1. Poolside disco
Turn the latest iPod Nano into a waterproof jukebox with the Atlantic EGO iceBar2 speaker system. The gadget encases your Pod in a clear plastic housing and attaches a small pair of small speakers designed to withstand up to three metres of water at a cost of £38.

2. Safe house
MindMyHouse is a new website that finds free house sitters. You want your home/pets looked after while you're away; they want a free place to stay. The site lists around 1,600 house sitters across the globe and offers a contract, which deals with issues like damage to the property and utility bills.

3. Personalise your postcard
ppme.co.uk is one of a number of sites offering holidaymakers the chance to create and send postcards using their holiday snaps. Customers upload a photograph then fill in the text and a real postcard is sent anywhere in the UK for 99pence.

4. Keep it together
The Classic travel wallet from Kiki James is hand-stitched leather, lined with suede and has four sections for tickets, passport, insurance and other documents. Buyers can personalise by colour and add embossed initials or text. Prices start at £59.

Where to rough it in a luxury hotel

Matt Rudd leaves his plush hotel in the Italian Dolomites for a not-so-tough night in the wilderness

• The world's coolest hotel rooms

Classic holidays on the cheap

10 costly classics with perfect alternatives - for a fraction of the price

• The world's 20 best hotels on a budget

The VIP guide to the world's top 12 sites

Alone in Stonehenge to launching a rocket - The Times Travel guide to privileged access around the world

• Inside Stonehenge

Related Internet Links

• 600 more ideas for holidays with a touch of luxury

Related Links

• The VIP guide to the world's top 12 sites

5. Sleep in silk
Travellers Tree Silk Travel Pyjamas are made of a light and comfortable silk, dry quickly and can be folded into a palm-sized mesh bag. Short pairs for men and women cost £29.99.

6. Hire a welly washer
Boutique Cotswolds hotel Lords of the Manor offers guests the services of an outdoor butler for an extra fee. Duties include dog brushing, welly washing and even map ironing, with prices from £95 per day.

7. Personal paps
Forget cut-off heads and blurred vistas - Eye Photographic Workshops will provide a professional photographer, anywhere in the world, from £1,175 a day. They offer tuition, will bring whatever kit you need, and even a stylist if you want one - they'll also help with the printing and framing.

8. Back rub in your bag
Turn your five-hour road trip into a massage session, with one of these portable gadgets. First up is the HoMedics Shiatsu Plus Massager which makes up for in functions what it lacks in compactness. It costs from around £60 if you shop around, and dispenses heated massages and can be plugged into a cigarette lighter slot. Or for less money - and a little more hand luggage-friendly, there's the HoMedics Hydragel Lightweight Hand Held Back Massager that's rechargeable and costs around £20.

9. Get someone else to do the lugging
The fiasco at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 earlier this year saw bookings with First Luggage more than double - but it's not just Heathrow, you don't have to ask around many friends to find someone whose luggage has gone amiss on holiday. The UK-based firm transports luggage door-to-door by FedEx from £49 per suitcase.

10. Arrive by chopper
Forget sitting in traffic. Guests of Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab hotel can arrive on the roof by Augusta 109 Executive helicopter. Transfers from Dubai International Airport take 10 minutes and cost around £1,500. Arrivals in Hong Kong staying at the Peninsula hotel also have the same option, with a one-way flight taking 20 minutes and costing £842. New York Helicopter offers the same service in New York City, serving Manhattan airports from £750 per four-person journey.

11. A first-class sleep in economy
Frequent fliers tired of sleepless journeys can seek refuge in the 1st Class Sleeper, an inflatable travel pillow that claims to provide back and shoulder support, available for £28.95. There's also the Jetsleeper, which is a self-expanding pillow that hooks on to the aircraft headrest and armrest and can be adjusted to suit the size of the user. The gadget was rejected by the judges of the TV show, Dragon’s Den, but found funding elsewhere. It comes in a pocket-sized bag and costs £20.

12. Home, James
The next best thing to your own James? Global chauffeur agency Tristar provides chauffeurs in smart cars in over 40 countries, or they can drive your vehicle if you'd prefer. The Premium service offers Mercedes S-Class and E-Class. Rates vary, but you can get a quick quote online.

Times recommends

• Croatia: the flashing blades of Korkcula
• The best stopovers en route to Australia
• Chernobyl offers a holiday in hell