Today I am going to take you on a virtual vacation to one of my favorite places, The Beverly Hills Hotel. You all know how much I love Gray Malin and his incredible photography. Well, he has teamed up with the BHH to bring his brand to life at the icon hotel by decorating one of their fabulous pool cabanas. Gray also included many of the elements from his own Beverly Hills Hotel photographs, in the cabana decor, so you can have your own Gray Malin photo moment right there poolside. I love that he chose the hotel’s signature Martinique wallpaper, and the custom pink and white awing (also a signature design of the hotel). All of the wicker elements are fabulous, as are the embroidered and pink pineapple throw pillows. My favorite might be the elegant push for champagne button. The cabana will remain up until the end of the year and is available for daily rentals by hotel guests. Hope to meet you at LAX soon!!!!!
Photo by Josh Sorenson from Pexels
It’s a dream for many to own a vacation property. A place where you can relax and retreat to when you’re away, it’s your own little haven away from home. However, before purchasing a vacation home, no matter where it’s located in the world, there are certain advantages and downsides you should consider.
A way of ensuring that you’re ready for the investment, you’ll be in the best position possible. To help guide you, here is a list of the top pros and cons associated with purchasing a vacation home.
Let’s start with the pros:
Your Own Home to Enjoy
As mentioned above, by investing in a vacation home you’ll have your own private spot to enjoy. No longer will you be battling for the sun lounger or having to get up at a certain time to have breakfast. Now you’ll have a place in which you decide the rules.
No matter what time of the year you want to visit, the only barrier you’ll have to face is the flights or whatever transport you’ll need to take. Cutting the costs in the long term, this flexibility is very appealing.
You Can Use it as a Second Income
When you’re not using your vacation home, why not rent it out so that you can get an extra income? Helping to offset the cost of a mortgage and ensuring that it’s being made use of throughout the year, it’s a valuable asset to have.
Of course, before jumping into this, it’s vital that you’ve researched into the property market in that area, the legalities of this and are certain that the people who will be renting it are trustworthy.
You Can Benefit From Tax Deductions
A huge benefit that you can reap is tax deductions. Applied to your mortgage and any interest it’s accrued on it, it’s a big thing to consider if you’re looking to rent it out for up to two weeks a year. Deducted from your gross income, it’s a plus point that many owners will find to be invaluable.
It’s Convenient
By having a vacation home, it’s incredibly convenient for the next time you want to travel. Within this home, you can store clothes and other items you typically require when you’re away. This makes the packing situation a lot less stress the next time you want to go on vacation there.
Now onto the cons:
You’ll Need to Guarantee it Gets the Maintenance it Requires
As the property owner, you’ll need to ensure that it is maintained properly throughout the year. Whether this involves having someone to come in and clean it or repair any issues that need fixing, it’s a big burden to bear on top of your current home.
Extra costs that not everyone considers at the start of the process, it’s a responsibility that will last for the entire ownership of the property.
It’s Likely to Be Far Away
Now, this isn’t always the case. But if you’re thinking of purchasing a vacation home that’s further afield, you’ll have to think about the likeliness of you making full use of it throughout the year. For example, if it’s in a location that’s more than a couple of hours flight away, then the chances are that you’ll only be able to visit on average, twice a year.
This point puts into perspective how much you’re paying for the property versus how much you can actually use it.
A Lack of Flexibility
Even if you currently love the location you’re looking to purchase the vacation in, over time, there’s a chance that you might want to travel somewhere else. And while this is of course possible while owning the home, you might want to take full advantage of it each time you go away.
Making you feel tied to one place, it’s not the ideal option for avid travelers that love to explore new places each time.
The Cost
Following on from the above, perhaps the key reason why people are put off by vacation homes is because of the cost. Not only do you have to pay out for a deposit, but you’ll need to consider how much the mortgage or loan you’ve taken out will cost you each month, any taxes, maintenance, etc.
