Hidden Gems: Meet Claudia Santangelo of Spellbound Leisure

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Santangelo

Hi Claudia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Southern California with my mom’s side of the family, but both of my parents were born in Naples, Italy, where most of my family still lives. Growing up with a connection to both places gave me a deep appreciation for discovering the authentic magic of a place, that only locals see. While I created Spellbound to explorer destinations all over the world, helping people discover Italy better, has a special place in my heart.

My first job ever was as a child actor, and for a while, I thought I was destined to pursue acting and go to film school- but performing want for me. I stayed connected to that world for years, thinking I just needed to overcome the audition anxiety but I later realized it wasn’t acting itself I loved—it was the cerebral parts: the psychology, storytelling, and branding—all elements of creating and marketing which I later discovered were my passions.

What ultimately drew me into travel was spending time with my aunt who was the manager at a prominent Orange County travel agency. Spending time with her gave me an inside look at the industry during a time when travel bloggers were reshaping how people planned trips and booking with through a travel advisor seemed to be the worlds best kept secret. I was the youngest person in the office by far, but my aunt taught me the importance of personalization, attention to detail, and cultivating strong relationships with clients and vendor partners. Those lessons laid the foundation for everything I do in travel today.

Shortly after I joined marketing department, helping with events, campaigns, and ads with our cruise and tour partners. I worked full-time for years under a brilliant marketing mentor who taught me the power of branding and design, inspiring my creative journey. I feel so lucky to have gained expertise from both the consulting and marketing sides of luxury travel, which gave me a well-rounded perspective.. While I loved the work, the industry back then catered mainly to older, affluent travelers seeking traditional luxury or college students on budget tours and party cruises. I grew bored marketing the same products to the same audiences and began dreaming of something new—modern, approachable luxury that balanced quality, adventure, and fun. Now we have brands like Virgin Voyages doing that beautifully with is a dream come true. But at the time, no touring options with that vibe existed- so I started crafting these kinds of trips myself.

Today, travel planning has become a popular path for many travel lovers, but Spellbound is rooted in something deeper than just planning travel. It represents years of expertise, global connections, and vision brought to life through our signature trips designed in a distinct style to help travelers do more with their travel days and their investment. If you’re taking time off work and spending money to visit a destination, you shouldn’t come home feeling like you only saw the monuments and museums—you should feel like you’ve truly experienced it.

That vision became the foundation of Spellbound Leisure which operates as both a luxury travel resource for discovering the world’s best tours, cruises, and hotels, and a creator of signature itineraries designed in our unique “adventure luxe” style. These trips focus on stress-free, meaningful travel—no early mornings, no crowded tour buses, just authentic local food experiences and immersive adventures.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wish I could say I have one of those “travel blogger turned entrepreneur” stories where I signed up with an online travel agency with no industry experience , and it blew up. But my journey has been very different—it’s one of actually coming up in the luxury travel industry, working across different areas, building a decade of expertise, a drive to create and overcoming delays and roadblocks long before there was a ‘travel advisor starter kit’.

Once I had a solid understanding of luxury travel products and identified a gap in the market, the challenge became clear: I couldn’t design the type of itineraries I envisioned and make them easily bookable online. At the time, the options were either booking something basic through an online platform or working in a highly analog way with an expert who could elevate your travel, but without the streamlined, user-friendly process modern travelers needed. The tools and travel tech that would later revolutionize the industry simply didn’t exist, and I’m sure my vision seemed like an unnecessary complication to traditional advisors who worked entirely by phone and had no online presence.

The mentality then was, “If clients can book it online, why do they need you?” It felt like I was constantly reinventing the wheel, trying to create something more efficient and accessible. Then, almost overnight, tools started appearing that streamlined everything—building itineraries, processing payments, managing accounting—and they finally allowed me to execute my vision. Just as things were gaining momentum, the pandemic hit, shutting down travel completely and collapsing much of the industry. However, it also gave travel tech companies time to innovate even further and to this day I’m able to continue optimizing and improving the client experience for our travelers.

Coming out of the pandemic wasn’t easy either. The demand for travel skyrocketed while the industry was still understaffed and trying to recovering creating real challenges in meeting client needs. Coming out of the pandemic brought its own set of challenges: demand skyrocketed as people wanted to travel everywhere at once, while much of the industry was still understaffed and struggling to keep up.

