majority of businesses in most destinations worldwide accept and prefer major credit cards. We suggest checking with your bank to ensure your credit card does not charge foreign transaction fees. This means that cash is only required for small purchases and for tipping. We do our best to provide the most accurate tipping suggestions and guidelines for your destination prior to travel.

Foreign currency can be secured in advance at the airport, but most of our clients prefer to go to the ATM at the airport on arrival to secure cash in the local currency, often at the best exchange rate. How much cash you will need depends on your trip, the destination and your spending habits but a good rule of thumb is to have the equivalent of $100 per day at your disposal and replenish as needed. Replenishing cash at ATMs in most city centers is also possible. There are some exceptions to this rule and there are some countries where getting local currency is not possible. Carrying smaller denominations is most convenient for tipping and for making small purchases.

LUGGAGE FREE:

Luggage Free is a specialty service offering travelers the ability to ship their luggage and other personal items ahead to any destination worldwide, to avoid the inconvenience of carrying, checking and claiming luggage – even going through customs. Time that used to be spent enduring the hassles at airport, can now be spent enjoying your vacation. Let us know how we can help or get started here: www.app.luggagefree.com/travelbvj

BLUE RIBBON BAGS:

Blue Ribbon Bags takes care of mishandled baggage for you! For only $5 per bag. Blue Ribbon Bags will track and expedite the return of your delayed baggage for 96 hours from the time your flight lands. You will receive automatic email updates every time there is any change to the status of your mishandled bag. Their Service Agreement includes all bags checked at airport, including last minute gate check-ins. Blue Ribbon Bags service covers every flight, on every airline, everywhere in the world. You must register your bag prior to departure and we can assist with that or you may do so directly at www.blueribbonbags.com/

À la carte Services

anabelunga@gmail.com (Anabel Fernandez) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 18:27:18 +0000

If you are still deciding if you wish to join the Bon Vivant Journeys Club, you might want to get a taste of how we work through some of our à la carte services. Unlike the common travel agent, we are your travel consultant – like your financial advisor, or legal counsel – just a lot more fun! We work together on a consultative basis to design the right trip for you and making the most of your most precious asset, time.

The below is an outline of our fees:

Professional Travel Planning Fee

$1,500 for 1-7 days of private bespoke travel for up to 4 people. Each additional partial or full week is an additional $150. Each person over 4 people is an additional $50/person/week thereafter. (Changes to itinerary: Revisions to an itinerary once the confirmation deposit has been paid are subject to a minimum $25 fee per change. Actual charges are determined by the amount of time required to make the requested changes. Change fees may also apply to requested itinerary changes made during the trip.)

Last minute booking fee of 50% for trip requests within 45 days of travel or 90 days of holiday travel.

Hotel Booking (no research)

For common destinations, we partner with hotels that generally run from $800 - $2,000+ per night. No booking fees will apply for booking one of these fabulous luxury 5-star hotels part of the Virtuoso network. Find your hotel HERE, contact us with your preferred property, room category and dates, and we’ll secure your booking with added perks (like complimentary breakfast, $100 resort credit, room upgrades based on availability upon arrival, and VIP treatments). We’ll VIP you with the hotel and connect you with the Hotel’s Concierge team.

Destination Consultation & Hotel/Cruise Lines Options

From $250/hr. Not sure where to stay, what expedition cruise or safari to go on, and want our recommendations, you can opt for our Hotel Only + Tailored Recommendations option for a tailored proposal of 2-3 recommendations based on our expertise and your preferences.

The country is beautiful

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:26:05 +0000

The opportunity of Mladen and Joy showing me their home country made the experience of seeing Bulgaria very fulfilling. The country is beautiful, the people are warm and friendly, the foods and wines are great, and the history is very interesting. The guide was very knowledgeable about the entire country.

Excellent value for money

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:24:23 +0000

A wonderful cultural experience in becoming familiar with Bulgaria and its history. A very, very impressive guide. The service was great and the attitude was even better. Excellent value for money. This trip should be a must if we are ever going to understand what other people have gone through in their lives as a result of politics, wars, education, etc. We saw an unbelievably beautiful country with an abundance of natural resources that have been badly used by political programs. It is an eye-opener.

A well thought thru trip in all aspects

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:23:08 +0000

A great trip and wonderful experience! Wines and food were great! The service can be slow. But to be honest, a lot better than I expected. The guide Kamen was outstanding !!!!! Very knowledgeable and he read the group’s interest well. A well thought thru trip in all aspects. A trip I could never do on my own. Fun group. Excellent value for money.

Mladen and Joy did a fantastic job

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:19:19 +0000

Mladen and Joy did a fantastic job, showing us so many aspects of Bulgaria, helped to realize the beauty of the country. The trip was most beneficial because of the personal stories including what life was like under the Communists. Wines were wonderful from the many SB, Roses to Malbecs. Again much enhanced by Mladen’s knowledge of both wines and country. Great variety, quality, and quantity. Wineries were fun & educational. From the first meal with all eyes popping after seeing our first Bulgarian salad to our last meal food was great. Food experience went from everyday Bulgarian to Fusion fantastic choices. Our guide Kamen was extremely knowledgeable and was a perfect addition to the group. I told friends prior to the trip that I would come back as an expert on Bulgaria, little did I know how true that was thanks to Kamen. Loved it all: villages, cities, resorts, monasteries - all with their individual stories. Museums gave new education on Bulgarian history. I can't say enough about the visit and the performance at the School of Bulgarian Folklore & Dance. Wow!

