Daria Westerfield of River Oaks Travel Agency: Travel + Leisure A-List Advisor 2022

Our travel agency has exciting news! We are proud to announce that our very own Dasha Westerfield has been named a Travel + Leisure Top Travel Advisor!

Travel + Leisure’s 20th annual A-List is highly selective and exclusive – advisors are named to this prestigious list based on their high degree of travel expertise, global connections, and insider access. Every year, Travel + Leisure editors evaluate hundreds of travel advisors to showcase the best travel professionals in the business. To be nominated for inclusion is itself a major achievement, so we’re thrilled for Dasha to be named to the list for 2022!

What sets our offerings apart from those of other travel specialists?

While the tangible benefits of working with us are wonderful (think perks like having breakfast included, complimentary upgrades, and more) the intangible benefits are what really make us shine! When working with clients we put together insider experiences customized to their personal interests. These range from tickets to sold-out events and coveted dining reservations to visits to iconic sites, often with a twist such as early access or even private visits. While it’s easy to check a city off your bucket list, we like to find ways for clients to experience destinations through off-the-beaten-path experiences that allow them to experience the local lifestyle.

Are you ready to work with the best of the best in travel? Our travel specialists are here to help make your return to travel unforgettable whether you’re traveling near or far. Contact us below or fill out our Let Us Plan Your Trip form, and a member of our Houston travel agency will be in touch!

Daria Westerfield

Dasha has been working in the travel industry for more than 30 years, and while COVID-19 regulations and restrictions are certainly new, handling the complex logistics involved in travel is something she is very familiar with. “Since my travel career began in Russia for inbound leisure travelers, government officials, and foreign dignitaries, navigating through bureaucracy and the complications of entering and exiting is second nature to me,” she says. “Moving to Houston 22 years ago allowed me to open my own travel agency where I could take my logistical expertise and apply it towards concierge-level service for our clients.”

While navigating travel logistics is a key component of travel planning, Dasha offers even more benefits to our travelers – from arranging unique experiences and personally-vetted guides, to upgrading clients and adding amenities at the finest hotels around the world. Her thorough approach to travel planning ensures that every trip is flawlessly designed and customized to your own unique style, and is one of the many reasons why she was named to the Travel + Leisure A List for 2022.

Start Planning Your Trip

Ready to work with the best of the best in travel? Our travel specialists are here to help you make your next trip unforgettable, from a quick weekend getaway in Texas to a bucket list African safari. Contact us below or fill out our Let Us Plan Your Trip form, and a member of our Houston travel agency will be in touch!

Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist Post

River Oaks Travel Agency: Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists 2021

Our travel agency has exciting news! We are proud to announce that River Oaks Travel has been named Top Travel Specialists by Conde Nast Traveler!

This highly selective list recognizes the top travel experts around the world, highlighting those with the highest degree of personal expertise, knowledge, and global connections needed to create exceptional travel experiences. As stated on the Conde Nast Traveler’s website, specialists (like those at River Oaks Travel!) are the ones to call to pull off the impossible and spare you the logistics.

To be named to the Conde Nast Traveler’s Top Travel Specialists 2021 List is an incredible honor, one that means even more to us this year as we help our travelers navigate planning in the age of COVID-19. We’ve always believed that our expert travel agency team is the best in Houston, and we’re thrilled to receive this recognition!

What sets our offerings apart from those of other travel specialists?

While every advisor at our travel agency is an expert in creating custom vacations, we are proud to have two in particular featured as Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists for 2021!

Dasha Westerfield Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist

Daria Westerfield

“In terms of tangibles, I offer my clients negotiated rates and additional perks, ranging from breakfast included to unique complimentary excursions. Some are a result of my membership with the Virtuoso consortia, while others I’ve personally negotiated with long-term travel partners around the world.

However, it’s the intangibles that I feel set me and my company apart. When designing a trip, I can offer clients superb travel guides (most personally vetted by myself and my team) and insider experiences, ranging from sold-out event tickets and sought-after dining reservations to after-hours tours at museums and exclusive access to fashion hours.

More than that, I also try to combine iconic sightseeing with experiences unique to the destination. Anyone can check a city off their bucket list, but life-changing trips come when travelers allow me to take them to spots off-the-beaten-path where they can truly experience the local lifestyle.”

Conde Nast Listing

Samantha Collum

“Before entering this industry, my background was in biochemistry and scientific research – while very different from travel planning on the surface, the analytical, meticulous and curiosity-driven skills translate surprisingly well to my role as advisor. For example, two couples could reach out with identical trip requests for a Hawaii honeymoon, but my methodical discovery phase allows me to dive into their interests to produce two very different vacations.

Wherever possible, I also like to split stays across different hotels and islands and add a unique spin to a classic activity – like turning a Kauai day hike request into an overnight glamping experience with visits to Hawaiian ruins and petroglyphs. I’ve seen many advisors and tour operators force requests into “cookie cutter”-like itineraries, but I’d rather expend the extra time and effort to create an experience that is one-of-a-kind.”

Conde Nast Listing