Karen and Charlene
|
WHO WE ARE
Suite Escape Travel is your "window to the world"! We are a full-service travel agency, and have been meeting the needs of satisfied customers since 1993. While our specialty destinations lie within domestic, Caribbean, Mexican, and Central American travel, we can provide you with the full spectrum of destinations along with the gamut of leisure travel experiences. Whether all-Inclusive trips, family vacations, honeymoons, destination weddings, group travel, ocean and river cruises, adventure travel, animal experiences, safaris, and more...we are your travel advocate. As a family-operated business, we pride ourselves in the high quality and personal services we provide to our clients. We will guide you all along the way from your initial dream of "I want to get away", to honing in on your specific "must haves" and "would be nice if” components to your vacation. We walk you through these travel plans; from conception, to arriving back home. And in this entire process, we are your mediator to the constantly changing, and often overwhelming, world of travel. THE FOUNDING OF SUITE ESCAPE TRAVEL Suite Escape Travel was founded by Charlene Ihnken in 1993, who learned the industry while working in a large agency. As she became more knowledgeable, Charlene opened her own home-based business, and built her client-base by meeting all their traveling needs with the gamut of vacation experiences. In 2009 Charlene expanded her “one woman show” to include an office/operations manager and multiple outside agents, and in Charlene’s 19+ years as owner/President/agent, she booked every continent except Antarctica! Being well-versed in every type of travel, she trained her staff thoroughly with her vast experience; her efforts were multiplied exponentially in doing so. Tragically, in March of 2012, just days after returning from one of her most enjoyable destinations in St. Lucia, Charlene suddenly and unexpectedly suffered a fatal heart attack. Her family, friends, staff, and clients were shocked and devastated by the loss of this truly “bigger than life” individual and “bright shining star” of a person. However, Charlene’s office manager/agent, Karen who has been a vital part of Charlene’s travel business since 2009, purchased the agency in 2016. Karen continues operating Suite Escape Travel in Charlene’s absence, following in the experienced footsteps of her mentor. Despite the immense heartbreak and loss without Charlene, Suite Escape Travel continues to provide the best travel service possible, building upon and beyond the firm foundations of our beloved founder. |
|