Here’s what a $1 million vacation looks like

One million dollars.

Doesn’t that just roll off the tongue? How many of us would kill to have a couple million bucks in the bank? No more bills to worry about, ample money to donate to charities, and plenty left over to go on that no-expense-spared dream trip. Curious about just how many George Washingtons one really could spend on a get away, we decided to delve into the luxe side of Orbitz offerings. If you ever have $1M to spend solely on vacation, here’s a rich itinerary fit for Mr. and Mrs. Moneybags.

RELATED: 16 gorgeous monastery hotels you can book now

START IN THE BIG APPLE

Located on the Upper East Side with views of Central Park, begin your exquisite vacay at The Mark Hotel. Their Grand Penthouse will run you a cool $86,000 per night so you’ll likely only want to spend the weekend, even on this budget. While in town, make a reservation at Masa for a luxe Japanese Omakase experience. Served in many small plates, the meal will blow your mind and will certainly take a hit at your wallet. The price for dinner here is $595 per person, and that doesn’t even include drinks, tax or tip.

GALAPAGOS

Next stop: Galapagos! It doesn’t get more exotic than this cluster of 20 islands of various sizes. The Galapagos Islands are roughly 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador and home to some of the most exotic animals on the planet (this was the archipelago where Charles Darwin did much of his research, after all). Business class flights from NYC will run you about $5,000, a deal for someone with so much money. A cruise is certainly the best way to see the islands once you land, and a high-end, 7-day excursion will set you back around $10,000.

LOVE ICE CREAM, WILL TRAVEL

And now on to Africa. How about starting with a double dose of adventure and a scoop of vanilla? If you’ve ever wanted to enjoy some ice cream at the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro here’s your chance. The founder of Three Twins Ice Cream will not only accompany you to the mountain but he’ll also personally make the world renowned Absurdity Sundae (made with hand-churned ice cream from glacial ice at the summit) to enjoy along with the view from Africa’s tallest peak. For a cool $60,000, you’ll receive a first class ticket to Tanzania, a stay at a five-star hotel, a climb with a tour guide and a T-shirt for a souvenir. So the only question is: chocolate or caramel syrup?

LONDON CALLING

After all that adventure, it’s time for a spot of tea. A first class flight from Mount Kilimanjaro to London aboard Emirates will cost about $4,000 one way. Once you’re there, check in to The Apartment at The Connaught Hotel. Decorated with specially commissioned artwork and expensive antiques, the two-bedroom suite is a sight to behold. A butler is on hand to handle any dining needs and if you’d like, they can arrange to have haute couture clothing available for you. Imagine Christian Louboutin shoes, Lanvin silks dresses, and Balenciaga suits waiting for you in your room! A weekend in such luxury will cost nearly $50,000 since The Apartment runs $24,600 nightly.

A PARISIAN HOLIDAY

Hop the pond, er, English Channel, and head to the continent. Aboard a private jet, a Dassault Falcon 7X to be exact, you’ll be in Paris in a swift 38 minutes. Time is money so expect to pay just over $17k for that VIP service. Your home base in the City of Lights will be the Hôtel Plaza Athénée where you’ll stay in the Royal Suite for two nights, at about $30K per night. Just steps from the Champs-Elysees is one of the best spas in the world and after a busy few days, you deserve a full day of pampering. A full body exfoliation, massage, and wax, followed by manicure and pedicure, and finished with a hair cut and make-up application will leave you feeling refreshed and cost you $1,200. The next day, see Paris from above on a private helicopter tour of the city. For $4,500, you’ll enjoy a birds-eye view of the city and countryside, as well as lunch at the castle of Esclimont. Back at the hotel, book a table for dinner at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, where the prix-fixe menu is $425 per person.

ALSO: Looking for a first-class rewards program? Orbitz Rewards is it!

SOUTH OF FRANCE

Nothing says luxury quite like the South of France. Home to the Cannes Film Festival, where big time celebs flock, Cannes is one of the priciest vacation destinations on the planet. At $41,300 a night you can call the Penthouse Suite at the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez home for a long weekend. La Palme D’Or, the only 2 Michelin star restaurant in Cannes, is at the hotel, and dinner there will run you at least $250 per person. Stroll along Boulevard de la Croisette for some high end shopping, where you can easily drop $50,000 at Celine, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Chanel. From the waterfront, grab some friends and head out on a week-long private charter aboard one of the world’s gorgeous super-yachts. Such fancy accommodations will cost you around $100,000 but there’s really no better way to see the coast than from the water.

DO DUBAI

From Cannes, you’ll  board an Emirates flight to Dubai. This time you up the ante to the private first class suite, which runs about $20K. No decadent vacation itinerary would be complete without the mention of this glitzy Gulf gem. One of the most expensive places in the world, you’ll stay three nights at the Burg Al Arab Jumeirah in the Royal Two-Bedroom Suite for $30K nightly. As if that wasn’t luxe enough, for $10,200 you can purchase a 24-carat gold 64GB Apple iPad! Need more gold? Visit the Gold Souk while there and purchase some gorgeous, authentic and expensive jewelry (you can get a full 21K set with necklace ring and earrings for about $6,000). There’s also the Gold & Diamond Park, where you could easily spend $40K on a “souvenir” diamond ring. Thirsty? How about a DME cocktail? Served in an 18-carat gold glass (that you can keep!), it’s made with 55-year-old Macallan single malt, passion fruit sugar and ice cubes made at the Macallan distillery in Scotland. This will probably be your most expensive bar tab ever; one DME will run you $7,438! Cheers!

SWISS FAMILY VACAY

After such opulence, a few days in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by nature is in order. Another first class flight is $5,000, but think of all the frequent flier miles you’re racking up! The Royal Penthouse Suite at Hotel President Wilson will be your home for the next three nights, where you’ll have around-the-clock butler and personal chef services. A private elevator will take you to your “room”… and you might want to bring friends because the suite has 12 bedrooms and 12 full bathrooms. The magnificent abode offers panoramic views of the Swiss Alps through floor to ceiling windows and from the balcony. Of course, such views don’t come cheap and this space is pricey—$60,000 nightly to be exact.

ISTANBUL

The Shangri-La Suite at the Shangri-La Bosphorus is the crown jewel of this property. Tallying $30,000 per night, you’ll have nearly 4,000 square feet of luxury at your disposal for two nights. The suite includes two bedrooms, a dining room, a living room and three terraces which offer panoramic views of the Bosphorus Strait.

SHANGHAI

Next, head to Shangai, China on a $3,600 first class Emirates ticket. Check into the $27,900 nightly Presidential Suite at Mandarin Oriental for 2 nights. Spend you day walking the sprawling waterfront, then head to the markets for some shopping in the old town. Come dinner time, feast on a 20-course meal at the city’s most exclusive restaurant, Ultraviolet, for approximately $400 per person.

END IN BEVERLY HILLS

Getting back to the states will be your most expensive plane ticket yet. At least you’ll be comfortable flying 12 hours in first class; the Emirates flight back to LAX will run you around $12,500. After your around-the-world extravaganza, you’ll combat jet lag from the comfort of the Viceroy L’Meritage Beverly Hills, where a three-night stay the Presidential Suite runs around $12,000 per night. Extend your stay three more days on a private luxury yacht (bookable on Orbitz) for a mere $2,844 per night.

TOTAL TRIP COST:  $1,189,652

Oops, looks like we’re slightly over budget! As it turns out, after traversing the globe with some extravagant hotel stays, lavish dining experiences, high-end souvenir shopping and first class flights, you can burn through one million dollars pretty quickly.

Save

Save

Save

Tagged: Asia, California, China, Europe, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris