Who We Are
Meticulous planners,
travel-obsessedWelcome to Swoon Since its inception in 2018, Swoon Travel, created and led by travel expert Liana Kraushaar Merriman, has been devoted to planning personalized getaways & expertly tailored travel experiences for high net worth clients that truly go above and beyond. Our success has been based on our unparalleled service, personalized care and meticulous attention to detail.
Whether you’re looking for a quiet beach vacation, a cultural adventure, or a lavish retreat, we're here to turn your travel dreams into an unforgettable reality.
Meet the Team
Liana Kraushaar Merriman
Founder & Principal Travel Advisor
Liana has been planning itineraries and traveling the world for as long as she can remember. What started as an obsession with luxury hotels as a teen, grew into a true passion for the travel industry that has continued throughout her entire personal and professional life. Liana received a masters degree in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, and spent 10 years working for luxury hotel companies, including Rosewood and Four Seasons.
Liana has traveled extensively (over 40 countries!) while continuing to discover new destinations every year. Recent travels have included the Caribbean, Morocco, Sicily & Puglia, England & Ireland, Australia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, and Chile.
Apart from travel, Liana loves spending time at home in Weston, CT with her husband Callum, kids Ezra, Miles & Wren, and pup Hobie. She is an avid reader, a perpetual student of art, history and architecture, and an advocate for small, sustainable farming practices, such as those practiced by her family’s farm in the Hudson Valley.
Heidi Garrett Burke
Independent Travel Advisor
Heidi has been passionate about expanding her horizons through travel since she was young. What started as a cross-country road trip with her mom to visit as many National Parks as possible, soon turned into visiting nine European countries during her semester abroad, moving to New York City, and working as a publicist for celebrities and luxury brands. She did this all while curating editor press trips to places like Paris and Marrakesh, and ultimately, landing a role in her dream job as a Travel Advisor at SmartFlyer designing one-of-a-kind experiences for others to enjoy.
Her excitement around adventure, learning about different cultures, photographing unique corners of the world, and tasting authentic cuisine are all reasons that propelled Heidi to seize the extraordinary opportunity to plan travel for a living.
Samantha Celli
Associate Travel Advisor + Coordinator
Samantha's love for travel began in high school with a class trip to Germany! After 9 years working in the startup world, she embraced the new flexibility that a post-COVID world offered and embarked on a series of adventures; from camping on a volcano in Guatemala to trekking to Machu Picchu, savoring local delicacies in Lyon, and embarking on an African safari.
Driven by her love for travel and desire to help others experience new places, Samantha made the decision to join the Swoon Travel team where she channels her wealth of experiences into crafting unforgettable journeys for others.
Samantha is a licensed Sommelier, merging her love of travel with her passion for wine. She delights in exploring new destinations, and seeking out unique vintages to savor and share with fellow enthusiasts.
Partnerships & Affiliations
Swoon Luxury Travel has built personal and professional relationships with the world’s top hoteliers, tour operators, cruise lines, villa, and yacht companies around the world. These relationships, combined with our affiliation with SmartFlyer and Virtuoso, mean our clients benefit from exclusive perks.
At your favorite luxury hotels, perks can include room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, resort credits, early check-in, late check-out, and much more. You also receive the added bonus of access to exclusive sales and promotions that cannot be found online.
Swoon Luxury Travel is an independent affiliate of SmartFlyer, a Virtuoso Agency
Our Valued Partners Include:
