Curated by Cath Travel Services
Luxury Travel Planning Services
Curated by Cath offers three ways to work together, depending on the level of support your trip requires: The Curated Key, The Curated Stay, and The Curated Trip.
Led by Cathleen Richards, Curated by Cath is a luxury travel design company built on firsthand destination knowledge, trusted industry relationships, and more than a decade of experience planning custom trips across more than 50 countries.
Three Ways to Work With Curated by Cath
Every trip does not need the same level of planning. Some travelers know exactly where they want to stay and simply want access to the right hotel booking path. Others want expert guidance for a focused hotel-led escape. Some want a full custom itinerary designed from beginning to end.
The Curated Key
Preferred Hotel Booking Through Cath’s Vetted Hotel Collection
The Curated Key is the simplest way to book a luxury hotel through Curated by Cath.
This service is designed for travelers who know where they want to go, or who want access to Cath’s vetted hotel collection, preferred hotel relationships, Virtuoso benefits, and trusted booking guidance.
Through The Curated Key, travelers may book select hotels, resorts, villas, and special stays through Curated by Cath or one of our trusted partners. When available, bookings may include preferred partner amenities such as daily breakfast, hotel credits, upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, or VIP recognition.
Benefits vary by property and are subject to availability.
The Curated Key is best for travelers who:
- Know their destination or preferred hotel
- Want to book a vetted luxury hotel with advisor support
- Value preferred partner benefits and VIP recognition
- Do not need custom itinerary design
- Are returning Curated by Cath clients or invited new clients
The Curated Key may include:
- Access to Cath’s vetted hotel collection
- Preferred hotel booking support
- Virtuoso and preferred partner benefits where available
- Light room category guidance when appropriate
- VIP notes or special requests submitted to the hotel
- Booking support through Curated by Cath or a trusted partner
The Curated Key is best described as: Hotel access, preferred booking, and the Curated by Cath stamp of approval.
The Curated Stay
Single-Destination Hotel-Led Travel Planning
The Curated Stay is designed for travelers who want more guidance than a hotel booking, but do not need a fully custom itinerary.
This service is ideal for a focused hotel-led trip of up to 7 nights in one destination. It includes expert hotel guidance, room category advising, preferred partner access where available, light destination context, and limited planning support around the stay.
The Curated Stay is the middle tier between The Curated Key and The Curated Trip. It offers more planning support than a preferred hotel booking, while remaining more focused than full custom travel design.
The Curated Stay is best for travelers planning:
- A single-destination luxury hotel stay
- A resort vacation of up to 7 nights
- A Mediterranean hotel or beach stay
- A city hotel stay with light guidance
- A long weekend or short luxury escape
- A hotel-led trip where the property is the anchor
The Curated Stay may include:
- Review of your travel goals, hotel preferences, budget, and priorities
- Hotel or resort research and recommendation
- Room category and location guidance
- Preferred partner booking support where available
- Light arrival, departure, and transfer guidance
- Basic destination context related to the stay
- Digital confirmation or itinerary access
- Pre-travel support related to the confirmed booking
- In-travel support related to the hotel stay
The Curated Stay does not include:
- Full custom itinerary design
- Multi-destination travel planning
- Multiple hotel or resort stays
- Stays longer than 7 nights
- Private touring, guides, or drivers
- Detailed transportation planning
- Restaurant reservations
- Spa, beach club, activity, or ticket bookings
- Ongoing concierge-style support
If the trip expands beyond a single hotel-led stay into a more complex travel experience, Curated by Cath may limit services to the original scope or require an upgrade to The Curated Trip before proceeding with additional planning.
The Curated Stay is best described as: A focused luxury hotel stay with Cath’s taste, relationships, and light planning support behind it.
The Curated Trip
Full-Service Custom Travel Design
The Curated Trip is Curated by Cath’s full-service custom travel design experience.
This service is for travelers who want a complete, highly personalized trip designed, coordinated, and managed from start to finish. The Curated Trip is best for multi-destination travel, private touring, special occasions, family trips, honeymoons, complex logistics, and journeys that require trusted local partners.
The Curated Trip is where the full Curated by Cath design process comes in: destination strategy, hotel selection, private guides, drivers, experiences, local coordination, digital itinerary access, and pre-travel preparation.
The Curated Trip is best for travelers planning:
- A custom private itinerary
- A multi-destination trip
- A honeymoon or milestone trip
- A family or multi-generational trip
- A luxury Italy, Jordan, Europe, Middle East, or special-interest journey
- A trip involving private guides, drivers, transfers, touring, or local access
- A travel experience that needs expert design from beginning to end
The Curated Trip may include:
- Destination strategy and travel design
- Custom itinerary development
- Hotel, resort, villa, or special stay selection
- Private guides, drivers, transfers, and touring
- Local experiences and special access
- Restaurant and activity guidance where appropriate
- Coordination with trusted local partners
- Digital itinerary access
- Pre-travel preparation
- In-travel support through Curated by Cath and/or local partners
The Curated Trip is best described as: Full custom travel design for travelers who want the right hotels, the right partners, and a trip that feels considered from beginning to end.
The Curated Trip engagements begin with a non-refundable design retainer and are billed as a percentage of the total trip investment, depending on scope.
Which Curated by Cath Service Is Right for You?
Choose The Curated Key if:
You know where you want to stay and want to book through Curated by Cath for preferred hotel access, VIP notes, and possible partner benefits.
Choose The Curated Stay if:
You want a single-destination hotel-led trip of up to 7 nights with expert hotel guidance, room category advising, light destination context, and limited planning support.
Choose The Curated Trip if:
You want a fully designed custom itinerary with hotels, touring, transfers, private experiences, local partners, and full trip coordination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between The Curated Key and The Curated Stay?
The Curated Key is for preferred hotel booking through Curated by Cath’s vetted hotel collection. It is best when you know where you want to stay and do not need planning support. The Curated Stay includes more guidance for one destination, one primary hotel or resort, and up to 7 nights.
What is the difference between The Curated Stay and The Curated Trip?
The Curated Stay is a focused hotel-led service for one destination and one hotel or resort stay of up to 7 nights. The Curated Trip is full custom travel design. It is best for multi-destination trips, private touring, transfers, guides, special experiences, complex logistics, or travelers who want a complete day-by-day itinerary.
Can Curated by Cath book hotels with Virtuoso benefits?
In many cases, yes. Curated by Cath may be able to book hotels with Virtuoso or preferred partner benefits, depending on the hotel, destination, room type, dates, and availability. Benefits may include breakfast, hotel credits, upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, or VIP recognition, but benefits are not guaranteed unless confirmed in writing.
Do you book Airbnb or points stays?
Curated by Cath does not book Airbnb stays or travel components using points or miles. In select destinations, professionally managed villas, apartments, or private residences may be available through trusted partners.
Do you book flights?
Flight research, ticketing, and management are quoted separately. Flight support is not included in The Curated Key, The Curated Stay, or The Curated Trip unless specifically stated in your proposal or agreement.
Can I start with The Curated Stay and upgrade to The Curated Trip?
Yes. If your trip becomes more complex, Curated by Cath may recommend upgrading to The Curated Trip so the level of planning support matches the experience you want.
Who is Curated by Cath best for?
Curated by Cath is best for travelers who value expert guidance, thoughtful hotel selection, trusted local partners, and personalized travel design. Our strongest fit is with travelers who want a more considered way to travel, whether that means booking the right hotel or designing a complete private itinerary.