Michelle is the founder and creator of Travel with Intention, an intentional travel planning blog that's all about empowering independent spirits to curate their own unique adventures. With a passion for family travel and a drive to share our experiences with others, I began this blog in 2019 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fed up with traditional travel advice that emphasizes quantity over quality, I set out to empower the DIY travel planner. Armed with personalized recommendations and sample itineraries, I believe in helping fellow travelers create unforgettable memories through intentional travel experiences. With a book, blog, newsletter, and future course in the works, my mission is to inspire others to embrace the badassery of DIY travel planning and create journeys that reflect who they are and what they truly want.
A new look at lux
So I've always been an economy class kinda girl. Not for any particular reason mind you, it just fits the latitude and longitude of my bank sheet balances thus far in my life. So it feels like a part of how I travel. (Funny how what we've always done eventually becomes who we are.)
My hotels and homestays have traditionally stayed in a similar range. I fantasize about what I'll splurge on when splurges are a little more accessible.
But it turns out I may be doing myself a favor with how I'm spending already.
According to this article, what high-end clients regret the most are purchases on lux accommodations. Those spacious rooms it seems have too much space. Clients report they are often left with a feeling of isolation and a lack of authenticity and connection.
That reminded me of the findings in The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. After serving as a correspondent for NPR and reporting from over 30 countries, he wrote this book on traveling the world to find what happiness meant to others.
His chapter on Qatar is particularly connected as he ponders whether or not a luxury hotel can be too much luxury. He struggles with the truth that for people happiness comes from comfort but it also comes from relationships. Luxury can sometimes isolate. His words encourage us to reflect on whether luxury provides comfort or distance from our destination.
What luxury is, if anything, is personal preference. To be able to travel at all is a luxury, a truth spoken by one of the guest speakers, Ruby E. of A Journey We Love, at the upcoming TWI Travel Planning Summit. Her session on inserting luxury into your travel is all about how to find the pieces of luxury that personalize your travel experiences in such a way that you honor who you are as a traveler and connect authentically with the area around you. It's an amazing session and I can't wait to share it with you!
Grab your pass to this free 3-day event if you haven't already! Starting January 5th you can catch each of the 12 sessions led by travel enthusiasts who speak on everything from Travel Planning 101 to tackling some of travel's biggest challenges and apply what you hear to your next travel adventure!
Just click the link above to grab a seat, catch the schedule, and read about topics that will be shared over the 3 days.
Until next time fellow travelers!
Michelle Muncy-Silva
Michelle is the founder and creator of Travel with Intention, an intentional travel planning blog that's all about empowering independent spirits to curate their own unique adventures. With a passion for family travel and a drive to share our experiences with others, I began this blog in 2019 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fed up with traditional travel advice that emphasizes quantity over quality, I set out to empower the DIY travel planner. Armed with personalized recommendations and sample itineraries, I believe in helping fellow travelers create unforgettable memories through intentional travel experiences. With a book, blog, newsletter, and future course in the works, my mission is to inspire others to embrace the badassery of DIY travel planning and create journeys that reflect who they are and what they truly want.
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