Another dream trip accomplished.

We have been using Wendy’s WOW List for some time and they never disappoint us.
The planning stage was smooth and the accommodation options they gave us were always on point. The trip was planned by Laura on Zach’s team, and she did a great job in orchestrating the complicated itineraries and made sure all our requests were fulfilled, including all reservations at the restaurants, wellness, or beach clubs that we want.

We went to Mexico City, Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun. All the private experiences were perfectly arranged:
We visited Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City after they closed to public. Having the whole most-visited museum in Mexico City only for us was amazing. We had a private lunch in a Zapotec family’s house in Oaxaca and learned how they cook the meals. We had excellent experience in Cancun to have a private cenote for us. It was a beautiful cenote. They prepared a private lunch with Mayan dishes.

They connected us with one travel coordinator who worked closely with us throughout our trip, her name is Ileana. She really made our trip smooth from start to end, the communication is flawless.

We also got a massive room upgrade from Hotel Esencia in Tulum/Riviera Maya. This was the cherry on top as this was our last part of the trip.

Big appreciation to Zach, Laura, and Ileana for making this trip memorable.

I had to be near Oaxaca for Christmas, and my husband and I decided to extend our trip and spend 6 days in Oaxaca. Originally we thought it was too much, but Zach made sure that we spent super enjoyable days mixing nature, culture, and a lot of food, which we loved.

We went hiking in the mountains around Oaxaca city, an experience we hadn’t seen in any guide, we visited the Mount Alban ruins and local artisans who make alebrijes, textiles, and carpets and fell in love with the Mexican culture. But the real highlight was going to the market and then cooking lunch with Trinidad, who taught us how to prepare the most amazing Mexican dishes and where we had the best tortillas I’ve ever tried, coming straight out of the comal.

It was truly unforgettable!

My adult child (30) and I (60) took a wonderful trip to Mexico City and Oaxaca (December 4-13, 2024) planned by Zach and his team. Despite some communication hiccups at the beginning of the planning process, we settled in, and Jose planned an amazing itinerary for us. Zach and Jose asked us lots of questions to begin and the sample itineraries first shared with us showed that they were listening. Due to some physical limitations, we did not visit some of the archeological sites and skipped some hiking. Our days were full, but left time for rest and exploration on our own as we requested. Our hotels, both Pug Seal properties, were lovely. We especially appreciated the delicious breakfasts and the snacks and fruit waters available throughout the day. The staff were very friendly and helpful without being intrusive. Each location even has an honor bar.

Our guides and drivers in both cities were fantastic (guides Antonio in Mexico City and Yesi and Lupita in Oaxaca). We experienced city tours, food tours, a traditional cooking lesson and a demonstration of weaving with all natural dyes in Teotitlan, a visit to Monte Alban and three small pueblos specializing in different indigenous crafts, a visit to Coyoacan, San Angel and Xochimilco for a boat ride. Everyone that we met throughout our trip was friendly and welcoming.

And the food! From my traveling partner: “Generally just had a blast with never a bad meal.”

Our trip was fantastic, and it leaped into the stratosphere because of our guide Gabriel. The breadth of his knowledge and his warmth and inclusiveness made us all feel like friends rather than passengers.

My interactions with Laura in planning the trip were very helpful and she was an excellent listener in terms of what I wanted for this trip. We all felt like we had gotten a wonderful view of Oaxaca, one that made us want to return soon.

The trip was, with a couple of hiccups, very good. The guides and drivers in both Oaxaca and Mexico City were all excellent. They were reliable, accommodating, flexible, responsive, and knowledgeable. The accommodation in Oaxaca was very good, as was the boutique hotel in Mexico City, except that the latter was a safety hazard with poor lighting, no bannisters, and difficulty in seeing where the steps were located. The result was that I fell down the steps once and almost repeated doing so a couple of more times.

The WOW Moment at the Anthropology Museum was excellent, although the Museum-supplied guide may have rushed us a bit at the end of the tour and left some important things less than fully explained. The other site-specific guide at Chapultepec was excellent.

One hiccup was in regard to my desire to visit the birthplace of Benito Juarez, 45 minutes outside of Oaxaca. The travel planners told us that the site was too far afield and there wasn’t much to see or do there. It turns out that neither statement was entirely true, so we missed out on an experience I very much wanted to have. To be fair, the company did try to make up for that in Mexico City by adding the special guide to Chapultepec. The other hiccup was a very high price quoted to go to the Ballet Folklorico, including transport to and from. We ended up making our own arrangements at substantially less than half the cost quoted to us by the company.

My family of four—myself, my husband, and our two boys, ages 7 and 5—just got back from a long weekend trip to Punta Mita, Mexico, planned by Zach and team. While there wasn’t a lot for his team to plan for us—we focused primarily on enjoying the hotel and beach, and so only needed hotel + transfers—we enjoyed working with him, Laura, and Amalia (their on-the-ground contact in Puerto Vallarta). And, we had a perfectly wonderful experience at our hotel—the kids loved the kids club, the beach, and the multiple pools, including the private plunge pool that came with our room.

Punta Mita was maybe not the perfect fit for an adventurous trip for our family—as our kids were too young to really do a lot of the activities there that would have interested us—but we nonetheless had a fabulous time in Mexico. We ended up at Sussuros del Corazon, a relatively new Auberge property, and Zach was correct when he told me I’d love it there. The food was great, and the service was exceptional on all fronts. Truly a lovely hotel property.

Based on communication with Zach, Laura, and Amalia, I’d absolutely utilize them again—I think I would just pick a different location, where there were more age-appropriate activities for our family, if I wanted to have their full travel assistance skills shine. (I chose Punta Mita, not Zach and team, so the fact it wasn’t the best fit for activities off-resort was entirely my fault.) I’m already looking at possibly doing a longer weekend to the Riviera Maya next fall with our kids, and / or finding a time to work Mexico City into our travel plans, and whenever I do one or both, Zach and team will be the first contact I make.

A well-tailored trip, from a private museum tour to artistic performances and ballooning over Teotihuacan.

Zach and Jose helped us plan the trip. While we had been to Mexico several times, we had not been to Mexico City but had heard great things about it. It was definitely on the list. In addition, we wanted to see one of the smaller cities in the country. After thoughtful conversations about our preferences, we settled on Oaxaca.

Zach and Jose asked us all the right questions: Are you interested in architecture? Yes. Are you foodies? We are. Museums, performances? Yes and yes. They crafted a trip that was well tailored to the kinds of things we like. Because we have traveled with many of Wendy’s WOW List experts, we had a WOW Moment our very first morning—a private tour of Museo Mural Diego Rivera, which houses his masterpiece Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park. I felt like we were traveling through time, from Mexico’s Indigenous roots to 1947, when the mural was completed. It was a vivid crash course on the country’s layered history, which made the sights we saw later more meaningful.

Early one morning we floated in a hot air balloon over the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan. We spent an evening at the Ballet Folklorico in the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes. One night we went to see Lucha Libre, a wild cross between the World Wrestling Entertainment and Cirque Du Soleil. Amazing athleticism with much encouragement from the wrestlers for audience participation and statements about the profession of their opponents’ mothers.

Near Oaxaca, we visited the archaeological ruins of Monte Albán and Mitla and went to several villages, each of which specialized in a different craft—black pottery, backstrap weaving, and vibrant alebrijes (intricately painted wood carvings).

Food was a big part of this trip. Zach and Jose’s team gave us restaurant recommendations in each city, and we had a ball learning to make tortillas and salsa with an amazing cook who also fed us her chicken mole and stuffed peppers.

We had great guides and drivers, and throughout the trip, Raquel on the team checked in to see how things were going. She was so helpful, making sure we were not in bulkhead seats so we could put our belongings under the seat in front of us when we flew from Oaxaca to Mexico City, and making sure we were in the right place when we were picked up at the airport.

It was a trip filled with history, flavor and fun. Viva la Mexico!

Zack and Gerardo helped me plan a great birthday trip. I wanted to see pyramids for my 60th, but with the political unrest in the Middle East, I opted to take my children and my brother and his family to see Mayan ruins. Gerardo suggested swimming with whale sharks since our trip was during peak migration. Swimming with the whale sharks, seeing a manta ray and snorkeling in the reef was truly a once in a lifetime adventure! As a bonus, the boat was named Jasmine, my daughter’s name. Our guide for the ruins, Sylvia, was wonderful and our driver, Jorge, was a delight. Wonderful.

Sunset over La Parroquia in San Miguel de Allende. Photo: Traveler Miichael Ruma

Having visited numerous beach locations in Mexico, we hoped to learn more about the country’s colonial history and traditions with a visit to the Heart of Mexico…San Miguel de Allende. After contacting Wendy via her website, we were swiftly introduced to Zach Rabinor. Without any real knowledge of non-coastal locations in Mexico, we leaned significantly on Zach’s keen understanding of the Mexican landscape, culture, and food scene. Zach answered our call, listened deftly to our specific wants and needs, and fashioned a wonderful week of fun in Mexico.

