Dominic Atterton

Having spent the last 10 years putting together incredible itineraries for his guests to all corners of the globe, Dominic is often asked about his most exclusive secret hideaways. “People often just want to escape,” he says. Most of his guests work endless hours, travelling from city to city and are forever surrounded by people, so when it is time to get away, they just want to leave the melée behind.

For the ultimate in escapism he suggests Sheldon Chalet in Alaska, arguably one the most remote private properties in the world. Dominic’s sense of adventure is often woven into the trips he creates; he loves extending the boundaries of what is possible and what can be achieved. It’s not all about action and adventure though, for him travel is also about reconnecting and maintaining relationships with loved ones.

A place that you fell in love? Has to be Paris he muses, surely the world’s most romantic city. Having jumped onto the Eurostar on a whim two weeks after he met his partner, they fell madly in love during the trip and have returned at least twice a year ever since.

Best hotel? La Reserve for its unassuming splendor and total privacy. However, when it comes to classic hotels, it has to be the Gritti Palace in Venice, oozing history and ideally located for the Biennale. These key events are seamlessly woven into his Italian creations. Being in the right places at the right time is key. Venice for the regatta in February or the Biennale in May, Japan often recommended for cherry blossom in spring, but really at its best in autumn when the pace is slower, crowds diminished, with incredible colours in the foliage of the garden. The last question put to him is the easiest to answer.

If you could be anywhere in the world where would you be right now? Waking up to the sound of birdsong at Amanbagh in rural Rajasthan, where the uniqueness of India lures him back time and time again, as it encapsulates every element of humanity and simply leaves an everlasting, magical feeling.