Nadine @ The Stanza

9 min

The business of six figure+ travel

📍 SmartFlyer, founded in 1990, is a luxury travel advisory that booked $1.02 billion in travel in 2025 across 250 agencies. Known for deep client relationships and exclusive access to destinations, they prioritize personalized experiences, with notable bookings like Italy's Hotel du Cap. The agency, led by COO Erina Pindar, emphasizes human touch over AI in hospitality. Their advisors are selective, managing high-value transactions, and offer unparalleled expertise through a global network, focusing on unique, immersive travel experiences.

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17 min

Scaling a French boutique hotel brand

🏨 Fontenille Collection, founded in 2016 by Frederic Biousse and Guillaume Foucher, owns 12 boutique hotels in France, Italy, and Spain. The company produces 300,000 wine bottles annually and is expanding into Brittany, Burgundy, and the Alps. LVMH acquired a 23% stake four months ago. The first hotel cost €20M. Fontenille targets offering affordable luxury (€400-800/night) and relies heavily on direct bookings, with 80% of sales direct. Their strategy emphasizes heritage, community, and experiential luxury.

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