how to holiday on a shoestring in a luxury resort

source: pinterest

if you love glitz and glamour but are more of a champagne lifestyle lemonade budget kind of girl, you can still have a luxury style holiday without a luxury price tag. you simply need to know how to get your money’s worth.

take, for example marbella, playground of the rich and famous. made even more well known for its luxury and party lifestyle by the gang from ITV2's the only way is essex in the last few years. so how can you party like lucy and sam without spending a fortune? read on:

your holiday wardrobe

you don't have to spend a fortune to look the part in marbella, or anywhere else for that matter. if you aren't going away this year and are hoping that amongst the usual dreary weather in the uk we get a hot summers day, all you'll need a is bikini or tankini; a george tankini is perfect as it's fashionable yet purse friendly enough to allow you to treat yourself to another one so you can alternate while you're away. alternatively you could also reach for a beach style cover up, a few dresses, sandals or flip flops and that is about it.  of course if you're planning on hitting some of the night spots in puerto banus you may want to pack a few more dressy outfits. dress to impress and all.

location, location, location

marbella town itself isn't actually the area you'll have seen on shows like TOWIE, instead they tend to stay in the surrounding areas and go out in puerto banus at night. if you decide to stay in puerto banus you are likely to pay a premium to do so because of its reputation as a luxury resort. marbella being a large town can also command higher prices in terms of hotel rooms, although you will find some gorgeous B&B's here in the old town that are great value for money. you will however find that accommodation becomes cheaper the further away from marbella you go. the key is to find something affordable within a short journey time to the centre without compromising on style.

live like a local

if you're anything like me you'll want to spoil yourself while you're away but not break the bank, right? drinks in in europe can be upwards of 10 euros a pint if you stick to the tourist bars. leave the marina and head a few streets back and you'll find a bustling bar scene that won't need you to remortgage just to buy a round. the same goes for restaurants, the further away from the main tourist hub you go the cheaper they become. you can however eat in top restaurants for a bargain price, just do it at lunchtime instead of dinner. every restaurant in spain has to offer a menu del dia by law, what they include in that is up to them, however you're likely to receive at least two course for a much reduced price. search around and you can easily have a fabulous three course meal, plus a bottle of wine and coffee for a fraction of what you'd pay at night.

with just a few adjustments to your holiday you really can experience what it's like to party like the stars no matter where you venture to whether it is within the european union or not! now... let's get holiday shopping!

*this is a sponsored post*

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