In a world of dream destinations, what’s on your list? Luxury travel advisor Courtny Rinehart is ready to elevate your expectations and upgrade your experiences with VIP personalized amenities that matter most to you and your travel companions. And… take all the time-consuming planning, booking and travel frustration out of your journey from the minute you depart until the minute you return.
“Planning high-value travel is not a casual side project. The difference between someone who ‘books travel’ and someone who lives inside this industry every day is experience, relationships and accountability,” Rinehart explains.
Rinehart found her career as a luxury travel advisor while welcoming her stepfather into their family. After her parents divorced, Rinehart delved into successful online matchmaking on her mother’s behalf. The whole family quickly fell in love with Rinehart’s new stepdad, Phil, an accomplished music industry sound engineer with a joyful, positive, bigger-than-life personality.
But soon after they married, Phil received a tough diagnosis and prognosis. Heartbroken but determined to honor Phil’s desires, the newly blended family created a top 5 bucket list. In pursuing it together, Rinehart discovered a finer way to travel.
“Mid-COVID, it was extremely difficult to travel, so we enlisted a travel agent for Dubai and the Maldives. The trip was incredible! Everywhere we went, we were upgraded; there was champagne and complimentary amenities, and everyone knew our names. We vowed we would not travel without our travel advisor’s planning again.”
“When Phil began to decline, we turned our efforts to our ultimate bucket list trip—an African safari,” Rinehart explains. Tragically, two months before departure, Phil passed away. “But before he did, Phil made us promise—my mom, my younger sister, my husband and I—to still go. He told us, ‘Darling, I will be the rainbow over Victoria Falls.’”
At every point on their dream itinerary safari, everyone knew their story. “Our travel advisor had collaborated with all her travel partners, who made sure to honor and incorporate Phil in some way into everything on the trip. Rainbows everywhere … and on the last night, a private candle-lit dinner and, at a place at the end of the long table… a blown-up photograph of Phil. So really, he was there with us.”
Courtny recalls it vividly as an unforgettable and utterly transformational moment—orchestrated by a seasoned, caring travel agent. “It was during this experience that I realized my desire to bring the same joy and unforgettable experiences to others.”
A year later, Rinehart became a travel advisor. She now owns her own agency and passionately believes in investing your trust in a great travel advisor.
Q. Can’t people book trips with travel apps?
“Yes, but you miss the vital human aspect. And, there are no upgrades, no amenities, no personalized touches that elevate your trip. No one to reach out to if something unexpected happens. When you work with a professional travel advisor, you’re not just getting a reservation. You’re getting an advocate, a strategist and someone responsible for every detail of your trip.
As a Virtuoso travel advisor, I leverage a global partnership in the luxury industry for my clients to get upgrades, resort credits, exclusive amenities and personalized experiences from my host agency, Coastline, which is under the Virtuoso umbrella.” [Virtuoso is a global luxury network of leisure travel advisors and carefully curated travel providers.]
“I travel frequently for industry conferences and supplier meetings, where I connect directly with hotel reps and destination specialists from around the globe. Those relationships are a big part of how I stay ahead and make sure my clients are always getting the best of the best. Knowing the people behind the properties makes a real difference in the experience I’m able to deliver. I also work within a large network of veteran travel advisors who serve as trusted resources, so when I’m booking somewhere new or outside my usual wheelhouse, I always have the right people to turn to.”
Q. What kinds of trips do you plan?
“My clients are typically aged 30ish-65ish, although I just curated an 80th birthday party in Rome! I plan a lot of honeymoons, anniversaries, family travel, group trips, adventure journeys, and bucket-list trips (near and dear to my heart). I book multi-stop trips in Italy, Spain, France and Portugal, for example, and a ton in Africa, which I am passionate about. I coordinate all flights, transfers, accommodations, dining, touring, spa bookings, etc., and create a detailed printed and digital itinerary.
All clients have to do is show up! I know my clients’ stories and travel style, so I can put real-life background details in the hands of my contacts at these amazing properties, who then upgrade, personalize and turn a great trip into an exceptional trip.”
Q. What are your levels of service?
“Hotel-only bookings are always complimentary. My One-Stop Itinerary service offers customized planning for one location. My Multi-Stop Itinerary service plans multi-destination trips (like touring Europe or exploring Asia). With both fee-based services, I take all logistics off my clients’ plate: flight coordination, transfers, curated excursions, dining and spa scheduling—with VIP perks. Anyissues during the trip, I handle! Use the link on my website to book a premier hotel, or I can offer recommendations and book hotels to get VIP perks you couldn’t get on your own!”
Whether you are a seasoned world traveler or embarking on your first truly elevated experience, Rinehart designs bespoke itineraries rooted in luxury, intention and the kind of high-touch detail that transforms a great trip into a life-defining one.
CourtnyRinehart.com | IG: @courtnyrinehart.
Courtny Rinehart, Luxury Travel Advisor
Knoxville native, University of Tennessee graduate, nurse anesthetist for ten years, mother to two babies, and veteran traveler to over 30 countries, Courtny Rinehart has over five years of experience as a luxury travel advisor. Her clients benefit from her personalized service and relationships with top hoteliers worldwide and trusted travel suppliers.
Courtny’s Top 5 to Explore
1. Sicily: Ancient, dramatic, wildly underestimated. Not just coastal Italy. The countryside is a can't miss!
2. Slovenia: Europe's most beautiful secret. Pristine, intimate, completely unspoiled.
3. Africa: Nothing compares. Nothing ever will.
4. Mallorca: Cliffside moments, cerulean water, rustic open landscapes. Helicopter wine tour, anyone?
5. Basque Country: Michelin stars, dramatic coastline, a culture entirely its own. One for the curious luxury traveler.