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We recently returned from an incredible journey through much of the southern half of France and northern region of Italy. Jennifer and her team helped us plan a a truly unforgettable 3-week trip that highlighted some of the best wine regions in both countries, along with a great deal of historical sites. We began in Bordeaux at the beautiful Les Sources de Caudalie. Apparently the spring had brought an overabundance of rain which translated into very green and healthy landscapes wherever we went, an unexpected bonus!
Jennifer helped us plan an itinerary that covered the Left Bank and Right Bank regions of Bordeaux with a highlight on St. Emilion, a beautiful medieval town. Next, Jennifer encouraged us to visit the medieval village of Carcassone. We were so happy she did! It is the largest and most heavily fortified medieval village in Europe—very impressive! We also visited Montpellier and the lovely Camargue region known for their indigenous white horses and pink salt, staying at the gorgeous Domaine du Verchant. Our next stop was Provence, including stays at two truly lovely but different hotels, Villa La Coste and La Bastide de Gordes, once again thanks to Jennifer’s encouragement. We enjoyed a lovely and delicious picnic in the forest overlooking an ancient bridge hosted by a burgeoning young chef/farmer, as well as a very interesting tour of the asylum where Van Gogh spent many years of his life.
From Provence, we drove through the beautiful French Alps into the Barolo/Barbaresco region and stayed at the stunning Casa di Langa. We spent our time there discovering the wines of the region among the green verdant hills. Our final stop at Lake Maggiore and Villa Aminta was truly magical! The lake is every bit as beautiful as Lake Como but so much less crowded! The highlight was our day spent on a private boat touring both Isola Madre and Isola Bella. Each island boasted the most amazing private homes (more like museums!) built by the Borromeo family. Each was so incredibly beautiful and well preserved and were surrounded by gorgeous gardens.
Each of the hotels that Jennifer helped us find was unique, luxurious, and welcoming. The restaurants she helped us choose were outstanding! Our drivers and guides were some of the very best we have ever had the pleasure of using. We couldn’t have created the same experience without the help of Jennifer and her dedicated team!
My trip to Paris was most memorable and a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Without Jennifer most of what I experienced just would not have happened —namely, my private tour of Villa Windsor (which, by the way, is not open to the public). Also Jennifer planned my trip to the villa on my birthday and even arranged birthday cake with a candle and champagne. How utterly charming and exciting to eat my birthday cake and drink champagne in the dining room of the Villa where the Duchess entertained royalty of Europe. Also traveling through the airport customs was a breeze with their expert greeters. Should I plan another trip in the future, I will most definitely use this service.
In July of this year (2024) my husband and I embarked on a trip we had been dreaming about for years—embedding for a couple of weeks in one of France’s many world-renowned wine regions. We picked Provence because we recently did a replant at our vineyard in Northern California with a couple of Rhone varietals and this was a good opportunity to learn more about these wines at the source. Our adult children joined for the first week—and were on our own for the second week.
Our desire was to spend our whole time at one location, within walking distance of a village. Jennifer found us the most amazing villa within walking distance of the iconic French village Gordes, a village built into the rock face of the Vaucluse Mountains, above the Luberon valley. Jennifer listened to each detail of our request, found us several amazing options, but after talking to me, and my daughter who helped organize the trip, she steered us to a villa offering a view of Gordes that you only see in the movies. We walked into the village almost twice daily—for our morning coffees and shopping, and our evening cocktail or meals. Hanging out at the amazing villa pool, reading in the French Garden, or cooking in the fully stocked kitchen filled out our request list.
Our location was within a 15-minute drive to another handful of amazing hilltop villages. And only an hour from Marseilles and a touch further to the iconic coastal village of Cassis, where our adult kids and their significant others hiked back into the crystal clear blue waters of the Calanques. Followed by an amazing array of bouillabaisse options in the marina.
We hiked from the villa to the Senanque Abby and its amazing lavender fields; rode bikes through the Luberon Valley; rode white horses along in the Camargue; went wine tasting in the Chateauneuf de pape region; had 3 1/2 hour lunches; went to the Van Gogh museum in Avignon; had a French chef cook for us at the villa; went to a lavender museum and olive oil pressing.
We can’t wait to go back! What a magical area with memories of a lifetime created with our family!
I just got back from a very special trip with my 87 year old parents. They wanted to go to Amsterdam and my sister-in-law and I gifted them this trip for the holidays. I have to admit we were a little concerned about their mobility, health in general etc. We researched and purchased trip insurance just in case….but fortunately we had no spills!
My parents were troopers and embraced every moment. Jennifer and her team planned the perfect itinerary—one activity per day and wonderful dinners every night. We had terrific tour guides who were informative but also very accommodating to our pace and interests.
This was our third trip using WOW List member Jennifer and her team. They expertly handled all our dining reservations which took the away the burden of finding a relaxing, high-quality meal once on the ground. Guy Savoy in Paris was an amazing Wedding Anniversary celebration. Their arranged arrival service through customs in Paris we will use again…it was our first time and what a difference!
Jennifer’s company developed an outstanding schedule for our time in Italy taking into consideration our desired pace of activity and things to see. Our time in Bologna tasting all the wonderful foods of Italy was a highlight! We would not have found Forte dei Marmi on our own and it was a perfect fit for our desire to end our time on the coast.
Magnificent! That is the best word to describe the experiences Jennifer put together for our most wonderful trip! We wanted to visit the Normandy area of France prior to visiting the British Isles. And finish our trip with Paris and Roland Garros competition. Jennifer and her team exceeded our expectations! We used almost all modes of transportation: car, van, private car, train and ferry! Jennifer had many suggestions for our time in France. We wanted to visit the beaches of Normandy as my Father-In-Law was part of the invasion support during WWII. Jennifer arranged the most informative and insightful guide, Stephane Lamache, for our time in the Normandy and surrounding area.
We also visited Giverny and the Bayux tapestry museum. Our stay at Chateau La Cheneviere was just lovely. It had a quiet room, pool and on-site magnificent restaurant. I would definitely stay here again just to stay and enjoy!
We had to get from Cherbourg, France to Southampton, England for our next part of our journey. We had never been on an ocean-going ferry and it was quite enjoyable. Jennifer had arranged a cabin for our crossing the English Channel. Great idea as we could relax as we wanted or go and explore the ferry.
After our travels around Great Britain we took the Eurostar from London to Paris. Great way to travel. Once in Paris we stayed at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand. Wonderful location, easy walking distance to shopping and several restaurants recommended by Jennifer. At the hotel Jennifer arraigned for breakfast to be included and we had daily, all-day access to the ‘club’ room. Just delightful to be welcomed and pampered after a day of walking and site seeing.
A highlight for me was visiting Vaux Le Vicomte, outside of Paris. Our driver and guide was very knowledgeable. It was a delightful experience to visit and marvel at the estate and learn the history.
Even though the weather did not cooperate with sunny days in Paris, it was mostly light drizzle and cloudy skies for our time in Paris. Fortunately our time at Roland Garros, center court, was under cover. Excellent seats and transportation arraigned by Jennifer. We had tickets for both day and night sessions, again arranged by Jennifer. We had to extend our time with the driver as the night session went long. Communication with Jennifers team through our trip was excellent! The drivers were very attentive and accommodated our requests.
A service Jennifer offers is a meet-and-greet at the airport, train, ferry, and also helps with navigating thru customs. I know having this service allayed our concerns regarding being in the right place at the right time.
Jennifer and her team made our trip into an experience of a lifetime. Thank you Wendy Perrin and team for having a WOW List of travel agents like Jennifer!
We just returned from our trip to the Paris Olympics, Champagne and Burgundy. It was awesome! Everything was perfect. Awesome hotel (Hotel d’Abusson), great events, amazing food—perfect! My family and I would also like to give thanks to Jennifer Virgilio, our travel guide, for helping to put together an amazing itinerary from start to finish. Her team was on top of everything and left nothing to chance. The memories from this trip will last a lifetime for my family. Thank you.
Loved, loved, loved our quick trip to Disneyland Paris arranged by Jennifer Virgilio and her team. We were personally greeted and driven from our cruise port directly to the hotel, where we received special check-in gifts and surprises, including Mickey Mouse stuffed animals for the children. Loved our time at the beautiful Disney parks as well. Would have appreciated adapters for US electrical outlets, and would have liked more time to explore, but we were bound by cruise-ship port times. Thanks!
This was a last-minute trip we planned to London, Paris, and Brussels at the end of July. It was wonderful working with Jennifer and her team. They found us some great hotels that fit our needs and set up a wonderful tour of the Louvre!!
Jennifer put together a fantastic plan that was seamless. The sidecar tour was a fun way to see monuments, it was great to have train tickets in advance and the hotels were terrific. VIP airport pickup/drop off was a nice addition. This is our second time working with Jennifer and I’d highly recommend her!
The trip with our two adolescent grandkids, 16 and 14, started off rather rockily. Our American Airlines flight suffered mechanical problems which resulted in the flight being cancelled, and thus we missed our first afternoon as well as a delicious dinner in Paris. Fortunately for us, Jennifer took care of the Paris issues and when we arrived early the next morning, we were able to fully enjoy the day and the rest of the vacation.
Paris was a whirlwind of sights and sounds. The organization of the days was perfect and having drivers at our disposal made navigating as well as moving from activity to activity as nonstressful as possible. We had private tours of The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the trendy district of Marais. We created our own perfume, saw the Dior permanent show (Jennifer was right, it is special), had time to shop, visited the stadium, ate and ate. We had a blast on the sidecars riding through Paris, rain and all!
We traveled to Aix via train, where we were met by Beatrice, our fun, personable, flexible and knowledgeable guide who stayed with us for four days. From exploring villages to hiking we had a fabulous time. While in Aix our grandson had his 14th birthday and as he loves to cook, Jennifer and her team arranged a private 5-hour cooking course with a Michelin Star-chef and her trusted staff. Our grandkids learned about solar ovens and how to cook using one. They also become more savvy with regards to the presentation of food and they scoured the garden looking for the right flowers and leaves to put the finishing touches on the food.
Our WOW Moment occurred when we were standing on an ancient Roman bridge and were approached by a young man who invited us to a picnic lunch. He led us to an area where he had prepared an elegant eating experience. A beautifully laid table beneath the shade of a large tree facing the ancient bridge and the river. It was so special, so perfectly arranged, so delicious, such a great surprise.
The grande finale was our stay at Versailles where we were totally spoiled and delighted. We were treated like royalty at Le Grand Controle hotel, where you slip back in time as you experience life in the court of Louis XVI. We were so fortunate to have private tours of Versailles and we were immersed in Marie Antoinette’s life as we moved from her private to public rooms.
The hotels, the tours and tour guides, the drivers, restaurants and greeters were all well selected and all came together to create this varied, memorable, well paced and overall fantastic vacation.
We just returned from a 6-day trip to London (3 nights) and Paris (3 nights). Was a fabulous introductory trip to both countries, as we traveled abroad with our two youngest children (13 and 18 years old) for their first time. Jennifer and staff were terrific at arranging transportation, hotel and guides. Every plan was smooth, and we never had a moment’s worry. The itinerary was full, but we were able to truly see the iconic sights and places of interest for our first time in London and Paris. Both hotels we stayed in were excellent, with connecting rooms that allowed us to be “with” each other while keeping a little privacy. The Rubens at the Palace hotel in London was especially fun for us, with a porter greeting all guests at the door in full palace costume. Both hotels also had delicious, included breakfast which made for an easy start to each day.
Highlights in London included the Churchill War Rooms and museum which was probably everyone’s favorite place we visited, dinner at the Shard (we chose to eat at Oblix West and Jennifer made sure we had pre-booked a window table during sunset…amazing!), and the Borough Market for their famous chocolate-covered strawberries (they did not disappoint!).
Highlights in Paris included a dinner boat cruise on the Seine, seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night and strolling along the Champs-Élysées toward the Arc (which we climbed up to a spectacular view of Paris).
This was truly a seamless, memorable and fantastic trip! Many thanks to Jennifer and her team for the effort they put in to make our vacation wonderful.
I contacted Jennifer when our half-made plans to France got too daunting for us to plan by ourselves. There were a lot of moving parts involving friends and family coming and going.
We planned to go to Burgundy with my musical partner (and wife) and stay with a friend while playing concerts in the area and then travel to Nice, where we had already rented an apartment. Our challenge was getting around. We needed a car while in Burgundy and to get us to Nice. It had to be big enough to carry four people and a lot of luggage. Jennifer came through with a car that was delivered to the train station when we arrived in Le Creusot and picked up the moment we arrived in Nice. No waiting and no hassles. Our friends left after a couple of days and then my family arrived.
We were in Nice for a week, so Jennifer arranged for a couple of all-day excursions. The highlight of the trip was a yacht tour we took to Monaco. We had planned to go in the other direction, but Jennifer’s team was informed that the winds would be too high and quickly made other arrangements for us, which turned out great.
My main concern was getting in and out of Paris on either end of the trip. We had a meet-and-greet at the airport and a driver waiting to take us to our hotel, and the reverse when we left. I can’t say enough about this service. It is definitely worth it after a nine-hour flight. The hotel and dinner recommendations were spot-on.
I was so impressed with Jennifer and her team as they checked on us every step of the way. If we had questions we could easily reach out to her team. It was a truly stress-free vacation.
We were so excited about returning to Paris. We asked Jennifer Virgilio to help us see what we had missed in the past. To start things off, she suggested a “Meet and Greet” at the Charles de Gaulle Airport. She couldn’t have known how auspicious this would turn out to be. Our 9:10 PM flight was due to arrive the next morning at 10:55 AM. An hour or so into the flight, it was rerouted due to equipment issues, and we left around 5:00 AM the next morning, arriving in Paris at 5:00 PM Paris time. We were beyond grateful for being escorted through customs and to our awaiting car.
When we were in Paris previously, we never took an Eiffel Tower Tour. We learned they aren’t available. Jennifer arranged for just such a tour with Manuel. He was charming and took us into the depths of the structure, where we saw firsthand its workings from its origin to the present. At the top, we were treated to the obligatory champagne at the Champagne Bar. My very excellent photographer husband got fabulous shots from the tower and afterward from our hotel. Doesn’t the picture look like we can touch the Eiffel Tower? That’s at Les Ombres, the restaurant Jennifer suggested. The view is beyond belief, the staff is beyond helpful, and the sommelier made excellent wine-pairing suggestions. The food presented beautifully, could have been more adventurous. Admittedly, we are extreme foodies.
We also saw areas of Paris that we had missed in the past, such as Montmartre and the Left Bank. Our guides gave us some inside knowledge and were helpful with advice for our time in the city. What a treat to return to La Samaritaine department store and eat a fabulous meal of blue lobster at Langosteria in the beautiful Cheval Blanc Hotel next door. Jennifer’s suggestion for this pick was our best meal in Paris.
There was so much to see and do that there wasn’t time for shopping. I’ll bet you can almost hear my husband’s sigh of relief.
My husband and I had a wonderful time visiting a very crowded Paris with the guidance of Jennifer in late May, 2024. Being whisked through CDG and dropped off at our hotel at record speed was a wonderful stress-free way to start our holiday. We enjoyed a Vintage 2CV drive on our first day in Paris to revisit some wonderful monuments of the area, hear fun stories and a bit of history while getting a brief tour of the area. Paris was very busy this time of year and we avoided big crowds, which was a plus. Jennifer also scored us great seats for the Concert of Berenice at the Theatre des Champs-Elysées. We enjoy theatre and the arts. We also enjoyed our half-day walking tour in Le Marais area as we were not familiar with this area before. Although Paris was crowded, cold and raining, our trip was terrific! Thank you Jennifer and Wendy!
What an amazing trip with a lifetime of memories! A 2-hour private tour after close at Sainte-Chapelle at the Golden Hour…. YES PLEASE!!!!
I have been to Paris many times. I have always done my own thing and enjoyed it. I love Paris. This trip we were taking my 82-year-old mother who mentioned she had always wished she had gotten to Paris. Needless to say, I wanted to make it extra special for her and do a few things I hadn’t previously done. I knew that meant reaching out to someone on Wendy’s WOW List and let me tell you, Jennifer and her team did not disappoint! After speaking to Jennifer the first time and giving her details and some background she came back with a sample itinerary that was just jaw dropping. She offered things I didn’t even know were possible!!!
We planned 7 nights in Paris in early May in order to benefit from spring but beat some of the summer crowds waiting to descend on Europe.
On our first evening in the city we took a 2-hour tour of the city in a Vintage French Car. It was such a cool experience, it felt like we were in a movie! We got to zip around the city with our informative guide who also expertly and strategically parked the car and took amazing pictures of us all over the city. It was the perfect way to kick off our stay in Paris.
