Nestled on a soft white leather seat in the corner of a Gulfstream jet, or sleek yacht with a glass of perfectly chilled Dom Perignon in hand, a billionaire’s lifestyle bears little resemblance to most people’s daily grind.
Yet the rest of us can have a piece or two of this luxury lifestyle.
Decked out: The yacht
Do you envy all those celebrities photographed swanning around the Med this summer?
Well you, too, can stay on one for less than R2,080 a night.
There is a one drawback, though: the boat won’t be going anywhere.
Websites such as bedsonboard.com list yachts for hire.
Join the jet-set: A private plane
Take advantage of a clever ruse where you can hop onto a so-called ‘empty leg’ of a flight — the plane’s trip home after a rich customer has been dropped off, or, alternatively, the journey to pick them up.
The downside is that there’s little flexibility on timings and locations because you are fitting in with someone else’s plans. And, of course, you have to plan your own return trip!
Adam Twidell of privatefly.com warns that such plans ‘can be subject to last-minute changes’.
But, he says: ‘If you are prepared to be flexible, book at the last minute and travel as a group, it can be a way to experience a private jet flight for a price closer to that usually seen on a standard airline ticket.’
You can either request specific locations, dates and times, or scroll through the list of empty legs available and just pick one that takes your fancy.
Gulfstreams, Cessnas and even helicopters are available, but sharing a mid-size plane with a group of friends can work out cheapest.
So suite: The grand hotel
If you are happy to go ‘off-peak’, book late or early, or buy a package (for example with museum entry or dinners included), VIP bargains can be found.
The top tip is to pick a Sunday night — the least busy day of the week — particularly if it’s a city or a country house hotel you’re visiting.
For example, on a Sunday in July you could stay at the five-star Bauer Hotel, set in a palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice, with its own water dock and right by St Mark’s Square, for R2,226 each, including breakfast. (Charles and Camilla, and Brad and Angelina have all stayed there.)
Even billionaires often balk at buying a proper stately home — not because of the price, or even the running costs, but just the sheer hassle that goes into its daily upkeep.
Even here, there’s a rental option. For example, big-name properties such as Althorp (Earl Spencer’s pile) or Belvoir Castle (Duke of Rutland), or Inveraray Castle (Duke of Argyll) in Scotland, are available through luxury travel agency Loyd & Townsend Rose (ltr.co.uk). If enough people pile in and join you, the price can make sense.
Daily Mail