Ritz Paris | renovations in process

click here to see the video

Ritz Paris is one of the iconic hotels of the world, located on the Place Vendôme, just a block from the Tuileries and in the one of the most exclusive shopping areas in the world. It has been closed since last August to undertake a complete and extensive renovation. The linked video shows some of the construction, some of the famous guests who have graced The Ritz with their presence, as well as a wonderful rendition of Puttin' on the Ritz.

One of my favorite luxury hotels in Paris, the Ritz Paris will be a glittering jewel of a hotel, appealing to upscale travelers who prefer traditional luxury accommodations. Always book through your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant to receive the very best values — including complimentary daily breakfast for two, room upgrades, and other valuable amenities at nearly 1,000 five star hotels and resorts around the world.

Ritz Paris (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

luxury travel in the age of EasyJet | 4 tips

I am in Venice and am struck by how different the city seems this time. No, all of the same attractions are still there — the Piazza San Marco, the Doge's Palace, the Campanile, the Rialto Bridge. What's different is how crowded the city is. Thousands upon thousands of tourists crowding every passageway. Getting from Point A to Point B requires walking around (or through) groups tourists blocking the way

I've experienced the same thing in other parts of the world. Long lines waiting for tickets to Versailles, the Musee d'Orsay, the Louvre, or the Vatican Museum. Dense crowds inside museums, making it impossible to spend quality time in front of, say, the Mona Lisa. Things were so bad in Capri, when I was there, that I escaped back up the hill to Anacapri to avoid the throngs.

Travel has become very popular, as it should be. Discount airlines such as EasyJet make it easy for Europeans in particular to travel all over Europe. As many as three cruise ships dock at Venice in a day, releasing an extra 10,000 tourists to gum up the works.

Is true luxury travel even possible any more? Here are four tips:

1. Travel during "shoulder season." Especially avoid school holidays, if you possibly can. (This tip doesn't work for families who want to expose their children to the world of travel.) By choosing less popular times of the year, you may not get the best weather, but you'll experience lower prices, fewer crowds, and a less hectic time discovering your destination.

2. Seek out exclusive experiences that the crowds (a) are not likely to know about and (b) can't afford. A before-hours guided tour of the Vatican Museum may cost several hundred euros, but you'll experience the Sistine Chapel in peace and quiet, not packed in shoulder-to-shoulder. Your luxury travel consultant has local connections in most destinations who can suggest and arrange these unique experiences.

3. Wander away from the crowds, through parts of the city with relatively few tourists. Or to put it another way, get lost (not difficult to do in Venice), then find your way back. It's the best way to explore a new destination and discover its secrets.

4. Explore off the beaten track destinations. Before going to Venice, I spent the day in Hampshire County, England. Instead of spending time in crowded London, I stayed out in the country, visited Winchester and its cathedral, drove through charming English villages, and ate a great meal at an authentic English pub.

Luxury travel is a matter of time and space, having enough time so that you don't feel rushed, and having enough space so that you don't feel crowded.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google) copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

top 10 unique journeys in Europe

idea #1 Simplon-Orient Express Train from London to Venice (other journeys available)

Sometimes the journey is as fascinating as the destination. The luxury travel company Abercrombie and Kent recently published this top 10 list of some unique journeys in Europe. I've never done any of these either, although I have booked the Orient Express train for clients. Any of these on your bucket list?

1. Simplon-Orient Express Train from London to Venice.

2. Glacier Express train from Zermatt to St Moritz

3. Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostock

4. River Cruise on the Danube

5. Royal Scotsman Train across Scotland

6. Rome to Sicily by Rail

7. Zurich to Milan by Rail

8. Drive past the fairytale castles of the Rhine Valley

9. Train journey between Paris and the Cote d'Azur

10. Cotswold Way on foot


Contact your luxury travel consultant to book the Orient Express, or any of the other journeys. We can suggest five star hotels at either end of your journey and provide exclusive amenities during your hotel stays, all at the best available rate.


