Before I had kids I travelled a lot – it was my job.
When I was pregnant, friends with children said (regularly); “It will change when the baby comes – you won’t travel as often!”
I laughed at them – ha, ha, ha – “Of course I’ll keep travelling”, I said.
Then along came Baby number one. The furthest I travelled was to a girlfriend’s house across the street; where we sat around drinking (tea) and planning our first holiday with baby on board – there wasn’t a lot of energy amongst us to actually book anything.
I know plenty of people hop straight back on that airplane…
I was afraid the gloss was gone; the luxury of departing without major preparation had disappeared.
Then one day (when Baby number two was 9 months old), we went to Fiji, had a ball – the rest as they say is history (and so successful I wrote ‘Valuable Tips for Travelling with Toddlers’).
Planning holidays keeps us going when life is busy and you can’t see the wood for the trees. Much emotion is attached to travelling – expectations run high, you want it to be perfect.
There are elements over which you have no control (skiing holiday with no snow… a beach break when all it does is rain…). Not much you can do there. However I urge you to take charge of the parts YOU can influence.
With 20 years working in Airlines and Hotels under my belt; there isn’t a lot I haven’t experienced when it comes to travel. If you take nothing else from this list – listen to my #1 Tip.
Plan, plan, plan. When travelling as a family prepare for the worst (believe me we all have very, very bad travel stories to share); if you have the bases covered you can actually RELAX while you are away and let the holiday take you where it will. Which of course is what travel is all about – taking you out of the mundane, into the extraordinary – that needn’t cost the earth.
In the words of the master of travel tips, Eugene Fodor (who hasn’t had a Fodor’s Travel guide in their luggage once upon a time…)
“You don’t have to be rich to travel well.”
So how do you find family travel ‘Luxury for Less’?
LUXURY FOR LESS
Luxury – a subjective term. For me it might be a lovely hotel in a big city, for others being part of a local vibe and doing a house swap. Consider staying a few nights at the end of a holiday at a 4/5 Star place with more reasonably priced options saved for the bulk of your holiday.
That said, a few years ago I booked an older style property for seven nights and then three nights at a blow-out beach front glamour resort. My eldest preferred the 1st option because for him it was more FUN!
When I was young my family took long sailing holidays in remote parts of New Zealand, Dad caught fish and Mum baked bread, we slept in bunks (very Robinson Crusoe) – I longed for a kid’s club and resort pool. Looking back it seems so luxurious – a slow pace in a busy world. That is luxury too.
Travel is a lifelong pleasure – whatever form that might take for your family.
Have a bucket list of destinations and just go out there and enjoy the world.
YOUR idea of Luxury can be achieved, I’ll share our recent experiences;
DEALS
Paris, France – Up for a bit of a secret with your holiday? My sister and I took a punt with our Paris accommodation and booked a ‘mystery hotel’ with Expedia…we were able to nominate our preferred location and hotel ‘star’ rating. A gamble that paid off with a balcony room in the heart of St Germain, for a greatly reduced cost.
The Peninsula, Hong Kong – I often gazed upon this hotel however never stayed. My persistence was rewarded when my husband found an online deal that made it an affordable option
Hamilton Island, The Whitsundays – When holidaying on mainland Whitsundays we have purchased favourable standby rates for Hamilton and Daydream Islands (book through local travel agents).
InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa – Most properties have a new hotel, ‘soft’ opening period. Rooms might be offered at a cheaper rate while systems are ironed out. When this property 1st opened we were enticed with $400 food & beverage credit, room upgrade and a host of other goodies.
Air BnB – I have overseas family regularly visiting – wanting their own space rather than squish into our urban terrace, they have successfully used Air BnB, a great local experience at a fraction of a hotel price.
Taj Lake Palace, India – On a girls trip to India we knew we wanted to stay at this iconic property, however the rates were out of reach for some of our group. We waited until 2 weeks prior to the trip, perused every accommodation website and finally struck a deal. Sometimes hotels release excess ‘stock’ so patience and research might be rewarded.
Consider travelling off-peak – we no longer have the luxury of holidays outside the school terms – skiing at beginning or end of the season, Europe in the Easter break (before the summer crowds), the Tropics in Winter.
