Donna Salerno Travel

   Hawaii Anniversary

Donna
Thank you for the happy anniversary wish. Everything went extremely well, hotels were fantastic, trip was incredible.
Thank you, again for your guidance in planning our special anniversary trip.  We enjoyed the beauty of Hawaii and our unforgettable stay.
Talk again soon.

D & J   ...Hawaii Dreaming

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Loving Jamaica!

Hi, Donna, sorry I didn't get back to you  sooner.  We hit the ground running with a bunch of kids' activities right when we got back.  We had a wonderful time in Jamaica.  Round Hill is exceptional.  

We had a lovely villa with private pool high up on the hill overlooking the sea, complete with breakfast cook and gardener.  Fresh mango, papaya and pineapple for breakfast in the open air of the villa living room was fantastic.  Lunch beach-side and evening themed dinners were great, too.  Never felt the need to go off property.  

In non-peak season, Round Hill was not at all crowded and we enjoyed their delightful private beach.  The staff was super friendly and attentive.  We would go back and maybe even bring the kids as the place is very family friendly and easy to get to.

Thank you so much for setting it all up for us and helping with the last minute adjustment to our departure flight.  We had a great time.

CG

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Amalfi, Sorrento & Florence

Oh, heavenly days, Donna, our trip was totally MAGICAL, thanks to you and your planning!  

We truly savored every moment, free of any need to make plans (other than where and what to eat!) The hotels were lovely and we were able to get upgrades at both of them.
I must first highly complement the tour guides in Sorrento, for they were top-notch outstanding and truly made our trip to Capri and Ana Capri, and then to the Amalfi Coast, worthwhile. Francesco, the guide to Capri and Ana Capri, encouraged us to do the Blue Grotto AND the chairlift to the top of Ana Capri, which we still can't believe we did! We'll not want to travel to such cities again without having an expert guide.  

Our trip to the Amalfi Coast was probably the highlight. We also enjoyed our guided tour of Pompeii.  

Florence was totally divine, as well. The day trip to San Gimignano and Siena was nice.  Most important to us, though, was that we had the most fabulous meals of our lives each day while relaxing and taking in the beautiful areas around us. We could have stayed longer, and are certainly eager to plan another trip with you. 

 

Thanks for ALL!    Fondly, C & B

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Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey

Blue Mosque	Istanbul at Night	Dolmabahce Palace

Donna:
Istanbul and Cappadocia were wonderful!  We had such a great time- the whole trip was amazing.  We really liked the Vanguard guides and drivers, and the balloon company was super safe.  It was one of the most foreign places we had been to, and our eyes were opened about Islam and Turkish people.  The last night, we felt totally comfortable walking around the Blue Mosque crowd on our own during the Ramadan festival at the end of the fast that day.  The food is amazing there (trust me, we tried everything)!   It was a great idea to stay at the two different Four Seasons with the trip to Cappa in between- we saw totally different parts of the city that way!

Thanks for your help in organizing our anniversary trip!
AJ

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  Italy - Rome & Tuscany Tour

We had a fabulous trip. It was a dream vacation. Loved the hotels...the locations and rooms were perfect. There was a nice balance between planned trips with guides and time to explore on our own. And we explored every day and had fun getting lost and finding our way to a restaurant or back to our hotel! Traveling with just carry - on is the way to go. On one of our day excursions, our guide Mauritizo took us to a tiny town in Tuscany (Volpaia) which has a total of 52 people in the entire village. We met Paola Barucci the owner of  Bar-Ucci, The Caffe in Volpaia.We were captivated by her warmth, charm and zest for life. The time we spent there was one of the highlights of our trip.
Can't wait to visit again and look forward to planning another vacation in the future with you.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. Flying home from Pisa was a good choice.
Ciao,
Carole

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Europe Waterway Cruise

Cochem Germany	Westberg Germany	St Charles Bridge Prague

Hello Donna!

