Hotels are a crucial part of any vacation. A bad hotel means a bad vacation. However, one man’s palace may be another man’s hostel. So know what you like and ask for it.
Luxury name brand hotels with a great spa? Or boutique historical inns with those little family run touches? City or Seclusion? Indigenous or Modern? Private Residences or Community Living? You see how these choices can take you on a wildly different trip.
Let’s assume for our purposes that you are looking for an extraordinary luxury experience!
Let’s begin with the Luxury Name Brand Hotels you may be familiar with like Four Seasons, Fairmont or the Ritz-Carlton. In particular, The Four Seasons has a Private Jet Journey where you will travel by jet staying at Four Seasons Properties along the way. They have created several different experiences but for example, the International Intrigue 2018. For 24 days, every detail you can imagine is taken care of while you travel to 4 different continents between 9 destinations including Seattle, Washington; Kyoto, Japan; Hoi An, Vietnam; the Maldives; the Serengeti in Africa; Marrakech; Budapest; St. Petersburg; and London. Snorkel, dive, relax, learn to make sushi, dine with Geishas – all with a personal concierge, an executive chef and even a Journey Physician!
If you are intrigued by the sustainable tourism trend, it does offer luxury hotel experiences. A shining example of this is The Brando in Tetiaroa, also known as Marlon Brando’s private island. It is deemed the world’s most sustainable hotel. The resort supports a number of research and conservation initiatives and offers an all inclusive island experience including private villas on the beach, gourmet restaurants, bars, spa, an organic fruit orchard and a Sea Turtle Sanctuary! Did someone say sign me up??
Soneva Kiri Resort in Koh Kood, Thailand has several unique experiences. They call their creatively spirited adventures… “Intelligent Luxury.” Do not miss the Treepod Dining. You are put in a bamboo pod and hoisted in to the trees only to have your waiter deliver food and wine via zip-line. There are beach bbq’s, sunrise breakfasts and wine tasting, but I say go for the butterfly walk where experts lead you to hidden waterfalls where you are surrounded by 100 species of butterflies. And to relax after the hike, indulge in Cinema Paradiso, where you are immersed in nature, served cocktails and gourmet comfort food while watching classic movies!
You have asked for more experiential travel options and the world is listening. The travel industry is full of creative and adventurous souls who are serving up exciting escapades. Unleash your imagination.