French Alps – We love skiing as a family which can ruin any budget just thinking about it. A couple of years ago we took advantage of the favourable Aussie dollar and went to the French Alps (just the sound of that has cash registers kerchinging in my head). We shopped around for airfares and were flexible which route the flight took, booked the week before the peak Christmas rush, hired a chalet (saving on meals and laundry), booked the local ski school (cheaper than the international version, bonus was kids got French lessons thrown in).
New Zealand – Skiing in the last week of the season meant hotels and lift tickets were reduced.
Airlines – Some airlines release ‘early bird’ fares to Europe for travel the following year. If you commit in advance it can be worth your while ( ‘deals’ have included $1 Singapore stopover – inclusive of accommodation, transfers and attractions).
Booking a basic domestic flight directly with Vietnam Airlines/Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh – yielded Business Class for just $5 more than Economy. Priority Check-In, Lounge Access and a pleasant inflight experience. Shop around.
Exchange rates – Make your holiday budget go further. We tend to book our holidays around the fluctuation in the AUD. Two years ago it was a fabulous time to visit the USA (with almost dollar parity), at the moment domestic travel ( New Zealand or Japan are international options to consider).
Email lists – Join your preferred travel product email list and you will be the first to hear about specials, my mother booked a Cruise this way (Balcony Cabin – 12 nights $900).
Packages – Airlines and hotels extend good rates to wholesalers who then ‘package’ holidays (hotels, transfers, flights, meals). It may work out cheaper and makes it easier than doing it all yourself.
ALTERNATE LOCATIONS
So your dream destination is out of your price bracket, consider similar alternatives. Last year we wanted a South Pacific break (that wouldn’t break the bank) and choose Vanuatu over some of the other, better known locations. We managed two beach front rooms in a lovely resort for about ½ the price of other destinations; and discovered a new favourite. Domestically try Airlie Beach vs The Whitsunday Islands.
LOYALTY
You know the old saying ‘you scratch my back…’, it is alive and well with Loyalty Programs.
It is better business for a company to have repeat customers, rather than look for new ones. To reward you for your allegiance they like to look after you – to ensure you fly with them, stay with them, and remain friends with them. I have memberships all over the shop; however two that stand out for our family in terms of rewarding us for our loyalty are;
Airline – Velocity Frequent Flyer (Virgin Airlines – free to join). Flights to Europe gained us enough points (we pool family points) to become Velocity Gold Members for 12 months (Priority Check In, Priority Boarding AND Lounge Access). On long haul flights to Europe and USA these benefits were invaluable. I cannot always fly with a specific airline group (which means our status comes and goes), however I certainly try their flights first when I am planning a trip. A Win/Win.
Even if you don’t fly often you can keep points ticking over to use for upgrades and flights (these points won’t earn you status points to get Silver, Gold, Platinum). Airlines have dozens of partners earning you miles without going anywhere (hire car companies, banks, credit cards and retail outlets).
Hotel – IHG Rewards Club (Intercontinental Hotels, Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza – free to join). During trips to Fiji, Vanuatu, and Saigon we received room upgrades; food credits; free Wi/FI and a host of other goodies, simply for being members.
FLIGHTS
Check Seat Guru – (or a Travel Agent) for suggestions on the best seats. At the end of the day it is all about preference. Dream aircraft for our family is 2/4/2 configuration – two adults have easy access to leap up and down to bags/loos/non-sleeping children – and the bar (okay so not the bar, but you get the picture). Naturally it all depends on how many in your party. I also like to be about five rows away from the galley and toilets so we don’t get all the noise; I prefer the middle section of aircraft because it is less bumpy – and quicker to disembark (I really dislike waiting after I have been sitting for a long time); I don’t like to be near bulkhead/bassinets (because we don’t need them anymore). You will make your own PLAN, the point is to just have one.
Upgrade – It can be better value to use Frequent Flyer points to upgrade from a purchased fare to a higher class (Economy to Business), all FF tickets still require a payment of taxes which can be high.
Airports – I love airports. I love the thrill of people coming and going. I once had my office at the Sydney domestic airport and it was my happy place – just popping out for a coffee felt like an adventure. However, this place of wonder can quickly turn to a nightmare when travelling as a family; navigating Airports requires careful planning. If you have a long haul flight without Lounge access, some airports offer membership access to lounges without airline affiliates (children under 6 can be admitted free and memberships can be inexpensive).