Orient Express train (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

top 10 aspirational experiences in Europe

idea # 2 - drive a Ferrari through the Italian countryside

Another Abercrombie and Kent top ten list, their top ten aspirational experiences in Europe. I can honestly say that I've never experienced any of these.

1. MIG Flight, Russia

2. Ferrari driving experience through Italy

3. Personal shopper in Paris

4. Wine tasting with a Master of Wine, France

5. Private visit to the Grand Kremlin Palace

6. Private access to the Gardens of Highgrove

7. Private tour of the Porsche factory

8. Private opera recital at the lavish Hungarian State Opera House

9. Helicopter flight over the Valley of the Geysers, Kamchatka

10. Private motor yacht on the Adriatic coast of Croatia


Do you have an extraordinary dream? Your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant has the contacts to help you realize your travel aspirations.


travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

top 10 family activities in Europe

idea # 7: scavenger hunt through the Louvre

Continuing this series of top 10 recommendations from luxury travel provider Abercrombie and Kent, here are their ideas on the top 10 family activities in Europe.

1. Rome — Gladiator School


2. Amsterdam — bicycling


3. Croatia — sea kayaking


4. Bruges — chocolate workshop


5. Moscow — backstage tour and live performance at the Moscow State Circus


6. Tuscany — horseback riding


7. Paris — scavenger hunt through the Louvre


8. Florence — behind the scenes at Florence's best Gelateria


9. St. Petersburg — Matryoshka doll painting


10. Scotland — search for Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, on your own chartered boat

A scavenger hunt through the Louvre sounds like fun, and what a creative way to bring a museum to life! When you're ready to plan your next family vacation to Europe, and want to create special memories that your children will carry throughout their lives, contact your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant. We've got the connections that can make these family activities possible.

top 10 family activities in Europe (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

summer luxury travel deals

the swimming pool at Amanyara

It's summer, and luxury travel deals abound. Here are some of the best luxury travel deals that have come across my desk in the past 24 hours:

free round-trip airport transfers

Coworth Park, Ascot — complimentary airport transfers, Jul 22 - Sept 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily, 70£ food and beverage credit, and upgrade if available

The Dorchester, London — complimentary airport transfers, Aug 13 - Sept 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily, 70£ spa credit, and upgrade if available

45 Park Lane, London — complimentary airport transfers, Aug 13 - Sept 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily, 70£ food and beverage credit, and upgrade if available

guaranteed upgrades

Le Meurice, Paris — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus American breakfast for two daily and a bottle of French wine

Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily and $75 spa credit

Principe di Savoia, Milan — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus buffet breakfast for two daily and 85€ lunch credit

Le Richemond, Geneva — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus buffet breakfast for two daily and $100 food and beverage credit

Montage Beverly Hills — Double Upgrade at booking from July 15 - July 31. 

plus continental breakfast for two daily and $100 spa credit

all inclusive bargains

Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall, Jamaica — Rates start at $449 per night including all meals and beverages for two adults and two children under 12, including all taxes, service fees, and wireless internet.

Amanyara, Turks and Caicos — Rates include breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, excluding beverages. Stay 7 pay 6 … or Stay 10 pay 8. Two free massage with a 5 night stay.



Contact your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant for more information.

luxury travel deals (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

room upgrades | the holy grail of hotel stays

Ocean View Prime Suite at FS Hualalai

I can't show the comic strip, as King Features wanted $60 for a one-time license, but go to the Rhymes with Orange website and click back to the April 15th cartoon. Cinderella is standing in front of "The Enchanted Forest Rental Desk" to rent a pumpkin coach. The rental agent, a flying fairy godmother complete with wand, informs her, There are no more pumpkin coaches on the lot, but for the same price we can upgrade you to a butternut squash.*

Room upgrades are the holy grail of luxury hotel stays. For many hotels and resorts, the only difference between a less inexpensive lead-in room and higher room categories is the view. A great example is the Four Seasons Maui where lead-in Mountainside rooms look away from the ocean with a view of the roof of the parking garage. Higher room categories (Garden, Partial Ocean, Ocean View, and Ocean View Prime) have progressively better views. So a room upgrade is a valuable perk that can save you $100 every night of your stay, depending on time of year.

