A private travel advisory, based in Miami.
Richard Barningham founded Palmé Travel to plan trips the way he spent over a decade watching them unfold, from inside the industry. Based in Miami. Working with clients across the country.
The short answer: Palmé Travel is a Miami-based private luxury travel advisory and an affiliate of Fora Travel. Richard Barningham books preferred-partner stays at the world's finest hotels: upgrades, daily breakfast, property credit and recognition on arrival, at the same rate as booking direct. For clients who want more than a room, Palmé also designs full itineraries, leg by leg.
Why Miami travelers use an advisor
Miami is where a lot of international trips begin and end. The connections to Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean are among the best in the country, and the clientele here is used to high standards. What people are usually missing is not the appetite, but the time: time to vet properties, chase upgrades, hold rooms while plans firm up, and reach a human at the hotel when something changes two days before a flight.
That is where an advisor earns the engagement. We take the planning off a client's calendar, use preferred-partner relationships to secure perks that are not available through online portals, and stay reachable while the trip is in motion. For South Florida clients who prefer to meet in person, Miami is home base. For everyone else, planning happens by phone, email or video, and the trip is just as considered.
Two ways to work with Palmé
Palmé Hotel Coordination
For the stay you've already chosen. Palmé places the booking as a preferred partner, at the same rate as booking direct, and layers in the perks: upgrades when they are there to give, daily breakfast, property credit, early check-in, VIP recognition.
Palmé Trip Editing
Full itinerary design across every leg of the trip. Properties, reservations, transfers, restaurants, guides and activities, sourced first-hand or through trusted contacts in-country. One contact for everything, on-trip support if plans shift.
The 16 hotel programs we work with directly
Preferred-partner access through Fora, with Virtuoso membership. The rate is the same as booking direct. The perks come with the relationship.
- Four Seasons
- Rosewood
- Mandarin Oriental
- Belmond
- Relais & Châteaux
- The Peninsula
- Dorchester Collection
- Rocco Forte
- Shangri-La
- Leading Hotels of the World
- Small Luxury Hotels
- Hilton Impresario
- Hyatt Privé
- IHG Destined
- Marriott STARS and Luminous
- Virtuoso
How working together goes
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i.
The Conversation
Reach out and tell us about the trip. A short call or a few details on the form is enough. It is free, unobligated, and we won't suggest something that isn't right for you.
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ii.
The Drafting
We handle it. Bookings, confirmations, special requests, all of it. Every detail coordinated and confirmed before you depart. Nothing is included just because it was easy to include.
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iii.
The Trip, and What Follows
You travel with everything in one place, and us on call if anything comes up. We stay attentive to what comes next, often before you've thought to ask.
Questions clients ask first
Do I pay more booking through an advisor?
No. We book at the same published rate the hotel offers direct, including BAR, AAA, member rates, or any promotional rate the hotel is running. The commission is paid by the hotel, not by you. The preferred-partner perks sit on top.
How is this different from Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts?
Similar perks on paper. Very different trips in practice. Amex FHR is self-service: you pick the hotel, book through the portal and manage the stay yourself. Working with an advisor means a named booking source placing the request with the hotel's VIP team ahead of your arrival, with context: anniversary, a sea view mattered last time, the corner suite on the fourth floor is quieter. For a one-night layover at a major chain, Amex FHR works. For a multi-night stay, a special occasion, or anything where the room assignment matters, an advisor earns their keep. Read the full comparison →
Do you work with clients outside Miami?
Yes. Most of the planning happens by phone, email or video, and Palmé works with clients across the United States and internationally. Being Miami-based is convenient for South Florida clients who want to meet in person, but it is not a requirement.
Do you plan group travel and executive retreats?
Yes. Palmé designs executive retreats, corporate off-sites, incentive travel, and multi-generational family celebrations. Reach out with the group size and dates and we will discuss what is possible.
How far ahead should I book?
For peak dates (major holidays, European summer, ski weeks) and the hardest-to-get rooms, three to six months ahead is ideal. For most trips, four to eight weeks gives us enough runway to secure the right rooms and layer in the perks. Last-minute is often possible, with a trade-off in choice.
What's the difference between Palmé Hotel Coordination and Palmé Trip Editing?
Hotel Coordination is for the stay you've already chosen. We book the hotel for you, at the same rate as booking direct, and add the preferred-partner perks on top. No fee. Trip Editing is for everything else: properties, reservations, transfers, restaurants, guides, activities, sourced first-hand or through trusted contacts in-country. The two can be combined.
Tell us where you're going.
A short conversation is where every trip starts. Reach out with a few details and we will take it from there.
Book with Palmé