Get that VIP holiday feeling on a budget
A VIP travel experience can be about making a little effort to plan in advance and take advantage of every opportunity to make best use of your budget.
Flexibility is often the key to a great deal, so before you book consider a destination where your currency is strong and where your cash goes further and do your research to check out travel options. Often you can get a cracking last minute deal if you are flexible on timing, with business, or even first class tickets cheaper than economy through a middleman or for use during a peak holiday travel periods.
Consider a Boutique hotel for your stay, their rooms and service often offer a more luxurious experience for the same or less money as the major chains. If you choose a chain, see what rewards there are for joining the member's programmes including free room upgrades or meals.
Travel comfortably, not just hopefully
The enjoyment of a holiday is often determined by the travel experience from the moment you leave home. Most of us would love to be picked up in a limo, check in without queuing and board a private jet. But we can make the experience more pleasurable simply by using our own vehicle combined with a meet and greet parking service. You turn up, hand over your keys and forget the car until you come home.
Paying for priority boarding pass and pre-booked seats or extra leg room can make for a more relaxing trip but to really get the VIP feeling it is worth getting an annual airport lounge card.
Airport lounges make your transit comfortable and are great value especially if you make a number of trips every year. Most offer free coffee, drinks and snacks, wi-fi and newspapers and reception staff will call your flight just in time for you to walk down and board in true VIP fashion. You can obtain an annual airport lounge card through the internet, also check your existing credit or debit card as some include a free airport lounge pass as a member benefit or offer a low cost upgrade.
You are who you think you are
True VIP's effortlessly get great and attentive service but everyone likes being welcomed and really good service is the ultimate luxury.
The first rule to truly have a VIP experience seasoned travellers will tell you, is to think and behave like a VIP. How you are dressed when you first arrive at your hotel and how you treat staff will make a difference. If you want to be first in line for an upgrade or discretionary VIP benefit be nice to the people who can make it happen.
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