Saving Money on Luxury Summer Vacations

It seems unusual that luxury hotels would be offering bargains this time of year (or at all) given that the folks who frequent ultra-luxe properties probably aren’t pinching pennies the same way most families are. Still, owners of swanky lodgings say to retain business during tough economic times they are not above lowering prices and adding incentives to attract more customers. That’s good news to any traveler looking to score a bargain at a luxurious hotel. If you have always wanted to live like the rich and famous, but couldn’t afford to do so, now’s your chance to go big. … Continue reading

Luxury Travel—-Private Jet Vacations

Imagine not having to deal with the hassle of luggage fees or wondering if you’ll miss your connecting flight because of weather delays. Those are just a couple of the perks associated with private jet travel. While most of us can only dream of indulging in such a luxury there are some who exclusively fly via private plane. They are the ones who don’t need to look for private jet travel bargains. However, if you have been saving up to splurge on a once in a lifetime trip you might consider the following private jet package deals. Right now TCS … Continue reading

Where Can You Go for $100,000?

For the past several weeks I have been spotlighting summer travel bargains designed for cash strapped families. (Believe it or not there are a number of outstanding deals to be had.) But what if you never had to worry about the price of a plane ticket or how much it would cost to fill up the family minivan for a summer trip to Six Flags? For most people the idea of spending $100,000 on a family getaway is unthinkable. Yet, there are some clans out there who don’t think twice about dropping a hundred grand on a trip of a … Continue reading

Flying on a Private Jet

Did you happen to see Thursday night’s season finale of “The Celebrity Apprentice?” If you did then you know that when it came time to get his famous friends from Nashville to New York for a charity auction country music star Trace Adkins chartered two private jets for them to travel in. Cha-ching! I’m not sure how much Adkins ultimately raised for his charity, but you have to figure that the money he dropped on the private jets likely totaled in the ballpark of the funds he raised. Despite the astronomical price tag (think $50,000 per person in some cases) … Continue reading

Luxury Travel: Europe

Last night as I was watching FOX News I saw yet another story on the weak state of the U.S. dollar. I’m as guilty as they are. Looking through the Families.com archives I noticed that I have written about the pathetic downfall of the dollar at least four times in the last few weeks. Re-reading those blogs inspired me to write this one. Far be it from me to dissuade readers to explore Europe simply because it is more expensive than it used to be. After all, some people have money to burn. Especially the person who is holding the … Continue reading

What’s in a Name? Presidential Suites

I have never had the good fortune of staying in a presidential suite, but that hasn’t quelled my interest in them. In fact, during our recent trip to Hawaii I got the rare opportunity to tour the presidential suite at a luxury resort on the Big Island (thanks Erika!) and learned there is a lot more to these opulent pads than fancy furniture and expensive building materials. Did you know the term “presidential suite” was actually derived from Europe? It came from the European tradition of royal suites, but since we don’t have a royal family in the United States, … Continue reading

Big Spenders Guide to Super Bowl XLII

If you’ve been reading my series on Super Bowl travel then you know attending the NFL’s biggest game can take a serious bite out of your budget. Unless you snagged free game tickets, plane fare, and hotel accommodations by winning a contest, or you have relatives that live near Glendale, Arizona then you will likely be doling out big bucks to watch the New York Giants take on the undefeated New England Patriots. However, for some, money is no object. And it is for you select individuals that I am writing this blog. If you have money to burn, then … Continue reading

More Posh Vacation Packages

If the word “budget” is not in your vocabulary and money is never an issue when it comes to planning a vacation, then you are exactly… the type of person I would love as a best friend. (Just kidding.) Actually, you are exactly the type of person elite travel companies are looking to woo with their latest and greatest extravagant vacation packages. Several high-end travel companies are offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences for big budget clients. For example, one travel agency specializing in luxury tours is offering globetrotters access to a private Silverjet aircraft—-for you and one, two, or 99 of your … Continue reading

Extravagant Vacation Packages

It’s nice to dream, right? That’s my mindset each time I flip through the Neiman-Marcus Christmas catalog. The same goes for travel brochures that list ultra-luxurious vacation packages with 5-digit price tags. The thing is, there are some people who actually take advantage of these “deals.” Who knows; you might just be one of them. So, it is for you big spenders that I offer the following posh travel packages. If you love music and money is no object consider this next trip set up by Dallas-based tour operator JQ Porter Exquisite Travel. For $85,000 per person you can enjoy … Continue reading

Ultra-Luxe Hotel Packages

What’s your idea of a luxurious hotel package? The inclusion of a few spa treatments, maybe access to the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet? I frequently fill this blog with news about affordable travel packages, but rarely do I cover the “fantasy-type” packages offered by seven-star hotels like Dubai’s Burj al Arab, which offer guests gazillion thread-count sateen sheets, which are burned after each use and replaced with silk ones. (I’m kidding.) Ultra-luxe travel packages that cater to the billionaires of the world do exist, and since it is the holidays I thought it would be nice to detail trips that most … Continue reading