[larrysb]

The question is whether you prefer luxury whenever you can afford it. Would you arrange business or first class tickets on a long international flight if you can swing it or have enough miles to get you upgraded?

Hotels when traveling? Do you prefer the luxury hotel, a 5-star with good service and atmosphere?

Or do you do the cheapest of everything?

My preference is for luxury all the way. On international first today. My own security line, get to wait in the first class lounge, don't have to put up with the vulgar masses and get my own personal lie-flat seat and private pod on the plane.

[VF1J]

I'm sure everyone would prefer it... seems like a stupid question.

Unless someone is more likely to meet a hooker in a motel than a five star hotel, or they're just saving money to spend on other priorities.

[Urshulgi]

If I could afford the first class on long international flights, I would pay for it. Economy seats aren't built for people over the height of 5'9", and Iwas very uncomfortable on the 12 hour 30 min flight from Moscow to Houston.

As far as luxury hotels go, they're just too expensive, and I don't travel to foreign places just so I can sit in a hotel. When I'm traveling, I want a clean bed, a secure place to leave my bag, and a disease-free shower. Other than that, I'm out and about checking out the place I've traveled to. If I wanted to sit on my ass all day in one place, I'd just stay home.

[themuzicman]

I'm middle of the road. I generally don't do Motel 6 or other murder scenes, but I do look for a reasonable price when I travel

[Warrior]

	Originally Posted by larrysb To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Would you arrange business or first class tickets on a long international flight if you can swing it or have enough miles to get you upgraded?

International flight? You better believe it. Business class is fine, I don't find a ton of difference between that and first class, but I don't fly coach on international flights. I don't care too much about shorter lines in the airport or waiting in the lounge. I just want to have a decent amount space during the flight.

	Hotels when traveling? Do you prefer the luxury hotel, a 5-star with good service and atmosphere?

I'm rather indifferent to hotels. I've stayed in some of the best and some of the worst and I don't get any better sleep in a five star hotel. As long as it is clean and hopefully offers a decent selection of TV channels and a minimal workout facility, I'm fine. Usually that means a three or three and half star hotel at least.

[Lipovan87]

I've spent enough 12 hour flights in economy to feel comfortable. My priority is paying back my student loans and comfort is not a priority. It is probably more enjoyable when your older.

[Reddkatz]

I am a cheap ass, so I don't mind staying in a 2 star hotel flying economy.

[Kricket]

I'm similar to Themuzicman. Also, there are certain areas where I am willing to spend more and others where I will cheap out.

Flying: I've never paid for anything but coach seating, even when flying to China. I figure I can suffer coach for X many hours.
Hotel: am easily squicked out by dirty hotels, so I shoot for middle/upper rated hotels depending on my budget.
Food: Cheap as dirt most of the time, with a few really nice meal now and then.
Transport: Cheap, if possible. I'll rent a tiny car or use the bus. Taxis are only for emergencies.

[Rationality]

I prefer the middle ground and a little of everything. Most of my travelling is done cheaply.

For transportation I fly economy and use buses, trains, taxis or rent a car.

For accommodations, I've stayed in foreigner's houses, youth hostels, cheap hotels, mid-range hotels, expensive hotels, etc. I've even slept in a public park. I insist on having a shower every day, but otherwise I'm flexible. On my next trip I'll be staying with a friend instead of at a hotel. I like the large bathrooms and good breakfasts in the nicer hotels, but otherwise I don't use much else. I'm gone most of the day when I travel. The views are nice sometimes. I'd rather be left alone by housekeeping and I rarely use the hotel services, so the fancy ones usually aren't worth their cost.

[Beric]

What is minimally acceptable to most people is luxury to me. So not sure how to answer this... My standards are not high, so I can't appreciate luxury. A Motel 6 is better than my college apartment.

[Mogura]

If my company's paying... luxury all the way!

If I'm paying (and traveling by myself)... I'm content enough to get an exit row seat so I can stretch my legs. I sometimes pay extra for that. As for hotels, I prefer convenience of location over luxury. I rarely spend much time in the room beyond sleep and shower...

