Unexpected Luxury

These four agents are known for leading their clients to unexpected gems. Whether it’s a converted farmhouse, an intimate hotel, or a village overlooked by most guidebooks, you may not know where you’re headed, but with their help, you’ll be pleased when you arrive.

Lisa Lindblad

Known for: Unparalleled connections, especially in East Africa, India, and Europe. Favorite Find: The restaurant at the five-room Hotel & Restaurant Garzón (598/410-2811; restaurantgarzon.com) in the Uruguayan town of the same name is operated by one of South America’s most acclaimed chefs, Francis Mallmann. He uses an old Andean technique, infiernillo (or “little hell”), to grill some of the country’s best steaks. Consulting Fee: $2,500, plus a possible “design fee.” Varies for group travel. Contact: Lisa Lindblad Travel Design, New York, N.Y.; 212/ 876-2554; lisa@lisalindblad.com.

Pallavi Shah

Known for: Elaborate itineraries. She preps her clients with plenty of reading materials, including sheaves of her own specialized travel advice for each trip. Secret Find: The lakes of Italy’s Piedmont, especially Lago d’Orta, a deep blue lake that the locals call Cinderella. On the tip of a peninsula on the lake’s eastern shore is Orta San Giulio, a romantic little village with narrow cobblestoned streets. Life there revolves around two piazzas, which look directly onto Isola di San Giulio, a little island dominated by a 12th-century basilica. Consulting Fee: Varies. Contact: Our Personal Guest, Inc., New York, N.Y.; 212/319-1354; nyoffice@ourpersonalguest.com.

Nancy Strong and Jim Strong

Known for: This mother-and-son team focuses on private-jet travel, yacht charters, and the most expensive villas in the world. Jim is at work on a second book, following Craving for Travel: Luxury Experiences for the Sophisticated Traveler. Nancy is famous for her shopping knowledge and for going above and beyond—she even served as a witness for clients who were married in Las Vegas while she was attending the Virtuoso Travel Mart conference last year. Jim Strong is a member of T+L’s Travel Agent Advisory Board. Consulting Fee: From $250 per person. Contact: Strong Travel Services, Dallas; 800/747-5670; nstrong@strongtravel.com and jim@strongtravel.com.

Power Brokers

These women preside over the country's largest travel empires, and generally work with Fortune 500 CEO's and celebrities. However, they've trained hundreds of specialized agents; call the numbers below and ask for a referral. Three are on Travel + Leisure's Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB).

Priscilla Alexander

Alexander's firm, Protravel International, Inc., has more than 600 employees in 19 offices, from Beverly Hills to London, and continues to expand. Alexander attributes the growth to the new phenomenon of global movers and shakers, vacationing farther from home than ever, and for extended stretches. The skill that unites Protravel employees, in Alexander's estimation: "The ability to service these people 24/7." Her newest project is Protravel Active Adventures, added this year. Contact: Protravel International, Inc., New York, N.Y.; 800/227-1059; priscilla@protravelinc.com.

Barbara Gallay

Gallay is the president of Linden Travel, one of travel's most exclusive agencies, with a 37-year history and more than 110 associates and independent contractors. Gallay serves on a number of advisory committees for the hotel and cruise industries, so she's likely to have already influenced how you travel, even if you're not aware of it. Contact: Linden Travel Bureau, Inc., New York, N.Y.; 800/846-3226; barbara@lindentravel.com.

Valerie Ann Wilson

Wilson shares the helm of her 27-year-old company with her daughters, Kimberly Wilson Wetty (serves on TAAB) and Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg. She literally wrote the book on luxury hotels: Valerie Wilson's World has become a go-to guide for the industry. You can research villas, yachts, and even B727-200's at valeriewilsontravel.com, but the best way to plumb the depth of her 190 agents' specialized knowledge is to call them directly. Contact: Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc., New York, N.Y.; 800/776-1116; valeriew@vwti.com.

Ultra-Luxury Agents

These experts are among the most connected in the business—able to accomplish the seemingly impossible. They cater to those prepared to pay a premium for their services.

Diane E. Hilliard

Known for: Her foresight: anticipating the next "it" destinations, resorts, and villas before her peers. Favorite find: Borgo Finocchieto (505/920-1381; borgofinocchieto.com) in Tuscany, an 800-year-old village where you can take one or all 22 suites spread out through the main Manor House and four village homes. Most spectacular feature: the state-of-the-art gym built into the hillside with a glass wall overlooking the pool and the valley below. Consulting fee: From $750. Hilliard is on T+L's Travel Agent Advisory Board. Contact: Hilliard & Olander Ltd., Stillwater, Minn.; 651/342- 1600; diane@hilliardolander.com.

Mary Ann Ramsey

Known for: Doing the legwork to create unique itineraries and find those hidden gems. Over-the-top request: Planning a trip around India for a woman in her nineties on a private Cessna Citation XL, without overlooking any details (such as checking the height of beds and hiring staff at each stop). I even arranged a specially equipped ride on an elephant. Among the highlights: visits to the Taj Mahal, Safdarjung's Tomb, and Mani Bhavan, Gandhi's residence when he visited Mumbai. Consulting fee: From $500. Ramsey is a member of T+L's Travel Agent Advisory Board. Contact: Betty Maclean Travel Inc., Naples, Fla.; 800/865-8111; maryann@bettymacleantravel.com.

Anne Morgan Scully

Known for: Her extensive knowledge of the cruise industry, and her ability to craft the most exclusive land excursions. Dream trip: A portion of a world cruise aboard the Regent Seven Seas Voyager (800/285-1835; rssc.com), cruising from Singapore and stopping in Thailand, India, and the U.A.E. before ending in Turkey. Hiring guides in every port, including a visit to the desert when in Dubai. Contact: Consulting fee Varies. Scully is on T+L's Travel Agent Advisory Board. Contact: McCabe World Travel, McLean, Va.; 800/747-8401, ext. 5055; anne@mccabeworld.com.

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