The Best Luxury Travel Experiences to Try Now

Discover 25 unforgettable luxury travel experiences worth the splurge, from private islands to Michelin dinners and safari lodges.

The first time I paid, in one night in a hotel, what I used to pay to live for a month in New York, I had a little trembling fit in my hands. It happened when I entered my card details. I stared at the screen for no less than ten minutes, equally 50% terrified I’d regret my purchase and 50% euphoric. Turns out it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. That one moment marked the beginning of a ten-year, wallet-draining obsession for (what others might call) luxury travel that I would have no regrets about whatsoever.

If you have entered the best luxury family resorts into Google, I have a feeling you are somewhere on that continuum as well. Perhaps you are dreaming, perhaps planning, perhaps simply trying to ascertain if any of this is worth the fuss. Let’s discuss it. Truly. Plain and simple; in no stock-photo voice; simply the hard-won truths I have accumulated through the (occasionally hilariously) arduous process.

What “Luxury Travel” Really Means (Sorry, Your Hotel’s Thread Count Is Not One Of Them)

Here’s the bit no one mentions when you begin to get into luxury travel: even once the stars are as high as you can have, that has almost nothing to do with luxury. It has everything to do with feeling good. Five stars of automatronic service can feel less luxe than a crack-worn hostelry, with the owner’s ability to recall my order a full day. I figured it out when I was at a (as far as I knew) ‘luxury’ property in Southeast Asia. There was marble throughout, and the staff were utterly unapologetic about their dislike of me. It was an utterly hideous trip.

The real deal, the luxury worth pursuing, usually boils down to three elements: exclusivity, customization, and effortlessness. You aren’t shelling out money merely for a better room. You are shelling out to ensure nothing interferes with the experience. Like watching a three-hour film on your cell phone on a cracked screen. Versus watching it in a private theater with someone handing you popcorn at the exact right time. Same film, utterly different experience.

With that in consideration, here is my ever-growing list based upon real trips, real dollars spent, and a few real tears (some elated, one decidedly not). These are the luxury travel experiences that truly are worth every penny:

1. Private Island Resorts

There’s a very particular sort of quiet that only happens on a private island: no boat engines, no other guests stumbling into your sunset photo, nothing. I once spent five nights on a private island in the Maldives. By the third day I’d run out of the tone of a notification. That’s the forte of places like Soneva Fushi or North Island in the Seychelles: no villa, no beach. Staff seem to pop up precisely when you need them and vacate precisely when you don’t. If you’re interested in falling down a rabbit hole, Conde Nast Traveler has a list. It covers the world’s top private island resorts.

Why it pays to splurge: total privacy is a phenomenon that is actually hard to find. Once you’ve cracked it, regular beach trips are a little too populated. Ideal for: Honeymooners, anniversaries or simply those who want to vanish for a week.

2. Safari Lodges With a Personal Guide

I have to be honest, I assumed my first African safari would be an unnecessary excursion to a fancy zoo. Instead I was left actually weeping, entranced by a pride of lions in twilight, as if our guide were reading us a story about the animal kingdom. That’s what makes a good luxury safari lodge (imagine Singita, andBeyond, or Sabi Sands properties). It doesn’t matter that the tent is elegant, as it usually is. It matters that a guide has been reading the bush like a book for 20 years.

Why is this worth it: Honestly, this isn’t feasible with a budget tour. The expertise is the splurge. Ideal for: Eco-tourists, special birthday or anniversary trips, several generations traveling together.

3. Private Yacht Charters

Alright, I have not personally been the owner of a yacht (working on that). But I did indulge in a week long Greece adventure on a small-group charter (with friends who I still won’t reveal). It revolutionized the way I thought about traveling. No need to unpack and repack at each stop. No need to wait for the blue paper to tell you to get on the ferry. You wake up in a new cove, dive into the water. The first thing in your hand is a coffee from the super efficient crew.

Why it’s worth it: being able to change your whole trip at the last minute is a thrill. Most travelers never have that. Best for: Group trips, special occasions, those who despise airports.

(If you want to get a grip on how it all works, BOAT International’s charter advice section explains it all. It covers everything from how much it costs to what on board “etiquette” is, more clearly and succinctly than I could.)

