Whether you are a business professional, an avid traveler or just someone who wants to get away for a while, the first question you ask after your destination is set “Where will I stay?” To most, price is the key factor – you just want to find a clean bed close to where you need to be that won’t break the bank. Sometimes, though, the urge to splurge on top-notch service infects you, and you wonder if the five-star experience is worth the five-star price. The elevated quality of your stay can turn an average trip into an extraordinary one, with comfortably lavish rooms, all the amenities at your fingertips, and a level of service that exceeds expectations. Travelling can be a torture, but if you are willing to invest in a luxury hotel, that torture can be made pleasure.
Comforts
There is no replacing the comfort of your home. The finest sheets and showers will never be the same as surroundings that you designed and made your own through time. However, fine sheets and showers are still nice to have, and resort-style hotels that caters to the high rollers have those and more. A hotel with a higher price tag will have had more thought put into its interiors, so every room you step into will feel like home. Pools are a necessity to luxury, as are workout gyms, spas, and an in-hotel restaurant or bar. The aesthetics of the hotel’s exterior are also key to your stay – it’s more inviting to come into a beautiful building that takes advantage of its environment than something that could’ve been built in any setting in six months. Room service, an HD TV, a quality array of bathroom toiletries – it’s the little touches that raise the experience of a luxury resort above that of an average chain hotel.
Amenities
A perfect resort-style hotel will contain everything you need within its walls. There won’t be a need to venture into an unfamiliar city to find food, conversation, or a toothbrush if you don’t want to. However, if you do decide to escape the hotel, there is a local expert or three on hand to give you the best recommendation for a fun night on the town. The Anya Hotel in Gurgaon, for example, offers aL’Occitane spa, meeting rooms, a lounge room, and car service, among other upscale services. For the tired professional away from home, a luxury hotel is guaranteed by the standards set by hotel judging boards like the EU’s Hotelstars Union to have Internet access, clothing services like ironing and dry cleaning, and a room safe for your valuables during the day. Indeed, half of the elements that differentiate between four and five-star establishments are based on the facilities’ offerings and the ability the hotel has to host their guests. The other half are services that the employees provide to bring a little extra flavor to a beautiful setting.
Services
In a study conducted by Gallup, what hotel guests ranging from economy to luxury regulars want from their stay is an engaging staff who listens to their needs and responds to their requests. The staff of a luxury hotel is trained in appeasing customers and providing for them, from concierge to valet to the maids who turn down the bed in the evenings and leave personalized notes on your pillow. On TripAdvisor’s list of top five-star hotels in Gurgaon, India, comments on exemplary, friendly, and responsive staff are among the most common features called out in the reviews. Conversely, a bad staff experience can sour an entire trip, even if it’s just one employee in a team for one interaction.
In Conclusion
For the average travel budget, a luxury hotel is not a practical expense for every overnight stay out of town and is not easily justified when planning a vacation. It can be fun, though, to have an infrequent trip where you go all out on your hotel and book something fantastic for a gold memory to reminiscence on months later. Living lavishly, with silk sheets, a day spa in the building, and an attentive staff to wait on you will stick in your skin for long after you’ve left. Just don’t make too many plans outside of the hotel – you won’t want to leave once you’ve arrived!
