Ann Nelson
Lake Villa, Illinois Travel Agent
Ann Nelson, an independent agent with Nexion, LLC, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
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Luxury Travel Specialist
My company is built on my lifelong travel experience and, more specifically, my personal history of luxury family travel. A Well-Traveled Suitcase is based on the belief that the best gift is a passport full of stamps.
As a child, I grew up overseas while my father served in the Foreign Service. Experiencing different cultures has molded my world view in such a way that travel has been a priority ever since.
Because how you travel is as important as where you travel, I focus on premiere experiences. Whether you want an all-inclusive in the Caribbean or a world cruise, a unique trip to Ireland or a river cruise through Europe, I'm there for you every step of the way.
I collaborate with my clients to find the perfect vacation and then take all the stress of planning and booking off their plates. In addition to consistent communication, my clients get a detail itinerary, lots of travel hints and tips, and even a mobile app to keep them informed from the minute they leave till they return to their own beds!
Specializing in Luxury Travel
Jökulsárlón beach, Iceland
From Heather S in Illinois:
Ann went above and beyond to plan a multigenerational family vacation in Puerto Vallarta. She was so accommodating to meet all of our families needs. The resort she helped us pick was spectacular and we look forward to doing another family vacation in the future.
From Ellene G-S in Oregon:
We just went to Portugal! Ann was so excited to assist us. She was always on the spot with recommendations, quick to respond to our questions, and had us traveling in style but also within our requested budget. She provides a nicely laid out "dossier" both electronically and hard-copy which is nice to be able to follow along while traveling. Don't hesitate to contact her for your next trip! Thank you, Ann, for all you did for us!
My Areas of Expertise
CERTIFICATES & AWARDS
Travel Leaders of Tomorrow Graduate
Gold Certificate Ireland Specialist
Certified Iceland Specialist
Certified Italy Specialist
Certified AMA Waterways Specialist
My Travel Stories
Best Travel Agent!
Reviewed By Kelsi - Nashville, TN | Traveled to Cancun ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Ann is amazing to work with! She makes traveling easy and takes all the stress out of planning a trip! She is helpful and attentive to all your wants and needs. I will definitely use her again when booking my future vacations.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thank you! You and Scott were a pleasure to work with and congratulations on your engagement!! Next up? HONEYMOON!!
Thank you! You and Scott were a pleasure to work with and congratulations on your engagement!! Next up? HONEYMOON!!
6 of 10 people found this review helpful
More than I imagined!
Reviewed By Tamara - Portland, Oregon | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
I worked with Ann to plan my 50th birthday trip to Italy. It was a bucket list trip since my grandfather was born there and I'd always dreamed of visiting. Three weeks and trying to see as much as I could. Ann put together an amazing trip, hitting several highlights in the north and western part of Italy. She found unique food tours, bike tours and even a beer festival in the middle of Tuscany (for my hops loving husband). As I get older I find my time is both valuable and fleeting, so working with a Travel Advisor was a dream. She did all of the work and presented me with great options. Prior to our departure she sent a beautiful dossier with the entire itinerary, additional ideas, maps and directions for all of our lodging, etc. She even booked an additional museum tour while we were on our trip! I will never plan another overseas adventure on my own.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Tamara - Thank you so much! I loved working with you and Andy and I'm glad that your trip was such a success. I look forward to collaborating on many more adventures!!
Tamara - Thank you so much! I loved working with you and Andy and I'm glad that your trip was such a success. I look forward to collaborating on many more adventures!!
5 of 8 people found this review helpful
Bucket List Trips
Reviewed By Michelle - Oregon City, OR | Traveled to New Zealand ~ Australia & New Zealand
Ann is extremely thorough from the introduction as a new client, to pre-planning, specific planning and follow up! She really got to know us and our preferences and has given us options specifically tailored to our style. She is extremely thorough, professional and super organized! She's truly taken the stress out of traveling for us and made it ever more enjoyable. During travel, she is attentive and fantastic at problem solving when tours etc don't go as planned. Most recently on a trip to New Zealand, she tracked down the touring company that was supposed to pick me up and got them back on track to get me. I don't worry about a thing when Ann is involved in my travel planning. I know she will take care of us and ensure that all aspects of our travel are smooth and worry free.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks for the lovely words, Michelle! Working with you is an absolute pleasure and I look forward to planning MANY more adventures for you and yours. What's next??
