Also not clear if going through a Vita agent gives any different outcome vs booking direct through Leader’s Club. Or if Virtuoso is any worse than Leaders Club with no status (I presume
Koen dc has Sterling status, and also that he doesn’t book LHR properties through Virtuoso).
Booking through a Vita agent gives access to Vita rates for some properties. Those rates can in some cases be lower then the rates shown online.
Apart from that in some cases you receive the 100$ resort credit as Virtuoso if you book via a Vita agent, while I don't think you ever receive it when you book through the lhw portal. So in the end, for me personally, currently, as hotel rates are higher than ever, I mostly look at value. Your assumption that I have aurelian Leaders club status and only 1 or 2 times booked a lh property through virtuoso is correct.
I think that below overview is the official explanation of what Vita agents offer but a vita agent really gives value if they have a good relation with the property and are willing to use it for you. (Which is similar to any program in the end.) Most value I received when booking through a vita agent has been when booking and paying for a suite and receiving an upgrade upon booking to a villa. Imho, that's something that never happens when booking through a web portal. While those occurrences, also with a vita agent are rare, they are memorable.
VITA by Leading Hotels of the World provides benefits for clients including the following*:
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room Upgrade (subject to availability)
- Complimentary WIFI
- Early Check-in/Late Check-out (subject to availability)
- VIP amenity for the guest upon arrival
- Hotel/resort stay credit offered in some hotels