With less than 10 weeks until Christmas, many people’s minds are turning to festive season gifting and employee rewards.

This year there really is no better gift than the ‘Gift of Travel’ What better way to show your appreciation and reward your team or loved ones than with the gift of travel.

2020 has demanded so many to go “above and beyond” (often under challenging new circumstances!) and has unfortunately also seen many missed celebrations (perhaps even this year’s festive season with family & friends).

Why a Southern Crossings Gift of Travel voucher is the perfect 2020 gift:

Southern Crossings travel vouchers can be purchased for an amount to suit any budget and redeemed for travel experiences tailored exactly to the recipients’ interests, needs and wishes anywhere within Australia, New Zealand or the South Pacific (subject to travel restrictions at the time).

Travel desire is at an all-time high and there has never been a better time to discover the amazing experiences right here in our beautiful backyard. With most of us have spent the year curating virtual #cantwaittotravelagain wish lists, the Gift of Travel is guaranteed to be appreciated.

Southern Crossings’ long-standing relationships with Australian tourism suppliers allow them to offer competitive rates and exclusive privileges (we know the best places to stay, which rooms to request, and will always request special extras for our guests, from room upgrades to late check-out)

Experience-based and supporting one of the pandemic’s hardest hit industries, the Gift of Travel is an environmentally and socially responsible way of rewarding employees this year.

How does it work?
Southern Crossings Gift of Travel vouchers are available in any denomination chosen by you (starting at just $500)*.

Your Southern Crossings gift voucher will come beautifully presented and can be mailed to you or directly to the recipient with a personalised message from you. Vouchers can be redeemed for, or put towards, the recipient’s ideal getaway, in whichever part of Australia they are based or wish to travel.

Their experienced Travel Designers will then work with the recipient to curate luxury experiences that are tailored just for them.

Not sure if the recipient is ‘ready’ to travel again just yet? Your travel gift voucher will be valid for a period of up to 3 years and can also be redeemed for local luxury experiences and staycations.

The perfect gift for all occasions, it almost goes without saying that the Gift of Travel makes an equally rewarding personal gift for mums and dads who have juggled working from home with home schooling or family and friends who have missed special milestones and cancelled holidays this year.

The Southern Crossing Design team have curated a sample of packages and experiences to share with our community so that you can see how your recipient can use their ‘gift of travel’ or for you to book a treat for you.

Spice up your weekend with a Sydney staycation
One nights’ accommodation in a King Room for two at Spicers Guest House Potts Point including a-la-carte breakfast and a $250 dinner voucher to use at the nearby Bistro Rex, where you will also enjoy a complimentary welcome cocktail on arrival and a complementary shared dessert.

Housed in a row of lovingly converted terrace houses and surrounded by some of Sydney’s hottest local restaurants, Spicers Potts Point offers luxury boutique accommodation with a true local feel. In a seemingly effortless blend of classic Sydney heritage with contemporary style and comforts, guests enjoy individually decorated rooms, highly personalised service and a collection of thoughtful little touches such as the complimentary evening canapes.

Just a short stroll from the hotel, Bistro Rex offers a modern Australian take on French-bistro favourites. Enjoy a relaxed a-la-carte dinner with all the trimmings and a genuinely warm VIP welcome.

$AUD 700 for two people.

Wine, dine and unwind in the Hunter
Two nights’ accommodation in a King Room for two at Spicers Guest House Hunter Valley including breakfast daily as well as a premium wine tasting and gourmet picnic in the vines experience for two people at the picturesque Audrey Wilkinson estate.

Head for the Hunter Valley to enjoy two nights of fabulous food and wine, staying in the heart of the wine country at the wonderfully inviting Spicers Guest House. Explore the boutique cellar doors and world-renowned labels that are dotted throughout Australia’s oldest wine growing region; sampling great Aussie wines and fresh regional produce at your own pace.

Take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool or a relaxing soak in the heated spa and explore your surrounds with complimentary use of the hotel’s bicycles.

We’ve also included a premium wine tasting experience and a picnic hamper for two (including a bottle of wine) to enjoy among the vines at the the picturesque Audrey Wilkinson estate.

$AUD 900 for two people.

A progressive Sydney Long Lunch afloat
Cruising Sydney Harbour in style aboard a private luxury motor-cruiser, enjoy a progressive lunch on and around Sydney Harbour. Stop to enjoy entrée by the water’s edge at Doyles on the Beach at Watson’s Bay. Cruise across the harbour to Balmoral where you enjoy a choice of mains at the Public Dining Room overlooking the beach.

Continuing into Middle Harbour, a selection of delicious desserts and cheeses are served on board before cruising back to Circular Quay. Toast to a great day out in the Harbour City with a complimentary bottle of champagne gifted to you on departure.

$AUD 1,500 for two people*

*This certificate is issued on a private-charter basis for two people. The vessel can accommodate up to 8 additional invited guests (at extra cost) should you wish. Alternatively, a similar experience can be  enjoyed as a dinner cruise.

Sydney staycation in style
One nights’ accommodation in a Opera View Room at the Sydney Park Hyatt including breakfast for two, a $500 voucher to spend on lunch or dinner at Quay restaurant (enjoying a complimentary welcome cocktail on arrival) and a 2 hour private Sydney Sunset cruise aboard a super-stylish luxury speed boat, including sparkling wine and cheese platter.

Live it up in the city! In the heart of Sydney’s historic Rocks precinct, at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Park Hyatt Sydney looks across the harbour to the Sydney Opera House. The epitome of contemporary luxury, it is arguably the city’s most prestigious 5-star property. The low-rise harbour front hotel offers a choice of dining options, indulgent day spa and an outdoor heated rooftop pool, whilst also being only moments from some of Sydney’s finest waterside eateries, colourful galleries and harbourside
parklands.

