About Us - meet the team

Emma Barnett, Managing Director

Before founding Essential Escapes in 2002, Emma worked for one of the UK's leading marketing alliances, Great Hotels of the World. In 2000, she launched their first spa directory, The Great Spa Hotels of the World, after travelling extensively around the globe visiting some of the world's top spa destinations and resorts. Her great spa travelling adventure continues in a permanent quest to find new hotels.

Emma gained business development experience at a top six advertising agency before leaving to follow her first love - travel - where she spent a year travelling through South East Asia, New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific and the Americas.

After becoming a mum in 2005, the new quest became to find the best spa resorts with second-to-none kids facilities so she, and all parents alike could continue to enjoy the luxury spa holidays that had been enjoyed so much! The search continues for more hidden gems....!

Deborah Barnett, Director

Deborah qualified as a Solicitor in 1997 and spent 5 years in the city specialising in Commercial Litigation matters. At the end of 2002 she changed career paths in order to pursue her love of luxury travel. As co-founder of Essential Escapes, she has spent the last 8 years acquiring first-hand knowledge of our spa hotels and working her way through an impressive list of spa treatments! She is a keen scuba diver, water skier and snow skier and enjoys working these hobbies into her travels wherever possible.

As the mother of 2 young children, her travels have experienced a slightly different focus of late, and she now researches the hotels and resorts which best cater for the family market. Deborah has visited our hotels and resorts in the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia, France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Tenerife and South Africa.

Ann-Marie Orpwood, Travel Sales Executive

Following a university degree in tourism, Ann-Marie has worked with luxury travel specialists since 2005, focusing on Africa, the Middle East and Indian Ocean. She has travelled to various African destinations including Kenya and South Africa, as well as the Maldives, Dubai and Egypt. She is enjoying working her way through her personal list of must-see destinations.

Atarra Preston, Travel Sales Executive

Atarra's travel career started as a consultant for Walt Disney Attractions, followed by working as a sales consultant at a Mediterranean specialist, creating holidays for the single traveler, couples and families with children. Following that she branched into long haul working for a luxury specialist before joining Tots Too. Her travels have taken her to Greece, Cyprus, Spain, the Canaries, Italy, Portugal, France, Egypt, Morocco, Dubai and Thailand, where she has immersed herself in the culture and experienced some fantastic luxury hotels.

Helen Duncan - Travel Sales Executive

 Helen started out in travel tailor-making multi-centre holidays to the Far East and Australia, as well as exotic around–the-world itineraries.  After experiencing trips to many exciting destinations, including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia, she was truly hooked on travel.  Following this Helen joined an independent travel agency where she widened her knowledge of worldwide destinations. After a break to raise her two children, she turned her hand to lecturing in Travel & Tourism in a further education college.  Further roles with leading luxury tour operators led to Helen specialising more in Mediterranean and North African destinations and her travels took her to Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Morocco and Dubai. With children close to fleeing the nest, she is looking forward to having more freedom to travel to all those destinations on her ‘must see’ list.

James Garratt, Travel Sales Executive

Following a degree in languages, James took a year out to go travelling which inspired him to start a career in the trade. The travel bug took him to a number of countries with his favourite destinations being New Zealand and Latin America. Life with a luxury tour operator is a far cry from the backpacker trail and he is rapidly expanding his knowledge of the world’s leading spa and family holiday destinations.

Mark Shuker, Travel Administrator

Mark recently graduated with a university degree in Mathematics. He has explored most of Europe and is keen to travel further afield to discover more exotic climes. Amazed by the properties that the company works with, he looks forward to the prospect of growing his knowledge of each individual destination. Asia is next on his travel hit-list as he hopes to visit Hong Kong & India.

Julie Harris, Head of Marketing

After 10 years in advertising, 7 years in marketing and with 3 kids, Julie appreciates the importance of a good holiday! She loves any destination where she can get the sand between her toes and create elaborate sandcastles with the family. Her past clients have been as diverse as Singapore Airlines, Diageo, Hasbro, Elida Faberge, Kraft Jacob Suchard, Seraphine, Pfizer, Kimberly Clark, Reckitt Benckiser and NTL. She loves working with a luxury travel company as it keeps thoughts of sun-drenched beaches uppermost in her mind.

Jonathan Brod, Non- Exec Director

Jonathan is a frequent business and leisure traveller and extremely picky! He has been working his way through the Essential Escapes portfolio and particularly recommends the Maldives and South Africa. He is a founder of several businesses, several of which have raised venture capital funding and is the founding partner of Next Wave Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in consumer and business services companies.