Five-star hotels and private flights — sounds like the life of a rockstar, right? Not necessarily.

While these lavish experiences are associated with the lifestyles of the rich and famous, as the saying goes, seasoned travelers with an excellent taste and a fundamental understanding of their own needs and priorities undoubtedly get more out of these top-tier travel experiences.

The discerning traveler seeks benefits beyond easy access to a mini bar, an in-house nightclub, or the potential to sleep undisturbed for an entire flight. Five-star hotels and private flights offer autonomy, a customizable experience, and privacy you’ll find nowhere else.

Defining Travel Terms

Before we go any further, let’s ensure we’re all on the same page.

What Is a Five-Star Hotel?

The term “five-star” is a gold standard in accommodation circles. Though there is no specific set of boxes that hotels are required to tick to be able to refer to themselves as a five-star establishment, guests will expect a luxury property with immaculate facilities, an abundance of amenities and activities, exquisitely outfitted and decorated rooms, and staff that are the best in the accommodation industry. Discretion and convenience, an understanding of interpersonal relations and personal space, and the ability to provide flawless service even under challenging circumstances are all essential factors to travelers who book five-star accommodations. Five-star hotels have a high staff-to-guest ratio, so no guest loses attention. Five-star hotels usually offer 24-hour (or close) room service, excellent or even Michelin-starred cuisine, childcare options, a spa and salon, in-house entertainment like a nightclub or bar, and extensive concierge service. In short, every desire and need of the guests is planned for and exceeded.

What Is a Private Flight?

A private flight refers to a jet, whether owned or rented, available only to an individual traveler or their party. These jets vary in size, from ones that can accommodate large parties and have almost full kitchens, bedrooms, and the like, to smaller aircraft that, while equally comfortable and luxurious, are designed with lower passenger numbers and sometimes shorter flights in mind. To charter a luxury jet is to offer yourself the best possible air travel experience. The only other people aboard the flight are the cabin crew and pilot/s, meaning all attention can be directed towards you and your party. Relax in the lap of luxury while you cruise towards your terminal destination. Get some beauty sleep, enjoy a delicious freshly cooked or buffet meal, sip champagne, enjoy the company of friends or your thoughts, take off on your schedule, avoid awful airport check-in lines — the list goes on and on.

Who Chooses Luxury Travel Options Like These?

Different travelers are looking for other things from their travel experience. A 21-year-old on spring break might be looking for cost-effective travel accommodation with space for a large group and close to party locations and the beach. A backpacker may look for the bare minimum of a bed and locked door and hope to see as many places as possible instead of seeking luxury experiences. The person who chooses a five-star hotel and a private flight values the finer things in life, such as comfort, privacy, and the kind of experience that creates memories that last a lifetime.

Safety

A five-star hotel has door attendants and security guards, security cameras in non-public areas, key cards, and elevators that only access particular floors or suites. The location is probably in a safe and tourist-friendly area. Private flights take much better care of passengers’ luggage, which ensures less breakage and loss of personal items. There’s no sharing of an enclosed space with strangers and less time spent in busy international airports where brushes with unsavory strangers may occur.

Privacy

Five-star hotels employ staff who know what privacy and discretion mean to their guests. There are VVIP private entrances, penthouses that take up their own private floor, and room service if you wish to avoid public dining and the public eye. The same can be said for private air travel, as you and your party will be the only ones aboard their aircraft. You can even take off from a private airport to avoid interacting with strangers.

Luxury

Both private aircraft and five-star hotels offer luxury in spades. They offer interiors by famed designers, the best quality of furnishing and textiles, cuisine from all over the world prepared by the best chefs available, comfort even during the most monotonous parts of a trip or experience, an excess of options, and provision for everything and anything that guests could want or need.

The Best of the Best

Five-star hotels and private flights are essential for those who prize privacy, opulent and comfortable surroundings, and access to the most exclusive experiences.