Member Spotlight: Omar Shahine

Born and raised in NYC to Egyptian parents, Omar Shahine has dual citizenship and has been back to visit Egypt several times. Travel has always been a big part of his life. Now, living in Seattle with his family, Omar utilizes Exclusive Resorts to create memorable travel experiences with his family. “We have two kids, 9 and 13, and a long bucket list we want to get through before they’re in college,” Omar says. “There are a few trips to Africa on the list. I want to take my family to South Africa to learn about the history of Apartheid by visiting the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg, as well as visit some game parks and Cape Town. We would also like to return and visit other African countries like Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, and Tanzania.” 

To make the most of his trips, Omar calls upon the help of his Ambassador and local Concierge travel services provided by Exclusive Resorts. “I don’t want to spend a lot of time becoming an expert on a destination before I go, so the Concierge is great at making our experience special and memorable — something you don’t get with a hotel or home rental,” he says.

From initial planning to tiny details upon arrival, Concierges and Ambassadors work together to provide traveling families with everything they need, and more. “The Concierge team and Ambassadors provide the highest level of service you can find,” Omar says. “The Ambassadors build a long-term relationship with the Members and know how to help you find the right places and right times to go.” And, when it comes to local restaurants, activities, and insider secrets? “The Concierges are experts at everything local and can unlock opportunities that would otherwise be hard to come by.”

“In my experience, travel planning is a large logistical undertaking. I value my time a great deal — and I also value travel as a way for my family and extended family to connect and spend quality time together.” For him, Exclusive Resorts removes the logistical barriers to travel, giving him meaningful time back into his day and vacations with his loved ones. 

When it comes to his favorite memory, there are many — but one in particular stands out: “My father passed away recently and I’m grateful for the memories my family has with him on our vacations. One of our last trips together as a family was visiting Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica. It was more than special — the community is amazing, and we can’t wait to go back,” Omar says. 

Omar and his family are looking forward to traveling again, especially taking advantage of the Experience Collection. “One big draw to Exclusive Resorts is the curated set of Experiences to choose from. The Experiences team at Exclusive Resorts are experts at matching you to trips that are a good fit for your family,” Omar says. “They also take a lot of the difficult planning out of travel. Galapagos and Peru are the two we are looking forward to the most.” 

With Experiences, each trip is carefully curated to create lasting memories and family bonding. “Experiences start when you get on the plane and last long after you return home. So much of what you will remember is what you do, where you eat, and how you feel the entire time.” Traveling worry-free with Exclusive Resorts allows Omar to revel in family time and new adventures while creating lasting memories.