The True Meaning of Luxury Travel

Insights from Thomas Matthew Miles-Nell of Regal Escapes

When most people hear the words luxury travel, the mind often jumps to glittering chandeliers, overflowing buffets, and over the top displays of wealth. Yet the longer I have worked in this world, the clearer it has become: real luxury is not about accumulation. It is about refinement. Fewer distractions. Fewer compromises. More space to be present in the moment.

I am Thomas Matthew Miles-Nell, Co-Founder and CEO of Regal Escapes, and my journey has taken me from the advertising world to building a luxury travel brand. Along the way, I have witnessed a profound shift. Discerning travellers are no longer seeking the loudest expression of extravagance. They are seeking meaning.

From Status to Significance

True luxury travellers today are not ticking boxes on a destination list. They are searching for depth and connection. They want to feel the crunch of snow beneath their boots as they step off a Zodiac in Antarctica. They want to taste wine at a family run vineyard where every bottle tells a story. They want to walk through Kyoto at dawn, hearing temple bells echo through the quiet streets.

What matters most is not how much you see, but how deeply you experience it. Presence transforms a trip into a journey, and a journey into a memory that endures.

The Regal Escapes Philosophy on Luxury Travel

At Regal Escapes, this is the essence of our work. We design journeys that are intentional, considered, and deeply personal. Whether it is a Regent Seven Seas ocean voyage, a Scenic river cruise through Europe, or a Belmond retreat high in the Andes, the constant is our belief that true luxury lies in ease and presence.

Every journey we create is designed to let you slow down, to reconnect with yourself, your loved ones, and the world. Our clients are not looking for travel packages. They are seeking transformational experiences.

Beyond Travel: A Way of Living

This philosophy extends far beyond the world of travel. In leadership, in business, and in life, the rarest luxury is the ability to pause, to pay attention, and to choose with intention. The past few years have shown us all that time is the most precious currency. Luxury honours that truth not with excess, but with care.

Looking Ahead

As Regal Escapes enters its next chapter, this guiding belief shapes everything we do. Luxury is not about what can be displayed. It is about what can be felt. That is what creates stories worth telling and remembering.

Presence is the greatest journey of all.

By Thomas Matthew Miles-Nell, CEO & Co-Founder of Regal Escapes