These costs could make it feel like it’s more affordable to stay in a hotel here and there rather than have a second property that you need to pay for each month. To determine whether it’s attainable from the start, it’s therefore a good idea to use the best home loan calculator available and budget how much your outgoings will be.
It’s no understatement to say that there are very few occurrences that have resulted in such a worldwide paradigm shift in our lifetimes as that of COVID-19. We are still in the thick of it and already we can see how people are clamoring for change after we’re out. How we live, how the state handles welfare, the importance of scientific literacy and the rise of conspiracy-mindedness are all big questions brought up by the virus still taking its toll. Travel is another part of our lives that might change a lot, and here are some ideas of what the new “normal” might looking like.
People are likely to stay much closer to home
While there may be a lot of people who are more than happy to get far away from home and to find somewhere to relax once COVID-19 is over and done with, there is likely to be an increased sense of caution amongst travelers for some time once travel restrictions start easing off. As such, many people anticipate that we are going to see a great rise in staycations and city breaks and fewer people traveling overseas or too far from home in general. Given the number of people who got stranded from home by being overseas when the borders and airports shut, this is no surprise. People who worry about the potential of a second wave are likely to fear that happening to them, too.
Road travel is going to become a lot more popular
A lot of people are also going to have concerns about using any kind of transport that is shared or the public in general. As such, it’s likely that cruises and air travel might see something of a reduction for a while. Air travel demand might decrease, but that doesn’t mean that travel as a whole will decrease. Instead, many anticipate that road trips and RV purchases and hire are likely to expand. People are going to want more control over their own environment and have peace of mind that they’re not sharing their modes of transportation with people that might be carrying the virus. This might also translate to more people taking the time to go camping rather than entrusting their safety to hotels.
Different countries will re-open at different times
One of the factors worth remembering about the virus is that its impacts are not being felt equally around the world. There are some countries that are still experiencing their first swell of cases and there are others that seem to be at the tail end of things, with no new cases found in some time. As such, they are also likely to have different COVID-19 travel restrictions. We might expect that some countries might restrict travel for tourists for some time while keeping them open for essential travelers or for citizens. Similarly, the countries with the highest infection rates are likely to be treated with more scrutiny, with travel from the countries blocked by other major countries. As such, it will be crucial for travelers to do their research on travel restrictions on a country-by-country basis. You need to see if the country you want to travel from accepts visitors from the country that you are leaving, especially if you live in a place that still has a relatively high rate of transmission.
Airports are going to become a much different experience
Even if the rates of transmission continue to decrease across the globe, it is very likely that airports will take the risk of COVID-19 very seriously for a long time in the future. Already, a lot of airports are installing heat-detecting cameras and implementing longer and stricter checks to ensure the safety of passengers and staff. If there is a COVID-19 vaccine developed at some point in future, it is likely that airports will demand travelers provide proof that they have been vaccinated. Already, some airports are requesting that even essential travelers offer proof that they have tested negative for the virus. As such, we can all expect to have to do more prep work if we want to fly, and to spend more time in the check-in. It may also mean that we have to visit the doctor ahead of time to collect any proof that we might need to present before boarding any aircraft.
Costs are going to change across the board
At the moment, it is very difficult for even industry experts to guess whether or not the costs of travel will go higher or lower in general. Many anticipate that both flights and accommodation will experience a drop in price. Customer confidence will be low, meaning fewer people will travel, meaning these costs can go down. However, most also agree that insurance prices are going to skyrocket. Insurance prices are always affected by risk. If there’s a greater risk of you becoming sick, then insurance costs are going to go up. With that mind, everyone is likely to be at more risk, so everyone’s insurance prices are likely to go up. However, costs may be decreased in some other ways. For instance, many have been predicting that travelers will rely less and less on third-party travel agents and will instead be booking with airlines directly. This is due to the fact that airlines and hotels are going to have their own measures that third-party agencies can’t keep up with.