Getting to San Miguel involved a short flight from Dallas to the Aeropuerto Internacional de Guanajuato. With a small number of flights each day, our arrival was seamless, efficient and enjoyable…unlike so many other large international city destinations. We were greeted by Jaime, our local driver guide for the week, and were whisked away to the Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende. Upon our arrival to the beautiful city of San Miguel, we were pleased not to have to worry about navigating its cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways in a rental car. Met with mezcal cocktails, we completed our check in and were guided to our suite with a gorgeous rooftop view of the Parroquia de San Miguel. Our room with a separate living room with dark woods and navy fabrics set the scene of a grand traditional Mexican hacienda with the soothing sounds of a small fountain with a central courtyard. The recipient of innumerable awards for hospitality, the Casa de Sierra Nevada provided a beautiful environment within steps of the entire town of San Miguel.

On our first morning after a relaxing breakfast, we were met by a private guide who introduced us to the walkable, but hilly city of San Miguel. We visited numerous parks, church squares, markets, and art galleries. While visiting La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, we experienced one of the hundreds of traditional religious celebrations occurring in the city nearly every other day. After a full day of sightseeing, we sipped some local wine and enjoyed our rooftop view of the city.

Receiving numerous suggestions on dining in San Miguel de Allende prior to our arrival, we sampled a contemporary Mexican restaurant, a resident sushi spot, as well as traditional street taco place with loads of locals in a residential part of town. Dishes included tuna tostadas at Ryoko, tacos with queso de Oaxaca and arrachera at Brasimix, as well as braised short ribs at Atrio. All the food delighted our taste buds and was enjoyed immensely.

After a private cooking class the following day and wandering around all the sights and sounds of San Miguel, we enjoyed a grand private tour of Cuna de Tierra, the first and oldest winery of Guanajuato. Met by the sommelier on property, we were poured a glass of Mexican Nebbiolo and driven in an all-terrain vehicle throughout the vines. Well informed of the history of the vineyard, its numerous awards, and extensive viticulture offerings, we then sat down for a delectable four-course tasting menu with wine pairing. We sampled Mexican rosé, semillon, cabernet sauvignon, and their flagship wine, Pago de Vega, a Bordeaux blend. Each of the wines paired well with the inventive menu and locally sourced ingredients. We purchased several bottles which we savored over the remaining nights’ cocktail hours before our trip concluded.

On our last two days in Mexico, we stayed in Guanajuato, famed for one of the largest silver mines in the world as well as its renowned university. We saw all the city taking in the Teatro Juarez, a market building built by Gustave Eiffel, and its maze of underground street tunnels. Well known for its culinary delights, we tried guacamaya, enchiladas enmoladas, and of course…churros. Our last night was spent dining at Casa Valadez and meandering Jardín Unión with its innumerable musical groups of Mariachis, norteños, and estudiantinas.

Enchanted by its markets, countless cafés and wonderful restaurants, endless activities, and diverse and caring people, we hold cherished memories of colonial Mexico. We would return to San Miguel de Allende in an instant for a future visit and would make it a longer stay to further immerse ourselves into the welcoming local culture and life there.

Tony Ford-Hutchinson and wife Jane explored Monte Alban, a pre-Columbian archaeological site.

As our previous trips to Mexico have all been to resort areas, Jane and I realized we really need to go to Mexico City and beyond to understand what the country is all about, including its complicated history.

Zach organized an outstanding trip starting with 5 nights in Mexico City. We stayed in the boutique hotel Casa Polanco, right in the Polanco neighborhood with restaurants etc. all within walking distance. Zach’s office was able to snag reservations at top restaurants, including Pujol ,which was a short walk from the hotel and lived up to its reputation of being one of the world’s top restaurants. Our guide in Mexico City and the butterfly reserves, Jose, was exceptional and knowledgeable. He took us around for the next 4 days. Day 1 to visit Teotihuacan and then the City’s historical center. Day 2 a wander around the Southern neighborhood, including Frida Kahlo’s house. That evening a private, after-hours tour around the Museum of Anthropology. Day 3 a climb through Chapultec Park to the Castle and its museums. A complete change of pace and experience that evening with prime seats at a Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling) followed by drinks and snacks in a mezzcaleria. Day 4 an exploration of the modern architecture of the city, afterwards another great meal in the evening at Maximo.

Leaving Mexico City, we headed out into Michoacan to visit two of the Monarch Butterfly Reserves over two days. Seeing these large numbers of butterflies and climbing up to where they gather is a unique experience, and with the declining numbers who knows how long this will continue.

Our next stop was Oaxaca, a place we have always wanted to visit, and it did not disappoint. Zach’s team arranged several private artist studio tours. Many artists have made Oaxaca their home. We walked all around the town, ran into a Carnival procession and met multiple wedding processions. All unexpected. Our guide, Lenny, took us around the archeological site of Monte Alban, the city’s markets and many churches and other interesting sights. He too was very knowledgeable. With so many great restaurants and bars in Oaxaca, what is there not to like!

After all this activity we planned 4 days of R&R in a tree-house accommodation in the extensive grounds of the One&Only Mandarina resort, north of Puerto Vallarta.

Finally we flew to Tijuana, walked across the border from the air terminal (very easy) to meet our son in San Diego. Quite surreal.

All in all a great trip to Mexico. Thank you Zach for understanding our needs and wants and delivering on them.

This was our second trip with Zach’s team, and once again, Zach and Jose did a fantastic job. As with all of Wendy Perrin’s fixers, the logistics were impeccable, enabling us to relax and enjoy our trip.

We’ve been to Mexico several times on our own. Last year, we contacted Zach’s office because we were looking for a unique experience. During our first call, Zach gave us an overview of his favorite Mexican places and experiences, and this conversation became our guide. We went to CDMX and Morelia to see the winter habitat of the Monarch butterflies. While we had been to CDMX before, our experiences this time were unique, and the pilgrimage to see the butterflies was an experience we will never forget.

This year, we chose Oaxaca. We had been 20+ years ago and had fond memories, so we decided to visit again. And, of course, we wanted a completely different experience. Given last year, our expectations for this year were high, and Zach exceeded them.

Zach and Jose listened carefully to what we wanted, and they delivered, including the right blend of guided time and time on our own.

We met and interacted with local people, which is important to us when we travel. These encounters included a visit to his farm with a Mezcal master and a day with a gallerist that included visits to artist studios. Both were lots of fun.

The highlight of our trip was the day we spent with award-winning chef Alejandro Ruiz. We began with a visit to the Central market with Alejandro and one of his chefs—we were the only Americans there. Shopping with him, watching what he chose as he planned the menu in his head was a treat. We followed the visit to the market by joining his kitchen staff to prepare a multi-course meal for the three of us. We were expecting a cooking “lesson”; instead, we were chefs (of sorts). And we couldn’t have asked for a better tutor (btw, Alejandro was a teacher before becoming a chef). We learned a ton; Alejandro was patient and fun to be with, in no way fitting the stereotype of a famous chef, and we had a great time.

The whole Oaxaca experience came together with our stellar guide, Carlos.

We are looking forward to our next visit to Mexico with Zach and team.

The pyramids of Teotihuacán from a hot-air balloon. Photo: Marian Robinson

We had a spectacular trip to Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende November 2023. After an initial call with Zach and Jose, senior trip planner, Jose proposed an initial itinerary that was interesting and thoughtful, and the planning went quickly and smoothly under his guidance. We loved Mexico City & our guide Ariushka & driver Oscar, who are both excellent. The traffic in Mexico City is legendary, and we were so grateful to have Oscar as our driver to navigate the city; we would never have been able to cover so much on our own. And our guide Ariushka was perhaps the best guide we’ve had in all our many years of travel. She reviewed our itinerary in its entirety, and made sure to add any additional activities she felt would enhance the trip.

We started the trip with a Food Tour exploring Centro Historico. The next day we very much enjoyed visiting San Angel, Coyoacan & floating down Xochimilco waterways. We loved visiting Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo’s childhood home). Unfortunately, the other home where Frida lived with her husband Diego Riviera was closed, but we did drive by it. The next day we had a very interesting culinary experience at Milpa Alta where we harvested edible NOPAL cactus and enjoyed a delicious breakfast. We then went to a traditional mole factory. After that chef Jorge Correa & Laurencia Melo taught us how to make tortillas and other Mexican dishes. Chef Jorge prepared a delicious four-course lunch that was memorable.

We enjoyed a private visit at the National Museum of Anthropology the next evening that should not be missed. During our stay in Mexico City, we also visited the Park, the Chapultepec Castle, Modern Museum & explored many charming neighborhoods and art galleries. It was a rich and rewarding experience. On our way to San Miguel we had a private tour of the Teotihuacán pyramids, including our first hot-air balloon ride, which was fabulous! Next on to San Miguel, which was as charming as we had hoped. We stayed at the Rosewood, which is a beautiful property. We loved exploring San Miguel, and walking around the cobblestone streets & ducking in and out of art galleries, museums, numerous shops, and cafés.

