Lisa Ratcliffe
My expertise
I'm based in
Banbury
It's Nice To Meet You
My name is Lisa, and I would be delighted to be your personal Travel Counsellor.
With 38 years of experience in the travel industry, the early years spent with an independent agency and now 19 years with Travel Counsellors , I bring a truly personal and impartial approach to planning your holidays. Now, as a Travel Counsellor, I am able to combine that independent ethos with the support and security of a trusted global travel company.
Over the years I have travelled as a solo explorer, part of a couple, a mum, and now as a more “mature” traveller, so I understand how needs and priorities change at different stages of life. My own journeys have taken me to Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Singapore, Hong Kong, the USA, Mexico, the Bahamas, much of Europe and many more destinations. This first-hand experience means I can offer practical, honest advice from multiple perspectives.
As your personal Travel Counsellor, my role is to make your travel dreams feel effortless. A simple phone call, Facebook/Whatsapp message or email is all it takes to get started. From there, I will take the reins: researching options, tailoring ideas to your preferences, and managing all the arrangements so you can relax and look forward to your trip. My aim is always to match you with the right destination, the right hotel and the right experiences for you.
Although the word “Counsellor” suggests that I only give advice, my service goes much further than that. I do not just advise: I handle every element of your booking and remain by your side from the moment we start planning until you are safely home. I am here to support you in the lead-up to your holiday, while you are away, and afterwards too.
Customer service is at the heart of everything I do. I understand that many people are busy or unable to talk during standard office hours, so I offer flexible appointments in the evenings and at weekends to suit you. When you get in touch you will always speak directly to me (aside from when I am on my own holidays!). You will not be passed around, left in a queue or made to repeat your story to different people.
If you would like to receive regular updates on hand-picked offers, ideas and inspiration, you are very welcome to send me your email address via the contact link above, or follow my Facebook page...
https://www.facebook.com/LisaRatcliffeTC/
The travel bug is truly incurable: once you have it, you are hooked for life. My love of travel is what led me into this industry and it is what continues to drive me today. I am passionate about sharing that enthusiasm, using my knowledge and experience to turn your holiday ideas into memorable, stress-free journeys.
I would love the opportunity to do the same for you: to look after your travel plans with care, attention and a genuinely personal touch.
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
Cruising The Norwegian Fjords
Just a short summary of our time on board Iona. I have so much more to talk about and would love to chat to you about our experience!
18 May 2026 5 min read
Aspects of Italy
At Christmas in 2018, my brother-in-law and his wife mooted the idea of a group of us going away together to celebrate their significant wedding anniversary. They would sort out the accommodation and the rest of us just had to find our way there! They had sourced the most amazing farmhouse near Sansepolcro in Tuscany where a group of 26 of us would all meet up for a week of celebrations! Well, it
04 Aug 2020 6 min read
The Ratcliffe's Thai Adventure
Last November, I was 50 and, on the same day, my eldest daughter was 21 - cause for big celebration! So, it was decided that we would do a ‘BIG’ family holiday this year. After working through several ideas and itineraries, we finally settled on Thailand and so it was then down to me to create the perfect itinerary! (No pressure then!) Over the past couple of years, I have been very much aware
10 Aug 2018 6 min read
Marina di Ragusa - Sicily
Back in August, my family and I travelled to Sicily, to stay in the south-east area of Marina di Ragusa. Sicily was chosen because we had never been and my daughters (17 and 20) wanted to experience an Italian holiday! We flew from Birmingham to Comiso, which was such an easy trip. Birmingham only being 45 mins up the road from here and the transfer from the airport to the hotel being the same
28 Sept 2017 5 min read
Gran Canaria - Puerto de Mogan...Cordial Mogan Playa Hotel
My husband, our two teenage daughters (15 and 19) and I stayed at the Cordial Mogan Playa for seven nights at the beginning of July. Over my years working in travel, I have sent many clients to this hotel (some more than once) and always liked the look of it, so this year we decided that we deserved some sunshine and to treat ourselves! We booked the half board plus option which gave us brea
