At LuxuryVacationist, we’re a team of professional travel journalists, editors, and fact checkers who use our expert judgment to recommend travel experiences for discerning travelers. Our luxury travel recommendations are based on real travel experiences, in-destination expertise and interviews, and careful evaluation of verified traveler reviews. Unbiased editorial judgment and insider travel knowledge is at the heart of everything we do.
How we make our travel recommendations
LuxuryVacationist provides upscale travel recommendations based on verifiable and objective criteria. Our first criteria when recommending travel experiences such as vacations, hotels, resorts, cruises, activities, and attractions is always first-hand experience. We know that the best recommendations come from travelers who have actually visited the vacation destinations and hotels they endorse, so these real-world lived travel experiences are critical to our recommendation methodology.
We also utilize a wide network of travel reviews and independent traveler opinions to provide reliable, up-to-date, fact-checked and verified information about all of the hotels and destinations we recommend. Additionally, our top picks incorporate factors such as overall value, location, and available activities and amenities to provide additional helpful context as you make your vacation decisions.
Luxury hotels and resorts methodology
LuxuryVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for upscale hotels and resorts around the world by utilizing a combination of our own real-life travel experiences, opinions from our team of travel experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to travelers are also considered.
Luxury hotel and resort criteria
For a luxury hotel or resort to be recommended by LuxuryVacationist, it must meet at least two of the following three requirements.
- The hotel or resort must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the LuxurtVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributors.
- The hotel or resort must maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor or 8/10 on Kayak, Booking.com, or Expedia, or otherwise be recognized with independent awards or accolades from travelers or travel industry trade groups.
- The hotel or resort must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of luxury travelers, which may include a combination of overall value for the price, location, activities, and dining options.
Luxury hotel and resort recommendations
Because the enjoyment of a hotel or resort is a personal experience that relies on many factors, LuxuryVacationist does not rank the hotels and resorts in a specific order. Every traveler and every trip is different, and what one person may consider “the best” another may consider “just okay.” For this reason, we utilize the above hotel and resort recommendation criteria to arrive at a variety of options from which you can make your own decision based on the factors that are most important to your personal travel style.
Luxury vacations and destinations methodology
LuxuryVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for upscale vacation destinations around the world by utilizing a combination of our own real-life travel experiences, opinions from our team of travel experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to travelers are also considered.
Luxury vacations and destinations criteria
For a vacation destination to be recommended by LuxuryVacationist, it must meet at least three of the following four requirements.
- The vacation destination must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the LuxuryVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and other contributors.
- The destination must have a wide selection of activities and attractions that maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor.
- The destination must have a variety of hotels or other lodging options that maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor or 8/10 on Kayak, Booking.com, or Expedia; or otherwise be recognized with independent awards or accolades from travelers or travel industry trade groups.
- The destination must provide a specific and demonstrable value to luxury travelers via affordability, seasonality, or a combination of overall value for the price, location, activities, and dining option.
Luxury vacations and destinations recommendations
LuxuryVacationist recognizes that every traveler has different needs and wants when it comes to premium vacations. There is no one-size-fits-all luxury vacation, so we do not rank destinations in a specific order. Instead, we utilize the above vacation recommendation criteria to arrive at a variety of options from which you can make your own decision based on the factors that are most important to you.
Luxury cruise vacations methodology
LuxuryVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for premium cruises and cruise ships by utilizing a combination of our own real-life travel experiences, opinions from our team of cruise travel experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to travelers are also considered.
Luxury cruise vacation criteria
For a cruise line or cruise ship to be recommended by LuxuryVacationist, it must meet at least two of the following three requirements.
- The cruise line or cruise ship must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the LuxuryVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributors.
- The cruise line or cruise ship must maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Cruise Critic or be otherwise recognized with independent awards or accolades from cruise travelers or cruise industry trade groups.
- The cruise line or cruise ship must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of luxury travelers, which may include a combination of overall value for the price, cruise regions available, onboard activities, dining options, shore excursions, live shows and theaters, and other activities.
Luxury cruise vacation recommendations
As with other types of luxury vacations, we believe the enjoyment of a cruise vacation is subject to any number of individual factors, including but not limited to overall price and your general level of enthusiasm for different types of cruise activities. Instead of choosing a single “best” cruise line or cruise ship for luxury travelers, we make recommendations and provide up-to-date information to help you choose the right cruise vacation for your individual vacation style.
Group tours and tour companies methodology
LuxuryVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for tour companies utilizing a combination of our own real-life tour experiences, opinions from our team of travel and tour experts, and aggregated data from travel industry associations. Additional factors important to luxury travelers are also considered.
Group tour company assessment criteria
For a tour company to be recommended by LuxuryVacationist, it must maintain active membership with the USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association), have a positive BBB accreditation or ratings, verified user reviews, and history of awards and recognitions. In addition, all tour companies we recommend must meet the following requirements.
- The tour company must have been personally experienced or evaluated by a member of the LuxuryVacationist team, which include our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributors.
- The tour company must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of its target demographic, which may include a combination of overall value for the price and a wide variety of itineraries.
Group tour company recommendations
A multi-day guided tour is a major commitment in terms of money and time, so it’s vital to make sure you’ve found the right fit for your interests, budget, and travel style. LuxuryVacationist makes travel tour company recommendations based on the above criteria and provides verified and up-to-date information to help you choose the best tour companies based on your interest and budget.
If you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations regarding LuxuryVacationist’s travel recommendations methodology, please contact us. We’re always adding new vacation ideas to our list of recommendations and welcome your feedback.