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Company
Essential Escapes was created out of a passion for spa travel and a desire to redefine the meaning of personal service. Three and a half years were spent travelling around the world - all in the name of researching some of the world's best spa hotels and resorts. In 2002, a selection of the best ones were chosen to create the Essential Escapes portfolio, making us the UK's first dedicated luxury spa tour operator.
Our team has a vision of how a specialist spa operator could answer the needs of the discerning and demanding traveller. The result is that each client is made to feel as though they have their own personal travel consultant who understands their needs completely and more importantly, has already experienced the destinations and the hotels they are talking about. Honest and accurate advice is paramount to ensure that the client's expectations are exceeded. From knowing which treatments to choose, to which airline has the biggest seat pitch, or where's best for the ultimate honeymoon, solo spa break or family holiday with a good kids' club.
Now well into our fifth year, we have successfully achieved our vision, with clients telling us time and time again that our service is second to none. So, our ambition is to keep travelling in search of new pampering possibilities, ensure that our portfolio stays fresh and exciting and most importantly, make sure that we retain the personal touch that our clients value so much.
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The Team
Emma Barnett, Managing Director
Before founding Essential Escapes in 2002, Emma worked for one of the UK's leading marketing alliances, Great Hotels of the World. In 2000, she launched their first spa directory, The Great Spa Hotels of the World, after travelling extensively around the globe visiting some of the world's top spa destinations and resorts. Her great spa travelling adventure continues in a permanent quest to find new hotels.
Emma gained Business Development experience at a top six advertising agency before leaving to follow her first love - travel - where she spent a year travelling through South East Asia, New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific and the Americas. |
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Deborah Barnett, Director
Deborah qualified as a Solicitor in 1997 and spent 5 years in the city specialising in Commercial Litigation matters. At the end of 2002 she changed career paths in order to pursue her love of luxury travel. As co-founder of Essential Escapes, she has spent the last 18-months acquiring first-hand knowledge of our spa hotels and working her way through an impressive list of spa treatments! She is a keen scuba diver, water skier and snow skier and enjoys working these hobbies into her travels wherever possible.
Prior to joining Essential Escapes, Deborah travelled extensively throughout the USA, Europe, Egypt, Israel, Australia and the Caribbean.
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Jonathan Brod, Director
Having spent 7 years at Close Brothers Corporate Finance, Jonathan decided to set up on his own and founded Next Wave Ventures Ltd, a private equity investment and advisory boutique specialising on the leisure, media and software sectors. Co-founder of Essential Escapes, Jonathan is responsible for the financial infrastructure of the company and brings a wealth of business experience to the fold. Jonathan has made it his mission to visit each of our portfolio hotels and is well on his way to achieving this arduous goal. |
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Sam Barnett, Travel Sales Executive
After graduating from Italia Conti Drama School in 2002, Sam spent three years as an actress both on stage and TV. After her stint treading the boards she left the UK and traveled extensively throughout South East Asia. On her return and unable to shake the bug for traveling Sam began working at Essential Escapes bringing with her a wealth of travel knowledge and experience.
During her four years at Essential Escapes Sam has enjoyed sampling the fruits of many of our hotels in the Caribbean, Greece and South Africa and has just recently returned from an extensive tour of Thailand in search of some new spa resorts. We wish Sam well for her maternity leave in October.
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Gerry Friel, Travel Sales Executive
Growing up in Ireland, Gerry always had a passion for maps, foreign places, languages and travel. He started working with a tour operator based in the Caribbean, followed by working as a team leader in Spain, learning a lot about the needs of families with children and babies when on holiday.
Experience working with Travel2 and Carrier has led to travel all over Europe, Middle & Far East, USA & Canada, with particular specialism in South Africa and Zambia. |
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Julie Harris, Head of Marketing
After 10 years in advertising, 4 years in marketing and with 2 young sons, Julie appreciates the importance of a good holiday! She loves any destination where she can get the sand between her toes and create elaborate sandcastles with the family. Her past clients have been as diverse as Singapore Airlines, Diageo, Hasbro, Elida Fabergé, Kraft Jacob Suchard, Séraphine, Pfizer, Kimberly Clark, Reckitt Benckiser and NTL. She loves working with a luxury travel company as it keeps thoughts of sun-drenched beaches uppermost in her mind. |
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Nicole Spitzer, Marketing Assistant
Nicole recently graduated in Business and Communications with a strong focus on marketing. An adventurous traveller, Nicole has explored Thailand, Australia and Europe extensively. Her best ever trip was to the Maldives, indulging in the beauty of the white sands and blue sea, as well as the luxury spa treatments. |
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Meredith Atkinson, Travel Sales Administrator
With a background in real estate, training and charity work, Meredith has also enjoyed extensive travel through New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, the US and Europe. Her travel weaknesses are postcards, trains, markets, wine and music. | |
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