We went to the intriguing city of Guanajuato, where there are underground roads and streets. The colorful panoramic vistas of the city are simply gorgeous. We spent a day visiting San Miguel’s art and artisan scene with studio visits, another highlight of the trip. We are very impressed with the itinerary that Jose prepared for us and the level of detail they put into every experience. We especially were impressed that we had a Trip advisor — Gina (via ‎WhatsApp) who checked in with us multiple times a day to make sure everything was going well. Gina was available 24 /7 and went out of her way to be helpful (for example, every day she asked us if we wanted her to make a dinner reservation or if we needed any other kind of assistance). We were celebrating birthdays, and there were so many birthday cakes & touches I lost count. Thank you!!! We are extremely impressed with how well run Zach’s office is and highly recommend them for any trip to Mexico (and I understand they now cover Costa Rica). We will definitely use them again for our next trip to Mexico! Thank you Wendy for this amazing recommendation!

Hot air balloons above one of the pyramids at Teotihuacan, near Mexico City. Photo: Traveler Helen Blumen

My 16-year-old granddaughter and I spent 10 days in Mexico City and Oaxaca in August 2023, and we had a wonderful time! We especially loved the cooking lesson with a wonderful Zapotec lady, and the menu was adjusted for teenager tastes so that we ate quesadillas and chiles rellenos. Another highlight was the balloon ride to see the pyramids at Teotihuacan. We are grateful for Zach’s team’s flexibility when our original flight was delayed.

Special thanks to Zach and his team for an extraordinary tour! We decided to engage Zach based on the recommendations of good friends and Wendy Perrin advocates who visited Mexico last year. I appreciate the time that they spent curating such a unique experience! Simply put, Zach and his team listened.

Our plan was to explore Mexico City after attending a conference and finishing up in Oaxaca. Our guide Jaime, a professor at the University, introduced us to the highlights and historical center of Mexico City. He provided us cultural, social and historical background which made our visit all the more relevant and personal. The conference had some last-minute schedule changes which affected our itinerary. In short, we had to actually flip days and tour on a Sunday rather than the originally planned Saturday. Senior Coordinator Ileana handled the switch with grace and was able to make everything work seamlessly! This is what working with a pro is all about! Jaime made us feel like locals by accompanying us to Lucha Libre, the freestyle Mexican wrestling which was an immersion in culture! The next morning came very early with an exhilarating, not-to-be-missed balloon ride over the pyramids, followed by a delicious breakfast and tour of the Teotihuacan sight! Finally, I must mention a true highlight of Mexico City, our private after-hours tour of the Anthropology Museum. The stunning expanse of structure filled with artistic treasures could have been overwhelming. Our knowledgeable guide provided us with just enough detail to allow us to walk away with a sense of awe for the culture of Mexico.

Off to Oaxaca where we met our first guide Juan. After checking into our hotel that started as a 16th-century convent, we were treated to a mezcal tasting to learn about the spirit that is taking the world by storm. Afterwards we had dinner of grilled Tlayuda, the traditional tortilla that falls into the category of ultimate comfort food! For the next few days, our skilled guide Gabriel immersed us in the culture and history of Oaxaca. From churches, art galleries, museums and historic sights Monte Alban and Mitla, Gabriel’s impressive knowledge of so many subjects became apparent. I must mention that Zach’s restaurant choices in Oaxaca were fantastic! Each restaurant was unique and charming on their own merit, a perfect complement to our stay. Oaxaca is one of the most sought-after travel destinations and it is certainly apparent why. Thank you, Zach and team, for such an incredible experience!

We recently returned from a fantastic trip to “the real Mexico.” We have visited Mexico several times in the past and were looking for a new experience; Zach and his team delivered. Zach spent time with us upfront reviewing our preferences. He listened well and came back soon after with several trip options. We chose a combo of CDMX and a visit to the winter habitat of the eastern monarch butterflies in Michoacan.

At first, we were a bit worried because, after the initial conversation with Zach, the responsiveness from his office during the planning was slow—uncharacteristic of previous Wendy Perrin WOW planners. Apparently, we started planning our trip at the same time as they were arranging several events in Mexico, and the team was stretched. I kept reading previous reviews to reassure us that it would be ok.

And they delivered; the trip was definitely a WOW!

Zach and his team went out of their way to make us happy, from upgrading our hotel room to a perfect balance of activity and downtime, combined with truly unique experiences. And to ensure our happiness, Amalia C watched over every detail while we were there, checking in with us and our guides daily.

In CDMX, seeing unique art was important to us. Zach heard this request and provided an art specialist for this part of our journey. We wanted casual local restaurants and enjoyed Jose’s favorites within walking distance of our hotel.

Amalia M was our guide for the rest of our journey, and Sergio was our driver. In CDMX, we enjoyed our first hot-air balloon ride, a private Teotihuacan tour, and a private Xochimilco Chinampas experience. Then we were off to an unforgettable experience hiking to two butterfly sanctuaries. Amalia described it as a pilgrimage of sorts, and it was.

Everything was flawlessly executed, Amalia M taught us about Mexico, and Sergio is probably the best driver I have ever been in a car with.

We would definitely travel with Zach and team again.

We had been trying to plan a trip that included Oaxaca for a few months, and when our calendar opened up, we reached out to Zach Rabinor. Normally we put months and months into planning, but this was a relatively short period of planning and then departing. Even with a shortened planning time, Zach and his team, especially Jose Pineda, were able to put together an itinerary that matched my want list for Oaxaca.

We wanted to see Monte Alban, experience some markets, learn about barro negro pottery and most importantly, take a cooking class that focused on mole.

The two hotels we stayed in, in Oaxaca, were perfect. First was a colonial house turned into a hotel, charming and delightful. Then a more modern hotel which was equally wonderful.

The in-country team from Zach’s office was really great. We had a fabulous guide for three days, Gabriel, who was a wealth of knowledge about everything, art, ancient history, contemporary history, the markets, etc. He and our driver were always ready for us and made each excursion very enjoyable. The absolute best part of this part of the trip was the cooking class. We were lucky enough to go to Teotitlan de Valle, the village known for weaving. In that village we had the most wonderful cooking class and meal with a lovely Zapotec woman. This class and meal were the highlight of our time in Oaxaca. I even brought home some mole we will make into a dinner in the next few weeks! Her husband and family are master weavers, and we were able to get a weaving demonstration with explanation of natural dyes. Of course we had to purchase some weavings/rugs to take home! While in country, our contact person, Ileana, regularly checked in with us by phone and text to make sure all was going well and to see if we needed anything. She was great at letting us know we were being looked after.

The second part of our trip was a stay on Isla Mujeres. We were looking for beach and snorkeling time and an overall relax-at-the-beach experience. This wasn’t exactly how it went. Isla Mujeres is very, very crowded and noisy and not what we expected. The hotel was a disappointment.

Overall, I have to say that Zach and the team were great and we would absolutely work with them again. We felt safe and checked in on, and anything that their team was supposed to take care of ran like a well-oiled machine. These folks have a great operation!

Loved Mexico City and loved the help from Zach Rabinor. From the start, Zach listened and provided options based on what we wanted. We wanted to explore neighborhoods and culture and avoid crowded museums and other tourist sites. Zach and his team delivered right on point. We were able to visit the historic downtown, stroll through neighborhoods like Roma, Condessa and Polanca in the heart of Mexico City, and visit the district of Coyoacan with the charming Colonia del Carmen neighborhood and village center with our guide Amalia. If you are a foodie you will love your options. We had a wonderful taco tour with Fredrico and 2 wonderful meals with private chefs Alfredo and Graciela. Everything was absoluteley delicious. Another highlight was a shopping afternoon with Cristina, who took us to wonderful off-the-beaten-path shops where we were able to purchase items we will cherish forever, and a beautiful selection of clothing for my wife. We had a wonderful time and will definitely use Zach next time we go to Mexico.

This was our second time using the services of Zach’s team, this time for travels to Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende and, yet again, they excelled.

The tours and activities they planned in Mexico City (historical city tour, visit to San Angel, Coyoacan, and Casa Azul, etc.) were exactly what we wanted. They even arranged a private after-hours visit to the National Museum of Anthropology–we had the entire museum to ourselves! Wandering through the galleries with an expert was definitely a magical experience, and brought the cultures to life. Our guide, Victor, was excellent throughout, always finding something extraordinary for us to see, including the fantastic murals at the Ministry of Public Education (a truly overlooked site). Before leaving Mexico City, we were treated to a WOW Moment with a special lunch at Los Danzantes, including our own personal mariachis (thanks, Wendy).