We had a wonderful trip with each and every port/town we visited being unique and picturesque!!  Weather was perfect and the folks that we met on the ship were a hoot!  Thank goodness we walked and walked and walked cuz we ate and ate and ate!  Food was excellent.  Amazingly enough, we didn't gain a pound...a true miracle, if you ask me! Thank you once again for dotting "i's" and crossing "t's" on all aspects of our European river cruise!  Back to reality...which ain't so bad!    KT

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England & Ireland Tour

Donna,
 
It was lovely; thanks for all of your help! We loved the Langham Hotel in London the best out of all of the hotels. It was top notch and quite luxurious. Ashford Castle was beautiful but not very child friendly because it was so quiet and fancy. The Lyrath Hotel was awesome- beautiful grounds, great rooms and amenities. I had a massage there and the spa was incredible... one of the best I've seen (out of quite a few.)
My favorite activity was the Ritz Tea, but I also loved Muckross House, a Titanic exhibit in Cove that we spontaneously visited, and Westminster. 
Thanks!
AP

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Africa Safari

Hi Donna,
We had a grand time on our safari.  All went very well and we saw an amazing amount and types of animals, including the famous crossing of the Mara River. 
Thanks for all you help in making the arrangements.   Enjoy the rest of summer
EL

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Italy Amalfi Coast

Hi Donna.  I just wanted to let you know that we are home safely from our trip to Italy.  We had an absolutely amazing time, one of our favorite vacations to date!!  Every detail was perfect, thank you so much!

We will definitely be planning another international trip in the future and will contact you when we do!
JB

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Istanbul Market	Blue Mosque	Athens Parthenon

Yes, we're back and have made it through jet lag. We had a grand time in Istanbul and Athens. Brad enjoyed the trip and had lots of good memories. The hotel accommodations were perfect - giving us enough privacy with Brad having his own space.

We highly recommend a fish restaurant in Istanbul called Balikci Sabahattin near the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet. Reminder for those that visit Turkey: Obtain the $20 Visa at the airport before they stand in the passport line.
We look forward to our African safari in July. We have received the interesting pre-trip information already. We will keep in touch.

E & A / Customized Greece and Turkey Experience

Jardin des Tuileries	Sacre-Coeur Basilica	Notre Dame de Paris

Portofino	Santa Margherita	Vernazza

Donna.... cataloging the right shots has taken far longer than we anticipated to Portofino and Paris. We had over 700 shots. Trip was awesome! Again, many thanks --

Joe & Angela / Loving France and Italy!

Great Barrier Reef	Sydney Opera House	Kangaroo Island

Our flights from LAX to Sydney went without a hitch. We spent a few days touring wine country with my friend. Kangaroo Island was a must see, and well off the beaten path for anyone going to South Australia. The Southern Ocean Lodge was simply the nicest place I have ever stayed, and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. Sydney was a fabulous, electric, non-stop city. It was clean and pedestrian friendly. The Park Hyatt was probably the best location of any hotel in the city. The opera, Rigoletto, was great.

Hamilton Island was fabulous! The beach was nice and the scuba diving was great.

Our Morning View	Feeding a Stingray	The Bungalows

Tahiti, what can I possibly say about Tahiti that hasn't been said before? It was magnificent. The islands were great; I scuba dived and snorkeled at each. The pace was wonderful, very laid back and peaceful.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help in planning this trip. It was just great!!!

Laurie & Ralph / Customized Australia and Tahiti Experience

Aerial View of our bungalow	Dream Vacation
Happy Honeymoon	Incredibly Blue

Loving Our Tahiti Honeymoon Bora Bora

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Four Seasons Bora Bora

Donna, as promised, some feedback about our trip.

- resort was amazing; Yvonne loved the feel and polish of the bungalow; didn’t feel like we were away from home
- we were upgraded to a lagoon view
- service was beyond expectations; one example: at the spa, another couple jumped in front of a club car meant for us; the staff gave Yvonne a $40 massage oil for our “inconvenience”
- loved the private lagoons on property to paddle board and snorkel
- restaurants were solid, although lacking variety; but again, service was outstanding and our special requests were fulfilled oftentimes without charge
- took Yvonne’s food allergies very seriously and checked often to ensure ingredients were acceptable to her
- resort was only 60% full; many times we had the spa and restaurants to ourselves … fantastic
- loved the complimentary water sports and gear
- lots of complimentary bottled water
- excellent housekeeping
Loving Tahiti! ....Reef Discovery with Christophe, best snorkel tour ever … small group, five stops, great service, amazing sea life. Will contact you for our Switzerland and Madives stay - our next big trip!

Thanks again for everything Donna.

