I’ve Always Believed The Best Trips Change The Way You See The World
I'm Carmella Santos. FOUNDER, TRAVEL ADVISOR, AND FIRM BELIEVER THAT THE DETAILS MAKE A DESTINATION MEMORABLE
En Route Escapes grew from a lifelong fascination with seeing the world well. I created En Route Escapes for travelers who want more from their time away than a beautiful destination. The kind who care just as much about the hotel, the neighborhood, and the table waiting at eight as they do about what they came all that way to see. Today, I use that curiosity, experience, and a trusted network around the globe to create highly personal trips for travelers who expect more from their time away.
I’ve Always Been Drawn To The Places That Stay With You
FOR ME, THE BEST TRAVEL HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT SIMPLY GETTING SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL. IT’S ABOUT EXPERIENCING IT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
I’ve always paid attention to the details. The hotel that gets everything right without making a show of it. The restaurant tucked down a side street. The particular room with the view worth waking up for.
That instinct eventually became En Route Escapes, where I bring together exceptional hotels, trusted partners, and experiences that offer a deeper sense of place for travelers who want to see the world beautifully.
My approach is personal by design. I get to know how you like to travel, what matters to you, and what you want from this particular trip, then create something that feels unmistakably yours.
The Most Exceptional Trips Aren’t About Having More. They’re About Choosing Well.
There is always another hotel, another restaurant, another experience competing for a place on your itinerary. Having access to everything is one thing. Knowing what deserves your time is another.
That discernment is at the heart of how I plan. I look beyond what is simply popular or beautiful to find the places and experiences that genuinely add something to your trip.
Because when every choice has a reason for being there, travel feels less like an itinerary to follow and more like a world you get to step into.
WHEN I’M NOT PLANNING YOUR NEXT ESCAPE
I’m Usually Planning My Own Or Convincing Myself There’s Always Room For One More Hotel On The List.
I believe the best way to understand travel is to keep doing it. I’m endlessly curious about new openings, old favorites, the neighborhoods worth crossing town for, and the places that somehow feel even better than they looked in photographs.
I bring that curiosity home with me, along with an ever-growing list of places I can’t wait to send my clients next.
A FEW THINGS I’LL NEVER TELL YOU
“Your Hotel Is Just For Sleeping.”
“Everyone Goes There, So You Should.”
“There’s No Reason To Go Back.”
“More Is Always Better.”
“You Can Rest When You’re Home.”
“The Upgrade Isn’t Worth It.”
The way I see it, exceptional travel isn’t about following someone else’s idea of the perfect trip. It’s about knowing what matters to you, choosing accordingly, and leaving enough room to actually enjoy it once you’re there.
From the Journal
Hotels worth knowing, places worth going, and a few notes for seeing the world particularly well.
HOTEL NOTES
Five Paris Hotels So Good, You’ll Have a Hard Time Leaving for Dinner
There are plenty of beautiful hotels in Paris. But some just have a litte something extra. These are the ones we’d happily cross the Atlantic for.
HOTEL NOTES
Where to Stay in Rome When the Hotel Is Part of the Reason You’re Going
From glamorous addresses near the Spanish Steps to intimate stays tucked into pretty neighborhoods, these are the hotels we’d book for the room, service, and location.
Destination guides
The Art of Doing Absolutely Nothing this Fall in the South of France
Where to stay, where to linger, and how to spend a week in Provence and along the Riviera without turning your vacation into another itemized schedule.
How to Spend a Week on the Amalfi Coast Without Feeling Like You Rushed Through It
Why September Might Be the Go-To Month to See Mallorca at Its Very Best
Three Nights, One Carry-On: How to Make a Long Weekend Feel Like a Proper Escape
FULL-SERVICE TRAVEL DESIGN
the Journey
For the trips that deserve the upmost attention to detail. From the first hotel to the final reservation, every detail is considered and brought together around the way you want to experience the world.
HOTEL + GETAWAY PLANNING
the Escape
For when you know you need to get away, but don’t need every hour accounted for. We’ll find the right place to stay and take care of the details that make even a few days away feel exceptionally well spent.