San Miguel was the “downtime” part of our trip, however, Zach’s office did arrange a marvelous tour of the city, a tequila tasting, and tour of the Botanical Gardens. They even managed to squeeze in a tour of Queretaro before we boarded our flight home.

As before, the efficiency and knowledge of the people at Zach’s office made the trip effortless for us. Other parts of Mexico are on our travel list, and we will definitely call on them again for their help.

Baja CA is such an easy destination to get to from Southern CA, so when Zach and his team suggested a Thanksgiving trip for my family of 4, including 2 teen daughters, we jumped on it as we have not explored the other parts of Baja beyond Los Cabos. As up-and-coming areas, we saw the charm of Todos Santos town, hiked along the hills above the ocean and had surf lessons at Los Cerritos. Next up was La Paz, which has potential to become a wonderful destination, as there are plenty of adventure activities to choose from. We had a few travel hiccups the first few days in Todos Santos and La Paz, but Zach’s travel team of Jose & Amalia worked to make it the best they possibly could. One of our main goals for this trip was to swim with the whale sharks in La Paz, which normally have a very dependable arrival in early November. However they decided not to show up in their regular numbers, so no one could get permits to swim with them in La Paz bay. This was a major disappointment but we had back-up activities planned and ideas ready, which is a useful travel tip for those “planning” on unpredictable animal life interactions. You just never know what will happen, so have something else in mind that will satisfy your travel wishes. We instead went on a sunset sandboarding excursion on the oceanfront dunes one late afternoon, and it was beautiful and remote. We also took a full-day boat trip to scuba dive with friendly, juvenile sea lions, took another dive through a shipwreck and then anchored at a remote beach for a wonderful lunch. These were both exciting excursions that filled the void of the whale sharks’ absence, and having Zach’s connections made it all that much easier. Our last stop was Grand Velas on the Los Cabos corridor. What a property! The rooms, the views, the service, the spa, the food…it was all amazing! We left the property for a few activities: horseback riding on the beach and in the hills, and a jam-packed adventure up in the mountains with zip lines, rappelling, free-fall jumps, climbing, & polaris vehicle driving; all seamlessly organized by Zach’s team. But coming back to the resort was the best part of the day and their Thanksgiving night celebration on the rooftop deck was over-the-top spectacular! We ended up with a memorable holiday break, even with the few struggles, and we were all recharged going into the holiday season!

Our group of six friends just spent two weeks in Mexico. We worked with Zach and Zaira to plan, exploring the many options and settling on quite a full itinerary for the five days in Mexico City and then the trip to Puerto Vallarta. There were a number of highlights—Joseph and the tacos and mezcal tour on our first night, our private evening tour of the Museum of Anthropology, the morning in the lovely neighborhood of Coyoacan and the Frieda and Diego residences, and the day at Teotihuacan and the private time with the archeologists. Everardo was wonderful—knowledgeable, flexible and always on time! We enjoyed our time with him. Our favorite dinner was our New Year’s Eve dinner at Filigrana. The food was excellent! Our trip to Las Alamandas was longer than we expected, and we had an initial transfer glitch at the airport that kept us waiting for 30-40 minutes. One of us had a room problem, which was resolved quickly and we were moved to a lovely room. We benefited on several occasions from easy access to Adriana, who was our contact person in country. That enabled us to handle any smaller adjustments necessary. We appreciated the detailed itinerary and preparation material for our visit. When we finished our itinerary with Zach, we went to see the monarch butterflies, so by the end of our time, we were exhausted!

We visited Mexcio City (CDMX) from December 26th to December 31st, 2022. Zach’s office planned our entire trip. Some of the great points of using them for this trip was they handled the transportation perfectly. Both to/from the airport and also during our time in the city. In fact, at both the arrival and departure we had an English-speaking guide helping us through the airport. The hotel selection was great, as we loved everything about the Four Seasons CDMX. We had many activities planned through our time…a few that stood out include a trip to Teotihuacan and a trip to the Xochimilco chinampas (a canal-type experience in CDMX). Many of the restaurant reservations that Zach’s team helped us organize were great. Our favorite was Quintonil, which I would highly recommend to anyone traveling to CDMX. Zach was able to get us a table for four…which is basically impossible to get on your own. I would recommend them to Mexico for your trip to CDMX, especially for groups of adults. If you plan to bring children with you, I would stress that you should be highly specific with your requests with Zach’s office.

I booked a trip through Zach’s office over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, covering Cabo and Mexico City. Without too much advance time to plan, Zach met with me a couple times to strategize on a Mexico vacation based on our interests and availability. Fast forward, we had a super great time in both places. Zach’s group made sure the details were taken care of and that we had a very balanced, diverse itinerary of activities with superb guides/drivers. Whenever there was any need for assistance, I was able to text (WhatsApp) Adriana, who typically responded within moments, regardless of late hours or holidays. I highly recommend Zach’s team and would make use of them again for any trip to Mexico.

Thanks to Zach Rabinor, Gabriela and Amalia, my husband Kenn and I enjoyed an incredible trip to Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta over the Christmas holidays. We have been to multiple locations throughout Mexico, but knowing little about all of the available options in Mexico City and PV, we again went to Wendy’s WOW List for guidance. As always, our high expectations were surpassed at every step of our vacation. In both locations, Zach and his team put together a personalized itinerary that matched our entire wish list. The Orchid House in Mexico City had the charm and location we’d requested, and our driver and guide—Joel and Javier—took us to sights and places that we never would have found on our own with a knowledge, love and fluency that only native residents would have. The same for our five-star resort—Garza Blanca—just south of Puerto Vallarta. We utilized Zach’s referrals for all of our activities and restaurants and were never disappointed. Reservations were made and confirmed for us in Spanish, and Zach’s team greeted us at both airports to assure smooth passage during the crazy, busy holiday time. We truly would have been lost without these helpful people to guide us to the proper airline windows. Even when I requested information about a workout space in Mexico City, Gabi came through with a reservation and easy walking directions. We enjoyed a WOW Moment at a lovely restaurant in Puerto Vallarta where our table was located literally next to the ocean. Amalia actually showed up in person to make sure all elements of our wonderful surprise came to pass. We have never enjoyed that kind of personalized service! Communication with the team was immediate and nothing was left to chance. Even when we requested changes, there was never any hesitation or sense that I was “bothering” our team. The main focus and mission from Zach and every member of his team seemed to have one purpose: to ensure a WOW vacation for us, which they exceeded in every way. Zach also now covers Costa Rica, which we can’t wait to experience. Muchas gracias to his team.

We have just returned from a spectacular trip to Mexico with one of Wendy’s WOW List planners. Joe, Jose, Adriana and all of their competent staff (guides and drivers) assured that our trip was flawless. Timing was wonderful and the weather cooperated, with temperatures in the 70s every day, even at 6,000-foot altitude in Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca. All of our accommodations were perfect for us, close to the city centers. We were particularly interested in the differences and juxtaposition of the pre-Hispanic to colonial culture, visited many of the significant Aztec and Zapotec sites, as well as the colonial churches and significant buildings. We loved the personal stories of our guides and their connections to their home towns. As we were especially interested in the food culture, and we had excellent restaurant experiences at Pujol in Mexico City, going on a taco tour, mezcal tasting (really interesting and fun) and eating lots of chapulines (crickets) that were in season. Thanks to Wendy for our lovely WOW Moment dinner at Criollo in Oaxaca.

Jose was very accommodating in supplying us with names of cardiologists and hospitals at each city we visited, just for peace of mind. We have been Medjet members for many years and this adds a level of safety and security when traveling. Regarding Covid, we felt very safe, we had only one stop, where we arrived at a very small church at the same time as a tour bus. Our guide went and spoke to the guide from the bus tour and then she rerouted our itinerary to another site and came back when less crowded. A loss of 15 minutes and worth it!

We ended our trip with two days on the beach near Puerto Escondido at a lovely small resort, Casona Sforza. We had wonderful food and a lovely room overlooking the Pacific, definitely our chill time before returning home.

Zach’s office provided a great, seamless trip; timing on every event was flawless. We had great vehicles, safe drivers and guides who were willing to make changes on the fly and accommodate our every request. Wendy’s WOW List will continue to be our gold standard for international travel. Many thanks to Zach and the team at Wendy Perrin.

A group of 7 women traveled to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico early November 2022. It was a fun time to visit, as the Day of the Dead decorations were still up. Zach and his team did a great job of planning an itinerary that was a good blend of history, art, culture and free time. San Miguel is a beautiful city, although a bit difficult to walk for my 84-year-old mother. The sidewalks are very narrow and the streets are rough cobblestones. We loved our hotel, Matilda; the staff were exceptionally accommodating and friendly. Our driver/guide Jaime was also top notch. We enjoyed his guided tour of San Miguel and Guanajuato. It is a culturally rich and very friendly destination!

Knowledgeable guides, congenial and always on time.

