20 things worth the money: travel edition

I hear about TikTok trends secondhand now, since I deleted the app years ago and honestly don’t miss it much. The “things worth the money” trend made it to me late through a friend’s screenshot, but here we are! Consider this my belated contribution, because of course I had to chime in with my opinions.

Here are the expensive travel things that are totally worth spending on every single time, in my humble opinion.

Silence is golden, especially when it comes to bedtime on vacation. I will do anything possible to avoid people coming home after a late night or refilling an ice bucket. And even then, I always sleep with earplugs in, my trusty travel noise machine, and this eye mask which is the best I’ve found.

Hear me out. I’m happy to find a place that works for everyone’s price range, but I’m not sleeping on a pull out couch because one person needs the trip to cost less. I’ll happily pay more than my fair share to have an upgraded room and guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Modest doesn’t mean unstylish! There are plenty of family-run bed and breakfasts that are affordable and magical. But I do love spending a few nights in an incredible hotel at the end of a long trip. Life is all about balance.

Room Service: FORESTIS

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July 22, 2025

Welcome to Room Service, a series where I review the most hyped-up hotels to see if they’re really worth your time and money.

These are the best, I don’t make the rules. Sleep and sanity are everything, especially on red-eye flights. I forgot mine for my Peru trip and was kicking myself all nine hours, both ways. I won’t make that mistake again, and neither should you.

I’d rather spend a few hundred extra dollars to not wake up at 3AM to make a 5AM flight. I cherish my sleep, and there’s nothing worse than starting a vacation in a sleep deficit.

As much as I love a view out the window, I am claustrophobic, I pee every 30 minutes, and I hate inconveniencing others.

Mine was expensive, but so worth it. I always love how my trip photos come out, and it keeps me off of my phone. My screen time is always the lowest on vacations, and this is the real reason.

I used to dream about owning Chanel bags as a little girl, and now I dream highly-curated, authentic, local experiences like private food tours, artisan workshop tours, and scenic train rides. Experiences pay memory dividends—the idea that certain experiences continue to pay off in the form of cherished memories—and luxury goods don’t.

A hot take of mine is that you shouldn’t be traveling if you cannot afford to tip waitstaff and hotel employees well. At markets, I rarely haggle unless I feel like I’m being ripped off. The few extra dollars I’d potentially save is never worth it, especially when I know it’s someone’s dinner, someone’s rent, their kid’s school supply money. I try to empathize with the person across the table instead of treating the exchange like a game I’m supposed to win. If I come home having overpaid a local vendor by a few dollars, I don’t consider that a loss, period. Especially if the goods are handmade by the person standing in front of me. Craftsmanship is worth $$$, people!

I love a lounge. I love perks and amenities. I will do anything to avoid sitting at the gate if I don’t have to. Give me all of the complimentary chocolate chip cookies and caffeine.

Look, I know this prices some people out, but I’m all for it. Some places like Machu Picchu and Venice are being loved to death, and I’d rather see fewer people experience them well than everyone experience them badly and ruin them even more.

This actually costs nothing and is somehow the hardest thing for most people to afford mentally. Wandering, unstructured time, and serendipity all have wonderful returns on investment.

Layovers are never worth the stress of potential delays, missed flights, lost luggage, and wasted time.

Four cities in ten days might look like more value on an itinerary, but it’s rarely more valuable IRL. Sprint trips always leave me feeling drained rather than transformed when I get home. Paying for fewer flights, fewer hotels, fewer transfers, and actually enjoying myself in the locations I choose is one of the highest-return lessons I’ve learned over the past few years.

If I can avoid a line, I will at all costs. If I can avoid removing my shoes and toiletries, I will at all costs. Plenty of credit cards offer annual statement credits that cover these fees anyway, so to me, it’s non-negotiable and practically free. Your time is worth something!

If it’s a big trip where I’ll be in potentially hairy situations (off the grid, safari, hiking, etc), I always get travel insurance. This SAVED me when I got sick on my honeymoon and had to go to the hospital in a foreign country and then come home early. Peace of mind is everything!

I love to pack light, and take home some wearable souvenirs with me. The one thing I avoid at all costs is checking a bag on the way to a destination—I’m desperately afraid of losing my luggage and being empty-handed on a trip. On the way home, however, I have no qualms about expanding my suitcase and packing it to the literal brim with things that have earned a spot.

I like the convenience of being able to plug in my phone and easily see maps and listen to my music. I will pay hundreds of dollars more for this.

Most financial advisors would look at that decision and see two reliable salaries disappearing at once and a resume gap as a major, quantifiable setback. And on paper, they’d obviously be right. But we’ve done the math and never regretted it, and we both feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to take time off and explore. What we got in return were memory dividends and a year of expanded perspective through global experiences. And if it weren’t for that experience, I’d never be a travel writer and a travel advisor today.

Quinn goes to sleepaway summer camp and it’s a win-win. He’s happy and gets to hang out with his friends, and we get to do a big summer trip. People will guilt you and say that this is what you sign up for as a parent, and that you shouldn’t want distance. I think that’s bullshit that’s mostly said to women. Paying well for excellent care so that you and your partner can have an actual trip together isn’t neglect, it’s relationship maintenance. It’s made us better parents.

What would you add? Comment your non-negotiables—I’m curious and love reading these!

xx,

Bella

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