Charlotte Helstrom
My expertise
I'm based in
Kidlington
It's Nice To Meet You
Hi, I’m Charlotte and I’m a firm believer that life is better with a holiday to look forward to.
I have worked in travel since 2002 and have been a Travel Counsellor since 2009. I am also proud to be a Gold Travel Counsellor, which basically means I spend most of my time doing what I love: planning amazing trips for lovely people.
I live with my husband, Richard, and our two boys, Jasper and Jude (and Woody the Cocker Spaniel). As a family we know how precious time away is, whether it is a simple sunshine escape or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I understand that every family is different, and my job is to create holidays that feel just right for yours, whatever that looks like.
A few of my personal favourites:
Thailand: our first big family adventure and a destination that has completely stolen my heart. Friendly people, gorgeous beaches, incredible food and so many special memories.
New York: my ultimate city break. Fast-paced, full of energy and always something exciting to discover, whether it is your first visit or your fifth.
Sri Lanka: my overall favourite. I fell in love with the culture, the warmth of the people, the diversity of the country and, of course, the food. One moment you are in lush tea country, the next you are on a beautiful beach or spotting wildlife.
Cyprus: a destination that will always be special to me because it is where I got married.
I have also been lucky enough to visit places like the Maldives, Australia, Florida, and many parts of Europe. I grab every chance I can to discover new destinations and experiences, so the holidays I design are based on real insight and up-to-date knowledge.
I love hand-crafting every holiday I book but my favourite things to book are:
Tailor-made and more complex itineraries
Luxury family holidays and family adventure travel
Honeymoons and special occasion trips
Lapland and festive escapes
Cruises
Disney, Florida and theme park holidays
Think of me as your personal travel designer. I take the time to get to know what you love, what you are not so keen on and what would make your ideal trip feel extra special. Then I do the hard work, from researching and planning to those little details that make everything feel seamless.
96% of my clients rate me 10 out of 10, and many come back to me year after year and recommend me to friends & family, which is the biggest compliment I could ask for.
If you have an idea, a bucket list dream or even just a “we really need a break”, get in touch and let us start turning it into a holiday you will always remember.
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
Sri Lanka – A Journey Full of Smiles, Spice & Stunning Scenery
Welcome to My Sri Lanka Blog! From ancient ruins to tropical beaches, Sri Lanka is full of beauty, culture, and hidden gems. Join me as I share travel tips, stories, and must-see spots from this incredible island.
20 Oct 2025 5 min read
A Magical Adventure at Disney World Resort, Florida: My Personal Experience
Disney is one of my favourite trips to book for clients, and I love immersing myself in the magic to stay up to date on everything Disney has to offer. Last summer, I had the incredible opportunity to visit Walt Disney World in Florida, staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, exploring the parks, and even touring Disney Wish. A highlight of my trip was experiencing the VIP Guides, which made t
30 Jan 2025 5 min read
Our Family Adventure to Thailand
We have always said that having kids wouldn't stop us from travelling and that we wanted our boys to experience the world. Until now we've had some lovely family holidays in Europe, but we felt that now, with our boys being 12 & 8, was the time for our first real adventure. So where to go? We wanted something with a good mix of adventure, relaxation, new experiences and of course, somewhere suitab
08 Oct 2024 5 min read
Family Cruise - Voyager of the Seas
Cruising is back!! My first ocean cruise since Covid and a special little Easter break with hubby and my two boys. It was also our first family holiday abroad since we got married in Cyprus in June 2017! Our home for 3 nights was Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas. Following a £97million refurb, Voyager is welcoming passengers back to the seas again. Without a doubt this is a ship for familie
19 Apr 2022 5 min read
Cruising The Danube - My First River Cruise Experience
River cruises are something I’ve sold in the past but having never done one myself, when I was offered a place on a trip down the River Danube, naturally I jumped at the chance! After 3 long years of no international travel, I joined about 50 other travel agents on MS Vivaldi, part of the Croisieurope fleet and our itinerary took us to Vienna, Bratislava, Esztergom & Budapest. If you’re a fan of
