Frequently Asked Questions
Most people land here weighing two things, whether an advisor is worth it, and whether their trip is my kind of trip. Here are the questions I hear most, answered plainly.
If your question is not here, the Discovery Call is free, and it is the fastest way to find out if we are a fit.
Is This Worth It, and Is It for Me?
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For a trip you cannot repeat, usually yes. You pay for the read on what you actually need, the access you cannot reach alone, and someone working your trip in real time when something goes sideways. One recent example: I recovered $600 in value for a cruise client, $400 in disputed loyalty vouchers they had written off plus $200 in shipboard credit, by disputing it with the cruise line and timing the booking to a promotion.
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I design and manage custom luxury trips end to end, including hotels, tours, guides, transfers, cruises, villas, flights, and insurance. We start with a Discovery Call to learn the why behind your trip, I design it with vetted local partners, reconfirm everything before you leave, monitor it while you travel, and debrief with you after. Booking is the smallest part. The work is the judgment, the access, and the person handling it all when something moves.
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Discerning couples and households marking a chapter that matters, such as honeymoons, milestone anniversaries and birthdays, babymoons, empty-nest travel, and retirements. Fully curated clients typically invest $900 or more per person, per day, excluding airfare, depending on location and season. I am based in Dallas, Texas and work with clients across the United States and abroad.
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Custom land trips, honeymoons, milestone celebrations, safaris, cruises, guided tours, and multi-country itineraries built around a major event. I also design adventure and wellness travel, and group and retreat trips. If you are weighing a specific kind of trip, take a look at the Leisure, Adventure & Wellness, Cruise, and Business pages to go deeper.
Fees and Value
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Anyone can assemble a trip now, and AI will draft an itinerary in seconds. What that gives you is a plan built from the top search results, with no real access and no read on what you actually need. The fee covers the layer underneath, matching you to the places and people worth your time, vetted partner access, and someone advocating for you before, during, and after.
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Fully curated clients typically invest $900 or more per person, per day, excluding airfare, depending on destination, season, and travel style. Yes, I charge a non-refundable design fee, billed per household, due before I begin. The full fee structure is published on the Investment page.
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I get paid two ways. First, the design fee you pay me to do the research and build a trip that fits you. Second, a commission paid by the suppliers I book. Because the design fee is already on the table, my incentive is to make your trip fit you best, not increase your costs. One recent honeymoon client had a large budget and several options across a range of prices. The resort I thought fit best was not the most expensive on the list, which meant a smaller commission for me. I recommended it anyway, because the right fit is my ultimate goal.
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My clients focus on the experiential return of a trip rather than chasing the lowest price, so I do not promise to beat a price you find on your own. What I do have is access to partner and Virtuoso promotions that are not always public, and when one applies to your trip, I bring it to you.
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That distrust usually traces to an order-taker working for the commission. The difference here is informed pushback to get the fit right, no overpromising what I cannot deliver, and a non-refundable fee that means I am committed before you travel, and so are you.
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Depth, access, and process matter more than years. I bring a 20-year career in global financial services, seven continents traveled, dual United States and Italian citizenship, and the backing of Brownell and Virtuoso. I am building Stella Polare Travel around a small number of clients served deeply, with an established network behind me.
If you are not ready to commit, the Discovery Call is the no-cost way to feel how this works first.
How We Work Together
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Complete a Trip Inquiry Form and book a Discovery Call, which is free. The call is where we learn your goals, walk through how I work, and both feel out the fit. Either of us can decide it is not right, no explanation needed.
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As involved as you want. I ask on the Discovery Call how hands-on you would like to be, then work to that. The trip is built from your input and designed for you, never pulled off a shelf, and I do need quick responses during design and booking, because availability and pricing move daily.
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That is one of my favorite parts. Matching you to the right place against your real constraints, your time, your travel style, and how you want the trip to feel, is part of the design. Bring your half-formed ideas and we shape them together.
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Most of my trips come together around six months out. For peak seasons and sought-after destinations, aim for nine months. Safaris usually need about twelve months. Earlier almost always buys better availability and access, so reaching out sooner rarely hurts.
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I monitor your trip behind the scenes and step in when something slips. Where we use an on-site partner, they are your point of contact on the ground, and with time zone differences they often resolve things before I am even aware of them. If you booked flights through the Brownell air desk, you also have 24/7 human support, and your hotel concierge can help on the spot. The point of the fee is that you are not handling a problem alone in a place you do not know.
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Cancellation costs and windows vary by supplier, and Stella Polare also reserves the right to charge up to a 15% cancellation fee. This is exactly where travel insurance earns its place, especially a cancel-for-any-reason policy.
Perks, Partners, and Practical Details
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Brownell is my host agency, which gives me the infrastructure and the in-country relationships that open doors you could not open alone, plus a 24/7 air desk and a dedicated insurance desk. Virtuoso is the leading invitation-only network of luxury travel advisors, connecting affluent travelers with highly vetted hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators. Booking through them can layer on perks you cannot get on your own.
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It depends on the property and on availability, so I confirm what applies to your trip at the time of booking. With hotels, that can mean a room upgrade subject to availability, complimentary breakfast, and a credit toward dining or the spa. With cruises, it can mean shipboard credits, transfers, a welcome reception, or special excursions.
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Yes to all three. Through the Brownell air desk I can book commercial flights with 24/7 human support during your trip, with access to private and semi-private aviation. I book private luxury villas worldwide through partners who vouch for each home, with villa sourcing included in the custom planning fee, and I arrange private airport transfers and drivers.
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Yes. I provide an initial travel insurance quote, complimentary, at the time of deposit, and you can also speak with the Brownell insurance desk for deeper guidance. I am not an insurance broker, so it is your responsibility to read the quote and confirm it fits your needs.
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I do not make restaurant reservations. Most sought-after restaurants now require a credit card on file, and last-minute changes are best handled by the person who booked, on their own account, so you can adjust in real time. What I do is introduce you to your hotel concierge, who can recommend and arrange bookings on the ground and step in if plans shift while you travel.
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A quick honesty filter, so you know whether we fit before you reach out. I do not book Airbnb or Vrbo, because I cannot vet quality or legitimacy there. I do not plan Disney trips, though I will refer you to an advisor who does. I also do not book mass-market cruises, air-only bookings, or hotel-only bookings below $500 per night.