Hotels
From a weekend stay to a special-occasion resort, I find and book hotels that fit your trip, taste, and budget, with advisor benefits at select properties.
TRIP PLANNING
I’ve spent years seeking out places worth traveling to and sharing them through Passport in Photos. Now I can help you plan and book your own trip, from finding the right hotel to putting together a thoughtful itinerary. When you book through me, you may also receive advisor benefits available through participating partners I’m affiliated with through Fora.
Thoughtful Travel, Planned for You
Anyone can send you a list of hotels. What I bring is the same perspective I bring to Passport in Photos: years of travel experience, a photographer’s eye for places that actually deliver, and a preference for thoughtful recommendations over endless options.
A Traveler’s Perspective
Recommendations informed by years of traveling, photographing, and writing about destinations, along with the research, resources, and hotel relationships available through my affiliation with Fora.
How I Help You Travel
I can help you plan and book your trip, from places to stay and experiences to the details that make a trip feel seamless. Rates are often comparable to booking directly, and when available, participating properties may offer advisor benefits.
Curated, Not Overwhelming
A handful of well-matched options instead of forty tabs to sort through yourself. I do the research and narrowing down so you can spend your time looking forward to the trip.
What I Can Plan & Book for You
Sometimes you just need the right hotel. Other times, you want someone to help bring the entire trip together. I can help with both.
Homes & Villas
Need more space or privacy for a family or group? I source vacation homes and villas through trusted rental partners.
Cruises
Ocean, river, expedition, or ultra-luxury. I help you find the sailing that actually fits how you like to travel.
Multi-Stop & Complex Trips
Multiple destinations, more moving pieces. I coordinate accommodations, experiences, and transportation so it all connects.
Tours & Experiences
Walking tours, food experiences, day trips, event tickets, all woven into your itinerary, not bolted on.
Ground Transportation
Airport transfers, private drivers, rental cars, rail. I handle the logistics between the highlights.
Flights
Guidance on flight options, with select international Business and First Class bookable through my travel partners.
Travel Insurance
Protection built into the planning, so an unexpected disruption doesn't derail the trip.
How It Works
1. Tell Me About Your Trip
Tell me where you’re headed, or simply the kind of experience you’re looking for, along with your travel dates, who’s going, what matters to you, and the budget you have in mind.
2. I Curate Options
I’ll research and curate a considered set of options based on what you’re looking for. Depending on the trip, that might include hotels, villas, cruises, tours, transportation or a more complete itinerary.
3. We Refine Together
We’ll narrow the options and make any adjustments until the trip feels right.
4. I Handle the Booking
Once you’re ready, I can take care of the reservations and coordinate the bookable pieces of your trip. When advisor benefits are available for eligible rates and participating properties, I’ll include those in the booking as well.
5. DURING YOUR TRIP
I stay available while you’re traveling. If anything changes, you need help adjusting plans, or you want recommendations on the ground, I’m here to support you.
6. WELCOME HOME & FOLLOW-UP
After you return, I’ll check in to hear how the trip went and gather your feedback. I also like to follow up a few weeks later to reflect on highlights and start thinking about future travel ideas.
What Does It Cost?
For hotel bookings, there’s no additional cost to you for booking through me. Hotels pay travel advisors a commission after the stay is completed, which means you can get my help finding and booking the right hotel without paying an additional booking fee.
Even better, some hotels offer additional benefits when you book through a travel advisor. Depending on the property, rate and availability, those can include:
Complimentary breakfast
Hotel or resort credits
Room upgrades
Early check-in
Late checkout
Other property-specific amenities
These benefits vary by hotel and booking and aren’t guaranteed, but I’ll always let you know what may be available for your stay.
For trips that require more extensive planning, I may charge a planning or service fee. If a fee applies to your trip, I’ll always discuss it with you upfront before any work begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I plan and book travel as an independent travel advisor of Fora Travel, which gives me access to booking tools, industry resources and travel partners around the world. Passport in Photos is where I share my approach to travel. Offering planning and booking services is a natural extension of that work.
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No. There's no additional cost to you for booking a hotel through me. Hotels compensate travel advisors through commission after a completed stay. At participating hotels and with eligible rates, booking through me may also give you access to advisor benefits such as complimentary breakfast, hotel credits, room upgrades, early check-in or late checkout. Benefits vary by property and are subject to availability.
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Because you can get more than a reservation. I can help you determine which hotel is actually right for your trip, compare your options, handle the booking and help with the details leading up to your stay. At participating hotels, I may also be able to access advisor benefits you wouldn't necessarily receive when booking the same stay yourself. You get the convenience of having someone else handle the research and booking, plus the possibility of additional value from your stay, without paying an additional fee to book the hotel through me.
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Even better. You don't need a full trip planned to work with me. If you already know where you want to stay, send me the hotel and your travel dates. I can look into the booking and let you know whether any advisor benefits may be available.
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It may still be possible for me to assist, depending on how and where you booked. Send me the details and I’ll let you know what’s possible.
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It depends on the flight. For most economy and domestic airfare, I generally recommend booking directly with the airline. Select international Business and First Class flights can be booked through my travel partners, so if premium airfare is part of your trip, let me know and I can explore the options available. I’m also happy to advise on flight timing, routing and logistics as part of planning a larger trip.
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Not at all. You can come to me with a specific hotel you already want to book, a destination with no itinerary, or simply an idea of the kind of trip you’d like to take. We can start from there.
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Yes. For more involved trips, I can help bring together accommodations, transportation, tours and experiences, cruises, villas and other bookable elements into a more complete itinerary. Depending on the complexity and amount of custom planning involved, a planning fee may apply.
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Fill out the form below with whatever you already know about your trip. I’ll follow up to learn a little more and determine how I can best help.
Karen Gomez
I'm a NYC-based travel writer, photographer, and the founder of Passport in Photos —
for those who want to feel somewhere, not just see it.