Thanks for the lovely words, Michelle! Working with you is an absolute pleasure and I look forward to planning MANY more adventures for you and yours. What's next??
8 of 14 people found this review helpful
Even Better than we expected.
Reviewed By The Wife is Happy - Lake Villa Il | Traveled to France ~ Europe
We wanted a trip to southern Italy, Paris and the French wine country. Ann did a wonderful job of asking questions and making recommendations based on the places we wanted to see and the timeline we were working with. We found Ann to be professional, courteous, and a great resource. We would recommend Ann for anyone interested in a wonderful trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks so much for your kind words. You were an absolute pleasure to work with and I'm glad we came up with an itinerary that surprised and pleased your gorgeous wife!!
Thanks so much for your kind words. You were an absolute pleasure to work with and I'm glad we came up with an itinerary that surprised and pleased your gorgeous wife!!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Memories to last a lifetime!
Reviewed By Laura - Round Rock, Texas | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Ann is very knowledgeable when it comes to planning a vacation. She took care of every detail from flights, resort accommodations, airport transport, and excursions for us. We had the most amazing trip to Costa Rica! Every detail ran smoothly and we made memories to last a lifetime. Will use A Well-Traveled Suitcase for all our travel needs! We highly recommend for everyone when planning a vacation.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
I'm so glad you were able to get away with your gorgeous girl!! Helping create memorable moments is my favorite thing!
I'm so glad you were able to get away with your gorgeous girl!! Helping create memorable moments is my favorite thing!
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
First trip of many to come
Reviewed By April - NC | Traveled to Iceland ~ Europe
Made great suggestions on our free days. Coordinated the “bucket list items” perfectly time-wise. Our short trip was perfectly coordinated and well thought out.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
An Awesome Week in Paradise
Reviewed By Shelley - Fox Lake, IL | Traveled to Kauai Island ~ Hawaii ~ USA
Ann is awesome! She listens to your needs and works on giving you everything for an amazing travel experience! We received everything we asked for and more!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
I'm so happy you and your girls had a good time! Can't wait to help with your next adventure!!
I'm so happy you and your girls had a good time! Can't wait to help with your next adventure!!
Anniversary Family Trip
Reviewed By AAK - Lake Villa, IL | Traveled to Hawaii ~ USA
Very thorough and responded quickly to our questions. We had eleven traveling on this trip. Everything was arranged ahead of time and worked out fantastic.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks so much! It was a pleasure working with you and I look forward to helping with your next adventure!
Thanks so much! It was a pleasure working with you and I look forward to helping with your next adventure!
The perfect 20th Anniversary Trip
Reviewed By Anne - Denver, CO | Traveled to Amalfi ~ Italy ~ Europe
I am bragging to everyone about what a phenomenal job Ann did! You really made it first class the entire time. From the hotels, to the excursions, then the private drivers… oh, and I can’t forget the beautiful gifts, and the thoughtful, champagne and wine to start off and finish our adventure… Five stars! This really was a dream trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
That makes me so happy!! The pictures you sent were fabulous! I look forward to working with you again soon.
That makes me so happy!! The pictures you sent were fabulous! I look forward to working with you again soon.
Smooth & Amazing Travels Abroad!
