Exotic travel and getting the best discounts

Before I had children I was in the lucky position of editing a leading bridal magazine. Although I had to get excited about weddings and wedding etiquette, oh and of course frocks, I also was in the enviable position of being asked on a regular basis to review honeymoons.

Yes, you read correctly, HONEYMOONS!

Not your b&b somewhere windswept and wet but proper, pucker, 5 star city hotels and deserted island beaches. Sometimes I went with a group of other journalists, often with my other half who thought he'd died and gone to heaven. Working for the local council at the time which he did, he didn't often get offered a night in a luxury hotel with the wine cellar open for testing and the manager at our beck and call.

The picture here is from Wanderlust - who specialise in once-in-a-lifetime trips to whet your appetite.

Another world and another life-time... but it was the '80's.

Now we have to compromise both on price (budget is all) and on the type of holiday we can all enjoy. This often means we end up in an 'all-inclusive' miles from anywhere where we are abandoned for other teenagers, the bar and the all-night club. Which is fair enough, and I know I am lucky on two accounts. One that I can afford a holiday at all, and two that the teenagers still want to come on holiday with us. But I do hanker after something a bit more bespoke and grown-up.

This has made me a bit of a 'travel-porn' junkie. I look at travel websites like other women look at shoe websites and men look at, well whatever it is that men look at... I lust after rooms with Egyptian cotton sheets and terraces overlooking a white sand beach. I crave fluffy bathrobes and champagne on arrival. But there is hope and it comes in the form of a travel club which offers some pretty amazing discounts. Voyage Prive is a club that is invitation only and every month will email details of some amazing offers to  hotels, resorts and holidays that are almost too good to resist. So for 3 star prices you can get 5 star treatment and locations. At the moment they have apartments in Lisbon for 65% off,

Marrakech hotels at a saving of 70% and an amazing Seychelles holiday for 42% off (not including flights unfortunately but you can't have everything). Here it is...

I still haven't managed to actually book anything but my month is definitely brightened by the thought of what I could book if I could get the money together and the timing right...

So before you book your Summer holiday check out how to get invited (you can always leave me a comment and I'll recommend you with pleasure), sign-up to Voyage Prive and you won't be disappointed...

Update: since writing this post we got inspired and booked a couple of nights at Sandbanks Hotel, Dorset for an incredible half price! Can't wait to go....