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What do you splurge on when you travel?

What do you splurge on when you travel?

Old Oct 30, 2014, 4:54 am
  #16  
 
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A decent and clean hotel. Holiday Inn Express or Hampton Inn is the low end for me, nothing cheaper than that.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 7:27 am
  #17  
 
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What do you splurge on when you travel?

We're all over the place depending on the destination, purpose, or family members involved. We do have a generally generous budget but it's hard to please everyone cost-effectively. We'll use points/miles to upgrade where we can and shift budget to splurge elsewhere.

I've used a lot of miles to upgrade many of our flights, but since family vacations are usually during peak travel periods even Y fares can be eye-popping (we've gotten group rates when enough of us go together) so premium cabin fares are usually out of reach.

Lodging depends on the experience we want. We've stayed in some high-end resorts and have also gone camping. When the resort is the point we spend what it takes to get that Booking.yeah! feeling and all the activities/experiences needed to please everyone at least some of the time. OTOH, I won't spend resort-level prices for an airport Hilton when a decent, reasonable Hyatt Place or 4 Points is available. (Shout out to 4P SMF!) However, it seems our camping/"Eco-lodge" experiences generate the most "remember when..." conversations so money doesn't always buy the best memories.

If the whole family is together we can only fit in a minivan (and I don't like driving Suburbans), but if it's a special weekend with one of the kids we let them choose their special (luxury/muscle/quirky) car.

I'm a foodie and will do what it takes to experience the best local, authentic, unique cuisines, but it's hard to find something everyone can agree on so sometimes we end up at the lowest common denominator so there's not always any point in spending extra for that. I am starting to get more of them to come around though.

As the kids have gotten older we're spending more on tours and other experiences that will really make the trip memorable. No point going somewhere and not understand what made it worth going there in the first place. However, when there's a lot of us we're not above asking for a group rate for what practically becomes a private tour.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 8:04 am
  #18  
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I'm like megalab...totally varies by trip.

My wife and I try to do a long weekend somewhere nearby (continental U.S.) a couple times a year. Depending on city, that could be a higher-end property within Marriott or Hilton, or it could be a higher-end B&B. On those trips, we always eat and drink well: not necessarily Michelin stars but whatever is best about the local food scene. (Our next trip - Portland in the spring - will probably include some food trucks, vineyards, and brewpubs.)

We go cheap on airfare on these short trips...no point wasting money on lousy domestic F on regional jets. Possible exception could be buying a United A fare for elite requalification purposes.

We always go cheap on the rental car. If I have elite status with Hertz or National we sometimes end up in a nice car via upgrade, but we aren't picky about it.

For bigger/longer trips, it varies by locale. In Europe, I'd much rather be in a midrange boutique hotel or B&B than a Marriott or Hilton. With the whole family, we're much more likely to try local markets or streetfood than a high-end restaurant. The larger the group traveling, the more likely we are to suck it up and fly coach to conserve miles for later trips.

Our biggest splurge is probably when my wife and I go to Asia by ourselves: then, it's gotta be premium cabin awards and hotels in the solid 4* range (St. Regis, Conrad, Starwood Luxury Collection, perhaps a very top-end JW or Renaissance, etc.). Haven't yet hit any of the world's true full five-star hotels, but certainly would be open to doing so on the right trip.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 8:14 am
  #19  
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Most often, spa services. Travel takes its physical toll, so a good massage or other spa services, especially at a "resort" destination, can be really, really nice. Those services aren't usually inexpensive, and they aren't something I would buy at home, but when traveling, they are a great reward.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 8:21 am
  #20  
 
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had an unprotected misconnection in rev J this week so replaced it with F award. dollars or miles, i wont fly longhaul economy.

food, dont put a budget to it. if its going in my body, why skimp. hawker. hole in wall. 1*. 2*. 3*. whatever's good's good.

everything else is negotiable
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 8:41 am
  #21  
 
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Hotel for combination of location and cleanliness. In certain situations I can't avoid the Travelodge/Super 8 level (if everything else is 2.5-3x the cost, don't be foolish), but if at all possible I'm gunning for at least a newer Fairfield or HI, preferably a SpringHill Suites or Residence Inn with places to eat/drink/buy said food or drink within walking distance. Huge bonus points if reliable mass transit is available too.

I've been traveling for a while to get where I'm going. I want to easily stock the fridge if I'm feeling antisocial, or walk over to somewhere that serves local beer and enjoy several of the bartender or waiter's recommendations with car keys safely locked away if I feel like going out.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 8:56 am
  #22  
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My splurge is to pay more for a hotel based on location - specifically, proximity to a performance venue (my leisure travel is 100% oriented towards attending performances).

I tend to always run late when getting ready, so having the venue a few steps away (such as Le Meridien a block from the Liceu in Barcelona or the Vier Jahreszeiten a block from the Nationaltheater in Munich or the Bristol across the street from the Staatsoper in Vienna) makes the additional spend worth it to me.