We had a fantastic walking tour of the Marais with a focus on Jewish history. It was informative, moving and tasteful as it incorporated a lot of food tastings at specialty shops as well. We had a gourmet picnic set up for us in the Luxembourg Gardens. It looked like a postcard! It was a gorgeous day and perfect for some down time and lounging around while enjoying the gardens and former palace grounds. We were able to stroll through Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. We also had a walking tour of Montmartre, which our guide Roberto planned and paced perfectly for my mom. He was super informative and such a gentleman, always offering his hand to my mom on the stairs when needed.
Jennifer and her team planned two ½-day trips for us — I love Paris but to get out of the city for a bit is always so nice. I didn’t want to do Versailles again and she suggested Vaux le Vicomte, the inspiration for Versailles! Our guide Alex was superb. The story behind Vaux Le Vicomte, the owners and history were so interesting. You could see nuances to Versailles if you have visited Versailles. Truly a beautiful chateau with a tragic history and — no crowds!!! The second half tour day with Alex we spent in Giverny. I have always wanted to go but never made it. Well, I finally made it and it did not disappoint. One of my favorite places. If only you could sit in a comfy chair in the gardens with a book (before the mosquitos come out of course!). Alex was such a great guide — knowledgeable and fun!
To cap off our trip, the crème de la crème, we were given a 2-hour private tour of Sainte-Chapelle after close!!!! 2 hours all to ourselves in Sainte Chapelle at the Golden Hour! It was absolutely magical! There are literally no words to describe how special this was. Perfect way to end our trip.
Jennifer and her team kept us informed daily of our next day’s itinerary, guides, times, meeting locations and contact information. It was just such a special time to spend with my mom and Jennifer and her team planned it so well with tours, day trips and downtime it could not have been better! I seriously don’t know how Jennifer and her team do it with the amazing custom options, but I am so glad they do! Next time we go to France it will be focused on the countryside and I will definitely be in touch with Jennifer and her team to help make that trip memorable!
My two adult daughters and I just returned from a quick getaway to Paris. Jennifer was our WOW person. My girls did not want a lot of planned activities and regimentation. They wanted to wander the streets, eat well and shop, as well as a few special activities that Jen planned for us. We had a private tour of the Dior Museum which was a highlight, a half-day cooking experience with a lovely local chef and our last night we went to the late show at the Moulin Rouge, which was fantastic.
Jen was a pleasure to work with. She listened to our wishes and came through. Our two favorite restaurants were her suggestions. In addition to good listening and planning I really appreciated her business model, which I never experienced before. After our initial discussion, I received an itemized list of possible activities and their cost. Very helpful in my planning. Secondly, each evening I received our plan for the next day with times, names of guides and emergency numbers, which was priceless when we were denied entry to the Dior Museum for our paid private tour. And last, I received a thank-you note from Jen and asked for my feedback. That was a first from the 7 prior WOW folks I used. She obviously cares about her clients’ feedback to support her work and or improve. I think she is destined for many more years of satisfied customers.
We had fun and made memories…goal achieved!
My wife, Cindy, and I spent two weeks in France with the help of Jennifer Virgilio. The entire trip was fantastic. Upon our return, Cindy accurately exclaimed that it was “like a fairy tale.”
We spent four nights in Normandy at Villa Lara in Bayeux, three nights at Les Hauts Loire in the Loire Valley, five nights at the Bristol in Paris and two nights at Le Grand Controlee in Versailles. Each of the hotels was fabulous. We ate at numerous incredible restaurants and were accompanied on our trip by fantastic guides arranged by Jennifer. Just some of the highlights of our trip included our day at the Normandy beaches with Stephane Lamache, our incredibly informative guide (who also took us to Mont St. Michel, Honfleur and Etretat), our day with French chef Dominique Malgogne at her house, our tour and dinner at the Eiffel Tower, our dinners at Epicure, Jules Verne and Shabour in Paris and the experience (the private tours and the Royal Feast) at Le Grand Controle at Versailles. Our tours of Musee d’Orsay and the Louvre with our guide Isabelle, as well as the Galleries d’Or were also terrific.
Our trip was expensive, but oh so worth every penny. Jennifer and her team were excellent. Jennifer’s suggestions and connections were indispensable and she helped Cindy and me plan a trip that met all of our expectations. Jennifer was supported by an excellent team on the ground. They all had the right contacts, excellent knowledge and great responsiveness. In short, they listened and executed.
We did not want to come home!
1. Jennifer and her team were gracious and tactful; I appreciated their insights and guidance, and wished I had gone with more of their suggestions.
2. We were so grateful for the greeter at the airport jetway, who helped us get a wheelchair after my husband had mistakenly walked off the plane and thus disqualified himself for the airport wheelchair service. (The French airline staff person at the end of the jetway was rude and unhelpful so Jennifer’s greeter smoothly solved that initial negative experience.) That person accompanied us all the way to baggage claim and out to meet and transfer us to our driver. He could not have been more courteous or helpful! This was a service that Jennifer’s office organized for us quite late, after all arrangements had been made and paid for.
3. The driver from the airport to the hotel waited for us to register and deposit our bags and then took us on to our restaurant, one that I thought was scheduled for the evening of our arrival but was, in fact, not reserved until the next evening. This error was caused by a synching mistake on my part, not Jennifer’s. The driver cheerfully and graciously returned us to the vicinity of our hotel, near several restaurants, so that we only had a short distance to walk after dinner.
4. There were two other mishaps, neither of which were related to Jennifer’s service or arrangements:
• We had planned on a guided food tour of the Marais on our first day in Paris. Unfortunately, I got severe food poisoning the night before and could not eat anything or be far from our hotel that day. Jennifer’s office graciously stated that they would refund that portion of our fees and also inquired more than once that day if I needed medical care or a prescription. Knowing that was available was a great comfort, despite not needing it.
• They’d reserved dinner at Paul Bert. It turns out that there are two restaurants in the neighborhood with similar names. We showed the taxi driver the address yet turned up at the wrong restaurant, which said we had no reservation. I texted Jennifer’s team, who immediately confirmed that they had indeed reserved for us. I showed the same text with address to the host, who again showed me there was no reservation but graciously made room for us. He also did not tell me that we were at the wrong address and the correct one was just 100 meters away. Perplexing, but no fault of Jennifer’s.
I can’t think of the number of times I’ve been in Paris over the decades, either to visit or work. Certainly more than 20. But my husband had never been. This was, overall, my least favorite visit. Paris was crowded and rushed, the weather was miserable, and public transportation was not easily handled by someone with mobility difficulties (my husband). Having said that, everything that was right about the visit was as a result of working with Jennifer! We had a terrific guide — Katja — who was personable, gracious, knowledgeable, and fun to spend time with. Evening alerts from Jennifer’s team were detailed and much appreciated (and communications from Polina for the duration of our stay were courteous, attentive, and timely!). It felt like the city was girded in scaffolding, which obstructed much that we might have otherwise enjoyed viewing. I think that a fall visit, after the Olympics, would have been a wiser choice, but our Paris itinerary was sandwiched between a visit to Ireland and an organized tour of Normandy.
Katja’s expertise in guiding us through the Orangerie and Rodin museums, the Louvre, the “Hidden Passages,” and Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie was deeply appreciated. I have visited most of these sites before, but never with anyone who could help us understand so much about the architecture, the period, the history, and the art. We had truly engaging conversations and Katja’s mini-lectures stimulated a desire to read more history on our part! The walks and conversations with Katja were truly valued. We walked from the Orangerie to the Rodin on the same street I’d walked several years ago and there found a small shop selling hand-crafted books: The covers and pages are all handmade to order. It was a delight to find them still there 20 years after my first visit, albeit somewhat smaller.
We had great meals at every location recommended by Jennifer, who also secured reservations at places recommended by friends. We ended our time on a truly indulgent experience — Ducasse Dining on the River. This was a 4-course dining experience with wine pairings on a restaurant cruise boat. I thought this might be a “touristy” thing to do but Jennifer assured me otherwise and, of course, she was correct! There was a table of 8 businesspeople and several tables of small groups or couples celebrating anniversaries or birthdays; we may have been the only tourists. The food was exquisite and every morsel provided a culinary treat! Service was impeccable and even in the rain the views as we travelled up and down the Seine, from and back to the Eiffel Tower, were stunning. Very romantic!
Such a splendid evening. As during the rest of our visit, it was raining. Ducasse staff called a taxi for us that arrived in minutes, making departure as smooth and enjoyable as the rest of the evening.
On my first evening in the city, I was given a private tour of the Eiffel Tower (no waiting in lines for me!!) and got to see everything from the underground operations to the recently-restored office of Eiffel on the summit. Dalida provided amazing insights of what it took to build such a structure and what it takes to keep it running—with millions of visitors each year. The evening was topped by a 7-course dinner (with wine, of course) at the Michelin two-star restaurant Jules Verne on the second level of the tower.
Jennifer also got me a private tour of the Palais Garnier—one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. Sophie led me through the many practice rooms, the massive stage and scenery storage (5 floors above and five floors below the stage!!). And for those aficionados of the Phantom of the Opera, do NOT reserve Box 5—it comes with bad luck….and yes, there IS a lake under the opera house, complete with live fish and small boats.
Finally, I was paired with a fellow historian—Frederic—who guided me through the city for 5 days. I revisited some old haunts—Montmarte, Rodin Museum, Saint Chapelle, the Concierge, the Marais and Les Invalides, and ventured to Giverny and Versailles to get my fill of Louis XIV and Monet. When it was time to return to reality, Jennifer’s team whisked me to the airport, through security and customs to my waiting aircraft. I am so grateful to Jennifer, all of her local experts, and to Walid and Camille for keeping me on schedule for this amazing journey.
This is a two-part review because there were two trips during the ten days my husband Jamie Reuter and I spent in Paris in April 2024 on a trip designed by Jennifer Virgilio. The first was a wonderful week of Paris with kids — a trip with grandparents (us), our daughter and son-in-law and their three kids ages 2, almost 4 and almost 7. The other trip is how Jamie actually spent the entire time in a Paris hospital having broken his leg/hip the first day. Jennifer’s role and assistance for both was essential. The former is why you should use Wendy’s experts because they design creative and wonderful itineraries executed to perfection; the latter is why when calamity strikes, you need the kind of assistance that no regular travel agent or group-trip company can provide.
Jennifer knew exactly how to design a trip geared towards introducing three very young children to foreign travel and Paris in particular. She had us go up the Eiffel Tower (something I’d never done in seven previous trips to Paris), thoroughly exciting the two older kids, take a boat trip on the Seine so we could see the Tower from the river, have a personal guide take us around for a “Paris with Kids” tour that included Notre Dame (nearly four-year-old Simon made me go over every single board around Notre Dame that detailed the post-fire reconstruction process — budding engineer here), sailing boats in Luxembourg gardens, sample chocolates and much more. Jennifer sent us to the Science and Industry Museum that has a wonderful kids’ section, to Musée des Forains, a terrific museum of historical carnival exhibits with three historic carousels we all rode, Le Jardin d’Acclimatation, Paris’ answer to Disney World but far more manageable and enjoyable even for adults, l’Atelier des Lumières, a surround-sound and light show now focusing on Ancient Egypt that even the two-year-old was enthralled by, and an excellent food tour. The highlight was a cooking class my husband and I were supposed to do but instead I took six-year-old Oliver, who proceeded to make the entire dinner under the wonderful chef’s direction, including making and piping pâte à choux for profiteroles, making, rolling and cutting fresh pasta, making chicken roulades with the stuffing he’d made and piped into them plus individual cheese soufflés he piped into ramekins. My contribution was to cut ½ an onion and four mushrooms. Oliver beamed when Simon announced it was such a wonderful dinner Oliver should make dinner for the family every night! Jennifer had us stay in a lovely three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment with daily service in Marais. We went everywhere by metro and probably walked 5-6 miles a day. FYI: With young kids, be prepared to stop and ride every carousel you come across — there are a LOT of carousels in Paris.
While the rest of us were doing these wonderful activities, an ambulance had taken poor Jamie, who’d fallen along the Seine just seven hours after our arrival in Paris, to the emergency room where it was found he’d broken his leg badly next to his artificial hip. Suffice it to say we could not have managed without Jennifer. While I erred in not immediately calling her directly but her emergency number instead, once Jennifer found out, she dispatched her head of French and UK operations Albin Fady-Bonnet who devoted his already busy week to shepherding us through a very frustrating ten days of dealing with a vastly different medical system from ours. My husband languished in hospital for six days before he finally had surgery. He was in Hôpitaux Universitaires Pitié Salpêtrière, France’s best hospital with the best doctors. But as this is Paris’s trauma hospital (where Princess Diana was taken), my husband kept getting bumped by other more traumatic cases. My French is passable but insufficient for medical nuances. In a medical system where doctors rule all and feel little need to communicate with patients and not at all with their families, I was constantly scrambling to get information, try to arrange for medical evacuation, set up matters for our US doctors to operate if necessary when we got back, negotiate with our health insurance company and deal with our financial adviser. There is no way I could have handled it all without the assistance (multiple times daily) of Jennifer and French-speaking Albin, who intervened repeatedly with the hospital on our behalf to get information we could not get ourselves. It involved much more than I’m going into. Suffice it to say, we were the nightmare clients that no one ever wants to be (or have) and Jennifer and Albin handled it with grace and aplomb, rearranging our itinerary at the drop of a hat and getting me a (wonderful) hotel to stay in after the kids departed. We were to go to London afterwards, which obviously wasn’t possible. That entailed a great deal of effort for Jennifer in canceling pre-paid reservations and negotiating refunds where possible.
We’ve taken at least twenty trips with Wendy’s experts because they listen carefully to what their clients want, design itineraries with excellent and unusual activities, many of which we could not arrange on our own, and then execute them flawlessly. For rare glitches, they jump in to fix things immediately. We know our expert is monitoring everything. Seldom have we had to call upon our trip organizer while traveling for anything. This time we did. I had confidence that Jennifer Virgilio, just like every one of Wendy’s carefully vetted specialists, would jump in to do whatever was needed to get us safely home. Even Wendy herself helped out and checked in to see how Jamie was doing.
I cannot praise Jennifer highly enough. She is a delight to work with — and she’s smart enough to hire such superb staff as Albin Fady-Bonnet. Our trip could have been a disaster. It wasn’t and we had a wonderful time in Paris with kids. We never could have gotten the assistance we did in dealing with Jamie’s medical situation had we not had them by our side.
FYI: Follow Wendy’s advice and get trip insurance even for easy trips to places like Paris. I had not as this wasn’t Sri Lanka (our most recent trip), Africa or Bhutan. I should have. No one wants to have to put up what I was asked for to medically evacuate my husband — 140,000 Euros in cash up front. Fortunately we were able to avoid the medical evacuation route. We flew home five days after the surgery in business class (the only way the French doctors would let him go) with Jennifer having arranged a car and driver and a person who expedited our way with wheelchairs through to the airport to the plane.
Our recent visit to Paris for our twin daughters’ 18th birthday was nothing short of perfect. This was our second time working with Jennifer and once again she provided us with an array of incredible options for our itinerary. Ultimately we decided on a very girly schedule, including an “Emily in Paris” tour, color session, teen shopping adventure with Miriam who we adored, and a very special tea at Cedric Grolet. We cannot thank Jennifer enough for helping us craft yet another stay in Paris that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
This was a trip for our daughter’s college graduation. She was interested in fashion, food and the Louvre.
Let’s start by how incredibly smooth our airport arrival was! Upon exiting the aircraft, we were whisked away by Mohammad, who led us through customs, helped us with our luggage and delivered us to our driver. This alone was worth using Wendy Perrin! I bet we saved 2 hours not having to wait in the line at customs.
Jennifer, our trip planner, did a great job planning our tours and making our dining reservations! We were very impressed with each tour guide—private 1/2-day tour of the Louvre could not have been better! We loved our croissant-making class and our chef was fabulous. We were pleasantly surprised with our tour of the Dior museum—so unexpected and maybe one of our most favorite things. We had the museum to ourselves and our guide was fantastic! Jennifer secured a fashion expert who took us to neighborhood boutiques featuring up-and-coming Parisian designers and this was a real treat! We loved meeting the shop owners and we felt like locals shopping for the afternoon.
Each and every restaurant reservation that Jennifer procured provided the best table in the restaurant with amazing views of the Eiffel Tower. One of the restaurants surprised us with a sparkler in my daughter’s dessert, which was so fun.
We would definitely use Jennifer again in the future.
We had 3 weeks to plan a Paris trip with our adult children after our Israel trip was canceled. Jennifer Virgilio, a WOW planner through Wendy Perrin, created a trip fit for royalty.
We stayed in a gorgeous, boutique hotel in the Marais district, had private car and tour guides for The Louvre, Versailles, Chateau, Jewish and History Tours.
We love Paris, saw The Eiffel Tower with a private tour, The Dior Exhibit at the Foundation, we had an amazing time.
Our WOW experience started with a car picking us up at noon, taking us to an unknown destination which was a fabulous restaurant, Shabour. The owner told us that since we couldn’t go to Israel, this was a Jerusalem-Paris dining experience. We sat at the bar to watch the chefs prepare a delicious, fun, memorable lunch. It was awesome.
