The most indulgent experiences these travel writers have been treated to

From a wine-fuelled cycling adventure through France to a night in a private island resort, the team recall their most extravagant experiences.

Living in London in the early noughties, I was astonished to learn I had won a trip to Burgundy in France.

Astonished because I had only a vague recollection of having entered the competition - on a budget and desperate to explore Europe, I’d been entering every travel-related contest I could for the past few years. But also elated that I’d get to visit one of France’s most famous wine regions, and eschew the cheap Airbnbs I usually stayed at for luxury digs.

The trip kicked off with a two-night stay in a 17th-century mansion in the wine-mad mediaeval town of Beaune, the unofficial capital of the Côte D’Or.

An enthusiastic wine drinker, I was in my element, exploring the town’s underground labyrinth of wine cellars, and hiring a bike to ride the grape-lined corridor that is the Route des Grands Crus, stopping off at big-name wine villages for free tastings of the pinot noir and sparkling crémant the region is renowned for.

Moving on to Mâcon, I got what is likely to be my closest glimpse of what it’s like to live like royalty at Le Château de la Barge - a white-shuttered, ivy-adorned manor house set amid yet more vineyards which, in autumn, were exhibiting a suitably wine-stained hue.

After another bike ride - this time along a riverside route taking in seemingly immortal stone villages and fairytale chateaux - I retreated to my own castle for the night, ordering escargots and lobster risotto for my complimentary dinner.

My final day was anticlimactic - after missing my train I spent the night in a cheap stationside hotel - but I still returned to London on a high. Hungover and most likely a few kilos heavier, I’m sure, but once again both astonished and elated at my luck.

When it comes to high end travel experiences, what does six-star luxury actually buy you? Is it the fancy private suite with all the trimmings? Being waited on hand and foot? Exquisite dining experiences in impossibly beautiful locations?

While yes, it encompasses all of that, what really distinguishes it, is the bespoke service you get where the staff cater to all your needs and wishes, while also providing things you didn’t even know you wanted.

The finest luxury experience of my life took place at Kokomo Private Island, one of the southern islands of Fiji. Picked up by a flashy speedboat, I was whizzed over to Kokomo and personally welcomed by staff as if I was some kind of rock star.

The grounds, of course, were impeccable; my private villa was four times the size of my apartment with a dreamy infinity pool, private beach access, landscaped outdoor living and a golf buggy to pick me up so I never had to walk anywhere. Heaven forbid I wear out my tired legs.

But it was the bespoke, personalised service that set it apart. Quizzed on my hobbies and interests the team came up with activities based on my answers. Scuba diving one day, a heavenly spa session the next, and on another occasion I was the sole guest on a beautiful luxury fishing charter.

I caught a Spanish mackerel that was taken back to the chef that night and prepared whatever way I wanted. All I had to do was give a generic idea of my flavour preferences and the chef did the rest.

When it came to departing, it was, of course, by private seaplane at sunset, as I was flown off into the distance, a chorus of staff waving and singing their farewells below.

The year was 1998 and in the holiday paradise of Bali, a nervous Irishman was walking out of Denpasar Airport into a melee of shouting taxi drivers. This was day one of my year backpacking around the globe. Australia was ahead and Europe was far behind me as I took a deep breath and picked a random driver.

"I need to go to a hotel, a nice one but not too expensive," I said.

"No problem," he said with a cheery grin as he threw my backpack into the back of his car.

This was a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants decision. Leaving the first couple of nights' accommodation in the hands of a complete stranger. I had booked a backpackers hostel in Bali later in the week, but I wanted to start this OE with a bit of luxe, and luxe I got.

There is good and bad news here. The good news is that the hotel was stunning. It was like something out of a magazine, as pristine white curtains gently swayed to the breeze, a giant bed fit for about four, and not one, or two, but three glorious pools a few steps away from me.

It also only cost about $60 a night. I knew this was not going to be my future in this OE, and the hostel a couple of nights later brought me crashing down to Earth, but this was the perfect way to start an incredible adventure.

The bad news? I have no idea what the hotel is called or even how far away from the airport it was. Memories blur and corrupt. But I know that when I think of this one particular time of my life I am awash with joy.

During my two years in Dubai, I became rather accustomed to the finer things in life. It helped that I was working for a magazine where I was often tasked with reviewing the latest celebrity chef restaurant or spa treatment.

It was on such an assignment that I had my first hammam - a luxurious cleansing ritual, also known as a Turkish bath. Many of Dubai’s hotel spas offered some version of this treatment, and I was dispatched to the Saray Spa at the five-star JW Marriott Marquis, to try out their signature “Golden Hammam”.

I was given a pair of disposable undies and a robe, and guided to a private hammam room, which looked like the lair of a very clean villain - all low-lighting, gleaming stone surfaces, and gushing water features.

For the uninitiated, the important thing to know about a hammam is that it involves a stranger washing you. A lady in a unitard got to work lathering me up with a grainy black soap. Once I was adequately sudsy, she sent me to the steam room next door, and instructed me to lie on a marble slab and “make sweat”.

Then it was time for my scrub-down - the main event of the hammam. This involved the lady donning an exfoliating mitt, and taking to my glistening body like a peeler to a potato. I looked down at my arm at one point and saw actual ribbons of skin. It was equal parts horrifying and satisfying.

At this point you might be thinking this sounds more torturous than luxurious. But after my body had been scrubbed raw, I was slathered in a gold clay mask, which was gently rinsed off with ladles of warm water. Then I was whisked to another treatment room - where I was given a full-body massage using pure gold-infused oil.

Only in Dubai could they find a way to add a bit of bling to an otherwise undignified bathing experience. - Siobhan Downes, senior travel reporter

You can expect an action-packed start when visiting this remote property in Thailand.

After a 50-minute speed boat ride, all guests are required to make their way ashore on a makeshift plastic jetty that undulates with the surf. If you make it to dry land without falling in, then it's a briefing on some of the wildlife that you might encounter during your stay. Door-opening monkeys, flying dragon lizards, coconut rats, frogs and bats are just some of the creatures that call this tropical paradise home. But you certainly won’t be roughing it.

The five-star Pimalai Resort & Spa is an eco-resort tucked away on Koh Lanta, a pair of islands known for some of the country’s best reef snorkelling and untouched rainforest. Situated just off Thailand’s Andaman coast, the area is still relatively unknown to tourists - guests I met during our two-night stay said the island is what the well-trodden island of Koh Samui felt like 25 years ago.

Pimalai is just one of the show-stopping resorts of the islands. Here, luxury villas are set next to the glistening white sand of Kantiang Bay, while the steep hillside hides secluded rooms and suites with sweeping views across Ba Kan Tiang Bay and the Andaman Sea. For ease of movement to our room 80 metres above sea level, the resort offered a chauffeured electric buggy.

Our multi-wing retreat with its own private infinity pool sat behind large gates. On one side, a separate living area came with its own separate shower and kitchen; at the other, the large bedroom and master bathroom had an even better outlook. The shower opened out onto dense forest and views of Koh Rok island. I lost count of the number of daybeds dotted around the massive villa.

There was no reason to leave the comfort of our room, but the property is also home to a giant 50-metre-long infinity pool, award-winning day spa, four restaurants and a beach bar right on the sand.