About Language & Luxury

Language & Luxury™ was founded by three baby-boomers who are experts in language learning, luxury travel, and cloud-based web technology; all with a keen sense that quality service is fundamental to building a successful language and travel business.

The dream of the founders was to offer a unique concept in language learning, based on their own personal experiences in language acquisition through language and cultural immersion. They learned from experience that typical language learning methods in the US simply didn’t work, but knew that there were millions of American adults who had on their bucket list the dream to learn a foreign language.

The usual methods typically included recorded programs like Rosetta Stone or Babel, online study, group study in the US or even group study abroad, all of which didn’t provide enough focus on the learner nor useful conversational practice in the local culture.

Language & Luxury’s method is individual, one on one instruction, in the foreign culture, living in neighborhoods in some of the most desirable foreign destinations, and with fun and useful activities designed to encourage practical conversation.

And being baby-boomers themselves, the founders understood that this generation, which accounts for 80% of the total US luxury travel, appreciates the finer things when they travel and wants to enjoy themselves. Thus, “Luxury” became another key component in the experience, not only with respect to accommodations, but also to activities like wine tasting, cooking classes, spa treatments, yoga, meditation, cycling tours, etc., all which can be arranged as private experiences. Or even a personal chef, chauffeur, tickets for sporting events, yacht excursions, whatever completes your dream, all can be included as part of your journey. A concierge service is also provided for booking restaurants or arranging spontaneous activities once onsite.

Before launching Language & Luxury™, the founders, all with a love for travel and immersing in foreign cultures, traveled the world to evaluate destinations, luxury accommodations, language instructors, concierges, and third-party service providers, etc., to ensure that the clients’ journeys are unique and memorable. We purposely DO NOT offer the typical tourist experience, heavy on sightseeing but light on cultural immersion.

Rather we’ve built a team that knows destinations from a different angle and can share those experiences, all the while enhancing the language learning experience hand in hand with the cultural experience. The Language & Luxury experience then, is designed to provide the optimal environment in which to learn a foreign language, “living like a local”, with luxury accommodations and local activities to ensure the ultimate life-changing cultural experience and long-lasting memories!

Cultural Locations

Destinations offered are selected based on their relative attractiveness as historical and cultural centers as well as the best locations in which to study the language.

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Handpicked Accommodations

The Language & Luxury team has conducted extensive searches and handpicked accommodations comprised of flats and villas in the best locations for cultural immersion.

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Language Instructors

Handpicked are the very highest caliber language instructors, all with a great deal of experience in teaching adults and teaching methods that lend themselves to adult learning.

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The Language & Luxury Team

RICHARD PHELPS

Founder & CEO

Richard created the concept of Language & Luxury, based on his experience in language and cultural immersion, as he has lived in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. He speaks four foreign languages fluently and is proficient in another three, all of which he learned as an adult. Richard contributes his solid language learning experience as well as travel business experience early in his career. He also has a strong business background, having held several executive management roles in both large companies and startups during a successful 20+ year career in telecommunications. Richard holds an M.B.A. from Thunderbird School of International Management and is based in San Diego, California.

TOM BOHAN

Chief Operating Officer

Tom has also had a successful 20+ year career in telecommunications with experience in engineering, product management, and technical business development. He contributes product management, technical, and operational expertise to Language & Luxury, ensuring effective execution on a day to day basis. Tom has also traveled extensively internationally and grew up in a household speaking French. He holds a B.S. in Electrical engineering from the University of New Hampshire and is based in San Diego, California.

GIL GROSS

Client Experience Director

Originally from Brazil, Gil recently returned from Rio de Janeiro where she spent five years in sales and operations in the luxury vacation rental business, hosting Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Antonio Banderas to name a few celebrities. Her contribution is her experience in luxury accommodations and a dedication to a high-level of service and overall customer satisfaction. She is fluent in English and her native Portuguese and is based in Portugal.

BRENT HOHLWEG

Marketing Director

Brent and his company, Steam Train Creative, are responsible for branding, image, the marketing automation engine and the ongoing digital marketing campaign. He brings over two decades of real-world effective marketing, creative and digital solutions to Language & Luxury. Brent holds a Fine Arts Degree from Emily Carr University of Art & Design and is based in Ucluelet, British Colombia.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

At Language & Luxury, we love foreign travel, language learning, and immersing in the foreign culture and we recruit and hire like-minded individuals. We also insist on the highest quality of service and are constantly evaluating ourselves and our team to ensure that our clients are receiving the very best in quality, both before, during, and after the journey.

See Our Open Positions