Jennifer and staff were in touch with us daily, added museums to our itinerary that we wanted to see while in Paris. They helped with dinner ideas and anything we needed or asked for.
We had a concierge service at the airport on both ends making it easy to maneuver.
I can’t say enough about Jennifer and her staff who gave us a perfect trip in such a short period of time.
We have traveled the world with Wendy Perrin’s WOW List. It is the best way and the only way we travel.
Jennifer Virgilio and her team planned a delightful 3-day trip to Zurich. I stayed in a perfectly located hotel in the center of town. The first day was a 2-hour boat trip on a lovely vessel with delicious food and beautiful views of Lake Zurich. We disembarked the boat in Rapperswil and toured this lovely town on foot. We then took a train back to Zurich and walked through the lovely shops in the train station. The next day was a driving tour to Vaduz, Leichtenstein, Appenzell and environs. The Swiss countryside is stunning. Vaduz was interesting to see, the lunch was delicious and the Cheese Museum and Laderach Factory were great to see. The last day I walked around and visited museums and churches. Zurich is a beautiful city.
Each tour guide and driver was prompt and professional. The trip ran smoothly. There was some rain but then sunshine — I was glad I went anyway even though it was November. I am always happy to use someone on The WOW list to plan my trips. These travel experts have the latest information on hotels, access to guides, advice on places to visit or avoid, restaurants, etc. It would take me hours to plan a trip that would not be up to the trip planned by a specialist. Plus — less stress!
My husband and I and our friends just returned from a fabulous two-week trip to northern France including Chartres, the Loire Valley, Normandy and Paris. The weather was generally great and though still a bit crowded, particularly in Paris, it was not as busy as it likely was during the summer months. I had previously been to other parts of France including Provence and Burgundy, but this trip was overall more interesting and provided a greater variety of experiences. We saw beautiful cathedrals, rode and biked through lovely countryside, walked around charming old historic villages, visited awesome chateaux, sampled wonderful local foods and drinks, and explored the major D-Day sites and learned some fascinating details and moving stories associated with that unprecedented invasion. Our trip planner, Jennifer, was very responsive to our inquiries and preferences and helped identify some great hotels. She arranged for an all-day tour in Normandy and a tour of the Chartres cathedral and in both cases, our guides were exceptional. We decided to stay overnight at Mont Saint Michel to avoid the crowds and experience the island at both low and high tide, and I highly recommend doing this. Jennifer was very helpful in explaining the parking situation and obtaining the necessary access codes. She also booked a window table for dinner at the hotel restaurant with a great view of the mudflats surrounding the island at low tide. Our principal motivation for visiting Normandy was to tour the D-Day beaches which is certainly a must, but we also discovered that it is a very pretty area with great small villages and picturesque harbors. We spent 2 nights in the charming town of Honfleur and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys art and good food. All in all, the trip exceeded our expectations and we all agreed that we could happily have spent more time in northern France,
Jennifer, for a second time, helped us plan a trip to France. Working around our needs (my dad is 94 years old and has been in and out of the hospital), I booked the hotel rooms in case we needed to cancel our trip. Jennifer filled in much of the rest of our trip. She patiently advised us as we changed destinations several times, providing alternatives to our liking.
The WOW touch was apparent as soon as we stepped off the jet. We will forever choose the Meet and Greet service! We effortlessly glided through the immigration process, guided by our greeter, Sofiane, who then introduced us to our driver. Upon returning to the airport at the end of our trip, our driver gave us over to the greeter, who expertly and quickly guided us to our gate. The ease at which we breezed through the airport each time was impressive!
We are so pleased Jennifer suggested booking a room at Auberge du Jeu de Paume in Chantilly. A wonderful suggestion! The hotel is lovely, adjacent to the chateau, and within easy walking distance.
In Paris, we thoroughly enjoyed an evening drive through the city in a vintage open-air Citroen that Jennifer arranged. Our knowledgeable driver provided plenty of information throughout the drive. She made stops in front of several monuments that allowed us time to take some fun photographs. The monuments and the city take on a new look at night, swathed in lights. Paris is truly the City of Light.
Jennifer arranged a private tour of Roland Garros Stadium. Our wonderful guide offered the historical background of the stadium’s namesake and other pertinent information. We toured the stadium, getting a behind-the-scenes experience inside and out, top to bottom. As we walked through the hallway that leads to the main court, our guide replayed an announcement once used to introduce Nadal and Djokovic before a finals match. Goose bump time! Memorable, indeed!
Our tour of Giverny and through Monet’s garden was enjoyable, however, a few improvements could be made. I suggest the driver provide bottles of water in the car and perhaps umbrellas. Also, Jennifer and all other planners should be aware of the changes that take effect during the yearly Journees du Patrimoine Week in Paris, which takes place the third weekend in September. Our guide was not able to take us through a special entrance and we had to wait in line for at least 20 minutes, in the rain. Our guide left us in the garden; I thought he was supposed to accompany us through the garden and then leave us to tour Monet’s house. Returning to Paris, he drove us through the lovely backcountry, though. He was also able to get us back to our apartment—a no-car day in Paris. I suggest staying in Paris to take advantage of the walkable streets and recommend travelers avoid the incredibly crowded (free) metro.
One of the highlights of our trip was a fabulous concert at Saint-Chapelle. Jennifer secured VIP front-row seats. Incryoable! An unforgettable memory for my husband and me.
My husband and I also appreciated that Jennifer and her team pre-arranged all train travel.
I highly recommend using a WOW travel planner. Their expertise, knowledge, and inside contacts can create a truly memorable travel experience. I look forward to our next trip!
We have followed Wendy’s advice for years. Once again, Jennifer Virgilio arranged a fabulous trip to France for our family. Even in the height of summer (July 2023), we had our wish list fulfilled. This trip was extra special because it was just myself, daughter and granddaughter. We visited Toulouse, Carcassonne, Lourdes, and Paris. A pilgrimage to Lourdes was a lifetime dream for my daughter, and Jennifer made sure everything was perfect. The hotel and restaurant choices were all excellent, and as usual, Jennifer’s guides are absolutely the best. I would highly recommend Jennifer to anyone considering a truly unique excursion in France.
Excellent communication and great hotel—very responsive on various random questions and requests. Thank you!
Unsurprisingly, Jennifer planned another wonderful trip for me — this time for my husband and I in the south of France in June/July. We had a lovely time exploring Provence with one of her fabulous guides, Elodie, and then headed to Cassis and Antibes for some time on the water. In Cassis, Jennifer arranged a fantastic private snorkeling and scuba excursion in the Calanques. In Antibes, we soaked up the sun in the hotel where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote “Tender is the Night” and snuck away to Nice for a market tour and cooking class. At Jennifer’s suggestion, we ended our trip in Eze — at the stunning Château de la Chèvre d’Or. Following a day trip to Monaco/Monte Carlo (escorted by the delightful Kristophe) and an absolutely fabulous dinner at the 2* La Chèvre d’Or, we headed home, grateful for another chance to continue to explore the country we love so much!
I am very grateful for the help Jennifer provided for our excellent experience in France. Everything worked smoothly, even when our flight was delayed Jennifer’s team met us at the airport and delivered us to our destination with ease. There were no worries that we could see everything on our itinerary with a minimum of lines and delays. I will definitely use Jennifer’s services on my next trip. Many thanks to each member of her team.
Jennifer planned a glorious 14-day girls’ wine trip in France. Our itinerary was completely planned around our focus on wine. Every hotel, tour guide, driver, wine tasting, and dinner recommendation was perfection.
Our trip started with being met on the jet bridge by Sofiane, who was literally waiting outside the airplane door. He whisked us through passport control, helped with baggage and escorted us to the awaiting car. This was the first time utilizing the service for passport control and I am a big fan!
We had a wonderful day in Bordeaux visiting 3 Grand Cru Classe chateaux with private tours and wine tasting. Our driver, Remy, was full of wine knowledge and helped us with our French. The tasting in the cellar at Chateau Pichon-Longueville was incredibly memorable.
In Loire Valley our highlight was learning about the powerful women who owned Chenonceau castle. The highlight in Paris was a private cooking class in Veronique’s home (Cuisine Elegante). And dinner at Le Tout Paris was delicious with an incredible view of the city—including the Eiffel Tower.
My personal favorite part of the trip was Champagne. Domaine Les Crayères was an outstanding hotel and both meals were amazing (Le Jardin and Le Parc). We toured Reims Cathedral, Veuve Clicquot, and a small Champagne house, La Maison Penet (where we had a delightful lunch).
Will definitely utilize Jennifer on the next trip to France.
Our group of four travelled to France in mid-May. We stayed one night in Paris on each end of the trip but wanted to focus on areas we hadn’t visited before. Our first day in Paris, Jennifer planned a trip around the city in an open-top vintage Citroen car. This was so much fun and the highlight was stopping in Montmartre for a Champagne toast with a gorgeous view overlooking the city. The next day we were off to Burgundy for 4 nights. Jennifer suggested using Beaune as our base and we were so happy that we did, as we prefer the smaller towns and villages. We stayed at the Hostellerie Cedre, which we highly recommend. It is within walking distance to the center of town with many wonderful restaurants. We did eat one night at the Michelin-starred restaurant at the hotel but actually preferred our dinners in town at the local eateries. Each day we had wonderful guides who led us through local markets, wine tastings, village tours and vineyards.
We were then off to the Loire Valley for 3 nights. We stayed in Blois at the Fleur de Loire. It was a beautiful, fairly new hotel opened by a famous French chef. You can walk across the bridge to the old town of Blois for shopping, restaurants and to tour the Chateau Royal de Blois. As nice as the hotel was, we would not recommend it. There were numerous staff members always on duty but they never seemed to be very helpful. The concierge dropped the ball several times on dinner reservations for us and one of our local guides was able to help us in a more timely and efficient manner. We had a very relaxing boat ride on the river in Blois with local guides who brought snacks and wine. One of the highlights of the Loire Valley for us was the cooking class we took with 2 wonderful ladies. We made an incredible lunch of asparagus soup, cheese souffle, salad and chocolate tart. Then we all enjoyed our lunch with more wine of course. The Loire Valley is known for its chateaus and we loved visiting the Chambord Castle and the Chateau de Chenonceau. Another favorite experience was a visit to a small family-owned winery in Ange called Clos Roussely. The day we visited was a holiday in France and the owner had given his staff the day off, so he spent the afternoon with us himself. We enjoyed a picnic lunch, all foods the owner had procured from local delis and bakeries, with our wine tasting. We loved the wine and ordered a case to send back to the U.S.
Then it was back to Paris for our final day. We had a guided visit to the Musee d’Orsay (skipping the long lines) and a wonderful dinner that Jennifer booked for us. That evening we had a private boat ride on the Seine on a beautiful old Venetian boat. The highlight was stopping in front of the twinkling Eiffel Tower at the end of the evening.
I would highly recommend Jennifer as a trip planner. She was very detail-oriented and planned a thoughtful trip after listening to all our requests. The greeters at the airport both coming and going were worth every penny. We were whisked through the airport in record times and it just eliminates so much stress. Each night of the trip we received a text about the next day’s itinerary and who our guides and drivers would be. Our trip was amazing but be aware that France is a very expensive place to travel right now. Last year we used Wendy to book a trip to Portugal and it was half the price of France but just as amazing.
We had a wonderful two weeks in France planned by Jennifer and her team.
Hotel Tardiff in Bayeux was a great home base for exploring Normandy, and our guide Jonathan was so knowledgeable about WWII history and very patiently answered our tween history buff’s many questions. In Paris, we adored Pavillon Faubourg St Germain, where the staff was lovely, and we were welcomed with gifts of champagne and treats and an upgrade to a suite for my parents (lucky them!). If you plan to visit the Louvre, a guide is so worth it. Our guide Camilla knew her stuff when it came to art, but even more importantly, she was able to zip us around to see the pieces we were interested in while limiting our exposure to the crowds, which are as substantial and suffocating as you can imagine. A private cruise on the Seine was so pleasant and relaxing, but as for the most fun we had, we laughed pretty much non-stop during a three-hour tour on a retro sidecar motorcycle. Léo and Clement took us past major landmarks all over the city, unfazed by the traffic and the many people who stopped to ask us questions while we waited at lights. In Cannes, we were given an upgrade to a lovely room with balcony at Hotel Barrière Le Majestic. (Note: the construction in Cannes is significant as of spring 2023.) If you will be doing any touring in the south, request Fatou as your guide. She took us on a day tour to several nearby villages, and we cannot express how amazing she was. She knew everything: history, geography, pop culture, local quirks, little-known facts, she gave book recommendations, and, wow, can she drive. And even though the tour was in English, I’d like to give her extra credit and gratitude for speaking French with me for so much of the day.
Due to our children being on different school break schedules, we had a lot of moving pieces for this trip. My husband and our younger child and I arrived first and went to Normandy, our eldest came over with my parents and the six of us all met in Paris, and then my parents returned to the States with our younger one while my husband and I took our eldest to the south. Daily messages from Jennifer’s team confirming the next day’s details, including contact info when relevant, were extremely useful. There were so many places there could have been hiccups, and most things went absolutely beautifully. There was a little blip or two along the way, which happens through the fault of no one. In those rare situations, Jennifer and her team were extremely responsive and immediately went out of their way to try to make it right and then some. We greatly appreciate how seriously they took their commitment to service in those moments.
A final note: We must recommend one service that is pricey but beyond worth it, dare I say essential: the VIP Airport Meet-and-Greet, especially for departure flights. You will be taken to the front of every line and whisked through the airport in mere moments. I don’t know how we will ever endure waiting at the airport again. We are utterly spoiled now.
We recently returned from a trip to Paris and London which Jennifer and her team helped us plan. We were extremely lucky to meet with Jennifer in person, while we were in London over Christmastime with our family. We took an immediate liking to Jennifer and knew we would be in good hands planning a trip to Paris in May and then back to London to attend our niece’s wedding in May. Jennifer recommended the JK Place for our stay and it met all of our expectations for a small, luxury, boutique hotel on the Left Bank. It was a beautiful hotel, and the staff was truly extraordinary! We felt like we were guests in someone’s beautiful home! Since we had been to Paris several times prior to this trip, we asked Jennifer for some ideas of different things to do instead of the usual sightseeing. She sent us a variety of activities to choose from and we picked something each day, which also allowed for us to have free time. A food tour in the Marais was our first stop and it was delicious!! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and we tried everything from cheeses, wines, charcuterie and desserts. The highlight of our trip was a cooking class with Veronique! We went to the local food market to shop for all of our ingredients and then back to her apartment to cook an authentic and delicious French meal. Everything that Jennifer arranged for us was top-notch. Her team sent us a daily text message confirming our plans for the day with all contact numbers in case we needed anything. All of our arrangements went according to plan from the moment we stepped off the plane in Paris until we departed from the airport in London! Her team of drivers, and greeters at airport and train stations were great and so helpful. We cannot say enough about how helpful Jennifer was, and we highly recommend using Jennifer and her team for a trip to France!
I want to thank you for referring me to Jennifer Virgilio for my recent trip to Paris. My wife and I traveled from 3/31-4/8 for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Even though I called her 3 weeks before our trip, Jennifer and her team put together a wonderful itinerary including private boat excursions on the Seine, VIP tours of the Louvre and Versailles, arranged reservations at Michelin-rated restaurants, and much more. They updated us every day on our daily itinerary and made us aware of areas of the city that may be closed due to strikes. One suggestion I have for anyone using them or any agent is for food tours. They arranged food tours that were different than what we had in Italy the previous year. I would recommend what time of day and types of food/restaurants you would like to visit as part of the tour. I suggested this to Jennifer and I believe they are incorporating this suggestion. It was a wonderful experience and we can’t wait to return. We would not have been able to experience Paris the way we did without the help of Jennifer and her team. We highly recommend this firm.
My daughter and I took my 10-year-old twin granddaughters to Paris for their first trip overseas during spring break. We had a wonderful time on our “girls’ trip” from New York City. Although my daughter and I have both been to Paris many times, Jennifer’s group suggested activities geared to the girls, which included several activities we had never done before.
We did a private walking tour through Montmartre with tastings. Nicolas indulged us in tastings including “meringue et de crème fouettés,” chocolates, crepes, and macarons. Our tour concluded at the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur. A private cruise on the River Seine gave us splendid views of many places, including the Eiffel Tower.
Who would have thought that a private macaron making with a professional chef could be so much fun for everyone! We had plenty of macarons to eat and take back with us. The game at the Louvre was an excellent way to learn about the paintings and artwork by finding hidden clues in them and answering questions. The 2-hour guided game was a perfect introduction to the Louvre for the girls.
Finally, the sidecar tour with drivers in sidecar motorcycles gave us a view of Paris from the street. It was an absolute blast!
Our guides were very professional, prompt and engaged with all of us easily.
We especially appreciated the text messages each evening with the details for the following day. What a wonderful introduction to Paris for the granddaughters!
