I believe travel has the power to transform the traveler and the world they touch.
Meet Melanie
Melanie Hemmert is the founder of Walnut Lane Travel, a luxury travel advisory born from a lifelong passion for global exploration and following a nearly 20-year career in corporate communications and financial services. This professional background instilled in Melanie a deep appreciation for discretion, rigorous attention to detail and the high-level advocacy her clients deserve.
Melanie is passionate about crafting bespoke travel experiences that are as thoughtfully designed as they are beautifully executed. A veteran traveler who has explored 55 countries (and counting) across five continents, Melanie brings an elite level of firsthand knowledge to every itinerary. Through her affiliation with In the Know Experiences and Virtuoso, Melanie is able to provide her clients with privileged access and VIP recognition at the world’s most compelling destinations. By combining her disciplined approach with her deep expertise in luxury properties and premium air travel, Melanie ensures every journey is seamless, stress-free and perfectly aligned with her clients’ desires and expectations.
Melanie has called New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia home and now lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband, three young children and beloved dog. Outside of travel, her interests include distance running, yoga, racquet sports, musical theatre, cooking and fine cuisine.
Q&A with Melanie
Top five favorite travel destinations
1
Sri Lanka, Japan, Patagonia, African safaris (including South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania), and Disney destinations worldwide.
Ceylon Tea Trails, a Relais & Chateaux property in the highlands of Sri Lanka. The suites are in converted manor houses of a still-operational tea plantation and overlook the most beautiful mountain lake. Pushing a button next to the bed and having your morning “bed tea” delivered on a silver tray might be my all-time favorite travel indulgence.
2
Favorite hotel
After staying at a boutique hotel in the Azores that boasted the world’s largest gin collection, I have become quite the gin & tonic aficionado. I have strong opinions on everything from the glass (a stemmed balloon glass) to the ice (one large cube) to the garnish (dehydrated citrus and a sprig of fresh herbs).
3
Go-to drink or cocktail
Champagne before takeoff. Room service breakfast in a plush bathrobe, with my Kindle in hand. Getting lost in local markets. On a beach vacation, seeing how fast I can go from touchdown to submerged in the ocean.
4
Travel vices
Lilly Pulitzer for her effortless, colorful and carefree aesthetic, and C.Z. Guest for her quietly elegant, understated luxury.
5
Style icons
Unexpectedly discovering an extraordinary rare books library at a wine estate in South Africa and charming the caretaker into letting us handle the collection (with protective gloves, of course). The best travel moments are always the ones that surprise you.