Blues Skies Lifestyle is a Bournemouth based, family run, online travel agency offering a portfolio of the world’s most exclusive luxury ski chalet and villa rentals. The first of the company website brands, Ski In Luxury, has been established since 2005 and is managed by Bournemouth University alumni graduates, husband and wife team Andy and Fran Castle. Ski In Luxury is now widely regarded as the best luxury ski chalet agency worldwide.
Twenty years later, one third of the team at Blue Skies Lifestyle (BSL) is made up of Bournemouth University alumni of varying degree backgrounds. Blue Skies Lifestyle is committed to providing Bournemouth alumni and placement students with career opportunities across a number of fields, including sales, IT development and support, and digital media and marketing.
In addition to Ski In Luxury (2005), Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd has had three subsequent travel agency brands and websites since its inception: Villas In Luxury (2007), Ultimate Luxury Chalets (2012) and Alps In Luxury (2015). In 2013 there were five employees based in an office in Andy and Fran’s converted garage space at home. Now, 13 years later, BSL is based in a stunning Charminster office with a team of twenty-four! The growing team brings a wealth of experience and different backgrounds, united by a shared passion for skiing and luxury travel… and, in addition, a strong connection to Bournemouth University.
BU Class of Blue Skies Lifestyle
Andy and Fran Castle, Founders and Directors
Like many of our BU employees returning after placement, Andy graduated with a degree in Business Information Systems Management and headed back to his placement company full time, a small independent ski agency, which was a life-changing decision. Not only did his placement company introduce Andy to skiing, but it also introduced him to Fran, his future business partner and wife.
Fran was working for the agency on her BU placement year from her Business Studies course when Andy returned to the company after he had graduated, and it wasn’t long before they took a shine to each other. Andy worked his way up the company to become Sales Manager, and Fran went back to Bournemouth University to complete her degree, then returned to the agency as a graduate Sales Consultant.
“In 2005, I had a vision to launch a more refined, luxury focused ski holiday website and I asked to join forces on this idea with the Director. He turned down my proposal and so I made the jump to launch Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd and our first brand, Ski In Luxury.”
Andy Castle, Director
At this time, Fran moved on from the company to hone her financial skills at JP Morgan. The typical allure of travel soon captured Fran’s desire to return to the industry and she made the decision to start up “Resorts in Luxury” (now Villas In Luxury), focusing on luxury villa rentals around the world.
The dynamic pair merged their businesses under the Blue Skies Lifestyle umbrella in 2009, leading the luxury travel agency brands to great success together.
“Andy and I work together unbelievably well together as a team, complementing each other in all aspects of the business. I am so very proud of what we have achieved together and grateful for the lifestyle that it has created for us.”
Fran Castle, Director
Blue Skies Lifestyle currently have eight alumni in the team, people who are applying the many skills they have learnt in their BU courses. The company has had many BU placements over the years, too.
Here are a few of the team who have studied at BU and continue to hone the skills which began there.
One of the longest standing employees to have graduated from Bournemouth University is Ellie, the Marketing Manager who has grown within the company over the past 8 ½ years. A combination of a degree in Tourism Management, ski season work, ski holiday experience and a desire to maintain a life by the sea meant she was a prime candidate for the Bournemouth based travel agency.
“It was on my Mum’s bucket list to ski before she was 40, so we took a family holiday to the Dolomites and fell in love with the mountains. It was the stunning views, fresh air and learning a new sport that stole my heart! I wanted to use my degree, and Blue Skies Lifestyle was just the perfect opportunity to combine my passion and knowledge.”
Ellie started off in the sales team until the company expanded and became in need of a dedicated marketing department. Ellie stepped into a junior role and now manages a digital marketing team, implementing the marketing strategy for all four luxury travel brands while continuing to sharpen existing skills and acquire new ones along the way.
Bradley brings big smiles and great energy into our back office. He is a specialist when it comes to social media and product project management. His career at BSL started with a BU placement year where he was introduced to the world of skiing and luxury travel.
“As part of my studies, it was a requirement to complete a placement year in industry, which is where I first entered the luxury travel world at Blue Skies Lifestyle. I’ve now been lucky enough to visit the Alps many times – including my first time skiing (and après ski) – and I’m definitely hooked!”
Now one of the remote workers after his return home to Swindon, Bradley spent some time living in Bournemouth after graduating in Business Management with Marketing. Brad has been in his position in the company full time for four years now, growing in stature and responsibility along the way, with his degree at BU giving him an excellent foundation to build his career with BSL. Brad has an innate ability to carry out his responsibilities critically, efficiently and practically.
Thomas, our IT Systems Support, is also part of our BU alumni team, having studied Social Work for his undergraduate degree. He later took a career change to follow his passion for computers, building on his education with a long distance, part-time Computer Science degree.
Blue Skies Lifestyle was able to support Thomas through his part-time studies initially before he graduated and joined the company full time. It was the variation of the role and opportunity to get involved in development and quality assurance testing which hooked Thomas into working at BSL Thomas is the go-to employee for all things IT – he is even known to have his own BSL fan club (for those that call on him most!).
Thomas is now becoming even more involved in the company and its projects, developing his skill set further by utilising the numerous coding and IT development skills that he learnt during his degree.
Dan is another ex-placement student with BSL who has recently been welcomed back full time after he had a successful placement year during his Business and Management with Economics degree at Bournemouth University. Dan is a keen skier and has spent many family holidays in the Alps.
Having graduated in 2025, Dan returned as a full-time Product and Marketing Assistant where he’s an important member of the product team and the digital marketing promotion of the Alps In Luxury brand across social media channels. BSL are delighted to have Dan’s energy back in the team, and he is already showcasing and applying aspects of his studies in his everyday role.
Steve is the latest BU alumni member to join the team at Blue Skies Lifestyle. Determined to expand the team in search of specialist SEO knowledge and experience to improve the website content and performance, Steve was the ideal candidate. He brings great passion and enthusiasm for applying his expertise to the company brands.
Steve has an MSc in Business Analytics and a 1st Class BSc (Hons) in Computer Networking & Web Design. In addition, he took an evening course on web design at Bournemouth University in the 90s, linking him into the Blue Skies Lifestyle Bournemouth alumni team.
Although the closest thing he has got to skiing in the Alps is sled riding down Surrey’s Box Hill as a child, his knowledge and his passion for travel are prominent.
The Blue Skies Lifestyle Brands
Blue Skies Lifestyle brings together four leading luxury travel brands:
Ski In Luxury features over 1,200 exceptional luxury ski chalet and apartment rentals across Europe and Canada, all matched to clients with expert advice and personalised service. Ultimate Luxury Chalets showcases Europe’s top 100 ski chalets, delivering truly premium alpine experiences in destinations such as Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Verbier and Zermatt.
Beyond the mountains in winter, Villas In Luxury offers a handpicked portfolio of exclusive villas in the world’s most sought-after sunshine destinations, from luxury villas in Mykonos and St Tropez, exclusive villa rentals in Ibiza and Mallorca, and even reaching the more tropical climes of Thailand and the Maldives.
Alps In Luxury offers exceptional summer mountain chalets across 38 resorts in France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, perfect for both adventure and escapism.
Recruitment from Bournemouth University
Blues Skies Lifestyle continues to seek local talent and Bournemouth University educated students and graduates. If you are searching for a placement to complete your year in the industry or looking to hone your graduate skills, visit the careers page to browse our current opportunities, or get in touch to find your dream career in the world of luxury travel!