Jennifer (and her wonderful team) helped me plan our recent mother/daughter trip to London and Paris. I wanted to create an unforgettable experience for my daughter’s 16th birthday. Words cannot express how perfect this trip was… I could never have created this epic trip on my own (and don’t think I will ever try). I spoke with Jennifer before we even began the process, and she asked questions about my daughter to help tailor the trip around her preferences and interests. We traveled during spring break ahead of her June birthday, as per Jennifer’s recommendations to avoid the summer crowds. My daughter had some specific requests, which Jennifer did a fabulous job of delivering! She also suggested other activities, hotel options, made dinner reservations, arranged train transportation, private guides and drivers, and transfers. She even helped me with my request to have flowers delivered to each hotel room upon our arrival. I did not have to worry about anything but my airline reservations. She and her team allowed me the opportunity to simply enjoy 10 glorious days with my daughter…priceless.
We stayed at the Reubens on the Palace in London, which was a beautiful hotel and very well located for walking to shopping, theater, Buckingham Palace and the Underground. The hotel provided a lovely gift and note to my daughter upon our arrival for her birthday and left a variety of treats for turndown each night. The staff was friendly, and the doormen were very kind and helpful. We had a very busy itinerary which included horseback riding in Hyde Park, a private guide for a full day in London, Windsor Castle, East End, theater tickets, a visit to Harry Potter studios, and even a day train trip to Harry Styles’ hometown (specific request). I will not regret my decision to secure private guides and drivers. Russell was our guide for all of our tours in London. He was so knowledgeable, personable and did a wonderful job considering my daughter’s interests. We truly enjoyed our time together with him. I would highly recommend requesting him if you are considering a trip to London, as you will find yourself seeing, doing and learning things that you might miss if touring on your own. Having a private driver also allows you to sit back, relax, enjoy the scenery and once again experience more than you would if you are trying to navigate the Underground, maps or hailing taxis.
Our travel from London to Paris was very organized and uncomplicated. I purchased business-class tickets on the Eurostar, which allows you entrance to a wonderful waiting area that has a lovely display of food, drinks, and magazines.
Jennifer arranged a VIP Meet and Greet for us when we arrived in Paris, which was quite helpful to navigate our luggage through the train station and out to our transfer driver.
We stayed at Hotel Madame Reve in Paris, after exploring many options with Jennifer. We were very happy with our choice. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Our room had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower and a large outdoor terrace. There was a bottle of champagne and macarons waiting upon our arrival with a nice note for my daughter. They even made the king-size bed with 2 separate sets of sheets for us since they do not have twin rooms. We have visited Paris many times, so Jennifer provided excellent activities for us including a Perfume Workshop, Pastry Making Class, private Louvre tour, the Moulin Rouge and a day trip out to Chateau de Chantilly to ride horses and tour the chateau with a private guide/driver. Our guide, Tatiana, took us through the Louvre and did an exemplary job of showing us the highlights and also pointing out artistic styles, providing pertinent art history and keeping my daughter engaged. I felt as if we walked away from the Louvre with a much better experience and understanding of what we saw.
Our departure was a welcome surprise. The driver was timely, friendly, helpful and dropped us off at the airport to another VIP Meet and Greet. This gentleman took our luggage, walked us through the airport, helped complete tax refunds, took us to VIP check-in and escorted us to the boarding gate. If you have the opportunity to take advantage of this, I think you will find that you will never do without again! We loved it.
Throughout our stay, I was receiving texts with reminders and information on the following day. If we had any concerns or problems, (which we didn’t), I knew that I could reach out to someone for assistance at any time.
I would never have been able to provide such a memorable vacation without Jennifer’s help! I assure you that you will not be disappointed.
We are so appreciative of the help Jennifer provided us on our recent trip to London and Paris.
We had a fun week and were thrilled to be able to check Paris off our bucket list. Jennifer’s office provided exactly what we asked for – assistance with travel logistics between cities, interesting tours to fit in between business commitments, and a plan to see all the key sites of Paris in a short amount of time!
We both appreciated the daily texts very much. As well as the quick responsiveness when we did have questions. This was reassuring and helped to keep our logistics straight!
In hindsight, I would have done a few things differently, but overall we were really pleased.
~ London ~
We had business in London as well as free time, so I asked Jennifer to fill in some of our down time so we could see parts of London in a different way than we do when traveling for business.
Windsor Castle – I selected this because I thought it would be a good way to pass that first day after an overnight flight. Our guide, Russell was great (as was Wayne, our driver) but ultimately we didn’t see the value, as we were not at our best after the travel and we lost time due to a delay disembarking from the plane.
Next time, I will simply get the hotel for an additional night so it is ready for my arrival.
East End Tour — This was a nice way to see a different part of the city. Russell is an energetic and educated guide and we enjoyed his company.
Fashion Tour — I really enjoyed this and I am not really into fashion, but I wanted to try something different as I have been to London several times. First of all, my guide, Cindy, was wonderful. She is enthusiastic and clearly keen on the subject matter. She was really well prepared and had supporting materials to share along the way – pictures and historical information that she carries in her iPad. In addition to fashion, it was a great way to learn more about the culture, architecture, and history of England, but in a non-traditional way.
It was also really nice that this was a walking tour, as it helped me navigate the neighborhood afterwards when I was meandering on my own.
~ Paris ~
We only had two full days in Paris and I had asked Jennifer to plan a trip that packed in as many of the main sites as possible, which she did accomplish.
Jennifer had recommended a greeter and a car upon arrival in Paris, which we appreciated, as the train station is super busy and it was later at night so having the greeter there was nice.
Classic Car Tour – My husband enjoyed it. We covered a lot of ground and saw all of the well-known sights! I am mixed about this one as I prefer walking tours/slower paced.
Our guide, Renejean, was very nice and we enjoyed his commentary and his company. Renejean also made some good restaurant recommendations, showed us a great local cafe and treated us to a wonderful croissant.
Eiffel Tower – This was a nice way to see the tower. Our guide was good and I enjoyed being with a group here and meeting some other tourists. We also could have easily navigated this one on our own.
Louvre – Isabelle was great. It was very helpful to have a guide here as I can imagine that on our own we would have just meandered about and may not have seen all the top exhibits or even fully realized all that we were looking at. We both really enjoyed our time and Isabelle as our guide. She also made some good suggestions for our afternoon exploration and set us off on a good path.
Airport Greeter – Such a great service! Ending a vacation without the stress of navigating departure is wonderful!
In summary, it was a great trip. I realize now that Paris is perhaps a city best enjoyed in a more relaxed manner, walking and exploring. I wish we had had at least one more day to do more meandering about.
Jennifer’s office did a fantastic job, and the tours recommended met all our needs as we discussed originally. In the future, I may approach these trips with less of my own plan initially and see what the local guides suggest as a pace and schedule. I always learn from travel and this was no exception, any activities that I would have done differently are a part of that process.
Thank you for all of your help!
Jennifer and her team made our trip to France and Italy truly exceptional. The hotels they recommended and arranged were outstanding, both for their accommodations and their service. The tours were interesting, and the English-speaking tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly and very fun to be with! We stayed in four different cities, across two different countries, and we very much appreciated that all of our transfers were timely and went without a hitch. We’d highly recommend Jennifer’s office for planning any special trip to France and/or Italy.
My teen daughter and I had a wonderful trip over her February weeklong break. Jennifer was clear, responsive, and thorough from the start—full of ideas to interest both of us. Thank you! The perfume and macaron classes were big hits. A full-day at Versailles got to be long for a young teen, especially filled with lots of history for which she has little context at her age. But she perked up for the farm animals. We both enjoyed the sidecar tour and didn’t find it scary. I’m so glad we did it.
Jennifer listened carefully to our interests and suggested multiple properties in different areas. We chose Relais Christine for the historic beauty and lively neighborhood. We were pleased with this beautiful property with very kind and fast service.
I LOVED the VIP greeter service Jennifer recommended upon landing. Such a lifesaver with efficient and speedy shepherding of us through the airport. Our flight to Paris had been delayed the night before and had a change of outbound airport so it was a little stressful in the lead-up to departure. Landing with someone to take care of us immediately was a treat. Thank you!
Jennifer Virgilio was our trip planner for traveling to London and Paris with our two young children. This was the first time traveling internationally with our children because of previous COVID restrictions, and the first time using a travel planner.
Jennifer had many suggestions for family-friendly activities in both cities, as well as dining options. We used the local guides in Paris (as we were more comfortable navigating activities in London on our own), and they were all knowledgeable and wonderful. The duty managers in both cities were in touch via text (and phone, if needed) throughout the trip. Both hotels were lovely, with gracious service, and in very nice locations.
We did book greeters and car transport at the airports and train stations and they were extremely helpful, particularly with children in tow. We would highly recommend this service.
Jennifer is extremely patient, kind and knowledgeable. We’d highly recommend using Jennifer’s services and will do so in the future if we are to return to her geographic areas of speciality. It was a huge relief to not have to sort out logistics on our own.
Jennifer and team knocked it out of the park again! After several trips to Paris in the past, my husband and I were looking to have a few special experiences organized by Jennifer’s team and leave the rest of our time open. From a seamless airport pick-up and departure experience, to a delightful private wine tasting, to front-row seats at the most magical harpsichord quintet performance in Saint-Chapelle after-hours, Jennifer made sure that no detail was overlooked and we were well taken care of every step along the way. When traveling to France, Jennifer has become my first point of contact (after Wendy, of course :)) and has never failed to delight!
Jennifer Virgilio and her remarkable team once again did an outstanding job of planning our second trip through them, this time to Courmayeur, Italy and Paris for the 2022/2023 holidays. We were a bit late to the game, but they still found us a really impressive set of hotel and ski options, as well as fun opportunities to make the best of both destinations, including New Year’s Eve.
This was the year that a big storm hit the Midwest, which meant that it took us three days to reach our destination (and without our bags). Jennifer and her indefatigable team were with us every step of the way, helping us to carve through the interminable airport baggage bureaucracies and working with our hotels and restaurants on changes in itineraries. Things don’t always go right on trips, but when they do, you want the best travel team behind you. Jennifer’s office hit the mark.
From airport transfers to out-of-the-way restaurant recommendations, the team didn’t miss a beat. When we requested changes in the field, they were always accommodated professionally and with good humor.
We give Jennifer Virgilio and her team the highest recommendations after two successful excursions — for great planning and for top-notch support on the ground to ensure those plans go as well as possible, regardless of the circumstances.
We had a wonderful trip planned by Jennifer. She and her team planned some really great activities that our kids would enjoy, including the Retro Sidecar tour and the macaron-making class. I loved how her team texted our itinerary with addresses, phone numbers, and any museum/attraction tickets each day, so that we had everything handy. The dinners that were suggested were yummy. And our suite and adjoining room at the Hotel Grand Powers were absolutely perfect for celebrating New Year’s in Paris. We had a front-row seat to the Eiffel Tower and the fireworks over the Arc de Triomphe. It was an incredibly smooth experience in Paris, which is what we needed for such a short trip.
This is our 2nd international trip using Jennifer Virgilio and we would not hesitate to use her firm again. In fact, we are currently in the planning stages with her team for a Summer 2023 London trip, and once complete with those details will be requesting her firm for a Fall 2023 Italy trip. Clearly we are happy with our experience.
The trip-planning process has always been trouble-free and the feedback on locations and “things to do” very insightful. Dining suggestions have been spot-on and add a tremendous value to the service. The constant contact while on the trip is also invaluable, especially when traveling internationally. We have not encountered a poor guide yet using Jennifer’s office, whereas we have using other firms in countries they do not service. In fact, on this trip we had the same guide for most of the trip (Tatiana). She was not only a delight to be around, she was a wealth of knowledge on all things art and Paris.
Both our trips using Jennifer have been fantastic.
We travelled to Paris for a long weekend in early November 2022 and with the help of Jennifer’s office were able to make the time so well used, fun, and focused on the things that we wanted to accomplish. For example, a private walking food tour, private champagne tasting, and personalized shopping in the flea markets. Dinner reservations were made on our behalf, which saved hours of hunting down restaurants that fit our desires. When time is short…good professional planning is key!
The communication before and during our travel was exceptional. Will reach out to them again next year for our intended return to Paris.
My wife and I loved our trip to Paris on October 4-11, 2022. Jennifer Virgilio picked a very nice hotel in a good location (between the Louvre and the Opera House), and got us an upgrade. A lot of the places we went were within walking distance. Jennifer also filled our days with fun and interesting activities. Our favorite was probably Giverny, with Versailles on the way back. We had a very good guide, who worked late so that we could see everything we wanted. We also had a great guide for the Louvre, and for a food-tasting walking tour through St. Germain. The airport guides were great too, getting us around all queues. Jennifer and her team provided the expertise and assistance to make for a bountiful trip that we won’t forget.
Yet another lovely trip with Jennifer! This time, I traveled with 3 close friends to Champagne to celebrate our 40th birthdays. Jennifer and her team helped to ensure we had a memorable trip and my friends raved about every aspect — from the beautiful hotel to the stellar private guides and the exclusive experiences. Thank you thank you for always going out of your way to ensure I have a seamless travel journey, Jennifer!
I spent a week in Paris with my granddaughter, who is studying there this semester, and the weekend in Rouen. Jennifer and our guides all did an outstanding job. The VIP guides & drivers for my CDG arrival and departure were superb and essential. My granddaughter is interested in the history of feminism, and Edith de Belleville was an excellent and very knowledgeable guide on the history of some of the well-known and less well-known women, and men, of Paris. Our Tour Eiffel semi-private guide, Constanza, an art history student, was also outstanding. Our two Paris restaurant bookings (we requested QUIET as a priority) were also perfect and tasteful. Jennifer also found me the best available and best located hotel in the 7th, Le Cinq Codet, as Paris was very booked. Our Rouen hotel was totally lovely (Bourgtheroulde) and Liza, our guide there for “following in the footsteps of Jeanne dArc,” was wonderful and she had done her homework. The only slip-up was we did not receive Jennifer’s usual text confirming time and place to meet Liza in Rouen for our tour, but she quickly got me the necessary information once she learned we did not have it. Covid was not an issue, as I wore masks inside whenever it felt necessary. As a very experienced and sophisticated traveler, I will from now on always contact Wendy Perrin/Jennifer for superb guidance and suggestions.
The trip was fantastic! The planner did a great job on such short notice. We have no complaints.
When we first decided to travel to Paris, we went to Wendy to find the best match for our travel plans. She suggested Jennifer Virgilio. We had not been to France in 30 years but knew that we wanted to focus on the French Revolution and WWII history. From the first meeting and emails we secured the perfect itinerary for us. Jennifer knew the guides that would help us and suggested several tours.
Jennifer’s choice of guides matched us perfectly. So full of life, passion and information. We enjoyed each tour with Isabelle and Edith. Tarek, the driver, was amazing. How he drives in Paris needs a courage and bravery medal, and he never lost his smile. We appreciated how both Isabelle and Edith put the tours into historical context for us to readily understand the meaning. Not too much detail nor too little. They were fun to be with – and even gave me some insights into Emily in Paris, including showing us the shooting locations. Loved it.
The River Cruise was as imagined. I only wish there was a bit more information given during the time on board. I did provide the feedback via text.
We so enjoyed Le Grand Controle in Versailles. Every detail mirrored the time period. I don’t know where they bought their towels, slippers and bathrobes but they were the lushest, plushest we ever used. Having a private tour of Versailles – what can I say, really made the tours a pleasure with no crowds to deal with. The Hamlet was the best tour – after the oppressive nature of the palace I can see why Marie Antoinette built it for her and her friends. The breakfast, sweet tea, dinner and drinks made one feel pampered and spoiled.
We liked the daily updates to keep us on track and added flexibility for last-minute time changes.
Overall, a great tour and we will definitely rebook with Jennifer.
Trip was fantastic! Our family found a window of time in the Covid Pandemic, and we all returned safely. Jennifer Virgilio is one of your professional experts who are all proficient in their country of expertise. I have recommended her to all of the friends who inquired. Jennifer was extremely sensitive to pandemic planning. We felt safe with her choice of localities. Our family needed certain room requirements and she responded to that need. One morning we arrived at our transportation only to find a sick driver. One phone call solved the problem quickly and we were soon on our way. The trip was a dream of a lifetime and lived up to all of our expectations.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We had a great trip to Champagne and Paris. We spent four nights at the fabulous Royal Champagne hotel. Jennifer booked us into five wine caves, which were each spectacular. We ate at Michelin-star restaurants and had wonderful guides in both Paris and Champagne. The quality of guides was magnificent: Our guide to at the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay was so well educated in art history that I think we could have spent an afternoon in just one gallery learning from her. Our guide in Reims and our bicycle guide in Paris were so kind and knowledgeable and friendly. Jennifer’s team was also great about making sure everyone knew about our son’s friend’s allergy—I would say six out of eight of the restaurants we went to identified and confirmed his allergy before we even ordered drinks. That was amazing. The highlight of the trip, besides the tours of the Champagne caves, was seeing the fireworks from a boat in front of the Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day. My husband, my son, his friend, and I will remember that for the rest of our lives.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My wife and I recently returned from an outstanding 4 week trip to Italy & France wonderfully planned by Jennifer Virgilio and her exceptional team. The trip included private villas, transportation, private tours, restaurant reservations, and a rental car. We spent two weeks in Italy (Umbria & Tuscany) and two weeks in France (Cõte d’Azur & Provence). Planning and executing custom luxury travel is a challenge in the best of times, but in these super busy post-Covid times, Jennifer’s team was exceptional in delivering such a flawless vacation.