Hotels and tourist spots are going to become stricter
Just as airports are likely to undergo some changes to ensure that travel is safer, we expect the same to come from the tourist and hospitality industries, as well. For instance, hotels and BNBs are likely to start implementing new measures such as stricter hygiene practices and new employee training, as well as new rules for guests, such as social distancing and the mandatory use of gloves and masks. Tourist spots are also likely to start having stricter rules, such as restrictions on how many people can be at a certain spot at any one time throughout the day. To that end, it’s going to be important that tourists check ahead with any spots they want to visit, find out what restrictions might apply, and prepare accordingly. This could include longer wait times to see some of the most popular spots of any tourist destination as well as rules for mandatory maks wearing.
Everyone should still stay on guard
Aside from the trends mentioned above, we’re going to see most travelers remain very mindful of the risks of going overseas and traveling in general. As such, we should all be sure to stay vigilant, to keep our distance from others, to stay out of crowds, to wash our hands regularly, and to wear our masks. When it comes to traveling in airports, staying in hotels, or otherwise using shared or public resources, it’s important to be wary and to clean one’s environment, too. As such, it will be recommended to travel with your own supply of things like hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, and masks, as well. Even if a country has no reported cases of COVID-19 in the past weeks, travelers are expected to present a risk of transmission from place to place. As such, the responsibility will be on us to make sure we’re being responsible for the added risk that we represent.
We still can’t entirely predict what travel might look like once COVID-19 has fully eased off. However, we can expect a long transition back to normal given how slowly some countries are recovering.
Are you itching to see the world again?
While many of us have been taking the time to look back over the many different destinations we’ve been able to visit, including those that we hope to visit in the future, the majority of us are, in fact, locked down to one location. Travelers have been far from immune to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, it has forced most of us to stay sheltered in place. Many people are wondering the same thing: when will it all end? Perhaps slightly less importantly: when can we all get back to traveling?
When will the airports open again?
One of the things to bear in mind is that, while most of us will not be able to travel for some time yet, it doesn’t mean that no-one is able to travel, period. In fact, many airports are still open and some people are flying during the pandemic. Right now, however, these flights are only reserved for essential travel, such as people who are stuck overseas and need to get home, travel for medical needs or to care for others in your family, and so on.
Where and when can we go?
To put it simply, there is no set date as to when all airports are going to open their gates to travel once again. Not only is it likely to change depending on infection and recovery rates, but it will also change from country to country. Most countries are, right now, closed for tourism. Some might be open to citizens and residents, with aims to open to foreign nationals later. If you’re looking to fly during coronavirus, then be sure to check sites that will update you on the travel restrictions facing both your country and the country you’re planning to head to in the future. Above all else, exercise caution as best as possible.
Will travel change post-lockdown?
Even when things “go back to normal,” one should anticipate that what we mean by normal is likely to change to some extent. We don’t even know if airports will be open at all this summer, but some of the changes to travel we can expect will include changes in those airports. This will exclude more detailed screening measures, a need to prove immunization (once it’s available), and more strict cleanliness rules on flights, as well. The costs of travel may, however, experience a slight drop, however. A lot of airlines will be looking to recoup losses experienced as a result of the lockdown, which may mean lowering prices to help get more people in seats. However, the increased demand for travel after lockdown might even out with that to some degree.
Some countries are starting to show signs of recovery and are even looking into opening their borders again. However, even if that’s the case, some travel restrictions may apply for some time and we don’t know how permanent any return to normality will be. Until then, local car travel is a better option to keep you and your family safe and to continue to stop the spread.