4. Michelin-Starred Tasting Menus, Abroad

Look, you can eat at a wonderful restaurant anywhere. But there’s a certain level of experiential detail that comes from having an eleven-course tasting meal in the country where the ingredients were farmed. It comes from having them cooked by chefs who’ve spent their lives perfecting either three or four dishes with amazing skill, that is… How shall I put it? I spent a dessert in Copenhagen last year, and I laid down my fork in the middle of it. I looked at the wall for a beat. I’ve never before been left speechless by a slice of cake. (And I suppose I never will be.) If you want to imagine your own versions of this, however… The official MICHELIN guide is hands-down the best way to find starred restaurants in your eventual destination.

What is it worth: The experience is not just the meal, but a multi-hour, multi-sensory saga. Best for: Food lovers, either memorable or romantic, people wanting a “wow” out of a meal, not a frame of mind.

5. Wellness and Spa Retreats

I fought this one for years, believing spa getaways were only something for those who had nothing else going on. Then a good friend practically shoved me into a spa in Bali right after an especially grueling work year. I left feeling as if someone had just pressed the reset button on my entirely unaware nervous system. There are establishments like COMO Shambhala or Chiva-Som which marry top-notch treatments with real, science-based wellness plans. It’s not just candles and pan flute tunes. Five-Star is the benchmark by which Forbes Travel Guide tests spas off your schedule. Forbes created the Five-Star rating back in 1958.

Why it’s worth it: Sometimes the most luxurious thing to buy is a real break. Best for: Mostly recovery from burnout. Also good for everything from lone wandering to people who have been “fine” for too long.

6. Helicopter and Private Jet Transfers

This one might seem a little ridiculous to write, but just listen. The first time I switched from a three hour freeway car trek to a quick helicopter transfer, I knew exactly why people are addicted. The point isn’t to impress people. The point is to get that extra half-day of vacation back that you normally lose to the road.

Advantages: It’s the only service that bestows travelers with additional time (money can only buy back the hours). Suitable for: Multi-destination trips, short time frames, proms/enhancement/anniversaries.

7. Private Guided City Tours

A private guide seems excessive until you discover how much more enjoyable it is. It beats wandering around the Louvre with fifty strangers waving a guide flag. In Rome, a historian led me around the Colosseum before the doors opened. Frankly it was more of a time machine than a tour.

The rewards: You can go deep into your interests, move around freely, with no stifling crowds. That’s impossible for regular tours. Ideal for: history geeks, first-timers looking for an intro, anyone sick of the tour crowd.

8. Overwater Villas

Absolutely. They’re all over Instagram, so you can go and look at the pictures if you’re tempted. Yes, they are all worth it. I have had that feeling of waking up, opening my eyes, and staring out at the big blue through a glass floor panel so many times my friends have all lost count. I have stayed in three different overwater villas so far. I still do the same “hang on a minute, this is really happening” every single time.

Why it’s worth it: Certain experiences are trumpeted for good reason. Best for: Honeymoons, bucket list trips, anyone in search of that elusive perfect shot (no shame).

9. Exclusive Cultural Access

This is the area I never knew I wanted until I was led behind the scenes of a working vineyard in Tuscany. It was run by the actual family that had operated it for four generations. More and more luxury travel providers are providing this kind of access. Think private visits to museums, dinners with locals, handi-craft workshops with masters. It’s costly, but it’s hands-on, and it’s the best way to really get to know a place.

Why it’s worth it: You get to go home with a story, not just a photo. Ideal for: Curious explorers, culture junkies, anyone who hates the tourist feeling.

10. Train Journeys Reinvented

I’ll confess, I’d always thought train travel was just kind of hopelessly antiquated. Then I stepped on one of these restored luxury trains. I understood immediately; no security checks, no turbulence. Just an infinite pulse of motion as the scenery changed every few seconds, and someone brought you a mojito. Slow down and marvel at life in the most decadent way, it’s romance in its purest form. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express was the first of these luxury trains. It is still the one all others are measured against.

Why is it worth it: It takes the journey out of your journey. Best for: romantics, trainspotters, casual time-wasters.

How to Plan This Without Losing Your Mind

This is where I will have to be a bit practical, because it is all very well to dream about such trips. It is not so easy to be able to book them.

