Luxury within Budget: 5 Ways to Upgrade Your Vacation without Breaking the Bank

The various advancements in the tourism industry have made travel easy and affordable. Travel offers an excellent way to learn more about the different cultures around the world but you may have to consider numerous costs like food, fare, accommodation, and more before starting any journey.

Travel has become a multi-billion dollar industry, entertaining people with high and low budgets despite being somewhat heavy on the pocket. It’s no surprise that most people are willing to spend a lot on their travels to have a safe and comfortable experience.

Luxury travel can look different for every individual. A lot of people may associate luxury with private jets, caviar, and exotic foods. However, luxury is a feeling that you experience when you treat yourself to the best and highest quality things available—which can be achieved even on a budget. Some people can easily afford to travel in luxury but, it may just be a dream for others.

If you consider yourself a part of the latter group, this article will discuss some tips that you can follow to upgrade your vacation without breaking the bank.

Table of Contents

1. Tips for choosing a hotel

Properly research your accommodation options while planning your trip, and keep an eye out for bundle deals and promotions available on hotel rooms. In Tennessee, luxury cabin rentals near Pigeon Forge offer a luxury experience at affordable prices. They also offer various special discounts on tickets to the best attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Some tips to keep in mind while booking accommodation include;

Check-in at your hotel at the end of the day as hotels managers are worried about the occupancy rate of their hotel at that time and may offer a discount.
Consider staying at a local hotel like a cabin instead of a popular hotel chain to get personalized service at a lesser cost.
Compare the prices of different hotel rooms using travel or hotel booking websites.
Consider staying at a business hotel during weekends as they offer discounted prices because most business dealings occur during the weekdays.
Book newly opened luxury hotels to avail their opening offers.
Try booking a hotel away from the city as they offer a luxurious environment and peace of mind at a lower price.

2. Travel off-season

Traveling off-season means the least amount of tourist activity at a specific destination. Although winters are generally considered the off-season for most locations, it can vary from destination to destination and the type of activity. For example, summer is obviously the off-season for snowboarding, skiing, and other such activities.

Traveling during the off-season provides you with cheaper flights, accommodations, and food options. Moreover, lesser tourists mean less hassle, and if you’re booking rooms in a cabin, you may even end up with the whole place to yourself.

Tourist destinations are also cleaner and more exclusive during the off-season. Overall, it provides you with an authentic experience, and you get to see the place at a time that most tourists don’t get to see.

3. Travel to new destinations

Emerging destinations are places that have become recently popular either through social media or some other way. Usually, emerging destinations are cheaper than popular destinations and give you a chance to explore, encouraging you to get out of your comfort zone.

For example, the north of Pakistan offers some of the most scenic mountain views, and they are often compared to the mountains in Switzerland. However, Pakistan offers this similar experience at a fraction of the price. You can travel in luxury through the mountains of Pakistan, but in Switzerland, you would have to stick to a tight budget.

Similarly, Maldives is a popular destination providing travelers with luxurious experiences in its various beach resorts. However, there are various lesser-known island nations around the world, like Langkawi in Malaysia, providing a similar luxurious experience at a lower price.

4. Find the cheapest flight

Just the air travel to and from your chosen destination can cost a lot. Therefore, it is recommended to try and book the cheapest flights. One way to do so is by searching for flights in incognito mode of your browser. Travel companies track your searches and start showing expensive tickets upon repeated inquiries. Search for sale fares to get cheaper tickets.

Utilize your flying points and miles to get a free ticket or an upgrade to the business class. Moreover, get a quick visual of the airfare prices for a whole month to identify the cheapest day to fly out and plan your trip accordingly. Investing your time to book cheap flights can save you money and provide you with a similar flying experience at a lesser price.

5. Splurge in the right places

You should have your priorities in order when on vacation. Knowing when to splurge money is the key to affordable luxury travel. For example, it is more comfortable to book a business class ticket for a long flight but avoid doing so for a two to three-hour flight. You can use the price difference to upgrade your accommodation or some other travel experience.

Moreover, it is better to splurge on a beach-facing luxurious room when vacationing on an island, but booking a premium hotel room when traveling to busy cities and only needing a hotel to sleep at night is not particularly beneficial. If you plan to eat at a high-end restaurant, consider going there at lunchtime rather than dinner as lunch prices are mostly fixed at these restaurants and limited food choices are available, but the food quality and presentation are similar.

The Wrap Up

Everyone wants a safe and comfortable experience while traveling. Luxury travel can seem out of reach for people on a budget. However, if you follow the tips discussed in this article, you can afford to travel in luxury without breaking the bank.