Scottsdale, AZ, Sept. 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chad Clark, principal and owner of Chad Clark Travel Ventures and an authority on experiential travel, announces the winners of the 2nd Annual “CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25,” the first-of-its-kind travel initiative that annually lists the top 25 travel experiences and products throughout the world.
The winners were honored during a special interactive event at the Bellagio in Las Vegas on August 12 in front of leading travel industry professionals. The CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25 winners include travel experiences and products from across the globe, from Greenland to Australia to Nepal and beyond with customizable adventures unlike any other.
Featured experiences include a paragliding hotel arrival experience in Oman, an Antarctic expedition on a Russian Icebreaker, piloting your own jet boat in New Zealand, VIP viewing from above the famed Italian Village horse race- Palio di Siena on you own private apartment terrace, and much more.
A complete list of the CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25 winners is included below.
- Adare Manor (Adare, Ireland)
The Ultimate Irish Golf Experience
The perfect golf experience can be found at Adare Manor. Starting with a warm Irish welcome when you check-in to your beautifully appointed bedroom in the historic Manor House, you will then venture onto the Tom Fazio designed golf course which has been created in harmony with the outstanding natural beauty of its surroundings, whilst incorporating the very latest in technological innovations. Celebrate your day of unforgettable scenery with a Guinness, an exceptional meal, and private whiskey/cigar tasting at The Carriage House.
- Ahipara- (New Zealand)
Jet Boat Training Session & Pop-Up Picnic
Explore a wild New Zealand river on your own private jet boat before hitting the lake for a hands-on lesson where you will learn to pilot your own jet boat. After you’ve received your pilot’s license, you’ll then sit with the owners for a “pop up” wild food barbecue. Your day continues in the wild where you could indulge in hunting, fishing, hiking, or finding New Zealand jade.
- Amantaka- (Luang Prabang, Laos)
Spiritual Connection by Silent Giving
For centuries monks and novices have left their temples every day and walked through the town, accepting alms (offerings) from the local townsfolk; A way for people to gain merit and for the monastic community to maintain contact with the locals. Amantaka invites their guests to join us on this contemplative and spiritual experience.
- Ananda (Himalayas, India)
Holistic Immersion in the Birthplace of Yoga
Immerse in luxurious wellbeing like never before. Enjoy customized wellness programs based on the traditional sciences of Ayurveda and yoga; amidst the Himalayan foothills, perched on a 100-acre Maharajas’ palatial estate within the birthplace of yoga.
- Acqualina (Sunny Isles, FL, USA)
Keeping The Kids Content
The AcquaExperiences at Acqualina were created to offer great travel experiences that will be truly valuable and memorable for guests. Keeping the kids in mind (and their parents happy), their knowledgeable and passionate experts in their respective fields such as learning to scuba dive on property, private painting lessons and more to make each activity and experience interesting and fun for the entire family.
- Banyan Tours/Shakti Lodge (India)
The Ultimate Himalayan Village-to-Village walk
A private guided village-to-village walk taking in 3 beautifully renovated village houses in the India Himalaya. Days are spent trekking in a remote and beautiful region known for its gentle people, lush surroundings and sweeping views of the Panchachuli Himalayan Range.
- The Berkeley (London, UK)
Out of the Blue Cocktail Experience
An exceptional journey of taste like never before. Up to four guests at a time can enter an immersive, 360-degree projection environment, created using bespoke technology. Then blurring the lines between scent, sight and taste, the Blue Bar team engages the senses in a totally revolutionary way. Take a sip - blow your mind!
- Borgo Egazia (Puglia, Italy)
Life in a Puglian Trullo with Clara
A magical journey through Puglian traditions. Leave your “casetta” at Borgo Egnazia to visit an authentic “trullo” in the countryside of Alberobello. Meet Clara, a smiling symbol of Puglian hospitality. She opens the doors of her cone-roof home and invites her guests in a journey back in time, telling fascinating stories about ancient traditions and inviting you to an unforgettable meal with her family.
- Chilko Experience (British Columbia, Canada)
The Chilko Experience in a Canadian Log Castle
Glacial fed pristine waters, rushing rivers, world class adventure. Bears, salmon and soaring eagles. Reside in log castles, enjoy evening campfires beneath star studded skies, smores for the kids and laughter for all. Romance, family bonding and life long memories awaits all at the Chilko Experience.
