Melissa Ridley

It's Nice To Meet You

My name is Melissa Ridley, but everyone calls me Mel.

Welcome to my Leisure Travel Web Page. I would love to be your go-to person for all your travel needs. If you can dream it, I can create it.

I am based in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg (South Africa). I am available for every person who has the desire to travel.

Although I am in Sunny South Africa I can assist you no matter where you are in the world; I am only a phone call away, or you can pop me an email – all my details can be found on my web page.

A bit about... MEL

“TRAVEL MAKES YOU HAPPY”
I have been back in the Travel Industry for 10 years; for 5 of these 10 years, I have been running my own Travel Wholesale Company. I have been in the travel industry since 2003. During my career, I have serviced Leisure, Corporate as well as Group travellers. I am now running my own one-stop travel franchise business through Travel Counsellors.

I have achieved many awards and had the opportunity to travel extensively. I have travelled locally and internationally. My first love is Local because “Local is Lekker”.

My favourite place in the whole world would be Morgan Bay in the Eastern Cape. It is totally unspoilt and offers a real R&R experience. I have travelled to Las Vegas, Atlanta, Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles and to loads of places within South Africa.

I truly love what I do, and I offer a very personal travel service.

My #1 priority is you and your travel needs!

Message Me

Whatever your holiday needs I'm here to help you, so simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact details on and I can get things started for you:-

My Videos

Magical Mauritius

29/03/2022

From its mountainous character Mauritius is a most picturesque island, and its scenery is very varied and beautiful. Get in touch to book your next trip.

Reassurance Corporate Travel

18/08/2021

When booking travel, you need to make sure you have a trusted travel professional more now than ever. Please contact me for anything Travel Related

Beyond The Horizon

08/06/2021

Beyond the Horizon..... We will have the opportunity to discover more and rediscover what we have already discovered.. Travel is good for your soul.

Get ready to explore again

08/04/2021

I hope you enjoyed reliving travel memories as you watched our film, when our world opens again I’ll be here for you for all your travel needs..

Safari Time

16/02/2021

In South Africa we are truly blessed with our beautiful animals... My Video speaks louder than words

South Africa Is Waiting for You

13/01/2021

Let's travel - South Africa is waiting for you. I am a phone call away for all your travel requirements.. Discover South Africa again :)

Keep Dreaming

01/12/2020

Travel is on pause, but we must keep dreaming about our favourite places and undiscovered places...... Lets travel; the world is waiting for you......

My Travel Blogs

I absolutely love travel! Take a look through my posts - you might find holiday inspiration where you least expect it...

AMAZING AMMAZULU AFRICAN PALACE

27 January 2021

If you looking for unique luxury accommodation then look no further than at Ammazulu African Palace, this could be the place for you. It is situated on the edge of the Kloof Gorge and Krantzkloof Nature Reserve in KZN. It is a truly spectacular boutique hotel that is perfect for you to relax and unwind in. Experience a special stay in the elaborately crafted and decorated walkways, halls and bedrooms that have been created through detailed beadwork as well as African art, artefacts and statues, specifically highlighting the Zulu Culture. You can pamper yourself in their sauna or steam room...

Magnificent Morgan Bay

01 January 2021

Heaven is a place on earth... One place is Morgan Bay. It is a little slice of heaven… Situated about 1 hour and 10 minutes from East London and it has a little bit of everything for everyone… With an endless stretch of beach and awe-inspiring “Krans” which is great for sundowners after a day of beaching and exploring. If you are just looking at chillaxing, hiking, fishing, exploring, eating, Bird Watching or are an adrenaline junky then Morgan Bay has it all. There are 2 hotels in Morgan Bay… The Mitford Hotel and the Morgan Bay Hotel....

Beautiful Boutique Hotel Northcliff, Johannesburg

18 November 2020

I recently went to The Northcliff Boutique Hotel for a breakfast meeting. This hotel is set on the Northcliff Hill. I was blown away by the mesmerizing views of Northern Johannesburg and the surrounds. If you are looking for an intimate venue for a business lunch or private function, then The Northcliff Boutique Hotel could be the place for you. They have an amazing Restaurant that can catering for any function that will be truly memorable for your guests. They have a Bar / Lounge area and pool deck where your guests can grab a refreshing beverage...

My customer stories

Melissa Ridley is fantastic, extemely efficient and very quick to respond to queries. I would highly recommend her to any of my friends or family.

Melissa's Service is 10 out of 10!

