I used to be the kind of person who’d spend hours—no, days—on travel websites, luxury travel companies, comparing hotel tiles like I’m Gordon Ramsay judging risotto. And even after all that? I’d still somehow book the room next to the ice machine, overlooking a brick wall, with a “private plunge pool” that turned out to be a kiddie tub with a sad floaty leaf.
Then I discovered luxury travel companies.
Cue the dramatic music. No joke, these folks changed my life. Or at least my vacations. Which is basically the same thing, right?
So yeah, if you’re out here wondering if those fancy travel planners are just for the 1% who own private jets and have someone to iron their cashmere socks—same. I was skeptical. But then I tried it once (okay, I was peer-pressured by a friend who won’t book anything under 5 stars), and now I’m out here trying to convince you it’s totally worth it.
Here are 7 luxury travel companies that took my vacation plans from “meh” to “I might never come back.”
1. Black Tomato (Yes, that’s their real name)
Let me just start by saying… Black Tomato sounds like a hipster cocktail bar, not a luxury travel planner. But trust me, they are the real deal.
They do this thing called “Get Lost” experiences—where you literally don’t know where you’re going. No, I’m not joking. You just hand them your info, and they basically kidnap you in style (okay, with consent) and send you off into the unknown.
I signed up for it thinking “how bad can it be?” I ended up camping under the Northern Lights with a private guide named Lars who made reindeer stew and told me Viking stories by the fire. I cried. Like, emotionally moved cried for luxury travel companies.
10/10 would get lost again.
2. Scott Dunn – AKA the Human Version of Pinterest Goals
If Pinterest and a luxury travel agent had a baby—it would be Scott Dunn. Every itinerary they sent me looked like it belonged in a Vogue travel issue. Private villa in Bali? ✔️ Personal chef who remembered I hate cilantro? ✔️ Massage therapist named Jaya who somehow cured my neck tension from 2009? DOUBLE ✔️.
They’re super family-friendly too, which matters now that my vacations involve both sandcastles and $40 sunscreen that my toddler will immediately lick off.
And yes, they absolutely do ski trips in Switzerland if you wanna go full Bond villain. (I did. I fell. It was hilarious.)
3. Virtuoso – For When You Want To Feel Like Royalty (Without Needing to Marry Harry)
I didn’t know what Virtuoso was until my friend Karen (you remember—yoga, almond milk obsession, always tan) casually mentioned her “Virtuoso perks” while sipping a matcha latte like it was no big deal. I immediately googled it mid-convo.
Turns out, they’re not a single travel agency but a network of the best luxury travel advisors in the world. Think of it like… the secret society of high-end vacations. They get you those upgrades, the welcome champagne, the “oh look your suite has a plunge pool and a hammock overlooking the ocean.”
Also, one time I got a surprise chocolate cake at a hotel because my Virtuoso advisor told them it was my “celebration trip.” (I was celebrating finishing my taxes early, don’t judge.)
4. Abercrombie & Kent – Sounds Like They Sell Sweaters, But Nope
Not to be confused with Abercrombie the store (though weirdly I did wear their jeans in high school), Abercrombie & Kent are the OGs of luxury adventure travel. Like, they’ve been doing this since before “glamping” was a word.
I did their African safari trip and—listen—I’m not saying I cried when I saw elephants at sunset, but I’m also not saying I didn’t. Our guide literally used to track lions for National Geographic. He spotted things I would’ve walked right past, like lion footprints or fresh giraffe poop.
(Some of us are built for the Four Seasons. Others can ID dung. I respect it.)
They also do Antarctica cruises. Because why not?
5. Indagare – Basically Travel Therapy
You know that one friend who always knows the best restaurants in every city? That’s what Indagare feels like. Only instead of one city, it’s like… the world.
I used them for a trip to Paris, and they somehow got me into a boutique hotel that was completely sold out online. And then they booked me a table at a bistro I swear was invented by angels. The chef literally came out and talked to me about truffle butter for 20 minutes.
They’re also big on members-only experiences, so you feel like you’re in a secret club. It’s very “if you know, you know” vibes. (I don’t always know. But when I do, it’s thanks to Indagare.)
6. TCS World Travel – Literal Private Jet Group Trips
Okay, this one is wild. TCS World Travel does these all-inclusive private jet journeys with like, 50 other high-rolling strangers (yes, strangers—but fancy ones). It’s kinda like a bougie cruise in the sky, where you hop from Machu Picchu to Kyoto to the Serengeti… all in one trip.
I haven’t done this one myself—yet—but my neighbor Dale did and hasn’t shut up about it since. He said there were hot towels and champagne before takeoff every single day. I said “was it worth it?” and he just stared at me like I’d asked if tacos were a good food. Fair.
7. Butterfield & Robinson – Biking, Hiking, But Make It Chic
If you’re the kind of person who likes to feel healthy on vacation (I try, I really do), then B&R is where it’s at. They do luxury active travel—so you can bike through Tuscany with someone driving your luggage ahead and handing you gelato at mile 12.
It’s honestly so fun. I did a wine tour on foot (yes, hiking + wine, it’s genius) and by the end I felt like I’d earned every sip. Plus, their guides are like the cool professors in college who made you want to learn stuff. Except this time it’s wine pairings instead of calculus.
So… Are Luxury Travel Companies Worth It?
Short answer? YES.
Long answer? If you’re tired of spending 19 hours researching Airbnbs that all look suspiciously like IKEA catalogs and then ending up in a shoebox with no hot water—just try one of these.
You don’t have to be a millionaire. You just have to be a little fed up, a little curious, and ready to let someone else take the damn wheel.
Besides, there’s something really satisfying about showing up to a trip where someone already thought of everything. Like, everything.
Even the chocolate cake. https://kohopoho.com/ultimate-adventure-travel-budget/.
A Few Last-Minute Thoughts Before I Go Spiral on Flights Again| luxury travel companies
- GIF suggestion: A “treat yo self” moment from Parks & Rec because obviously.
- Fun outbound link: This story about a woman who booked a $30K trip by mistake (I mean… we’ve all been close.)
So yeah. If you’ve been on the fence about luxury travel planners—hop off. Go get your well-deserved swanky getaway, minus the booking stress. And if you do end up getting lost in Iceland eating reindeer stew with a guy named Lars?
Tell him I said hi.
