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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 175
Jellyfish
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Jellyfish
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 175 |
Travel at a leisurely pace (no limit on how long you have to explore a place) with enough money to take a taxi when you get tired, buy the thing you'd really like to take home no matter what it costs, and eat when you're hungry without looking for an inexpensive place. I hate fancy hotels. Used to have to stay in them from time to time when I was a research scientist in an area in which doctors did research too. You couldn't even go down the hall to the little ice room. You had to call (and pay) roomservice for every little thing. There was a beach, but you couldn't go through the lobby in beachwear, so you had to take a much more roundabout way or rent a dressing room on the beach, etc., etc. I've been on one cruise, my parents' 5oth celebration, and wanted more freedom to wander. I like using public transportation, except when I'm tired or carrying a lot. I like to try local cuisine, what the average local person eats.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,616
Koala
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Koala
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,616 |
I received a brochure in the mail yesterday about cruises and one section was on "luxury cruises" where there are less people booked per square foot, more elegant surroundings and upscale service. I had no idea that you could actually book a cruise that was extra luxurious!
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 368
Shark
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Shark
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 368 |
Right now my obsession is the Bahamas! I have seen so many Bahamavention commercials and i am hoping to book a trip to Nassau soon! I need to lay on the beach!
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,169
Parakeet
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Parakeet
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,169 |
Anyway, my idea of luxury travel is when everything works. When the service is discreet, unobtrusive and attentive. When the "infrastructure" is invisible...
It's not necessary that this cost a lot. And often it doesn't. But increasingly to get what we call "service", you have to pay...
I have to agree with Stephen. When I was a growing up, my family would stay at very inexpensive motels unless there was a 4 or 5 star hotel or resort in the area where we were going to be staying, in which case we would stay there because my parents wanted us to have the experience (and they enjoyed it too.) I think that Stephen has hit the nail on the head exactly as to the difference. We often stayed in the smaller and/or older rooms in the fine hotels (i.e. double bed two cots for us kids) but the sense of everything just working, the staff who could handle almost any request without turning a hair, and the staff's awareness of every guest, including the children, as a human with preferences and interest are all the signs of luxury to me, much more than any particular facility. My sister was very allergic to wool and down as a child - luxury hotels always had appropriate pillows and blankets for her within 5 minutes (so did a lot of the low end hotels - they were often family businesses where the owner worked the front desk and could do every job in the place.) Mid-range hotels had problems with things like that. I've found that you can often still get those touches at a very reasonable price at older hotels that were once considered luxury hotels but are now too small to get that label. Julie
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 83
Amoeba
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Amoeba
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 83 |
"Travel at a leisurely pace (no limit on how long you have to explore a place) with enough money to take a taxi when you get tired, buy the thing you'd really like to take home no matter what it costs, and eat when you're hungry without looking for an inexpensive place."
YES! That's luxury to me. Also, for most people in any situation, the ability to get away once in a while is a luxury in itself. It's more about the experience than how much it cost. I don't care if I was a multigazillionaire, I would not be interested in that $40K vacation package. I'd much rather find a really cool place and hang out with the locals and do what they do. And have the luxury to do it as long as I wanted before I moved on the next location. And never have to worry about getting back to work!
DJCNOR, maybe we should start a new thread and talk about the experiences we had in our travels?
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1 |
My ideal luxury vacation is when my husband can go about Fishing all day long, my kids can roam around the pool and playgrounds, drive around with their friends on golf carts, and I can relax at the Spa. I used to go to Ocean Reef Club down here in the Florida Keys, but I wanted something a little more exotic and more cultural for my kids. I want them to experience more and perhaps even learn a new language! My husband found a resort on some yachtforum, (funny how everyone in the family chats on forums ! ) which is where our perfect summers will soon take place! I love how its gated and the beach is right there, but my biggest concern really is the safety of foreign country and I have gone a few times down there and have never had a problem, I have also never heard a bad thing! Anywhoo, I wanted to let you all know my perfect luxury get-away, IslaMoin! check it out, its on the Caribbean coast, my husband gave me their website, its www.islamoin.com. I hope to see you and your kids all there! Ali Richards
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4 |
My idea of luxury travel, this is going to sound odd but, is first and foremost that the bathroom must be gorgeous, new, clean, with lovely little amenities that I will most likely not even use. For me, the standard of the bathroom affects my overall opinion of a hotel/resort! Secondarily but still very very important, is the quality of the room. Linens must be fairly new, ventilation must be excellent, cleanliness is obviously a must, and attention to design and decoration is essential. Of course, the quality of the resort/hotel overall must be really fabulous to qualify as luxurious. Lastly, luxury requires that I not feel stressed. If I am not helped with my bags, for example, and must carry them long distances - that's not luxury! Oh, I forgot - the demeanor and attitude of the hotel staff is really quite important when we're talking luxury...
ellencraig@sterlingtvl.com Luxury Travel and Italy Travel Expert
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2 |
Luxury is about marrying your interests and passions with travel to create life experiences that are priceless.
Check out this once in a lifetime travel opportunity, if you have ever wanted to live La Dolce Vita in Italy as an insider. Combine unique exclusive experiences with one of the hottest trends in travel today-Spiritual Travel for a personal Renaissance.
The Insider�s Italy Experience : September 30-October 12, 2007 A Privileged & Spiritual Odyssey with Inspirational Author and Motivator, Sheilaa Hite & Randi Winter, Travel Journalist and Passionate Travel�s Specialist in Inspired Pursuits.
Be immersed in the Florentine and Roman art, history and culture, and delve into Italy's artistic soul. Celebrate the true bounty of the harvest season with a special cooking class, a truffle hunt, wine, oil and chocolate tasting and much more. Wine and dine with the baron after we stroll the picturesque gardens at one of Tuscany�s most magnificent baronial castles just a few nights after we are guests at a private dinner party hosted by the Gucci family in their Florentine villa (joined by several of their interesting personal friends), as together we enjoy an unforgettable evening of wine, food, music and brilliant conversation. VIP access to top designers in fashion, jewelry and artisan products abound.
BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!
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