TRAVEL SMARTS

Heading for Europe or beyond? Here’s how to optimise your spending, be a savvy shopper, follow local leads and more. Plus: how to pack brilliantly, what your beauty travel bag really needs, and tips from travellers in the know.

- Pnina Fenster

LEVEL UP

If the phrase ‘budget trip’ conjures up images of sagging beds, oily food and a miasma of disappointment, it’s time to apply the high-low rule: In the same way that a few high-quality pieces can elevate an affordable everyday wardrobe or decor scheme, high-low travel combines low-cost smarts with luxurious highlights. Here’s the expert strategy:

Revel in five-star grandeur without the room rates. ‘Even if an overnight stay isn’t on the cards, the world’s best properties can still anchor your trip,’ says Jules Perowne, CEO of a luxury consultancy. ‘Treat yourself to drinks or a meal somewhere fancy – and remember that last-minute can mean opportunity. Many hotels have dynamic rate structures, and I’ve had friends phone, ask the right questions and end up staying somewhere they thought was out of reach. Sometimes there’s a cancellation or midweek window, and if you’re flexible – and a bit bold – brilliant opportunities can be found.’

Make a spa treatment count. Want to hang out at a five-star pool, terrace or wellness suite? Publicist Jamie Lynn O’Grady chooses hotel spas where certain treatments include time to enjoy the facilities. ‘It’s a luxury experience without the expensive overnight stay,’ she says.

Play the timing game. Hotels and restaurants are often better priced in the period between high and low tourist season. For flights, travel adviser Anna Tretter recommends ITA Matrix, a flight-search tool that pinpoints low-fare combinations that are often missed by standard booking sites. ‘If your dates are flexible, select the “Search calendar of lowest fares” option,’ she says. ‘Pick the first date you’d be able to depart, then enter a range of nights.’