Why Use a Travel Advisor to Book Hotels? 5 Key Benefits

These days, it’s easier than ever to book a hotel with a few clicks, thanks to online platforms that give travelers instant access to a head-spinning array of options around the world. It’s tempting to think that going the DIY route is the best way to find a great deal at a fabulous property. But especially when it comes to luxury travel, there’s no substitute for booking through an expert Ciao Bambino Travel Advisor — we have insider connections, access to perks you can’t get otherwise, and on-the-ground experience that can transform a simple hotel stay into something truly extraordinary. No amount of scrolling can compete with that!

There’s a misconception that it makes sense only to engage an Advisor when you need help planning a full vacation, but we add significant value to standalone hotel bookings too. Here are 5 compelling reasons to book hotels through our Advisor team no matter where and why you’re traveling.

Why Use a Travel Advisor to Book Hotels

Exclusive Perks

One of the biggest reasons to book your hotel stay through a CB Travel Advisor is that it unlocks special offers and amenities that enhance your experience. As a member of the Virtuoso luxury network as well as invitation-only preferred partner programs from brands like Four Seasons, Belmond and Rocco Forte, our Ciao Bambino team can pass along benefits that aren’t available to the general public. And note, this is at the same rate you’d get if you booked on your own, with no premium or add-on fee involved. We’ve saved clients hundreds and even thousands of dollars per trip this way!

Advisor benefits include limited-time incentives and packages, complimentary room upgrades when available, early check-in and late check-out, complimentary breakfast, resort credits and many others, depending on the property. If you have membership in a program like American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, we can book on your behalf and access those perks as well. Bottom line: There’s no reason to miss out.

Firsthand Insight

It’s tough to keep tabs on the luxury hotel landscape — brand-new and freshly revamped properties are springing up all the time in places as familiar as New York and London and as remote as Bhutan and Rapa Nui. While online photos and reviews are useful to a point, they don’t paint a complete picture and can’t replace the value of one-on-one conversation in narrowing down your choices. Plus, the sheer volume of information makes it tough to divine the nuances that match up with your needs.

CB Advisors spend considerable time in the field scouting hotels and resorts in person and we also receive a steady stream of feedback from clients, meaning we’re closely attuned to intangibles like street noise levels, the pros and cons of various room configurations and whether views live up to their promise. We also have deep knowledge of what differentiates the top hotel brands from one another and the inside track on hidden gems that are hard to find on your own. And the time we invest in getting to know you on a personal level helps us understand your travel style and come up with a relevant, hand-selected shortlist.

Time and Cost Savings

Now more than ever, free time is at a premium and few people have hours to spend browsing websites or filtering reviews to choose and book a hotel. Your Advisor eliminates those hassles by doing the legwork for you, from sifting through the possibilities to requesting quotes and communicating with the hotel team to answer your questions. A luxury hotel stay should be seamless from the moment you start planning to the time you check out, and we make sure every detail is buttoned up.

In addition to the Virtuoso perks and others outlined above, we can make your vacation dollars go farther by optimizing both booking dates and travel dates — we’re in the loop about seasonal pricing fluctuations and will let you know when it might make sense to adjust your timeframe if you have flexibility. We can also lock in a great rate for you early in the game or share last-minute discounts as we learn about them.

Start-to-Finish Support

If you’ve ever had an unexpected issue arise with a hotel, you know the value that lies in having a travel pro who can come to the rescue. Reservation errors, room discrepancies and billing disputes are the exception rather than the rule, but they happen, especially when properties are at their busiest during peak season. Instead of dealing with a chatbot or a customer service hotline queue, you can enlist your Advisor to advocate on your behalf. Stress defused!

Our direct relationships with the management team at the properties we book regularly can also pay off before you set foot in the door. They’re happy to go the extra mile for our clients when possible, whether that means a request for special room arrangements, priority dinner reservations onsite, or a thoughtful surprise for an anniversary or milestone birthday. This level of care and attention helps transform a simple stay into a truly memorable getaway.

Simplified Logistics

Finding the right accommodations for a multigenerational vacation or other group trip can be tricky, and this is an area where our Advisors shine (we’ve even booked hotels for trips of 30 to 40 people!). We can recommend properties that cater to a wide swath of needs and ages: accessible rooms and grounds for those with limited mobility; safeguards like fenced pools if there are young children; immersive and engaging kids’ clubs if the adults want to enjoy some time on their own. Sussing out the ideal room configurations can quickly spiral into confusion, so leave it to your Advisor to determine whether your best bet is connecting rooms, suites or spacious multi-bedroom villas. To make arrivals seamless, we can also coordinate airport transfers that accommodate staggered flight times, and we can arrange group dining and special activities that bring everyone together in a meaningful way.

An Extra Tip …

There are times when it makes more sense to book on your own, and the Virtuoso Hotel Booking Tool is a quick and convenient way to self-book hotels in the Virtuoso network. You’ll get the same Best Available Rate as if you went directly to the hotel website, plus all the perks that our Advisor team can access. This is especially useful for domestic trips, short getaways or business travel with limited lead time.

Use this link to search by destination, then filter the properties to find the right match for your needs. You can see additional info about each option by selecting “More Details and Photos” under the property description. Search availability by entering your preferred dates and number of guests, and the rest is simple to navigate! You’ll be prompted to create a login and will then be redirected back to the booking page to finalize your stay.

Relevant Links:

Browse all ideas for luxury vacations on Ciao Bambino

12 luxury family hotel brands we love

5 favorite family-friendly luxury hotels in Italy

Our favorite luxury hotels in Scotland with kids

3 fabulous family resorts in Fiji worth a splurge

Photos courtesy of Virtuoso.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.