Ho, ho, ho! Christmas is nearly here, but it’s not all Turkey and Mince Pies as Christmas is a prime time to get together with family and start thinking about those all important travel plans for the new year ahead.
Some people consider their holiday starting on arrival at their destination, but not me – nuh uh – soon as my front door shuts, that’s the beginning of my adventure. Today I’m happy to share this Guest Post with you, as it fits with my own travel philosophy; the journey is part of the fun. Besides, who doesn’t want a taste of VIP life! 🙂
Happy planning (and let’s all be VIP’s)
Image credit: NeonShot/Shutterstock.com
Love them or loathe them, airports are usually quite unavoidable when it comes to travel. Yes, there are other modes of transport but they are not always that convenient: it would take a very long time to get to Orlando by boat.
Next time you fly, you could add some luxury finishing touches to your trip so you can feel like a celebrity without having to bust out your gold card.
Arriving at the airport
Busy airports can be a nightmare to navigate, and there are so many car parks. Avoid all this stress by driving straight to the terminal building where a uniformed chauffeur will be waiting to greet you. From here you can step straight into departures while your car is safely whisked away to a secure compound for the duration of your trip.
Tip: Using meet and greet parking can save you so much time and start your holiday in style. It also doesn’t cost as much as you think.
Assuming you’ve checked in online, once you’ve arrived at the airport you’ll just need to drop off your baggage and walk through to security. At some airports, fast track security is only available to first and business class passengers and top tier members of airline frequent flier programmes. However, at other airports, such as Stansted, it’s possible for any passenger to pre-book fast track security.
Tip: At Stansted, taking this VIP security lane costs from just £4.50 per person. Why wouldn’t you do this? Check if it’s possible to pre-book fast track security at the airport you’re flying from.
Upon navigating security, you’re through to the departure lounge with all its shops, bars and restaurants. You could jostle with the rest of the holidaymakers or you could take a leisurely stroll past the rows of hard seating into an oasis of calm, where you’re handed a glass of chilled champagne.
Tip: Airport lounges are available at most airports and are not the exclusive domain of business travellers. Most allow entry to anyone with a ticket and smart casual dress, and for around £50 you can even pre-book a lounge pass that includes an express spa treatment at some airports.
As you board your plane you’ll be truly blissed out and ready to enjoy your holiday.
In your destination
Once you arrive, there’s no need for the VIP treatment to stop. Pre-booking private transfers will mean you’ll avoid the lengthy wait for transfer buses or taxis. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to walk into arrivals to find someone holding up my name on a card (although they seem to be using iPads these days!).
It’s time to enjoy your holiday. Make sure you take some ‘me time’ to recharge your batteries. Even if your trip involves disembarking on shore excursions every day for two weeks, make sure you come back from your hols nice and relaxed; plan in some time to chill out. Perhaps book a massage or manicure, or a fine dining meal for your final night.
Image credit: milosljubicic/Shutterstock.com
Arriving back home
Just because your holiday is over (sob!) it doesn’t mean you have to let go of the luxury elements of your trip just yet. Proudly push those dark sunglasses up your nose and strut your stuff through arrivals, sporting your glowing tan. If you want to go the whole hog you could even hire your own personal paparazzi to await your arrival back in blighty – who cares if you’ve just hopped off a no-frills airline? (Yes it’s a real thing!)
Picking up your car when you’ve booked meet and greet parking is simple. Give the team a call when you’ve landed and your car will be waiting for you outside the terminal building. All that’s left for you to do is to jump in and drive off into the sunset.
Thanks Purple Parking; I do love budget friendly tips, especially if it gives me a taste of the VIP life, hehe!
Ps. This is not a paid post, just in case y’all are wondering.
