This section covers the most frequently asked questions about my services, planning process, and what to expect as we design your upcoming trip together.
WHY WOULD I USE YOU WHEN MY CREDIT CARD HAS SIMILAR PERKS?
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I REACH OUT TO YOU?
DO YOU BOOK FLIGHTS?
CAN you link my loyalty numbers so i still earn points/status?
do you work with home rentals/airbnb?
Hotel bookings only are always complimentary because hotels pay travel agents a commission directly. It will be the same rate as the hotel website best available rate and comes from the hotel's pocket, not yours.
I have thousands of relationships with hotels and partners that allow me to secure the best experience for my clients- getting you priority room upgrades, preferred rates, even spa credits. Plus, I'm part of the Fora community with thousands of expert advisors. So, you're getting my expertise AND the expertise of every single Fora Advisor I'm connected with.
No worries- I can still help out! If you booked the hotel directly through their website all you have to do is forward me your hotel confirmation and I will reach out to their reservations team to “takeover” your booking as your travel advisor and add free perks to your booking! You get the room upgrade, free food & drinks, and I get paid a commission directly from the hotel so it’s a win win!
Yes, I know credit card travel perk programs offer things like resort credits and free breakfast. But, I'll let you in on a little secret: booking with me means you're getting all of the same perks, but you're prioritized for room upgrades before other customers. Beyond getting priority ahead of Amex customers for room upgrades, when you book a hotel through me, you’ll be flagged as VIP guests prior to your arrival. Cue bespoke welcome amenities, hyper-personalized attention - and maybe even your favorite slice of cake from that little local bakery waiting in your room at turn down. If you're booking online through your credit card portal, when something goes wrong you'll be waiting on hold to speak with a call center agent. Call centers can have upwards of 7,000 agents, so you're never getting the same person twice. When you book through me we can still use your card to get credit card points!
Anything you can think of! If you’re looking for a weekend getaway in your city, a European summer vacation, or a bucket list safari in Africa, I’m here to help you every step of the way. While I specialize in honeymoons, I plan for families, corporate groups, friend groups- you name it!
As with any vacation planning, the earlier the better! I would recommend contacting me within 6 to 9 months before your trip to give us enough time to curate the best trip we can. For trips over Christmas/New Years I recommend reaching out a full year in advance!
I assist with booking business or first class fights only. Fora has an amazing flight desk with 24/7 support- so you can reach an agent even faster than the airline's customer service should something go wrong on your day of travel.
Yes! If you are a member of Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, etc rewards programs and we book one of those hotels, I can link your membership number to make sure you keep earning status for your bookings!
While I don't work with Airbnb, if you are looking for a private home or villa rental I can source options from our wide selection of luxury and vetted home rentals. By booking through me you may receive perks like concierge credits, free bar/grocery stocking, free private chef dinner, and more!
"Merissa is amazing to work with! She planned our honeymoon and we had to cancel due to a hurricane, but she helped us book another destination in less than a day so we could fly out during our original travel dates. She even booked us a rental car and had champagne and a card sent to our room when we arrived. She bent over backwards to help plan a perfect honeymoon for us and we couldn’t be more grateful for her guidance. She works hard to get you the best deals and travel perks."
"We would’ve been lost without Merissa. We will forever be using her as our travel agent."
Audrey K.
"Merissa did an incredible job planning and coordinating our honeymoon in Seychelles and Dubai. We especially appreciated the detailed itinerary that kept us organized and her constant responsiveness, which made us feel fully supported throughout the trip. At each hotel, we were greeted with champagne, a personal note from Merissa, and other thoughtful touches. Any fees paid for her upgraded services were returned many times over through villa upgrades, complimentary spa treatments, lodging discounts, and more."
"We would enthusiastically recommend Merissa to anyone planning a honeymoon or any other special trip."
