Personal recommendations
that actually convert
Independent luxury travel advisor. IATA accredited under TPI Travel Services since 2011. Every hotel I recommend is one I have personally stayed in.
How I decide what to recommend
There is one rule I do not break: I do not recommend a hotel I have not stayed in. Not a hotel I have visited on a site inspection. Not a property a colleague has described. One I have checked into, slept in, eaten breakfast in, and checked out of.
Where a destination has more than 1 credible option at the level my clients expect, I stay in more than 1 before forming a view. My recommendation is therefore comparative. I can tell a client not just that a property is good, but precisely why it is better suited to them than the alternative across the bay.
Where there is genuinely only 1 serious property in a destination, such as the Galápagos, I say so. I will not manufacture a false comparison.
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Personally verified. Every property has been stayed in by me. No exceptions, no press trips presented as independent assessment.
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Comparative where possible. In destinations with multiple options I stay in several. My clients receive a reasoned recommendation, not a list.
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High value clientele. My clients have the means and appetite for genuinely excellent travel. They are not price sensitive in the way a booking platform's traffic is.
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Long term relationships. My clients return. A satisfied client at your property typically means multiple future stays, not a single transaction.
Why personal recommendations
convert better
Paid placement generates impressions. Personal recommendation generates stays. Clients who book through an advisor who has personally vouched for a property arrive with settled confidence. That baseline translates into better guest satisfaction, fewer demands on your front desk, and a higher propensity to return.
Commission driven recommendations have a known problem: clients sense them. The era of online reviews has made travellers sophisticated. My clients know my recommendations are based solely on my experience of having been there. That distinction is the entire basis of the service.
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Pre sold on arrival. Guests arrive already convinced. This reduces friction at check in and throughout the stay.
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Higher spend profile. Clients at this level spend more on ancillary services: spa, food and beverage, excursions, and suite upgrades.
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Repeat visits. Each booking is potentially the first of several over a relationship spanning years.
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No advertising dependency. My recommendation is not contingent on your marketing spend. It is based on the quality of the experience I had when I stayed.
What a preferred
partnership looks like
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Preferred rates. Access to negotiated rates for my clients, commensurate with the volume and quality of business I bring.
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Amenities for my clients. Room upgrades subject to availability, welcome gifts, early check in or late check out. These gestures meaningfully improve guest satisfaction.
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Occasional hosted stays. I welcome the opportunity to return to properties I have recommended, particularly where there have been significant renovations or changes in leadership.
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Candid feedback on request. I am happy to share detailed feedback from my stays. Properties that want an honest external assessment are welcome to ask.
What I do not do: I do not accept payment for inclusion on this site or participate in pay for placement schemes. If I stay as a hosted guest, I remain free to form an independent view and to update or remove a recommendation if the experience does not meet the standard my clients expect.
If you represent a hotel or DMC and would like to discuss a preferred partnership, use the contact form below. Please include your property name, destination, and a brief note on what you have in mind.
How to verify who I am
Everything you need to confirm my status directly with TPI Travel Services.
Shawn Frazer — Frazer Bespoke Travel
Under TPI Travel Services (Travel Pros, Inc.)
Start a conversation
Reach out directly with your property name, destination, and a brief note on what you have in mind. I respond to every genuine enquiry personally.