The planning process with Jennifer starts with a good understanding of the type of trip we were looking for, our budget, and what was most important to us and ends with a detailed, customized travel itinerary including conveniently web-linked documents. For this trip, I had the good fortune of working with Jennifer and her highly capable, efficient, and charming staff, Susanna, Tiago, Luna, Antoniette, and a number of “Duty Managers.” Jennifer is super knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with, and I will say the range and depth of her team and staff really make the difference, including a daily text message summary of tomorrow’s plans. It was like having a Concierge via text message. From Villa selection to hotel, tour guide, and restaurant suggestions, Jennifer really delivered. Each week had its unique features and experiences, and in totality, the full 4 weeks were a terrific complete vacation, including a few final days feeling like royalty in Versailles.
I cannot thank and recommend Jennifer enough, and can’t wait to plan our next memorable vacation together.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Fantastic family experience in Paris! Jennifer crafted three very special occasions for our family of four (2 adults, 2 teens). Our tour and bicycle ride at Versailles will be one of our favorite days forever. It was the perfect balance of scheduled and flexibility. The guide was so wonderful with our youngest. You can imagine our happiness when she repeated as the scavenger hunt guide at our Louvre tour! I will never do the big museum without a guide again. It’s enjoyable and complete. Our final experience was a private Venetian boat on the Seine. What a gorgeous boat! We felt like VIP guests! We were very appreciative of the help.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Working with Jennifer Virgilio and her team was such a fabulous experience. Nothing was left to chance, all the experiences arranged for my 13-year-old granddaughter were incredible and we couldn’t possibly have had a better trip. We learned how to make macarons, worked with a perfumer to create our own scents, went hot-air ballooning in the Loire Valley and took a small boat on the Canal St Martin. Since my granddaughter is a “creative” who’s interested in fashion and fashion design, Jennifer arranged several hours for us with an expert for a teen shopping tour. Also in the fashion vein, we met with Marine Henrion, a wonderful up-and-coming fashion designer. My granddaughter went home with Paris fashion appropriate to her age and fashion sense, and I loved sharing the experiences with her. Jennifer and her colleagues are so skilled at what they do. I’m on a safari with my grandson in Africa now and I had Jennifer arrange VIP Meet and Greet services for us when we had to change planes at Heathrow since I’ve decided I’ll never travel without it again! This was my summer to introduce my boy/girl twin grandchildren to traveling the world and Jennifer and her incredible team have made all of it as wonderful as can be.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My wife and I had an absolutely great trip with our granddaughters. Our trip to Paris and Florence could not have been better. Jennifer reached out for a call. Jennifer listened carefully and made great suggestions for hotels and a custom itinerary…which included great successful shopping. We made it clear that we wanted this holiday to create long lasting memories for our granddaughters. Jennifer and her team delivered!! Jennifer provided us a number of suggestions and a recommended itinerary. We made a few adjustments and settled on a plan.
We had to make a few adjustments during our holiday, but her staff could not have been more accommodating. Her selection of guides was terrific. Isabelle in Paris met every need. She adjusted a few plans based on her discussions with our granddaughters. She was professional, patient, and flexible. Our granddaughters loved Veronica in Florence. She was warm, knowledgeable, and listened and responded to every request.
Having a member of Jennifer’s team check in each night was great planning comfort. I would highly recommend Jennifer to anyone planning a trip to Paris (France) and/or Florence (Italy). She and her team are very special.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our travel planner was perfect from start to finish!
Four days in Paris and five days in Loire Valley. Great restaurant choices. Wonderful drivers. Fantastic hotels. Airport experience was flawless.I would always go through Wendy Perrin and her recommendation of travel specialists!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer Virgilio planned an amazing trip for my family of 3 to Paris and the Dordogne for 9 days in June. My 10 year old son loved the chocolate making class with our very personable and kid friendly guide. I loved how Jennifer arranged for a guide to take us speedily through the airport where we skipped every line and sped through customs! The most magical highlight of the trip for me was Rouffignac cave, where we took a train a mile into the cave and came upon a glorious array of prehistoric cave paintings. Our guide, Martin, was perhaps the best guide I have ever had, full of knowledge and fascinating to listen to talk about the area. The apartment Jennifer arranged for us in Paris was perfectly situated and much easier than a hotel when traveling with kids. There was so many wonderful moments and so many great memories from this excellently planned trip!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We needed help planning a couple of special items on our trip to Paris. Jennifer and her team were very thoughtful in helping us choose a special activity for my daughter’s birthday and a special restaurant for her birthday dinner. They also were very knowledgeable about other restaurant reservations. We all loved their suggestions and were very grateful for their advice!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My wife Andrea retired in April 2022 so I wanted to plan a special trip to celebrate the conclusion of a 35-year career in healthcare management. After learning about the Wendy Perrin WOW List I reached out to one of the suggested travel planners that specialized in France, Jennifer Virgilio. I told her my goal was to put together an unforgettable trip to Paris and Normandy for my wife that would celebrate her father’s service in WWII and allow us to explore the wonderful and romantic city of Paris. During my first Zoom session with Jennifer it was clear that I had come to the right place. She immediately knew what we were looking for in an experience and provided valuable guidance as to the appropriate length of stay in both destinations. She also suggested some additional side trips and stops that looked amazing but ultimately we settled on three days in Normandy with a half day stop in Giverny followed by seven days in the heart of Paris.
Although we have traveled to other parts of Europe in the past, and own an apartment in a Tuscan hill town in Italy, this would be our very first trip to France. After sharing our preferences with Jennifer during several Zoom sessions we arrived at a final customized itinerary that was itemized and fully booked by Jennifer’s office well ahead of our trip. While one objective was to enjoy guided tours of the most important sites and destinations, we also wanted plenty of free time to explore on our own, especially in the heart of Paris.
Since this was also our first time working with a travel planner we both agreed that we would commit to the process and trust the experts. Thankfully, Jennifer and the team did not let us down as they presented a number of hotel, dining, sightseeing and tour options for every one of our 10 days, along with excellent descriptions of what to expect including the pros and cons. After several back and forth emails and Zoom sessions, Jennifer presented us with a truly personalized and comprehensive itinerary that was meticulously planned but not over-scheduled. Best of all it provided the balance we sought between private tours and free-form exploration.
Starting with Normandy we narrowed things down by selecting a hotel in Bayeux (the Normandy base recommended by Jennifer) with two full days set aside for the WWII sites. We also managed to include time on our day of arrival to visit Monet’s house and garden in Giverny plus enough time in Bayeux to visit the famous tapestry. While that may seem like a lot after a long flight from the US, the airport connection and Giverny stopover were seamless thanks to a “meet and greet” service that whisked us through customs to our private car for the day. After several hours exploring Monet’s wonderful home and gardens with time for lunch we journeyed on to our handpicked hotel in Bayeux (Villa Lara) where we were welcomed for three nights. While there are other very fine hotels in Bayeux, Villa Lara was a perfect fit for us combining a boutique family-run style with high-end luxury and best of all an A+ location in the downtown. Really this is one of the best located hotels in all of Bayeux.
For the rest of our stay in Normandy Jennifer arranged for us to spend two full days with Pierre, an outstanding private guide and WWII historian. We cannot say enough about Pierre and the moving experiences of visiting Utah and Omaha beach along with Point du Hoc and the US Cemetery. While we could have visited all of the sites on our own, the value of a knowledgeable guide cannot be overstated. Knowing that Andrea’s dad was a WWII veteran who landed in France a few months after D-Day, Pierre guided us through a very emotional experience with grace and compassion. He knew how to keep us moving so we could visit and see all of the important sites while giving us space to process our emotions and reflect on the history changing events that took place so many years ago. Given the large area that we covered in two days, it is hard to imagine doing this without the help of a guide or a travel planner.
The next part of our trip began with a high speed train to Paris for another meet and greet at the train station compliments of our hotel, La Reserve Hotel & Spa. Although this was a hotel we suggested for consideration along with a half dozen other wonderful options presented by Jennifer, she was very familiar with this small-form palace hotel in central Paris near the Plaza de Concorde. More importantly, her personal knowledge of the property and an understanding of what Andrea wanted for her first “Paris hotel experience” helped us choose La Reserve as the home base for the next seven nights in the City of Lights.
Jennifer also proposed a number of guided tours and dining options including a luxury gourmet dinner cruise called The Ducasse de Seine. Without a doubt this was one of the most spectacular and memorable meals we have ever had and will always be one of the highlights of our amazing Paris experience. Although there were lower priced dinner cruise options, we chose the Ducasse “Best View on the Seine” six-course dinner with champagne and wine pairings. While this experience is not for everyone, for those that want to feel like royalty for one glorious night in Paris it should be at the top of the list. Oftentimes these over the top dinners can be a disappointment but in this case we can truly say it was worth every penny. Thank you Jennifer and the Alain Ducasse team for a special night we will always remember.
Of course fine dining in Paris is just one of the many wonderful things we wanted to experience on this trip. Jennifer also selected several other bistros for lunch and dinner during our week along with private guided tours of the premier sites including the Louvre, The Orsay Museum, the Marais neighborhood, and Carnevalet Museum with food and wine tastings mixed in. Sadly, Notre Dame was closed due to the horrific fire a few years ago, so that was one site we could not enjoy. Also, by our choice we decided not to trek up the Eifel Tower, leaving that for another time.
However, with help from Gigiliana, the personal guide selected by Jennifer, we navigated through and around all of the main sites and museums with half-day private tours, leaving each afternoon for exploration on our own. We also had two free days during our week long stay, including an afternoon for a spa treatment at our hotel. Without question the private walking tours and dining options were just what the doctor ordered for our way of travel. Also, Gigiliana made sure each and every tour (we had four of them with the same guide) ended in a place where we could easily extend the experience on our own. On two occasions she stayed with us beyond the allotted time and went above and beyond to make sure we found our away around. As with Pierre in Normandy, Gigiliana, the Paris tour guide selected by Jennifer, was a great fit.
If we had to do it all over we would keep everything the same except for a prix fixe dinner at L’Oiseau Blanc and a half-day “Discover Paris” tour by car. After our dining experience on the Seine, a second five-course gourmet dinner was not needed and the touted view from the top of the Peninsula Hotel was only for a few tables. Also, the menu was very limited and the pricing of the a la carte choices made them not much of an option. For the car tour the time spent was valuable but not the way we like to see things. However, it did provide an overview of central Paris that we were able to draw upon especially during our free exploration time.
Obviously if you cannot tell by now our trip and experience with the Wendy Perrin WOW List and Jennifer Virgilio was a huge success. We enjoyed the trip of a lifetime and will use these services again, especially when we are exploring new places outside our Tuscan comfort zone.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Working with Jennifer Virgilio and her team was an unparalleled experience. Our trip to France with my nearly 14 year old granddaughter was a special gift for her and, after COVID shutdowns, a welcome treat. The menu of experiences Jennifer tailored to someone of her age and interests was unbelievable. My granddaughter was able to select exactly what interested her and the outcome was dazzling. The level of service Jennifer’s office provides, with a 24/7 contact in Paris who communicates the daily itinerary in the late afternoon each day, answers questions and clears up any issues, however small, is extraordinary and immediate. The skill and contacts of the airport greeter they arranged to get us onto our plane in the midst of the CDG Airport strike this past weekend defies description. People were waiting on long lines for hours and we were checked in, whisked through Border Patrol and Security in what felt like seconds and in the Lounge in no time. Jennifer’s team operates in several European countries. I will certainly seek their services whenever I travel to any of them and I recommend everyone doing so uses them. Your experiences will be unforgettable. It is an extraordinary company and Jennifer Virgilio is a pure pleasure to deal with. This is high end travel at its best!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer and her team planned a wonderful itinerary to enjoy the Basque region of Spain/France as well as time in Bordeaux. This is our third trip with her, and this trip was consistent in the high quality we have become accustomed to with Jennifer’s team of planners. We really enjoyed our guides. One was able to get us in to see one of the San Sebastián area’s famed “social clubs” and showed us around the Basque seaside town he grew up in — which included entrance into a hotel not open to the public where the only tapestries Paul Reubens designed reside. The bonus was observing the town’s Corpus Christi celebration. In Bordeaux, our guide was very well versed in wine and gastronomy — the cousin of a *very* famous French chef (don’t want to out him here!), his knowledge of food and wine was unparalleled, and he was well versed in the history and culture of the region too. I could add so many more special moments from our trip, but ultimately the guides’ deep knowledge added so much nuance and depth to our experiences. We made many cherished memories.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL All I can say is WOW in regards to our trip to France!!!!!!!! Jennifer was absolutely AMAZING!!!! From the hotel recommendations, to the restaurant recommendations, to the guides that she provided for us, everything was super incredible!!!! From now on, I will use her exclusively for all of our trips to France in the future. She really made it a truly incredible trip of a lifetime and we travel all the the time! SHE made the trip magical (our stay a Versailles) and sooooo easy with the constant contact to remind us every day where we were going and what our appointments were. JENNIFER WAS THE BEST PLANNER, EVER!!!!!!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer created the perfect girls’ trip getaway for me and a friend in Paris.
We had both been before and had done museums so we wanted a different experience this time. Jennifer recommended the Grande Hotel de Palais Royal and we could not have been happier (and we were upgraded upon arrival!). Excellent location, delicious breakfast, and such friendly, helpful staff.
Jennifer connected us with a local personal stylist who took us to 4 French designer boutiques that we would never have found on our own. It was such a fun and unique experience.
Jennifer also recommended excellent restaurants and while the street cafes are absolutely delicious, our meal at Girafe overlooking the Eiffel Tower was simply spectacular.
The recommendation to have a personal meet and greet at the airport and driver to/from the hotel was invaluable since CGD was very crowded and hectic.
Jennifer and her team were fantastic and I would highly recommend. I already want to plan another trip with them! Thank you for connecting us!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Could not be happier after a little over two weeks in France, arriving back on Easter weekend. A week in Normandy including two days on the D Day beaches and a week in Paris. There were four of us, two couples all over the age of 65, related by the two wives being sisters and we had a marvelous time. Jennifer picked two ideal hotels in terms of our desires, with intimacy and ideal locations and services that met our standards. Jennifer minimized the financial risk from COVID and COVID really didn’t influence the trip. The guides were outstanding. Can’t wait to use her and her team again.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We just used Jen to go to Paris for 2 days on our way to Morocco. We had our 3 kids with us (ages 3, 7, and 9). We did a Louvre kids’ tour and my kids loved a scavenger hunt through the museum but I loved learning more about the art. Isabell was wonderful! We saw the Eiffel Tower and rode the carousel and explored Montmartre and the beautiful view of Paris! Having Isabel and a driver made a fast path through the city super easy! My 9 year old got off the plane with a fever and so we had to pivot and modify, but it worked out wonderfully!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL I made use of Jennifer’s team while in Paris, with guides on three half-days. I was traveling with my daughter and we were very pleased with the intellect, energy, English, and warmth of our guide, Tatiana. We gave Jennifer very short notice of our plans and her team was able to deliver. I highly recommend their services.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Because of great advice from Wendy Perrin about traveling to Paris during Covid, my friend, Cam and I had the most PERFECT six days in Paris imaginable! Wendy put us in touch with a “Guardian Angel” travel expert, Jennifer Viriglio and from the moment we landed until the moment we left, every detail was handled flawlessly! The guides and staff were consummate professionals not to mention gracious and totally accommodating. The most wonderful Alain Ducasse river cruise was one of the highlights of the first day, not to mention all of the incredible restaurants that followed. Needless to say, I will never plan another trip without Wendy’s guidance and recommendations….there was not a moment that was not impeccable!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband and I just returned from Paris just over two weeks ago and I’ve already been in contact with Jennifer regarding planning a girls’ trip with 3 friends for a belated 40th birthday! Jennifer and her team planned a delightful trip for us, with a good mix of culture and relaxation – highlights included a day trip to Reims, complete with an intimate lunch with champagne pairings at a family-owned champagne house; a market tour and curated cooking class in the beautiful home of a French chef near the Eiffel Tower; and a private wine and cheese tasting at a historic wine shop with a young sommelier highlighting new and emerging winemakers from less well-known regions in France. Jennifer’s team was very responsive in the planning – quickly addressing any questions or concerns we had given the ever-changing Covid guidelines – and checked in with us regularly during our trip, seamlessly managing a few last-minute, unforeseen itinerary changes. Cannot recommend Jennifer highly enough – and am looking forward to all the fun she has in store for my return trip to the Champagne region with my friends later this year!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer exceeded our expectations. She procured fabulous guides and made great restaurant recommendations. We had planned our trip and reserved our hotel before we learned of WendyPerrin.com. Jennifer accommodated our less than full trip plan needs and made our trip perfect. The tours she arranged were to wonderful places with limited people and SPECTACULAR guides. The drivers were professional and friendly. We felt covid safe.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Thank you Wendy Perrin for your awesome recommendation of Jennifer Virgilio and team for our wonderful and memorable trip to Paris and Versaille. The value that Jennifer and team added to our trip is one that we could never have achieved on our own! (and this is a couple who travels extensively and has been to Paris multiple times!)
