Do luxury travel advisors still exist?

People often ask the question why would I use a travel agent when I can easily book online?  Well the truth is, you can book yourself but you wont get the VIP benefits of using  luxury travel advisors.

I became privy to this early in my career.  It was my wedding day and everything was supposed to be picture perfect but an unforeseeable issue nearly left met in tears.

I booked my hotel by myself because in my arrogance I told myself I knew what I was doing, after all, I am a luxury travel writer. Travel writer maybe, luxury travel advisor I humbly say- definitely not.  I sat down in front of my computer, picked the luxury hotel that I thought seemed the best, checked the reviews and proudly thought to myself, I did good.   Some of my wedding guests decided they would book in the very same hotel instead of heading home and that meant we could all have breakfast and say goodbye before we left on our honeymoon.  A great end to a perfect day.

The wedding and reception went off without a hitch and we headed back in the limousine with our other guests to the hotel.  We were all laughing and having a wonderful time reminiscing about the wedding when the limousine driver called to me and said, “I do not know how to tell you this but your hotel is not accessible.”  Startled I replied, “What do you mean?”

He informed me that construction in the city had blocked off nearly five main streets and that I would have to get out of the limousine and walk the rest of the way to the hotel because no cars were allow on the streets.  It had been this way for the past five months he told me.  This important detail was never indicated on the website.

It was two in the morning when my new husband and I along with some of my wedding guests, in formal wear no less, were walking down the street hording suitcases.  It was at that moment when I realized, if I had only used the expertise of  luxury travel advisors none of this would have happened.   It was a bitter sweet moment and one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.  Thankfully, the hotel gave discounts and free breakfast and that did appease my guests, for me, it made my perfect wedding day end on a very sour note. 

Instead of being forthcoming and inform guests of this important issues which could have built a meaningful trust relationship between business and client, this hotel chose to simply  offer discounts after the fact to anyone who complained.   

I will never travel anywhere without the most important part of any trip every again -  luxury travel advisors,   a lesson well learned.

I would like to say on behalf of everyone here, I hope you make 2011 the best year ever and that you live well and travel more. 

I encourage you to VIP yourself whenever you travel and use a luxury travel advisor or agency like LuxeTravelDeals that focuses on building those trust relationships with its clients. Check for new and exciting destinations and luxury travel tips each and every day on our luxury travel guide  and visit all of our social media sights to keep your self updated and informed on luxury travel.