Luxe Travel tips

The luxury hotel brand Rocco Forte Hotels recently combined its world-class hospitality with sustainable slow travel to create a modern-day “Grand Tour” of European cities by rail. The scenic vacation train package connects two of the most romantic cities in Europe: Edinburgh, Scotland, and Palermo, Sicily. It’s designed to let travelers indulge in an inter-rail experience while taking a deep dive into local cultural experiences at each stop.

We hope you love the hotels we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

There’s luxury travel that the average person can save up for and splurge on, and then there’s the type of luxury that only the super rich can afford, like having an entire resort to yourself. The newly opened, 79-suite Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos is making the latter possible for anyone who has $600,000 to spend on a three-day vacation. And it’s all thanks to TikTok.

Humidity. That was the first thought that went through my mind upon exiting the terminal at Bali’s Denpasar International Airport — though, to be honest, not much was happening in my brain after 27-plus hours of travel. Unable to place the exact time of day (or which day of the week it was), I managed to find our driver in a chaotic sea of hotel signs, and was immediately greeted with a cold bottle of water, wet towel, and car pulsing with air conditioning. This, I thought, couldn’t be a better welcome.

We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

What’s happening right now in Saudi is groundbreaking — literally and figuratively. Huge developments, so massive they’ve been dubbed “giga projects,” are transforming the country like nowhere else in the world, bringing in new attractions, opening next-level luxurious hotels, and even creating entirely new cities.

Modern travel is full of conveniences. Global air hubs connect travelers to faraway places in a matter of hours. But with all these modern comforts, it’s easy to pass right by the things that make the actual travel part of the journey worthwhile. Vacation by Rail’s Winter Magic trip, on board VIA Rail’s Vancouver to Jasper train, is the ultimate way to take in Canada’s winter wilderness the slow, nostalgic way. Views of towering mountain peaks and river-carved valleys combined with a memorable onboard experience sure beats cramming into an airplane seat in economy.

With incredible shopping, stylish restaurants, historic architecture, and world-famous nightlife, the lively Spanish capital of Madrid sets the backdrop for a splurge-worthy trip. Madrid exemplifies chulo, the Spanish word for cool, which you’ll embrace after spending days getting lost in the colorful markets, strolling through El Retiro Park, and sipping cocktails on a rooftop as the sun sets.

There’s no better endorsement for a hotel than the patronage of royalty or celebrities. Beyoncé — rather, Queen Bey — is regarded as both. Few entertainment industry power couples have had the impact that Beyoncé and Jay-Z have had, from their illustrious careers to their luxurious lifestyle. Factor in a combined net worth somewhere in the billions, and you know that any hotel that’s good enough for the Carters is guaranteed to be something spectacular.