why use a travel consultant?

"Why use a travel consultant," many people wonder. In this age of internet booking, aren't all the best deals online? If you are an upscale traveler, used to staying in five star hotels, you might be surprised at the value a travel consultant can provide.

A client emailed me last evening from National Airport in Washington, DC. He had been stuck at DCA for five hours, three of which were spent on the runway. Storms in the New York area prevented his flight from departing. He planned to take the train back early the next morning but needed a place to spend the night. He gave me a price range and asked what I could find for him.

8:45 pm. I did a quick search and emailed him three choices. He chose a room at the Mandarin Oriental for $295. Granted, anyone with a cell phone could have booked that room for $295 while standing in the terminal at DCA. They might not have known to ask for the Summer Breaks rate (same price but with a $50 hotel credit), and the reservations agent might not have volunteered information about that promotion. That being said, I got him a far better deal — the Virtuoso amenities — which included a complimentary Continental breakfast for two, a $50 Food & Beverage credit, a $35 Spa credit, and an upgrade subject to availability.

As my client was climbing into a cab, I emailed him the confirmation number and hotel's address. Then, I did what I always do after making a reservation; I contacted the hotel directly. As it was now 9 pm, I spoke to the agent at the front desk to make sure his reservation was in order — and I asked if he could upgrade my client.

9:24 p.m. My client emailed me again. "They've put me in a very nice suite. So glad to be here and no longer sitting on the runway!"

Why use a travel consultant in this age of the internet? Because we actually provide expertise, added value, convenience, and service.


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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a great time for luxury travel to Europe

Want some counter-intuitive advice? This is an ideal time to think about luxury travel to Europe. Here are four reasons why:

1. Great exchange rates. The US dollar has gotten much stronger over the past three months. You'll be paying considerably less for your hotel room, meals, and sightseeing while in Europe and the United Kingdom. Here are the numbers, comparing July 15 to today (October 23).

• The price of one EURO has dropped from $1.60 to $1.28, a discount of nearly 20%
• The price of one POUND has dropped from $1.96 to $1.62, a savings of more than 17%.

This is the best exchange rate in five years!

2. Discounted room rates. The economic downturn has made many upscale travelers nervous about taking expensive trips. I can tell you, as a luxury travel consultant, that bookings have dropped significantly over the past few weeks ... and cancellations are up. This means lots of empty hotel rooms, and empty rooms motivate hoteliers to lower their prices and create special promotional packages to fill those rooms.

3. Valuable free amenities. You can get complimentary breakfasts, room upgrades, and other free amenities that can include lunch, dinner, spa treatments, or limousine transfers. How? Simply by booking through a Virtuoso travel consultant. Best of all, many hotels offer these amenities at the Best Available Rate. You pay less and get more.

4. Less crowds. When less people are traveling, you don't need to deal with crowds and long lines at the attractions you want to see.

I have always been a contrarian. When everyone else is buying ... it's an ideal time to sell. When everyone else is selling ... it's an ideal time to buy. This is one of those opportune times. With some very real values out there in the luxury travel market, this is a great time to plan a luxury trip to Europe.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2008 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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international first class can be a pleasure

Air travel has become expensive and uncomfortable for most of us. With airlines cutting back on flights, planes are more crowded with less likelihood of an empty middle seat. Passengers are being charged to check luggage on some carriers, and meals are no longer complimentary on many airlines with one airline now charging for water and soft drinks. One carrier even tried to charge a "convenience fee" for booking on the web.

Upscale travelers can still experience luxury in the air on some of the world's finest international airlines. One of my clients recently experienced First Class on Singapore Airlines ... and Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt. He sends this trip report which I am publishing with his permission.

We did have a 3 hour delay departing JFK on Singapore but still had 7 hours at the First Class Terminal. Wow! SQ F was fantastic. I wish the flight lasted longer. And the First Class Lounge is clearly the best lounge I've ever experienced. The service was excellent. Great shower rooms complete with the Lufthansa First Class Terminal rubber duck. Awesome bar with many, many scotches and whiskies to choose from, and the staff was happy to play along.

Then the pièce de résistance — the transfer to the plane. At approx. 10 p.m. our Personal Assistant came and took us downstairs where we were processed by immigration and then escorted over to the line of cars. There had to be at least twelve Porsche Cayenne's, Mercedes Sedans, and a few mini-vans. We were given a Cayenne. Our driver loaded our carry-ons and drove us onto the tarmac and around the innards of FRA before again driving the tarmac and parking right next to the jetbridge. We were whisked up in the elevator to the jetbridge and escorted to the door of the aircraft. The driver handed the flight attendant a paper with our names and seats on it and bid us farewell. The flight attendant held up the other pax trying to board and walked us thru the Business cabin and up the stairs to our seats in First. Loved it! Felt like a celebrity.

Service was very good on LH. I had the full dinner and then popped an Ambien and got 8 hours of sleep before waking 30 minutes prior to landing. Our carry-ons are quite full with our 2 sets of pajamas and amenity kits. We might have to ship some of that stuff home.

luxury in the air (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2007 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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