You are the best! If I were to give you a score out of 10, you get 10!

I have never experienced service like this, just one word! Amazing! Thank you, Melissa! You are incredible.

Melissa is super efficient. She is 100% committed to client satisfaction.

Melissa was extremely helpful with the full arrangements of our trip. It was planned and executed promptly and professionally. Thank you Mel, for the amazing anniversary surprise that was set up in our room too!

Excellent service Thanks Melissa

Between a busy job and busy children we really needed to get away for a bit. The problem is finding the time to research where to go for the best price. I hate admin. I decided to give Melissa Ridley a try. What fabulous service. I provided her with our preferences and kind of experience we were looking for and our budget. She didn't disappoint and very quickly had us booked in for a fabulous family weekend away. We had a wonderful time. Thank you, Melissa! I highly recommend her travel services.

Amazing service, very helpful. I will definitely be using Melissa again and will recommend her to friends and family

Melissa made our business her business. It's all personal. Proud by association. Try her out she is highly recommended!

Melissa put everything in place for me during these crazy times and helped me through all the changes taking place! I could not have done this without her help so the hugest thank you!

I had to make urgent changes to my flights to get back from Harare to see my sons first swimming gala. Mel reacted quickly and booked me the next flight out. She also went the extra mile to check me in to the flight and got me a exit row seat. Just brilliant personal service. Great to have someone like Mel looking after me when I am travelling.....

Melissa was very helpful and she went out of her way to accommodate me whilst understanding my needs. Excellent!

Mel is very helpful and reliable 10 out of 10

Melissa is a wonderful person to deal with. She has gone out of her way to make sure everything is in place. We are looking forward to our cruise.

Great service

Excellent service! Very happy! Will definitely recommend.

A huge shout out to Melissa Ridley, who made my visit to see my kids in Ireland stress-free and amazing! I am not the easiest traveller to work with, especially since I grabbed the first opportunity to travel internationally. Thank you for your patience and understanding, Melissa. All your recommendations around documentation and vaccine requirements were spot on, even when these changed almost daily. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Melissa, thank you so much for arranging Liné's tickets and quarantine hotel. On a day that I just could not deal with any more arrangements, you made my life so much easier. I would recommend you to anyone that asks and also to those who don't ask.

Super service, Melissa Ridley Travel Counsellor, South Africa. Highly recommended to all. Very knowledgeable, professional and always available and in touch. The fact you offer a Travel app with all documents digital, a bonus in these paper crazy times! Keep it up.

She is wonderful. Available 24/7 and double checks everything. I already recommended her to my family and friends that are going to come visit us.

Mel was fantastic. She offered a fast & efficient and caring service. She always kept us informed and up to date with our bookings. Travel has become quite complicated with quarantines, rules and the likes. So, we were happy to leave all that to Mel to sort out for us, which she did brilliantly. My flights, first with Airlink to Joburg were painless, efficient and a pleasure. Then with Virgin Atlantic to the UK was such a pleasure going direct, it took away all the pain of having to stop over somewhere and wait for a connecting flight... I really appreciated that! The 3-hour wait at Heathrow before we could get on the bus was a bit tiresome but the quarantine hotel was great, good food (more than generous), the menu choice is also good, room very comfortable and clean. Security is friendly and efficient. Thanks Mel.

Only the best travel assistance you can get

No matter the time or the day, 07h00, or Saturday; Mel was available to answer any questions, and look at options for me. Superb service!!

Angels appear in various forms. When starting to plan my trip, the feeling was overwhelming and causing much anxiety. Within a few hours of contacting my travel angel, Melissa from Travel Counsellors, she put me at ease, plus her price was the Best. Melissa is highly recommended!

She is the best travel agent, she always takes care and makes the booking process simple.

Melissa is wonderful - she's patient and thorough and listened to all our requests carefully, making sure we received everything we wanted in our quotation and booking. We can't wait to go on our holiday!

Mel makes traveling easy! She listens to your exact needs and finds the best options to choose from. She is reliable, friendly, professional and 'holds your hand' (from a distance) throughout your entire travel. I am recommending her with a satisfied and happy heart!!

Melissa is a breath of fresh air. We never have to worry about our travel arrangements any longer. She has lightened our load. She provides us with various quotations to ensure our comfort whilst offering the best price. She is with us right from the start of our enquiry until the point of check-in to ensure that our travel is a smooth process. Utilize Melissa’s travel service, you won't be sorry!