I’ve got the apartment to myself this week while Iñigo is away with his family in Holland and Belgium (I’m giving him all my insider recs and also making him do recon for me).

Because he isn’t here to take care of me, I’m working through my post-New York jet lag with too many snacks and some ill-advised late-night TV binges.

So reentry could be going better, but being in New York was more than worth this week’s energy dips and self-care snafus.

Between hotel inspections, my mastermind retreat, time with friends, and just walking around the city that still feels like home, it felt so good to be in the thick of it again.

During one of the breakout sessions at the retreat, we discussed the question: “What’s a concept in your work that you explain differently than most people in your industry?”

I immediately had my answer: my definition of luxury.

I said that I think many people still talk about luxury as if it’s all about fancy hotels and first-class seats and car service. And sure, those things can certainly be part of it.

But for me, it’s always been more about the experience, and in particular, something personalized that feels like it was designed just for you.

One of my fellow group members, Kathryn, pushed a little farther: “So what does luxury mean to you?”

And again, my answer was immediate: Personalized. Effortless. Unforgettable.

Someone else mentioned a hotel they’d stayed at that wasn’t luxurious, but she said the service was so great that it stood out. And I replied that yes, absolutely: the best service is tailored to you, it makes your life easier, and when it’s really good, it sticks with you.

Great service is a perfect example of luxury.

(In fact, in a world where “computer says no” is basically the default customer experience, great service might be the ultimate luxury these days. But that’s a deeper conversation for another day.)

The timer buzzed and we had to move on, but I kept thinking about Kathryn’s question over the next several days. She also runs a luxury brand (she’s absolutely crushing it selling beautiful, heirloom-quality wax seals), and chatting with her over the course of the retreat, I could tell that we have a similar approach to the way we see and do things—that just like me, she appreciates quality and beauty in all things.

Which is exactly why I kept thinking about her question. And I realized that for me, quality and beauty are baseline. They’re not even luxury—they’re just a requirement.

To me, luxury is built on top of that foundation.

Think about walking into a hotel where somehow they already know you, taking a trip where everything is taken care of before you even think to ask, or an experience you’re still talking about over dinner months later.

That’s the layer I’m talking about. It’s the part that makes an experience feel like it was made for you, and only you.

And it’s how I approach every trip I plan. I want the quality and beauty to be a given, so we can focus on everything that makes it yours.

Reader, I’d love to know: What’s the most luxurious experience you’ve ever had? Hit reply and tell me—I’m genuinely curious.

And if reading this made you think, I want someone who gets this to plan my next trip… let’s talk.

P.S. If you’re craving a trip that’s personalized, effortless, and unforgettable, book a Destination Discovery Call. That’s my kind of luxury—let’s make it yours too.