Luxury and budget travel fusion: Combining upscale and economical experiences on one journey

While my preferred method of maximizing travel involves points and miles, my husband and I have devised several strategies over the years to strike a perfect balance between my passion for budget travel and his appreciation for luxury. Our favorite approach for a vacation that blends adventurous, off-the-beaten-path experiences with moments of true luxury and relaxation is our "high/low" method.

Just like pairing an Ikea mirror with an Eames chair in your living space, seamlessly blending high-end travel with budget-friendly experiences within the same trip can be quite effective. This approach has also helped us manage our children's high expectations for travel.

Implementing the high/low strategy

During a previous trip, we allocated an average of $350 per night for accommodations over a week-long vacation in Vietnam. Although this was on the pricier side, it led us to hotels that weren't ideal for families.

Instead, we opted for hotels in the $75–$100 per night range for four nights, followed by accommodations priced between $500 and $750 for the next three nights. We also sought to secure a complimentary third or fourth night through select hotels in Amex's Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program, which is available to certain Amex cardholders, including The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Advice for budget-friendly stays

The essence of the "low" end of the stay is understanding that while it may be less expensive, it doesn't equate to a diminished experience; it's rich in culture. During this "low" phase, we engage in extensive sightseeing, dine at local eateries, or cook our meals, keeping expenses down by participating in the local economy rather than isolating ourselves in a resort setting.

Staying in different accommodations allows our family to experience areas we might miss if we were solely at luxury hotels and resorts. Moreover, we often travel with our two young children, so we prefer Airbnbs or family-owned hotels for reasons that go beyond just saving money.

Advice for indulging at the higher end

When we shift to the "high" end, we fully embrace the resort experience — there's no need to worry about driving or finding lunch, as everything we need is conveniently on-site. Often, we don’t even leave the property because we’ve already explored everything and just want to relax. We prefer to reserve the luxurious stay for the final part of our trip and take advantage of early check-in and late check-out to extend our time there (FHR perks and elite status are perfect for this).

This presents a great opportunity to use a high-end redemption to lower costs, allowing us to spend the savings on additional experiences like cooking classes or spa treatments.

For instance, during our 10-day trip to Bali, we spent the first five nights in an affordable villa before redeeming five nights at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali (Category 6, costing between 40,000 to 60,000 Marriott points per night), where we fully enjoyed the amazing kids club and affordable babysitting services.

Lower end: Rural Vietnam

In Vietnam, our budget-friendly stay was at Phong Nha Farmstay in the Bong Lai Valley, costing $85 per night with breakfast included. It was primarily a backpacker’s haven but offered a spacious family room adjacent to the owner’s residence. My older son quickly formed a close bond with the owner’s son, Howie, and reminisced about their time together for months.

While visiting Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, we hired a private 14-seat boat just for our family of four, which made it easy for me to breastfeed the baby. The privacy allowed us to turn back if our 2-year-old felt frightened by the caves. The three-hour cave gondola ride cost $15, along with a $6.50 entrance fee for the national park. Instead of being a frightening ordeal, the ride was serene and perfectly suited to our family’s pace.

On another day, we took advantage of the complimentary bikes offered at the farmstay. The only family bike had a flat seat attached to the back, so we used my sarong to secure my older son there while my husband carried the baby in front as we navigated the bumpy, muddy roads to the sole local attraction known as The Duck Stop.

Using a hand-drawn map, we discovered the family-run establishment, which provided a food package and a chance to visit their flock of ducks ($4, kids free). Suddenly, we were in borrowed sandals, and the ducks were eagerly chasing us while pecking at our feet, as the owner laughed and shouted, "It's like a massage!" We also met the resident water buffalo before cycling back. These are the kinds of unique travel experiences I cherished during my backpacking adventures in my 20s, and I love reliving them with my family (though my husband is less enthusiastic).

Higher end: Four Seasons The Nam Hai

While I thoroughly enjoy reminiscing about my backpacking days, stepping into the Four Seasons Nam Hai was a truly remarkable experience. We booked through FHR to take advantage of the fourth night free offer, reducing the cost from $750 per night to $660 per night for a one-bedroom, ocean-view villa that included a delightful breakfast.

Yes, it's an expensive option, but that's precisely why we balance it with more budget-friendly stays. We also explored the possibility of the Intercontinental Nha Trang, Vietnam by using IHG Rewards Club points.

One of the wonderful aspects of a luxury resort is their ability to keep track of your whereabouts and easily connect with you. With the kids happily occupied in childcare, we participated in a Vietnamese cooking class organized by the hotel, which included a trip to the local market. When we returned with our fresh ingredients, the cooking assistant arranged for the babysitter to bring my youngest son to me at the cooking school in a golf cart, as he needed to breastfeed.

After the baby finished his lunch, his babysitter whisked him away again, which made me feel like a character from "Downton Abbey." We certainly couldn’t have dropped fresh shrimp into hot, sizzling oil with our little ones in tow. The Cooking Academy cost $115 each and included a fabulous five-course meal featuring grilled calamari skewers, grouper wrapped in banana leaf, and wok-fried prawns in tamarind sauce.

To complete our experience, on our last evening, we ventured into the picturesque Hoi An to admire the lanterns that illuminated the streets. We strolled around until our children were ready to melt down, then we hopped into a taxi back to the hotel and settled into bed.

The next morning while packing, we discovered that my DSLR camera was missing and must have been left in the taxi. Normally, that might mean saying goodbye to the camera, but the hotel quickly reviewed the security footage from our arrival the night before, located the driver, and had my camera back in my hands before our 11 a.m. departure.

That could have left a sour note to end our vacation. Instead, we were relieved to be at a place where our concerns were addressed—our issue became their issue. We enjoyed the lavish breakfast buffet rather than frantically searching for the camera, avoiding the heartbreak of losing all our trip photos from Asia with the kids. It also served as a reminder to check the insurance protections offered by my credit cards.

Bottom line

There’s a saying that a vacation with kids is just a trip, not a true vacation. After indulging in sightseeing and adventure, conclude your family getaway at a luxury resort with safe, dependable on-site childcare, allowing you time to relax and perhaps even enjoy a date before heading home. By employing this high/low approach, you can balance costs with either points or cash while relishing both exclusive luxury and local culture.