We felt well taken care of by our guides, drivers and travel planners. There is so much to see and do in Oaxaca and we are glad that we hired Zach’s team to help us plan and execute this trip. We had a wonderful cooking experience with a Zapotec family and our guide Gabriel was amazingly knowledgeable, caring and funny. The history in this area of Mexico is fascinating. We spent one afternoon tasting mezcal and learning how it is made with the owner himself. Black pottery, Alebrijes, natural dyed wall hangings and rugs…. BRING AN EMPTY SUITCASE! (Or buy one in the market as we did!)

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Zach and his wonderful team – Carolina and Jose among many others behind the scenes I’m sure – planned the most outstanding mother-daughter spring break trip to Baja California Mexico for my 20 year old and me. We were interested in a nature-focused experience, spending all of our time on whale watching, sea lions, whale sharks, etc. Zach was so thoughtful, spending a series of phone calls with me figuring out what kind of travelers we were and what kind of experiences would be right. He then proposed the perfect itinerary, including four days in a remote whale-watching camp alongside time in La Paz on private boat excursions to key wildlife sites and a transfer evening in Cabo. We weren’t excited about spending time in busy Cabo, and he found us an under-the-radar boutique hotel that checked all our boxes (quiet, beautiful, excellent service).
The trip itself was flawlessly executed, thanks to his colleague Carolina’s careful detail work and real-time monitoring. She went out of her way to figure out where we could skip logistics steps and bypass lines. It couldn’t have run more smoothly during a very crowded time in Baja.
I was also so appreciative of their flexibility and help when, at the last minute, I had a medical emergency and couldn’t go with my daughter. They immediately shifted all of the reservations to a new family member who accompanied her. Hearing their glowing, joyful reports every day of the amazing time Zach and team had organized was almost as wonderful as being there myself.
We can’t recommend Zach, Carolina, Jose and team more highly.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  My husband and I are very seasoned travelers having visited over 114 countries in the world. We have never experienced service as good as this before, that’s for sure.
Zach Rabinor, along with his team on the ground, were incredible.
There are always moments along the way when something goes awry, small details can and do fall by the wayside at those times. Carlos, our contact on the ground, jumped in and did an excellent job
However the REALLY BIG difference came when my husband needed a doctor.
On returning from dinner to our hotel one night in Mexico City, Patrick was experiencing chest pains that felt like very bad indigestion, so we stopped by the desk to ask for a doctor.
Within a few minutes the owner of this small boutique hotel was at our side, saying he had called an UBER and was going to go with us to the ER, by then, it was around 1030 pm.
Sam stayed with us translating and advocating for us.
I can’t imagine how we would have coped without him. No one spoke English except the doctors. We speak no Spanish really. He navigated us through the ER making sure that we were taken care of, even referring his mother’s cardiologist to us. At 230am a young man named Tim arrived. He reported directly to Zach, basically he was the head guy on his team, he had been woken up in the middle of the night and came immediately to the hospital.
When my husband was admitted for over night evaluation at around 4am and they had ruled out all heart issues,Tim took me by UBER back to the hotel.
Over the next few days Sam and Carlos checked in on us regularly and his team stayed on top of the situation until we left.
All I can say is, thank you Zach, the relationships that you clearly have formed on the ground really paid off for us!!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Wow! Wow! WOW! We’re just home from a glorious trip to beautiful Oaxaca. I can’t say enough about the outstanding service we received from Zach and his team. I particularly appreciated that Zach responded immediately to my initial inquiry, set up a phone visit, and from then on, each and every contact with Zach and his team was seamless.

We were able to share our goals for the trip—seeing colonial architecture, ancient ruins, interacting with locals to learn about their culture, visiting a contemporary artist, enjoying the fabulous cuisine, both indigenous and modern. As self proclaimed foodies, we particularly appreciated the balance between the choices of local color and flavor during daytime excursions and the exquisite upscale restaurants in evening.

Zach came up with an itinerary that perfectly suited our tastes and preferred pace. Unfortunately Covid prevented us from enjoying some museums we wished we could have seen. On the other hand, we were able to visit artists in their studios. Our guide, Gabriel, never ceased to amaze us with his knowledge of architecture, art, culture, history, even horticulture. He is an encyclopedia of everything Oaxaca!

The Covid protocol in Oaxaca had us feeling very safe—at the hotel, in restaurants and historic sites and galleries. We loved visits to the markets, a personal cooking class, meals with their famous chocolate drink sitting with the locals. Zach’s deputy Adriana was on point each and every day, sending us reminders of tour hours, restaurant reservations, even making timing and site adjustments in the itinerary when requested. Even setting up our Covid antigen test at our hotel rooms prior to return to the U. S.

We were so very happy with our stay at the Quinta Real. We had originally requested a boutique hotel, but when our choice was not available for the week, we took Zach’s recommendation of the Quinta Real Oaxaca, a 16th century convent, now a hotel. The experience was outstanding. We were there a full week and frankly felt like ‘family’. The service was impeccable, the staff delightful, Covid protocol was exceptional, rooms comfortable, views exquisite.

Thanks to Zach, Laura, Adriana and Gabriel and all the team for a magical week which met every expectation and more!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We have just returned from a trip to Playa del Carmen and enjoyed a fabulous week at the Palmaia, House of Aia. What a gorgeous resort with a beautiful beach just 45 minutes to an hour south of the Cancun airport. Our trip was planned by Jose, one of Zach’s associates. They arranged private transportation to/from the airport and our hotel accommodations. We had 2 beautiful rooms for our family of 5 and enjoyed the ocean views from 3rd and 4th floors. This was a trip for just relaxing so we didn’t plan any excursions. We enjoyed the beach and pools – a perfect vacation. The staff all wore masks and we spent most of our time outside, which made it feel more comfortable. The hotel is an all inclusive serving top shelf drinks and the food was mostly vegan (though you could get seafood and meat at a few restaurants). The most delicious food we have eaten on vacation. We plan to return!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL When we decided on a family vacation in Mexico for three generations, plus a pre-vacation vacation for my husband and me, we knew we needed help with logistics. Also, we wanted to make sure we navigated all the ins and outs of dealing with COVID while feeling safe and still having fun.

Zach and his colleagues came through on both counts. It took us a while to get the itinerary just right, however Zach listened carefully to how we liked to travel and what activities we like. He was also very patient as we revised days and activities several times.

The first stop for my husband and me was in San Miguel de Allende. While we had initially hesitated to stay at the Rosewood because it was not in the center of town, Zach convinced us this hotel would be excellent, and he was correct. Thanks to Zach, we were upgraded to their Tower Suite, which not only came with an enormous amount of space on two levels, but its own private elevator, three outdoor patios, and two butlers! Everything about this hotel (staff, restaurants, service) was magical, and we cannot wait to return.

The tours Zach arranged in San Miguel were excellent. There were many highlights, including a market tour and cooking class with a chef, and an in-depth tour of San Miguel and Guanajuato (Zach had difficulty convincing us to spend the time on the day tour of Guanajuato, but we are so glad he did; it is a lovely, interesting city, and we were sorry we had not allocated an extra day or two to explore there).

The remainder of our trip was spent in Puerto Vallarta with the entire family. We had mentioned to Zach that, because of COVID, we wanted to stay in a private villa. We also had very specific requirements for the villa – directly on the water, large enough so we would all have our own space, fully staffed (and the staff vaccinated), close to activities, and located an easy distance from the center of Puerto Vallarta. We also wanted private activities, just to be safe. Our villa, Casa Demae II, is in a gated complex, and was exquisite and outstanding in every way – spacious bedrooms (all ensuite, and most with balconies) with views of the pool and Banderas Bay, incredible common areas, infinity pool with a swim-up bar, jacuzzi, outdoor dining areas (from where we saw whales most days), streaming services – you name it, it was there! The staff were excellent and always helpful; what a treat to always have, without asking, coffee ready in the morning and (for the adults), margaritas ready in the evening! Our chef was fantastic – we actually cancelled two dinner reservations because the food at the villa was so wonderful. Another very nice touch was simply putting the dirty clothes in the closet basket, and having clean ones reappear that afternoon. This was like having our own private hotel…but better.

As in San Miguel, the activities planned were second to none. Everyone is still talking about the whale watching tour where we saw lots of whales during our 3 hours, and the day on the private catamaran around Banderas Bay with complete crew and a chef. Also, because we had the benefit of entry to the complex Beach Club, the staff arranged for us to jet ski, paddleboard, and snorkel only a short distance away.

Zach’s overall planning made for an fantastic trip: transfers worked everywhere, excellent drivers and guides, patient in-country contacts that went above and beyond to ensure we were happy, activities planned for the entire family and others for only specific family members, with enough downtime for all of us to just relax. Most importantly, we always felt comfortable with the COVID protocols that were in place.