If not attending a performance, carefully-screened 3* and 4* are fine - no need for the over-the-top opulence of a 5*)
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 9:02 am
  #23  
 
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I pick flights with the least number of connections, always upgrade
to more comfortable seating and pick certain seats. If I find a route
that I like I will usually stick with it and try to avoid RJs

Typically I am flying out very early so do not ask for a ride but will
accept if co-worker offers. The alternative is a cab. My vehicle stays
tucked away in my garage at home.

At destination airport I always rent a vehicle. Will try to rent something
different each time. Last time it was a BMW, time before a Jeep 4x4.

Accommodations are chain hotels. I like a room with a fridge and where
I can get breakfast in the morning... no the Continental breakfast! But
sometimes it becomes a trade-off with being in a more convenient locale.

Food is nothing special but something I enjoy. I will not experiment
with new cuisine when traveling not being interested in developing
gastrointestinal issues when traveling. Ya, guess I am boring!

I have my preferences but do not really splurge on any one thing.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 9:21 am
  #24  
 
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HOOKERS !! (just kidding)

Traveling by myself for business - a decent hotel with a nice breakfast, usually pretty happy with HIX in the USA.

Traveling with family for vacation -- splurge on a very nice hotel with more amenities.

Food when I am on business -- healthy and at a decent price. NEVER EVER MCDonalds or fast food unless it is unavoidable.

Food with family -- usually good healthy food and more variety needed. No fast food even with kids unless we are really tired of the local stuff.

Flying on business -- Paid intl J and upgrade from Y domestic.
Flying with family -- usually J or F with mile.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 9:44 am
  #25  
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Originally Posted by anaggie
HOOKERS !! (just kidding)

Traveling by myself for business - a decent hotel with a nice breakfast, usually pretty happy with HIX in the USA.

Traveling with family for vacation -- splurge on a very nice hotel with more amenities.

Food when I am on business -- healthy and at a decent price. NEVER EVER MCDonalds or fast food unless it is unavoidable.

Food with family -- usually good healthy food and more variety needed. No fast food even with kids unless we are really tired of the local stuff.

Flying on business -- Paid intl J and upgrade from Y domestic.
Flying with family -- usually J or F with mile.
Awesome! I was gonna write "Hookers & blow", but didn't think that would be received very well. So I wrote "spa services".

Just kidding, of course. I do enjoy resort-level spa services if I can work them in during my travels. Sometimes just the back and neck massage places at the airport can be great.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 9:49 am
  #26  
 
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The only things I splurge on when I travel are for the unique experiences. Usually I pay the exorbitant admission fees, tour prices, etc. that are a part of the travel experience. I once paid 10 Euros for a quick 10 minutes at the Panorama Mesag in the Hague but that was worth it to me. I travel Y and really only need a bed and a shower so I don't pay for high-end accommodations. I typically only come back at night to sleep, take a shower in the morning, and am gone all day. After eating street food during the trip (usually in Europe, not in third world countries) I will splurge on a nice meal once in a while. Instead of one expensive trip I use the money to take several inexpensive ones.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 10:00 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by dchristiva
Awesome! I was gonna write "Hookers & blow", but didn't think that would be received very well.
You must have a lot of Delta SkyMiles from flying to Amsterdam so much.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 10:21 am
  #28  
 
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I follow two principles in splurging on travel:

First, being able to take more trips is my primary way of splurging. My wife and I enjoy multiple smaller, weekend or 3-day trips every year, plus at least 2 (and sometimes 3) longer trips. Many trips we plan at the last moment; we enjoy the flexibility and spontaneity. Making reasonable choices on each trip allows us to travel more.

Second, I always ask "If I pay more do I get more? (And is it something I value?)" There are countless ways to spend money without getting much in return for it. Feeling I'm wasting money is one of the biggest obstacles to my enjoyment. But that doesn't mean I'm cheap; it just means the cost has to be in line with the benefit to me. For example, I'm content to stay at an inexpensive but comfortable two-star hotel when I'm planning to all day touring or sightseeing somewhere else. But if it's a beach trip, I'll pay to stay in a nice resort on the beach because being steps from the sand is worth it to me.
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 11:10 am
  #29  
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extremely expensive accommodations (which is not about the "room")

airport VIP services (queue jump) are something im very interested in

Originally Posted by darthbimmer
if it's a beach trip, I'll pay to stay in a nice resort on the beach because being steps from the sand is worth it to me.
some properties even have beachfront villas, on the sand, with private pools etc

besides quality, two basic/fundamental factors in a property's entry price >
number of rooms - as number increases, revenue required per room decreases
amount of land the property occupies - including private islands, small and large

and of course what is included in the property's entry rate can vary dramatically

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Oct 30, 2014 at 1:21 pm
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Old Oct 30, 2014, 11:23 am
  #30  
 
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Food and shopping

I like to get a sense of what it's like as a local and these two areas achieve that yearning for me.

As for lodging, I start from 3 stars and up. I usually want a place to lay my head as I don't like to travel and stay in my room.
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