Meet Elena Alexandra Mihailov

Founder, Luxury Travel Expert & Destination Specialist

Winner of Business Person of the Year at the Luton & Bedfordshire Community Awards 2025

Hello, I’m Elena, the Founder and Luxury Travel Expert behind A&A Legacy Travel.

I am based in Luton and speak English and Romanian. Before making the United Kingdom my home 13 years ago, I had already lived in five different countries. Since moving to the UK, I have visited 29 countries and experienced travel alone, as a couple, with friends, in groups and as a mother.

Living in different countries and travelling in so many different ways has taught me that the right holiday looks different for every person.

I specialise in long-haul tailor-made holidays for couples, adults-only travellers, families and multigenerational groups, as well as honeymoons and once-in-a-lifetime journeys.

My Travel Story

Before settling in the United Kingdom, I had already experienced life in five different countries. Moving between cultures gave me an early understanding of how much food, language, traditions and everyday life can change from one place to another.

My first flight was in 2014, travelling alone from Zurich to London with SWISS. I was given a window seat by chance at check-in and still remember the excitement and uncertainty of that first journey through the airport.

Since then, travel has become a central part of my life. Over the past 13 years, I have visited 29 countries, travelling alone, with my fiancé, with friends and with my son, Alexander.

I have learned to ski, qualified as a scuba diver and tried parasailing in Europe and further afield. I have also developed a habit of planning my journeys around the destination and the local food I want to try.

These experiences help me understand nervous first-time flyers, parents travelling with children, couples planning something special and experienced travellers looking for a journey that feels genuinely different.

Why I Created A&A Legacy Travel

A&A Legacy Travel was established in 2024 and officially opened to clients in January 2025.

The name represents Alexandra, my middle name, and Alexander, my son. The word “Legacy” reflects the business I am building for my family and the meaningful experiences I help other families create.

My hope is that one day, if Alexander chooses, he will continue the agency, shape it in his own way and perhaps pass it to his own children.

I wanted to create a travel agency where clients are treated as individuals rather than booking numbers. I take time to understand who is travelling, what matters to them and how they want their holiday to feel before recommending anything.

I want every client to feel heard and comfortable, without judgement about their budget, preferences or priorities. There is no holiday too small, ambitious or unusual to discuss. What matters is finding something that is right for you.

My Destination-First Approach

I believe the destination must be right before we choose the hotel.

“You can change the hotel or adjust the itinerary, but you cannot change the country. The destination has to be right first.”

Things can occasionally go wrong in travel. If a problem arises with a hotel or part of an itinerary, there may be alternatives. If the destination itself does not suit you, it is much harder to change the overall experience.

A beautiful hotel cannot compensate for choosing the wrong climate, atmosphere or location. The culture, food, beaches, landscape and pace of a country influence the entire journey.

Before I recommend a hotel, I want to understand what you imagine when you think about your holiday. I will ask about your favourite foods, the experiences you do not want to miss and anything you would prefer to avoid.

Do you want peaceful mornings or somewhere lively? Do you care most about the beach, food, culture or hotel facilities? Are you travelling to rest, explore or celebrate? Are your children happiest in a kids’ club, in the swimming pool or discovering somewhere new?

Those details help me recommend the right destination first and then find the accommodation, flights and experiences that suit you.

What I Specialise In

Long-Haul Tailor-Made Holidays

I create personalised long-haul journeys for adults, couples, families and multigenerational groups.

This can include carefully selected hotels, private transfers, multi-centre itineraries and special experiences suited to the way each person prefers to travel.

The Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka

Mauritius, the Maldives, Seychelles and Sri Lanka are among my principal destination specialisms.

I have travelled to Mauritius, the Maldives and Sri Lanka with my son and fiancé, giving me genuine experience of these destinations as a family. They can be excellent choices for families as well as couples and adults seeking a peaceful escape.

I have not yet visited Seychelles. My knowledge comes from professional destination training and detailed research. A planned trip had to be cancelled before departure, so I will always be clear about which recommendations come from first-hand experience and which are based on my specialist training.

Each destination offers something different. Choosing between them requires more than comparing hotel photographs. I consider the atmosphere, beaches, food, transfer arrangements, activities and the type of traveller each place suits.

French Polynesia

Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora are ideal for travellers planning a honeymoon, major celebration or once-in-a-lifetime journey.

I help clients understand the differences between the islands, the travel arrangements involved and the types of hotels and experiences available.

Bora Bora remains on my own travel list, so my current knowledge of French Polynesia is supported by specialist training, research and access to experienced travel partners and suppliers.

Family and Multigenerational Travel

Travelling with Alexander has taught me to look at the complete family experience.

I consider flight times, transfers, room arrangements, food, swimming pools, children’s activities and how suitable the overall journey will be for every generation travelling.