How can you increase your chances of getting a coveted room upgrade? Find a luxury travel consultant who

(1) is a preferred partner of your favorite hotel families. Brownell Travel has preferred partner relationships with Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, Orient Express, and Rosewood, among other luxury brands. We are among a handful of agencies that are the biggest producers for these brands, and our clients go to the top of the upgrade list.

(2) is a member of Virtuoso, or another consortium with negotiated amenities such as Signature or FHR. These perks include room upgrades on check-in, subject to availability, at over 900 five star hotels and resorts around the world.

(3) has personal relationships with sales managers at the hotels you want to book. If you send a lot of guests to certain hotels, and work with sales managers to VIP your clients, they get to know you and will often try to guarantee an upgrade in advance.

It can help if you are a frequent guest of certain hotels. So when you find a hotel you love, stay with it! Your own relationship, especially when combined with that of your travel consultant, will help you score a room upgrade!

room upgrade (search here on Google)

*Hilary B. Price, "Rhymes with Orange" (April 15, 2012)


copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Ritz-Carlton South Beach | extra $100 resort credit

Looking for a quick winter getaway? The Ritz Carlton South Beach is located in the historic art deco district of Miami Beach, a lively area with lots of dining choices, shopping, and nightlife, not to mention the sand and sea of Miami Beach.

Over the next five weeks, the resort is offering an additional $100 resort credit for bookings made through a Ritz-Carlton STARS agent. This offer is valid for every three night booking on stays from February 24 through April 30, subject to availability, when you reserve a Partial Ocean View, Poolside Lanai, Ocean Front, or any suite or Club room.

You will also receive the following Virtuoso amenities simply by making your reservation through any luxury travel consultant who is both Virtuoso and STARS. For the same best available flexible rate, you will receive these valuable extras:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
  
• Daily buffet breakfast for up to two in-room guests served at Bistro One LR
  
• A US$100 Spa credit, once per stay (not combinable; no cash value if not redeemed)

... plus the $100 resort credit per every three night's stay.


Here's the fine print: The credit is not applicable to room or tax, not valid on existing reservations, and not applicable to wholesale or group bookings.

Ritz Carlton South Beach (search here on Google)



copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

Mandarin Oriental Paris

Mandarin Oriental Paris is the newest addition to the Virtuoso collection of five-star luxury hotels in Paris. Centrally located at 251 rue Saint-Honore, the Mandarin Oriental Paris is on a great shopping street, just a block away from the Place Vendome, and very convenient to the Tuileries. In other words, a great location if you're coming to Paris and want to be able to walk to all the best tourist attractions.

So when does the hotel open? Summer, 2011, according to the Mandarin Oriental Paris website - but bookings are not yet being accepted. A boutique hotel with 99 rooms and 39 suites, this sketch suggests that the hotel will have large rooms with a very contemporary flair.

If you prefer the traditional "Palace Hotels" of Paris (the George V, Le Meurice, the Plaza, the Crillon), this will probably not be your hotel of choice. But if you go for modern design, the MO will offer stiff competition for the nearby Park Hyatt.

Looking for the best value? Just book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant at the Best Available Rate ... and receive the following value-added perks:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
  
• Complimentary Continental breakfast daily for up to two in-room guests
  
• One 85 Euro Spa credit per stay

Drop me an email, and I'll let you know when the Mandarin Oriental Paris begins to accept reservations.

