I have a confession to make. I love the luxury travel lifestyle, and take full advantage of it, but I also skimp here and there. I switch between solid four-star hotels, with zero extra amenities tied to the booking, and five-star palaces. It simply depends on any given trip and how I want to spend my money.

Does that make me any less of a luxury client? No, and it is true for your clients as well. On some trips to Los Angeles you’ll find me at the Four Seasons or the Peninsula, and the next month you’ll see me at the Hyatt Regency in Century City.

What I’m looking for is value, plain and simple. That value can be found in different levels of product, despite the number of stars on the review sites. I can assure you that clients are seeking out that same value at every level of the travel experience.

What you have to keep in mind is what clients are actually willing to pay for. For instance, I can get by with a cup of coffee and a protein bar to start my day, and begin my workout, regardless of where I’ve laid my head. If I’m out the door first thing in the morning after the workout, then I’m going to place scant value on that “free” breakfast amenity. Ditto for those spa credits.

On the other hand, I do pay close attention to those amenities when I’m balancing work and play on a trip. If I know I’m going to be able to have some downtime, then these special offers get factored into the overall price, and hence, the value of the trip.

Now flip things on their head and look at those typical four-star clients and their aspirations for luxury travel. They will take the same approach to buying up, as I do when I’m dropping down a notch. That extra amenity or late checkout can make the difference between that Hyatt property or the Peninsula, when you ask the right questions.

And that’s what it eventually comes down to: asking the right questions and understanding your client’s motivations and goals related to any given trip. Luxury has many faces, and clients of all stripes can afford the experience. You just have to ask.