Recently updated on July 10th, 2024 at 10:23 pm
In a world where travel is more accessible than ever before, where experiences trump the typical ‘bucket-list’ items, and giving back to local communities is of utmost importance, it’s the unique local travel experiences like Be My Guest that make a trip stand out.
But 15 years ago, it was a very different story. Visiting a foreign place and being invited into a local’s home for a lovingly-prepared meal – an exchange of conversation and a first-hand look into the local life – was a revolutionary concept. Enter Be My Guest, the original local travel experience, born from the concept of enabling human connections between host (the local) and guest (the traveler).
“Be My Guest is, and always has been, about the locals being the true essence of the places you go. Our hosts open a unique window into their world. An opportunity for meaningful conversation, fascinating storytelling, endless laughter and of course, the secret ingredient, the food, which brings the soul of a place to life. Join me in wishing Be My Guest, and all our wonderful hosts around the world, a very happy 15th birthday.” Gavin Tollman, CEO, Trafalgar
Read on as we explore how Be My Guest has changed the guided travel industry over the last 15 years – from our very first experience to our most recent, and everything in between.
The very first Be My Guest experience, Sorrento, Italy 2009
Be My Guest began in 2009, at the Esposito family lemon farm in Sorrento, Italy. Relatives of a Trafalgar Travel Director, the Esposito sisters welcomed Trafalgar guests into their home for an evening of talking and learning, over a home-cooked meal and taste of the homegrown limoncello. With the scent of lemons hanging heavy in the air, they ate, drank, laughed, and both hosts and guests loved it.
The Esposito sisters very quickly became the highlight of the entire trip, with guests raving about the experience and buying bottles of the homegrown limoncello to take home with them. Speaking of her experience as a Be My Guest host, Mamma Esposito said: “It was the finest achievement of my life.” Sadly, the Esposito sisters have since passed away, but both the legend of Mamma’s pasta al pomodoro and the legacy of Be My Guest lives on to this day.
Bringing the human touch to guided travel
After the success of the first Be My Guest in Italy, Trafalgar went on the search for more memorable hosts and exclusive local experiences, across Europe and beyond. Like the first experience at the Esposito family farm, many Be My Guest experiences have been created from personal relationships and local connections in each country.
“Many of the Be My Guest hosts are people I’ve met on my various travels, and who I’ve thought would be ideal characters to entertain our guests and give them a flavour of local culture.” Christine Upton, Trafalgar
It is the hosts that make Be My Guest experiences so special and memorable. No matter where you are in the world, every host has a unique story to tell, whether it’s a historic French chateau’s resident culinary expert, the charming count of a legendary Italian villa or the affable owners of a traditional Japanese Ryokan.
More than a local dining experience
Whilst nothing is more personal than enjoying a lovingly prepared meal in the home of your local host, over the years Be My Guest has become much more than local dining experiences. Not only are you getting to view a destination from a local’s lens, but you can learn about their craft, their way of life and their family heritage. After a Be My Guest experience, you’re guaranteed to take home powerful memories of the sights, scents, tastes and stories you heard while sharing laughs with your host and fellow guests.
Back in Italy, discover Chianti wines and how they are made before raising a glass alongside your host. In Ireland, learn to churn butter on a working farm before dining in the farmhouse. In Japan, share lunch with the owners of a traditional tea plantation in the lush Nara region.
Sustaining local communities through Be My Guest
Over the last 15 years, Be My Guest experiences have been as much about enriching the lives of the hosts, as they are about entertaining the guests. With the majority of Be My Guest experiences being family-run and multi-generational, guests will directly make a difference to these people by providing a source of income and preserving the local customs and heritage.
Additionally, most Be My Guest experiences take place outside the major cities in small, regional communities – therefore spreading tourism out of the hubs and combatting over-tourism.
Experience Be My Guest around the world
Australia
At Mount Gnomon Farm, hidden high in the hills of North West Tasmania, you’ll meet passionate fifth-generation farmer Guy who’ll share his story and give you a tour of his apple orchard. Then sit down to a farm-to-fork Be My Guest lunch, paired with cider and served in Guy’s beautiful barn overlooking his well-stocked veggie garden.
Peru
Visit Chef Ignacio’s cooking school, where you’ll enjoy a demonstration on how to prepare some of Peru’s most popular (and delicious) dishes and have an opportunity to sample some over a Be My Guest lunch.
Italy
Join the Cinque family and hear all about the intriguing, illustrious history of Villa Toscanini as you enjoy Italian dishes made with local produce. Situated on a tiny romantic island, the villa was the hideaway of the great Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini, one of the most influential musicians of the 19th century.