Mandarin Oriental Paris (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2011 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Ritz-Carlton Kapalua | Wine & Food Festival

What a great value! The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Maui is offering an incredible deal for the four-day Kapalua Wine and Food Festival being hosted at the resort. The special package begins at $750 per night for a Deluxe Ocean View room (minimum stay of three nights) and includes a two-day Pass for two guests valued at $540. This gets you into:

The Grand Tasting, June 25, 6-9 p.m.

The Kapalua Seafood Festival, June 27th, 6-9 p.m.

The current rate for Deluxe Ocean View rooms is $745; just $5 more gets you into two lavish wine and food buffets — in other words, both of you will enjoy two abundant gourmet dinners. While breakfast is not included at this rate, clients of STARS agents will receive an upgrade if available, customized welcome amenity, and late 4 p.m. check-out.

Contact your luxury travel consultant to book this package.


Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Maui (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Southwest Airlines and Customers of Size

The hot topic in the today's news is the case of Kevin Smith and Southwest's two-seat policy for "customers of size." Mr. Smith bought two tickets for a flight from Oakland to Burbank. He was able to get on an earlier flight on which, unfortunately, two adjacent seats were not available. And that is where this tale of Southwest's public relations misadventure begins. Southwest Airlines determined that Mr. Smith did not fit into a single seat and asked him to deplane. This led to an exchange of blogs and tweets in which both parties wrote things they probably regret.

As a luxury travel consultant, my own issue in this incident is the entire question of comfort [sic] while flying in coach. I don't enjoy the "back of the plane" experience, but most of us who live in California do fly Southwest when traveling within state, and Southwest is an all-coach airline. SWA does offer a reasonably comfortable coach product with adequate pitch — their seats are not crammed as tightly as those of other airlines. Coach only becomes unbearable when the passenger in the neighboring seat is wider than that seat, and his/her body encroaches into your space.

I applaud Southwest's policy on "customers of size," requiring such passengers to purchase two seats.

As a Company committed to serving our Customers in Safety and comfort, we feel the definitive boundary between seats is the armrest. If a Customer cannot comfortably lower the armrest and infringes on a portion of another seat, a Customer seated adjacent would be very uncomfortable and a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement.

When an adjacent passenger occupies space you paid for (i.e., any portion of the vertical space between your armrests), it is simply unfair. Southwest's PR in response to this incident was unfortunate, but their policy is laudable.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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my big advantage over FHR

American Express has just announced the ability to make Platinum Card FHR reservations online. While this is certainly a significant convenience factor if you simply must make that reservation at 3 a.m., this new "feature" actually means even less client service for FHR clients. At least that's my quite biased opinion!

Want advice about your hotel choices? It helps to have a conversation with a travel consultant who has actually been there — and who can consult with colleagues who have traveled all over the globe. A picture on a website can be highly misleading, and booking engines aren't much use if you want advice.

Have any special requests? Want a view of the Eiffel Tower from a suite at the Four Seasons George V? Can't get the concierge to respond to your emails? Really hoping for an upgrade? Celebrating a special anniversary or have other unique requests you'd like to be taken care of? It's not what you know — it's who you know — and I make personal contact every time I make a hotel booking.

Want to save $450? American Express advertises "$450 in complimentary benefits with every stay" (based on double occupancy and depending on length of stay). Interesting ... as this is also the annual fee for an American Express Platinum Card. My clients receive comparable benefits - and don't have to pay $450 annually for a Platinum Card.

Want better amenities? While FHR offers a complimentary continental breakfast for two daily at its member properties, I can often do even better for you. For instance, stay at any Four Seasons hotel or resort in the world at a Preferred Partner rate (including Third Night Free rates, etc). As my Four Seasons client, you will receive a Full American Breakfast for two daily (by room service if you wish), including any breakfast buffet options (the buffet at the Four Seasons Florence is pictured above).

50% more choices. FHR has over 600 participating properties. I have relationships with nearly 900 luxury hotels and resorts around the world, with complimentary daily breakfasts, room upgrades if available upon check-in (and sometimes at time of booking), and extra perks at each one.