My husband and I were planning this trip to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We were a little concerned about the covid restrictions that were in place and how it might impact our plans. Jennifer and her team put us at ease. They were very knowledgable about all the changes taking place in France and kept us up to date on anything that might personally impact our trip. This included arranging for our required vaccination passes that were mandatory for entrance into all public venues. In addition, Jennifer’s team also arranged for our pcr covid tests, performed in the convenience of our hotel room, before our departure back to the states.
Jennifer’s focus to detail was apparent from our first zoom call where she covered all our expectations from hotel accommodations, experiences, restaurant reservations, car services, etc. She followed up our zoom call with multiple suggestions that allowed us to choose some fabulous experiences such as private guide tours at the Louvre and Versaille. The tours were absolutely incredible and added such insight (our guide at the Louvre was an art historian) that we never could have encountered on our own. We received access on some of these tours that is normally not available to the general public. This included after hours tours of Versailles and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet.
In addition, Jennifer arranged all of our dining experiences throughout Paris and Versaille. All of her recommendations were excellent and exactly what we wanted. She also arranged for our special anniversary dinner on the grounds of the Airelles Chateau de Versaille at the amazing Alain Ducasse restaurant. She also arranged for a private room and a very special anniversary dinner that was way beyond spectacular!
In addition, to our excellent car service Jennifer also arranged for our meet and greets upon arrival and departure. This was definitely useful and made the normal hassle of airport travel completely stress free. I cannot emphasize during these new norms of travel how having such an incredible and professional group like Jennifer and her team is invaluable.
Jennifer and team were incredible and their focus on detail was exceptional. In addition to our detailed itinerary prior to our departure, we also received daily detailed reminders of all our scheduled events on our phones. I cannot fully express my gratitiude to Wendy Perrin for another amazing recommendation. I left Paris with some incredible memories because of all the hardwork Jennifer and her team provided. It was an amazing and stress free experience!!! Thank you for helping to make this trip so very special!!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We had the pleasure of working with Jennifer for our trip to Paris 11/14/21 through 11/21/21. We had real trepidation going to France and navigating their COVID requirements. Jennifer was quite knowledgeable and it all worked out well. We loved her recommended hotel and got our room of choice. She arranged for a very specific day trip to two chateaux in the environs with a lovely guide/driver. We went to her suggested two star Michelin restaurant for an excellent meal. We were in constant touch with Jennifer and her staff. They were prompt and responsive. She suggested a car service to and from the airport; both drivers were courteous and right on time. We appreciated and followed her tipping suggestions. Pre-COVID we only used a trip planner on occasion, but in this environment a good trip planner adds real peace of mind.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our trip to France dated Sept. 21 – Oct. 11, 2021 was absolutely incredible! It was everything and more than we had hoped it to be. The trip in one word was MAGICAL!! We felt completely safe throughout the trip. France has done an excellent job of vaccinating their citizens and requiring proof of vaccination in all venues. Jennifer only recommended hotels, restaurants, experiences, and guides where only vaccinated guests were allowed and she was able to secure our Sanitaire Passes for us as well in advance of our departure.
We spent several days in each Paris, Reims, Colmar and the Alsace region, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, and the piece de resistance, Versailles. Each city and town was nothing but perfect. All our hotels, experiences, tours, guides, and restaurants were top notch and of the utmost in quality. All our guides spoke English fluently, were very professional, enjoyable to be with and flexible with any itinerary changes we wanted to make at the last minute. Jennifer did a flawless job in planning our trip, while her team checked in with us each evening to make sure the day had gone well and to remind us of the next day’s itinerary. All the support made the trip so easy and flawless.
I highly recommend Jennifer Virgilio and will be looking forward to her helping us plan our next European vacation. She was a pleasure to work with and has excellent follow through. She planned a trip that I would not have been able to assemble in such a complete and thorough manner as she did. Thank you, Jennifer, for a trip we will always remember and cherish!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband and I traveled to France for two weeks in September. Our trip covered the northern section of France – from Paris to the Loire Valley, and up to the northern coast.
My husband and I actually felt relatively safe, concerning the pandemic, during most of our travel throughout France. Their vaccination level is high and knowing that the pass sanitaire was required virtually everywhere (except the metro), allowed for a certain level of comfort. Plus, we tended to avoid exceptionally crowded cafes and restaurants. (We were unaware of how many people smoke at the outdoor cafes.)
Jennifer worked her magic in getting the pass sanitaire to us before leaving for France. We met quite a few American travelers who applied for the pass but did not receive it before traveling. Fortunately, those travelers were able to use their vaccination card in place of the pass.
Jennifer set up a COVID testing appointment, with a qualified nurse, to come to our apartment in Paris, which was quite convenient. We did learn later that one can take a much less expensive USA-approved COVID-19 test at the local pharmacy, but we thought it better to stick to the English-speaking nurse who could take care of the testing and keep us from trying to figure out the process in a pharmacy – in French, no less.
Having our own driver and/or guide was key to keeping us away from traveling with large tour groups. All were vaccinated except one, and she explained that she must test twice per week in order to work as a guide.
I enjoy trip planning but was happy to hand over some of the duties to Jennifer. Her knowledge and expertise provided us with a plethora of tour, restaurant, and hotel choices. Through several Zoom meetings, phone calls, and emails, we discussed our have to-do list and she suggested other possibilities.
The travel guides Jennifer set up were top notch. All personable, knowledgeable, and English speakers. We spent an entire day with Gigliola, a wonderful guide, who escorted us through San Germain chocolate shops and patisseries, the Musee d’Orsay, and Sainte-Chapelle. We also thoroughly enjoyed a day trip to the Champagne region of France. Perrine, our driver and guide, took us to family-owned vineyards. We met the owners, toured their underground Champagne caves, and enjoyed private Champagne tastings. The most memorable experience of our trip was candlelight dinner and tour of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, followed by a fireworks show – with Alexander as our driver and guide.
I highly recommend the airport VIP meet and greet. As soon as we stepped foot into the CDG airport, we were greeted by Brice, who whisked us through the airport, including the Customs and Immigration windows, and then directly to our driver.
Jennifer is able to plan a trip from start to finish, or provide assistance as needed. We thoroughly enjoyed the tours she provided for our trip to France.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL I didn’t vary this trip much due to Covid — the main change was bringing lots of masks and spending several hours to convert my vaccination card into the French system, and then reserving museum visits in advance. The trip planner did suggest Covid-appropriate activities (outdoor walks). She worked hard to set up special tours for me for the unique interests I have in 11th and 12th century Loire Valley and Jazz. I would seek out a trip to the musée Carnavalet — it’s free and has an abundance of items on the history of Paris — I found the prehistoric and early history and then Revolutionary War sections especially interesting.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our trip to Paris was such a welcome return to pre-pandemic life. We worked with Jennifer and her team to arrange a private half day tour of Versailles and a private tour of the Kings stables and Equestrian center. Both were fantastic. The stables tour was absolutely a once in a lifetime treat. I wasn’t even aware of the riding academy and am so grateful to Jennifer for suggesting it when I inquired about a private guide for Versailles. I have already recommended that part of our experience to all of our Francophile friends. After the stables we went to the palace where we were delighted to to be among the few who were out enjoying a beautiful day. It was so wonderful to tour the palace without the usual massive crowds. Having such a knowledgeable guide added so much to our enjoyment of that exquisite building. Gigliola’s style felt like being with a really good friend who just happens to know the answer all your questions about the art, the rooms, the history and the courts of the many kings. Thank you again for another WOW trip.
Jennifer and her team are magical! Jennifer and I communicated a ton prior to the trip and she had a great feel for what kind of trip my husband and I desired. We wanted a boutique hotel that was charming, intimate and quiet. She gave us numerous ideas and helped us select the perfect hotel for our needs. We wanted a combination of expected sites in Paris and then more off the beaten path activities. Our guide to the Lourve for the Da Vinci exhibit was A plus! One of the most informative and knowledgable guides ever. Equally outstanding was our guide to Versaille. Personally I didn’t want to go back to Versaille as I was there 2 years ago, but my husband had not been. Jennifer was aware of that and chose for us with the most outstanding guide who made the day so pleasurable and ultra informative. We learned some fun facts and it felt totally new to me. We had an incredible food tour in St Germaine and a private cooking class with a chef that taught us how to prepare the most amazing duck recipes per our request He also took us food shopping prior to the class and seeing all of the little stores in Paris for bread, wine, cheese, our duck and vegetables was a treat! . All of our guides for our tours and experiences were informative, interesting, personable and really a joy to be with. In addition she was able to secure some very hard to get dinner reservations and we were able to dine every where on my wish list. Each day her team checked in with updates, and any time we needed anything at all they came through. Last minute we wanted to add a tour in Montmartre and again they came through with one of our previous guides we loved and transportation even though the strike was going on. Jennifer and her team are amazing and very deserving to be on your list!
Lastly, thank you for an incredible WOW Moment! It exceeded our imaginations. Jennifer knew how much we love food and wine and our WOW Moment was at the oldest wine shop in Paris. First the shop is beautiful! And in the most charming area. We were guided to a private room and the sommelier said he was opening bottles he was actually never able to taste himself as they were that rare. He was thrilled with our WOW Moment too! Thank you Wendy for making it possible. The wine, setting, and getting to share this on a special trip with my husband made for some wonderful memories.
Absolute Perfection!
Jennifer’s level of service was perfect and she listened to the needs of our family of four for a short excursion in Paris. Due to train/metro protests in France, she was able to pull together a perfect itinerary, complete with a driver, transfers and an esteemed private guide with a very short lead time. Her staff and everyone who helped coordinate it – were always courteous and professional and we got to do everything we planned.
What makes Jennifer and her team worth the investment are the extra suggestions and ideas that were printed for us for the time slots we wanted family time for. We didn’t need every moment planned, but her efforts ensured we had a fabulous time no matter what.
For the very picky and often overlooked segment of marketing in the travel world, my teenagers ages 15 & 18 said it was the best trip we’ve taken. For that alone, I’d pick a Jennifer destination just to have her assistance again!
Jennifer is extremely detail-oriented. She listened to us and amended our itinerary (as per our requests) several times before our trip. We had a difficult itinerary: 4 hotels, 3 cities in 7 days. We had been to France many times before, so we were not interested in the typical “tourist activities,” and preferred active quality time with our daughter who was studying in France. Jennifer offered hotel and restaurant suggestions in the areas we loved, and they were fantastic. The daily late-afternoon text check-ins re: the upcoming day’s activities were a nice touch.
Jennifer Virgilio is like having a personal assistant in your pocket through the entire trip. Aside from being available to answer questions, make dining reservations and change plans mid-adventure, she was able to procure tickets to a sold out event and offer upgrades and added amenities to our hotel stays. The transportation services are reliable, professional and safe. The guides are thorough and knowledgeable. Precise, efficient and friendly are the words I would use to describe this service. We had a wonderful vacation in Paris with Jennifer’s advice.
We are truly grateful for Jennifer’s help with our recent trip to Europe with our 3 children. She provided us numerous options as far as activities, repeatedly offered to help with restaurant reservations and her team texted us each evening to remind us about the following day’s activities and schedules. We cannot say enough good about our London tour guide Augusta Harris who made our day together an absolute joy for our entire family. Her warmth, humor, knowledge and people skills make her a dream guide to spend the day with!
Jennifer and her team made my family’s first trip to Paris a fabulous experience. She offered great advice on where to stay, booking us in a gorgeous boutique hotel on a quiet street in a great neighborhood, and helped us arrange some wonderful experiences to introduce us to all that is Paris.
We were a group of 7 women traveling together, some family and some friends. We spent a couple of nights in Paris, then 4 nights in Bordeaux, France, then 4 nights in Lecce, Italy.
We had some issues during the planning stages with delays in communication and billing. I reached out to Wendy Perrin, then directly with Jennifer and we talked through all the issues and came to a resolution before we left on our trip.
Our trip was GREAT! We so very much enjoyed everything…although my mom was tired when we got home . We loved Boris and Angelo, our drivers. Boris (Bordeaux) did not speak English, but it was fun for me to translate. Fortunately, Angelo (Italy) did! They were incredibly accommodating. We did not use guides to explore towns in Italy, it worked out beautifully to have Angelo orient us a bit, then we wandered on our own. I believe that the quality of the driver/guides is related to the relationships with Jennifer and her group.
There was some confusion at our first hotel – breakfast was supposed to be included but we were charged. Within just a few days, Jennifer’s group worked it out with them and we were all credited for the breakfast charge.
One of our favorite things was the Grotte Pair-non-Pair – it was an incredibly special, private time with unbelievable art dating back 35,000 years.
I really could go on and on, it was a wonderful trip. Even problems were adventures (one flight cancelled, another flight booked for the wrong day, high winds/downed trees our last day), but no one was hurt, nothing stolen, all bags arrived, lots of laughs, LOTS of wine!
Favorite things – wandering Paris on Sunday, Arcachon Bay/oysters/geocaching, cooking class at Cantele Winery – wow!, 2 hr lunches, jammies and wine. It was a great trip!
Here’s a review regarding the Yndo Hotel in Bordeaux from one of our travelers:
A Perfect Vacation Made Extra Special
This is a wonderful hotel. We are traveling, seven women between the ages of 40 and 80, and spent four nights at the hotel. The staff here could not have been nicer or more accommodating. Marguerite, the manager, was here each day, from the time we came down for breakfast until the time we went up to bed. She and Inez, the owner of the hotel, helped us plan our dinner menus for the two night we decided to dine in at the hotel. Sebastian, our receptionist, helped two of us plan our three hour drive to visit family in another city. He told us to call him immediately should we run into any trouble. He put our minds at ease as travelers and also for those staying behind. Everyone at Yndohotel made our vacation perfect. We will remember this beautiful hotel and its wonderful staff for many years.
Thank you to Jennifer, Andrea and Mara for putting together a wonderful, interesting itinerary!
Great hotels we wouldn’t have found on our own. Plus upgrades on one of the rooms that was spectacular. Fantastic attention to detail. Always had next steps and phone numbers sent before all activities. Highly recommended.
Our flight plan for a trip to South Africa took us through Paris so we decided to stop for a short 36 hours. We wanted to make the most of this time with a focus on culture and food. Jennifer tailored an itinerary that did just that. Both of our guides were excellent. One’s art history background made the Rodin and Orangerie museums come alive. She also introduced us to hidden passages which were fascinating. With our food guide we visited several neighborhoods, tasting the specialties of each. Our hotel, the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal, was charming and perfectly situated. Though our sojourn was brief, we had a wonderful stay in the City of Light thanks to Jennifer and her team.
I give Jennifer Virgilio excellent marks on supporting my daughter, Sarah and I in planning our 5 day trip to Paris, plus supporting us in getting train tickets to Bordeaux. The hotel Relais Christine was wonderful in every way, and we would recommend it to others and stay there again when we return. Jennifer offered us many choices and opportunities to choose from as to how to spend our time in Paris. She organized a tour of the Louvre and also a half day to Giverney to see Monet’s home and gardens, and the guide, Gigliola Alba was excellent! She was personable, prepared and so knowledgeable – worth her weight in gold, and we enjoyed her company very much. We’d also connect with her again on a future visit. Though Jennifer did some traveling during our planning, she connected us with her staff – Kenza and Julia – who were helpful and communicative in her absence. They were all instrumental in getting us reservations at restaurants of our choice. The Eiffel Tower tour guide was also tops, and the timing of our visit there overlapped with a beautiful sunset and 8 PM light show! We loved the Atelier Des Lumiers of Van Gogh, as well as our visits to Musee D’Orsay, Picasso and Rodin museums. We appreciated her advise to get an airport transfer upon our arrival. Because we arrived into different terminals, I would next time have one of us take the shuttle to the other and be picked up at 1 terminal together. Driving to the second terminal took quite a while in traffic and I don’t think our driver was expecting this. It was minor. We enjoyed seeing the countryside on our train ride south – beautiful! We took full advantage of our time and received very good support, recognizing that must return with so much more to see in a future visit. I will be contacting Jennifer soon to plan another venture in Italy in 2020. I extend gratitude for all the support we received on this very special trip to the City of Lights!
