Bagging a bargain is usually the name of the game when traipsing the web in search of luxury holiday destinations. In spite of this, there is a multitude of luxurious travel options that beg you to throw that budget flying out the window. Below we have compiled a top ten (in no particular order) of the most expensive holiday destinations to nudge you a little closer to putting luxury before those precious pennies. Just repeat these words before entering your card details: you only live once, you only live once-
# Paris, FranceHome to some of the most expensive restaurants in the world, the outrageously priced Ritz hotel and the the designer shops of Place Vendôme, the capital of romance finds its way on to our list. Known to many as the pinnacle of fine dining, it’s no wonder that a meal in Jules Verne, located on the fifth floor of the Eiffel Tower, can set you back £250. This may seem a hefty price tag but it quivers in comparison to the Guy Savoy. An 18 course taster menu here will strip you of a whopping £430 per head. At least it would be filling.
# Fiji IslandsWith its 332 islands of pristine white sands dotted with palm trees swaying to the tune of a tropical breeze, you’d be forgiven thinking that you’ve found heaven on earth. Any notions of this evaporate into the idyllic ether when presented with the bill for hopping to and from the Islands; boat rides to the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands are famously pricey. On top of this Fiji villagers require visitors to participate in a sevusevu (gift giving ceremony) before entering. This is usually kava (a drink made from a native plant called Piper methysticum). If you fancy staying on the island of Laucala you are welcomed with the country’s traditional greeting of, ‘Bula’ and a landing fee of £11,500. Yikes.
# New York, USAHotel service is usually impeccable in the Big Apple, but don’t forget that a porter merely picking up your bag will leave you a couple of dollars lighter. Apart from dollar slices of street pizza and the trusty hog dog, general food costs are staggeringly high in the Big Apple. Start with a breakfast at Norma’s, either with a “zillion dollar frittata” (£1,600) or head over to Westin New York, for a thousand dollar bagel coated in gold flakes and truffles.
# Virgin Islands Another paradisiacal destination with a trend of private islands and extortionate fees. Why not give Richard Branson’s island a try by forking out a cool £62,500 a night?
# Bora BoraFamous with celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Vince Vaughn, the Island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia isn’t designed for thrifty holidayers, but with hotels costing around £1,000 a night this tropical paradise is towards the lower end of the scale in terms of luxury prices.
# The SeychellesThe islands’ never-ending summer doesn’t come cheap. Not just home to astonishing beaches but also to the world’s most expensive luxury hotel at £6,000 a night. This ranking is based on a worldwide survey of the minimum price a couple will have to spend to stay