Where the Byway travel experts are booking for themselves

The serial travel planners. We all know one. Maybe it’s you. Or maybe you wish you were one. It’s a tough pill to swallow for my fellow booking procrastinators, but more of us are realising a harsh truth: if we want to bag our dream holiday, we probably have to follow the lead of the booking early birds. *groans*

I spend my workdays surrounded by the Byway team, many of whom have the job of helping people book their dream holidays (what a job, eh!?). They know exactly where to go canyoning in February, which cities tick the box for Renaissance art buffs, and which trains are worth bagging a first-class seat for the best views. Our concierge team in particular also remind me time and again that the hotel room I have my eye on won’t wait for me, or that overnight ferry I’m longing to take is also on the bucket list of many others. Who knew! Whether for lack of decisiveness or sheer procrastination, getting the darn thing booked is a challenge that can feel overwhelming.

Today, I’m passing the pen around the Byway team to hear what my serial-travel-planning coworkers are booking for the year ahead—not for customers this time, but for themselves. So if like me you need a touch of inspiration (and motivation) for 2025, consider this affirmation: you are organised! You are the planning type! You know where you want to go — and you're going.

Kicking things off, the Women’s Euro (pardon the pun) is calling Alba (Booking Executive):

"I love incorporating travel with an event. It's so much more than a standard 'holiday'. Once the event is booked, you want to get on planning the rest of the trip. The Next Women's Euro is in Switzerland which also happens to be one of the best countries to travel around by train. I can't wait." 

Scenic Swiss railways

Alba supporting at Stamford Bridge

Jake (Customer Support Executive):

"This year, our founder Cat went to Slovenia and after gawping over her holiday photos, I knew I had to go for myself. When you know you know. BRB booking now!!"

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Marijke (Head of Growth): 

"I've always loved smaller places, off the beaten path. Usually, these are also the kinds of places that have really limited hotels, but that's part of their charm. I've snapped up a room at the Royal Victoria hotel in Varenna for next year. It's a sought-after spot right on the waterfront."

Aurelie (Product Manager): 

“I am French, and yet my favourite place to go on holiday is still Corsica. I always make sure to book ASAP before I panic that other people will catch wind of a place that feels kind of secretive to me. I keep going back because I find it's the best of so many worlds: beaches that look like the Seychelles, mountain hikes you could do in the Alps, French Mediterranean cuisine - and not built up with giant resorts and tourist herds. The French call Corsica "l'île de beauté" (the island of beauty), which for French people to say - who are notoriously hard to please - says something!”

Cat (Founder): 

“For spring 2025, we are getting the overnight Caledonian sleeper up to Rannoch Moor in Scotland. We're staying in the Signal Box station house with rooms (it really is tiny so one to contact Byway concierge about), and is an old favourite of hidden europe that we've wanted to try out for ages. We're looking forward to doing lots of walking, and making the journey across the West Highland Line and the Glenfinnan Viaduct for a day trip to Mallaig, before returning on the sleeper train a few days later. We knew that sleeper trains always risk selling out fast, so booking early was essential, especially for a private cabin for the four of us."