Your guide to Affordable Luxury Travel
We are often asked what’s the best way to go on a luxury holiday without breaking the bank? The short answer is to look for deals and offers, but it’s hard to know if they really do have value and if what you are seeing is really the best price.
Affordable luxury travel doesn’t have to come from pesky in-your-face advertisements, from ‘24-hour flash sale, buy now before it’s too late’ to BOGO (buy one get one) offers, which may make you act upon them without really checking if they are as amazing as they seem.
Atlantis the Palm Dubai
Whether you want to jet off on a long-deserved beach holiday on the white sandy beaches of Barbados, or you are just looking for a romantic night or two away close to home. There is so much to choose from, especially with the likes of the next trendy destination on Instagram or Facebook. Below is a collection of helpful tips to make sure you are getting the ‘best bang for your buck’, with the last tip being our favourite.
Destination Dupes
Azores Islands
You may of heard of the phrase ‘Destination Dupe’ either it be through social media or from a article you saw online. Destination dupes are becoming increasingly popular as savvy travelers try to find better value in their destination. ‘Dupes’ have been popping up all over the world, with some making more of an impact than others.
With more and more countries jumping onto the rise in luxury travel across the globe it’s easy to see why some travellers may swap the original destination for them. Either it be for the affordable luxury travel you can get their from discounted beach villas to half price high-end hotels or or you are wanting a break from the normal holiday crowds these ‘destination-dupes’ are becoming increasing popular.
Popular ‘dupes’ include:
Swap Santorini for Patmos
Swap Hawaii for the Azores
Swap Dubai for Bahrain
Swap Tokyo for Kanazawa
Swap Phuket for Khao Lak
Swap Dubrovnik for Mostar
Swap Switzerland for Slovenia
Some of these destinations you will surely be missing a lot of the crowds along with the tourist inflated prices.
Miles and Points
Miles and Points Credit Cards
You have most definitely heard about them but maybe you are not sure where to begin, or you are telling yourself “I don’t fly enough” or “I will never get enough”. Let me tell you that every mile and point helps. Nearly every traveller you meet will be in some sort of miles and point program, you may even be in one and not realise. They are a huge part of travelling and are one of the best ways you can save while travelling in style.
Everyone probably knows about rewards credit and debit cards where you earn a certin amount of airline miles or membership points for every pound, dollar, etc you spend. But, what if I told you there was an even better way where you don’t even need a rewards credit or debit card, and not I’m not talking about flying…
British Airways Avios Shopping Portal Online Stores
Online shopping portals are the answer. This is undoubtedly our favourite way for you to receive points on items you were already going to buy, albeit online. Online stores such as eBay, Apple, Hotels.com, Asos and more all have their page with their respective amount of points earned. It’s simple, you sign up for the airlines or hotel loyalty program, find their shopping portal, click on your chosen brand, then click on their ‘shop now’ button and complete your purchase. You will be racking up points in no time. Just make sure to enable cookies on both sites.
Airlines and Hotel Programs which have an Online Shopping Portal:
British Airways (available in the UK and the US)
Air Canada (multiple countries)
Cathey Pacific (multiple countries)
And more!
Along side Shopping Portals there are many other ways to increase your miles and points balances. Miles and Points can be used on future hotel and flights, we recommend trying to maximise your points by aiming for business or first class flights so you can truly feel like a VIP.
p.s when booking a participating Hilton hotel with us you will earn double Hilton Honors points.
Deals and Membership Websites
Everyone likes a deal, especially if you are trying to make your money go further when travelling. Throughout the years deal websites and membership programs have sprung up allowing you to be notified when a deal becomes available this is done mainly through emails or in-app. You can even set notifications for deals at a hotel you are thinking about staying in.
Around the Globe Travels is apart of many hotel exclusive partnerships where you can benefit from free night offers as well as discounted rates when staying at luxury hotels or resorts. Other companies such as Luxury Escapes, Secret Escapes and even Groupon offer exclusive deals on high-end hotels and holidays, some of which do require a membership fee to join or to unlock the deals. These deals can range anywhere from 10% to even 60% off the standard rate, so it’s always worth a look.
Book in the off-season
New York City, USA in the off season
Leisure and weather-dependent travel destinations such as Greece, Dubai, Bali and more all what is known as an off-season or shoulder season, this is when it may not be the most ideal time to visit. This is mainly due to the weather, when it’s a nice 18-30°C (65-86℉) with daily sun and limited rain or clouds tourist numbers tend to double or triple compared to off-season travel dates. Due to this many luxury hotels and resorts offer substantial discounts on their peak season rates. You will still have the same quality of service though you may not have the best weather.
Travelling on a weekend compared to a weekday is also a big factor in price though this can be seen more in major cities such as New York, Tokyo or London, prices can sometimes double.
Popular Destinations Off-Seasons dates:
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha: ranging from mid-May to mid-September
Greek Islands: April - May and September - October, majority of resorts are closed in Winter
New York City: Weekday travel from January - March
Italy: October - April
Australia: June - August
Japan: January - Early March, weekday travel
Booking with a luxury travel advisor
Upgraded Hotel Room, Four Seasons Tokyo
Our number one tip to affordable luxury travel is to use a luxury travel advisor. Although sounding like it will cost more many are free to use and can also score you exclusive offers as well as VIP perks at no extra cost than if you were booking yourself. Plus they will also manage everything for you, from trip planning to 24/7 support.
VIP perks can often ‘even-out’ your accomidations rate, as perks can typically include $100 (hotel equlivent) credit, complimentary breakfast for 2, room upgrades and more.
Around the Globe Travels is a Luxury Travel Advisor and is a part of the many luxury programs hotels and travel brands around the globe.
How working with us works:
Tell us where you’d like to go, your desired hotel and travel dates. Or simply provide a destination, and we’ll suggest our top recommended hotels from our partners.
We get to work: We will look over our partners to find you the best deal, including VIP perks, upgrades and travel opportunities unavailable elsewhere.
For you, that means:
Getting a lower rate than the public rate
VIP perks often include:
Room upgrades
Food, drink & SPA credits
Flexible cancellation terms
Free breakfast
And more…
Booking: Once you are happy with the perks and rates we can get to booking, plus if you are a avid miles and points collector we can attach your loyalty number to the booking so you don’t miss out.