The guides, hotels, and drivers I share here are who I've gotten to know over years of traveling. You won't find them on the usual lists. These are the ones I'd introduce you to if we were exploring the city together.
If you enjoy planning your own trips but want access to the connections I rely on for my clients, you'll find them here. This is a starting point for travelers who want something more thoughtful than the standard list of recommendations.
What you won't find here is travel design. With these resources, you'll be the one arranging guides, hotels, timing, and all the details yourself. If you like that part of the process, these recommendations are for you.
But if you'd rather spend your time actually experiencing a place instead of managing logistics, that's where I come in. I take care of the details and decisions so you can focus on being present in the places you visit.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
A good guide does more than list dates and names. They help you see why a painting matters, point out the stories that still echo in a neighborhood, and notice the details you would walk past if you were only glancing. That is how you move from just visiting a city to actually understanding it.
I look for guides who care about context. Sometimes that means an art historian, sometimes an archaeologist, or a local who knows how to read a room and follow your curiosity when something catches your attention.
Find and book private and small group tours led by scholars who really know how to make a city come alive.
A large inventory of small group and private experiences with trusted local guides..
This platform introduces you to independent guides who actually live in the places you're drawn to.
Accommodations
The right hotel shapes your entire trip. It determines where you wake up, which bakery you find for your morning coffee, and which parts of the city start to feel like home. I don't start with star ratings or big hotel brands. I look for places that feel like part of the city where you're welcomed as a guest, not just a reservation number.
Book 4.5 and 5-star hotels leveraging my industry partnership. You can enjoy valuable perks like breakfast for two, hotel credits, room upgrades, and late checkout.
I work with top brands such as Virtuoso, Four Seasons, Marriott, Rosewood, IHG, Hyatt, and Hilton.
To get started, just email hello@uptowntraveldesign.com to request my password. This is the easiest way to enjoy VIP treatment on a simple booking.
Hotels belonging to the Virtuoso portfolio bring a classic sense of luxury to cities throughout the world. When you book leveraging my partnership you open access to free breakfast, room upgrades, dining and spa hotel credits, early check-in, late check-out, and other VIP amenities not available to the general public.
If you’re staying for a while or traveling with family, a hotel might not always be the best fit. Villas can feel more like home, giving you extra space and a daily routine that hotels can’t match.
The drivers I trust already know your flight details before you land. They take care of the logistics so you can step off the plane and actually breathe. It isn't the cheapest option, but the difference is in how you feel when you arrive, especially after a long flight.
TRANSPORTATION
A river cruise is a commitment, not only a place to sleep for a night. The cruise line, the cabin, the excursions you choose; these are the decisions that turn a week on the water into something that feels personal, not generic.
I work with several river cruise lines, but my real job is to help you sort through the options based on how you actually like to travel. This is where thoughtful planning matters. The goal is for your cruise to feel designed for you, not just booked for you.
Cruises
TRAVEL SUPPORT & SERVICES
If you have a stack of miles and no idea how to turn them into a real trip, this can help. It's a tool that looks across different loyalty programs so you can actually see which points will get you where you want to go. To get started, enter my referral code rachelstankovicGTN when you set up your account.
This gives the people who care about you a chance to be part of your journey. You’ll begin your trip knowing it was shaped by your loved ones, not just by a list of bookings. Most registry platforms are simple to use and can be tailored to your plans. If you know where you’re going, you can add the details that matter. If you’re still deciding, you can leave room for surprises you’ll find on your trip. If you’d like help designing your honeymoon—the itinerary, the pace, and the special touches that make it truly yours. I’d be happy to talk with you about that.
I work with photographers who match your pace and pay attention to the details that matter most to you. You can choose anything from a short walk to a full, immersive morning session. When you book leveraging my partnership, enjoy 5 extra photos plus 3 extra gallery months.
Many people believe their credit card insurance is enough, but in my experience, it usually isn’t. I recommend getting a separate policy that covers you as soon as you book. This way, if your plans change, you get sick while traveling, or your luggage goes missing, you’ll have real help when you need it.
Uptown Travel Design partners with Runway Health to support your travel health needs. Runway connects travelers with US-based, licensed physicians online for convenient access to prescription travel medications and vaccines before departure.
Visit Runway Health for physician-recommended medication for your travels. Use my link to access Runway Health and your $30 consultation fee is waived automatically at checkout.
✓ Access to my vetted network of partners
✓ Preferred rates + VIP amenities
✓ You select dates, destinations, logistics
✓ You coordinate and book the individual pieces
✓ You handle questions and adjustments as they arise
✓ Best for: Simple trips, return visits to familiar cities, confident independent travelers who enjoy planning
✓ Everything on the left, PLUS:
✓I design the narrative arc, pacing, and sequence of your journey
✓ Cultural context and insider perspective throughout
✓ I handle every detail: reservations, coordination, confirmations
✓Personalized guide matching based on your specific interests
✓ Real-time support before and during your trip
✓ Often, even better rates through my design-fee partnerships
✓ The mental freedom to anticipate rather than orchestrate
✓ Best for: Complex itineraries, milestone trips, first-time destinations, time-poor travelers, anyone who wants expertise rather than research
**The core difference:**
Independent booking gives you access to my network. Full travel design gives you a designed journey where everything connects and is handled completely and considered deeply.
vs.
If you're looking at these resources and thinking "I want the benefits, but I don't want to do the work," that's exactly what travel design is for.
These properties and experiences become transformative when woven into an intentional itinerary with pacing that matches how you want to feel, cultural storytelling that deepens what you see, and someone coordinating every detail while you actually enjoy anticipating your trip.
READY TO TALK?
Transparency: This page contains affiliate links to trusted partners. When you book through these resources, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions allow me to negotiate the preferred rates and VIP amenities you receive. These are the same partnerships I leverage for full-service travel design clients. I recommend only properties and experiences I've personally vetted and would use for my own travel.