What is Virtuoso? Why should you care?

I now assume everyone knows all about Virtuoso. But the truth is I’d never heard about it until I became a travel advisor 3 years ago. And I have been obsessed with travel as long as I can remember. So maybe you don’t know about Virtuoso either.

Virtuoso is a global consortium of luxury travel. That’s the official description. It’s really a club of the who’s who in high end travel. Nice! But why should you care? Well, because there are  terrific perks of being affiliated with this club. Not just for Travel Advisors like me but for travelers like you. VIP treatment, special recognition & unique experiences.

And because in travel, as in most things in life, relationships matter. One of the best things about being a member of Virtuoso is the connections, with GM’s at hotels, with the leaders at brands like Aman, Peninsula & the Four Seasons, with the owners of private camps & people creating unique experiences. I have their phone numbers and emails. We connect at exclusive trade shows, on special webinars and when we travel… me when I visit their cities and them when they come to Vancouver. We have meals and meetings. We become friends. Any friend of mine is a friend of yours.

Best of all… YOU don’t have to join anything.

Who are members? Top hotels, luxury cruise lines, private transportation (think limos, private jets, yachts) &  exclusive tour operators make up the bulk of the supplier members. Tourist Board wanting to share insights into their destinations also become members. The other big group of members are Travel Agencies. Before anyone (or any company) is asked to join they are rigorously vetted. Once accepted, all members are checked again every year… there is accountability & quality control.

So you know they are good. But again, why should you care?  Because it is wonderful to be treated like a VIP. Every hotel agrees, as part of their participation in Virtuoso, to give complementary extras to clients of Virtuoso advisors. At a minimum, these include free breakfast, early check-in/late check-out  if available & upgrades if possible. They also give credits or experiences. These can be free massages, airport pick-ups, a lunch in the hotel’s restaurant or a credit to use at the bar or spa. All at no extra cost to you. You can still collect loyalty points from properties that offer them.

Possibly more importantly, you have access to all my connections; the Virtuoso ‘little black book’.

These benefits are not available to just anyone. They are only offered to clients who book through Virtuoso member advisors (like me!).

“Virtuoso” rates usually match a hotel’s best flexible rate. Occasionally, they are lower. You may be able to find cheaper rates that require pre-payment, through special promotions or on low-cost websites. Hey, we all know these can be the best solution sometimes. Still, I  advise check “my” rates and compare the value. The special perks can really add up.

You don’t even have to tell me… you can just click here.

But, of course, I’d be thrilled if you let me know.

Many people have financial advisors to manage their investment portfolios. Perhaps now it’s time to get a Virtuoso travel advisor to manage your travel dreams.