Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with  frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and  what they never leave home without.

Mitch Willey
Mitch Willey

Name: Mitch Willey 

Occupation: Founder and President, Time & Place Homes, a concierge vacation home rental company

Hometown: Washington, DC

Residence: Charlottesville, VA

Website: timeandplace.com

Twitter: @timeandplaceco

Facebook: /timeandplacehomes

Pinterest: /timeandplaceco

LinkedIn: /time-and-place

YouTube: /TimeandPlaceCo

Short Bio: As President and Founder of Time & Place Homes, Mitch Willey parlayed his 20-year career in international law and his passion for the preservation and renovation of historic properties into a unique, luxury travel offering. During extensive business and personal travel, he took note of the shortcomings of both five-star hotels – which lacked privacy and family space – and apartment rentals – which lacked concierge services. In 2001 he launched Time and Place, which offers the services, convenience and security of a five-star hotel in the privacy of spectacular homes. Today he travels the globe curating unique, special, iconic properties for the Time & Place portfolio and identifies concierges passionate about their destination to live like a local. Home base is the Relais & Chateaux Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, VA, which he has owned for more than 25-years.

How often do you fly: 7-8 times per month

How many countries have you been to: more than 30

How many continents have you been to: 3

Favorite American city: Seattle for its landscape and views

Favorite international city: Buenos Aires

Least favorite country: Austria – people are stiff and too formal

Favorite World Heritage Site: Berlin Wall

Favorite airline: JetBlue

Favorite aircraft type: The old double-decker 747

Aisle or window: Window

Favorite airport lounge: Charles de Gaulle

Favorite U.S. airport: Long Beach – small enough you can walk to your rental car

Favorite international airport: Barcelona

Favorite hotel: R&C Caesar Augustus, Ana Capri on Capri

Do you unpack into the dresser/closet? Or live out of your suitcase? Suitcase

Favorite cruise line: Prefer canoe

Favorite island: Nantucket

Favorite beach: Laguna Beach

Favorite fancy restaurant: Inn at Little Washington

Favorite hole in the wall: Café San Juan in Buenos Aires

Favorite fruit: Orange

Favorite food: Popcorn

Least favorite food: Lima Beans

Drink of choice (In the air and on the ground):  (air) sparkling water (ground) Sam Adams

Favorite travel movie(s): “The Way” with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez which honors the Camino de Santiago

Favorite travel show(s): Any shows featuring Samantha Brown; and Getting Away Together on PBS

Favorite travel book(s): , My City, My New York: Famous New Yorkers Share Their  Favorite Places by Jeryl Brunner – the book’s touching foreward bonded me to the author from the outset

Right now I am reading: Searching for Beauty The Life of Millicent Rodgers written by Cherie Burns

Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: I get something of value from so many outlets, Currently I’m focused on Pursuits, ForbesLife, Indagare

Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!:   Jetsetter.com

Five things you bring on a plane: Bottle of water, iPad, bose headphones, agenda, pen

What do you always seem to forget: Contact lens solution

What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport duty free store? Ralph Lauren Purple

Favorite travel app(s): Hotel Tonight

Most embarrassing travel moment: Accidentally went to Ft. Lauderdale airport instead of Miami – running late already, turned in rental car, dragged family through airport only to find there wasn’t a flight from there at all – had to backtrack to Miami.

Worst travel moment: Being on a US-bound plane from France on 9/11/01; learning about the bombings and realizing my wife was potentially in the Pentagon – and that the world had forever changed.

What’s your dream destination:  Mykonos, Greece – I love the whole theme, the great nightlife – and because of that nightlife and that I’m an early riser, I can go to the beach early in morning and have it to myself for hours.

Favorite travel charity: Although they aren’t travel-related in mission, AIDS organization amfAR hosts their events around the globe and also auctions great travel experiences as a fundraising tool.

Best travel tip:  Pack wisely – of course you want to bring the minimum number of clothes you need to look your best from the beach to sports to casual to business attire; but if you have a unifying theme – such as a color – it makes it easy to tie everything together as well as to streamline outfits.

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