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Family Vacation Sweden and Italy

Thanks Donna! It was a fabulous trip! We loved everything - especially Verona and Trezzemo! God willing we will return to that area - Portofino and possibly Lake Garda? We love Italy. I think this was our best trip yet. A friend of mine said, "Once you taste Europe, there is nothing that compares". I think I would agree.

Thank you so much. It was most wonderful. We loved the Grand Hotel - wow!!!!! Now but a memory - but a special one it is.

Fun, Fun, Fun! Thank you for your help, your patience and your suggestions and encouragement.

Florence Skyline	Sunset Arno River
Vineyard Tour	Wine Tasting
Roman Forum	Vatican Tour

Sharon & Walter / Chile

Africa Adventure

Thank You, for all that you did to make our vacation smooth. It actually went like clockwork. Every one of the guides and drivers did their job flawlessly, directed us with knowledge of restaurants, shops, etc., and made a pleasant time for all. Were it not for your knowledge of who and how to make all the arrangements, especially the special treat to renew our vows, I am sure we would have a less than favorable memory of our experience to South Africa. As I ponder it all, the highlights were of course renewing vows, Kruger Park, also Soweto and Mandela Museum Tour, drinking home made beer with locals, and talking with other locals at Pilgrim's Rest. Again, Thank You.

Rufus & Betty / Africa Adventure

Thanks Donna , we had a great trip to Africa!

Donna:

Just wanted to let you know we're back from Italy and everything went smooth as silk. Your help with all the arrangements was the best!

Our hotel rooms were fantastic. All the transfers, private sightseeing and guides were wonderful; they even taught us some Italian along the way.

Thanks for sending the quick phrase cheat sheet, it really helped.

We'll be sure to contact you again for our next trip! Still deciding where... Will definitely pass along your information to friends that travel.

Ciao for now.

Judy & Sam / Italian Dream

Dear Donna,
I've written this recommendation of your work to share with other LinkedIn.com users.

Thank you for everything! We will definitely contact you when we plan our trip to Spain!

Marvin

Details of the Recommendation: "I learned of Donna while researching the French Polynesian Islands for our 25th anniversary. Simply put, Donna is absolutely amazing! She planned every aspect of the trip, recommending different islands, experiences and the best places to dine. She worked with us through every step of the process, making sure every detail was perfect. Most importantly, whenever any issues arose, Donna personally made them right. Her attention to detail, expert knowledge and true passion for creating memorable experiences made this our most wonderful vacation ever. I highly recommend Donna to anyone looking to create the perfect vacation."

Marvin & Lynn / Customized Tahiti Experience

Donna,

Western Canada exceeded all expectations. Vancouver is still basking in post Olympic glory, and while we were there, in perfect weather. The Fairmont Pacific Rim is a terrific hotel and our corner room yielded marvelous scenery, including the view from the hot tub. The staff was first rate by any measure.

Our Vancouver guide did a great job of showing us around town. He knew his stuff and was very personable. He suggested Cin Cin for dinner and that was a winner.

Victoria by seaplane was great. Guide was okay at best. Empress for tea was worth the trip.

The Rocky Mountaineer was spectacular. Scenery to die for, gourmet food, interesting and diverse fellow passengers, and well trained and informative staff.

Kamloops was modest as advertised. We crashed early and got a good nights sleep.

Jasper was next and the park and views were spectacular. You should be advised that the Jasper Lodge was very tired, the room barely satisfactory.
Our drive to Banff was a non event as it rained hard all the way with the mountains in the clouds and fog. We drove straight through to the hotel and loved it from the moment we entered. It is old and historical with a charm that is well supported by the staff. We ate in three of the restaurants and they were good.

It rained the next day as well so we donned rain gear and explored all of the shops in the adorable (Linda's description) little town.

Since the weather had precluded stopping at Lake Louise on our drive to Banff, we spent the next day visiting that incredible area on a cool but clear day. The first sighting of the lake gave us a rush. What a color. We hiked around the lake and returned to the Chateau for a window table in the Lakeview lounge. A dream day.

Onward for the short drive to Calgary-and the horrendous traffic of a city engaged in extensive building in the downtown and the influx of visitors in town for the Stampede. We walked the town to get into the spirit of things. Linda was quite fetching in her Jeans and cowgirl hat while I made do with jeans and my Cubs baseball cap. Fun atmosphere.

