
Lauren Cardinale
Email: lauren@traveldesignco.com
Agency & Location
Travel Design Co.
New Orleans, LA
Lauren Cardinale has spent over a decade as a luxury travel advisor to families, couples, and high-profile clients from Hollywood to the NFL. A Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist since 2020, she specializes in European adventures, African safaris, river cruises, and custom group journeys—connecting clients with vetted partners and in-destination specialists so you never travel alone. Her philosophy is unpretentious luxury: effortless, authentic, and transformative.
Most Memorable Travel Experience
My most memorable travel experience was taking my tween boys and toddler to Fiji. These were kids raised on theme park thrills and beach vacations—""bored"" with almost anything else. Fiji was different. It wasn't about the adrenaline; it was about cultural immersion. We spent two weeks with local villagers, experiencing their daily lives—eating, singing, and dancing together day after day. Nothing about this trip should have held their attention. And yet, they never touched their phones. They never once said they were bored. The most unexpected part? They cried on our last evening saying goodbye to our Mei Mei. And again the next morning as we climbed into the transfer, sent off by every member of the hotel team—our Mei Mei, the chef, the general manager, the kids club staff. That's when I knew: this is what travel is supposed to do.If Your Personality Was Depicted in a Property, Which Would You Be?
Singita SaboraTravel Tip
While it's great to be prepared, don't let internet rabbit-holes or well-meaning friends set your expectations. The magic of travel is in the experience, not the reviews. Go with an open heart—some of the best memories are made when you leave room for mystery and let the destination surprise you.How Do You Define Luxury Travel?
Luxury is personal. It's not about opulence for its own sake—it's about experiences that fit you. The right guide, the perfect timing, the details you didn't know you needed. It's unpretentious, transformative, and designed around what matters most to you.