Luxury Ambassador of the Month

Bernhard Steiner, Custom Travel Network · USA

What sparked your passion for luxury travel?

"Born and bred in Vienna, Austria, I started my travel career 30 years ago by guiding groups of American college students around Europe during my summer breaks at university. What started as a great way to see Europe and make money during college quickly became a calling in life. As they say, 'Once you are in travel, you can’t get away!' To this day, I love being in a position to make dreams come true for our travelers, open their eyes to the world and also kindle the passion for travel in others."

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Career

  • 1996-2006: Tour Director & later also Operations Manager at AESU Travel, Baltimore
  • 2006-2011: Travel Director specializing in Central and Eastern Europe, Insight Vacations/The Travel Corporation, London
  • 2013-2014: Destination Manager, Europe, Cox & Kings Luxury Division, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2006-present: Founder, President & CEO of Custom Travel Network – CTN Exclusive Brands, Orange County, CA

Which travel themes do you specialize in?

"My company, Custom Travel Network, specializes in bespoke journeys for couples, families and groups to Europe and Southern Africa. We often incorporate luxury trains such as the famous Rovos Rail into our itineraries, as well as active components like hiking in the Dolomites. To me, Europe remains an amazing array of countries, languages, cultures and cuisines, and I never stop learning about new experiences, and places I have not been to yet myself. In Southern Africa, the combination of luxury train journeys with wildlife, game drives and outstanding cuisine can not be beaten."

What was the funniest request a client ever asked you for?

While at AESU, I once had an Italo-American family group book a private trip to research their family roots with us. The highlight of the journey was a visit to a small town in Southern Italy, where their ancestors supposedly came from. The clients did not know of any relatives, and left it up to me, the (Italophile) tour leader, and our Napolitan coach driver to figure things out. We decided to pull up in front of the church when mass ended on Sunday morning with our bright-orange tour bus. Of course, in no time we were surrounded by curious locals, and within ten minutes we located three cousins and second cousins, and secured an invite to lunch for the entire group.

Have you ever been to a hotel that truly exceeded your expectations?

"Over the years I have been to many amazing hotels. One I will certainly never forget is the Peninsula in Hong Kong – I arrived at the property in the evening, was led to my room by the butler, and he opened the blinds to reveal the illuminated skyline of the city. That aside, the level of service and attention to detail, with the British and Asian influences combined, set the bar extremely high. A close second will be the W Verbier, Switzerland, where the maintenance person left a hand-written note that he had fixed our fireplace and everything was back in order."

What has been your top goosebump moment on a trip?

"I have been to a lot of countries and places over the course of the past 30 years, and experienced a lot of 'firsts'. As one becomes more experienced, those 'firsts' become fewer and fewer – but when a new one strikes, it is very memorable. This happened last summer when I traveled to South Africa for the first time. We went on an early-morning game drive at a reserve. Seeing giraffes, cheetahs and elephants up close at the crack of dawn – these moments will stay with me forever."

What destinations remain on your personal bucket list??

"As I love sushi – and Japanese cuisine in general – Japan is high on my list of new places to visit. I would also love to return to Southern Africa and one day explore Namibia."

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