Mismatched traveler expectations were a recurring challenge—some wanted luxury hotels without the budget to match, others expected low prices during peak seasons, and many underestimated the time and effort it takes to craft a truly custom trip. For me, if I can’t create the kind of magic that defines a Spellbound itinerary, then it isn’t really a Spellbound trip. That realization led me to refine my approach and set clearer boundaries around bespoke planning. I moved away from trying to be all things to all travelers and focused on Spellbound’s unique vision: offering thoughtfully curated trips and signature itineraries designed for those who value immersive, distinctive experiences. By working with trusted partners, leveraging preferred vendor relationships, and securing insider perks, Spellbound is able to deliver meaningful, immersive experiences without compromising on quality.

In an industry where becoming a travel advisor has never been easier, it’s more important than ever for Spellbound to stand out—as much more than a travel planning service, but as a trusted guide to the extraordinary- for travelers seeking a thoughtfully designed journey that blends authenticity, discovery, and a touch of magic in every experience.

As you know, we’re big fans of Spellbound Leisure. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At its core, Spellbound is about uncovering the hidden magic of travel and creating journeys that feel seamless yet extraordinary. We focus on two areas: curating the best hotels, tours, and cruises with VIP perks and insider access, as well as designing signature itineraries in a style I call “adventure luxe.- blending boutique luxury with off-the-beaten-path experiences, balancing carefully planned moments like private guided tours or hands-on cooking classes with flexible downtime to explore—without early morning tours or crowded tourist traps.

hat sets Spellbound apart is the way we combine curated excellence with intentional design. For travelers who need exclusive perks applied to their favorite hotel or a cruise booking made seamless, we deliver that with ease. For those who want an entire journey crafted from start to finish, our signature itineraries eliminate the guesswork of “what should I do here?” By leveraging partnerships with trusted global vendors, we offer exclusive rates and access to unique experiences that balance splurging on unforgettable moments with smart, thoughtful planning.

Italy, in particular, is close to my heart because my parents were born in Naples, and much of my family still lives there. Helping travelers experience the real Italy—the tucked-away trattorias, lesser-known coastal spots, and authentic cultural moments—is one of the most rewarding aspects of what I do.

Beyond just trips, Spellbound is focused on becoming a resource for travelers who want to elevate their experiences. Through curated guides, planning tools, and access to our preferred hotels, tours, and cruises database, we help travelers make the most of their time and investment. Whether it’s booking a signature itinerary or simply adding VIP perks to a hotel or cruise you’re already thinking of taking, my goal is to elevate every journey with the same thoughtful care and attention to detail that defines the Spellbound style. By signing up for free as a Spellbound VIP, travelers can unlock exclusive benefits such as complimentary upgrades, preferred rates, and insider amenities across our curated hotels, cruises, and tours. This ensures that even if you’re planning your trip independently, you can still enjoy the same elevated experiences and insights that typically come with bespoke planning.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I was an only child and my parents split when I was a baby,- my dad stayed in Italy and my moms side was both here and in Naples but I was raised here with my Mom and my grandparents who also lived in California because they had opened aa restaurant in San Pedro in earlier years. They spoke mostly only Italian and the Neapolitan dialect and were everything to me. I grew up very immersed in Neapolitan culture despite being born and raised in the U.S. I learned to speak both Italian and the regional language of where we’re from, which has always been something I’m really thankful for.

My favorite childhood memories are making gnocchi with my grandma and spending afternoons watching turner classic movies, I love Lucy and all the classics with them. They were both 9 year old kids in Naples during ww2 so spending time with them and understanding their stories really gave me a perspective on struggle I wouldn’t have had otherwise as a little kid in the 90s in California. My grandma adored Audrey Hepburn and Esther Williams movies so have the most random classic film knowledge in my head and I was probably the only 90s kid growing up on classic movies and tv shows like Mary Tyler Moore and Taxi but it’s finny how much different eras of tv and film can shape you, with context far beyond your agenda I feel so fortunate to have grown up with them, a mix of influences, perspective and bridging two cultures and multiple generations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.spellboundleisure.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spellboundleisure/
• Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/claudiaasantangelo/
• Other: https://link.spellboundleisure.com/sociallinks

Image Credits
Images of Claudia taken by Christina Carter as a part of Spellbound Creative Creative