BeautifulPlaces Expands Wine Baron Vacations with Vineyard Estates Rentals & Custom Experiences

PR Log (Press Release) – Jan 06, 2009 – Culinary travel was named the top pick for 2009 Specialty Travel Trends and Destinations by the Specialty Travel Agents Association. The STAA says there is a growing demand for travel that includes local cuisine and wine itineraries.
BeautifulPlaces (www.beautiful-places.com), the Sonoma-based company that specializes in epicurean travel and wine country estate rentals, is expanding its Live Like a Wine Baron program adding new vineyard estates to its portfolio and creating exclusive activities for their guests.    “We have seen a dramatic increase in traffic to our website as travelers search out authentic culinary experiences and villa rentals which provide the most unique perspective into the local lifestyle of a destination,” commented BeautifulPlaces, founder and president Patrick Smith. “To satisfy the particular vacation goals of these travelers we have expanded our ‘Wine Baron’ customized vacation itineraries with many more one-of-kind activities and added new vineyard estates to our portfolio.”

All “Wine Baron’ vacations are customized to the individual guests’ interests and no two are alike.  Activities range from viticulture education (planting, grafting, nurturing, and harvest) to hands on activities (participating in the crush, blending and bottling; ‘pick your own’ farms) to personal enrichment (menu planning and cooking with a noted chef; wine pairing and personal cellar consultations; wine auctions) to total indulgence (private chef dinners, wine pairing picnics in vineyards, tastings at ‘closed to the public’ wineries; custom blended barrels made from their own pre-selected vines; helicopter tours) and much more.  

All “Wine Barons” stay in one of the BeautifulPlaces portfolio properties including rambling estates; historic homes; Tuscan villas; modern masterpieces; and cozy family cottages…all located in the finest wine regions of the world.

“Wine Baron” vacations are designed to satisfy the five vacation lifestyles goals of Gastrotourists:
•   Culinary Adventures
Highly customized experiential activities from the art of food and wine pairing or consultations on personal cellars to participating in the grape harvest and side-by-side cooking with a chef.  
•   Wine Education and Vineyard Investing
These travelers are passionate and eager to learn about wine.  BeautifulPlaces satisfies this yearning by pairing guests with experts in the field of viticulture who take them through the entire wine production process: grape growing, harvesting, blending, and bottling; and being a gentleman farmer or being a serious inventor.
•   Feel Like a Native
“Insider” knowledge is coveted – culinary travelers place a premium on getting the inside scoop -- where to buy homemade crafts; up and coming winemakers not yet on the map, local street fairs, pet-friendly restaurants, etc.
•   Something to Brag About
Affluent culinary travelers want something ‘over the top,’ something to brag about.     A stay in a drop-dead gorgeous mountainside villa, a custom-blended barrel, tickets to trade-only wine auctions, and celebrity chefs are the new conversation stoppers.
•   Shared Social Activities
People who love food and drink enjoy sharing the experience with friends, family and colleagues. The serious culinary traveler prefers to cook special dishes with local ingredients, pour wines they’ve selected at local vineyards and enjoy the informality and privacy of a villa rental.

BeautifulPlaces recently expanded their villa portfolio to include historic homes and wine estates in Italy and France including Chateau Villette made famous in The DaVinci Code.

About Beautiful Places
BeautifulPlaces is a distinctive highly-personalized hospitality model created to serve the needs of an emerging segment of experienced travelers who have enjoyed their share of high-end hotels and resorts and are now seeking “something different.” Research has confirmed that a prime villa rental affords the guests the utmost in privacy and the luxurious informality they relish while on vacation.  BP offers all of this without the extended commitment of residence clubs or fractional ownership.
BP represents some of the finest villas in the wine country with properties to suit all tastes from mountain top architectural wonders to charming Tuscan villas to luxury vineyard estates to cozy family homes.  Clients discuss their particular needs and vacation ideals with a consultant trained to match property and guest for ultimate satisfaction.  

In addition, BP offers a custom concierge service that consults with guests prior to arrival and during their stay in order to design personalized experiences and itineraries including: entry into exclusive vineyards and events; experts to assist in building a wine collection; cooking side by side with private chefs; tutoring in the art of wine pairing; escorted custom tours with winemakers; a day with a local artist; night sky viewing with a noted astronomer; custom blending at local wineries; meals in cellars and picnics in vineyards;  garden tours and nature hikes; golf or tennis with a pro at private clubs; and much more.  In home spa treatments, certified nannies, local transportation and pre-arrival shopping can all be handled with one phone call.

BeautifulPlaces has been recognized by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Robb Reports, Food + Wine and Luxury Travel Advisor as one of the top villa rental companies in the world.

To view homes and epicurean experiences go to www.beautiful-places.com
BeautifulPlaces, Inc.   539 First Street West   Sonoma, CA 95476   1-800-495-9961

“It’s like having a friend…with connections…in wine country”