We caught up with Georgie Bentley-Buckle, one of our leading travel writers who balances her journalism with driving forward her specialist wellbeing PR agency LUXE BB.
Georgie has raised her profile on both sides of the media coin over the last decade as a PR professional and journalist working with some of the globe’s most luxurious travel, restaurant and wellbeing brands. A regular contributor of ours, among others, she has also had work published in The London Evening Standard and Country and Townhouse. She loves reviewing the finest hotels and restaurants globally, with a little adventure thrown in.
My car of choice
Having grown up in The New Forest, I’m a country girl at heart. This means I love quintessential rural 4X4 vehicles, not just because they saved us on occasion when snow or mud descended – but because I find they’re the most comfortable to drive, (especially when they’re your only mode of transport around the forest!) I have my eye on a Land Rover discovery, preferably in a classic royal blue.
My favourite holiday destination
The term ‘holiday’ sits rather vaguely with me as a travel writer. There are however a number of destinations I’ve returned to over the years with friends and family. Throughout my teenage years, I spent summers in the south of France, either staying at friends’ houses hidden in the depths of Provence, or enjoying the beach clubs of St Tropez and Cannes on the Côte d’Azur.
A handful of my close friends have also spent a period of time living in Palma, Mallorca – so many trips throughout my 20s included enjoying tapas and cocktails in and around Palma Old Town. Each of these destinations hold a special place in my heart.
My go to fashion brand
On a day to day basis you can find me in my client Lorna Jane Activewear: the Aussie brand I represent the UK PR for. This means I am lucky to have a lovely collection of items that are perfect for either fitness classes or simply working in. For special occasions, I have a handful of beautiful silk dresses from Rat & Boa, high-quality, colourful dresses that are perfect for weddings, or dressing up abroad.
My airline of choice
I mainly travel with BA, mostly because I have a BA credit card and collect Avios points. This means I can use my companion voucher as a great excuse to fly somewhere new! We flew to Mykonos this year as I wrote a guide to the island, and have booked South Africa for January to visit friends and family in Cape Town. I also have my sights set on the BA route to fly back to Jamacia, and perhaps Miami.
My favourite watch brand
I can’t work out (or particularly head out on a run) without my beloved Fitbit – it’s a fantastic tool that helps me keep track of my workouts and push my speeds and distances when training for a run. On the flip side, I’ve had a lovely gold and silver Michael Kors watch for years now, I thought I’d be bored of it by now, but not quite!
My favourite restaurant
Having written about hundreds of restaurants, people regularly ask me this – and I find it the most difficult to answer. Being such a foodie, there isn’t one restaurant that fits the bill every time. Here in London 45 Jermyn Street in Fortnum and Mason never disappoints as an all-day dining space with fantastic British classics, whereas Oblix in The Shard has the real wow factor with dishes to match. Back home on the coast, I do love heading across The Solent and to The Hut on the Isle of Wight: the quality of food and service is always excellent, not forgetting a beautiful nautical setting.
My guilty pleasure
Any type of cooked cheese. Notably one of the main reasons I’d go skiing, whether it’s a smooth rich fondue, or baked at home I could eat it for days. If it’s on the menu in a restaurant I’ll always go for it, and if I’m entertaining I’ll often serve it – and admittedly eat the majority of it myself!
My favourite way to give back
One of the most rewarding things I’ve done recently is a charity half marathon with my brother and a friend of ours. We ran it in an atrocious storm which meant we were covered from head to toe in mud, (and were soaked through before the race even started!) However, we raised an excellent amount of money for a charity that supports children with learning difficulties. This meant it was worth every minute and I’d love to do another one day soon.
Follow Georgie on Instagram @georgielilybb
