How I Book Virtuoso Hotels for Extra Perks

The concept is simple — hotels use all kinds of techniques to sell rooms, and sometimes that includes extra benefits at no added cost.

I traveled for years before realizing that OTAs (online travel agencies like Booking or Expedia) are among the worst ways to book a hotel or flight. There’s virtually no chance at an upgrade, they tend to be the worst rooms, and it often bars the customer from collecting hotel rewards points.

But Virtuoso advisors, who have direct relationships with the hotels, can often offer much better benefits:

• Room upgrades subject to availability.
• Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability.
• An extra amenity (typically a $100 property credit or resort experience).
• Daily breakfast for two.

Typically the resort rates on Virtuoso are the same or sometimes more competitive than the rate offered directly by the hotel. If that’s not the case, it’s almost always possible to get the same perks for the posted rate. Email me and I can help with booking.

Step By Step Virtuoso Booking Process

A lot of people prefer just to make reservations instantly and not to interact with humans. I know that because I’m one of those people. So being able to book Virtuoso hotels through the Virtuoso website is a great option.

Booking Steps:

• To book through Virtuoso, you must be connected to a travel advisor (like me!) This link goes to my page.
• Perform a search in the search bar at the top right of the page for the city, hotel name, or general area you’re visiting.
• Once you find your hotel, you’ll be able to see the specific booking benefits listed.
• Enter your dates and amount of guests (see below if you’re having trouble entering more than two guests).
• Book your room! (and don’t forget to enter your hotel loyalty number if applicable).
• IF you notice the rate is higher than the hotel’s listed rate, contact your advisor directly to see if they can get you the same rate. I can’t speak for every advisor, but usually I have no problem getting clients the same best rate.

You can still reach out to your advisor (or they’ll reach out to you) if you have any special requests, are finding that the room rate is higher than a direct hotel booking would be (you can email me and I can get you the posted rate plus the perks at no extra charge), or you have questions prior to booking.

My Experience with Virtuoso at Edgewood Tahoe

To illustrate the ease of using Virtuoso, let’s look at an example from a recent family trip to Lake Tahoe.

I had been wanting to stay at the Edgewood for years – a five star resort right on the beach in Tahoe. It was June and we booked for two nights, though the perks got us all the way into 4pm the day of departure.

We were able to utilize all of the perks on this trip – we checked in an hour early, checked out 5 hours after normal check out, received a room upgrade to a larger room with a partial lake view, fully took advantage of the breakfast credits, and the full $100 resort credit.

It was easy to search and book myself, and the rate through Virtuoso was actually a bit cheaper than booking directly, so it felt like we won all around. After that experience, I became a Virtuoso advisor myself.

Things to Know About Virtuoso

Like any online booking platform, sometimes searches won’t turn out the best possible results. Here’s when to email an advisor if you’re running into any of the following issues:

• You’re not finding the hotel on Virtuoso – Not every hotel is made available through this platform, but an advisor likely has a direct relationship and can still get you perks.
• Booking for more than two people – Sometimes booking platforms don’t do a great job of understanding kids or cribs, so search without kids if you’re not finding availability, and reach out to an advisor about booking.
• If Virtuoso is more expensive than a direct booking, ask an advisor to get the best rate and the perks for you.

You’re welcome to email me or fill out this form if you run into any of these issues.

• If you’re booking multiple rooms, these must be made as separate reservations.
• If you wish to cancel, your booking is made directly with the hotel, and your cancelation will be handled by them and their policies.
• Some perks, like room upgrades and early check in or late check out, cannot be guaranteed. However resort credits and free breakfast perks apply regardless of hotel capacity.

Final Thoughts on Virtuoso

I have traveled to over 65 countries over the course of nearly 12 years and it took me way to long to realize Virtuoso existed. I felt like I’d stumbled upon a well kept secret when I found out Virtuoso could offer extra perks, and that advisors often had way more access to deals and upgrades than I’d ever realized. This is one of the biggest reasons why I became an advisor myself!

Virtuoso is a great way to get extra benefits from high end hotels, cruises, and tours, and I’ll never go back to an OTA!

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