Always a great experience. Mary is top notch. She goes above and beyond your expectations.read more

I took my daughter on a relaxing trip for her 21st birthday and decided to use a travel agent. Mary…read morecame highly recommended and she did not disappoint. She took the time to get to know us and the experience we wanted. She gave excellent suggestions for excursions and restaurants. The sunset dinners on the beach were breathtaking. Even when we had an emergency she calmly and conveniently switched our plans around for us so we would still have the opportunity to enjoy everything. She was a joy to work with. Simply amazing! I will definitely be using her services again.

Michelle is the best! She helped me create a great family…read morevacation to Disneyland! She was so helpful! She answered any and all questions that I had about our trip. We look forward to working with her again for our next family vacation!

My travel agent retired and I had to find a new one. I didn't know how to start because the travel…read moreagent I had was beyond great. She was there every step of the way. If something went wrong, at any time, I knew she would make it better without hesitation. I spoke with several travel agents after her retirement, but I had to say... thanks but no thanks. THEN I found Michelle Wentland with "Looking Forward Travel". My spark came back. If you are looking to travel without worry Michelle is the person to call. Michelle gives you the confidence of trust. Look no further Michelle is your gift.

I cannot say enough good things about David Petlin and the team at Flair Travel. Our recent trip…read moreto Portugal was wonderful, and much of that was thanks to the exceptional planning, attention to detail, and care that went into every aspect of our itinerary. Our group included our family of 10: my husband and me, our 40-something daughters and their husbands, and four grandkids, ranging in age from 9-15. As you can imagine, planning for and traveling with a multi-generational group can be complicated, but everything came together beautifully. From helping us find flights, to booking fabulous accommodations, to helping us make the most of our time in Portugal, David was incredibly knowledgeable, responsive, and patient throughout the entire process. His suggestions were always spot on, and he didn't hesitate to tell us if something we proposed wouldn't work well. What really stood out was the personal attention. We never felt like just another booking--David truly understood oir preferences and needs, and his recommendations helped make the trip both seamless and memorable. Portugal was absolutely beautiful, and we were able to relax and enjoy it knowing that the details had been so thoughtfully handled. And when we encountered a few glitches - none of which were of David's making - he was incredibly responsive in helping us get them sorted out. If you are looking for someone who is organized, knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely invested in making your trip special, I cannot recommend David/Flair Travel highly enough. We are already looking forward to planning our next adventure with him!

First class vacation from start to finish. David Petlin arranged our 4 star hotels at the…read morebeginning and at the end of our Avalon Waterways Rhine River cruise. The transfers we had waiting for us at the airports and train station made the usual confusion of travel to other countries disappear. I felt very pampered. The extra train tickets, the air ticketing,,, all was arranged and perfect. Many thanks.

Ellen/Boutique travel is fantastic. She helped us book our Honeymoon to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora…read moreBora. She is a pleasure to work with, listens to our wants and needs, and gives you her honest opinion on what is/isnt worth it on the trip. He advice/expertise is unmatched.

I've been using Boutique Travel for over 10 years, and I can't imagine planning a trip without…read morethem. What keeps me coming back is their ability to create truly bespoke experiences. Ellen has an incredible ability to tailor experiences, which makes each trip feel uniquely mine. She always finds the perfect balance by incorporating culinary, cultural, and art experiences that I love, along with athletic and outdoor activities that keep things active and engaging. It never feels one dimensional. I've used BT's services to book trips to Africa numerous times. Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Uganda are just a few examples.. Each destination has offered something completely unique, and Ellen has hit the itineraries right out of the park. Gorilla trekking in Uganda was a once in a lifetime experience, and visiting the Skeleton Coast in Namibia felt like stepping into another world. In Botswana, I was lucky enough to see leopards up close, which is so rare and exciting! I have also vacationed in Tahiti three times, and each time has been magical and different! Most recently, my husband and I just got back from an incredible trip to Rangiroa, and we are already talking about exploring more islands on our next visit. Looking ahead, I am starting to plan a trip to Japan, and I will definitely be working with Boutique Travel again to put together the itinerary. Their attention to detail, creativity, and ability to truly understand what we are looking for makes every trip seamless and unforgettable. Highly recommend!

These travel consultants will get you great rates!! They do a great job of finding the cheapest…read moreflights out of the country while also getting you a good seat. The good seat is a non-negotiable when you're on such a long flight and they make sure your good seat won't cost you haha. They also do internal Europe flights! Their office is located in the Richmond - Berkeley - El Cerrito - Vallejo area but they can help you regardless of where you live!

From the owner: Best travel agent in the universeread more

Can't say enough positive about Eric. He planned our trip to Juneau Alaska from a car pickup at…read morethe house, to airline reservations. excursions, and pickup from the airport in Sacramento right down to the smallest detail. we went whale watching, zip lining, dog sledding, float rafting to the Mendenhall glacier, rode the tram up Mt Robert's.......a truly fabulous & memorable trip without a hitch. Thank you Eric. I Highly recommend Sapphire Journeys to anyone in the market for a travel agent.

Mark did an incredible job working with us to understand what we are looking for given our budget…read more He went above and beyond to make sure he met every need for both of us, and was even willing to walk away from the business when I found a different deal that might've made more sense. He took care of all booking, negotiating, etc, and even checked in during the trip that it met expectations. 10/10 working with Sapphire and Mark to book your ideal travel.

Just finalized my Honolulu trip with Kathy Kerns.... She is such a warm and friendly person…read more She is extremely professional and is a wonderful communicator. So grateful I found her! I'll be using her for now on...Next trip to Washington D.C. to do the tourist thing there!