We did go to the Stampede twice and enjoyed it immensely. The Midway was packed with a very diverse and good natured crowd enjoying the largest collection of rides and fast food that I have ever seen. We attended the chuck wagon races and then experienced a truly spectacular grandstand show (I guess I was expecting C&W). It was presented Cirque style and featured well over 100 dancers and singers including performing kids of all ages set in a background of major league fireworks. A truly memorable evening. Next day we caught the broncs, bulls, steer wrestling etc.

Donna, the Canadian people could not have been more welcoming or friendly. I felt the same way after our Eastern swing two years ago.

The travel plan you put together for us was executed perfectly by all. We appreciate deeply your efforts. Thank You!

Customized Western Canada ~ Private Clients

Great Italian trip. Well planned and well delivered - you did a fantastic job.

Our tour guide, Kris, was more than great. Weather was perfect, 10 sunshiny days in a row, so didn't miss a beat. It was truly memorable, being right there--all the things we've read about, seen pictures of, viewed in movies.

Kept having to pinch myself, as I couldn't believe I was in a gondola in Venice, in Vatican Square, on the streets of Pompeii, etc., etc. etc.

Thanks for your help during the planning. We really enjoyed our stay and will contact you again for our next adventure!

-- Lou and Kate / Customized Italy Stay

We had a wonderful trip. Three beautiful cities with unique charms. All three tours were excellent and the local guides, particularly the one in Tallinn, were charming and informative. I'm so glad you included the guided tours in the package. They oriented us to the city and showed us some sites we wouldn't have seen otherwise.

The food was splendid and we had some memorable meals--particularly the tasting menus at The Three Sisters and Chez Dominique in Helsinki. I really enjoyed the decorative arts museum in Riga. The market in Riga is truly something to behold. Its the largest in Europe. We had some rain one day, but not enough to slow us down.

All in all, truly enjoyable. I was concerned that there might be too much moving around. But that was not the case. Thank you. We don't have any immediate plans--but certainly we'll be going somewhere next summer or fall and we'll be sure to use you to make the arrangements.

-- Dottie & Luther / Eastern Europe

Our trip was amazing! We had a fabulous time.

Brad's favorite activity was the golf, we loved the Highlands on the train, the shopping, the falconry...loved the castles. Jim took me around to different sights while Brad golfed so I was never bored. Really, we just loved everything!!! They really catered to us and tailored the trip to meet our interests.

We will definitely pass your info on to any traveling friends. Thanks for helping us to have a fabulous trip, even if a lot of it was at the last minute but you all pulled it off!

I really think next year, we want to go to maybe Italy/France or Ireland/London or something like that...do you all have any trips that go along with that? It would probably be similar time of the year...either may/June or Aug/Sept and for 10-12 days as well. We will try to plan earlier this time!

Thanks again and keep in contact if you have anything available that suits the next trip we have in mind! Thanks!

-- Joy & Brad / Customized Scotland Golf & Spa Stay

I just wanted to write to say how much we enjoyed our trip to Italy! Wow! Amazing, interesting, educational, fun, unbelievable...(I could go on and not find enough words to describe it)!

The hotels were spectacular, the activities were fun and educational. I know that we would not have seen or learned as much without booking with you. It was the trip of a lifetime for our entire family.

Thank You again for all your suggestions. Will be letting our friends know of your service and contacting you soon for our next vacation.

-- Shirley, David, Shelby & Daniel / Family Italy Stay

*****

The V&A Waterfront Hotel turned out to be a better choice than The Cape Grace. Our view from the V&A was of the entire waterfront, all of Table Mountain, and the City Center. It did not seem like one could get that from The Cape Grace. Plus, The Cape Grace had lots of construction going on with lots of noise. So, we had the better choice, even though The Cape Grace has more luxury.

Will be in touch soon for our winter escape. Thanks again for all your help & guidance with this wonderful trip.

-- David & Faith / Customized Africa Stay

Sorry I haven’t responded sooner. When the vacation ended, I hit the ground running and have continued so. Need to start working on another get-away with you!

The trip was wonderful. We loved the hotels you choose for us in London and Barcelona! Of course the Seabourn cruise with the suite, was more than excellent!

It was nice to have time to relax after the cruise in Barcelona. Thank You again for the suggestion on adding the stay before and after the cruise, it worked out well. All in all I would give our vacation a “10+”.