Hotel Perks

A Little Update on My Travel Consultant Adventure

It’s been about a month and a half since I stepped into the world of being a travel consultant, again. You’d think I’d have more to report by now, but coming into the business during a season when most people have already booked their 2025 trips means it’s less about booking and more about learning the ropes. I am itching to book some trips for y’all!!

A few weeks ago, I shared a bit about hotels and flights and mentioned one of the biggest perks of working with me. The incredible benefits I can offer through my agency’s travel partners.

I wanted to share a recent example of how those perks can really make a difference.

I had a client who had a reservation that he booked back in August for a quick one-night stay in Vegas this October. The hotel was a Hilton property, and he has Gold status with Hilton.

Now, even though he’s “golden,” he almost never receives the benefits Hilton promises for Gold members. Usually, the front desk greets you with a polite smile and a firm “no” to any sort of upgrade or perk. In fact, when we used Hilton points for a one-night stay in Cancun, we had a beautiful property but a not-so-beautiful customer service experience.

Anyhow, I was able to take over the reservation that he originally booked online with the hotel and move it under the agency I’m working with. Once I did, I reached out to our partnership contact at the property and asked if they could sprinkle in a little VIP treatment. Our emails were short and sweet, no expectations, just a friendly exchange, but they acknowledged it right away. I was impressed.

When he checked into the Hilton, things immediately felt different. The front desk pulled up the reservation, noticed it was booked through his travel agency (me!), and warmly welcomed him. Then came the surprise: they upgraded him to their luxury property, The Conrad, which is connected to the Hilton.

Not only was he upgraded to a more upscale property, but also to a better room category, breakfast for two was included and a late check-out (which is hard to get in Vegas).

He has been traveling for business for over 20 years and has racked up plenty of points with two major hotel brands. Yet in all that time, he has ever received an upgrade to a higher-end property, let alone a better room.

So, why do travel agencies receive better perks with travel partners?

It all comes down to relationships. Agencies like the one I’m with have spent years building solid partnerships, not just with hotels, but also with cruise lines, tour companies, car rental agencies, and villa providers. All to create meaningful connections that benefit their clients (hopefully YOU someday).

It’s something I learned over 30 years ago when I first worked as a travel agent: relationships were golden. And I’m so glad to see that hasn’t changed. The trust, the collaboration, and the commitment to taking care of travelers is still there and they’re still being honored today.

Let’s break down how it actually works when booking and staying at a hotel.

When you check in, the front desk can see everything, how you booked, what you paid, and whether you have any loyalty status. And that information determines how your stay might go.

If you booked through a third-party site (like Booking.com, Expedia, Hotwire, or Agoda (which I NEVER use, and will go into that later), chances are you won’t receive any perks, even if you’re loyal to that particular brand. That means no upgrades, no complimentary breakfast, no hotel credits, and often, no loyalty points or a refund if something happens.

Then there are loyalty programs with the major hotel and airline brands. They all offer tiers of membership that sound impressive; Gold, Platinum, Diamond but the lower tiers (like Gold) rarely see those promised upgrades. You might get a free bottle of water in the room, or complimentary Wi-Fi, but that’s usually where the perks end. At times they say they are giving you a really special room, but you have yet to get a “real special” room that doesn’t face a parking lot.

Now, book through a travel advisor, and things start to look a little different. Travel agency partners with hotels and hospitality brands, and those relationships often unlock special benefits such as room upgrades, resort credits, early check-in or late check-out, and daily breakfast. Little touches that make your trip feel a bit more elevated, and to be honest a little more special. I think we all can relate to this!