Excellent value for money. The trip exceeded my expectations. Because Bulgaria is still an undiscovered country, this trip enlightens you on all aspects of culture, history, beauty, and an understanding of the people. Great immersion into wines, foods, and understanding of what living under communism was like.

Magical on all levels!

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:15:09 +0000

Your service, experience, enthusiasm, charm are all spectacular. You and Mladen both make the trip! Magical on all levels!

I loved the variety of winery styles!

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:14:08 +0000

Joy was amazing. Very attentive; always joyful. Anticipated our needs, and always tried to meet any need we had. A great leader with much passion. I loved the variety of winery styles!

Joy, the trip was magnificent!

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:12:55 +0000

Joy, the trip was magnificent! You and Mladen did a perfect job. I am grateful.

I can’t wait to travel with you & both again

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 16:06:01 +0000

Joy, I want to thank you for organizing and leading such a memorable trip. The whole experience was incredible. You took care of every detail and made the us feel like part of your family. I can’t wait to travel with you & both again.

It would be very hard to replicate this trip

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:59:17 +0000

We did not really know what to expect. The food, the wine, the truffle hunting, the cooking class were all terrific. Not too much time spent on the bus. The private tour of the Vatican was so inspiring and wonderful. It would be very hard to replicate this trip as an individual. This is a unique experience to meet some great new people, taste some delicious wine and to learn more about them. This is a trip anyone who has not been to Italy can enjoy as can people like us who have already visited Italy numerous times.

Joy did an exceptional job

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:57:13 +0000

Joy did an exceptional job designing and executing our trip. Her comprehensive attention to detail provided everything from knowledgeable local guides, special wine and dining experiences, to making our hotel check-in experiences seamless and easy. I think that she did an exceptional job choosing the personnel, the special experiences, the hotels, the driver, the guides....which resulted in an experience that we would not have been able to achieve without her savvy skill. The Sommelier Mladen is a rock star! His smile, laughter and warm personality added to our enjoyment of the trip. His knowledge and wine selection at our evening meals were definitely value added to our experience. It was a very special experience. Again, many aspects would not have been possible without Joy's planning and execution. We made many wonderful memories and will treasure those moments of awe, delight and laughter forever.

Well planned and professionally run

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:55:55 +0000

The design and management of this Italian experience were very well planned and professionally run. There is no better and stress-free way to experience Italian culture, art, architecture, culinary styles, and regional wines.

A sommelier added tremendous value to our trip

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:53:30 +0000

This trip was so amazing for us. I was nervous not being involved in the trip plan like I normally would be. I have to say it was better than any trips I have planned. To us this was a perfect delivery of an amazing wine, food and history experience in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Scenery that takes your breath away; experiences that you are not likely to find yourself; with a relaxed, seamless execution; and a love for the experience that is contagious. A sommelier added tremendous value to our trip. Mladen made the experience fantastic - growing a deep appreciation not only for wine but the soulful nature of experiencing wine and making new friends. His deep understanding of wine and his enthusiasm for it was one of the many highlights of our trip. He helped grow our appreciation at a much deeper level.

I felt like I was in a dream of pure magic

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:51:30 +0000

I felt like I was in a dream of pure magic. Every need was well taken care of above my expectations. Mladen was what made the trip so special. His high energy, sense of humor, knowledge of fine wine, food and life is what I love the most about the trip.

A trip that was as perfect as one could hope for!

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:46:50 +0000

If you are looking for a 5-star trip that exceeds your expectations and if you have a great Sommelier like, Mladen Stoev, as your guide we would highly recommend this trip! The careful planning and attention to our needs and comfort made our experience an exceptional one. A trip that was as perfect as one could hope for!

Made friends for life!

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:44:52 +0000

I would recommend highly and not hesitate to travel with Mladen & Joy again and this wonderful group who I can now call my friends. We laughed always, drank and ate fine foods every day and experienced beautiful parts of Italy. Love the truffle hunt, the cooking class, the dinner with Salvatore Ferragamo. The Sistine Chapel was an unbelievable experience. Many thanks for the trip of a lifetime!!!! It was positively the most wonderful travel experience I have ever had. Every detail was taken care of with worry free travel for all. Made friends for life!

Well done both Mladen and Joy!

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:42:49 +0000

This trip was well planned and seamlessly executed. It provided fabulous Italian experiences including not just truly amazing food and wine, but exploring hilltop villages, truffle farm, organic farm, and cheese making, all at the same time while making new friends from our club! Traveling together is just more fun! Also, there were many simple pleasures difficult to put value on - like not having to schlep luggage from place to place, but transported for us to the next hotel and placed in our room by the time we arrived! Job well done both Mladen and Joy!

This was a magical trip

joy@travelbvj.com (Joy Simeonova) — Wed, 28 Aug 24 15:23:26 +0000

Joy is extremely professional and has a great attention to detail for the benefit of providing a luxury client experience. This was a magical trip, scenery, food, wine, accommodations superior!