Originally Posted by schriste

I book the vast majority of my own hotels as well as everything else. For me, planning a trip is half the fun, so attempting to find someone else to do it for me makes no sense. I do use some of the major "luxury" sites when they offer me more value than booking directly, but I almost always use an online booking function for this. I like to have direct and immediate control over my bookings. FWIW I almost never use sites like Expedia or booking.com.

Originally Posted by Holiday.with.Ken

FHR is a strong program and works well if you are comfortable booking your own stays. It covers roughly 3,000 properties, while many advisors have access to 6,000 plus hotels through various preferred partner programs.

Where I see the difference is less about the published perks and more about advocacy and positioning. Take FSPP as an example. Those bookings are prioritized internally. On paper the amenities may look similar, but how a reservation is flagged behind the scenes can matter, especially during peak periods. FSPP guests can also have breakfast via in room dining, which some travelers appreciate.

Beyond perks, a great advisor knows a destination almost instinctively. They can plan multi-city trips so everything flows, pick the right neighbourhoods, time visits to attractions perfectly, and spot hidden gems worth doing. They handle logistics like transfers, connections, and local quirks, drawing on experience, client feedback, and relationships, not just a website.

Some advisors charge significant planning fees, sometimes US$1,000 or more for a weeklong trip if it is complex. Others focus mainly on hotel bookings and partner benefits without charging planning fees at all. It really depends on how involved you want someone to be.