Author’s Note: This is the second article in a series on the economic challenges facing middle class Americans. And the cultural problems. And the inflation. You get the idea.
My travel agent had convinced me that I should fly to Europe on vacation to prove to myself that Americans were being swindled on their summer vacations back in the States.
This only took twenty-four hours to prove.
I booked a hotel room with an ocean view at a 4-star boutique resort on the Italian Riviera for $400. That was for a main bedroom with a queen bed, and a smaller attached bedroom with twin beds for my children. So I got a suite, basically. And when I say on the Italian Riviera, I mean: the beach was across the street.
My second surprise: parking for our rental car was included free of charge.
Then I woke up in the morning and found that breakfast for four was included in the hotel fee. With a table on a balcony overlooking the azure water of the Mediterranean Sea. And freshly squeezed orange juice. Endless cups of espresso. Twelve kinds of croissants. Yogurt. Granola. Bagels with cream cheese. Cheese and fruit and prosciutto slices on little plates that never went empty. A custom order of eggs — soft-boiled, hard-boiled, omelette — was available on the side too.
Breakfast lasted almost two hours. We ate and ate and ate. Nobody hurried us either. Every time my little cappuccino ran dry, a charming waiter offered to refill it.
That same breakfast would have cost me $150 (at least) at a nice resort in the United States.
And the parking? That’s another $30 or $40 or $50 per day usually.
So I was getting $200 of extra services and amenities included in my hotel fee — which was already 40% less expensive than similar beach hotels in Florida or California.
It was true. The majesty of Europe was much much cheaper than Myrtle Beach or Fort Lauderdale — let alone Coronado or Kaanapali or Sea Island.
But that’s enough about prices.
That’s merely one part of the equation. The more important part was the quality of the experience — and that part was clearly better. Whether you pay a lot or a little on vacation — the point is that you have a wonderful experience.
Let’s talk about the cultural differences for a moment.
After enjoying the Italian Riviera, we wandered into the Piedmont region. It was Sunday. In a little town called Bormida, we arrived just in time to find the locals leaving the Catholic church to have the annual procession of Corpus Christi through the streets.
The church itself was beautiful too.