No online booking engine can possibly provide the service of a luxury travel consultant.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Four Seasons New York | incredible values

Planning to visit New York in the next month? Why not stay at one of Manhattan's most luxurious hotels, the I.M. Pei-designed Four Seasons New York. Offering the largest hotel rooms in the city, as well as Four Seasons brand of warm and gracious service, you will appreciate its central location (on 57th Street between Madison and Park).

You will also enjoy the added value of the Preferred Partner Best of Both Promotion. Guests staying three nights through January 18, 2010 (or on select holidays through 2010) will receive:

• Third Night Free
• $200 hotel credit per paid night (can be used toward room rate)
• Daily full American Breakfast for two through In-Room Dining or in the hotel restaurant (including buffets)
• $100 Spa credit once during stay (not applicable to products)
• One-category upgrade based on availability at time of check-in

This promotion is only available through Four Seasons Preferred Partners. Book any Four Seasons anywhere in the world at a published rate, and you will always receive a Full Breakfast for two daily, upgrade if available, and an extra amenity (usually either a $100 spa credit or an $85 lunch credit, depending upon the property). Your rate is the same as if you booked directly with the hotel, and you pay the hotel directly upon check-out. Contact your Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel consultant for full details.

Four Seasons New York (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Park Hyatt Shanghai | highest hotel in the world

Located high atop the Shanghai World Financial Center (the building with the opening at the top, pictured above), the Park Hyatt Shanghai is the highest hotel in the world. With just 174 guestrooms, the Park Hyatt is a boutique hotel that prides itself on the highly personalized service it offers through its team of personal butlers and chefs. Rooms are large (starting at 592 square feet) and offer spectacular views of the Huangpu River.

Luxury can be highly affordable. Pay the best available flexible rate and receive, in addition, these valuable amenities at no extra cost:

• Upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability
• Complimentary full breakfast daily for up to two in-room guests
• One 600 CNY (approx. $85) F&B credit per room per stay

How to get these added value perks? Just make your booking through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant for the best luxury values at over 800 five star hotels and resorts around the world. Click here for more information.


Park Hyatt Shanghai (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Romance in the South Pacific

Discover your dream vacation in the South Pacific for a surprisingly affordable price. Vacation packages are available at all price points, beginning at under $1,000 per person. Of course, luxury packages are also available at some the most beautiful 5-star resorts you'll ever experience.

Click here for the entire resource page for Romance in the South Pacific. Islands in the Sun specializes in travel to Tahiti and Bora Bora, Fiji, Australia, and Asia. Their 40+ years of experience planning travel to this part of the world can make your romantic holiday as stress-free and effortless as possible. Just bring yourselves and enjoy an idyllic getaway while you invest in your relationship. With a price match policy, if another tour companty offers a lower price for the same itinerary using identical vendors, Islands in the Sun will match the price.

Bora Bora is one of my all-time favorite destinations for relaxation and incredible snorkeling. As a luxury travel consultant, I have personally inspected many of the best properties in order to help you find the perfect resort for your stay. Get in touch if you'd like to talk about the possibilities for romance in the South Pacific.

Romance in the South Pacific (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Hotel de Crillon, Paris | outstanding values

The best values at Hotel de Crillon, Paris, are not on the internet. Well, the best prices may be ... but what if I told you that for the same Best Available Rate (BAR) that you can find on the hotel's own website, a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant can get you free amenities.

• daily American Breakfast
• a gift of Baccarat crystal
• upgrade at time of check-in upon availability
• free WIFI internet connection
• complimentary one-way airport transfer with 3 night stay

You can't get this deal this online, but you can get these valuable extras at no additional cost just by booking your room through a Virtuoso travel advisor. This offer will save you hundreds of dollars. This is valid for new bookings for stays between September 14 and December 14, 2009. Any question? Email me.

