What is Luxury Travel? Is it a feeling you have upon arriving at your luxury hotel or luxury cruise ship? Is it an emotion you feel upon arriving at your luxury destination? Is it an expectation you have? It could be (D) All the above... Throughout my years of enjoying and representing luxury travel, I've come to know luxury travel as a "Passion for Excellence". I don't mean that just for those involved in the creation of luxury products or itineraries, even though they serve a great purpose in what luxury travel is. I mean that also for those representing luxury travel as well. Case & Point, take a good look at The Peninsula Hotel... What stands out? What has constituted them as being a "luxury brand"? To answer that, you must first know what it means to be Unique in the Luxury Industry. Being unique in the luxury industry means being so different that you cannot really be compared. Now think about that for a moment... This is the true definition of luxury; luxury cannot be compared (period). A passion for excellence comes from the top and trickles down to the very bottom... Every engagement or contact with the client or guest is about always following through with that same passion for excellence. The Peninsula doesn't only have an understanding of what it means to be a luxury brand, they embody it and translate it by way of management and employees to guests on every single contact. Beginning with their flagship hotel in Hong Kong, which delight and surprise their guests at every turn. How? Take their timeless Chinese artwork for example, or their one of a kind limousine service, which they can customize with a Bentley, Cooper, BMW, or immaculately restored 1934 Roll-Royce Phantom II. These vehicles come automatically with free WiFi, VoIp mobile phones to make free calls anywhere.

As mentioned above, luxury travel is passion for excellence, a message that is not passed down the line, but owned by every individual who then translates that message to every one he or she meets every. single. time. How many of the hundreds of thousands of brands can back that up without incident? Truth? Not many, which is why the luxury industry has been and will always be exclusive to the few who can. If not, it wouldn't be luxury, would it? This brings me to the confusion so many have had in the last thirty to forty years... Let's look at Premium brands for a moment. Is Princess Cruise Line a Luxury Brand? Is Celebrity Cruise Line a Luxury Brand? Is St Regis Hotel a Luxury Brand? Is The Waldorf a Luxury Brand? The Answer is a resounding NO. Where's the confusion, you ask? Truth? The confusion lies in those who don't know the difference.

This brings us to those who do know... There are several of our colleagues who are immensely respected in our small luxury travel world. There are those who are available 24 hours in a day who include retainer fees for good reason. There are others who charge fees just to begin researching. Then there are those who will receive you by appointment only; appointments made by someone other than themselves.

I ask you... Other than the agencies who are available to their clients 24 hours a day, why would anyone else charge a fee? Other than regulatory, does The Peninsula charge a fee to see you at their front desk? Does The Concierge at The Peninsula in New York City charge a fee for knowing the manager or owner of Vu Hair who then sets up a special appointment? The answer is NO and neither do we. Luxury is an expectation luxury clients have and we would love nothing more than to cater to you while conveying who we are by way of serving you with all your luxury travel needs. This way, once we have exceeded your expectations, you may then in turn communicate that to your friends and family.

Our goal is to be more than your luxury travel contact, we want to be that first thought you have when coming across a fantastic picture inside the pages of Conde Nast Traveler.

For more information, please contact Atlas Luxury Travel at 1-888-942-3301 where an Atlas Luxury Travel Concierge is awaiting your call.