When traveling in luxurious fashion, it is easy for us to get lost in the moment. This is especially true when we're not paying a penny for it due to redeeming our credit card rewards. After having used points to stay in a few luxury hotels in Dubrovnik, Croatia and Dubai, U.A.E. worth several thousand dollars, we found ourselves muttering a terrifying phrase over and over again: "I could get used to this." It wasn't until after we left that we realized how wrong we were, because those luxurious properties always have a few hidden downsides other than the astronomical pricing that we just cannot get over.
So while we would love to continue traveling like millionaires, which we're obviously not, we do not see it being in our future anytime soon. The following are some of the main reasons why.
Sometimes the Staff Are Clueless
As much as a highly paid front-desk staff, concierge, and other amenities only offered by luxury hotels is nice to have, they can still be somewhat clueless to our needs.
If I want restaurant recommendations, reservations, or even to send someone on an errand to buy me an item, the floor staff at a luxury property are wonderful. But for us, we hardly ever use this type of service.
If I have a question about a local bus to a nearby destination that none of the clientele ever travel to, well, we may have some issues there.
Our recent stay at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah had this funny occurrence, where no one at the front desk or concierge desk could tell us about the bus to Muscat, Oman which departs several times a day. Everyone was being quite honest with us and could only say "this is the first time I've ever heard that such a bus exists."
But when you consider the type of traveler that stays at a $500/night+ resort, my guess is they won't be on the $15 bus to Oman like we were when a comparable plane flight was only $100 and 1/6th the time.
Simple Charges Add Up
Ever want to pay $8 to have one shirt cleaned or $2 for a local phone call? Or how about $3/hour for wifi or $20 per person for breakfasts?
The "simple" charges that luxury hotels pass on their guests often border on the ludicrous, and the above are some of the ones we've actually seen during our travels in the last few months.
So while that $400/night room does look amazing, you may need to add on another $100 in charges to really get it on the same page as the budget hotel that includes laundry, wifi, and free breakfast.
The next time I get charged $2 to make a local phone call, as we unknowingly did in Dubai, I'm going to flip out.
We Cannot Get Any Work Done
For some reason, and maybe this is just me, being surrounded by luxurious amenities kills my desire to work.
Those blog posts I was thinking of putting together? That'll have to wait until the next city. Our new features that have been in the works for months? No thank you, there is luxury to enjoy!
Something about staying in a luxurious resort, with more amenities than we're used to, makes us not want to do any work at all. We spend so much time appreciating the finer things that we sometimes forget that we still need to do all the other requirements of the job that we created for ourselves.
Drinking a free alcoholic beverage on a 35th floor patio overlooking a fine beach does not inspire a great work ethic, no matter how long we keep staring at the computer screen while doing it.
This is fine in moderation, of course, but we enjoy our basic rooms as there are no other amenities to distract us when we really need to settle down and get some work done.
But There Are a Few Things We Love
Although the above reasons are some of the negative points we have to consider when talking about luxury travel, we cannot be fair without mentioning two that may convince us to change our minds in the future.
Let's Talk About the Beds
Have you ever slept on a really nice hotel bed? With down pillows and fluffy sheets? How about a room with blackout curtains that makes it completely dark to the world no matter what time of day it is?
Yeah, that is our favorite.
After several months sleeping in beds with a cheap feature thrown in, such as a great mattress but poor pillow, or wonderful pillow and tiny blanket, a luxury resort knows where to make up for it.
So for having month after month of cheap private rooms and dorm beds with snorers and drunk people clamoring about at 3am, having a room that allows us to sleep comfortably until 10am without interruption is like a gift from heaven.
Of course, it is good until you realize you slept 13 hours and missed half the day.
Sometimes you need to be okay with that.
A good bed is worth it.
The Executive Lounge
The first time we walked into the lounge at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik, my jaw almost fell to the floor.
There was no attendant in sight, a table full of liquor, and people were walking up to it pouring themselves drinks for free. Not just beer or wine (which is common in many lounges), but a full array of top shelf liquors and mixers.
Add in an incredible spread of food that would take the place of most dinners, and you have a great place to be at the end of the day while watching the sun go down over a gorgeous view. Repeat this in the mornings for a full buffet breakfast, and you have one perk that we do not want to let go of very easily.
But there is a practical reason for us liking the lounge other than the fact that there is a lot of food and free alcohol. It saves money. Every property we've stayed at that offers free breakfast and snacks during happy hour have cut our food bill considerably and saved us well over $100 each stay.
That is something I cannot complain about in the slightest, but if I'm ever paying several hundred per night I would expect it to be a common feature. My money has to go somewhere after all!
But We'll Probably Never Get There Full-Time
Although we are big fans of the luxury travel lifestyle, we do not see it being included our travel plans in the near future. No matter how much we like staying in a fancy place, with beautiful views, excellent amenities, and a nice bed, we cannot justify the cost.
Places that are $200, $300, $500, or even $700/night are incredibly hard to pay for when a basic room we will also enjoy is only $20 to $40/night. This is especially true in places where a small increase in our budget, even just $5-$10/night, allows for an upgrade far beyond the normal style we're used to.
So would I rather spend an extra $30 or $500 for a luxurious three night stay in a city? That is an easy answer every single time.
For now, our luxury travel will have to remain for our credit card points to cover. Perhaps one day we'll get there, but as long as the nicest properties charge as much for a night as we've paid for a week in some countries, I wouldn't count on it.
