We’ve worked in media for years, so here’s a little secret: Those room rates you see listed at the end of travel stories about gorgeous hotels? They’re misleading. Most mags use the lowest available rate at low season for their copy, because it makes the hotel seem accessible to more people.

Which means that, yes, you may be able to get a room at that luxury Caribbean hotel for that rate of $299. But chances are it will be the lowest-category room in the house (NOT the one pictured in the article), and at the lowest season of the year, with the worst weather. (In the Caribbean, this is also known as hurricane season.)

Want to stay in the room pictured in prime season? Add a few hundred dollars at least — and that’s before taxes and fees!

The same thing happens with online booking sites. That hotel in Florence for 200 Euros? Put in your actual dates and it will likely be more — then go to pay and you’ll see the true cost, including VAT tax, city tax, country tax and service fees, which can easily add another 20% or more.

We know from experience that the BEST clients are well-informed clients. And we’re passionate about finding the best EXPERIENCE, which spans multiple factors: cost, certainly, but also destination, hotel, room category and placement, added extras and special attention from the staff — intangibles that go way beyond the price of a hotel room you saw listed in that magazine article.

We care about that, too, of course…that’s why we want you to know what it really means!