Whether you want to celebrate a special birthday or anniversary or you’re simply giving yourself a long-deserved reward, when you go on a luxury vacation, you want everything to be just right. After all, you are paying top dollar for the experience. However, even terrific surroundings and top-notch staff can’t save a vacation for you if you haven’t done the right kind of planning. The tips below can help ensure that you plan in a way that gives you the experience you expect.
Know Your Budget
The first step is to know your budget, so you’ll understand what options are within your reach. This will also mean you don’t have to undercut your expectations. It might turn out that you have more money to spend than you expect. If there’s an option that really appeals to you and your budget won’t cover it, you could always take out a personal loanfrom a private lender. For a trip this important, it may be worth it to you to borrow some cash to make sure it’s possible.
Define Luxury
One thing you may want to consider is exactly what luxury means for you. What are your priorities? Luxury looks different across the board, incorporating luxuries into your home, for example, differs from incorporating them into a travel itinerary. Is it first class airline tickets, fine dining, five-star hotels or shopping at the most exclusive stores? Maybe it’s all those things, but for many people, luxury will be more important in certain areas than others. By pinpointing what is really important to you, you can make sure you use your money strategically to get the very best experience without wasting it on elements that aren’t important to you.
Consider Your Objective
Another thing to think about is your purpose on this trip. Do you want to relax and rejuvenate, or are you looking for nonstop adventure? You might be looking for a high-end yoga experience or something that is both luxurious and sustainable. Maybe you’re hoping to reconnect with your spouse on a romantic getaway, or maybe this is all about going away with your friends or on your own. Be sure that you choose the vacation that fits your objective. You should consider your travel style as well. Are you an all-inclusive type of person, or do you prefer to book the various components of your trip separately?
Start Planning
Only once you’ve done all of the above should you really start planning. Of course, you might have been planning as you go. In fact, if you are struggling with deciding what luxury means to you and what your objective is, a great way to figure that out is by researching, reading others’ accounts online and perhaps saving photos of places that appeal to you. However, whether you’ve already done a lot of research or none at all, it’s time to start making some concrete plans.
Be sure to check social media, online forums and review sites to learn more about the places you’re considering, but at the same time, keep in mind that reviews are subjective. Look for consensus rather than focusing on any one person’s opinion. Talking to others about your trip might also open up possibilities you hadn’t considered.
Make the Leap
The danger in the previous stage is getting stuck on endless planning. It’s great to find out about hidden gems, but if you aren’t careful, this can turn into overplanning or indecision. You can become paralyzed if you convince yourself that because you are spending a lot of money, every moment of your vacation has to be perfect. If you think back on the experience you’ve enjoyed the most, perfection probably wasn’t a requirement. If you do your planning with your genuine priorities in place, you will have a good time even if everything does not go exactly as you expect.
Carol
Information sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
