Travel Master Jules Maury on Next Year’s Most Exciting New Hotel, and Why Fiji Should Be on Your Radar

Sometimes, no matter how smart, connected, and well-resourced you are, you simply need an expert— and not just any expert, but the rarefied insider who other specialists call when they need help. 

Luckily, Robb Report has a roster of such world-class pros on speed dial. (We’ve even begun rolling out our own highly curated directory of heavy hitters across categories, the Masters of Luxury; more to come in that space soon.) So we figured: Why not help answer some burning questions—on travel, fashion, real estate, and more—before they even arise? 

In that spirit, welcome to our new column, the Download, for which we enlist an in-demand authority—first up, Jules Maury, head of elite travel firm Scott Dunn Private—to impart as much high-level knowledge as quickly as possible, from tips and trends to untangling the thorniest problems. Have a conundrum you’d like to see solved? Email askrobb@robbreport.com. 

The Expert

Name: Jules Maury
Occupation: Head of Scott Dunn Private
HQ: London
Specialty: Access to the impossible

The Big Question

I’m a C-suiter and an avid adventure traveler who keeps hitting issues with my insurance: The small print stops my travel specialist from booking certain planes and helicopters. But I fly my own helicopter to the beach all the time. What’s the problem—and what’s the fix?

Maury says the most commonplace hiccup involves single-engine helicopters, like the Robinson R44, versus a twin-engine alternative such as the Airbus-built Eurocopter AS350. Many resorts are equipped with the former, but the latter category is a rarity, largely due to cost; while you can pick up an R44 for about $400,000, a sturdier dual-engine rival will run you around eight times as much. Even the world’s most lavish resorts will struggle to bear that cost, which puts them off-limits to folks whose insurance requires them to fly in only twin-engines or planes. 

Unfortunately, many corporations have ironclad caveats regarding how an exec can fly—even off duty. “We had one client who wasn’t prepared to fly anywhere without two pilots, in case something happened to one,” Maury says. Indeed, that client had to forgo a trip to Miavana in Madagascar for that reason, as only single-engine helicopters were available in-country. (Good news: That has since changed.) Which means you’ll likely need to plan your vacations around countries with ample supplies of twin-engine choppers. New Zealand and northern Kenya are two excellent options. 

If you’re keen to fly yourself, Maury says, stick to South Africa. The scenery is varied, permission to land is much looser than in many other destinations, and twin controls are readily available, so a professional pilot can shadow you and take over as needed. 

Speed Round

Where is no one booking next summer that they should be?

“Fiji. It’s not on people’s radars yet, but it’s unspoiled, with lovely weather in the summer, and it’s not a brutal journey from the States.” 

Hotel where nothing goes wrong?

“Eden Rock St Barths, with GM Fabrice Moizan—he lives and breathes everything that’s important to you from the moment you wake up until the moment your head hits the pillow.” 

Question every client should ask a travel specialist but never does?

“Am I going to enjoy this, or am I just doing it because the world thinks I should?” 

Most exciting upcoming hotel opening? 

“Cheval Blanc Seychelles, because of Oliver Jean Marin—he’s a legend. If he’s opening a hotel, it will be amazing.” 

Best buyout? 

“Galapagos for a multigenerational trip, but make sure to book the Aqua Mare or the new AndBeyond ship, Explorer—they have cabins of different sizes. Better for families than friends, who’d all be fighting over who gets the better room.” 

Either | Or

First class | Charter 

“For long-haul, first class. Even in a Falcon or Gulfstream, charters are extremely uncomfortable after a certain number of hours. I know—I’ve done it.” 

Courchevel | Aspen 

“Courchevel is a little tired.” 

Space flight | Expedition cruise 

“No-bloody-brainer: Why would you want to be in the dark? Go somewhere no man has gone before, but on Earth.” 

Penthouse suite | Private villa 

“People want to be on their own but also want the vibe of going down to the bar. And if you’re in a villa, you need a car, and no one wants to drive.” 

Capri | Côte d’Azur 

“Fewer people—you can’t even get up from lunch in Capri without bumping into someone trying to take a photo.”