5 Ways a Concierge Can Help You Make the Most of Your Vacation
Are you one of those people who gets home from a week of vacation only to proclaim, “I need a vacation from my vacation!”? Don’t worry—you are not alone.
The key to avoiding this scenario filled with post-vacation stress is sound planning before the vacation and excellent support in place while you’re away. Monogram Concierge can make sure you have both. We want your vacation to be the stress reducer it is intended to be rather than a source of additional stress.
Following some simple guidelines, and relying on support from your concierge as you plan your vacation, will improve your odds of having a successful vacation experience that brings you back home satisfied, re-energized, and ready to return to work (OK, maybe not exactly ready to go back to work—but two out of three isn’t bad!)
How to Plan the Vacation of a Lifetime
Know what you want and need from your vacation.
This is the first and most critical question to answer before determining where you’re going. Do you love to go-go-go while you’re traveling, seeing how many tourist sites can fit on the head of a pin? Or do you prefer to completely unplug, stay put, and enjoy a few low-key activities? The answer to this question may be largely informed by the pace and stress level of your work. Be honest with yourself and your family members about your vacation needs. Getting this right sets the stage for the kind of vacation you plan, ensuring that when you return home, you’ve reaped the fullest benefit from your vacation.
Need help determining what you’re looking for in your vacation? The Monogram Concierge Beautiful Beginnings lifestyle assessment can help you get an outside perspective and find the kind of clarity you’re looking for.
Consider everyone who will be vacationing with you.
A romantic trip for two looks very different from a journey with children who nap and drop goldfish between the minivan seats, which looks different from a trip where your mother-in-law comes along. Be realistic about everyone’s needs and limitations. A good vacation is one on which every traveler has at least one special activity or objective he is excited about and will enjoy. Find something for everyone. In addition, the dynamics of your group will determine the best mode of transportation and travel for you. Particularly if you are traveling with young children and/or senior family members, we encourage you to choose a transportation package with the best value over one that saves you the most money.
Our concierges are travel-planning experts, and can help you build an itinerary that appeals to your entire group.
Plan an itinerary that matches the length of your vacation.
Cramming two dozen museums into a weekend jaunt to Rome is a recipe for disaster. Determine how long you actually have to spend on vacation and plan accordingly. If you only have a few days or a week, do not squander all your precious time trapped in a vehicle or playing Sudoku in a tiny airplane seat. Get somewhere quickly, and stay there. Maximize your time at the destination so you can truly enjoy it. If, on the other hand, you have 2-4 weeks, this might be the perfect opportunity to make that RV trek out west to see the National Parks, to do some backpacking in Europe, or simply relax and reset at your favorite spot with your favorite people.
Whatever your schedule and your destination, our concierges can help you make the most of your trip by researching the area, finding once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and handling all of the minor details and tasks that pile up back home when you travel.
Do your homework on weather and crowds.
The last thing any of us wants to do is stand in line for 78 minutes in 100 degrees and 96% humidity for three minutes of the profound joy one can only get by spinning in circles in a lavender teacup. You stand a much better chance of enjoying your vacation and still wanting to live with your same family members after the trip if you minimize as many avoidable discomforts and inconveniences as possible before you leave home. If you are going to a heavily-visited destination like Disney World or Dollywood, it is worth putting your trip on hold until the off season. You can likely enjoy milder temperatures and more trips on Hogwart’s Flight of the Hippogriff after peak season passes.
If you need to travel during peak season, check to see if the park has any apps or special passes to help you manage and enjoy your time more fully. For example, Disney parks now have an app that allows visitors to schedule windows of time for their rides, which can greatly reduce wait times. Your personal concierge would be happy to find the best Disney package for your family, plan your route through the park and set up your park apps and restaurant reservations. As research experts, our concierges are also glad to help you find the best time of year to travel to top tourist destinations—or help you find that off-the-beaten-path spot that will become special to you and your family.
Pack and prepare like a pro!
Here are some quick tips to remember while packing and prepping:
- If you’re flying, include a change of clothes in your carry-on—in case your luggage is lost or delayed.
- Pack any medications needed during vacation (again, in carry-on if flying).
- Tuck in a good book to read while traveling. And some kid-friendly activities if you are traveling with your children. Word Searches, coloring books, card games and hand crafts like crocheting are some good options.
- Apply for and/or gather all required travel documents: picture id, passports, etc.
- Make sure you have any required immunizations if you are visiting another country.
Of course, Monogram Concierge can help you prepare for vacation with less stress by creating a pre-vacation checklist, making all travel arrangements, applying for any necessary travel documents, creating a packing checklist, and even packing for you and your family. We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients and adding those extra, thoughtful touches that give you true peace of mind. It’s Time for Your Vacation to be a Vacation!
We all have big expectations when it comes to our vacations. We spend months planning for and dreaming of them. An unsuccessful vacation is a big disappointment—and can feel like a huge waste of time and money. Monogram Concierge is here to help you prepare for your vacation and attend to some of your needs so you can rest easy while you are traveling, knowing things are taken care of.
Call us for an appointment and we can walk you through some of the planning steps we have included here and identify the ones we can help you with. We can assist in researching vacation spots and tourist attractions as well as booking travel plans. Let us lighten the load by taking care of some of the red tape associated with getting travel documents together and filling prescriptions needed while traveling.
And while you are gone, we can continue to support you in the ways we already do: dropping off dry-cleaning, checking on your parents, meeting any home maintenance personnel, arranging for pet care, talking to your plants, taking care of mail, etc. The ways in which we can assist you are limited by only your imagination. If you need it done, we can likely help. Just ask, and let’s get started planning your dream getaway today!