Whether it's the trip you've been dreaming about for a decade or the one you take every winter, we plan it like it's the only one that matters. We're partial to boutique properties with a real sense of place, the kind you remember years later. We've been known to tour eight hotels in a single day, just to find the one that actually fits you.
Hi, I'm Kelsey. I started Kelsey Baumbach Travel because my group chats were basically unpaid travel agencies. Eventually the obsession turned into a career. Three years in, I've learned a lot about what actually works for my clients, but the one thing that hasn't changed is how much I care about every single trip, whether it's a long weekend or a three-week honeymoon.
These days, my job is less about finding pretty hotels and more about figuring out what you actually want, even when you're not totally sure yourself. Maybe that's a villa with a private chef in Tuscany, or a quiet stretch of coastline nobody's posted about yet. Either way, I'm the one who tracks down the details, fixes the problems before you even know they happened, and makes sure you come home talking about the trip instead of recovering from it.
Pricing depends on destination, length, and complexity. We'll give you an exact number after a quick call.
The best perk of working with an advisor: you pay the same price as booking direct, but get the extras you can't get on your own, free breakfast, room upgrades, welcome gifts, at most 4 and 5 star hotels.
Know your hotel already? No planning fee, we'll just get you booked. Want options? We'll send a lookbook of three tailored picks for a flat $75.
Turnaround: ASAP for a known hotel, 2–3 days for a lookbook. We don't book Airbnbs, but we work with trusted villa and house rentals.For the traveler who wants the bones handled but not every hour mapped out. We book hotels, tours, and transfers, you fill in the rest, dinners, free days, whatever sounds good once you're there.
1–2 weeks turnaround. Starting at $249 per week of travel.Our most coveted package. We plan and book everything from the moment you land, transfers, hotels, restaurant reservations, tours, with guidance before, during, and after the trip.
2–3 weeks turnaround. Starting at $399 per week of travel.Travel advisors earn a commission on hotel bookings, which is why they cost you nothing. We only charge a planning fee on the work that isn't commissionable, like tours, transfers, and restaurants.
Nope. In most cases we have access to the same rate you'd get booking direct, plus any advisor perks available for that property.
No worries, send us an email and we can try a "takeover booking." We get added as the agent of record on your reservation and can add any perks that are available.
We can book premium economy, business, and first class international flights. We always factor flights into the planning and can point you toward the best options for your trip either way.
Absolutely. We usually suggest using points for flights, since advisors earn commission on cash hotel bookings only. We're happy to share tips on using points toward flights, though we don't currently work with clients booking all of their hotels on points.
In full, upfront, before any work starts.
Hotel and flight availability typically opens up 10 to 11 months out, so that's the earliest we start planning most trips. That said, reach out anytime, we'll figure out the right timeline together, and we have a soft spot for a good last-minute trip too.
We cover most destinations worldwide, but here are a few of the places we send clients (and visit ourselves) most often.
"Kelsey was so helpful with booking our honeymoon! She took care of all the annoying things I didn't want to do or think about, and set us up for an amazing honeymoon. Loved her recommendations and would trust her time and time again with planning important, special trips!"
— Julia S.
"We had a wonderful time working with Kelsey to plan our honeymoon! From the get-go, she had our preferences in mind. Having never been to Europe, she did such a good job narrowing down a selection of countries for us based on what we wanted: touristy things, museums, activities, beach time. From there, she narrowed down particular cities we ended up loving. The initial itinerary she sent was perfect, I had no notes. Also amazing with communication, very responsive, and she even checked in while we were on our honeymoon. Book with Kelsey!"
— Ashley P.
"Kelsey is unbelievable! From discovery, to planning, to execution, she provided a top-tier experience and went out of her way to make sure our honeymoon was nothing short of spectacular. We will undoubtedly be in touch again. She is the best!"
— Clayton H.
Fill this out and I'll get back to you within two business days with some initial thoughts — no obligation, no pushy follow-up calls.
Email: kelsey@kelseybaumbachtravel.com
Based in: Washington, DC — clients everywhere