A magnificent view of the Grand Canal in Venice from the balcony of the famous Hotel Daneli, accompanied by some amazing wine and snacks.

The Value of Luxury

Welcome Tom

Our main aim at Aspiring Snob is to show you the value of luxury. That could come in the form of luxurious items, experiences or trips that won’t break the bank. Or it could be through more expensive options that are worth every penny you put towards it. We also want to help educate you. We believe that everyone who wants it should get to experience the finer things in life, and when you do experience them we want to ensure you know what to do.

The luxury lifestyle you see in magazines and on the TV should not be limited to the rich and famous. You should have your own shot at living this way when you can. Through our own experiences as well as experts in their fields, we want to bring you all the best ideas and tips that we have and share them with you.

So peer behind the velvet curtain and see how you can achieve what you aspire to…

Comfort zone or adventure? Tips for work and pleasure travel

Lifestyle, Rituals, Tips, Travel Aga

In my mind, there are two main reasons most people travel. Travelling for pleasure and travelling for work.

When you travel for pleasure, you are in a different frame of mind than when you travel for work. You might react completely differently to the same events. For instance, when I have to get up super early in order to set off for a work trip, I am a zombie. However, when I have to get up at the same time to set off for holidays, I am energised, curious and happy. Oddly, I am not tired but am waiting for the upcoming adventure. Unlike for a work trip, I actually relish seeing the sun come up knowing it means my holidays are about to begin.

Continue reading “Comfort zone or adventure? Tips for work and pleasure travel”…

Why The People Are The Best Element In Any Hotel Stay

Hotels, Tips, Travel Aga

There are many elements that go into making a hotel stay not just good or great, but truly memorable. After many travels and stays in many hotels, I set it upon myself to look into what separated the memorable stays from the “normal” ones.

Trying to think about what has impressed me over the years, my list contained numerous elements such as the decor of the reception area or the plushness of the bed. It included more gimmicky items such as bathroom mirrors that were also TVs or outdoor jacuzzis on a beach-fronted terrace. Then there were the usual suspects such as grand views of the Sydney Opera House and bridge or New York’s Central Park.

Continue reading “Why The People Are The Best Element In Any Hotel Stay”…

Get it while it’s hot – Why you should visit recently opened restuarants

Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Tips Tom

There are many great restaurants around the world that have made a name for themselves and are a staple on the foodie scene; The Fat Duck, White Rabbit, Attica and Blue Hill to name just a few. Given their fame and the quality of their experiences, they thankfully won’t be going anywhere in a hurry. However, like with any new business, not all restaurants manage to go the distance.

As around half of all new businesses fail to survive the five year mark, this means that your hot new local food spot may also not be around for the long haul just by following that statistic. In addition for restaurants there’s also considerations about changing trends in foods and cuisines, rising food and staff costs, and the one thing that is absolutely critical for any fledgling restaurant – footfall.

Continue reading “Get it while it’s hot – Why you should visit recently opened restuarants”…

Fine Dining Etiquette – How to Split the Bill

Fine Dining, Food & Drink, Tips Aga

In our previous article about fine dining etiquette, we covered some of the basics for people who enter the world of fine dining for the first time. Today I want to cover the intimidating and oftentimes, controversial area around splitting the bill. When done smoothly, it feels good and comfortable. However if done incorrectly it may be a rather stressful experience. Not only can it shed a negative light on the whole dining experience, it may also sour the relationship between the diners going forward.

How do we ensure that the bill is split correctly and fairly? There are a few ways of doing it, and which method you choose depends on the situation and the people dining. To help us navigate this subject, we have turned to etiquette expert Bonnie Tsai of Beyond Etiquette to provide some tips and advice on this.

Continue reading “Fine Dining Etiquette – How to Split the Bill”…

Bib Gourmand – Michelin’s distinction for value

Food & Drink, Invites/Access, Perks, Tips Tom

As Michelin have just released their updated guide for 2020 (the UK and Ireland version can be found here), an event which in some circles has as much anticipation and glamour as the Academy Awards, I decided to take a look at what I felt was an under-appreciated category in Michelin’s Guide – the Bib Gourmand.

I feel that most of us are familiar with Michelin’s stars system; rating restaurants from one to three stars. These stars are what Michelin calls “distinctions” and they also have two more ratings: Bib Gourmand and Michelin Plate. The Michelin Plate is to mark if a restaurant has “quality food” and is often the starting ground for a restaurant to eventually try and earn a star. However for me, the Bib Gourmand is more interesting…

Continue reading “Bib Gourmand – Michelin’s distinction for value”…
Visit Us On InstagramVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On Pinterest