Unlock Luxury: KAYAK’s Insider Tips for 5-Star Savings!

KAYAK Brand Director, Nicola Carmichael, says: “It appears Aussies are increasingly seeking out luxury experiences when they travel – even in the current economy, with our data revealing searches for 5-Star hotels have increased 52% over the last year.** 

The good news is, even 5-Star hotels can be bagged on a budget if you know where to look and when to book. Lucky for Aussies, some of the world’s best priced luxury destinations are on our doorstep, with Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Colombo in Sri Lanka ranked in the top three cities worldwide for five-star accommodation at the lowest price for stays in October and November this year.  And for those keen to indulge sooner than later, November is the best time to travel luxe for less across Asia Pacific.” 

Surprising statistics from KAYAK.com.au’s 5-Star Steals tool for luxury travel in the next 12 months***:

• One night in Saint Barthélemy can cost as much as one month in Indonesia.

• Stays in Positano and Taormina, Italy cost three times more than in the Middle East on average.

• Florianopolis (Brazil), Langkawi (Malaysia) and Oia (Greece) have hotels with high customer review scores at low prices. 

• You can go luxe for less in Europe and North America in January, Asia Pacific and Latin America in November. 

Top travel hacks from KAYAK.com.au for luxury travel in the next 12 months**:

• Flexibility is key. The most affordable day to travel both internationally and domestically in the next year is likely on a Monday, with Thursday’s the most expensive for interstate flights and Fridays the most expensive for overseas flights. So if you can, plan to fly out at the start of the week.**

• Research, research, research. Make sure to check out airports nearby your ideal destination as you might be able to snag a better deal. For example, if you’re planning to visit Italy in the next year, check to see if flying into Milan instead of Rome could save you money.

*Antenna, an independent consumer research agency on behalf of Kayak, conducted an online AntennaPoll survey of n=1010 Australians. The survey was conducted between 6th August to 10th August 2023. The survey data collection was national, and respondents were sourced using an accredited online research access panel. Data was weighted for representation against the 2021 Australian census.

**Based on flight and hotel searches made on KAYAK.com.au and associated brands between 01.03.2023 to 21.08.2023 for travel between 01.09.2023 and 01.09.2024  from any airport in Australia. Comparisons to the same search and travel period in 2022. Percentages are approximate and prices are on average and may vary with time. All flight searches are for round-trip, economy-class tickets.
***The lowest-priced and highest-priced destination rankings for the current and coming month are sourced from our internal search data on KAYAK portfolio domains from the past 180 days, with updates made on the 1st of each month. To provide an accurate estimate of nightly rates for standard double rooms at 5-star hotels, we display the average price, excluding outliers, specifically the top 1% and bottom 1% of prices. Cities are ranked both globally and regionally and also show the percentage change in price compared to the two previous months.