Everything you're wondering.
The honest answers to what clients ask us most. If your question is not here, it makes a wonderful opener for your Travel Discovery Session.
Why work with a travel designer instead of booking it myself?+
Because your time is the most expensive part of any trip. We take the forty browser tabs off your plate, and we bring things a search engine cannot: preferred partner status at the world's finest hotels, personal contacts on the ground, and a designer who stays with you from the first conversation through your flight home.
Honestly, if you love the hunt of DIY deal-finding, we may not be the right fit, and that is okay. We are for travelers who want the trip handled beautifully.
What does it cost to work with you?+
We charge a planning fee for custom trip design, quoted during your complimentary Travel Discovery Session once we understand the scope of your trip. Most clients find the perks alone, the upgrades, breakfasts, and property credits our partnerships unlock, are worth more than the fee itself.
The trip investment is separate and entirely yours to shape. Most of the journeys we design fall between $10,000 and $30,000 all in, though every trip is built around what feels right for you.
Is booking with you more expensive than booking online?+
The room rate is typically the same as what you would find booking direct. The difference is what comes with it: through partner programs like Virtuoso and Four Seasons Preferred Partner, your stay includes VIP amenities the public websites simply cannot offer, plus a human being who advocates for you before and during the trip.
What is a Travel Discovery Session?+
A complimentary conversation, and the real beginning of your trip. After you complete our short questionnaire, we meet to talk about how you want this trip to feel, what matters most, and where dreams and logistics meet. From there, we design.
How far in advance should we start planning?+
For honeymoons and peak-season trips, 9 to 12 months is ideal. The most beloved suites, the Santorini caves and the Amalfi terraces, genuinely sell out close to a year ahead. That said, we have designed beautiful trips on far shorter timelines, so if your dates are close, still reach out.
Will we be involved in the planning?+
As involved as you want to be. Some clients love reviewing every hotel option; others want to open a finished itinerary and be surprised. Either way, nothing is booked until it feels exactly right to you.
Do you book flights?+
Yes. Flights are part of the service, coordinated around your itinerary so the trip flows from the moment you leave home. If you would rather book your own air or use points and miles, we happily design around that too.
Can we use hotel points for our stay?+
Our magic works best with cash bookings at our partner properties, because that is where the VIP amenities, upgrades, and credits live. If you have a points balance you would love to use, bring it to your Discovery Session and we will talk through the smartest mix.
Do you book Airbnbs or vacation rentals?+
We book vetted luxury villas and private homes through trusted partners, with on-the-ground support and standards we can vouch for. What we avoid is the roll of the dice on an unvetted listing, because "the photos looked different" should never be part of your honeymoon story.
What kinds of trips do you design?+
Honeymoons and babymoons, anniversaries and milestone birthdays, couples getaways, family adventures, luxury cruises, group trips, and fully custom itineraries anywhere in the world. If it matters to you, it is our kind of trip.
What happens if something goes wrong during the trip?+
You message us. A delayed flight, a room that is not right, a restaurant you suddenly need a table at: we handle it in real time, often before you have finished your coffee. You are never navigating a problem alone in another time zone.
Do you recommend travel insurance?+
Always, and we will point you to the right coverage for your specific trip. The best time to add it is the week you pay your first deposit, and we will remind you at exactly that moment.