There is no way we could have put together this trip on our own. From the moment my husband and I landed in Guanajuato until the entire family boarded our flight home, absolutely everything was handled efficiently and worked smoothly. When we return to Mexico, we will use Zach again. Kudos to Zach and his entire staff for ensuring we had a memorable vacation!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We just returned from an extraordinary WOW trip to Tulum, Mexico (Nov 23 – 28, 2021). Our trip planner was Zach. His assistant planner, Patricia, was truly helpful and incredibly responsive throughout. We had a challenge: A blended family with 5 grown kids from all corners of the country and with different backgrounds, interests and styles. It was a 60th birthday celebration for Jessica and a pre-wedding, postponed 3x, gathering. We wanted exquisite beaches, Mayan history, a private villa with chef for Covid reasons and planned, safe activities as well as private beach. Zach found it! Casa Ixchel took our breath away and exceeded all our expectations. The accommodations were spectacular, everyone had a gorgeous, well appointed, beautiful designed room, the Casa had marvelous open common rooms with views of the gardens, pool and beach, the beach itself was beyond imagination, and our excursions were marvelous. We spent one half day biking at the Coba ruins and another day snorkeling off Cozumel island. The other two days, we had free to ride bikes, walk on the beach, lounge at the pool and just be together. The meals were beyond delicious—and accommodated a variety of dietary restrictions! The villa staff was professional, kind, helpful and responsive. Zach’s team arranged for a doctor to come to the villa to perform Covid testing a day before departure and all airport transfers, cars, trip drives felt very Covid safe. Mostly we had a beautiful, breathtaking week. It was a trip we will cherish and remember always. Thank you Wendy! Once again, we couldn’t have done it without you.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL After having vacations cancelled for 3 years, we wanted an authentic Day of the Dead experience and to see Mayan archeological sites. We only had 2 months’ lead time, and Zach and his team knocked it out of the park! In 15 days, we had so many unique experiences in Chiapas where we spent 10 days with a guide and driver who felt like family by the end. We went to celebrations in small indigenous villages, went to larger town celebrations, hiked waterfalls, ziplined, boated down rivers to Mayan cities and felt like Indiana Jones! We stayed at boutique hotels I never would have found. One was an authentic 16th century hacienda where they were shooting a movie and we watched from our patio while I sat with the director! Travelling through this gorgeous state was incredible.
We finished in Mexico City with a sunrise balloon ride in our own balloon over Teotihuacan, visited museums and went to Saturday markets. The highlight, though, was a private tour at the National Anthropology Museum after hours. Having the museum to ourselves with a guide who was incredible was truly magical!

We packed so much in and it all went without a hitch! I never could have planned this on my own and would never have considered many of the options we did and loved. It was a perfect mix of learning, adventure and relaxation. I noted both guides were extremely well versed in history and archeology and I appreciated it. Bravo and thank you SO MUCH!!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL This was our third trip using The WOW List, and just like the others, it didn’t disappoint!

We contacted Zach initially to help us set up some excursions for our planned trip to the Yucatan to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. After a thorough and informative discussion with Zach, we scrapped our entire plan for a custom itinerary that started in San Miguel de Allende for an intro to Colonial Mexico, through Teotihuacan for amazing ancient history (a hallmark of all of our WOW trips!!), and a relaxing finish at the luxurious St. Regis in Punta de Mita.

Zach’s team made our trip seamless and worry free–exactly what we wanted for our anniversary celebration. They were endlessly patient with our questions about COVID mitigations, reservations, excursion timing, and other trip details. They made recommendations to experience places we wouldn’t have thought of on our own, and the hotel options were exemplary. Jaime, our guide in San Miguel, was informative and fun, and all of the hotels were aware of our special celebration and treated us like royalty throughout our stays.

Just like our past adventures, we had a flawless trip, and we owe it all to The WOW List!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We recently used Zach Rabinor and his staff for a wonderful trip to The Four Seasons Punta Mita. This was a pretty straightforward trip, but due to covid concerns I felt more comfortable using a travel planner who was on the ground in Mexico. After chatting with Zach, and determining our main goal was time on a beautiful beach, he recommended the Four Seasons and it was the perfect resort. Trip was very low financial risk – as if the trip needed to be canceled due to covid it would be completely refundable. Four Seasons was taking alot of health precautions, and we felt completely comfortable (turned out we were fully vaccinated before traveling so perhaps not as much of an issue when we traveled but still was great to see).

This was a trip to celebrate my daughter’s graduation from her master’s program, and while Zach offered up a slew of wonderful ideas for tours, surf classes, etc., in the end we decided to do one tour of the Marietta Islands and swim to the hidden beach, and the rest staying at resort. The boat tour was alot of fun and we were glad we did it. Carlos from Zach’s team was in touch with us on the ground in Mexico which was so sweet and great to have in case we had any issues (which we had none). A nice touch was a piece of congratulatory cake in the room when we arrived – so thoughtful! We had a great room and location, and everything including their restaurant recommendations were excellent! (Definitely worth staying oceanfront at this resort – views to die for!). We loved our stay and was as close to perfection as one could get!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We went to the Fairmont Mayakoba Dec 28-Jan 3rd. We saw Tulum and swam in a cenote and enjoyed the resort. It was the perfect family friendly resort. The service was great. My 2 year old is particularly difficult and she loved seeing the turtles at the grand cenote and my older girls loved swimming and seeing the bats above our heads. In Tulum they loved running around exploring. Franc was so helpful and kind he picked a delicious restaurant for us to eat at for lunch and helped us skip the wait. He totally didn’t mind having kids around. The resort was the perfect way to relax but escaping to see some of the beauty and history of Mexico was great. Traveling with 3 kids is always tricky but we use Wendy Perrin’s list to make it easy.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  My family enjoyed a wonderful trip to Mexico during this very challenging moment. Zach was extremely helpful in recommending and securing the perfect accommodation and experiences for my family.

My concerns were: Will my family be safe? Are we taking unnecessary risks by traveling? Will we be in certain situations that will be beyond our control? In terms of meeting those concerns, the recommendations that the travel specialists made helped—especially the first resort, Chablé, because it’s such a large property and the accommodations were stand-alone villas. It felt 100% safe. The safety protocols at both resorts and both airports, and even with the car rental, made me feel like they were taking it very seriously.

During the trip, Zach’s staff were on-top of every detail and stayed in contact via SMS, which was just the right level of touch. They even sent someone to assist at the airport on our outbound journey, which was above and beyond. We were thrilled with the level of care and attention they gave us.

Editor’s note: You can read an interview about the Myers’ trip to Mexico here.

We had a wonderful trip to San Miguel de Allende. After much debate, Sally gave us very good advice to stay at the Rosewood hotel. It was hotter than usual and we were very happy to spend time at the beautiful pool, especially when our hot springs excursion did not work out. Other highlights were the tour with Artouro – I could spend a week learning from him! The private cooking class was also a hit. We laughed and learned through a wonderful afternoon.

The guides, hotel staff and locals were all wonderful and I look forward to returning again one day.

This trip exceeded the expectations of me and my husband. We had only traveled to Mexico’s resort areas previously and so I didn’t know much about where to go and how to handle the logistics in thinking about planning a trip to the interior of Mexico. Zach’s team was extremely helpful in matching our interests to specific cities and activities and planning how long to spend in each location. We loved San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca and each offered a different experience. The hotels we stayed in were generally fantastic. Our tour guides were all first-rate and we came home feeling that we had a much deeper appreciation for the history, culture , people and arts of the country. My only negative comment is that our original itinerary did not include the fabulous anthropology museum in Mexico City. I’m rather surprised that it wasn’t suggested to me or included given its reputation. However, once I realized that I wanted to spend time there, Sally Wells, who handled the trip details, was very accommodating in modifying our itinerary so that we had ample time there. Sally was also always very responsive to my emails and the entire team was very solicitous of our desires, making small changes during our trip that made things easier for us. All in all, I would highly recommend everyone who we interacted with. As for specific recommendations for other travelers, I would highly recommend the anthropology museum for anyone at all interested in the history of the country. And in Oaxaca, I would recommend visiting the workshops of individual artisans in the surrounding area including that of Jacobo and Maria Angeles – the masters of making alebrijes who have also created a thriving economy in their town based on this beautiful art form.

Great guides helped us see this historic city in an efficient and complete manner. Excellent planning and good flexibility. Our plane was 6 hours late due to a mid-air turn around with smoke in the cabin. That was on American Airlines but the travel professionals went the extra mile by canceling dinner reservations and staying around to take us to the hotel. The rest of the trip was smooth!

