Combining an extensive knowledge of travel with the obsessive planning habits gleaned from time in event management, Rachel Harvey, managing director of Fusion Escapes, has created a small and select portfolio of trips to diverse destinations from Dubai to Croatia.

The trips’ lack of set itineraries and excessive hand-holding, allowing clients space while relieving them of travel’s hassles, strike the perfect balance.

While many Fusion Escapes guests are single, others are in relationships but have different interests or conflicting commitments to their partner. This situation is becoming so common, it has recently acquired acronym status: HIS, or Holiday Incompatibility Syndrome.

“I know from experience that there’s a fine balance between company and solitude when you’re travelling,” explains Harvey. “We take care of the planning aspects of a holiday and guarantee quality by using hotels, restaurants and operators we know inside out. Yes, we bring like-minded people together in a relaxed environment, but the last thing we want is contrived socialising or matchmaking.”

I flew to Santorini a couple of days before the Fusion Escapes trip to compare my solo and escorted experiences. I had an enjoyable time – the island is beautiful and the locals charming – but I was still happy to spot my four fellow “Escapees” sipping champagne at the poolside bar with our hostess, Nikki, after a second day’s lone exploring.

Our group was entirely female and aged between 30 and 50, in careers in media, medicine, IT and finance, perhaps because the Santorini trip is the “R & R” destination in the Fusion Escapes portfolio (as opposed to the “Active” trip to Dubai, say, or the “Discovery” trip to Morocco).

Bonding quickly over a delicious spread of Greek mezze and Santorini wine, a common trait emerged: a dislike of dining alone in restaurants. Joanna, a London-based doctor, explained, “I needed a relaxing break but didn’t have time to research a destination, let alone hotels. Fusion Escapes took care of all that but, best of all, it also ensured I wouldn’t spend a week dreading solitary suppers, drawing pitying looks from loved-up diners.”

Three hosted dinners were organised in different towns (preceded by cocktails in spectacular locations) over the course of the week, all of which were a tremendous success. We generally did our own thing during the day, with the exception of an impromptu group shopping expedition to Fira, coming together for our ritual afternoon beer by the pool, during which loose plans were made for dinner.

Our last evening found us on board one of those boats I had spotted in the caldera on my first night, treating ourselves to a sunset cruise.

Relaxed and sun-kissed, I watched as Joanna and Nikki shared a joke, laughing as if they’d known each other for years. I thought that perhaps the waiter in Koukoumavlos was right and a Santorini sunset is best enjoyed in company, especially that of my five new best friends.

Source telegraph.co.uk