- Florencetown (Siena, Italy)
The Italian Kentucky Derby-VIP Palio Experience
From your own private apartment featuring window/terrace views where you’ll dine on Italian delicacies prepared by your personal chef accompanied by fine wines all while celebrating a horse race held in honor of the Virgin Mary. This race takes place twice a year, on July 2 and August 16. Ten of the city’s seventeen contrade, districts, are represented by a horse and jockey in each race. The race is no tourist-board invention and has been held almost uninterruptedly in Siena’s civic hub, Piazza del Campo, since 1644.
- Fogo Island Inn (Fogo Island, Canada)
Live on the Edge of the Wild North Atlantic
A cultural experience that provides isolation from the mainland while encountering how life is lived on the ferocious North Atlantic. Fogo Island has created a place of unique stories and traditions which allow guests to explore this unique lifestyle by snowmobile or snowshoe and revel in the natural beauty found around every bend in this still wild world.
- Golden Door (San Marcos, CA, USA)
The Best Life Assurance Money Can Buy
The Golden Door empowers each guest to achieve a healthy mind, body and spirit. Guests relax, restore and refresh on a journey focused on personalized fitness, spa and nutrition programs, designed to meet specific goals and needs of each individual. Come experience why some guests have been to the Golden Door over 100+ times.
- Grand Velas Riviera Maya (Riviera Maya, Mexico)
A Journey to a Mayan Wonder’s Past
The Insider Microadventure to Chichen Itzá and Cenotes and the colonial city of Mérida whisks guests off in a CESSNA 206 single-engine plane to discover the hidden wonders of the Yucatan Peninsula. After a private guided tour of the fascinating Mayan ruins, there’s a dip in a freshwater cenote or a carriage ride down Merida’s charming Paseo Montejo followed by lunch prepared by a Grand Velas Masterchef.
- Great Plains Conservation (Botswana)
Explore Remote Botswana by Foot and Canoe
A Botswana safari with the perfect blend of adventure and luxury begins with 4 days exploring remote northern remote Botswana by foot and canoe on the Selinda Adventure Trail. After days spent immersed in nature and disconnected from the world, fly into the heart of the Okavango Delta for 3 nights at Duba Plains Camp. You’ll retreat from a pop-up tent to a 1000-square-foot suite in one of the richest wildlife areas in all of Botswana.
- Luggage Forward (USA)
Vacations Should Not Start at Baggage Claim
The philosophy is simple: An enjoyable travel experience that does not involve carrying or checking your luggage. They handle the heavy lifting and the hassle, while you breeze through the airport in style and with confidence, knowing your belongings are already waiting for you at your destination.
- The Mark Hotel (New York City, USA)
New York City Luxury by Land and Sea
The Mark’s Land and Sea Experience combines the largest Penthouse on the continent (12,000 sq. ft) with The Mark Sailboat, a 70-ft historic 100-year old sailing yacht. Enjoy both land and sea views of Central Park, The New York Skyline and Lady Liberty coupled with private dining experiences featuring famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten himself.
- Natural Habitat (Greenland)
Living it up on the Arctic Riviera
Encounter raw beauty and remote Arctic landscapes from our luxury expedition camp near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet. Explore by boat, kayak and on foot, where very few travelers ever venture.
- Palazzo Seneca (Norcia, Italy)
Italian Gourmet Food and Wine Journey
This experience will take you through the most genuine culinary experience in Italy. You begin with a truffle hunt and then enjoy your bounty with a Michelin starred cooking class. Your culinary journey will continue with a deep immersion in the nature of National Park of Sibillini Mountains and then the experience of the ancient art of norcineria (italian cured meats), olive oil making, and a mystic encounter with the Benedictine monks as you participate in their daily rituals.
- The Private Suite (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Sky-High Service at The Private Suite LAX
A first-of-its-kind in the U.S., The Private Suite at LAX delivers unprecedented privacy, comfort, and service in airline travel lounges. The new gated, private terminal offers VIP travelers generously appointed individual luxury lounges, direct-to-aircraft transportation, and dedicated TSA and Customs & Immigration screening
- Quark Expeditions (Antarctica)
Navigate Antarctica on a Russian Icebreaker
A journey to the bottom of the world—cruising past masses of dense ice and thick, tabular icebergs—aboard the legendary Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov. True to the explorer spirit, this exclusive Antarctic adventure has you walking across the sea ice as guests are greeted by thousands of Emperor penguins.
- Remote Lands (Nepal)
Breakfast in the Shadows of Mount Everest
The most memorable breakfast you may ever have begins with a helicopter ride from Kathmandu to nearly 19,000 feet for a quick visit to Everest Base Camp before descending to 14,000 feet for a champagne breakfast in Kongde in the shadow of Mt. Everest, all the while surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Himalayas.
