Behind The Travel Desk
Do you have an over-the-top idea? With The Travel Desk, the question isn’t why or how, but when?
As originally published in CURATED Magazine.
How about a pair of Super Bowl LIX tickets at the 50-yard line? Or front-row seats — and backstage passes — for your favorite band? Or maybe, after vacationing with The Club in London, you’d like to extend your trip with a private, curated-to-a-tee journey through the Scottish countryside by luxury rail? It’s requests like these that prompted the launch of The Travel Desk, an ingenious service designed to deliver the most customizable — and oftentimes the most extravagant — itineraries imaginable.
The new collaboration with the Global Travel Collection (GTC), powered by Internova Travel Group, enhances an Exclusive Resorts membership by leveraging the world’s largest collection of international luxury travel agencies and advisors. While Club Members utilize Plan Days to circumnavigate the globe, The Travel Desk can, in tandem, take them to places and create experiences outside of The Club’s core portfolio.
“The sky is truly the limit in terms of what we can do,” says Rafael Grullon, GTC’s Director of Advisor Success. “From taking your kids to Disney World like a VIP to traveling on a space balloon with Space Perspective, we curate the most bespoke experiences you can dream of.”
How Does It Work? Dream Big with Fully Customized Itineraries.
Designed to be a seamless booking experience within the existing Club platform, “engagement is simple,” says Grullon. If a Member is looking for a vacation outside of Exclusive Resorts’ current destinations or offerings, or to extend their Club vacation, they simply reach out to their Ambassador, who then connects them with the appropriate Travel Desk agent. The agent and Member hop on a call, and the trip springs to life. “You’ll be paired with the top Spain specialist if you want to celebrate with a culinary tour in Spain for your 20th wedding anniversary,” says Grullon. “The Travel Desk’s buying power, the relationships that we have in the industry, plus the luxury brands that make up the Global Travel Collection, are best-in-class.”
But What If? Say Goodbye to Concerns and Travel Boldly.
What if my flight is delayed? What if the car service doesn’t arrive? What if our luggage is lost? While The Travel Desk makes sure your planning is a cinch, it also makes sure the service while you’re traveling is just as painless, quickly remedying all the what ifs that can hamstring a trip. “We provide expert service recovery, which is hugely important,” Grullon adds. “There is somebody monitoring your flights, plus 24-hour assistance for Members. While you may not be able to see or touch an experience, you should always feel it, and that’s what true luxury is.”
What's hot for 2025?
According to The Travel Desk, the most in-demand destinations are Spain, South Africa, Southeast Asia, and Japan.
From The Expert: Top 5
As GTC's Director of Advisor Success, Rafael Grullon has seen — and been — basically everywhere.
1. Spain
“My favorite country ever. It will always top my list.” With Club properties in Ibiza, Madrid, and San Sebastian, you might just want to visit them all.
2. Japan
“Kyoto is like a fairytale landscape.” Exclusive Resorts offers a stunning private apartment in Kyoto through The Club Partnership with Banyan Tree Private Collection.
3. UAE
“Opulence, technology, functional design, and exquisite aesthetics — everything is simply over the top.” Nestled on the shores of Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah, The Club’s one- and two-bedroom luxury suites create a distinctive oasis for guests.
4. France
“Not just Paris, but Bordeaux and the coast.” The Club’s pair of four-bedroom villas are perfectly situated near the Cote d’Azur’s charming villages.
5. Eastern Europe
“All of its regions have such vast and different cultural heritage.” A two-bedroom riverside retreat in the heart of Prague, Czech Republic is one of The Club’s newest additions.