Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists 2009

This week, Condé Nast Traveler magazine has released its August issue, which contains one of the most valuable resources for travelers each year! The best of the best of travel specialists for destinations throughout the world. These 126 specialists are chosen among hundreds of applicants for their expertise. Here is an excerpt of what Wendy Perrin had to say in the magazine and her glowing recommendations of Brownell's own Meg North (Panama and Recommended Generalist), Margret Propper (Alaska and European River Cruise), Linda Allen (Affordable Large Ship), Marion Harbison (Germany), and Caroline Wood (Rocky Mountains). We are beyond proud to have our advisors topping the list again for the best travel advisors in the world!

126 Top Travel Specialists

(and what they can do for you)

"Twenty years of interviewing travel agents and tour operators for “The Perrin Report” and other Conde Nast Traveler articles has given me a well-thumbed directory of the most trusted insiders—people who offer the best combination of specialized knowledge (based on firsthand travel experience), local connections, user-friendliness, and value for your dollar.

Each year, my team and I evaluate hundreds of new applicants to this list, and only a small number make the cut. Our recommended specialists have undergone a rigorous screening process that beings with at 47-question application with sample itineraries and client references, then continues with phone interviews and, in most cases, road-testing by Conde Nast Traveler staff. Those who unnecessarily book trips through pricey middlemen (as opposed to directly with local hotels and suppliers) or use on-site contacts that charge exorbitant rates are disqualified....

I receive hundreds of letters annually from readers reporting back on their trips that were arranged by these travel planners. Any specialist who is the object of valid complaints is removed from the list." –Wendy Perrin

And the picks from Brownell are....

Panama and Recommended Generalist
Meg McGriff North

North, who can pull strings with Panama’s top resorts and inns, enjoys arranging exclusive experiences such as an “up close and personal” view of the ships transiting the Panama Canal’s locks-including a private tutorial on how the giant gates are controlled- and a visit to a family-owned coffee farm where you can enjoy a brew that North calls “the best coffee in the world” (205-414-1653; megn@brownelltravel.com; http://www.brownelltravel.com/)

Germany
Marion Harbison

Harbison spends two weeks a year in her native Germany, where she used to be a travel agent. Not only can she point you toward the country’s less-visited castles, regional specialty snacks, and colorful small-town festivals but she can get you into private wineries and local events you won’t find on the Internet. (423-894-9001; marion@sterlingtvl.com; http://www.sterlingbrownell.com/)

Alaska
Margret Propper

Propper has been to Alaska 43 times- and in every season of the year. She’s driven the backroads, taken the scenic trains, flown on bush planes to remote Eskimo villages, sussed out the most atmospheric lodges and B&Bs, and tested a wide range of local adventure outfitters (for glacier dog-sledding, kayaking among the whales, hot-air ballooning, etc.) to determine which offer the most authentic experiences at the lowest price. She’s also cruised on ships large and small, taken every shore excursion, and figured out the best ways to combine days at sea with days on land. (800-999-3690; margretp@brownelltravel.com; http://www.brownelltravel.com/)

Rocky Mountains
Caroline Wood

Having grown up in Yellowstone National Park with a dad who is still a seasonal ranger for the Park Service, Wood has incomparable knowledge of the driving routes, the lodge and ranches (and their views, beds, and meals), and they best locales and outfitters for horseback riding, white-water rafting, ballooning, or whatever other activity you’ve got in mind in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. (406-624-6976; carolinewood@brownelltravel.com; http://www.brownelltravel.com/)

Europe: River Cruises
Margret Propper

Propper, who once lived within walking distance of the Danube and is fluent in German, has spent the past decade cruising all of Europe’s great rivers, from the Douro in Portugal to the Volga in Russia. She can find the waterway and boat best suited to your needs, advise you on how to spend days on land, and arrange unusual shore excursions, such as a visit to a private dacha in Russia (800-999-3960; margretp@brownelltravel.com; http://www.brownelltravel.com/).

Large Affordable Ships
Linda Allen
Stretching your dollar as far as it can go is Allen’s priority. What we love most is her honesty about potential drawbacks of each ship and her nifty tips for minimizing theses and for saving money on board. Use Allen for Celebrity, Holland America, Princes, and Royal Caribbean sailings (800-422-3445; cruisesbylinda@cox.net; http://www.brownelltravel.com/).

Visit our website at http://www.brownelltravel.com/ to learn about all of our luxury travel experts, or contact any of our specialists above to learn more about exceptional travel experiences.