Frequently Asked Questions
What is Virtuoso?
Special Luxury Travel is a boutique travel advisory company and an independent affiliate of Travel Experts, a proud member of Virtuoso. Virtuoso is an invitation-only global luxury partnership that includes the world's "best of the best" hotels, tour companies, cruises, and more. Virtuoso allows Special Luxury Travel to provide VIP status to our clients by providing complimentary breakfasts, upgrades, and amenities. More importantly, we have direct contacts with each supplier to insure your vacation is the best it can be.
Can I Book Part of My trip With You?
Special Luxury Travel can book partial components of your trip; however, we do what we do best when we are able to book the hotels and touring components together. It allows you to have seamless and stress-free travel experience.
How Long will it take to plan my trip with you?
A number of factors determine the amount of time it takes to plan a trip from the initial discovery call to booking the last component, including: how far in advance of the trip you’ve contacted us; the complexity of the itinerary; how many suppliers we are coordinating with across the globe; and any changes you decide you’d like to make to the initial proposal. We strive to partner with local companies to enhance your experience, though this can occasionally lead to delays in finalizing the itinerary due to time differences, local holidays, or destination demand. Because of our strong relationships with suppliers, we are fortunate that they prioritize our clients' requests. Sometimes events out of our control may result in a planning delay (an emergency from a currently traveling client, for example). We ask for your understanding when the need to take more time arises.
When my proposal arrives, are the trip costs broken down line-by-line, or will it be one price?
Whenever possible, we provide a detailed cost breakdown in our proposals. However, many of the world’s top tour operators negotiate confidential wholesale rates with their guides and suppliers, and are contractually unable to disclose itemized costs for custom itineraries. While our partners collaborate closely with us to adjust itineraries based on budget or desired travel pace, some are contractually prohibited from sharing specific negotiated rates for tours, drivers, or, in some cases, hotels. We vet our suppliers thoroughly and only work with those whom we know are committed to negotiating fair prices for incredible experiences for our clients.
Can I use my points and credit card reward points to book travel?
Please let us know in advance if you plan to use reward points for any portion of your trip. While we are unable to book hotels or airfare directly with points, it’s important that we are kept informed of your plans. Some suppliers require that we book accommodations through them to ensure a seamless experience. Please note that Special Luxury Travel cannot manage or modify reservations not made directly by our agency or designated tour operators.
Do you recommend travel insurance?
Yes. Most of the trips we plan require a final, nonrefundable payment several months prior to departure. In today’s world, with the unpredictability of natural disasters, international incidents, or unforeseen illness before or during travel, we believe it’s too great a risk not to purchase insurance to protect your investment. As part of our trip proposals, we include quotes through our preferred agency, ensuring you have the coverage you need for peace of mind. If you decline travel insurance coverage, we will ask you to sign a waiver stating you have decided not to purchase this coverage.
When Should I receive my Final itinerary and travel documents from you?
Special Luxury Travel aims to provide final documents two weeks before your departure. However, please note that some guide and driver contact information may be delivered closer to the service date. To streamline the process, we provide your documents through an electronic itinerary program, which you can manage via your smartphone. This allows us to make real-time adjustments, update contact information for drivers and guides, and more. You’ll also be able to easily share your itinerary with others who may need to stay informed while you travel. If you prefer printed documents, we are happy to accommodate your request.
Once your itinerary is complete, we kindly ask that you schedule a brief call with us to review the details. This allows us to address any questions you may have and ensure everything is clear before your trip.
