These days, it’s less simple. Tighter airline security has sent us scurrying for alternatives to scheduled flights, while a growing interest in holidays that help you to discover a spiritual dimension has seen horizons expand to once-hidden corners of the world — Bhutan, Libya, Antarctica.

This week we step into that world, finding out how you can travel if money is no object — and suggesting ways to sprinkle a little stardust over more modest trips. John Arlidge finds out how three wealthy families take their breaks.

‘Christmas in Dubai, Easter in Miami . . .’

Grant Romain, 45, Joanna Romain, 41, and their two children, Adam, 19, and Jade, 14, live in Harrow, Middlesex. Grant runs two media companies and is the entrepreneur behind Fame TV Ltd, the first user-generated content channel in Britain.

“Our holiday year follows a pattern. If it’s Christmas, it must be Dubai. We always fly out Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, as we do everywhere we go. We stay at the Royal Mirage (part of the One & Only group). Dubai is the most relaxing place. You are waited on hand and foot, no matter where you go. We just sunbathe and eat in the hotel. No water sports. Just pure relaxation. The hotel and flights come to £15,000, and spending money takes it to £18,000.

“Easter means Miami. I absolutely love it, but the kids don’t want to spend all the time on South Beach, so we tend to go to Orlando first, where they go to Universal Studios and Disney. After a week, we hire a big four- wheel-drive and drive down to South Beach. We stay at the Loews Hotel. It’s big and plush. We get two suites — one for us, one for the kids. We sunbathe and head off to Bal Harbor Mall to shop and have a meal. The bill for two weeks comes to £22,000, with £3,000 spending on top.

“In early summer Joanna and I head off to New York for a long weekend. We stay at Loews on Park Avenue. Joanna likes shopping. I like heading out to the restaurants in Little Italy. It costs around £10,000.

“We tend to stay at home in England for the summer. We have a beautiful house with a garden. You can’t beat a good English summer. But by October we need a break, so Joanna and I usually head off to Marbella. We stay for five nights at the Guadalpin at Puerta Banus in the presidential suite. It has its own balcony, sun deck, bar and security. It costs £10,000.

“My holiday spending may sound a lot, but I need something to look forward to. It’s like a new car, a new Rolex. I order it and I know I am going to get it.”

Total annual spend: £63,000

‘We visit the holy shrine – it’s spiritual’

Zeenat Shah, 48, and her husband Manfred, 42, run Hypoxi, a company that has developed figure-shaping technology for men and women. Its treatments are used in spas worldwide.

“We like to spend Christmas skiing. We go to Lech in the Austrian Alps. We spend two weeks in the five-star Alpenrose Hotel with a bunch of friends. There’s nothing better than waking up on Christmas morning and going skiing. It costs us £20,000.

“In February and again in April we go to India, to the foothills of the Himalayas. We fly British Airways first class — we also like Emirates and Virgin Atlantic — and then we hire a private jet. Our visits are spiritual. We visit a holy shrine of Mother Goddess at Vaishno Devi. We spend around five days worshipping. It costs us £12,000 — but don’t tell the Mother Goddess.

“In August it’s our summer holiday. This year we’re going to Mount Kailash, the next peak to Mount Everest. We’re going for three weeks and it will cost us £20,000.

“November is time for a fresh air, sun and relaxation. This year it’s Thailand. We’re going to Koh Samui. I love the food. We spend £12,000.

“To round off the year, we go to New York for a long weekend, which costs us about £5,000. I know it seems a lot of money, but we don’t have children. We love opulence. If you can afford it, why not? But it is not just about that. Culture interests me too. I love different languages, different religions.”

Total annual spend: £69,000

‘I deserve a break every now and again’

Lisa Voice, 53, is a music and property millionaire. She is divorced and lives in London with her partner, Giuseppe Alvin, daughter Kimberley, 17, and son Michael, 20.

“For Christmas, we usually go to our nine- bedroom home in Florida. But we decided to change things this year, so we went to India and South-East Asia for a month. After that, it’s off to Thailand to the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. I’ve just paid £30,000 for the trip and there’s £5,000 spending money on top.

“I like to go to Egypt for Easter, usually with a girlfriend. I like Sharm el-Sheikh. I stay at the Four Seasons. They really look after you and the food is excellent. It costs £5,000 for a week.

“May means the Cannes Film Festival and the Hotel du Cap in Antibes. I’ve been going there for 30 years and it really is the best hotel in the world. The cost for the festival is £20,000.

“Once a year, I head to Las Vegas. I love the penthouse suites at the Mirage. We get a cabana by the pool. I don’t go for long, so it only costs around £3,000.

“In summer I love Europe. This year we will be in Capri. I stay at the Quisisana, the best hotel on the island. It’s quite expensive: £8,000 for the week. I also sail to Sardinia with friends who have boats. I usually go to New York before Christmas when I stay at the Ritz-Carlton. I spend around £5,000.

“I know I spend a lot, but I work hard and deserve a break every now and again.”

Total annual spend: £76,000

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