I know I’m dating myself, but when I was little and someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, being an “Escapist” was not on the approved list. Was it something that “I dream of Jeannie” became when she crossed her arms and nodded her head?

Deciding where to stay on your Alpine vacation is one of the most important decisions you will make once you decide where to go. Though where you want to stay may actually determine where you go and Portico Club has something to say about that.

Portico is a new “member only” travel company with a portfolio of luxury homes around the world. Think VRBO, but they select only the best and make sure they all meet their standards of excellence.

These days we are flooded with travel companies that all want us to book, book, book, but there is a bit more to making a booking decision. Portico has come up with the “Escapist” to humanize and personalize your experience.

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I spoke with Daniel Rosalky one of the lead “Escapists” to find out what this is all about. Aussie born, he has an enthusiasm that jumps through cyberspace so you feel like he is right there with you. Once you join, you are assigned your own personal “Escapist” who becomes your Everything. They get to know your likes, what really bugs you, what you dream about. They get to know the family members, the pets, the entourage and find out the things they like best. With this knowledge in his back pocket, if you don’t already know where you want to go, he can make suggestions. For example, if you are going on a trip with your Mother in Law and want to make sure you have lots of space, he can make sure he recommends a place that will give you just that. If you are going with your kids and they love to ski but have to snowmobile every day as well, he can make that recommendation too.

Their job is to know everything about every destination and who’s who. For example, they will find you a top ski pro, a Swedish masseuse, and they will stock the fridge with treats you can’t live without. They also have a new Chef’s Series where they’ve gathered the finest chefs from around the country to create locally inspired cuisine. So if you are in Colorado, for example, Andreas Fischbacher, former head chef of Cloud Nine Bistro on Aspen Highlands and current owner and head chef at Allegria in Carbondale creates alpine inspired recipes for you. Daniel makes sure you have all of the ingredients and “Voila” you are ready to dazzle your loved ones. I myself would rather cross my arms and nod my head and have Andres himself preparing the meal. I’ll have to ask Daniel the Escapist, but I’m sure he can make it happen.

www.porticoclub.com