I love the finer things in life.
I’m also focused on financial freedom.
Here’s how I had a luxury holiday for $216.30 – a compromise that ensured I still enjoyed my life without blowing my budget. I stayed in a luxury room in a 5-star hotel (The Langham), ate incredible food, enjoyed an exclusive club lounge, had way too many drinks and enjoyed a spa with a spectacular view. All for $216.30.
Here’s how you can do this, too.
1. STAY IN YOUR CITY
Transport costs including flights can be one of largest expenses on a holiday. Avoid this by staying in your city (or go the closest one) and visit somewhere accessible by public transport. Many people neglect to give their own cities enough love.
I am fortunate enough to live in the beautiful city of Melbourne, so I took the train to The Langham, Melbourne.
Transport cost (train ride) = $8.80
2. STAY ONE OR TWO NIGHTS
Holidays don’t have to be expensive two-week affairs. You also don’t need to cut luxury out of your life all together. You can get away for one or two nights just to enjoy that holiday feeling and relax, while still being on track to achieve your financial goals. It’s all about balance.
I stayed for one night which is what my budget allowed for.
3. SHARE A ROOM
Here’s a tip to get a 50% discount on any hotel room instantly – share it with someone and split the costs! I booked The Langham Executive Twin Room with one of my glamorous-yet-financially-savvy girlfriends. We had a wonderful room on the 23rd floor. This room also allowed for us to each have our own double bed so no sharing was required!
Another perk of bringing my friend was also free cake. I let the Langham know in advance that it was her birthday and they brought up a complimentary chocolate birthday cake. We ate it in bed and tasted even better because it was free.
Luxury hotel room costs (After 50% “discount”) = $207.50
4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOUNGE ACCESS
Many 5-star hotels offer access to their lounge with certain rooms and it is a great service to take advantage of – just do the math to make sure it’s cost effective for you. Our room was more expensive (around $47 each) than a standard one, but it worked out to be great value. We had all our food and drinks at the lounge, meaning we didn’t spend any extra money on this category.
We had afternoon tea (light lunch), canapes (light dinner), far too many cocktails and a wonderful breakfast. We definitely didn’t go hungry as there was a massive range at each meal, I couldn’t fit it all in! The amount of food and drinks would have easily cost us well over $100 if we went to restaurants and bars outside of the hotel, making for a 50% discount by choosing the lounge.
Plus, it was an incredibly luxurious experience. Not only was I was greeted by name every time I entered, it was very quiet (no noisy kids!) with a wonderful view of the city and was beautifully decorated. I also enjoyed knowing that I could have as many food and drinks as I liked without checking the prices!
Food & drinks costs = $0
5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SPA ACCESS
While staying at the Langham, we had access to their spa. This fact made us choose to stay at The Langham compared to other hotels that did not offer this. Carefully look at what each hotel offers to make a decision before booking your luxury getaway.
This access allowed us to enjoy the facilities such as the pool, sauna, jacuzzi, rain shower and more. The jacuzzi has a stunning view of Flinders Street so we spent hours just relaxing and taking it all in. Next to spa, was a deck on the 9th floor where we could relax in our robes post-jacuzzi. Heaven. I nearly fell asleep on a comfy lounge chair.
Spa costs = $0
And, that’s it! Go ahead and book your luxurious getaway while staying on track with your financial goals.