Introducing Beyond Curated

For those well accustomed to the familiar sites and attractions of London, there's nothing like a bespoke experience that transcends the everyday and takes you into the realm of private luxury. This is why, here at The Milestone Hotel & Residences, we're beyond thrilled to call Beyond Curated our partner, as together we can provide our guests with something truly unforgettable. 

Linda Hugo, Owner and Founder of Beyond Curated

Could you explain, in your own words, what it is that Beyond Curated does?

We create once-in-a-lifetime heirloom memories through our curated private experiences. These experiences live on in the hearts of our guests to become part of their personal and family narratives. Our experiences feature an array of rare and privileged access elements which take our guests on beautiful and seamless journeys into British history and culture, deeply enriching the lives of our guests. Each experience is personally hosted by me to ensure the utmost attention to detail and our guests’ absolute enjoyment of every moment.

What first inspired you to do start Beyond Curated?

My love of London, history, art, and culture. Also, my clients, with whom I had built relationships when managing fine jewellery businesses in Mayfair. Their exacting standards and appreciation of carefully curated events and experiences inspired me to create Beyond Curated. My clients have always complimented me on my ability to design the most magical occasions, celebrations that are luxurious and deeply insightful. Their inspiration, and my many years of experience running businesses at the pinnacle of the luxury industry, led me to start Beyond Curated.

The National Gallery at night

What personal values do you infuse into Beyond Curated, and how do they resonate with your clients?

I'm a very positive person and feel that this is reflected in everything I do. I think my guests feel this enthusiasm too. Integrity and honesty are important to me, and these values, together with professionalism, are key pillars of my business. Our experiences create joy – an important feeling that I nurture in my personal life too.

How do you see the future of luxury experiences evolving?

When the experiential movement started picking up pace a few years ago (I like to think I helped kick start that in London) it was mostly about rare access and the 'ungoogleable'. Now I feel the shift is towards ultra-personalisation, tapping into the special likes of your guests and responding to those tastes and personal passions. The little touches, like being super attentive and connecting with your guests, making them feel like royalty.

Privileged access is great, but it's nothing without six-star service that truly goes above and beyond. You can't put a price on authentic warmth, kindness, and genuine care for your guest's wellbeing and enjoyment. AI will never be able to compete with the human connection, and of course applying years of experience in serving discerning clients is important too. 

What role does sustainability play in your business model, and how do you incorporate it into your experiences?

Our experiences are small in scale, and we always prioritise quality over quantity, so in that sense we tread lightly upon the earth as we do not, and never will, churn out hundreds of experiences each year. We also support charities and small businesses through our experiences. Historic Royal Palaces, English Heritage, and The National Trust are all charities we work with – charities that preserve history for future generations as well as developing fantastic educational and sustainability programmes.

Our experiences support these organisations as well as the experts we work with, including the best guides, historians, chefs, and artists who are passionate about their crafts, upholding skills and knowledge which would otherwise be lost without them. It's a joy to know that our small business helps other small businesses, charities, and of course the UK tourism industry more broadly.

Blenheim Palace interior

Which experiences tend to be most popular with your visitors?

We have three core themes which guests are drawn to time and time again. These themes form the basis of our signature experiences: Royal, Churchill, and Bond! Our art experiences are popular too, and we've just created a new medieval experience, 'Stepping Into the Middle Ages', which is proving to be a real hit.

Finally, we understand they are all completely bespoke, but do you have a favourite Beyond Curated experience or experience genre?

That's tricky, as I love them all so much! We don't deliver the touristy style of experience, and this means that each journey is engaging, fun, and informative, making it a real joy for me to create and deliver every time. I love the challenge of pulling together a whole week of experiences and being able to pepper each day with a myriad of different elements, featuring lots of surprises and delights that utilise the vast treasure trove of magical experiences I can weave into the perfect itinerary.