What do you splurge on when you travel?
 

We all have different priorities when spending our money during travel. What are you willing to pay more for when travelling? Is it for a business/first class ticket? Stays at five-star hotels? Meals at Michelin-starred restaurants? Luxury car rentals? Or maybe you have enough money that you spend a lot on everything?

Given the large price difference between international economy/business/first fares, I've never paid for an international business class seat in my life. To get into business class, I've either used points or been upgraded by having purchased a nearly full-fare economy class ticket (Y or V). That said, I do splurge my Aeroplan points on business class seats rather than redeeming cheaper economy class ones.

I am particularly cheap when it comes to accommodation. I nearly always never stay at anything nicer than a Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express and I've even stayed at Red Roof Inns or gone camping when possible. I've only once or twice willingly paid for higher-end hotels such as Conrad or Sofitel.

Since I usually travel alone, I dislike going to high-end formal restaurants and I usually just have fast food for most trips.

The thing I place the most importance on when travelling is the car rental. I almost always try to get luxury (not sport) cars such as the BMW 7 series or the Porsche Cayenne. I am usually even willing to spend 2-3 times more than a full-size rate for a slightly nicer car such as a BMW 320i vs. Toyota Camry in New Zealand or a Mazda CX-9 vs. a Nissan Altima in Canada. All told, I probably spend more on a car rental plus gas than on hotels during most trips.

A decent hotel for one. I used to be "all I need is a bed" kind of guy but I'm not anymore. I want a chain hotel, preferably a Hilton. I also want a decent rental car...no Compacts and I want to eat well. I brown bag my lunch at home and then cook cheap dinners but when I'm on the road, I want good food and good drink.

Primarily lodging. However, it just has to hit an acceptability standard that isn't always defined by how many stars. I'm perfectly happy with a Hampton Inn and have been offended by cleanliness at 5-star hotels around the world. That said, I will occasionally splurge, within reason, when it's a good deal.

I'm a total tightwad when it comes to food when traveling. In fact, I'll eat at a McDonald's if that's quick and easy.

Don't generally buy premium cabin - work on my mileage accrual for upgrades and redemption awards in premium cabins.

I hire a limo to take me from home to the airport ($150, not all that much) and again on my return. I always fly business class and I stay in 5* hotels.

I'm happy to eat at food courts or chain restaurants. Sizzler and Pizza Hut are fine with me. So I don't splurge on food.

I like to splurge on a good restaurant with locals. I also enjoy trying the local mircrobrews(and going during happy hour leads me to great prices on appetizers and beers as well as meeting locals).

If I see a good bottle of wine or good chocolates then of course I won't turn them down.

I personally would not splurge on a Mc Donalds in another country. Just a waste of money in my opinion. I could get a better meal for less in my opinion.

When I'm in East Asia, I'll typically browse for electronics, and eat copious amounts of whatever looks good.

I don't splurge. The money I save by not splurging can be used for additional travel, as all my travel is leisure.

Everything. Money is for spending and I don't get much vacation time.

It's quite interesting how we travel so differently: I recently stayed at a Comfort Inn, and I felt that it was the bottom of the barrel for me in terms of accommodations -- I wouldn't want to stay at any place cheaper than that. If I can't stay at a 4- or 5-star luxury hotel when I travel [for vacation], I'd rather just stay home.

On the other hand, when it comes to car rentals, I try to avoid those as much as possible. When I must rent a car, I just get the cheapest (and preferably the smallest) car available. My target is US$25/day, including all taxes and fees. I very rarely am willing to pay more than that.

The place I am particularly cheap is when it comes to ground transportation. I loathe taxis and will take public transportation (luggage in tow) whenever possible. It's not unusual for me to hop off the metro or city bus and check into a Park Hyatt. ;)

Not even ones that serve beer?;)

Not cheap enough! I was checking in once and the guy beside me had walked with his luggage from Berlin Tegel Airport to the Wyndham Grand Potsdamer Platz (~6 miles)! :eek:

Agreed! Money only has one use and as you say it is for spending. Who wants to be the richest man in the graveyard?

I always buy cheap airline tickets well ahead of my travel time ( on respectable airlines though ).

When at my destination, I always use public transport, very rarely taxis ( I travel where public transport is good to excellent ).

I like to stay in nice hotels and am willing to pay for this ( often I buy well beforehand at a sale and therefore get a good deal on high end hotels ).

I like my food so there I am also willing to spend extra money - it depends on the destination though. Most places I visit are cheaper than at home so there I'll splash on food happily. But when in more expensive places, not so much. When going to Norway for example, I don't eat in fancy/expensive restaurants.
So some of my trips are what I call gourmet trips and some are not.
I am going to Prague in a few days time and Prague is definitely a gourmet trip for me and I am happy to spend a lot of money on food as I feel I get my money's worth.

Interesting discussion. For my part, I use money and miles for business or first-class esp on overseas flights. For one thing, it's worth it to me to get sleep on the way east so I don't lose a day recovering. For another, I'm 6'-4" and simply can't fit in coach seats anymore.

The other thing I really throw money away on is premium cruise lines. I've never even been on a mass-market cruise and should probably try it sometime!

On the other hand, I don't stay in top hotels, even though I like looking at their websites. The prices just shock me. It would be different if they floated to a new city overnight :)

Good choice of thread indeed. For me I will splurge on whatever is necessary to make the trip something memorable. I will often go to great lengths and costs to go somewhere simply because it is a destination I have yet to visit, and if I do then that is enough to get me excited about the trip.
If its yet another trip to the US then a cool hotel, exotic rental car or an out of the way routing all help to make the trip something a little more special.
Higher end food always seems to come further down the priority list.