So you’ve finally done it: You booked a stay at one of those luxury resorts. This time next month, you’ll be sitting on the beach in front of a Cabo San Lucas resort, enjoying the never-ending service of all inclusive vacation packages. You’ll be free from the chores of daily living, such as grocery shopping and washing your sheets. Your Cabo all inclusive resort means you won’t even have to worry about making breakfast. Good-bye work and adult responsibilities, hello relaxation and five-star service. For if there’s one thing luxury resorts promise, it’s premier service. All you have to do to take full advantage is show up with a reservation, right? Not quite.
Go ahead and congratulate yourself in taking the first step towards a true luxury experience in booking a stay at one of the premier luxury resorts. It’s more than 75% of working Americans do. According to Glassdoor a full three-quarters of employees don’t use their paid vacation each year. Um, guys, that’s free money. What were you thinking?
If you want to enjoy all that luxury resorts have to offer, however, you might want to brush up on a bit of insider knowledge:
Win over the staff
This point is so key, we’re going to discuss it twice. First, let’s talk the general resort staff: your waiters, bell boys, and front desk clerks. Winning their loyalty isn’t hard to do, and once done, it will ensure your stay is that much more luxurious.
Step one: Remember the magic words. Always be polite and grateful. Please and thank you can never be used too often.
Step two: Tip, tip, and tip some more. If you want to show your appreciation in a way that will actually be remembered later, add a few bills to your requests. The best tippers always get the best service. The longer you’ll be staying, the more you’ll want to keep the tips coming. If you’re worried you might run out of cash because the staff is too large, concentrate your investments where they’ll do the most good: the front desk staff.
Befriend your concierge early
All luxury resorts have a concierge. This well-trained and connected professional is the hotel’s fixer. His or her services are yours for the using during your stay. The trick to making the most of this brilliant individual is to be upfront with what you want and need. As soon as you’ve made your reservation, contact the resort to let them know what they can do to make your stay the best it can be.
Do you want an oceanfront view? How about an extra firm mattress? Are your mornings simply incomplete without your particular brand of tea or coffee? Don’t be afraid to be specific. It may sound pretentious, but you aren’t staying at luxry resort for nothing. Start a friendly email dialogue with the hotel concierge to build you rapport and ensure your visit starts off right. You’ll be amazed at the lengths the staff can go to once they realize you’re a discerning visitor.
Leave work at work
Most important of all to enjoying your stay at all luxury resorts: turn off your work-related devices and accounts. In fact, turn off any and all electronics your boss may be able to reach you through. Even on vacation, Americans are notorious for always checking their voicemail and email. Over 60% of respondents to a recent survey admitted to continuing to work while on vacation. Surprise, surprise, that Happify found one in 10 travelers say they’re unable to relax when vacationing.
For 25% of vacation workaholics, their colleagues were to blame for getting in touch while they were out of town. We truly pity the one in five who heard from their boss while away. Have you ever heard the adage, “It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission”? Staying at all inclusive luxury resorts is the perfect time to put that into practice. Go ahead and turn off your work cell phone, take a break from checking email, and know that you can ask for forgiveness later for any missed communications. Trust us, it’ll worth it in the end.