A hotel that works well for a couple may not suit a family with a young child or grandparents. The right recommendation needs to consider everyone.

Honeymoons and Special Occasions

A honeymoon or special celebration carries high expectations. I help couples choose destinations and hotels that suit their personalities, preferred pace and vision for the journey.

One recent honeymoon I arranged combined San Francisco with Hawaii, creating a multi-centre journey that balanced city experiences with time on the islands.

Complex and Multi-Centre Itineraries

I enjoy connecting several destinations into one well-planned journey, particularly when flights, transfers, hotels and local experiences need to work together smoothly.

A multi-centre itinerary should feel like one complete journey rather than several unrelated bookings.

Destinations Close to My Heart

Mauritius remains one of the destinations closest to my heart. Its beaches, food, culture, landscapes and welcoming atmosphere make it suitable for couples, families, solo travellers and multigenerational holidays.

In Europe, I love Ibiza for its beaches and quieter side rather than its nightlife. Corfu is another favourite because of its scenery, food and relaxed Greek atmosphere.

Singapore stands out for its energy, organisation and food. It feels completely different from a traditional beach destination, which is precisely why I enjoy it.

At the top of my personal travel list are staying in Bora Bora, exploring AlUla and skiing at night in Lapland.

If someone asks me to choose between a beach holiday and a ski holiday, I will always choose both.

Food Is Part of the Journey

Food is one of the ways I connect with a destination.

I enjoy trying local dishes, visiting markets and learning how people eat in different parts of the world. I believe food can tell you as much about a country as its landmarks.

This is something Alexander has inherited from me. Wherever we travel, he wants to try the local food too, even if his ideal day still ends on a beach surrounded by palm trees with fresh coconut water.

Professional Knowledge and Training

Alongside my first-hand travel experience, I have completed specialist destination and supplier training covering many of the places I recommend.

My professional achievements and specialist training include:

• Certified Audley Advisor
• Member of the A-List Travel Advisor network
• Tahiti Specialist
• Maldives specialist training
• Mauritius specialist training
• Seychelles specialist training
• Thailand Expert
• AlUla Specialist and Advanced Specialist
• Sustainability Expert
• ABTA training
• Specialist training covering luxury hotels, Asia, the Caribbean, Hawai‘i, Alaska and China

This is a selection of my professional training. Continuing to learn about destinations, hotels, suppliers and industry developments is an important part of my role.

My training supports the advice I provide, but I will always be honest about what I have experienced personally and what is based on professional destination knowledge.

Recognition

My work building A&A Legacy Travel has received recognition within the travel industry and the local business community.

In 2025, I won Business Person of the Year at the Luton & Bedfordshire Community Awards. The award recognised my work as the Founder of A&A Legacy Travel and the progress the agency achieved during its first year.

I was also named a finalist for New Travel Agent of the Year at the TTG Travel Industry Awards 2025.

These recognitions reflect the care, time and personal responsibility I bring to A&A Legacy Travel and every client journey we arrange.

How I Work With My Clients

I begin by listening.

You do not need to arrive with a hotel already chosen or a complete itinerary. Tell me who is travelling, when you would like to go, your approximate budget and what matters most to you.

I will help you narrow down the destination, compare suitable options and understand the differences between them.

My role continues after the booking. You have my support from the moment you first contact me until you return home.

I remain available before travel, while you are away and after your return. If plans change or something needs attention, you have a real person who understands your booking and can help.

My ongoing support is included when you book through A&A Legacy Travel, subject to the terms of your booking.

Quick Travel Facts

• Based in: Luton, Bedfordshire
• Languages: English and Romanian
• Countries visited: 29 over the past 13 years
• Countries lived in before moving to the UK: Five
• Travel styles: Long-haul, family, beach, ski, food and culture
• Favourite island: Mauritius
• Favourite European escapes: Ibiza and Corfu
• Favourite city for food: Singapore
• Bucket list: Bora Bora, AlUla and night skiing in Lapland
• Additional experience: Qualified scuba diver, skiing and parasailing

Read My Travel Stories

Explore more of my first-hand travel experience and the story behind A&A Legacy Travel:

• Real Experience. Real Expertise. The Story Behind A&A Legacy Travel
• My First Flight: From Zurich to London
• Why Becoming a Certified Audley Advisor Matters to My Clients
• Family and luxury travel guides
• Indian Ocean and French Polynesia destination articles

Plan Your Holiday With Me

Whether you are considering a family holiday, honeymoon, adults-only escape or a complex journey across several destinations, I would be happy to learn more about your plans.

Tell me who is travelling, what matters most to you and how you want the journey to feel. We can begin with the destination and build everything else around it.

Plan Your Holiday with Elena