Check-in Online – Most airlines now offer this service. It saves time and queuing – kids don’t like queues – and neither do I – see loyalty programs above. Collect a few extra Departure Cards for your next trip, saves the last minute scrabble for a pen and filling out forms whilst hanging onto bags and children. Ask check-in staff if you can obtain customs ‘express’ queue cards (if you travel Business or with a Loyalty Program they should be offered).
Pre-book arrival transfers – When you reach a new destination with disgruntled, tired people (and that is just the adults) you will be grateful for the welcome. Enough said…
HOTELS
I want my hotel experiences to be BETTER than home; whether it is a fabulous view, service perfection; gorgeous comfy beds (I need a good night’s sleep); hip location – and on the list goes.
I comb blogs and travel sites for suggestions and unbiased recommendations. I look at maps and distances from the sights we want to see. I make sure the property can accommodate our family of four in a comfortably sized room (or interconnecting rooms). I work hard to ensure we get great hotel service with kids in tow (have a read and learn from my mistakes…).
Booking – I call the hotel direct after I have found a price online, quite often they will match the deal (or offer additional inclusions such as breakfast).
On Arrival – We have a family routine where I get the room key and have a look first (send the rest of the family to the pool). There have been occasions where we have been shuffled off into the room facing a brick wall, or furtherest from the pool, or next to a noisy lift. I ask to be shown the best available room in the category I have booked.
Upgrade – Upon arrival this option might be offered at a good price. It might be to a bigger room, a better category, or you might opt for the Club floors – giving you access to an exclusive lounge with Breakfast and Cocktails provided.
Concierge – A fabulous service that begins before you arrive at the hotel. I email in advance to enquire if they can book tours, quite often they have access to favourable rates (or they might take kickbacks and charge exorbitantly so do your research – again).
Ammenities – Swimming Pool (are kids allowed to use it – I was at a property earlier this year where children were only allowed to swim after 9.00am, so check the details). Kids Club (our boys have grown out of them, but in the past we could not have survived holidays without one – they can make or break your trip). Activities (the Peninsula Hotels have a wonderful Academy service – cooking, cultural experiences and the like; the Holiday Inn Vanuatu have a Teens Co-ordinator).
Hotels get it; parents need a holiday too – so find out what is on offer and book in…
Food – It gets expensive feeding a family on holidays (everyone seems to be constantly hungry). In my experience it is cheaper to have breakfast included in your initial booking rate, rather than paying separately when you arrive at the property.
Don’t try and do it all yourself – act like a VIP and outsource.
TRAVEL AGENTS
Find a friend (a friendly Travel Agent that is…) – invaluable if you have several connecting flights, one hiccup and the lot goes off the rails. Ask for a recommendation from a friend/colleague (everyone loves to get their hand in holiday suggestions) – or find an ATAS (Australian Travel Accreditation Scheme) Agent in your local area.
I have had flights cancelled while travelling in the US; a quick phone call to my agent and we were re-booked on alternate flights. If I had to handle this myself I would have been hanging onto an Airline Reservations line for hours; loosing at least ½ day of precious holiday time.
Most professional Travel Agents charge a small fee. Covering their time and expertise – you would pay a person to clean your house, or fix your plumbing – so don’t gripe, it could be the best money you ever spend.
Having a holiday expert on your payroll – now that is LUXURY.
THE ‘LITTLE EXTRAS’, MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Adult Time – Make room for this in your holiday, pre-book childcare (or consider bringing along a grandparent, a small cost for on-tap babysitting – multigenerational travel is wonderful).
Packing – This is my least favourite aspect of travel, however I have worked out a few systems that make it so much easier (packing cubes organise all the gear for a family).
Laundry – unless you have washing facilities you are faced with the question of how to get your clothes clean without costing a fortune. Local laundromats are an economical option.
Shipping Home – If you plan to shop up a storm consider the option of shipping goods home to save on overweight baggage costs, I discovered it is easy to arrange from local Post Offices.
Plan Ahead – I have friends who swear by pre-purchasing ski gear and kids clothes on-line (predominantly in the US), then have it delivered to their hotel – genius (see above to get it all home…).
Paparazzi – Is there any souvenir better than holiday memories captured on film? Book a professional photographer like Flytographer and you will look the star (they have access to amazing locations…).
Walk this Way – I love to wander (slowly) around cities – with families in tow it is best to keep things moving. We book walking tours for our 1st day in town, walking in the footsteps of a local you see so much.
Are there any travel tips you can share for family travel?
