Decadent Affordability

Admittedly, Travel + Leisure has never claimed to be a budget travel magazine. Yet, I'm always amused when a travel magazine bandies about the word "affordable" when discussing $300 a night hotel rooms. While waiting in Logan Airport for a flight back from Boston, I picked up the March 2007 issue. The cover touted "25 Affordable Beach Resorts". Knowing I probably wouldn't come across a true list of 25 resorts, I still bought a copy as I do enjoy the magazine and generally devour most anything travel-related.

Keeping my eyes peeled for good tips, I came across a few gems inside:

Page 30 includes a list of (Best Deals) 3.07. Perhaps there are more ways to define "deal" that I realized. The lead "deal" was a two-night Romantic Hong Kong Experience package from the Langham Hotel that included a helicopter ride, all for only $1,400.00

Page 61 says that for "an affordable alternative" to Potsdamer Platz, you might want to rest your head at the Dorint Sofitel am Gendarmenmarkt for an economically-minded $375/night and up.

Page 81 lists essential items one might bring to Costa Rica for an upscale surf trip. Be sure to bring a heavily padded board bag to carry your $4,895.00 Chanel surf board. Don't expect a warm welcome as you paddle out into the line-up.

Oh... and those 25 resorts? Well, they may have actually named a few as a majority were listed as $200/night or less including the Hotel Estalagem da Ponta do Sol in Madeira for $106/night.