Washington · Pacific Northwest
A luxury travel agency serving Washington and the Seattle area
Exquisite Travel Group plans luxury trips for clients across Washington state. We are a registered California seller of travel (CST#2018558-40), and our Washington advisors work with families, couples and groups throughout the Puget Sound region and well beyond it.
We do not keep a storefront in Seattle, and we would rather say so than imply one. What we have instead is three advisors who live and work in Washington, hold board seats in the region’s own trade organisations, and plan the same destinations often enough to know them properly.
Advisors who help run the local trade
Three of our advisors hold officer positions in the Seattle travel industry’s own organisations. Shawn Van Der Putten is Secretary and Virginia Mackay is Treasurer of the Greater Seattle Chapter of ASTA, the American Society of Travel Advisors. Monica Hübinette is Secretary and Webmaster of Skål International Seattle. For an agency our size, three officer roles across both bodies is unusual, and it is not decoration — it is where a good deal of our supplier access and early information comes from.
- Monica Hübinette — Independent Travel AdvisorSecretary & Webmaster, Skål International SeattlePlans most often: Tahiti, Japan, Scandinavia
- Shawn Van Der Putten — Certified Travel Associate, Verified Travel AdvisorSecretary, Greater Seattle Chapter of ASTAPlans most often: Italy, France, Australia
- Virginia Mackay — Travel AdvisorTreasurer, Greater Seattle Chapter of ASTA
What our Washington advisors are certified in
Monica holds Master Japan Specialist, Certified Tahiti Specialist (level two), Certified Hawaii Destination Expert, Air Tahiti Nui Specialist, 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist and Aussie Specialist credentials. Shawn is ASTA Verified and a Certified Travel Advisor, with Italy, French Connoisseur, Certified Brit Agent, Aussie, Japan, New Zealand, Tahiti, Kenya and South Africa specialisms, plus accreditation with a long list of cruise lines.
Certifications matter less as badges than as evidence that somebody has done the destination training and been inspected on it. If you are going somewhere one of them has been certified in, you are getting advice from someone who has walked the properties.
How we plan for travelers flying out of Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International is one of the better long-haul airports on the West Coast, with nonstop service to a good spread of Asian and European cities. That changes the planning: where travelers from smaller airports have to route through a hub and lose a day, you can often go direct. It is one reason a Master Japan Specialist based in Washington is a more useful combination than it sounds.
The work itself covers Japan and the South Pacific, Italy and France, ocean and river cruising, Disney and family travel, destination weddings and honeymoons, safari, and fully custom itineraries.
Working with us from Washington
Most planning happens by phone, email or video, which is how the majority of our clients prefer it wherever they live. Your advisor is a named person you can reach directly, not a rotating queue.
Call (916) 757-6300 or email info@exquisitetravelgroup.com.
Areas we serve
Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Everett, Tacoma, Olympia, Bellingham, and the wider Puget Sound region. We also plan for clients across North America — our advisors are licensed through our California head office and work nationally.
Common questions
Do you have an office in Seattle?
No. Our office is in Roseville, California, and our Washington advisors work with clients across the state by phone, video and in person where it suits. We would rather say that plainly than imply a storefront we do not have.
Who would I be working with in Washington?
Monica Hübinette, Shawn Van Der Putten or Virginia Mackay, depending on where you are going. Monica is a Master Japan Specialist and a level-two Certified Tahiti Specialist; Shawn is a Certified Travel Advisor covering Italy, France and Australia.
Are your advisors involved in the travel industry locally?
Yes, at officer level. Shawn Van Der Putten is Secretary and Virginia Mackay is Treasurer of the Greater Seattle Chapter of ASTA. Monica Hübinette is Secretary and Webmaster of Skål International Seattle. Three officer positions across both organisations is unusual for an agency our size, and it is where a lot of our supplier relationships come from.
Do you charge a planning fee?
Yes, on some trips. We charge a planning fee for complex or bespoke itineraries and for airfare. Straightforward bookings usually carry no fee. Your advisor tells you which applies before any work starts, so there is no surprise at the end.
Is it cheaper to book with a travel agent?
Not always cheaper on the headline price, and anyone who promises otherwise is overselling. What you get is access to rates and amenities that are not published publicly, someone who has inspected the property, and a person to call when a flight cancels.
Are you a registered seller of travel?
We are. Our California seller of travel registration is CST#2018558-40.
