Walking the tightrope of good taste is always tricky, and when it comes to travel, it can be particularly treacherous. Who wants to offend an entire nation with a pair of flip-flops?
Taste and etiquette expert Laura Windsor, who’s advised Netflix on Regency-era social graces for Bridgerton, despairs at the way many of us now travel, saying we’ve become a nation fixated on bragging rights. ‘The elegant amongst us don’t need to prove anything to anybody,’ she says. ‘And we certainly have no desire to keep up with the Joneses.’
Here, the self-styled Queen of Etiquette offers her verdict on the holiday habits that are truly first-class — and some that are a one-way ticket to Naffville…
Mega resorts: Luxe loaf or destination oaf?
Sprawling five-star resorts in the likes of Dubai have reinvented the humble flop-and-drop. They boast global restaurants, themed kids’ clubs and fancy spas. A Championship League footballer or Instagram star might be quaffing Dom Perignon by the pool. Our expert blanches at the mere mention. ‘These generic resorts think they know what you like, but so often they miss the point; they dilute traditions and culture – and then charge you plenty for the privilege.’ As for Dubai: ‘Go for work, nothing else!’
VERDICT: Tacky.
Budget travel: Does low-cost equal low rent?
The biggest misconception about what constitutes high class is that you need to flash the cash, advises Laura Windsor. ‘A characterful Airbnb or chic bed and breakfast will leave you far richer in experience than any identikit resort.’
VERDICT: Tasteful
Budget airlines: Easyjet or Emirates?
There’s zero shame in boarding a low-cost airline; the days of short-haul glamour have long gone. So if easyJet gets you to your Spanish island idyll, good-oh.
VERDICT: Tasteful.
Private charters: Crass or class?
A Mediterranean yacht holiday doesn’t come cheap but it will send the taste barometer soaring. ‘You’re in a small group – you need to be close friends – but you have ultimate privacy, which feels very exclusive,’ says Windsor. And chartering your own private jet? ‘If you have the money, then why not? Just don’t brag about it on Instagram’.
VERDICT: Tasteful.
TikTok: Teeming with tips or trashy?
‘Why would you put your hard-earned holiday in the hands of an influencer or Tripadvisor reviewer? You’ve no idea how these strangers view luxury. And style and elegance are entirely subjective,’ says Windsor. ‘Word of mouth remains one of the best ways to secure an upscale recommendation.’
VERDICT: Tacky.
Holiday loungewear: Casual chic or atrocious attire?
‘Brits abroad used to dress so elegantly,’ our expert winces. Now, our love of lounge and leisurewear and, gasp, flip-flops are, says Windsor, crimes against style. ‘You decide how people treat you by the way you dress. If you’re wearing trainers, hideous jogging bottoms or awful slacks when you go into a restaurant, people will treat you accordingly. Shirtless men should stay on the beach, or better still, indoors.’
VERDICT: Tacky.
Over-packing: Less is more – or more is less?
Routinely pay for an extra case? Pat yourself on the back. Sous-viding your clothes into a rucksack just to side-step airline fees is cheap in every way, says Windsor. ‘Put a woman in a divine dress, or a man in a wow suit, and they will behave beautifully.’ And there’s another bonus: ‘When you dress well, in my experience, you often get bumped up, too.’
VERDICT: Tasteful.
Sharing on socials: Insta magic or tragic gloating?
Remember those who, in the 80s, set up at-home projectors to unleash 100 holiday photos on you? Now, they update in real-time on social media, says Windsor. ‘Don’t be that person.’ A good snap should serve as a reminder of happy times as the years roll by, not an online gloat.
VERDICT: Tacky.
Airport tipples: Passé or pass the rosé?
You might as well declare your nationality, opines Windsor – and not in a positive way. ‘Brits have such a bad reputation abroad and drinking 8am pints at the airport doesn’t help.’ On the ground, drink as the locals do. In Italy, one would imbibe an early evening aperitivo, but not the overexposed Aperol Spritz – have a Crodino (a non-alcoholic version) instead.
VERDICT: Tacky.
Tourist menus: Great value or ghastly gastronomy?
Love a menu you can understand? Stay at home, our expert wasps. Elevated travellers baulk at tourist restaurants – and so should you. Learn a few pleasantries in the lingo ahead of your trip, eat where the locals dine and chat to the waiter about dishes. The ultimate culinary sin? Commanding a ‘spag bol’ in Italy is beyond the pale. Says Windsor: ‘That’s simply not Italian food.’
VERDICT: Tacky.