I cannot speak highly enough about Jennifer and her team. We used Jennifer to visit Paris in January 2018. Because it was so much fun, we had scheduled a return trip for January 2019. In December of 2018, I had a major health issue which prevented me from traveling as planned. Once I let Jennifer know, she sprung into action to cancel things so that we did not lose any of the money already paid. Jennifer’s understanding and caring meant a lot to me during my recovery as she kept in touch with me to see how I was feeling.
We finally were able to make our trip to Paris in September 2019. We had a fabulous time with some really interesting tours such as a tour of the Louvre with a curator, the hidden passages with a local guide, bread making at a local shop, an afternoon with a culinary specialist, chocolate making at a local candy store, a day at Chantilly, an after hours tour of Fontainbleau and my favorite a PSG/Real Madrid soccer match. We were impressed with the guides and how easy it was once we landed in Paris as Jennifer’s team was always available once we landed in Paris.
I consider ourselves lucky that we were able to find a tour person as great as Jennifer. We will be using her to assist us with an upcoming trip to Rome. I highly recommend Jennifer and her team.
My husband and I had a wonderful three nights stay in the South of France. Jennifer helped meticulously planned this trip to ensure both my husband and my interests were considered and satisfied. From the moment we got off the plane in Nice to the moment we boarded our plan to depart Nice three days later, we received the ultimate VIP treatments throughout the trip. Jennifer and her team were responsive and the daily text reminders on our daily itinerary and the guide contact information were extremely reassuring. The local guides and drivers were extremely knowledgeable, professional, and punctual. The restaurant recommendations from Jennifer were terrific. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Du Cap Ferrat. We can’t be happier with the hotel location, services, and the food.
We would highly recommend Jennifer and her team to anyone going to France. It was the PERFECT trip for us!
Jennifer and the team put together a wonderful experience in Paris and the Dordogne for us and our two grandsons (ages 13 and 18). With just enough well planned activities to keep them engaged. The daily text reminders with contact information were wonderfully reassuring that everyone was on the same page. Absolutely no travel problems. The guides we had were delightful and really added to our experiences at the Louvre and in the Dordogne.
We had a wonderful trip to Paris. Jennifer Virgilio and her team designed the perfect itinerary. We especially enjoyed our day trip to the Champagne region. The scenery and champagne tasting were pure heaven. Our tour guide took us to an excellent restaurant where we had steak with foie gras and it was delicious! We got to visit our favorite champagne houses Veuve Clicquot and Dom Perignon where we had a private tour. This is one item we can take off the bucket list.
The guides for our various tours were friendly and professional as was the pick up and drop off service to and from the airport. It was pure luxury as was our stay at the Plaza Athenee. The memories we experienced are priceless.
I was very pleased with Jennifer V. She was prompt in returning my emails, she arranged fantastic accommodations to suit our family of eight, and the vendors she arranged for us were top notch. Our transfer drivers were always there to meet us and were very professional. Marie was quite efficient in providing details for us and would periodically check in to make sure all was going according to plan. I couldn’t be happier with the trip Jennifer V. planned for us. I will recommend her in the most glowing terms to family and friends. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Jennifer Virgilio was terrific. We mainly used her to recommend and reserve a hotel in Normandy. She recommended the town of Bayeux and the Hotel Villa Lara. Both were fabulous recommendations. The hotel was so good that my wife wanted to move in there. Everything went as smoothly as possible and Jennifer’s service was terrific. I can’t recommend her more highly – she’s a great resource for anyone visiting this region.
First of all, my apologies for the delay in sending this review. Jennifer Virgilio was our contact for a family trip to Paris and Rome. I had many misgivings as we started the planning because of the ages involved. My husband and I, our son and his wife plus four children ranging in age from 12 down to 18 months. How can we make everyone happy and keep the children engaged? Well, Jennifer and her team came through brilliantly. I have been singing her praises to everyone who asks about the trip. The guides were even better than I had expected, e.g., at the Vatican Sylvia kept them enraptured with stories and “assignments”. Who would think Napoleon’s tomb, Invalides, would hold their interest? It did and even I, who live part-time in Paris, hung on every word! Each evening I received a text confirming the next day’s specifics such as time and place which completely eased my logistical worries. There seemed to be many people behind the scenes taking care of us. In all, I would not hesitate for a second to recommend Jennifer’s team and of course, Wendy Perrin.
Jennifer Virgilio helped my wife and I plan a FANTASTIC trip to Paris! It was our first time to Paris and we didn’t know what to see first. Jennifer asked good questions to determine what we really wanted out of our trip and curated a number of adventures for us. We selected the ones we liked, made sure to include downtime and the trip was planned easily. During our trip Jennifer and her team were very responsive to texts and random questions we had at all hours. She sent us a text each evening asking how the day was and reminding us what our itinerary was for the next day! She was even able to change dinner reservations at the last minute as well as change the size of the car we had due to extra luggage. The hotel she suggested was great and within walking distance to almost every attraction we wanted to see. The guides she chose were knowledgeable, easy to spend time with and spoke English perfectly. I estimate that we saved 5-6 hours using guides who helped us skip lines at the airport and at busy sites.
This was, simply stated, the best trip my family has ever taken. The hotels were meticulously chosen based on my family’s preferences. The various tours/outings were staffed with knowledgeable and personable experts who left us feeling grateful for the experience. We had the PERFECT trip designed for us and we are still smiling 2 weeks later. The only questions that remains is – same time, next year?
Jennifer Virgillio and Sylvia Bury (we are Indonesians and she is an Indonesian as well) did excellent job for us. From the planning stage, we talked on the phone to inform them about our trip and preferences, and they listened to us well. We visited Lourdes, Lyon, and Paris in France. They provided us with excellent guides who really worked extra miles. The first guide in Lourdes, Gabrielle, she even brought us to Gavarnie, a beautiful place one hour drive from Lourdes, which was not included in the itinerary. Thumbs up! In Lyon, we did a great food tour with a young gastronomist, and being a foodie, we were happy when she brought us to Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, where she brought us to taste great chocolate from the specialist, charcuterie, cheese and wine. Then Paris was memorable. It’s all about special access, skip the line, went in to the private area where are not accessible by public. Our guide to Versailles, Marie Ange, she’s one of a kind. She knows the history and the palace very well, she made us to get in to the private access, skip the line, and got permission to enter the “not for public” sites in the palace. She is another excellent guide. In Louvre, Jennifer and Sylvia managed to arrange our tour with one of the curator which was amazing. Followed by a secret food adventure (part of our Wow Moment) with a young chef, who is very passionate about food. He brought us to the best specialty shops, from meat shop, seafood, chocolate, jam, puff pastry, and macarons. We managed to taste them all in 2 hours before we go to Eiffel Tower (another skip the line service) Despite the packed itinerary in Paris, we still have a whole shopping day on our last day. One last thing. They arranged meet and greet service at the airport, which was very helpful for us. The greeter told us that our luggage was too heavy so he arranged the luggages, proceed with our VAT refund, check in, immigration, etc, with no hassle at all. We were happy with the service provided by Jennifer. All communication was easy, and they executed it perfectly.
The trip to France arranged by Jennifer Virgilio was wonderful. She had a double task of arranging the details of our visit and coordinating with my daughter’s family who came to Paris before us and who we surprised for her birthday. The surprise on a Seine river cruise was spectacular and my daughter and grandchildren were shocked, and pleased. Jennifer arranged for a rental car, all hotels and recommended events and restaurants as we drove from Paris to Strasbourg, Colmar, Dijon, Burgundy and back to Paris. Each hotel chosen was extremely well located. An occasional room was challenging regarding the bathing facilities, but in Europe that is to be expected. There wasn’t a hotel that we would not go back to. The car that I rented from the company Sixt worked out well. They included a GPS for which I was not charged, and gave me a car with an automatic transmission, again with no extra charge. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the Christmas markets especially in a small town called Kayserberg, near Colmar. I would have liked to spend a bit more time touring the Route of Alsacian Wines and/or the wine region of Burgundy. The museum and the monument four day passes in Paris worked out well. The tour of the Eiffel tower was superb, and the guide we had was terrific. The WOW moment tour of the Garnier Opera House was very special for all of us. The concert at Saint Chapelle was amazing but the venue was very chilly and the dinner at Les Antiquaires a tasty ending to our sixteen day visit. When I return to France, I will be more that happy to have Jennifer make all arrangements.
Our family of 5 including 3 teenage boys were going to be stopping in Paris for 1 day and two nights on the way home from a trip to Morocco. I contacted Jennifer to create a full day highlight tour of Paris. The guide, Marie ange, was incredible. She is a historian and provided the perfect depth of historical analysis my very inquisitive kids needed. The driver and guide team allowed us to see the highlights of Paris in an organized, efficient, and interesting way all in 8 hrs. For longer and future trips I would definitely contact Jennifer again.
Jennifer arranged for great guides to the various destinations we wanted to visit. She provided direction and reassurance during the protests in Paris. She arranged all the skip-the-line ways to get into the various tourist destinations (such as the Louvre). Guides were all fabulous, able to relate to our children and provide great historical and interesting information about the destinations. Also, she was able to send us a list of all the Christmas markets and the best tea houses in Paris for us to explore on our own.
Jennifer and her team were very hands on during both planning and the actual trip. While we had visited Paris many times before, we wanted something a bit special to celebrate a birthday. We were there during the gilet jaunes protests and were able to navigate a remarkable and safe journey. Jennifer was personally monitoring a Plan B if we needed it before we arrived, and someone was in touch from her team every day while we were there. Jennifer created a very special, private day for us in the Champagne region as well as tickets to a sold out ballet in the Palais Garnier; something I had been trying to do myself. Not only did she garner the tickets for the night we wanted, but they were spectacular seats! All transportation and other efficiencies were also seamless and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend anyone reach out to Jennifer and her team to make your trip just that much more special.
Jennifer and her team allowed us to make the most of a short trip to Paris to celebrate my wife’s birthday, along with presenting her with the diamond ring she never got when we first got together 10 years ago. Through continuous communication, Jennifer was able to suggest different things to do as well as suggestions regarding my wives surprise gift presentation. The highlight was giving her the ring in a renewal proposal aboard a private yacht. I originally requested a Venetian boat which at the last minute had mechanical problems rendering it unavailable. Jennifer quickly replaced it with what was Sophia Loren’s private yacht and assured me furnishings and seating would be altered to be more intimate and romantic. The result was spot on resulting in the highlight of our trip.
This was the second time Jennifer helped us plan a trip. Our travel itinerary started in Amsterdam and although she does not cover that city, she arranged our train travel to Paris from Amsterdam. This included a person to meet us at the station in Paris and take us to our driver then on to our hotel. This was a great service and very time-saving!
Jennifer arranged several tours for us, including a guide for a tour of the Marais neighborhood.
To our surprise, the guide was the same one we had during a previous stay that Jennifer arranged.
Once again he was terrific. The weather that day was much colder than anticipated and he immediately found a wonderful shop so I could purchase a sweater! He knew the history and personality of the Marais so well and now it is a favorite for future trips to Paris.
All of the guides Jennifer has recommended, including in London, have been exceptional.
She also secured museum tickets and gave great restaurant recommendations.
Jennifer and her team were always accessible and continued to check in with us during our trip.
Jennifer Virgilio and her team were exceptional. From the early planning stages to the very last hour of the trip, each member of the team performed with the highest standards. During the planning phase, Jennifer reached out personally to ask about my goals for the 3-week trip. She suggested events such as the Ryder Cup and then was able to secure tickets to the already sold-out event. They were also able to secure Moulin Rouge tickets on days that were already fully booked and unavailable to the general public. Each driver or driver/guide that I was assigned was friendly, knowledgeable and extremely professional. Perhaps my favorite service was the departing airport greeter. We went through the ticketing line, customs, and security with great ease….in about 10 minutes. In all my travels, I have never encountered service like that. Working with Jennifer and her colleagues truly was a pleasure and helped to create many memories of a lifetime!
Jennifer helped us plan two nights in Paris and it was fantastic. We opted for a greeter at the airport who sped us through customs – well worth it – and a transfer to our hotel.
She gave us a number of hotel options and we settled on a great hotel in Le Marais neighborhood. Beautiful hotel and a great neighborhood – not too touristy.
Jennifer also arranged a private tour guide for the day. He was friendly and knowledgeable and we were able to see a side of Paris we otherwise would not have.
I should also note the communication during the trip was great. We received text messages with contact info for the airport greeter, driver and tour guide.
Overall, we had a great time and have Jennifer to thank for it. I would definitely work with her again.
Jennifer and her team were masters of details, efficient and very supportive throughout the entirety of the trip. We started the planning process for our trip in January. We worked up an entire itinerary for Labor Day which we then put on hold because I was going through an interview process where I didn’t know what my schedule with a new job would look like. That process went on for a really long time, and Jennifer kept checking in with me to let me know she was still holding everything, but not pushing. Finally, around July 15th I finalized my acceptance of a new position and knew that I would have 3 weeks off. This did not include the period of our original trip. I contacted Jennifer and she immediately reworked our entire trip including rebooking the hotel, remaking our reservation at Arpege, and rejiggering some elements since we were now traveling during August when many things were closed. The service did not stop with the booking process. Each night I received a text from Jennifer’s teams on call agent with our schedule for the next day including the phone numbers of our drivers or guides. This made it very easy for us to get in contact with people, something that proved very helpful when our train to Reims was 1.5 hours late. It was also extremely useful for when we bought two cases of champagne thinking we would just check them with our luggage and forgetting that we had to get them home on the train to Paris. Some quick texts to the agent on call solved the issue. They arranged for someone to come and pick them up from our driver and then ship them to us in the US. Jennifer was also very good about helping us with selecting a hotel. I had just stayed at the George V and (though I looooove it there) was looking to try something different. She was excellent at letting us know what rooms had the best Eiffel views and broke down the cost of two rooms versus suites in an extremely clear fashion. We ended up staying in the Eiffel terrace suite and the Shangri-La and it was worth every penny. I slept on the pull out but had my own closet and shower. And we had a huge terrace (only one at the hotel!) that had a full view of the Eiffel. (NB FYI the food at the Shangri-La is terrible! Don’t go there if that matters to you!) One other thing to note is that everything Jennifer suggested, all tours, hotels, guides, etc, was extremely expensive. I would plan on spending at least $3000/day if you book with her.
I used Jennifer to book some hotels and add some special experiences for my recent trip to the Loire Valley in France.
She provided two wonderful hotels where we were given excellent rooms at well-located properties for our touring by rental car. Our special full day tour to Chambord and Chenonceau was a highlight, and when questionable weather canceled our evening balloon ride, she arranged a one-hour private Helicopter tour the following day. She also secured hands down the BEST table at the Jules Verne Restaurant in the Eiffel tower, thanks to her relationship with the management!!
Jennifer really delivered some pinnacle experiences that greatly enhanced our trip, which was booked less than 6 weeks out. She also alerted us to the fact that the French Open was going on in Paris, which would impact crowds at the various sites.
From the moment we stepped off the plane to moment we left, we felt like our trip was coordinated with care and the perfect balance of guided adventures and free time. Our dinners were fantastic and the logistics were letter-perfect. Our guides were knowledgeable, engaging and fun. The hotel was ideal in both its location and its accommodations. The staff made us feel at home. The team made sure that our days’ plans were clearly communicated, and when there was a change (due to the World Cup Final), our plans were rescheduled to accommodate our hopes. All we can say is thank you! Sincerely, Matt, Lisa, and Charlie
Jennifer Virgilio and her team were terrific. All were helpful, accessible, organized, knowledgeable, reliable, thorough, responsive … making the pieces of our trip run smoothly. This outstanding service freed us from travel worries. For example, in the morning we needed to get from the hotel to Gare de Lyon, there was heavy rain. It was rush hour and finding a taxi would have been impossible. Instead, we had a reliable limo, right on time, and a greeter at the station waiting to assist. So glad to know of this excellent service. Never would have known without Wendy Perrin website and WOW list.
Jennifer assisted us during the planning stages and Marie, on her team, assisted us during the trip itself, checking in with me each day and reminding me of the next day’s events and where to meet our guide. We spent 4 days in each of Normandy, Brittany, and Paris. We are a family of 5 (3 kids, aged 9, 15 and 17), so we needed a variety of activities to engage the youngest to the oldest of our kids, and Jennifer and Marie did just that. All of our guides and trips were fabulous. Our favorite guide was Isabelle in Paris, who took us to Versailles and to our WOW moment on a private boat ride down a canal in Paris, complete with a skipper, picnic, and wine. It was amazing!! We love boats and being on the water, so it was perfect! Isabelle was warm, funny, engaging and extremely organized. She was also able to maneuver us to avoid several long lines at Versailles on an incredibly hot, crowded day. She has a passion for France and Paris, and it shows. She was very knowledgeable about French history, Paris itself and Versailles. I studied in Paris in college, and I know more than the average traveler about France and its history, and I learned so much from her. She was an absolute delight. Another highlight was our day trip with our historian to D-Day sites. Jennifer planned several day trips that were specifically designed for our kids, where they were able to see some important places in a way that made them fun, from a treasure hunt in the Louvre, a bike ride around Paris, and a crossing of the Bay of Mont St. Michel. We loved all of the places we stayed as well, which were all first-rate and all recommended by Jennifer. Jennifer and her team were extremely organized and detailed-oriented. We didn’t have one issue or mistake during our stay, which is amazing considering we changed hotels 3 times with multiple guides and tours. I knew that if we did have an issue that it would be taken care of, as we were in constant contact with Marie and her team (which was a tremendous relief). We will return to explore another part of France, and will definitely contact Jennifer and Marie again.
