Costco is an exceptional company. Their reputation for value, customer service, and competitive pricing extends naturally into Costco Travel, and for many travelers, their vacation offers are genuinely compelling.
However, when it comes to multi-city vacations, the experience — and flexibility — can vary significantly depending on the platform. To understand those differences, we compared how Costco Travel and Tripmasters handle one of Europe’s best selling travel packages: Rome, Florence, and Venice.
Here’s what we found.
Costco Travel: Strong Value, Limited Multi-City Flexibility
Costco Travel appears to have recently de-emphasized multi-city vacation packages, shifting focus toward single-city getaways, limited pre-built itineraries, and fewer hotel choices per destination.
- Single hotel options
- Single-city getaway packages
- Limited pre-built itineraries
Searching for a Rome – Florence – Venice Package
Using Costco’s home page search, travelers are prompted to enter a starting city, add another city, and view available combinations.
- Rome + Florence did not appear as an available combination
- The only Italy combination shown was Milan–Venice–Rome.
- Each city offered only one hotel option, all from the Avani chain.
- No alternative hotels or layouts were available.
This made building a classic multi-city Italy vacation difficult and confusing.
Where the Package Actually Exists on Costco Travel
The Rome – Florence – Venice package does exist, but only if travelers:
- Click Europe
- Then select Vacation Packages
It did not appear under the Italy landing page, making it easy for travelers to miss entirely.
Costco Travel: Rome, Florence & Venice Package Details
Arrival: Rome – May 9
Travelers: 2
Includes:
- Hotels
- Train transportation between cities
Final Costco Travel Price
$5,166.24
for 2 travelers
Hotels Selected by Costco Travel
Rome
InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace
📍 Located on the iconic Via Veneto in central Rome approximately a 10-minute walk to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
Florence
Teatro Luxury Apartments – Starhotels Collezione
📍 Located in the Historic Centre of Florence within walking distance (about 15 minutes) of Piazza Santa Maria Novella and key sites.
Venice
NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa
📍 Located on the island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon a short boat (vaporetto) ride to Venice’s main island attractions.
Pricing the Same Trip with Tripmasters
Now let’s build the same Rome – Florence – Venice itinerary using Tripmasters – a platform designed specifically for customizable vacations and multi-city travel planning.
Key Differences in Hotel Selection
Florence
Palazzo Alfani al David Apartments
📍 Located in the heart of Florence’s Historic Centre, steps from Galleria dell’Accademia and within walking distance of the Duomo and Uffizi Gallery
Venice
NH Collection Venezia Grand Hotel Palazzo dei Dogi
📍 Located in Venice’s Cannaregio district along Fondamenta Madonna dell’Orto — a short walk to St. Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal.
Final Tripmasters Price
$5,029 for 2 travelers
That’s $137.24 less than Costco Travel — with a more conveniently located Venice hotel.
Booking Experience: Simplicity vs Struggle
Beyond price, the booking experience itself differed significantly.
Tripmasters Platform
- Easy to build multi-city vacations
- Many curated hotel options in each city
- Choices for different budgets and travel styles
- Clear visibility of routes, prices, and upgrades
- Designed specifically for customizable vacation packages
Costco Travel Platform
- Multi-city packages are difficult to locate
- Very limited hotel selection (one option per city)
- Complicated for travelers who already know exactly which cities they want
- Appears to prioritize single destination stays
Destination Variety: Another Key Difference
Tripmasters offers far more destinations worldwide than Costco Travel.
For example:
Tripmasters
- Extensive Asia travel packages including Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and more.
Costco Travel
- Limited Asia options, primarily Fiji and Tahiti.
- Often single-hotel stays rather than true multi-city itineraries.
For travelers seeking complex, international, or multi-stop journeys, this flexibility matters.
Final Takeaway: Which Is Better for Multi-City Travel?
Costco Travel remains a strong choice for:
- Single-city vacations
- Resort stays
- Travelers who want a pre-set, no-decision experience
Tripmasters is ideal for travelers looking for:
- Customizable vacations
- Multi-city itineraries
- Variety of hotel choices
- Easier booking flows
- Competitive pricing on best selling travel packages
Tripmasters delivers more flexibility and simplicity — and in this comparison, even a lower final price.
