pinniped

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.