[Jalex]

Love luxury, after all those years of studying and always living on the limit of the budget I love to treat myself as I deserve... a f*cking rockstar 8)

[sircockburn]

Flying: Internationally, definitely prefer first-class. I'm 5'11, nearly all of it legs! Better food and much more peaceful than coach, where half the time it smells like stale fart, or a baby is crying, or I'm squeezed up against the window sill being hit on by some drunk guy claiming he owns casinos.

Hotel: I generally pick clean hostels, where they've got locks for valuables. Always meet people too that way! If I'm going somewhere where I've got a friend, they let me crash on their couch. I don't spend much on lodging, since I'm only there to sleep and keep my suitcases.

Food: I like to try EVERYTHING. I go for authentic and avoid tourist traps, so it's usually dirt cheap

Transportation: if in Europe for a long time, I'll by a eurorail pass, but also rely on buses and hoofing it. In certain countries, I've dealt with shady cab drivers, so that's kind of a last resort. If I'm with a friend whos a native, they sometimes have cars. But roads/traffic in certain areas is so bad, so if there's little risk of getting mugged/kidnapped/your gold earrings torn off (happened to a travel companion in Colombia), I like walking. You can take things in much more thoroughly that way too.

[ElstonGunn]

Luxury is uncomfortable to me. Something about it makes me feel a bit gross, like I'm so fragile or demanding that I need a velvet cushion under my fat ass at all times. When I take the time to think about it, I always end up asking myself if that's what I've become.

[Ericds84]

My best travel stories come from times hitchhiking and staying in hostels.

[Uncle Mort]

I prefer luxury but can only afford cheap(ish)

[Autumnleaf]

I prefer clean, quiet and tasty. Pretty doesn't do much for me.

[sircockburn]

	Originally Posted by Autumnleaf To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I prefer clean, quiet and tasty. Pretty doesn't do much for me.

I actually get kind of annoyed when I see too much useless and expensive decor....like, all this shit adds how much to the fare/price/tab?

[Anima Mundi]

I definitely go for luxury, but I try to get it as cheaply as I can. I've gotten first class seats on overbooked flights for only a few bucks more, and it was well worth it since it was an international flight. Only once in a while will I splurge on a posh hotel; oftentimes I stay with friends or relatives, or get a short-term rental on an apartment or vacation home (sometimes it can be cheaper than a hotel.)

[Mohammad]

my baseline is cheap and cheerful. i think it adds to the fun of traveling.
but i splash out on the more important issues. like getting a good car.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[INTroJect]

Generally I prefer bueno, bonito y barrato, but I have had some interesting times staying in the cheapest of the cheap. $3/day, just a bed in a room, shared a bathroom for whole hotel, no showers. There was a poster in the room that had a picture of the cube in Mecca and some Koran quotes in Arabic, it made me nice and paranoid that there was a line with the words "insincere" and "infidels" in in same sentence. The grand finale to the whole experience would probably be the lovely infestation of crabs that I am pretty sure that I caught from staying there.

[N0c7urn3]

Being a student, cheap appeals to me. If I have extra cash though, I'd spend on luxury. I'm 6 feet tall, so I hate the lack of legroom on economy seats as well. And it's kind of a waste to fly halfway around the world to skimp on good food by choosing cheap food (not that all good food is expensive).

[AnaK]

I've only flown coach on long flights and it's somewhat uncomfortable, but that was years ago and I think planes are even more crowded now. If I were really rich, I might upgrade to business, but not first class. Once I was travelling a lot for work, so they bumped me to first class and I felt like a stowaway - like I didn't belong. My favorite hotel chain is the Fairfield Inn or Hampton Inn or another 2 1/2 star chain. I don't like hotels worse than that. Now I'm in a Doubletree 3* and it's nicer than I need. I'd never feel comfortable in a 5 star hotel. My favorite restaurant is Panera Bread. I prefer restaurants don't have wait staff, but I don't eat at burger joints.

[ppu6502]

If the toilet seat isn't encrusted with diamonds, no way I'm staying there.

[sircockburn]

	Originally Posted by ppu6502 To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	If the toilet seat isn't encrusted with diamonds, no way I'm staying there.

When I go to Japan, it's not enough that the toilets rinse my asshole out and heat the toilet seat, I expect it to curtsy to me and thank me for blessing it with my ass.