For former Miss South Africa and businesswoman Jo-Ann Strauss, true luxury travel has little to do with lavish five-star excess. Instead, it lies in what money cannot easily manufacture: time, connection, and the quiet feeling of being genuinely considered.
From the historic canals of Venice to the pristine wilderness of Rwanda and South Africa's world-class safari lodges, Strauss’s travel philosophy prioritises personal discovery and nature over empty formality.
Her approach highlights a growing shift among modern travellers, where the ultimate luxury is no longer about lavish display, but about rich stories, subtle human touches, and meaningful escapes that leave a lasting imprint.
The former Top Billing presenter is a seasoned traveller, having explored destinations from Barcelona and Paris to Dubai, Munich and Mauritius.
As a mother of four, she also knows that travel can take different forms, from family holidays to deeply personal escapes.
Over the years, her understanding of luxury has evolved.
“To me luxury travel means something deeper, something meaningful, something with a story behind it which impacts me as a person,” she says.
“Five-star is one way of looking at luxury, but for me it’s about having meaningful time to learn about stories, to get to know things about other people and other places that also teach me more about myself.”
It is this sense of discovery that shapes the way she travels and what she remembers.
The details matter
For Strauss, a memorable hotel experience often comes down to details that might seem insignificant on paper. A handwritten note.
A thoughtful gift for her children. A favourite chocolate remembered from something she has mentioned.
“I love when a property has taken time to make something really personal,” she says. “Anything that makes it feel that you’ve been considered - that is really, really luxurious to me.”
It is the human element that makes these gestures special. “Those small, small touches could never be AI-generated. It’s that somebody’s actually taking the time to notice.”
Good service, she adds, is about knowing when to engage and when to give guests their own space.
As someone who describes herself as an introvert, she appreciates a hotel that can be warm and attentive without being intrusive.
And while food remains an important part of the experience, so does having somewhere to retreat. Strauss has a particular fondness for hotels with libraries and good book collections.
“That to me is luxury: to just have time to notice and time to read and time to indulge.”
Italy, again and again
Of all the countries she has visited, Italy holds a particularly special place.
“Italy for me is a country which is a part of my heart,” she says.
Venice continues to draw her back. She is returning to the city to experience Homo Faber and host an event supporting various charities, including her own foundation, MASEKHAYA.
Her connection to Venice has also been deepened by its art scene. The city’s Biennale, and the opportunity to reflect on the work and legacy of Koyo Kouoh - the Senegalese-born curator and first African woman to lead the Venice Biennale - gave Strauss a new perspective on a place she already loved.
“Seeing all of the art and all the stories there, and the reflection of Koyo Kouoh, made Venice feel more like home than ever,” she says.
For her, returning to a destination is not necessarily about repeating an experience. Sometimes it is about discovering another layer of a place you thought you already knew.
Where nature takes centre stage
Her list of favourite escapes stretches from the Mediterranean to tropical islands and some of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife destinations.
Sicily, and particularly Cefalù, stands out. Strauss enjoyed her stay at a Club Med property, drawn as much to its spectacular setting as to its connection to The White Lotus, which filmed extensively in Sicily.
“I loved the series White Lotus, so it was quite special to be in this place which reminded me of it.”
The Maldives and Seychelles are also favourites, particularly for their connection to the ocean and her love of diving.
But some of the destinations still on her wish list reveal what she values most: Papua New Guinea to see its birds of paradise and a return to Rwanda for its remarkable landscapes and gorilla experiences.
“I think for me nature is the ultimate luxury when it comes to travel.”
Africa’s luxury offering
Rwanda was one destination that surprised her. Having never visited before, Strauss arrived without strong expectations, only to discover a level of hospitality and luxury that exceeded them.
“There was an incredible hotel in Kigali, and the level of luxury was, firstly, I’d never been to Rwanda, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I wasn’t expecting the level of luxury that we experienced.”
The trip also took her to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund before entering the national park, adding an extraordinary wildlife experience to the journey.
She had a similarly memorable experience in Doha earlier this year, where she encountered hotels she describes as being “on another level”.
Yet she is quick to point out that South Africa itself has set the bar high.
“The lodges that we have in South Africa are just next level,” she says. “As a South African, when it comes to luxury travel, we really have very high expectations.”
Looking beyond the usual destinations
For South Africans planning their next big escape, Strauss would like to see more travellers exploring the continent.
“I would encourage South Africans to travel more of the continent,” she says.
Madagascar is currently high on her own wish list. She has already experienced Morocco, including a stay at the celebrated La Mamounia in Marrakech, but believes there is still enormous scope for discovery across Africa.
“There is so much diversity and so much to experience within the continent,” she says.
“I would encourage South Africans to actually spend money on the continent and look at Africa as an ultimate elevated kind of holiday. There’s so much variety.”
For Strauss, perhaps that is where modern luxury lies: in having the freedom to choose experiences over excess, curiosity over convention and places that leave an imprint long after the journey ends.
zamandosi.cele@nationalmg.co.za