The end of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is almost within sight thanks to promising vaccine discoveries. Very soon, you should be able to travel to other countries where you can enjoy a well-earned break. Here are some amazing places you can look forward to visiting and add to your bucket list:
Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland has some of the world’s most captivating natural scenery and it’s pretty easy to get there! The enchanting hills and lakes are warmed by hot volcanic springs. For complete relaxation, visit the Blue Lagoon Retreat Spa. It’s warm, pale blue pools have a naturally high content of beneficial minerals and silica. The peaceful spa and its treatments should soon make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a lush oasis in the deserts of southern California. Many spas have been built around the natural hot springs. You can treat yourself to a few invigorating spa treatments or relax in the peace and quiet of the Coachella Valley’s desert landscape. Alternatively, indulge in some long overdue retail therapy amongst the city’s amazing selection of fashionable designer boutiques.
Paris, France
The city of romance is perfect for soaking up an atmosphere of cafe culture. Wander along the banks of the tree-lined River Seine and stop for warm croissants and coffee in the early morning sunshine. Explore the art galleries and chic designer shops of the Champs Elysee. Then relax in the beautiful, flower-filled surroundings of one of the city’s parks such as the famous Jardin des Tuileries.
Ambergris Caye, Belize
Ambergris Caye is one of many small islands along Belize’s beautiful coastline. It’s like an idyllic tropical paradise where you can find peace and quiet. There are soft white sands, luscious palm trees and magnificent coastal views offering perfect relaxation. Try snorkeling to discover the amazing sea creatures that live amongst the coral of the nearby Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
Lake Como, Italy
Lake Como has a tranquil atmosphere and gorgeous Alpine scenery. It is atmospheric, romantic and relaxing. Enjoy a cruise on the lake, admire beautiful sunsets or explore the fascinating villages full of Renaissance architecture. Bellagio, the lake’s main resort, has a selection of trendy boutiques, bars and cafes to relax in.
There’s no harm in treating yourself to a wonderful summer break where you can relax in beautiful surroundings with your friends or family! Just take the necessary precautions and make sure to pack your mask!
I have been receiving many requests for Summer road trip ideas….SOOOOO….The city of Chicago, located on Lake Michigan in Illinois, is known for its skyscrapers, architecture, museums, and a never-ending list of things to do. It was recently put on the list of future megacities in the world, with its growing population to exceed 10 million inhabitants. While you can visit and see the classic spots such as the Bean, seeing a few of the classic sites as well as partaking in some local events is a great way to get to know and explore the city. With great weather and plenty of outdoor activities, summer is a great time to visit Chicago! Since many summer vacations are being canceled now is a great time to take a road trip, whether you are looking at a school or just wanting to get away for a few days. Or, put it on your bucket list to visit next summer!!! Here are a few reasons why you should visit Chicago:
Take a tour of the city and see the public art
The city is full of historic buildings, culinary spots that are worth spending some time at, and viewpoints that you can learn about along with so much more in a tour of the city. Along the way, you’ll find public art all throughout the city, from train station walls, to sidewalks, to lakefront sites. You’ll also see while the city is often referred to as a concrete jungle, there is over 8,000 acres of green spaces throughout Chicago!
If you want to get city views from the water, take a tour of the city on a ‘dining’ cruise.
The many rooftop bars and restaurants
Since safe outdoor dining is recommended….Rooftop bars and restaurants in Chicago are a must. With the incredible skyline and summer weather, a drink or meal with a view is a popular thing to do for locals and visitors alike. Many restaurants offer the opportunity to dine al fresco, but there is something special about rooftop dining! A couple of favorites are the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel’s Raised Bar and LH Rooftop.
The beaches
Chicago has lakefront beaches that you can stop of at for beach days, gorgeous views, and some water sports. A few of the best beaches to visit in Chicago are: North Avenue Beach, Leone Beach Park, Foster Beach, and Belmond Harbor Dog Beach.
Run through sprinklers
With all there to see and do in the city, you’ll want a place to cool down in that summer heat! You can run through the sprinklers at Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. You can also head to one of the many Chicago Park District water playgrounds, such as the Archer Water Playground or Austin Water Playground if you are traveling with kids.
Have you been to Chicago? What do you recommend seeing while in the city?