Although there is no limit to how much you can shell out on a luxury vacating, treating your loved ones and yourself like the special people that you are doesn’t have to mean abandoning your discipline with money. Here’s a few luxury weekend getaways on a budget that won’t make you feel like you’re pinching pennies.
Staycation
One great way to live the high life while not breaking the bank is to have a luxury staycation. A staycation is a vacation in which you are off work and participating in vacation activities but still come home every night to sleep. The money that you save on lodging stays in the vacation budget to be spent on entertainment, dining, etc. For instance, you might use the money that would have been spent at a two night stay at nice hotel and rent a hot sports car for the weekend instead. Some people on staycations make a few rules for when they get home, such as no cooking, no chores and back out on the road by a certain hour. A little bit more information about the concept of staycations can be found here.
Off Season Beach Hotel
During the fall and winter months luxury travelers can save big on a trip to the beach during the off season. Although it can be a little tricky renting a beach house just for the weekend, there are plenty of luxury hotels that are hungry for tourists during the off season and offer some great luxury weekend getaways on a budget. During most of the fall, many beach communities are still experiencing very mild weather, and the lack of crowds makes the beach more inviting this time of year than any other to some people. For instance, the Surfside Oceanfront Inn at Virginia Beach charges $189 per night during the peak season, compared to $49 during the off season. Spend the savings on some fine dining or entertainment during our luxury weekend getaway on a budget.
Mountain Cabins
A mountain cabin rental is a perfect luxury weekend getaway when some solitude with a loved one in quality lodging is all the luxury that you could ask for. Located just about 20 miles outside of Greenville, South Carolina, Solitude Pointe offers several themed cabins near Table Rock State Park that are all inclusive and come with everything that you need other than meals. For an extra fee, the proprietors will shower the bed with rose petals and provide embroidered towels, chocolates and a non-alcoholic drink. More Mountain Dew, my love?
Driving Tour of the Wine Country
A tour of America’s wine country is a great way to enjoy the good life without having to sacrifice your budget. Throughout California’s wine country and elsewhere, there are countless wineries begging to be explored, nearly all of which encourage visitors to stop by and sample their wines for free. Reasonably priced lodging along the way provides plenty of savings for some great dining and a few bottles of top notch wine to bring home. A basic map of California wine country can be found here.
Housing Swap
If you are a home owner, negotiating a housing swap is a great way to find a luxury weekend getaway on a budget. A housing swap occurs when two parties in different parts of the world agree to swap homes with one another for a selected period of time. It’s typically done as an even trade and provides a great way to save on a lodging when traveling someplace new. People who participate in house swaps typically own very nice homes, so it is very likely that you will either find a luxurious place to stay or an excellent location. While many housing swaps are negotiated over Craigslist, there are other third party sites that provide some guarantee that you are dealing with reputable people. Home Exchange provides this service at a charge of $99 and has members listed all over the globe.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staycation
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/off-season-beach-bargains
http://www.solitudepointe.com/cabins.htm
http://www.homeexchange.com/
http://www.inetours.com/PagesWT/Wine_Tours_Map.html
