We all enjoy a bit of luxury once in a while and if you’re only getting away a couple times a month it’s all the more important. Getting that bit of R&R can make the stresses and strains of daily life melt away. A luxury hotel can be quite an appealing prospect but you need to balance various aspects of what type of vacation you want and what you can afford.
First, the price of a hotel is proportional to both the hotel’s luxury and the desirability of its location. The same luxury hotel will cost many times more per night in Manhattan than in the outer suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. Although, the highest star hotels will often congregate around dense population centers and desirable areas.
If your ideal vacation involves never leaving the hotel, then you might as well save some money and go to a luxury and more remote resort. If instead you want to leave the hotel for most of the day to see the local sights, then you shouldn’t spring for a luxury hotel if you’re not going to spend much time awake in it. Nothing frustrates me more when people buy very expensive hotels and completely ignore all the fancy amenities the hotel is providing, such as the spa, pool, food, exercise rooms, etc.
For these reasons I recommend NOT going to luxury hotels when it is the destination you are more interested in. A 3-star hotel won’t break the bank and will still give you a clean comfortable room to fall asleep in each night. Save the exotic expensive hotels for when you have the time and desire to enjoy them for what they are. Especially opt for more economic means if you’re bringing children since they probably won’t appreciate the niceties as much as you do.