Who is BU re splashing out on a fancy hotel?

[Vilanellexc]

DH & I have decided to have a weekend break away in London in December, shortly before Christmas. The plan is that we will be spending out on this experience as an alternative to spending a lot of money on Christmas gifts for one another as we usually do.

We plan to spend one night in a hotel, watch a west end show, look around at the festive things, followed by drinks and fine dining in the evening. I should point out that DH & I have no DC and have a very good combined income. Despite this, we have always stayed in cheaper hotels when on holidays and short trips away (think Premier Inn) and have always ended up walking past the lovely fancy hotels and feeling a bit jealous!

I told DH as it’s a special Christmas treat, I’d like to book somewhere luxurious and high end this time. Having spent the weekend traveling through trip advisor, I’ve found some lovely luxury hotels around the £450-£700 per night mark, all of which look fantastic and are very highly reviewed. DH initially agreed but has since started looking at all of the cheaper hotels available and says it seems silly spending out on a place to rest our heads when we could put the money towards actually doing nice things in London instead. He doesn’t seem to get the fact that staying in a nice hotel is all part of the experience.

AIBU in wanting to spend out on some luxury for once and thinking it is worth it and will really make our trip special? It’s really not as if we can’t afford it. DH thinks I’m being ridiculous.

I'm torn, I would love to splash out like that too in theory but £450-£750 for one night is so much, I'd probably end up changing my mind like your DH haha If it were me I'd probably save the fancy hotel for somewhere other than London where it's still as fancy but a little bit cheaper

DH and I are fans of splashing out on luxury hotels, but we wouldn't go overboard - that price does seem excessive tbh. Could you compromise on a hotel which is around £250 per night? You can get some lovely places for that and it will leave money for spending in London.

Yeh £259/300 will get you a lovely room

For country breaks where the weather impacts on how much time you spend in the hotel I would agree, and do book expensive hotels. For a trip to London where I was planning on seeing an evening show and getting dinner out, I wouldn't want to spend £700 on the hotel. I'd look to spend around £250 and make sure a good breakfast was available, plus that I could drop my luggage off even if my room wasn't ready, and collect it after I'd had another day of sight seeing (and that this was secure)

If you’re planning to spend time at a show and looking round then you’re not going to have much time in the hotel. I would spend the top end if you were going to luxuriate for the whole time in the lovely hotel, but it sounds like you won’t really make the most of the experience. Why not do a luxury hotel spa break at another time of year when you just hang out in the hotel? And go for a middle of the range one now and spend cash on a lovely meal and other experiences.

Could you compromise on a hotel which is around £250 per night? You can get some lovely places for that and it will leave money for spending in London.

This sounds like a good idea. I can’t believe anywhere is really worth £700 a night - it’s certainly a hell of a leap from a Premier Inn!

If you got somewhere for £250 you could spend £200 on a fancy meal out and still be £250 up on your top end budget. Why not have two great experiences for the price of one?

I do think fancy hotels are wasted when you are in cities as you are paying for all the extras you just won’t use. I would get a cheaper hotel which has good rooms and if you want to do something more fancy then go to a country hotel where you will actually spend time in it and it’ll be so much cheaper.

I stay in a fancy hotel once a week for work. It’s still just a bed. I would NEVER spend my own money doing it.

Had a quick look on Booking.com and lots of 5* hotels for under 300, the Prince Akatoki looks good and is £280 Inc breakfast

What about a high end Airbnb?

I agree with secret life, the nice hotel is all part of the experience, but I am sure you would be able to get a really good hotel cheaper than the amount you are looking at. We stayed at the Montgue Hotel in Bloomsbury about 3 years ago, right next to the British Museum, it was a beautiful hotel, and definitely less that £300.

I would. You have the money and no kids to worry about. Why not? Tell him to go stay in his budget hotel and book your own you don't need his permission to spend your own earnings op!

I know you must be tempted OP but for one night? Realistically if you’re seeing a show, going for dinner and hoping to immerse yourself in all things ‘Christmas’, you’re going to be doing very little other than sleeping in the room. £700 for 8 hours sounds a lot! And I say this as someone who is very fussy about where I stay!! . I agree with PPs- I think you should compromise. There are 100s of lovely London hotels between the Premier Inn and 5 *. How about having brunch or afternoon tea in the luxury hotel you’re considering instead?? I think luxury hotels like the one you’re considering are only worth it if you’re staying for a few days and can really take advantage of it.

Enjoy your trip!

We are doing the same, but I want to book the Shard - DH is not so keen. May book it anyway and he can sulk while looking a the amazing views 😁

Sorry but i'd have to agree with your husband - if your going away for 2 nights @ £450-£700 personally i'd be going for a long weekend abroad instead

You should be able to stay somewhere nice for the £250-£300 mark as a compromise

Cheap hotels in london can be pretty shit, but there are some nice boutiquey ones that are mid range.
Id rather a posh hotel in a cheaper area though. Posh hotel in london you germt fuck all for your money

This is a good plan. I might suggest a £700 a night place next time so that I look like I'm compromising suggesting a £250 a night one next 😂

I'm with you. There's nothing like staying in a swanky 5* hotel to complement fine dining and a West End show, but to get the most out of the experience you really need 2 nights

Have you looked to see if you can get a better deal for 2 nights than 1 in a 4 or 5 star centrally situated London hotel?

St Ermin's and the Strand Palace might fit the bill but if it's the Ritz, Claridge's, or the Dorchester you're thinking of they may be budget busters.

I love luxury hotels at Christmas - their decoration are usually amazing and there tends to be a very special atmosphere at that time of year.

You absolutely are not BU. It’s difficult to find a decent hotel in central London at this time of year for less than £300. An extra £100 or so will mean you have a really special luxury experience. I would definitely do this- enjoy!!

Compromise and stay on a Sunday night, it is much cheaper in all the best London hotels, and much quieter to see the sights, shopping etc on Mondays!

Yeah I think that's excessive when you're going to be out for the majority of your stay. You'd be much better off spending this kind of money on a spa hotel stay

If you're having dinner and seeing a show, you're not going to get back to the hotel until late. Then you'll be checking out at 10. What's the point?

The only time I've spent more than Premier Inn prices was when staying in Stratford upon Avon out of season. It's not a night time place, the weather was such that we'd only be out of an hour or two at a time, and we had time to enjoy the spa and swimming pool.

Dont go strand palace granted i havent been for years but used to be a dive

I do get your point but maybe compromise although if you havent booked it yet its not going to be cheap anywhere leading up to xmas

Look at the Radison Blue / 4 seasons / luxury apartments in Canary Wharf / Docklands. Often cheaper and far more luxurious than 5 star hotels.

I agree with your DH!