Hotel de Crillon (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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planning your trip of a lifetime

Travel is about experiencing the world in all its wonderful diversity, immersing yourself in different cultures, encountering wildlife in its natural habitat, and realizing lifelong dreams. And while you can certainly use the extraordinary resources of the internet to plan and book your own trip of a lifetime, employing the services of an experienced travel advisor can often be the best possible investment of your travel dollars.

There are simply too many choices. How can the typical consumer identify those travel providers...

• who consistently provide superior service
• who can provide the very best English-speaking guides
• who respect the environment and give back to their communities
• who are financially stable, even in a down economy

That's why I encourage you to think about using a travel consultant - especially a Virtuoso travel consultant who enjoys relationships with hundreds of the "best of the best" hotels, cruise lines, tour companies, and on-sites in the world.

I am proud to be part of Brownell, the oldest travel agency in North America. With dozens of travel consultants, our collaborative travel experience spans all seven continents. With 120 years in the travel business, Brownell can put you in the capable hands of the world's best travel providers. Whether you work with me or with one of my extremely talented colleagues (Brownell has more Conde Nast recommended agents than any other travel company in the world), the entire Brownell team is available to help your consultant best serve you.

The beautiful scenes in this YouTube video may help you recall some of those travel dreams you've always wanted to fulfill. Then check out the nearly two dozen travel specialties represented among Brownell's luxury travel consultants. And go ahead ... take that trip of a lifetime!

trip of a lifetime (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Virtuoso Travel Mart 2009 | Aug. 16-20

Why would thousands of luxury travel consultants travel to Las Vegas in the middle of August? Why take part in a week of meetings, formal and informal, with reps from hundreds of luxury hotels and cruise lines? Why deal with the exhaustion and overload from four consecutive days spent filled with six hours daily of four-minute appointments (a.k.a. speed dates) with supplier representatives?

It's time for Travel Mart, the annual Virtuoso trade show. Virtuoso is the biggest name in the luxury hotel market with over 800 hotels and resorts around the world, each one offering Virtuoso clients the best rates along with complimentary amenities including free daily breakfast for two, room upgrades if available, and valuable extra perks. But Virtuoso is more than just a source of the best luxury values for upscale travelers. It's about connections with top industry reps.

Next week is an exhausting but immensely worthwhile opportunity for Virtuoso travel consultants to network with the world's top luxury travel suppliers. It will help them learn about new products, deepen their knowledge of what's available in the luxury travel universe, and form relationships with the people who can help them deliver for clients by...

• securing room upgrades
• taking care of special needs and requests
• finding space in what may seem like a totally booked hotel

So, if your travel consultant isn't immediately available next week, count yourself lucky. The week that she or he is investing at Travel Mart is all about helping you get the most from your future travels.

Virtuoso travel consultant (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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the best return on your travel investment

If you're like most luxury travelers surfing the web, I imagine you're looking for the best travel experience for the lowest possible price. I totally understand that logic, and in fact my services as a luxury travel consultant are all about obtaining the best possible value for my clients.

The search for the absolute lowest price, however, sometimes has unintended consequences. Making decisions simply on the basis of price, especially when we're traveling to unfamiliar and exotic destinations, can rob us of the very experiences we're traveling around the world to have. Here's a true story that happened to me.

Shortly after I became a Virtuoso travel consultant, I planned a trip for myself to Italy. I scheduled two nights in Naples, wanting to visit the famous ruins of Pompeii. I asked one of the Virtuoso onsites in Italy to provide me a quote for a tour of Pompeii — a car and driver to take us there and a half-day tour of Pompeii with a private guide. While their price was OK, I also emailed the Concierge of my hotel in Naples, asking him to quote me a price for the same services. The hotel's price came back perhaps 20€ lower. So I went with the lower price. What's the difference, I figured, between one guided tour and another?

