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Jun 3, 2011 | 3:55 pm

#15

robyng

In memoriam

Join Date: Aug 2005

Location: Near Jacksonville FL

Posts: 3,987

Quote:

Originally Posted by abroadermind

Guys - forgive me, I assume this is not the appropriate thread for this question, but it seems suitable given what appears above. Please move it (and let me know where!) as you wish. I am new(ish) and finding my feet, but a big user of top-class places (16 amanresorts, for example), generally for fun, and now addicted to (albeit irregularly visiting) this forum.

I do't really bother with "schemes", althoug I belong to a couple. All you US guys have access to Virtuoso, and you talk incessantly of the "benefits" of booking though them (especially, it seems, trough DavidO, who is clearly smart and well-connected)), but I live in London and use Eden Collection, whom I love (formerly the Elegant Resorts' Chairman's Club, but all the good people left, and anyway, Thomas Cook...) Their USP is that you never pay more through them than you would if you booked direct, which is great, but you don't (it seems) have the same opportunity for "benefits" as you US guys - and nor do you, apparently, through any other UK agent. I find that at amanresorts I get breakfast anyway, as a junkie (and if I didn't I would be on here within moments telling you all...), and other benefits, but when I stay elsewhere, where whould I be going, or who should I be speaking to, for the sort of benefits that you similarly high-spending US guys get?

Since Kagehitokiri doesn't mind your question - I have one to ask you. Why not use an agent in the US? Perhaps there's a rule/law against this - but I've never heard of one. Like I mentioned in another thread - I've never met my travel agent. We communicate mostly by email - and occasionally by phone. I don't know how phone service works in the UK. But with my phone provider - I can pay a small amount - $5 - for a month of cheap rates to another country (like under 10 cents a minute depending on the country). I tend to put this service on when I'm planning a trip to another country (to call hotels - restaurants - etc.). Keep it for a few months and then remove it. Perhaps there is a similar plan available to you in the UK so you could keep in contact with a travel agent here by phone. Obviously this wouldn't work if you like to sit down face to face with a travel agent to plan trips. Robyn

Last edited by robyng; Jun 3, 2011 at 4:31 pm

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