Promising luxury for less
Many subscriptions cater to those looking for luxury. Consider Exclusive Resorts, which charges a one-time initiation fee of $175,000 for a 10-year membership, and then makes its 350-plus global portfolio of luxury vacation homes available for stays at $1,465 a night at places that it says often start at around $4,000.
Inspirato, another luxury-oriented subscription, charges $2,500 a month — plus a one-time $2,500 initiation fee — for the Inspirato Pass, offering access to pricey vacation homes and hotels. No additional rental accommodation fees are charged, though there are some restrictions on how often the pass can be used, and users pay other travel expenses, including flights, rental cars and food.
One of the more expensive cars to rent these days — if you can find one — is a Tesla. For those looking for a long-term rental, Kyte, the car rental service, launched its subscription program for Tesla electric cars in San Francisco and New York City in April, charging between $1,350 a month for a three-month rental and $995 a month for a year. The plans beat the roughly $200 a day charged by Hertz for a rental Tesla in San Francisco. Both travelers and the E.V.-curious have subscribed, according to the company, which plans to expand to Los Angeles and Miami this summer.
Free for the first year, Manifest travel club costs $2,500 a year, offering travel planning and high-end trips with fellow members, including a three-day bourbon-focused tour of Louisville, Ky., including guided distillery tours and a progressive dinner involving several restaurants, from $1,952, excluding flights.
“I believe the majority of consumers want to travel, but don’t like to plan,” said Jeff Potter, the chief executive of Manifest.
Digital nomads
The rise of digital nomads, especially during the pandemic, has inspired subscription services to simplify working from anywhere. In 2020, Selina, which offers affordable lodgings — most with co-working spaces — in more than 145 global locations, started CoLive, a $450-a-month plan allowing subscribers to stay for 30 days at up to three locations. Participants can go month by month, rather than committing to a longer term.
Subscribers to Landing, who pay $199 a year, can rent an apartment for a minimum one-month stay in more than 375 U.S. cities. Rents vary, starting at $1,250 in Austin, Texas, and $3,050 in San Francisco.
