I first discovered The Gallivanter’s Guide in 1995, became a subscriber soon afterwards, joined it as a critic in 2014 and became Editor-in-Chief in 2023.
The Gallivanter’s Guide lay open on a polished teak table in Amankila’s serene library, afternoon light drifting through the shutters. It was 1995, and I was already fascinated by exceptional hotels — a passion that had begun during childhood travels to some of the world’s finest properties.
But this was different. Here was a publication that spoke in a sharper, truer voice: honest, unsentimental and refreshingly free of the marketing gloss that clouded so much travel writing. I was hooked and soon became a subscriber. Year after year, its pages shaped the way I thought about hotels and hospitality.
Nearly two decades later, founders Lyn Middlehurst and David Maslin invited me to write for the Guide. I joined as a critic in 2014 and spent the next nine years travelling, reviewing hotels and contributing to a publication I had already been reading for almost twenty years.
In 2023, I became Editor-in-Chief.
The response from long-standing readers and from hoteliers who have known the Guide since its earliest years has been particularly gratifying. Many continue to recognise the same independence, curiosity and exacting standards in it today.
Today, I carry forward the principles on which Lyn and David founded The Gallivanter’s Guide in 1991: complete editorial independence, no advertising and no sponsorships.
Hotels are reviewed for our readers, not for hotel companies, PR agencies or tourism boards. Praise has to be earned — and when something isn’t good enough, we say so.
Because when you are spending thousands on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you deserve reviews written by someone who truly cares about extraordinary places—not someone paid to praise them.
Our history over the years.
Founded by Lyn Middlehurst and David Maslin, The Gallivanter’s Guide set out to do what few dared — publish honest, independent luxury hotel reviews. It quickly became a trusted resource for discerning travellers seeking truth over marketing hype.
Philippe Servais, a lifelong hotel aficionado, joined as a critic, bringing a sharper edge, meticulous attention to detail, and a refusal to be swayed by glossy PR — qualities that continue to define our five-star hotel reviews today.
Now under Philippe’s leadership, The Gallivanter’s Guide continues its legacy — delivering accurate, current, and uncompromising travel advice for high-end travellers in a world awash with paid praise.