Well, quite a lot, it turns out — a lesson I learned the hard way. Our driver was great. He picked us up in a comfortable car and drove us to Pompeii. Upon our arrival around 10 a.m., we were introduced to the guide arranged for by the Concierge. He took us into the ruins of Pompeii, explained the various sites that we were seeing, and then — at 11 a.m. — said "goodbye" to us.

"But we paid for a half-day tour," I said.

"I don't know anything about it," he replied ... and off he went to meet his next clients.

I saved 20€, but I didn't get the experience I was hoping for. When a three hour in-depth tour turns into a sixty minute cursory visit to one of the major attractions in Italy, you are going to feel cheated and disappointed. This was a valuable lesson.

Why do we travel, after all? We do it for those unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experiences of seeing history with our own eyes ... and while I saved 20€, it shortchanged my experience of Pompeii (although we made good use of the extra time by having our driver take us to Herculaneum - not all was lost).

So here are the top reasons that Virtuoso travel advisers will use onsites to plan the components of a foreign trip.

1. They are true experts about their locale. They know the best way to tour the sights and absorb the culture of their destination.
2. They are vetted by Virtuoso, and you can be confident that these companies are financially secure and consistently provide exceptional service.
3. They contract with the best available English-speaking guides.
4. They know the best restaurants (and can make reservations) and can take you to out-of-the-way sights most tourists never see.
5. They can arrange exclusive experiences that will give you "bragging rights" for a lifetime.
6. If anything goes wrong on your trip, they are a local resource there to assist you.

It's not the least expensive way to travel and your travel consultant will receive a commission [disclaimer], but onsites offer the best possible return on your travel investment.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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San Diego weekend getaway

San Diego is a great destination for a weekend getaway. Quick and easy to reach from the San Francisco Bay area (my flight time was under 70 minutes), San Diego is also convenient to any number of destinations in the west.

What to do? Go to the beach. Visit the world-famous San Diego Zoo and the affiliated Wild Animal Park. Take the kids to Sea World or Lego Land. Watch a baseball game at Petco Park. Enjoy the nightlife in the Gaslamp Quarter. Or spend a day at Balboa Park (which features more museums than any other park in the world). Every Sunday afternoon, enjoy a free Organ Concert in Balboa Park. From the picture above, you can guess what I did this past Sunday!

Where to stay? There are a number of great San Diego luxury hotels, but here are two suggestions.

The Grand Del Mar is a brand new resort located about 20 minutes north of downtown San Diego. Finished a couple of years ago, it was built around an existing 18 hole golf course that has been redesigned by Tom Fazio. The resort resembles an elaborate Tuscan estate with marble floors, limestone pillars, beautiful painted ceilings, and lushly decorated guest rooms. Besides golf, the Grand Del Mar offers several swimming pools — including an adults-only pool, tennis courts, and a spa. Free transportation is provided for all guests within a 14 mile radius, a chance to enjoy a day at the beach or enjoy other San Diego area attractions. Pricing is extremely attractive this summer, and there's even an Unlimited Golf package. Virtuoso guests enjoy an upgrade at time of booking, daily full breakfast for two, and a generous resort credit — all at the Best Available Rate.

The US Grant is a historic hotel in downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Gaslamp District and all its exciting nightlife. When you stay, be sure to ask for the brief historic tour of the building offered by Clifford; he will describe some architectural features of the hotel, explain some historic photographs, and point out the immense hand-woven silk rug in the lobby, features you might otherwise fail to notice. Built by the son of President Grant, the US Grant originally opened in 1910. The rooms are comfortable, and the Grant Grille is an excellent fine dining restaurant. Virtuoso guests receive an upgrade on arrival if available, a complimentary Full Breakfast daily for up to two in-room guests, and a $75 credit towards incidental expenses during your stay.

To take advantage of the complimentary amenities at the Grand Del Mar, the US Grant, and over 800 luxury hotels worldwide, simply book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant.

San Diego luxury hotels (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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