“It's a lot different than going to a museum. You can't touch anything in a museum, you are there for an hour and you probably get bored if you're like me. The cool thing about a lot of our houses - I think 10 out of 12 are owned by the original families and many of them live on site - so there’s a good chance that you're going to get to meet Lord and Lady Howard, or The Earl of Sandwich or The Duke of Buccleuch, right? They're cool people, they've got an incredible story to tell themselves and how they grew up running around this palatial estate and the thousands of acres that they're on.”
We’re in great company with Michael Goldin, Founder and COO of Storied Collection, where he and his international community are building the finest historic castle and estate hotel collection in Europe, granting guests access to unique stays and experiences that will leave lasting memories and a deeper knowledge of history.
Coming from a storied career in hospitality himself, it took a personal trip to his ancestral home in Scotland, for Michael to experience the potential for curating a collection of the most quintessential historic accommodations across the United Kingdom and Ireland, with France and Italy joining his collection in this next chapter.
As we ring in the New Year - reflecting on the end of one chapter and the start of another in our own lives - this episode shares the significance of storytelling as a means of traveling through time, visiting places where these stories come to life and where history creates memories for years to come.
Top Takeaways
[3:00] How Michael took some criticism and turned it into a challenge, took a trip to a castle that turned out to be his ancestral home and sparked the beginning chapter of Storied Collection.
[9:50] A passion for history, genealogy and ancestry, paired with a passion for hospitality.
[13:10] If the walls could talk then they would share specific snapshots in time of notable family members, infamous guests, and the events that ensued - just as Storied Collection captures today.
[15:20] Whether you choose to stay at an estate for a retreat or a castle for a family reunion, there are many "country pursuits" to keep you entertained - from a game of golf to whiskey tasting, falconry to fishing, foraging to rewilding.
[21:20] Interested to hear if you are related to any of the Storied Collection estates? If any of your ancestors lived in a castle that you can now stay at?
[25:40] How these castles and estates spread throughout Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales all played their part in their communities' heritage and history and how they continue to share and honor that culture today.
[29:30] Gastronomy seekers and culinary travelers get excited...the next chapter of Storied Collection could take place in France and Italy.
[31:55] "Where history creates memories," how guests can live a day in the life of aristocrats without a stuffy experience being in a museum or reading from a textbook.