Work with a specialist, not a “general” booking website

Some of my best luxury trips have almost never been searched for on a search engine. They’ve been located through travel consultants who, through relationships with these properties, could move me into the room when it was overbooked, get early check-in, or book that room last minute when it was empty.

Figure out what luxury actually means for you

For some people you might need privacy more than anything else. For example, for other people it might be service, or food, or adrenaline. I have thrown unwanted amounts of money at the idea of “luxury” that simply doesn’t deliver what I personally actually need and value. It really is a very irritating way to blow your holiday dollars.

Book the splurge, skip the filler

You don’t have to have fifteen days in a place and make every single one a five-star affair. Some of my best trips have had a single fantastic splurge night (combined with a few no-frills nights). That makes the big-ticket night stand out all the more, and saves me from going broke.

Travel during off-peak time

High-end hotels tend to discount around these times. The personal service is, on the whole, noticeably better for that reason.

A Few Honest Truths Nobody Tells You

Not all luxury experiences are successful. I’ve yet to be impressed by overhyped hotels, “luxurious” village “tours” or a dinner that cost a small fortune. In taste, it could have easily been replicated at home for a tenth of the price. Luxury travel isn’t a sure-fire recipe for happiness, it’s a tool. Effectively used it strips away friction and allows for real, memorable moments. Ineffectively used it simply offers the satisfaction of feeling the same way you always do.

The best trips I ever took were not always the most expensive. They were the ones where I was willing to pay a premium for something I was truly interested in: time, privacy, intimacy. A once-in-a-lifetime event I couldn’t otherwise access.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from ten years of chasing these experiences, it’s this. Luxury travel works best when it’s about permission, not bragging. Permission to slow down, permission to be where you are. Permission to stop obsessing about decisions and enjoy yourself for a while.

So whether this is your first big spend of money or your fiftieth, all I can say is the same as I always say. Buy what you really want, not what looks best in the pictures. The rest of the marble floors, the champagne, the overwater villa, this is all the spectacle. What is valuable is the emotion you take home with you.

I hate to tear myself away, but I have some very dangerous browsing to get on with. I need to check out the availability of safari lodges next spring.

Frequently Asked Questions About Luxury Travel Experiences

Is luxury travel worth it?

It depends entirely on what you’re buying it for. If you’re buying glamour or a photo op – you’ll probably feel a bit disappointed. If you’re buying back time, anonymity, a break from the norm or a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, most people feel it’s worth it. I’m one of them, and I’d say the cost is well justified. I prefer to have one stunning holiday every couple of years rather than a bunch of mediocre ones.

How does luxury travel differ from non-luxury travel?

It’s not the price, it’s friction or rather, the absence of it. Non-luxury travel requires dealing with logistics, procedures, waiting in lines, making concessions, etc. Luxury travel minimizes those bits so that you can truly enjoy where you’re going.

How do I discover luxury travel without falling victim to marketing falsehoods?

Consult reviews from actual travelers rather than the promotional material provided by the hotels or resorts. Identify a pattern of similar experiences across numerous reports from travelers, rather than be wooed by a single advertisement. Preferably, enlist the help of a travel advisor who has personally stayed at the location. They can advise skeptically if the property does not live up to expectations.

Is money a prerequisite for luxury travel?

Far from it. Many people (again, me in the beginning) often plan one mega-indulgence trip per year. They don’t have the means to do this all of the time. The occasional one-luxury-experience-in-an-otherwise-moderate-trip or one upgraded night (one super-carbonara-eating-dinner-for-two…) is a perfectly valid way to get a taste. It won’t break the bank.

When is off-peak season to book luxury travel for the best price?

In the shoulder seasons, typically the few weeks during and near high season, the rate and availability come down on average. The trip experience is often both less crowded and more intimate.

The Bottom Line

Luxury travel isn’t a show-off, though. It’s just taking the barriers away between you and a moment that you remember forever. Whether it’s total silence on a deserted island, a guide who makes history seem alive, or a plate that makes you forget to eat. There’ve been times when I’ve pursued a wrong definition of ‘luxury’. There’ve also been trips that changed how I think about the whole subject of travelling deeply.

If nothing else, I hope you can remember this: identify what truly counts to you, set aside money purposefully for that. Be willing to spend on memories that will last you a lifetime. The marble, the champagne, the flawless presentation of the dessert; they are only extras to the narrative you carry away.