A Luxury Beach Vacation?When you think luxury beach vacation, what's on your wish list? “Luxury” is one of those feel-good words marketers call “aspirational” -- meaning you want it, you may even fantasize about it. And they hope you’re willing to shell out big bucks to have it in your life.
I recently Googled “luxury vacation rentals” and came up with 39,800,000 results: a broad and very mixed bag of homes and listing sites, generously peppered with travel companies that use luxury in their name. But what is luxury, really? I’ve always thought that luxury, like beauty, is very much in the eye of the beholder. So I did a little social media poll and the results (far from scientific, I’ll grant!) confirmed my theory. Answers to my question, “What does a luxury beach vacation mean to you?” ranged from a dreamy -- “Hammocks, definitely hammocks … with the sounds of breaking waves, and cocktails!” to the adamant -- “SERVICE. I can almost forgo some amenities, but the service has to be SPOT ON.” I’ll even venture a step further and suggest that your idea of luxury shifts with your vacation/life situation. You might envision a mansion with a personal chef and head-to-toe pampering for a special event. But you might be in heaven with a killer ocean view (from a king-sized bed dressed in thousand-count sheets) and a chef’s kitchen for a weekend getaway. Given its many meanings, luxury can be difficult to find if you search for it by name. Instead, list everything it will take to give you that feeling you seek and search those specific terms. Meanwhile, here’s a luxury wish list with five scenarios — ranging from the over-the-top to way, way under the radar – inspired by my “research” to start you dreaming:
Solution: The shoot-the-moon all-out, over-the-top splurge The five-star version of luxury is the most obvious. And who doesn’t deserve one of those every once in a while? Santa Barbara Beach Club (managed by Santa Barbara Beach Rentals) fills the bill. This luxury beach vacation estate combines the privacy and space of a large vacation rental with a menu of amenities comparable to what you’d expect at a five-star resort like the Bacara or Biltmore. The infinity pool ends in a jaw-dropping Pacific Ocean view that includes the Channel Islands on a clear day. Of course, the property has its own private beach. There’s also a fire pit, a hot tub that seats 10 and even an outdoor LCD TV (one of nine cable TVs throughout the house). And how about a: Still only scratching the surface. All for a cool $28,000 a week for up to 12 guests (two beds are child beds). Parties, weddings or events are considered case by case and include extra site fees, by the way. I love lifestyles-of-the-rich luxury. However … the following four are more in the realm of real-life possibility for me.
#2. Luxury beach vacation wish: “Lots of fun things to do so close that I can forget about my car—and any kind of traffic—for an entire week.” Solution: Resort-style amenities included Through Better Vacation Rentals, you can rent a one- or two-bedroom condo in a lushly landscaped resort-style complex -- with heated pools and spas, a BBQ/picnic area, a fitness facility and pool tables -- that’s also just steps from prime Oceanside beaches, the pier and harbor. If your idea of a luxury beach vacation is more space and privacy along with gourmet food and plenty of creature comforts, head to Sea Ranch Escape. Homes set on ocean bluffs and wide-open meadows are surrounded by 10 miles of coastal trail to hike, as well as bike trails, three year-round recreation centers, an equestrian center and an 18-hole golf course. Why not plan your trip around four- and five-course dinners hosted by local winemakers and brew masters at Sea Ranch Lodge throughout the year. I love the luxury of having the best of two worlds -- a comfortable, private home and an upscale resort.
Solution: A la carte concierge services It’s fun to be pampered and homeowners are getting very good at incorporating hotel-style concierge services (such as in-home massage) with personal touches to you’re your stay memorable. Guests of Sanctuary by the Sea Pacific Grove are treated to complimentary passes to a nearby day spa, refrigerator stocking service, a private chef/catering (on request) and the services of a personal concierge ($35 an hour). On top of that you'll be treated to a genuinely warm, personal welcome including a handwritten note, a framed welcome greeting you by name and a bottle of local wine and a sun-dried tomato and spinach torta -- made by the owner (a former professional chef) and elegantly presented on a gold charger plate with a fuchsia orchid bloom on the side. At The Laughing Buddha Beach House, you can request a couple’s massage beside the fireplace and/or a personal astrology reading. Bookt, a Miami-based web services provider to the vacation rental industry, marks an emerging “industry-wide trend toward hotel like services” among professional property managers. On this site you’ll find local property managers offering freebies and fee-for-service perks including: • private chef (fee) I love the luxury of being pampered any way I please.
Solution: Little luxuries that have a huge impact Who doesn’t adore creature comforts and simple -- and affordable – pleasures such as Egyptian cotton sheets, plush towels, feather mattresses, down comforters and spa robes -- ahh! The Laughing Buddha Beach House has all this plus little luxuries only a friend would think of: • Organic linens and hypoallergenic pillows and comforters on request Most of the time good stuff like this is locked up inside the hotel mini-bar (which should be papered with dollar signs) or arrives via room service, another ka-ching. (Click here for more about
hidden hotel fees that come with rock-bottom rates.)
Solution: A private retreat There are times when we’d all trade hovering service for the simple luxury of peace and privacy. A quiet place, where you have the time and space to slow down and notice things. To listen to nature. To come alive again through your five senses. My husband was still fielding calls from work an hour after we settled into At The Bay’s Edge. But the hypnotic blue water of Bodega Bay — winking at us from wall-to-wall living room windows — gradually worked its magic. Pretty soon, we were feeding seagulls from our private deck as fishing boats chugged past with the final catch of the day. By the time the burnt-orange horizon melted into the candlelight-glow in our living room, we were drowsing on the sofa. We were finally lulled to sleep by the continuous croon of the harbor horn. The luxury of peace is priceless.
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