Kiyah Rook

Kiyah has been a travel advisor for 16 years, starting at 18 straight out of school. She lived in England with her family as a teenager, having already visited more than 20 countries by 14, and later spent three years living in Canada, where she met her husband - so Canada and Europe are two regions she knows especially well. All up, she has travelled to more than 78 countries and counting, and she likes to experience a place herself before recommending it to a client. Her favourite destination is Cape Town in South Africa. She loves the city because it has so many hidden surprises, from amazing restaurants to beautiful bays, beaches and wildlife. It simply has something for everyone.

Africa is also home to one of the most memorable travel experiences she has organised for a client. "My not-so-mobile clients got the opportunity to walk alongside lions in Zambia. They would not have known this experience was possible unless I had done it myself and followed up my connections to get it organised for them. It ended up being the highlight of their trip."

Kiyah is a Virtuoso agent, CLIA certified across all major cruise lines, and holds Princess Cruises' Commodore status - the highest tier of the line's advisor recognition program - though she has a particular love for smaller ships. When a couple came to her after cancelling their honeymoon during COVID, hoping to take a big-ship cruise to Greece, she suggested something more tailored instead: private pool villas across four Greek islands, followed by seven nights on a boutique cruise ship. They told her it was the highlight of their trip - they made lifelong friends, learned local Greek dances and found hidden swimming spots they would never have discovered on a larger ship.

No matter which continent you are thinking of travelling to, Kiyah's breadth of travel knowledge opens up experiences you might never have dreamed of. For something a little different in Lisbon, she suggests a convertible VW Beetle tour that takes you to the beautiful town and castle of Sintra. In New York City, she recommends a trip to Bar 230 on 5th, as it offers amazing views of the city. And in Mexico's Playa del Carmen, she thinks Xcaret is a must. "It has something for everyone, from cultural experiences to wildlife encounters and even an underground river." One of her own favourite experiences recently has been an overwater bungalow stay at the Ritz-Carlton.

Kiyah believes good planning is what makes room for spontaneity - by planning around things like sunrise timings and seasonal events, you don't miss the moments that make a destination special. She takes the time to understand what matters to you before anything is booked, locks in the major pieces early, and fine-tunes the restaurants, activities and smaller details as your trip approaches. She also stays involved throughout your trip, not just at the booking stage.

When asked what she loves about being a travel advisor, Kiyah says she loves speaking to clients about their favourite memories from past trips, as it helps grow her own list of where to go next. She also gets great satisfaction from sharing her knowledge with her clients and helping them arrange experiences they would not have had unless they met her.