Odd. Kathy returned my call. I needed help with four sets of travel plans. She gave me helpful…read moreinformation about 1, made plane reservation about another one. Gave information about a third - but never followed up and neglected to return my call. Kathy seemed knowledgeable and adept with the on-line tools.

We had the pleasure to work with Irene for our 2nd international travel needs, this time to…read moreThailand. Thailand has been on our "bucket list" and being invited to a Thai wedding provided the incentive to make Thailand our next international destination. From the moment we contacted Irene, we knew were would be in good hands (was there any doubt?)! After providing responses to Irene's questionnaire regarding our interests and desires about Thailand (along with several emails, text messages, and phone conversations), she provided an excellent itinerary that included flights, private tours, private drivers to and from airports, superb accommodations, and expert guides. During our 5 nights in Bangkok, Irene curated a centrally located hotel in Bangkok, an informal food tour in Chinatown, and an exceptionally knowledgeable local guide to introduce us to the some of the most historically important temples in Bangkok and Ayutthaya. During our first 4 nights in Chiang Mai, Irene curated a modern-styled hotel minutes away from the legendary Night Market (a must experience). We had the pleasure of touring Chiang Mai and the hills of Doi Inthanon National Park with an experienced and friendly local guide. There is no substitute to having a local guide to provide insights and knowledge about Thai culture, food, and history. Additionally, Irene had arranged a private cooking class where we prepared 7 Northern Thailand dishes, all delicious!! Our last 3 nights were spent at the Onsen at Moncham, a Japanese-themed retreat in the mountains before returning home. Although Irene provided many options for our destinations/events and hotels, our itinerary was completely customizable and ultimately, our choice. Whether you want to experience Thailand on the beaten or unbeaten path, but with comfort, reliability, and service, let Irene at Travel Darlings handle your needs!

Just returned from another extraordinary trip masterfully curated by Irene at Travel Darlings, this…read moretime to the Spanish and French Basque region and Barcelona. Working with an agenda combining golf, architectural touring, fine dining, the arts, and the beachfront, each stop allowing time for shopping and people-watching. Guides with locally based expertise tailored each expedition according to our interests and moods, from a unique vista overlooking San Sebastian to a just-off-the-boat lunch of turbot and sashimi-grade tuna. Our guide for Biarritz presented us with 120 photos highlighting our day of exploration. At the Dali Museum in Figueres, where the artwork is presented with little explanation, our guide provided deep background context, significantly elevating my appreciation of the artist. Irene secured prime time reservations at 3 Michelin starred restaurants including Besta in Barcelona which was the favorite among our group of 4. For lighter specialty fare, we enjoyed pintxos and vermouth in outdoor cafes in Bilbao and San Sebastian, and tapas in Barcelona and Girona. Our stay at The Artist Hotel in Bilbao overlooked the Guggenheim Museum and the river, where a lavish breakfast was served in an open-air setting on the top floor. The hotel featured artistic appointments echoing the style of Gehry and other mid-century masters. Each of the five golf courses combined challenging layouts with views of the surrounding hills and neighboring cities. Highlights included Real Sociedad de Golf de Neguri, aptly called "The Torrey Pines of Bilbao" and Real Club de Golf El Prat in Barcelona, where the huge, sculpted greens provided welcome relief from a profusion of sand traps. The highlight of the trip for me was a Flamenco performance by well-known stars of the craft (and an exceptionally gifted guitar player) at Casa Sors, with a cozy night-club setting inside a guitar museum. Irene provided us with a detailed (and colorful) itinerary, creative suggestions, expert planning, and direct communication throughout the trip which once again added to our confidence at just the right moments!

I am writing to express our sincere appreciation for the exceptional service provided by Michael…read moreMcKay. His dedication and responsiveness truly went above and beyond our expectations. He was very patient with our group of 11 trying to decide what cruise line we should pick. Michael answered all of our questions in a quick and timely manner, ensuring that we were always informed and confident in our decisions. What truly stood out was his commitment to customer satisfaction--he even took the time to call us over the weekend, outside of regular working hours, to let us know that an upgrade we were interested in had become available and to ask if we would like to proceed. This level of attentiveness and care is rare and highly commendable. He is the best travel agent we have ever had and we want to thank him for his outstanding service.

Michael McKay has been our agent for many years. He always goes above and beyond to ensure our…read morefamily has the best time on our trips. Over the past decade he's seamlessly coordinated multiple large group trips, helped my husband and I plan a few romantic anniversary trips, and most importantly took care of every little detail when it came to canceling and rebooking those crazy pandemic trips! While the other cruisers were getting no were on the phones and complained of 4 hour hold times only to be told to call back, all I had to do was text Michael and he'd sort it all out! He's never too busy or not available to make you, his priority. We will be working with Michael for years to come. I've said it before, but I can't say it enough, thanks for being THE BEST!

Jules Getaways helped me plan a lot of my epic multi-week trips to Europe and South America. The…read moreadvice and planning he helped me with made my trips some of the most memorable, despite being solo and on a budget. Highlights include Spain and Portugal!

My wife and I decided about a year ago to go on a cruise (1st cruise) for the both of us. Not…read morereally sure how to navigate the Princess website ourselves, we decided to reach out to a travel agent, we came across Julian @ Jules Getaways and we are happy we did. Julian took over from where we left off on the website and made all the arrangements for us. Valentine's Day we set sail from San Francisco on our way to San Diego and Ensenada and then back. The trip went off without a hitch, excursions were booked through Julian as well as upgrading to Princess plus on board the ship. Julian made sure we were well taking care of through the entire booking and was able to answer questions clearly and concisely when we asked. We will use Jules Getaways again!!