Boutique Travel Experts - London

Sylvie M.

I've just come back from THE most fabulous trip to Brazil, organised by Boutique Travel Experts ('BTE') and I felt compelled to sing their praises. They have already won multiple awards but I can now totally understand why.

I originally stumbled upon this company by doing a search on the internet and instantly loved the look and feel of their website. Beautiful prose and exquisite photos ~ I am very visual and outstanding photography is a big draw for me. I also loved the fact that BTE wanted to promote the lesser known side of Brazil and didn't settle for the more 'classic' tours. I wanted to work with someone who would be as excited as I was about exploring a lot further afield and I certainly found a kindred spirit in Elena, the Director.

The pousadas she promoted were very quaint and so different from the clinical aspect of the chained-brand hotels ~ all of this really appealed to me. From day 1, Elena was very approachable and very quick to respond to my queries ~ often late at night too, bless her - which you won't get from the bigger travel agencies who stop trading at 6pm.

I had already done a lot of research on what I wanted to see but she had first hand knowledge of the destinations I was interested in, having lived in Brazil for several months herself. She really understood the logistics involved in making my dreams come true (another big brownie point ! ;).

I wanted to spend 1 week in Jalapao and 1 week in Lencois Maranhenses and she worked with my budget, without compromising on the 'boutique' aspect that I so valued. She patiently sent me MANY drafts until we had reached the perfect itinerary... and then she kept in touch practically every day I was in Brazil, checking that everything was running smoothly. Now....considering that she lives in France and that I was 5 hours behind, time-wise, it was no small feat and showed quite a lot of dedication to her clients' satisfaction. This kind of service was something that I had never experienced before as most travel agents stop all contact once they have made the sale, right ? (and I may add here that I have already visited 82 countries, so I have dealt with a LOT, a LOT of travel agencies... so, when I say that BTE is of the highest calibre, trust me, it means something).

Also, the local contractors that BTE partners with were absolutely fantastic, very welcoming and caring ~ my cousin & I felt pampered throughout. Yes, private tours are more expensive, but what you get out of them is SO much more special: you can go at your own pace, ONLY focus on what you want to maximise your time and keep on tweaking things if your local guides make further suggestions based on our particular interests.

I know that Elena personally vetted all these partners and checked their work ethics ~ which was really important, especially in the North East, as so few foreigners go there !

I could go on & on but you get the gist of it... In depth knowledge + on-going dedication = BTE has exceeded my wildest expectations 🙂

I'm not planning to deal with any other travel agent from now on... 2nd best won't do anymore 😉

Sau T.

I rarely leave bad reviews but felt I had to warn others about this company.

I am a full time wheelchair user and had requested for a quote for a tour. It takes me a while to look into things and check accessibility to make sure I can manage a trip, but Elena was being persistent and pushing for an answer (even though the trip was over 6 months away). I decided not to go with this company so politely declined. This is the response I received, which I found unprofessional:

"I just know very clearly that I won't take requests like yours in the future. You did waste my time. And there were so many red flags from the very beginning that this was going to be like this. For you it is just receicing receiving receiving free information - for us it is responsability, coordination on many layers, with many many many actors, making sure to check, check check check. I should have charged you from day 1. So enjoy the free information you got."

I would not recommend this place as you shouldn't feel pressured into booking anything unless you're happy and sure of it. This response just shows what kind of company this place is.

Tim P.

We used Boutique Travel Experts for a 3 week trip to Brazil and we could not recommend them more highly. Elena was fantastic throughout and always available to deal with any issues (particularly important in Brazil where English is not that widely spoken and we did not speak Portuguese!). The itinerary she created was bespoke and all of her suggestions were thoughtful and catered to our needs. We will definitely use Elena and BTE again in the future!

Ramona

Beyond expectations!
From the very beginning when we started inquiring about Brazil, the service was prompt and professional.
We already had in mind some places we wanted to see, the Amazon Rainforest, the Pantanal, the Roraima, some of the local tribes, but were surprised to find out about so many more wonderful sights we never knew existed, such as the Chapada dos Veadeiros or Chapada Diamantina. With their suggestions and in-depth expertise, our itinerary turned out incredible. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to explore, Brazil is such a massive and diverse country, would love to see more of it some time in the future.

A huge thank you to Elena for organizing such a memorable holiday for us! Her knowledge is outstanding, and she was always very friendly and accommodating of our needs. It's great to see people who are passionate about what they do, and her travel dedication really shines through. Thank you for all the tips and help, before and also during the trip, Elena!

Everything went smooth every step of the way, we had a wonderful, hassle-free holiday. Would definitely recommend Boutique Travel Experts to all my family, friends and colleagues, and will definitely be using them again.

Mits &. S.

We travelled on an epic 42-day tour of Brazil visiting Florianopolis, Rio, Ilha Grande, Paraty, Bonito, Pantanal South, Salvador, Fernando de Noronha, Recife, Lençóis Maranhenses, Manaus and the Amazon. The trip was organised by Elena and she was amazing. The organisation and communication throughout the trip was excellent and the advice that she provided before the trip was invaluable. We are so grateful to her for helping us organise this trip and explore so much of Brazil. Through the trip we have seen some amazing things: spotting a jaguar in the Pantanal, visiting crystal clear, secluded beaches in Paraty, drift snorkelling along a turquoise blue river, seeing beautiful lagoons amongst white sand dunes in Lençóis Maranhenses just to name a few. Thank you for an amazing trip!

Wija O.

I booked a trip through Boutique Travel Experts (BTE) to Chapada dos Veadeiros in Brazil. I was pretty late with my booking, but Elena made everything happen. Even in the short timeframe that was available, she created a wonderful trip and everything was really well organized. The communication skills of Elena are exceptional - I never worried about a thing, and she provided me with a relaxed feeling prior travelling to Brazil. The experience in Brazil, with the contracted staff, was amazing. Local experts who provided me with a real and authentic flavour of what Chapada has to offer - and this is a lot. I had many magical moments and in the end I did not want to go home. Therefore I give BTE my highest recommendation.

FashunFit H. C.

My family and I booked a trip through Boutique with Elena last year. She goes above and beyond all expectations for creating something very special for her clients. I found her on IG first and she helped me with visa questions, even going so far as to call the consulate in Brazil for us. Amazing!
She created a once in a lifetime trip to the Amazon. She was kind, quick, and has wonderful expertise in the area.
Elena is very thoughtful about who is traveling. We had our daughter with us in Brazil and she planned things based on that. So thoughtful and thorough. I give this company my highest recommendation, they travel extensively themselves to bring you the very best personal and authentic experience in Brazil.
We lived in Salvador, Brazil for four months in 2019. Elena went above and beyond when we all got sick and had to change travel plans, she was amazing! Know that you are choosing a very good service with Boutique Travel Experts!
(My family lives in the United States)

Yevheniia H.

It was the first time my boyfriend and I decided to plan our trip not on our own but via the travel agency. Absolutely knowledgeable and extremely friendly colleague from Boutique Travel Experts facilitated the whole process of our travel: from planning to booking everything precisely. Also, the recommendations of which locations to visit, which transportation to take, and other aspects of travel routine were suited to our needs and budget. Once again, thanks for the great service! We would definitely reach out to this agency when planning our next vacation:)