Away from the Ordinary specialises in providing one-off, tailor-made holidays in Scotland, trips structured around its clients’ wishes and interests, whatever they may be. Scotland has an enormous amount to offer the visitor: its long history, its stunning scenery, its cultural heritage as well as its status as the cradle of golf and the birthplace of whisky all contribute to the attraction which draws people from all around the world. Scotland also has world-class museums and galleries, revered walking and climbing, first- rate fishing and shooting as well as any number of wonderful hotels, large and small, in which the visitor can relax and unwind.
After years of planning, Aeneas O’Hara founded Away from the Ordinary in 2017. Working in financial technology and travelling six months of the year, he saw an opportunity for a curated travel service for the discerning traveller. He wanted to create the type of travel company he had been craving, focusing on travel design, instead of travel booking. Being a Scotsman from the Western Highlands, starting a company offering Scottish holidays seemed an obvious choice.
In our fast-paced world, people are drawn to the traditional Scottish values of hospitality, honesty and discretion
Away from the Ordinary does not specialise in one type of holiday, regarding itself instead as ‘a specialist in the level of detail of the trips,’ as Aeneas puts it, or ‘hyper-personalisation.’ The company creates individually tailored escapes based on the client’s personal tastes, using expert local knowledge and a little black book of Scottish contacts built up over many years, to take maximum advantage of the huge variety of attractions and activities on offer in Scotland.
The company’s services include organising exclusive hotels, private country houses, travel and activities with specialist guides and private access to sights. The team has spent years understanding what 21st-century clients want from their holidays, and work to build an experience like no other.
In our fast-paced world, people are drawn to the traditional Scottish values of hospitality, honesty and discretion. An escape in Scotland is an antidote to the stresses of the modern world, a chance to recharge and reflect. Away from the Ordinary’s local Scottish partners take great pride in their friendly, professional approach and prize clients’ happiness above all else. Whether it’s the chauffeur, or the private chef working in a secluded Victorian lodge in the Highlands, all the guests experience the feeling that people have time for them, and genuinely care that they experience the best that Scotland has to offer.
Golfers can play many of Scotland’s famous championship golf courses; Royal Dornoch being a favourite. Whisky lovers will be treated to VIP distillery tours or foodies to foraging trips. For history buffs, there are castles galore from picturesque ruins to inhabited ancestral homes, while Orkney possesses some of the finest prehistoric tombs in Europe. Clients can stay in world-renowned hotels, for example Glenfeshie Lodge in the Cairngorms National Park or The Balmoral in Edinburgh.
As the company grows and prospers it is creating a community of clients who have an emotional bond with Scotland and its people.