Quay is one of Sydney’s most highly awarded dining experiences. Diners enjoy Peter Gilmore designed degustation menus highlighting rare and beautiful ingredients, served in spectacular Sydney surrounds.

Its hard to imagine a more romantic and stylish way to end the day than exploring Sydney Harbour with a private sunset cruise aboard this luxury speed boat.

$AUD 2,850 for two people*

* An additional two guests can be accommodated on the sunset cruise at no extra cost should you wish to invite some friends.

Romance, relax and reset
Two nights’ accommodation at Spicers Sangoma (in a bush, tent or lodge suite) including all meals, most beverages and a privately guided Blue Mountains bushwalking tour.

Only an hour from Sydney, Spicers Sangoma is a tranquil retreat from the city. With just eight private guest suites surrounded by the natural bushland of the beautiful Blue Mountains, this romantic eco-luxury adults-only escape is the perfect place to relax and unwind. Innovative menus showcase fresh regional produce for breakfast, lunch and dinner; whilst the solar-heated infinity pool enjoys panoramic views over the surrounding bush. The on-site day spa offers a range of restorative treatments and relaxing massages (cost not included).

Also included with your stay is a privately guided half-day nature walk in the pristine bushlands of the beautiful Blue Mountains. Discover breathtaking hidden corners of this World Heritage wilderness area that you haven’t seen or been before.

$AUD 3,600 for 2 people

Angling for adventure? Game on!
A full-day private fishing charter aboard a luxury fly-bridge cruiser from Sydney Harbour. Your crew will take you to all the local fishing hotspots (and some of their favourite secret spots) to ensure a great day out on the Harbour and out the Heads to try your luck at hooking a tuna or some tailor, Marlin or Mahi Mahi.

Your (approx. 9-hour) cruise includes all the fishing gear, bait and assistance you will need as well as full-catering (morning and afternoon tea, lunch and beverages). Irrespective of your fishing bounty, you will return home with a special surprise gift with our compliments.

Perfect for a great day out with mates or a fun-filled day out of the office with teammates.

$AUD 3,800 for up to 10 people

Indulgence on Sydney’s doorstep
Two nights’ accommodation at Pretty Beach House (in a Bayview or Treetops Pavilion), inclusive of all meals, most beverages, a traditional indigenous ‘welcome to country’ ceremony served with evening canapes and use of the property’s mountain bikes to explore the surrounding bushland. We have also included two indulgent 1.5 hour massages with your stay for a truly relaxing and indulgent weekend away.

Just 90 minutes north of Sydney feels like a million miles from the cares of the rest of the world at Pretty Beach House. The epitome of relaxed elegance in a quintessentially Australian coastal bushland setting, Pretty Beach House is an all-inclusive, very exclusive hideaway offering luxury accommodation in just four private guest suites, a tranquil infinity pool, pampering spa rituals, decadent meals and a range of outdoor activities.

$AUD 4,250 for two people

Based in Melbourne..
The Southern Crossings Travel Design team have some inspirational ’packages’ available for Melbourne-based gift recipients, including:

A progressive Foodie Trail lunch: Let your private guide introduce you to some of Melbourne’s most amazing flavours and multi-cultural foodie finds, enjoying a progressive lunch at various stops during the 4-hour private walking tour through Melbourne’s most flavoursome precincts. Choose your flavour from African, Indian or Greek cuisine. Includes a tasty gift to take home.

$AUD 350 for two people

An Escape to the Mornington: Enjoy one night’s accommodation at Jackalope (in a Terrace Room), inclusive of breakfast, wifi and parking as well as a bespoke vineyard tour including wine tastings and local cheeses, and sculpture park access at the award-winning Pt Leo estate.

$AUD 1,000 for two people

Living the High Life in Melbourne: Enjoy one night’s accommodation at Crown Towers Melbourne (Deluxe Room) including breakfast for two and a 20-minute private helicopter scenic flight over  Melbourne for two people.

$AUD 1,060 for two people

Retreat to the Bellarine: enjoy a relaxing two night stay at Lon Retreat and Spa (Pileus or Nimbus suite) on the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula inclusive of daily breakfast and a 3.5 hour dolphin and seal watching cruise.

$AUD 1,250 for two people

Based in Brisbane..
The Southern Crossings Travel Design have some inspirational ’packages’ available for Brisbane-based gift recipients, including:

Wine Country Glamping Escape: Two nights’ accommodation in a Laguna Suite at Sirromet Sanctuary including a behind-the-scenes winery tour and private wine tasting, 5 course degustation dinner for two with matched wines, a gourmet picnic lunch hamper for two and two bottles of wine from Sirromet’s Le Sauvage range to take home.

$AUD 1,500 for two people

Foodie Follies: Enjoy a two night stay at the Callile Hotel in Brisbane’s trendy Fortitude Valley and a full-day private tour visiting and feasting at a selection of Sunshine Coast foodie finds, from farm gates to wineries.

$AUD 1,550 for two people

Go Wild for Koalas! Spend the day learning about one of Australia’s most endearing and endangered creatures, the koala. Start with a visit to Lone Pine Sanctuary including exclusive access in a koala exhibit and a personalized tour of the sanctuary before travelling to the Scenic Rim for a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the UQ Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre to lend a hand to local conservation projects. Your koala experience also includes a gourmet lunch and an overnight stay at Emporium South Bank.

$AUD 2,500 for two people (including a donation to koala conservation)

Visit the Essential Solutions Gift Concierge to send your enquiry to the Essential Solutions team to get your ‘gift of travel’ or experience ordered for this festive season gifting.