Things Worth Splurging on While Traveling
Planning a vacation often comes with one big question: what's actually worth the extra cost? While it's tempting to save wherever possible, some travel expenses can make a meaningful difference in your overall experience.
Whether it's choosing a hotel in the perfect location, investing in unforgettable experiences, or booking a more convenient flight, spending a little more in the right places can completely transform your trip. Here are travel splurges that are truly worth the investment.
A Great Hotel Location
You can always save on room size, but location is a different story. A centrally located hotel in a big city may seem as though it costs more up front, but it will actually save you more in the end. Having a well located hotel allows for easier commuting to the places you want to go. Rather than paying extra for taxis or longer transportation, if your hotel is conveniently located it is easier to walk to attractions, restaurants, and shopping.
This also allows for easier breaks during the day to stop back at your room to drop items off or even take a little break in your own space. Small luxuries like this add up and can completely change the trajectory of your trip. Location is the one thing you cannot change once you’ve booked.
Experiences Over Souvenirs
During your time on your trip you will have the chance to do many experiences no matter the destination. However there will also be lots of opportunities for souvenirs. Advice I always give to my clients is to prioritize the experiences. The memories created last a lifetime while the material items typically don’t hold as much importance. Travel is all about immersing yourself in a new environment, culture, and getting a break from your same everyday life. Doing experiences such as a boat tour, cooking class, guided city tour, or wildlife excursion are some of the best ways to fully embrace where you are and get to know the beautiful destination you have chosen to visit.
For years you’ll think about the time you did something amazing in a place you are thankful you had the opportunity to travel to, not what you bought. So choose the experience, you’ll thank yourself later.
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance isn’t exciting… until you need it. Of course no one ever wants to plan for the worst case scenario, but you also need to be prepared in case it does happen. Instances such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel and baggage delays, can be detrimental to a trip, but having extra coverage to make sure you are covered, is worth every penny.
Getting travel insurance is something many people look over, but unexpected emergencies happen all the time. Sudden illness for you or a family member, severe weather that causes a delay or cancellation of your flight, or a medical emergency while you are on your trip are all circumstances no one hopes to happen, but having travel insurance in place can help ease the stress of the situation. Allowing reimbursements for nonrefundable flights or tours, covering overseas hospital bills and medical flights back home, and reimbursements for food, lodging, and essential items. Potentially saving you thousands of dollars. Having the peace of mind that you are covered is the best luxury you can have.
Direct Flights or Better Flight Schedules
We’ve all experienced the inconvenient layovers before. The ones you have to run through the airport because you were only given 45 minutes to make it on your next flight or the ones you have to stay in the airport for hours on end. Neither is ideal and causes stress to your trip before it even gets started. Not to mention, if you are stuck inside the airport for hours you will inevitably buy food or items inside the airport which are not inexpensive.
Always opt for direct flights or manageable layovers that will make your flight easy and seamless. Though likely more expensive up front, you are able to enjoy more vacation time and less time in airports. This will give you a significantly better start and end to your trip and reduce travel fatigue.
When you work with a travel agent, we are able to look into different flights and flight schedules for you so you do not have to go through the hassle of looking into all of your different options and try to decide which would be the best for you and your needs. We handle that so you don’t have to!
The Room With The View
Imagine you plan the perfect trip in a beautiful location with views for miles on end, the transportation there is smooth, the weather is perfect, and you finally check into your room at the hotel or resort and your window is facing a brick wall or parking lot… not great. It’s as if the entire trip ends when you get into your room. Now imagine the same scenario, but you walk into your room and you see a large window with an incredible view of the ocean, or a vibrant jungle scenery. Changes the trajectory of the trip doesn’t it?
Choosing the room you stay in during your trip is much more important than people expect while booking their trip. You might think you want to save money by booking the cheaper room and skipping on the amenities, but where you stay and the room you choose is one of the most important decisions of the trip. When the room encapsules the energy of the rest of your trip it enhances your entire experience, makes downtime more enjoyable, and creates memorable experiences.
You could have a view of the ocean in Bora Bora, the skyline of your favorite city, or a mountain-view suite. So, are you choosing the wall or the view?
Private Transfers
After a long day of flights and travel getting to your destination, all you want is to finally take a break in the room you are staying in. However, some people don’t think about the final step of how to get there from the airport. You land in a place you are unfamiliar with, people are going every which way to get to their final destination and you have no plan on what to do next. Exhausting isn’t it?
This is what a private transfer helps with. No scrambling, no stressing, and no decision fatigue on what is the best option. With a private transfer you are able to schedule everything before you arrive, your driver is expecting you or your group and the chaos is quieted. I always recommend private transfers to my clients especially in places where transportation can be chaotic, expensive, and hard to navigate, taking the stress off of you and the people you are traveling with.
Private transfers are not only for airport to hotel either, many people will also use them for traveling between cities, to a port for a cruise, and much more. Anytime you need a ride and don’t want to go through the hassle of finding a taxi or rideshare or want something more private and personalized this is the way to go.
Nicer Seats on Long-Haul Flights
The start and end to your trip are just as, if not more, important than the trip itself. This sets the tone on the way there and leaves you feeling the best after it’s done. This is especially true when your trip is somewhere that takes over six hours on an airplane to get to. Flights to places such as Europe, Africa, or Southeast Asia can take a lot out of a person, this is why upgrading your seats can make a world of a difference.
Shorter or domestic flights are usually pretty doable with about any seat you choose, however once you get into a lengthy flight, you will thank yourself for doing the upgrade. Whether that upgrade is premium economy or business class, it makes all the difference to starting your trip off feeling refreshed and ready to go. These upgrades offer amenities such as extra leg room, a lie-flat seat, or better meals, allowing you extra comfort and to fully allow you to prepare for your trip or relax on your way home.
What a Travel Advisor Can Help With
It might feel complicated to choose where to spend your money in a way that gets you the best results for what you are looking for. That is where a travel advisor comes in. I am able to help you get the most cost-effective trip possible, saving where upgrades are not necessary while making sure you still experience the best parts of your journey. Whether you are planning a honeymoon, a solo adventure, or a group getaway, I take the guesswork out of the process so you can focus on actually enjoying your trip.
From the planning stages all the way through your final day, I am here to make sure every dollar you spend works in your favor. No more second-guessing, no more endless research, and no more wondering if you made the right call. Just a well-planned trip built around what matters most to you.
Ready to start planning? Let's connect.