Babesta Beat SS 2015

FLIPPING OUT! HENLEY VAZQUEZ OF FEATHER + FLIP DISHES ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF THE FAMILY TRAVEL SITE AND HER FAVORITE VACATION SPOTS

A

photos courtesy of Malliouhana

fter working in the travel industry for over a decade, you would think Henley Vazquez would find planning a getaway with her family a snap, but even this former editor for Conde Nast Traveler and Indagare, a luxury travel site and agency, was challenged. Although luxury travel options have always been at the ready, high end travel tips and specifics for family trips have been decidedly less so. Noting this gap, she joined forces with Nikki Ridgway, formerly of Jetsetter, and launched Feather + Flip , “a site we hope will be the ultimate resource for the family traveler,” she describes. “A lot of families know where they want to go, but aren’t sure which hotel to pick and which room to book,” Vazquez says. Feather + Flip hits the mark for families ready to hit the road in style. The travel site features hotel reviews and notes the best options—be it one room that fits a family of four or inexpensive connecting rooms, and spotlights both the “bests” and the “buts,” providing a measured review that weighs all the important stuff. Not only insider tips on hotels, the site also dishes on in-the-know extras that can amp up your experience. “We include picks for date night as well as casual restaurants, favorite tour guides and attractions,” she says, adding: “Did you know there’s a company that organizes scavenger hunts for children in the Louvre? Or you can take your kids to Gladiator School before visiting the Colosseum?” With all of the school vacations and summer breaks coming up, we asked Vazquez her top spots for traveling with tots in tow. Here are a few, but there are lots more, and more coming daily, so check the site and chase the sun. featherandflip.com

“I’ve always loved Anguilla—easy to reach, cool beach bars, casual restaurants, seas so calm my daughter could safely play in the water even as a toddler—but the new Malliouhana that just reopened after a huge renovation is my favorite place to stay. They have big rooms with two queen beds and private patios, so you don’t have to pay for two rooms to fit your family, but you have space to sit outside with a glass of wine after the kids go to bed.” MALLIOUHANA, ANGUILLA

24

babesta beat spring/summer 2015