Jaclyn Sienna India clients are not concerned about money.
She is the founder of Sienna Charles, a members-only travel agency that caters to affluent clients on million-dollar trips around the world.
But even with his endless resources, India says he often advises his clients that not all booze really goes the distance.
If you’ve saved up for a big-ticket trip or are thinking of splurging on a few items on your next vacation, two expenses India says aren’t necessarily worth the money — and here’s one.
Not worth the splurge: The most expensive suite in the hotel
If you want to save money on accommodation, the high price of an exclusive penthouse may not make for a better stay.
Think of it this way, India tells CNBC Make It: The majority of hotels are standard rooms, with a tiny fraction considered “trophy suites” that receive premiums and are therefore less frequently booked.
Hotel staff may not be very familiar with the maintenance of these suites, as they do not always hand them over.
“Maybe they forget to provide service, or maybe they don’t have the right staff to improve the service,” says India. “That’s why we don’t always recommend booking the most luxurious suite, as they may not have the full staff to give them special attention.”
India says that if you still want a great hotel experience, consider booking a suite that fits your needs, not just the most expensive one. When it comes to spending in general, he adds, “Unless you understand what they provide and how that aligns with what you want, higher isn’t always better.”
Not worth the splurge: established hotels
To get your value, India says, consider “trying the new hotels on the block.”
He helps Indian clients travel in big cities – Paris, New York, London – “my vote is always to try a new hotel, because a new hotel is someone who has to prove themselves there and want to win your business”.
Think: attentive service, additional bonus offers and maybe a discount package here or there.
Old and established hotels, India says, “already have repeat business and they already know their place in the market, so maybe they don’t have to win your business.”
Worth Spending: Hospitality packages for concerts and events
Americans Willing to Pay for Concerts, Events and Other Entertainment: Consumers expected to experience a 95% increase in concert sales prices from 2019 to 2023.
As expensive as ticket prices are, India says it’s worth upgrading to VIP and other all-inclusive hospitality packages for the best experience.
“I always recommend (people) go for hospitality packages that include some kind of food and drink, some kind of private entry and some kind of parking,” he says.
India says this makes the biggest difference for concerts and one-off events (rather than an artist’s Vegas residency, for example) because “these events are coming up for the first time.” Each event can be set up differently in terms of available entrances, exits, seating and hospitality areas. “So they build these places once and nobody can tell you where the entrance is or where the car service will drop you off.”
He recalls customers shelling out thousands of dollars and not being able to get into the venue without waiting in line for hours.
“No one likes to spend $10,000 on a Taylor Swift ticket and then wait in line for two hours like everyone else,” he says.
The threat comes from saving time: “If you have to spend a little more to get approved (login), I think that’s really important.”
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