The phrase budget travel doesn’t exactly conjure up the most elegant tropes: hostels, overnight buses, two-for-one drink deals. But beyond the tired stereotypes, there is a wealth of travel advice worth tapping into, regardless of which tax bracket you might inhabit. The truth is, structuring a trip around a budget is applicable to most people, and deciphering where you can save is less about pinching pennies, and more about simply being a savvy traveler. Plus, it’s often an area where creativity shines the most.
“I find so much of the innovation in travel emerges from the lower end of the market. The places, for instance, innovated by people in the fashion, food, and media worlds,” says Culturati Travel Design founder Nancy Novogrod, who is also the former editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure and House & Garden.
It doesn’t have to be the entire theme of your trip, either. So-called budget travel can apply to some details of a vacation—like hotel rooms—while allowing you to splurge in other areas more important to you (like that Michelin-starred tasting menu you’ve been eyeing on Instagram for the last six months). Whatever the reason, there’s always room for nuance. Ahead, let the 19 expert-led tips guide your next holiday in a direction that will leave you emotionally fulfilled and sans debt.
Book a Meal, Not a Room
Want to experience the grandeur of a five-star hotel but can’t book a room? “Even if an overnight stay isn’t in the cards, the world’s best properties can still anchor your trip,” says Jules Perowne. The founder and CEO of luxury travel consultancy Perowne International points out that some of the most iconic city experiences happen over a drink or a long lunch. “Café Antonia and Le Bar du Bristol at Le Bristol Paris, for instance, are where le tout-Paris gather to socialize,” she says. “The same can be said for Jacques Bar at The Lowell in New York, or their on-property restaurant Majorelle, whose soufflés alone are worth a detour.” The same can be said for other facilities within a luxury hotel. “I love getting a day pass for a pool cabana or beach club,” says founding partner of J/PR, Jamie Lynn O’Grady. “My favorite trick is to book a spa treatment; it often includes access to all the property’s amenities for the day, giving you the full luxury experience without the expensive overnight stay.”
Be Open to the Eleventh Hour
“Increasingly, last-minute means opportunity,” Perowne says. “While it’s creating real disruption across the industry, the upside for travelers is that many hotels now work on a dynamic rate structure.” Travelers who are willing to be a bit spontaneous can often reap unexpected rewards. “I’ve had friends pick up the phone, ask the right questions, and end up staying somewhere they thought was completely out of reach. Sometimes there’s a cancellation, sometimes it’s a mid-week window—but if you’re flexible, and just a little bit bold, there are some brilliant openings to be found.”
Splurge—But Keep It Brief
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