Reviewed By TimC - Fort Myers, FL | Traveled to South Africa ~ Africa
Booking our trip through Ann made the trip so easy and amazing! We set our budget, and she pretty much did all the rest!!! From the moment we got off the airplane in Johannesburg, we were at ease knowing that somebody would meet us at the gate and take us through customs and passport control, get our bags and get us to our hotel! Thank you for zero anxiety about traveling to a distant land.... The trip itself was absolutely amazing, having all the transfers, and air travel preset, the tours pre-arranged, and the little extras that we found were left for us along the way made it a trip we will never forget! The hotels that Ann selected for us were all 5 Star and made us feel very much at home every stop we made. The private tours that she selected were exactly what we wanted to do, and were flexible with our time. Thank you Ann for creating a memory that will last a lifetime!!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
It was a pleasure working with you and the Mrs. I can't wait to help you with your next dream vacation!!
It was a pleasure working with you and the Mrs. I can't wait to help you with your next dream vacation!!
Our "Africa Adventure" was a trip of a l
Reviewed By MP - Doylestown | Traveled to Cape Town ~ South Africa ~ Africa
Highly responsive, detail-oriented, customer satisfaction and positive experience are among Ann's approach to new customers.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks so much! I loved working with you and can't wait for your next adventure!!
Thanks so much! I loved working with you and can't wait for your next adventure!!
Honeymoon
Reviewed By Kelsi - Nashville, TN | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Ann makes everything with your travel easy and stress free! Highly recommend!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
First UK trip!
Reviewed By Scott - Lake Villa, IL | Traveled to Scotland ~ Europe
Working with Ann was a pleasure. She helped us navigate all of the COVID-related obstacles and had a wealth of information and experience about the UK in general and especially Ireland.Our trip needed several adjustments due to scheduling changes and COVID restrictions but Ann helped us immensely and handled all of the heavy lifting.
She even lent us some travel books to help us decide what sights we wanted to see while we were there.
Highly recommended!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thank you for your kind words! It was a pleasure to work with you and I can't wait to help you plan your next adventure!
Thank you for your kind words! It was a pleasure to work with you and I can't wait to help you plan your next adventure!
Fantastic European River Boat Cruise
Reviewed By Jim & Sue - Lindenhurst | Traveled to Prague ~ Czech Republic ~ Europe
We have never traveled internationally before except for trips to Mexico. Ann walked us through the entire process and made everything so easy. We did a European Riverboat cruise that included Christmas markets along the Danube. Pre-cruise and post-cruise excursions plus the riverboat cruise itself were all fantastic. On top of everything, we had to navigate COVID and delayed the trip for 2 YEARS! Ann handled everything for us, sent us relevant articles and information and she made excellent recommendations to make our trip even more enjoyable. It was a great experience working with Ann and we will definitely do it again. The next time we travel, we will be contacting her.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
It was so much fun working with you - and traveling with you!! I look forward to the next time!
It was so much fun working with you - and traveling with you!! I look forward to the next time!
Our First Italy Experience
Reviewed By E Kitt - Fort Collins, CO | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
We just took at trip to Italy. This was our second trip we planned with Ann (and when I say "we"... she did all the planning). My husband and I both have full time jobs that keep us very busy with work travel so when we want to take a break, we definitely trust that Ann will set us up with some thing amazing. She makes it so simple to have a few preliminary calls to discuss destinations, dates and budgets and from there she proposes options and itineraries. I really appreciate that it feels like I didn't have to lift a finger to do any planning. And I'll mention that when on the trip it feels that much more special to have things scheduled and planned for you. In other experiences I have felt anxious or stressed because the planning has fallen to me and I don't get to have the same experiences as others. Ann makes sure the trip and all the little details are perfect. I can't rave enough. Any international trip we take in the future will be planned with Ann.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
It's ALWAYS a pleasure to work with you! What's next?
It's ALWAYS a pleasure to work with you! What's next?
