Shop Small: Support Family-Owned Hotels When You Travel

When we talk about “shopping small,” it’s easy to picture local boutiques and coffee shops. But some of the best small businesses in the world are the family-owned hotels and women-owned travel agencies that quietly make your trips unforgettable.

Think of IslandLuxe Resorts, a hand-picked collection of soulful Caribbean and Bermuda properties that feel like a second home, not just a room number. Or Querido, a global portfolio of family-owned hotels where you’re often greeted by the owners themselves and wrapped in that “you’re part of the family now” kind of hospitality.

This Small Business Saturday, here are a few ways to shop small with your stays:

1. Choose family-owned hotels on purpose

Instead of defaulting to the biggest name you recognize, look for independent, family-run properties and collections:

• IslandLuxe Resorts in the Caribbean & Bermuda (think Hermitage Bay in Antigua, Harbour Village in Bonaire, Cap Maison in St. Lucia, and more).

• Querido’s collection of “cherished” family-owned hotels across Europe, Mexico, Morocco and beyond from lakeside icons on Lake Como to tucked-away beach retreats and wellness hideaways.

Your stay directly supports real families, long-time staff, and local communities—not a faceless conglomerate.

2. Remember: How you book matters

A little industry secret: big online travel agencies like Booking.com/Hotels.com often take 15–25% (or more) of the room revenue in commission from hotels.

That’s money that could have gone into:

• Staff wages and training

• Better maintenance and renovations

• Welcome amenities and special touches for you

When you book through a small travel business like Trip Whisperer Agency, you’re:

• Supporting a small business (me 👋) and the hotel

• Getting a real human who knows your travel style

• Often unlocking added perks like breakfast, upgrades when available, hotel credits, and VIP recognition—at the same or better rate you see online.

It’s a win-win… and less money in Bezos & big-platform pockets.

3. Ask for “values-aligned” stays

If sustainability, community, or wellness matters to you, say so. Many family-owned hotels quietly excel here but don’t shout about it like big brands do. Querido in particular focuses on properties where heritage, culture, and a genuine sense of home are woven into the stay.

A good advisor will match you with places that fit your ethics as much as your aesthetics.

4. Treat your travel advisor like your “hotel sommelier”

You wouldn’t choose a special bottle of wine purely by algorithm; you ask someone who knows the cellar. Same idea here. As a small advisory, I:

• Know which Caribbean beach hideaway is right for you (romance vs. multigenerational chaos vs. friends’ trip).

• Understand which Querido property is best for a first-time Italy trip vs. a wellness reset in Portugal or a chic escape in France.

• Can coordinate flights, transfers, and experiences, so it all feels seamless—not something an OTA can do from behind a chatbot.

5. Leave love where it counts

When you stay at a family-owned property:

• Use their bar, spa, and restaurant instead of defaulting off-property every night.

• Leave detailed reviews that mention staff by name.

• Share their story online and tag both the hotel and your advisor—it helps more than you know.

You’re not just “content”; you’re fuel for their next season.

Ready to shop small with your next stay?

If you’d like your next Caribbean escape or European adventure to support family-owned hotels and a small travel business email me “Shop Small Hotels,” and I’ll match you with a family-owned stay that fits you perfectly—plus the perks and VIP treatment you won’t get from a booking engine.

We’ll keep the soul of travel and the dollars in the hands of the people who pour their lives into welcoming you.