Our family just returned from a magical, eye-opening Christmas trip to Central Mexico, orchestrated by Zachary Rabinor and his experts, such as Gerardo Tovar. My husband and I traveled with our 18 year old daughter and 16 year old twin boys for 10 days over Christmas. There was no shortage of challenges to planning a last minute trip at one of the busiest times of the year. The beaches were expensive and jam-packed. We emailed several times trying to come up with an itinerary that worked. Zach’s team was very patient and transparent about the advantages and disadvantages of each option. The result was fantastic! Together we outlined a trip to Mexico City and two truly magical colonial cites, Puebla and San Miguel de Allende. Zach and his staff handled all of the logistical details. Truly, we didn’t have to worry about a single thing from travel, to accommodations, to activities to personal comfort. and safety. They did it all, and they did it beautifully. Our guides and our driver were absolutely top-notch. We put our trust in them completely and by the end of the trip, they were like family to us. Our accommodations were beautiful and were outstanding in location and customer service. There was a small issue with the apartment in Mexico City but due to our 24 hr access to assistance from Zach and his contacts, the problem was fixed immediately. We are a very active family and always want to be doing and learning. Zach and his team really understood this and designed a wonderful itinerary that opened our eyes to this complex, beautiful, sophisticated and culturally rich country. From our private cooking class with a renown chef in Puebla to our historical and cultural bike tour down Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma and through the Bosque de Chapultepec to our completely private guided tour through the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City – they opened the museum just for us! -we were always learning, exploring and connecting with such knowledgable and fascinating local people. The result was a trip that left us with great respect and affection for our southern neighbor and helped us see the history of our continent from a completely different perspective. This is truly the best of travel.
We will be WOW listers for life!

We enjoyed the trip to Mayan cities more because of the excellent interpretations provided by our guide. Hotel recommended for the beach portion of the trip was perfect for us.

Zach did a great job listening to my thoughts and made spot-on suggestions. He and his team checked in multiple times and helped make the trip extremely smooth. The hotel and the specific room we got was absolutely perfect, and I had such an incredible stay. Would 100% trust and work with Zach and his team again.

Zach’s team was great. They listened to what we were looking for and delivered. And they were very responsive to last minute tweaks in the schedule. This is the second time we have used them and will definitely call on them again the next time we visit Mexico.

I wanted to plan a trip to Mexico City for my mom, my sister and I that we could all enjoy. I wanted us to learn, experience and spend quality time together. I think all of these objectives were met. The planning process was a bit slow initially but then went smoothly. Our transfers and day trips were seamless, everyone always on time. We felt very safe the entire time and this was a big concern of my mom. Our guide was very good at noticing when my mom needed to slow down a bit or take a break and she was very knowledgeable. Our driver, Alfonso, was lovely, looking out for us, showing patience and even concern at times. There were a few miscommunications between my expectations given what was written in our itinerary/discussions and the on the ground team but generally these were worked out. Our hotel was very nice and we enjoyed the location. We even had the “fortune” to experience Labor Day on our departure day. This made things hectic but we were able to figure out another meeting point with our driver, as all the roads were closed and this was not anticipated. Someone from the hotel walked with us to meet him. We learned so much history, ate amazing food, cooked amazing food, and saw incredible architecture and art. My mom even cried when I said good-bye to her at the airport because she was so happy we were able to have this special time together.

Zach responded to my initial email right away with a personal phone call, and was warm, funny, and a good listener. He quickly narrowed in on the right trip plan for our family, suggesting that we stay at The Fairmont Mayakoba and take day trips to explore ruins and nature. While the Fairmont is part of a very large resort complex, the service was excellent and it didn’t feel overcrowded. Our kids loved the beach, pool and activities and everything was easy. We went out to dinner and restaurants in Playa Del Carmen recommended by Zach’s group, and the food was very good, even if the town is extremely touristy. We took day trips to the ruins at Tulum and Chichen Itza, accompanied both times by very nice and knowledgeable guides. We also had a beautiful boat ride and “float” in a nature preserve, which was a special and usual experience. Many thanks to Zach and his crew for an excellent trip, and we will be back.

Everything went very smoothly. We had a knowledgeable and genial guide, a beautiful hotel room, and safe and comfortable car transportation. We made a few minor changes mid-trip and those were handled very efficiently.

We will definitely use Zach’s team for our next trip to Mexico.

Our trip to San Miguel de Allende was perfect. Zach’s team planned an amazing trip for us.

Our guide, Arturo, was so knowledgeable and known to everyone! It was such a pleasure to walk down the street with him and feel like a local, not a tourist. Arturo is a walking encyclopedia of history and culture. We toured the Botanical Gardens, archeological sights, and chapels. I can’t say enough how having Arturo by our side made these places come to life.

Zach’s team also planned a cooking class with a wonderful chef in a beautiful home with a garden.

At Cuna de Tierra Vineyard, Paco and Ricardo were so welcoming and the chef prepared a delicious lunch with wine pairings. Arturo also took us to Guanajuato and Queretero, where he again dazzled us with his knowledge. This is the second time we have used Wendy’s travel experts and have been thoroughly impressed by all the guides and drivers we have met. In fact, we are trusting Wendy to help us plan our trip to Greece in fall!

We found Zach and his team to be very knowledgeable and helpful in planning our first trip to Mexico City. We were provided with many options of activities over 6 days which we were able to refine based on our particular interests. One of the highlights was a cooking class at Casa Jacaranda that we would highly recommend. Another highlight was the hot air balloon ride over the Teotihuacan pyramids. We were offered a private balloon ride but opted for the group ride which was fine and saved a lot of money. Same ride, just a few more people in a larger basket. We also were really pleased with the private guide (Alfredo) that Zach arranged for us. Great trip and kudos to the entire team.

Just before giving up my trip planning as impossible, I turned to Zachary Rabinor to see if he could help with the logistics. Although we had been to Mexico about 20 times, the planning of this particular itinerary stumped us. Our family of four wanted to spend 3 nights in Oaxaca at Christmas for the Radish Festival and the colonial and prehistoric attractions in the area. And then, we wanted to travel to Huatulco for 3 nights at the beach. Minimum stay requirements of 5 or 7 nights presented obstacles. Plus, traveling from Oaxaca to Huatulco by mountain road would be long and treacherous. We could fly, but would have to go through Mexico City, wasting a day. Zach drew on his relationships, avoided minimum stays and secured outstanding hotels: Quinta Real Oaxaca (an exquisite former convent) and Camino Real Huatulco (a low-key beautifully designed seaside resort), both with well-located rooms. To make it all work, he identified non-stop flights that were not readily accessible to us online. And the best of all, he provided Gabriel, an outstanding guide in Oaxaca. Gabriel is the alpha educator of choice for universities and Smithsonian visitors. We benefited from the depth of Gabriel’s knowledge of history, nature, art and architecture. Zachary’s resources and persistence made it possible for our family to enjoy a wonderful holiday trip.

We had a very special week in Tulum with family from across the country and Australia. We booked 10 months in advance and it’s hard to believe it’s over. Jessica and others on Zach’s team were terrific and helped us choose a wonderful villa.

The villa was perfect for our needs – spacious for everyone to spread out and beautifully located. The staff, especially the concierges, the on-site caretaker, and our hired waiter (an excellent addition both for serving drinks and for after-dinner clean-up when the chefs went home) were terrific and every request was immediately attended to day and night. We felt pampered. My niece said her favorite part of the trip was “living like a princess for 8 days”.

The number of people wanting to help us was almost laughably silly. First there’s Zach’s on-the-ground staff ready for any request. Then, upon arrival we met another team who welcomed us – I think they were from the company who manages the booking of the villa, then arrived another concierge (part of a pair) who came by once or twice a day to again see if we needed anything.

My biggest issue/feedback was that somehow our noted dietary requests were not communicated to the chefs. Finally by the last 2 days all was in order. Overall quality of food was fine to very good depending on the meal and no one left the table hungry. The number of avocados we went through was astounding!

The excursions offered by Zach’s team are quite expensive, though I know from previous experience are excellent. This time we booked our own tours at a fraction of the price and were very pleased.

Airport arrival and departure arrangements were great. On the way out, our hands were held all the way through to security.

I would not hesitate to call on Zach and his team for future travel.

I thought that the trip was unique. Mexico City is so close, but the culture is far different from our own. In the short time we were there we saw art and historical locations that provide insight into a vast and complex culture. I appreciate the planning of the trip as the logistics are complicated by the number of people and the number of cars. We enjoyed our time and thank you for introducing us to such a skilled planner and guide.

Our specialist sent us to a boutique hotel we would not have known about and arranged the Chichen Itza, swimming in the Cenote day, which was wonderful. The guide and driver were great. The trip was seamless.

I have a son with a cardiac condition. Zach Rabinor helped me identify the top cardiologists in Cancun and finally the only expert in arrhythmia. With that info, we selected a great hotel not too far from the relevant hospital in Cancun, yet in a super family oriented resort (Fairmont Mayakoba).

This was invaluable to our family of 6. Thank you, Zach. Thank you, Wendy.

