When you have your heart set on a luxury holiday, you expect the very best in service, accommodation, catering and facilities. Naturally these things may not come cheap, so if your luxury holiday is going to be a once in a lifetime experience, it pays to seek out a reputable travel operator who knows how to make sure everything goes to plan.

Holidays for most people are a regular feature of each year. Many people plan for a summer holiday at least and for the lucky ones amongst us there may even be more than one chance each year to get away and head for the sun. Of course we want every holiday to include the best of everything, but luxury holidays represent an occasion when everything has to be just right.

Stepping out of your beach house onto a private stretch of golden sand, relaxing after an exhilarating day’s skiing in front of the log fire in your mountain chalet or gazing across the New York City evening skyline from your penthouse hotel suite would all qualify as luxury holiday experiences, but the luxury element can be provided in many different and smaller ways. For some, luxury can be a crisp set of Egyptian cotton sheets on a king-size bed, a roll-top bath in the ensuite bathroom or a bottle of Champagne with two glasses awaiting you on arrival. It is often the small things that make a difference on a luxury break and those little things don’t need to cost a lot of money. Those unexpected added touches that you wouldn’t experience at home all contribute to the perfect luxury holiday.

There are many different types of holiday, each with a list of features that most tourists would expect. Those features might include comfortable hotel accommodation, beautiful sandy beaches, interesting city attractions or adventurous outdoor experiences but it is often the additional items that make the difference when it comes to real luxury. Quite often a hotel that goes the extra mile when it comes to good service will leave a lasting and favourable impression, as will an establishment that places a high value on the care and cleanliness of its facilities. When it comes to catering, again high standards in terms of service and presentation are very much appreciated in addition to the quality of the food and the ingredients used.

When travellers are opting for the ultimate in luxury holidays and the price they are paying ranks at the more expensive end of the spectrum, they do not expect corners to be cut or compromises on quality to be evident in the service they are receiving. Some of these people are used to the very highest standard levels in other aspects of their lives at home or at work, so when they have opted to pay for a high quality holiday they expect similar standards to be maintained. The other aspect that often differentiates a very good establishment from an average one is the way in which it responds to customer requests. It’s only natural that things can go wrong at times but the best establishments can always redeem a situation and protect their good reputation through the way they respond to any issues or complaints.

The world of luxury holidays is certainly a competitive one, with several travel operators offering packages that can be classed as superior or of exceptional standard. Quite often these companies all offer holidays in the same highly desirable locations such as the more popular city destinations like New York or Hong Kong, or the most favoured tropical beach resorts such as the Maldives, the Seychelles or the Caribbean. In these locations there is quite often a wide choice of hotels for travellers and that in itself can drive up standards as the establishments compete with one another for business.

The market for luxury holidays is typically quite different to those of other holiday types. Of course there are families who will always opt for a more expensive luxury break, but typically families will often look at other more important considerations such as location, facilities, child-friendly beaches and nearby attractions. Luxury holidays are more likely to be selected by those looking for a romantic break, a honeymoon or the trip of a lifetime. In these situations any considerations about cost are often secondary to the need to have the highest quality of accommodation and service. The terms boutique, chic, five-star, elegance, spa resort, bespoke and exotic are all associated with luxury holidays, so when selecting your next break, if it needs to meet your highest expectations, opt for a provider that includes a healthy combination of those descriptions in their brochure.

Author Bio: Michael writes about popular tourist destinations around the world. He also covers developments in package holidays and other aspects of the tourism industry.

Category: Travel
Keywords: travel, holidays