Our First Italy Experience
Reviewed By E Kitt - Fort Collins, CO | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
We just took at trip to Italy. This was our second trip we planned with Ann (and when I say "we"... she did all the planning). My husband and I both have full time jobs that keep us very busy with work travel so when we want to take a break, we definitely trust that Ann will set us up with some thing amazing. She makes it so simple to have a few preliminary calls to discuss destinations, dates and budgets and from there she proposes options and itineraries. I really appreciate that it feels like I didn't have to lift a finger to do any planning. And I'll mention that when on the trip it feels that much more special to have things scheduled and planned for you. In other experiences I have felt anxious or stressed because the planning has fallen to me and I don't get to have the same experiences as others. Ann makes sure the trip and all the little details are perfect. I can't rave enough. Any international trip we take in the future will be planned with Ann.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Adventure of a Lifetime!
Reviewed By Greg & Roberta - Lake Villa, IL | Traveled to Alaska ~ USA
There all day anytime with quick answersto all our questions. Made travel planning as painless as you can get. If you need to go anywhere, call Ann. Courteous, professional, Awesome!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Lee and Nancy's Excellent Adventure!
Reviewed By Lee - Alpharetta, GA | Traveled to New Mexico ~ USA
We worked with Ann Nelson at A Well-Traveled Suitcase for our recent Southwestern vacation, and we could not have been more pleased! Ann worked to understand our needs and budget before booking anything. She then gave us options based on those and was always willing to add or change things as needed. She arranged beautiful and unique hotels for us in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Winslow, Grand Canyon, and Sedona. She also recommended restaurants and stops along the way. We booked some activities and restaurants on our own as well, and she was quick to add those to our master travel itinerary. The entire trip could not have gone more smoothly. I highly recommend Ann at A Well-Traveled Suitcase for any of your travel needs!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks so much for your kind words! You guys were a pleasure to work with and I look forward to planning your next adventure!!
Thanks so much for your kind words! You guys were a pleasure to work with and I look forward to planning your next adventure!!
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
The best trip ever!
Reviewed By Billy and Maureen - Portland, Oregon | Traveled to Rhine River ~ On the River ~ At Sea
Ann was terrific! She really helped us with a solid, well organized and thoughtful plan for our recent trip to Germany and Amsterdam. Every detail went smoothly. We are so grateful for her expertise, wisdom and sense of humor!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks so much! It was a pleasure working with both of you and I'm excited for your next adventure!
Thanks so much! It was a pleasure working with both of you and I'm excited for your next adventure!
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
25th Anniversary Trip
Reviewed By Pam - Lake Villa, IL | Traveled to Europe
Ann worked with my husband to plan a 25th anniversary trip to Italy and France. She was exceptional and really helped him put together a very special and personalized trip! She even checked in us during our trip to see if all was going well or if we needed anything.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
The best trip of our lives
Reviewed By Moni - Lake Villa, Illinois | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Ann, thank you for finding the perfect trip for us.This was a beautiful experience that we will never forget, you will always plan our vacation. Thank you for all your help.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Working with you is ALWAYS such a pleasure! Can't wait for the next one!
Working with you is ALWAYS such a pleasure! Can't wait for the next one!
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Ann is Amazing.
Reviewed By Linda Vecchie - Mundelein, IL | Traveled to Hawaii ~ USA
Ann is knowledgeable, listens, communicates, and makes everything easy. We had a great trip to Hawaii and it involved zero worries or stress or planning on our part.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks! I'm so glad you were able to get away to some sunshine for the holidays! Can't wait to help you plan your next family trip.
Thanks! I'm so glad you were able to get away to some sunshine for the holidays! Can't wait to help you plan your next family trip.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Amazing trip to Italy thanks to booking with you
Reviewed By Alice - Huntsville Ar | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
I just want to say thank you for another fantastic trip that you booked for us again. Our trip to Italy was amazing. All thanks to you, Globus tours, and our tour guide Nicolas for another wonderful and memorable vacation. By booking with you we know everything goes as planned and stress free. Can’t wait to book our next vacation with you. You recommendations are priceless.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Ann Nelson responded:
Thanks so much Alice! You are a pleasure to work with and I can't wait to help with your next adventure!
Thanks so much Alice! You are a pleasure to work with and I can't wait to help with your next adventure!
1 of 7 people found this review helpful