19 Sept 2016 5 min read
Family holiday to Kaprun - Austria
My husband, daughters of 17 and 14 and I travelled with Inghams to Kaprun in August and, after a horrendous flight delay, we arrived at the chalet, late in the evening, about 9 hours after our expected arrival time. We were greeted by the happy, smiling, welcoming faces of Dolores and Ebony who had been waiting for us. They whisked our cases away and ushered us straight into the dining room for
05 Oct 2014 4 min read
A Pre-Christmas Break in Chester
In December 2012 we decided to treat ourselves to a weekend break in Chester before the onslaught of Christmas! We stayed on a Friday and Saturday night at a hotel just outside the city centre called The Grosvenor Pulford Hotel and Spa. It was ideally located just a few minutes’ drive from the park and ride car park for the buses into the city centre. We were greeted by some of the friendliest
02 Oct 2013 3 min read
Cabanas de Tavira - The Algarve
In my many years of travelling I had never been to Portugal, but after many recommendations from fiends, we decided to try it out. We purposely chose the quieter, less developed, resort of Cabanas de Tavira which has fewer tourists. The resort is only a 40 minute drive from Faro airport, located on the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve. Due to its location, development is not allowed which means that
18 Sept 2012 3 min read
Educational Study Trip to Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
In September, I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in an educational visit to Germany, courtesy of the German National Tourist Office. This was to be a taste of wine, culture and nature in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. The trip was a mere 4 days duration, but it was so well organised and executed, and covered so much in such a short time, that it felt as if we had been there a week!
18 Oct 2011 4 min read
Kranjska Gora - Slovenia (ex-Yugoslavia)
For this year’s family holiday we were looking for something along the lines of our Austrian holiday a few years ago. We all love beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers, wildlife and being able to get out and about. After much deliberation we settled on Kranjska Gora in Slovenia. It’s not a very well known destination, but somewhere that looked like it could offer all we wanted. We left Stansted
28 Sept 2011 4 min read
Early Summer Family holiday to Croatia
We arrived into Dubrovnik airport at 8pm after a short flight delay, but found a taxi easily and after a 10 minute journey we arrived at the hotel Epidaurus, which is located a very pleasant 20 minute stroll from the village of Cavtat. The check-in was efficient and we were shown to our room on the ground floor. The room itself was incredible with a lounge area with flat-screen TV, an enormous ki
13 Jun 2010 4 min read
Travel Counsellors Annual Conference in Marbella
Having just completed my first full year at Travel Counsellors, I was given the opportunity to attend the annual Conference which, this year, took place in the swish, up-market resort of Marbella. My husband and I stayed at the 5 star NH Alanda Hotel which is located half way between the resorts of Marbella and Puerto Banus. This relatively new hotel is beautifully clean and efficient and b
01 Dec 2008 3 min read
An Austrian Summer Experience
Austria! Not the first place that comes to mind when you think of a family summer holiday! If you are not a beach person or if you are someone who prefers an active holiday then I can highly recommend Austria. Myself and my family went for a week to the resort of Soll in the Tyrol. This is traditionally a ski resort, but has so much to offer in the summer too. The beautiful chocolate-bo
28 Jul 2008 4 min read
Kracking Krakow!
Krakow is not the first place that we would have thought about for a city break, but we were encouraged to visit by a friend of ours who lives in Poland. We found it to be the perfect destination for a short city break and very reminiscent of how Prague used to be before it found favour with the stag parties. It is ideal for couples looking for a romantic break! The Main Square (Rynek Glowny) i
12 Jun 2008 4 min read
Discovering Jersey
Throughout my 20 years in travel I had never given Jersey a second thought! My mind was always wandering much further afield! Being in my first 6 months as a Travel Counsellor, the idea of leaving my fledgling business for more than a few days was unthinkable, but I was under pressure from my young daughters to ‘go somewhere on a plane’! We live approx 45 minutes from Coventry Airport... a
10 May 2008 4 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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