We traveled with two teenaged grandchildren to Normandy, Brittany, and Paris. Jennifer did a wonderful job. All the guides she arranged for us were excellent. Everyone was on time and full of information as well as helpful and pleasant. One outstanding guide was Francois in Normandy, at whose chateau we had lunch and met his family.
The only caveats I have were some difficulty in the planning stages— i.e. two separate days visiting Mont St. Michel, which I had to catch and correct. There were also errors in the final print out regarding the days allocated, which were corrected by my grandchildren. Had I not been with them I would have been confused. That having been said, we enjoyed all of her choices for activities and the hotel choices were generally excellent with the exception of The Hotel Des Thermes in San Malo. We had a sea facing room, which was nice, but it was extremely tiny for the 3 of us, and we had to remove furniture in order to live in the room. Also, it was a very commercial hotel, and our guide told us there was a better one to be had. I cannot blame Jennifer for not correcting the situation, because we did not reach out to her to assist. We were unable to change our room, and they were not very pleasant at that hotel. Two of the hotels were outstanding, The Saint in Paris and Chateau La Cheneviere in Port en Bessin. We appreciated them and thank her for finding them for us. The first hotel, Chateau La Chaumieres, was beautifully located and lots of fun. I would say all the activities were very well planned as well. There is no way we could have arranged any of this by ourselves, so kudos to you, Jennifer
I highly recommend Jennifer Virgilio and her team! In planning a trip to Monaco for our family to see the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix, Jennifer and Andreas Eberhart put together a fabulous visit, including a hotel with upgrades, restaurants, and a fantastic day on a yacht. Even with some last minute changes on our family’s part, her team was responsive and proactive in making sure everything went smoothly. It was truly a luxury experience and completely problem-free thanks to Jennifer and Andreas.
I cannot say enough about how wonderfully responsive Jennifer and her crew were for me. Contact throughout planning was always prompt and thorough. During the trip, I had a couple of questions or uncertainties that were responded to with desired results and with lightning speed.
It was such a comfort to know that this team was available when I needed them.
Aside from the reliability provided, the quality of the transport and guide services were superb. Our drivers were all prompt, friendly and eager to please ( even when we were complete jet-lagged duds). Had a small group tour to Mont St Michel that was wonderful and a highlight of our trip. We also had a day with a driver and Historian guide that was nothing short of amazing. Not sure where they found this gentleman but he was so knowledgeable, thoughtful, funny and like a magician with all of the added touches he provided. Truly outstanding and was probably our favorite day.
Jennifer Virgilio was prepared to do anything I expressed an interest in and was happy to work around my existing plans. Everything she arranged (private tours and hotel) was A+. She followed up constantly during our trip to make sure everything was going well. Next time I will book more hotels recommended by Jennifer—or, by Wendy Perrin’s tour planner for the country I’m headed to—because the hotel she booked for us was the best! I would rely more on the WOW specialist next time. Thank you!
We just had a wonderful trip to Paris, with much help from Jennifer Virgilio and her team.
I highly, highly recommend them and would absolutely use them again.
They were thoughtful, well coordinated, frequently in touch, and helped us to put together the best possible trip we could manage given just three days in Paris… They were regularly and easily in touch for on-the-fly questions and modifications, as well…
We got way, way more out of the trip than we possibly could have on our own.
We had the skeleton of a trip with a flight schedule, free hotel accommodations in Paris (Hyatt points) and a week at Le Chevrefuille in the Dordogne, but that left us with some significant blanks to fill in and no knowledge of how to best use our time or get around.
Jennifer stepped up with fantastic suggestions, booking us for two nights in Tours and a cruise on the Loire River, two nights in Bayeux with time to see the D-day beaches and Tapestry, and a behind the scenes tour of the Opera Garnier. She arranged a rental car for us upon leaving Paris and the agency was right across the street from the hotel!
Emmanuelle, our guide in the Dordogne, was an absolute delight. I have had tour guides who carefully watched the clock to make sure they did not go beyond their paid shift. Emmanuelle went hours past 5 pm. At first I felt like we were imposing upon her, until I realized this is a guide who genuinely LOVES what she does.
I understand not all planners will work with travelers who have partially booked their own trips, so I thank Jennifer for that as well.
It was a glorious trip with memories that will last a lifetime.
Jennifer was great at listening to our needs and planned a great itinerary She chose the right guides who knew how to gauge their tour to teenagers. Everyone was extremely flexible and provided a fabulous experience for our family.
She chose wonderful guides who gauged their chats to our family’s (teenagers) needs. We visited Notre Dame, The Louvre and Versailles and the kids were engaged throughout. The guides were extremely flexible and interesting resulting in a terrific experience in Paris.
Jennifer was amazing. We wanted to have private time without the crowds at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. As huge art lovers who appreciate the Impressionists, this would be the pinnacle of our short trip to Paris. We were able to access the Museum before it opened to the general public. and we had the entire fifth-floor Impressionist galleries to ourselves. Jennifer’s team offered us opportunities to have insider guided tours of Paris’s museums, including the Louvre, but due to our short trip we didn’t book those this time. We would absolutely call Jennifer for our next trip to Paris. Thank you for giving us such a memorable moment as we celebrated our sixth-year anniversary.
We used Jennifer for our trip in Europe last October, she helped us coordinate our hotels and itinerary in Burgundy and Paris. Jennifer was user-friendly, easy to communicate with and the trip was flawless, could not have been more perfect. I would highly recommend using Jennifer for future travel in Europe as our experience was outstanding.
Nancy and I just returned from a one week trip to Paris that Jennifer and her team arranged. The planning stage of the trip with Jennifer was enjoyable and easy. Jennifer listened to what we were seeking and then offered us various options from which to choose. This ensured that we experienced the Paris we wanted. Jennifer suggested 5 hotels for our stay. We ultimately chose Le Burgundy which was a small boutique hotel offering a great location, plenty of services and a very helpful and caring staff. Jennifer also matched us with our tour guide, Tatiana. This was a great match as we spent 4 days with Tatiana where we learned a lot, saw a lot and spent time conversing with Tatiana about the culture of Paris. Jennifer also arranged a fun day of going to a market with a chef and then going back to a cooking school to make lunch with the ingredients we bought at the market. I would also recommend seeking dinner suggestions from Jennifer before leaving for Paris. We ate well when in Paris and we did this and various types of restaurants from a bistro to a couple of Michelin starred venues. Finally, Jennifer and her team were constantly in contact while we were in Paris in order to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and if there was anything else we needed. I would highly recommend Jennifer to anyone seeking a special vacation in Paris. Jennifer is great. We will definitely use Jennifer and her team when we return to France.
Jennifer Virgilio was an outstanding resource in planning our much-needed jaunt to Paris. We hadn’t been back to Paris in over 20 years and couldn’t wait for this trip. We traveled from August 31 to September 9, 2017, my husband and myself. We request one hotel to stay in for half the trip and were up for a recommendation for the second half. Jennifer came up with a treasure that we would not have known about without her input. She organized our flight arrival, from reception at the gate, gathering luggage and then handing us off to our driver – seamless!
We didn’t require a lot of hand holding as we are “seasoned” travelers, but do appreciate insider knowledge at our destinations. Jennifer coordinated a day trip to Giverney with a wonderful guide/driver – a truly marvelous day. She also reserved a fabulous lunch for us at the Jules Verne Restaurant within the Eiffel Tower – an experience we had always wanted!
The hotels gave us wonderful upgrades, welcoming treats and we felt like we were very important guests and the hotels. Each were a true delight.
I absolutely would recommend Jennifer and her team – even though we were late in the planning stages to contact Jennifer – she and her team came through for us – we would certainly contact Jennifer should our travels take us back to Paris, Rome or Monaco.
Thank you, Jennifer!
Bayeux, Normandy, and Paris.Jennifer and her team provided a smooth transfer from the airport in Paris to Bayeux. The hotel, Villa Lara, was a wonderful choice for our stay; it was in the middle of this charming town; and though built to blend with the older architecture, it was relatively new. Our guide for a day-long tour of the Normandy beaches and the American cemetery was excellent. Jennifer also provided good restaurant suggestions, as well as suggesting sites we could see on our own in Bayeux.
Jennifer and her team provided a smooth transfer from the airport in Paris to Bayeux. The hotel, Villa Lara, was a wonderful choice for our stay; it was in the middle of this charming town; and though built to blend with the older architecture, it was relatively new. Our guide for a day-long tour of the Normandy beaches and the American cemetery was excellent. Jennifer also provided good restaurant suggestions, as well as suggesting sites we could see on our own in Bayeux.
Even though we were meeting friends in Paris and did not need Jennifer to set up tours for us there, she helped us find a hotel close to our friends and to public transportation.
She was also very attentive during our stay and checked in on us regularly to be sure that all was well. Throughout our planning for this trip, she and her staff were attentive to our desires and were always available to answer questions. We would definitely use her services in the future.
Jennifer Virgilio and her team, arranged for some great experiences including a private cooking class with a top chef, a cheese (Camembert) and apple (Calvados) tour with a an agronomist who was truly fantastic that included a picnic lunch he had prepared, and a very informative D-Day tour with an English gentleman who was extremely knowledgeable. All the guides were personable and very knowledgeable. In all cases, they had arranged for a lunch and we asked that they join us – talking with them and hearing their stories, for us, is important.
Also, we would highly concur with her recommendation to stay at the Villa Lara in Bayeux (where we were upgraded to a suite) and her restaurant reservations.
We hope to go back and would use her again.
Jennifer and Queen of Clubs arranged wonderful tickets for us to the Women’s Final at Wimbledon and arranged restaurant reservations there, where we enjoyed lovely meals. Transfers were all efficient and comfortable in wonderful automobiles. Two hotels (The Regina in Paris and The Milestone) gave us upgrades when we checked in and provided excellent service as well. And our private River Cruise on the Seine was wonderful. My only wish would be better seating at the Globe Theater (partially obscured view) and at the Opera Carmen in Paris.
Jennifer is candid, smart, charming and incredibly responsive. She made some excellent overall trip proposals and was very clear about which ones were new to her.
We are experienced travelers and speak French so we preferred to drive ourselves and we also made some bookings directly. This was fine with Jennifer who worked around our plans. She organized several terrific private tours (Montesquieu’s chateau, also vineyards) and dinner reservations which were great choices. We called for some help with a wifi issue and a last minute reservation and her team was right on it.
We spoke upon our return and she was very interested in hearing details to add to her knowledge of the Bordeaux region.
Jennifer was most attentive. Quick to respond and to offer excellent recommendations and thoughtful attention to details.
Jennifer Virgilio made the logistical arrangements for much of our March 2017 trip to London, Bruges, Normandy and Paris. She went above and beyond just making reservations for us. She had our Eurostar tickets delivered to our hotel in London and our train tickets from Caen to Paris to our hotel in Bayeux. She made all our dinner reservations in Paris at Michelin star restaurants. She was an absolute delight to deal with, “got” us immediately and her advice was not merely useful but spot on. She knows London as well as Paris and guided us to a wonderful meal at a top Indian restaurant in London. I would use her again for any trip to Paris and highly recommend her to anyone thinking of going there. She’s terrific.
Our tour guide gave us an excellent overview of Paris. It was perfect to have a tour scheduled early during our trip so we had a great footprint of the history and architecture of the city as we wandered around throughout the rest of our stay in Paris.
Jennifer was very attentive and responsive and planned two fabulous days for us in Brittany. She got us one of the best guides I have ever had and I have had a lot of guides. She has now lined up guides for my daughter in Rome. I highly recommend Jennifer!
Jennifer Virgilio was thorough and very flexible. She worked with our plans and interests and provided excellent guides – always courteous, friendly and very knowledgeable.
The tour guide for the Meuse/Argonne full day tour had trouble finding one of the sites and, as a result we almost ran out of gas. It was pretty tense for a while. However, the tour planner reacted to that promptly and promised to take this up with the guide. She also picked up any fees we had for the art gallery tour in Paris. We were very pleased with the way she handled this issue. Even with that problem, the guide for that tour was charming and gave us so much information about the battlefields that my husband’s grandfather fought at. The rest of the guides and the tours they provided were stellar.
I highly recommend Jennifer Virgilio. She and her company are outstanding. If you are looking to go to Paris, look no further than this treasure trove of knowledge and epitome of service.
From our first conversation Jennifer was attentive, enthusiastic, and resourceful and this standard was continually carried out by her staff and her contacts.
Our requests were not so easy. We were to be in Paris with our two teenagers for 4 days in August. Because our teens had never been to Paris we wanted to show them some important highlights. And also have fun. AND my husband and I wanted to also find some large pieces of art to ship home (not an easy task in August when so many galleries are closed)…and we wanted to spend just a half day on art.
I am a researcher by nature, so when I called Jennifer I had already looked into suites in several top hotels and I knew all the numbers. Jennifer gave me invaluable input about the pros and cons of different properties, and also told me where she had the strongest connections (which could lead to perks for us). I was very pleasantly surprised when Jennifer sent me quotes for stays at several hotels and they were significantly less expensive than what I had found. In addition, she said she would make the reservation using my credit card. So, I dis not have to pay her up front for the hotels, I could still cancel up to a day or two in advance, and the pricing was totally transparent. Many options were great, and we ended up choosing a newly renovated property where Jennifer said she knew we would have a great experience, and she had a close relationship with them.
We were thrilled with the hotel, where we were upgraded to a super luxurious suite (granted, in August, the hotel was quite empty…but it was an amazing accommodation). We were treated like royalty the entire time.
Jennifer arranged tours for us that were exactly what we had wished for. She even arranged for an incredibly knowledgable art advisor who asked us very detailed and comprehensive questions in advance related to what we were interested in, what we like and dislike, price range, and much more. The art advisor went to galleries in advance for us and sent us images of what he thought we might like. Bottom line: we purchases 3 large pieces we were very excited about during our half day with him. To top it off, we had asked Jennifer if the kids could have a separate tour while we were looking for art and she had arranged a tour of their choice which they greatly enjoyed.
Jennifers staff was extremely efficient from when we landed to when we departed, always texting us the contact info for our drivers and guides and checking back to make sure we were happy with everything. They were on top of restaurant reservations and handled all itinerary changes with ease and grace.
I cannot recommend Jennifer highly enough if you are looking for a special trip to Paris. Her contacts are deep and her service is excellent. And, she offers a la carte pricing instead of the typical “one price for the whole trip.”
Thank you Jennifer Virgilio and Queen of Clubs staff for making our short stay in Paris as perfect as it could have been.
Just returned from a 30th anniversary trip to France for my husband and I, that Jennifer helped plan, and it was absolutely fantastic! We travel frequently and thought the 3 hotels that she selected were all exceptional, all with great locations, terrific service and at an excellent value. Jennifer made all of our arrangements for us: rental cars, tickets to top of the Eiffel Tower, train tickets, private transfers, tour guides, dinner reservations, etc.. and they were all terrific. She must have a good relationship with many of the companies because everyone did something “special” for us in honor of our anniversary—champagne, special deserts, room upgrades, etc. I started planning the trip about 12 months in advance, and Jennifer was always very responsive, even with a 9 hour time difference, she always got back to me very quickly. I appreciated her understanding about the types of activities that I had told her we were and were not interested in, but there was one thing that I initially said “no” to, and she encouraged me to reconsider. It was a luxury river dinner cruise in Paris and we initially thought it sounded too “touristy”. Based on past experience, Jennifer encouraged us to take it the night of our anniversary. It was absolutely magical, I can’t imagine a more perfect place to celebrate our anniversary. I will definitely recommend Jennifer to my friends who are traveling to France and look forward to working with her again on our future trips to France.
Jennifer did a fantastic job. Not only did she plan the entire trip to France with guides and drivers but all the restaurants. I had in mind places to go and a few restaurants in Paris but she supplied the rest. She even reconfirmed our restaurant reservations. All said it was a great experience which made planning a trip a breeze.
We contacted Jennifer for an ad hoc tour while my wife and I were in Paris. She did a very good job of suggesting some interesting tours in keeping with our statements that we have been to Paris numerous times before and had visited most of the principal tourist sites and museums. For example, the Aligre market tour that she arranged for us was excellent (providing an insider’s view of the market itself and the best purveyors) and her guide was very personable, knowledgeable and very engaging.
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