30 Mar 2022 5 min read
Amsterdam & Antwerp Taster Cruise
I’ve never visited Amsterdam or Antwerp before so when I won a place on a weekend taster cruise with Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), I was really looking forward to joining my TC colleagues to learn all about both cities and what CMV had to offer. The cruise embarked from Tilbury in London. Living in Oxford, it was a quick and easy journey on the train and tube and by 2pm we were on-board MV C
26 Sept 2017 5 min read
Dubai - A city for everyone
I last visited Dubai 13 years ago and I know from the many clients I have sent there over the years that it has changed miraculously since then. So when my Mum offered to take me for my birthday, I jumped at the chance to be able to see for myself how much this amazing city has developed following my last trip. Our journey started with Meet & Greet parking at Heathrow, this is so quick and easy
21 Oct 2016 5 min read
P&O Britannia Inaugaral Celebrations
Imagine the surprise and delight when, back in November at our annual conference in Manchester, a room full of Travel Counsellors were told that we had all been invited to spend a night on the brand new ship by P&O, Britannia. My excitement grew when, a month before the event, I received my personal invitation in the post and with all the press coverage leading up to her launch, I really could
01 Apr 2015 5 min read
Olu Deniz - A Jewel In The Turkish Crown!
For our family holiday this year we decided to do something we have never done before… visit the same place twice! We went to the beautiful resort of Olu Deniz last year and loved it so much we were eager to go back again. With its iconic mountain backdrop and gorgeous blue seas, we just couldn’t resist another visit. I booked flights with Jet2 from East Midlands Airport, another two firsts
24 Aug 2014 5 min read
P&O Mediterranean Cruise
To celebrate my mum’s 50th birthday, we decided to book a summer cruise! We were travelling with a 6 month old baby so we opted for a 17 night Mediterranean cruise aboard P&O’s Ventura departing from Southampton. We parked at Southampton port, which was a quick and straightforward process. Your luggage is taken from the car and the next time you see it is in your cabin. We checked-in and boar
02 Jul 2014 5 min read
Captivating Kalkan
I was lucky enough to be given a place on a three night educational to visit our Discerning Collection properties in the beautiful resorts of Kalkan and Kas. Along with some of my Travel Counsellors colleagues, we started the trip in style by booking into one of the exclusive airport lounges at Birmingham to relax with a few drinks before our flight to Dalaman. On arrival in Dalaman, we were gr
19 Apr 2013 5 min read
My Magical Disney Adventure!
As a treat for my 25th Birthday, knowing how much I love Disney, my partner took me to Disneyland Paris for 3 nights. We decided to travel on the Eurostar from London St Pancras as neither of us had been on it before and we paid a little extra to upgrade to the leisure select, which gave us slightly bigger seats and a trolley service meal. The whole experience was quick and easy all the way fro
13 Dec 2011 5 min read
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Why use a Travel Counsellor
Let's plan your dream trip together
Tailor-made for you
Your holiday isn’t just a trip away. It’s a longed-for escape, time to reconnect with loved ones, or a dream adventure you never thought possible. That’s why I take the time to truly get to know you and understand your hopes and expectations, then use my experience, connections and passion for the destination to create a trip that makes those dreams a reality.
Personalised service. Always
When you plan a holiday with me, you’ll be given my personal mobile number from the very first call. I’ll listen to your thoughts and ideas like I would a friend and arrange accommodation, activities, and flights that are all personalised to you. And I’ll share my personal tips and recommendations, so you can experience the true beauty of each destination.
Stress-free travel, and more time for what matters most
I believe your time away should be stress-free, easy, and seamless from start to finish. So, I take care of all the details for you - from ATOL protection, insurance, and flexible payments to access to the myTC app, which keeps everything in one place.
Support when it matters most
If the unexpected happens, you can rest easy, knowing that I’ll handle any last-minute changes, flight cancellations, or disruptions before you even pick up the phone. So you always feel happy, carefree, and ready to make the most of every moment.
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