- Six Senses Zighy Bay (Oman)
Paraglide to your Hotel Arrival
One of the most unique, spectacular and exhilarating ways to arrive at Six Senses Zighy Bay is by paragliding off a mountain into the resort. Glide over the crags over the Hajar mountains and land next to the azure waters of the Gulf of Oman with a mesmerizing view of the bay from above.
- Southern Ocean Lodge (Kangaroo Island, Australia)
Kangas and Kanapés - Signature Sunset Drinks in the Wild
Take a twilight expedition to meet the ‘locals’ and soak up the history of Kangaroo Island’s early settlers at Grassdale, a historic property nearby to Southern Ocean lodge and where wildlife including kangaroos and wallabies congregate to graze. Observe these extraordinary creatures in their natural environment, sip premium South Australian wines and nibble on a ‘kanapé’ while the sun dips down below the horizon.
- The Tailor (Northern Territory, Australia)
Australian Arnhem Land Cultural Safari
On a little-known corner in Australia, lies an untouched wilderness without physical boundaries or roads, where nature thrives and only the traditional Indigenous owners and custodians of the land reside. Indulge in an immersive cultural journey, where they hunt with local elders, fish rivers and floodplains teaming with barramundi, witness traditional Aboriginal ceremonies performed on the same lands for thousands of years, and forge unforgettable connections to this remote and ruggedly beautiful region.
- Villa Manzu (Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica)
Costa Rican Dream Villa
This private boutique, fully staffed Villa of your dreams and inclusive and private for your group only. Spend your vacation in the lap of luxury, enjoying exquisite views, service and cuisine with adventurous activities complete with all the recreational toys available at the tip of your finger.
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Chad Clark has been traveling for as long as he can remember, seeking out the world’s most interesting and exciting experiences, and now he’s providing a platform for the best in travel to share theirs.
“After receiving an overwhelming number of submissions from travel providers across the globe, we’re thrilled to unveil the very best in luxury travel through the CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25,” said Clark. “This initiative provides travel suppliers with an opportunity to have their premium experiences recognized and promoted in an innovative way while simultaneously connecting travel advisors, and ultimately travelers themselves, with exclusive, thoroughly vetted travel experiences that have an industry seal of approval.”
"When Chad Clark’s reviews and certifies a property it sends a message to guests all over the world on the best places to travel and visit. Said Kathy Van Ness, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of The Golden Door. “ A guest can trust his company to select an experience such as Golden Door’s which is truly unparalleled. "
“Everyone at The Berkeley is thrilled to be a part of The Chad Clark 25. Chad’s initiative shines a light on unique and creative luxury, which are the very pillars of The Berkeley experience..” says Knut Wylde, General Manager of The Berkeley London.. “From Out of the Blue, the Rooftop Christmas Cinema, our Pre-a-Portea Afternoon Tea to the current Omakase Sushi Pop-up, my team are hyper focused on providing guests with truly original and quirky experiences that redefine luxury and make everyone feel at their best at The Berkeley.
The CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25 will return in 2019 with another set of top-notch travel experiences and products. A call for submissions will be announced at a later date.
Follow Chad Clark Travel Ventures on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates and information on CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25.
For more information on CHAD CLARK CERTIFIED 25, please visit ChadClarkCertified.com.
About Chad Clark Travel Ventures
A self-proclaimed “experience junkie,” Clark gave up corporate life to follow his love for food, wine, culture, destinations, a.k.a. extraordinary travel experiences, and turn it into a business that helps people make the absolute most of their most precious commodity – their time.
Whether traveling with friends, family or alone on a research trip, Clark is all about the experience – and when he finds one he is passionate about, he just has to share it with his clients and friends. He and his company have the contacts, relationships and dedication necessary to ensure his clients have the best possible experiences. Clark has dedicated his life to travel and is amassing an ever-growing “Experience Journal” that he shares online through social media. Viewers can follow Clark through Rome, Sydney, Paris and even in his own backyard golfing in Scottsdale, Arizona. Clark and his team are committed to sampling, connecting, building relationships and, in essence, helping his clients live their next big adventure.
Chad Clark Travel Ventures works with people who recognize that the types of trips they want require more than time and planning – they require knowledge, experience and connections, all of which Clark and his team can provide.
Chad Clark Travel Ventures, an independent affiliate of Camelback Odyssey Travel – a Virtuoso® Member.