Alaska
Enjoy a special visit to the home of Dave Monson, a local Dog Mushing (also known as Dog Sledding) celebrity to learn about the sport of Dog Mushing in Alaska. Join him and his dogs for an unforgettable Be My Guest dinner experience.
Sweden
Indulge in an Organic Dining Experience as you’re served a delicious Swedish meal at the family-run organic restaurant, Egastronomi AB, hosted by husband and wife team Niklas and Anna. They will welcome you to their renovated 19th-century church and explain their philosophy of using local produce to delight all your senses.
What did past travelers have to say about Be My Guest?
“I had a most memorable moment in the Be My Guest Dinner in Trafalgar’s Greece tour. The dinner was held at an olive farm, and at the end of the dinner we even experienced Greece hospitality with the introduction of the Syrtaki dance, which is a famous Greek dance. We all danced together and it was truly fun and enjoyable. Good food, good fun – indeed an experience that I will always have fond memories of my Greece trip using the Trafalgar tour.” – May, Best of Greece
“I purchased this trip for my sons graduation. One of our favorite tours on the trip was Be My Guest. The hospitality shown to us by the host was amazing. Opening their home, showing the group around and preparing an exquisite meal with olives and wines from their own orchards was more than I had expected. Thank you for making my son’s first trip out of the country so memorable. And my first tour company so easy and enjoyable.” – Sandra, Best of Italy
“Loved this “Be My Guest ” experience in a small village Demircidere, Bergama/Ä°zmir, Turkey. We were welcomed by the locals and then headed to their homes to enjoy a traditional meal and chat with their families. It felt very personal and memorable mingling with the locals and getting to experience their culture up close. Thanks Trafalgar for making this possible!” – Farida, Highlights of Turkey
“My story begins just outside of Bergen in Norway on a beautiful farm owned by the Ovre-Eide Family. This was the destination for our “Be My Guest” Dinner. My husband David and I were two of the lucky twelve that had the privilege of dining down in their 500 year old meat and food cellar! If you are ever asked to volunteer to “dine in the dungeon” do it! It was truly special. We both came away saying “what an absolutely amazing, once in a lifetime experience!” Thank you to the Ovre-Eide Family for making our visit to your home so memorable.” – Leith, Scenic Scandinavia and it’s Fjords
In their own words: what our Be My Guest hosts
It’s not just guests that make memories on a Be My Guest experience – our hosts have countless precious moments from each experience.
Konrád Scheizsl, Scheizsl Winery
“I do everything here with my heart. I have a great responsibility, bringing this 120-year tradition into our modern times. I have to take care of my family’s heritage and pass it on to the next generation.”
Fergus Wood, Ledard Farm
As part of the diversification of this farm, we decided to go into tourism. We met up with Trafalgar about 10 years ago and we’ve been working with them ever since. They’re our most important customer. Be My Guest is an opportunity to meet what I call ‘real Scotland’: the Scotland of tradition, of music, of culture, of hospitality.
Matricia Bauer, Warrior Women
“It’s a privilege to be able to share my story. My goal is to offer travelers a better understanding of both the culture and the land of our Indigenous people. We welcome you to explore our deep-rooted connection to the land while taking part in fireside chats and plant walks. During these sacred rituals, you’ll engage in conversation with me and other guests, walking away with a genuine and heartfelt experience often overlooked in the tourism industry.”
What’s next for Be My Guest?
So, what’s next for Be My Guest? Born in Europe, but now spread widely across the world, Trafalgar now has Be My Guest experiences available on every trip*. Be My Guest experiences are constantly evolving, with Trafalgar always on the look-out for unique and inspiring hosts, each one completely different from the next. This year saw the addition of xxxx, and we have so many more planned for next year (and beyond!), bringing yet more opportunities to see a destination through a local’s lens.
New and upcoming Be My Guest experiences include:
New in 2024: Dine at Winery Botaro on Balkan Delight
- Visit the family-run Botaro winery as you gain a deep appreciation for Croatian hospitality and fabulous local wine as you meet Matea and her family including her grandmother, who is responsible for the tasty home-made dessert you will enjoy as part of a fresh, seasonal 3-course meal.
Enjoy an Organic Dining Experience with Niklas and Anna on Capitals of Scandinavia
- Indulge in a delicious Swedish meal at a family-run organic restaurant, Egastronomi AB, with hosts Niklas and Anna.
Dine on a Lemon Farm Overlooking Mount Etna on Best of Italy and Sicily
- Join a family-owned lemon farm and enjoy a Be My Guest dinner overlooking views of the impressive Mount Etna.
Join us as we celebrate 15 years of Be My Guest. Have you been on a Be My Guest experience? Share your special memories with us below.