Most college students feel the most anxiety during finals week. All-nighters, deadlines looming, and caffeine-fueled study sprees are always in the foreground. It goes without saying why students yearn for a drastic break after exams are finally concluded. Increasingly, students—and their parents—have been targeting luxury travel to relax, re-energize, and toast academic victory in style.
Whereas budget travel has long ruled the student segment, an increasing number of Gen Z travelers are valuing wellness, uniqueness, and experience-based memories over saving money. A 2023 Virtuoso report, a global network of luxury travel, says Gen Z travelers are driving the industry with a penchant for experiential travel, sustainability, and high-end options that offer more than a place to rest.
With that in mind, here are eight handpicked luxury getaways around the world that offer students the perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and sophistication after finals week. Whether they're relaxing with a friend, with friends, or as a graduation gift from doting parents, these vacations offer more than a break-they offer a reward.
Bali has long been a favorite among spiritual seekers and surfers, but Ubud, the island's cultural and wellness center, has something unique in store for students who have burned out and seek balance.
Laden with lush rice fields, ancient temples, and wellness retreats on par with the globe's best, Ubud features such luxury resorts as COMO Shambhala Estate, whose daily program includes yoga, Ayurvedic massage, and individually customized wellness programs meant to rebalance mind and body.
For those young travelers who have just completed an intense academic semester, this kind of holistic restart can be particularly helpful. Furthermore, Bali boasts a luxury affordable experience, and so it is ideal for young travelers looking for five-star living with a five-star price cut.
Tulum is now one of the world's leading bohemian luxury spots. Eco-luxury resorts, open-air beach clubs, and cenote scuba diving tours make it the perfect place for students to swap books for blue waters.
Hotels like Azulik and Habitas Tulum offer art, sustainability, and community experiences as their pillars—values that most young travelers hold dear. Students can relax in solitude in private villas, enjoy gourmet farm-to-table meals, and engage in revitalizing ceremonies like temazcal (traditional Mayan sweat lodge ceremonies).
Tulum is unique in its ability to combine relaxation with relaxed social energy—ideal for students looking for a rejuvenating retreat that is not boring.
For those students who crave a little bit of European sophistication, Lake Como is the ultimate escape. Situated between mountains and dotted with charming villages, the lake has been home to royals, celebrities, and artists for centuries.
High-end hotels like Grand Hotel Tremezzo or Il Sereno offer breathtaking views, gourmet dining, and serene, contemplative settings that are perfect for unwinding after exams. From sipping espresso on a private balcony to boat tours around nearby villas, Lake Como is a serene counterpoint to the chaos of student life.
It's also an excellent destination for students and parents alike to celebrate graduation in style.
If you want tranquility, loveliness, and depth, Kyoto has it all. Formerly the capital of Japan, this city is a refuge of Zen gardens, quaint tea houses, and refined ryokans (Japanese inns).
Stay in hotels like The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto or the traditional Hiiragiya Ryokan, and students can enjoy the epitome of Japanese service amidst the cultural richness of one of the planet's most advanced destinations.
After finals anxiety, Kyoto offers a sort of calm that few places can provide. It's an educational experience, too—imbued with history and meaning.
Cape Town is somewhere that combines five-star hotels with nature marvels and vibrant culture. It is ideal for students who wish to balance relaxation with discovery.
With the upscale One&Only Cape Town hotel on one end to stylish Ellerman House, students can unwind in upscale luxury within experiences like cage diving with sharks, wine tour at Stellenbosch, or ascending Table Mountain.
Cape Town is also an experience that provokes travel and self-discovery—a richly deserved treat for months of university stress. Students can gain greater insight into the city's cultural heritage with a trip to Robben Island Museum, one of only a few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the nation.
For students who'd rather trade beaches for glaciers, Iceland is a unique escape. Its firework-like landscapes, geothermal hot springs, and midnight sun make it the ultimate wonderland and inspiration hub.
Spas such as The Retreat at Blue Lagoon combine spa luxury with stunning nature. Guests can float in milky-blue geothermal pools, watch geysers erupt, or enjoy a private tour of Iceland's highlands.
For adventure-seeking students, activities like snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier or relaxing in natural hot springs offer the perfect balance of thrill and tranquility. Visit Inspired by Iceland to explore more.
Few destinations say “you’ve made it” like the Maldives. For students who’ve just submitted their final research paper at WriteMyEssays and want to disconnect completely, this paradise of overwater villas and coral atolls is the dream.
Hotels like Soneva Jani and The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli include such luxury activities as undersea restaurants to star-gazing bars. There are private butlers, along with a wellbeing and eco-emphasis, which adds to barefoot luxury.
As indulgent as it sounds, more families than ever before are viewing post-finals breaks as excellent investments in emotional wellness as well as building family memories.
Vancouver presents both the urban high-life experience of luxury living as well as quick proximity to the natural outdoors, a combination ideal for those wanting a mixed flavor to their break. Properties like the luxury world-class hotel, Fairmont Pacific Rim, have spas, ocean vistas, and nearby luxury restaurants.
Inside one day, students may enjoy brunch downtown, take a seaplane tour along the beach, and relax in the mineral pools at Scandinave Spa Whistler. The mix of urban amenity and outdoor activity makes Vancouver the ideal place to rest without ever getting bored.
The luxury student travel concept may appear contradictory—however, it's increasingly reflective of changing values. Students these days are prioritizing experiences over possessions, and in a series of examples, parents are paying for travel as incentive for academic achievement.
Moreover, because of the impending flexible academic deadline and online education, students find ever more means to balance traveling and their scholarly reasons. Corporates like Niche show that study travel and learning through experiences are now essential pillars of student planning. Similarly, StudentUniverse is dividing luxuries to be affordable by giving discounts and managed trips.
Luxury travel isn't just relaxing—it's revealing, it's reflective, and it gets a look at what's beyond the classroom. And for a lot of students, that's worth it.