From start to finish, Zach Rabinor and his team were absolutely fantastic. They listened to all our ideas and concerns for our family vacation, and then tailored an incredible itinerary that satisfied all five of us (parents and three boys ages 16, 13, and 8). In fact, it was perhaps a little too incredible. So I was really impressed when they were able to suggest ways to bring the trip within our budget and still have some great experiences. Once we decided on the itinerary and moved into the planning details, our travel specialist was always accessible, timely with her communication, and clear on what was needed to finalize the trip. On the trip, everything went according to plan. But we wanted some last minute changes, like making dinner reservations at certain restaurants we had just heard about, or–much more complex–taking a day trip to a couple of towns a few hours away. Our travel specialist was able to work quickly to set things up and accommodate us. Here are the things we did on the Yucatán Penninsula (Mexico): hiked and swam through a cave with an underground river, visited two important Mayan ruin sites, floated down a beautifully clear Mayan canal, took a short jungle walk through a nature preserve, stayed in a family-friendly resort with beach access & a range of activities for the kids & GREAT food, spent a day exploring two beautiful colonial towns where we hunted for traditional textiles and folk art. We did all of this in just a week. There is no way we would have been able to do all that without Zach and his team’s help. They arranged transportation and a guide (when appropriate), knew just how to time our activities to avoid traffic and lines, and picked things that would suit all of us. I would highly recommend them to anyone traveling to Mexico, and I plan on using them in the future.

Zach and his entire team were a pleasure to work with. They went out of their way to be in touch with the hotel and to ensure that we received the highest level of service. I’d work with him again in a minute.

This review is more than a little late. We traveled with Zach in December 2014. We could not have been more pleased. His drivers and guides were outstanding, making sure that we saw a lot off the beaten path. A good part of the trip was not on the regular tourist route, which was particularly interesting. And he checked in regularly, making sure that the logistical details were working. We particularly appreciated that when the room in our hotel did not have hot water on our first night, he made sure that it was promptly fixed. I would use him again and highly recommend his services.

We traveled to Mexico this past week and Zach and his team were fantastic. We were greeted by warm and friendly people and the transportation was always in first class vehicles, and always right on time. I had unfortunate experiences with one of the tours while I was on vacation and I can say that Zach and his team were extremely responsive, generous, and concerned. This is what you need when you are in a foreign country. Every single person I dealt with was terrific. The selection of where to go in Mexico, and which hotel was flawless. I would highly recommend him.

Zach and Jose on his team were extremely efficient and helpful in making our plans, and our tour guide and driver for our day trip were really wonderful–very knowledgeable and professional. Our lunch at Coqui Coqui was exceptional–truly delicious (and we are “foodies” from San Francisco!). The waiter there was very very sweet and really tried hard to provide top service. The only big disappointment was that I thought Coqui Coqui Coba was on the beach; I think I either received a photo of the old Tulum Coqui Coqui, or found one online when researching, and mistakenly thought that was Tulum Coba. Of course, I should have realized it when I saw the map that it was inland, but I think I got enamored with the photo of the beachside restaurant and just assumed that would be our venue for our romantic anniversary lunch. Also, I feel like I need to share that I do think the excursion was quite expensive. I believe, however, it was probably consistent with the higher prices overall on the East Coast of Mexico; we have more experience traveling to Puerto Vallarta, where I think the prices are generally lower for comparable experiences.

We will definitely work with your team again. We have had absolutely wonderful experiences with your recommended planners when you were writing for CN Traveller, so your colleagues have become proven, trusted sources. Thank you so much.

We had a fantastic vacation planned by Zachary Rabinor and his team in April 2017. After spinning my wheels for several weeks searching for the perfect Mexican villa to celebrate a 50th birthday, I called in the expert Zach and his team. In very short order, they found us the perfect villa – one which was not listed on the other public sites. It had all the amenities we had asked for and was available during a busy holiday week. As always, the more specific you can be in your requests, the more satisfied you will be with the result!

The planning process went very well. Zach’s staff took care to get all the needs and preferences of all attendees prior to the trip. The villa was stocked with our favorites. Excursions were planned and enjoyed – catamaran snorkel and a multi-stop day tour along in and around Tulum, golf, massages etc… The highlight was a float on the sian kaan biosphere. One note, we use private guides on almost all our trips and they are often a highlight. However, while our guide that day was pleasant she did not really connect very well with the group.

The villa was perfection – location, beauty, and most importantly the incredible staff that took care of us. Also, Journey Mexico always had a local representative available to us for any changes/requests once we departed. They were all exceptionally courteous and helpful.

I would not hesitate to recommend Zach and his team and would use them again for future vacations.

This was a very simple trip. Basically we booked a hotel and transport to and from the airport. The journey ran smoothly.

Exceeded expectations. Great guide, excellent drivers, everything we wanted. Well worth it.

Our experience with Zach Rabinor and his team were excellent. We had many communications before the trip and they met our expectations. We were met at the airport by someone who introduced us to our driver and tour guide. Both our driver, Rodolfo Raya and especially Ariuska Herrera did an excellent job in their roles. Ariuska was one of the best guides we have ever had and we strongly recommend her for any Mexico City tour. Periodically the company would check in to see how everything was going. I found the people to be very professional and attentive to our needs.

Zach Rabinor and his team are a top notch operation who will go the extra mile to be sure you have a flawless trip. At each stage from planning, to arriving , touring, and departing someone is there. The guides are extremely knowledgeable and flexible. We saw and learned so much. Muchas gracias to Alejandro, Francisco, Jose Luis, and Olivier who showed us how magical Mexico City can be.

We had a great experience traveling through the Yucatan. We enjoyed the private tours, especially the early morning tour of Chichen Itza. We would recommend Zach Rabinor.

Zach and his team organized a very good trip for us. They suggested a more comprehensive visit to Mexico than we were in the mood for and adjusted it perfectly to suit our needs. Either next year or the year after we will book with them again in order to see more of the country and to go back to the incredible Rosewood Mayakoba.

Zach planned two full day excursions for us in Mexico. Both went quite well, with a knowledgeable and professional guide, although there were a few hiccups here and there; I don’t expect perfection. The best thing about Zach is that he was able to put this together on short notice, and got us access to the best tours. I rarely use travel agents, but experiences like this make me think I should do it more often.

Zach and his team, especially Mabel Gutierrez, did an amazing job helping us plan our honeymoon to Mexico. We stayed at the Hotel Mousai in Puerto Vallarta at the end of September to early October 2015.

Zach and Mabel were incredibly easy to work with, providing us many options to choose from in different areas of Mexico, with great tips on places to go and stay, and things to do in each place. It was through their vigilance finding us the best options that we found our eventual resort, Hotel Mousai. This particular resort was not even on our radar until they brought it to our attention. But it completely blew us away with how amazingly beautiful the resort was, especially with its views of the coast surrounding the Puerto Vallarta area. Mabel arranged for our stay, as well as our transportation to and from the airport, including transportation to and from the maritime terminal.

Overall, we had a great experience on our trip, in large part because of Zach and Mabel’s excellent service through Journey Mexico.

Thank you so much for your help with our vacation to Mexico. We had a great time. The Hotel Esencia will become one of our favorite hotels of all time, the staff was great.

The airport pickup was nice, but the airport departure was fantastic. Your staff helped us navigate the check-in and was there to see us off. So, so nice.  If we had more time, I would have preplanned a lot more adventures ahead of time. The concierge was great at booking trips last minute, so it worked out. We are thinking of doing Mexico next year again instead of Hawaii!

We just got back from a fabulous week in Puerto Vallarta that was arranged by Journey Mexico. Zach had upgraded our room at the Garza Blanca and it is a stunning property. The list of to do’s and restaurants off the property were fantastic ! We did not realize that PV is a foodie’s destination. If we go back to PV we will take Zach’s first recommendation on the property of Hacienda San Angel. The boutique hotel was quiet, beautiful, in the heart of PV overlooking the city and the food is gourmet. Next time we will listen to Zach when he suggests where to stay, rather than thinking we know better! We are planning our next winter getaway on the east coast of Mexico on the Caribbean and we cannot wait to see what hideaways they will find for us!

I have used your recommendations for about seven years to plan trips to Greece, SE Asia, Africa, and Israel. All of the travel agents were excellent. I contacted Zachary Rabinor last spring and have since used Journey Mexico twice. Both times, Zach quickly passed me off to one of his associates. Perhaps my trips were not that complicated, not sure the reason he passed me off. Although I did think their service was good, it was a more typical kind of travel experience. The first trip I took was last minute and very specific. However, the second trip I took was much more wide open and I wanted help in deciding where to go—with the exception of knowing that I wanted to visit San Miguel de Allende. After that, I was open to going to other places in Mexico but had difficulty in getting them to express a real opinion. We ended up in Punta Mita which was really not my cup of tea—too isolated and not much cultural experience. I will say that when we left San Miguel, I left something in the hotel room. Ileana, in the Journey Mexico office, did an outstanding job assisting me in retrieving my item. I would book with Journey Mexico again but I can’t quite put my finger on why I would not rate them quite at the same level as the other experts of yours that I have used in the past. For several years I have wanted to write to thank you for your valuable information and guidance.