After years of carefully studying celebrities, with a specific emphasis on musicians, I’ve come up with a surefire guide on how to travel like a rock star. Oh yes, it’s everything that you can imagine and more. In my years of working in hotels, I can precisely define the rock star experience. Forget about partying like a rock star, here’s how you can travel like one!

Credit: Izyan Yob

Stay at the finest hotel in the city
The more exclusive the address, the better. Celebrities like to travel to places where they can be secluded and untouched by the masses. The higher the prices, the lower the riffraff. You won’t find any big-name rock stars staying at a $50/night hotel. There’s nothing wrong with $50/night hotels, because I stay in these all the time, but not when I want to travel like a rock star. I stay at the best hotels.

Call ahead and make demands All rock stars have a list of must-have amenities. You know, essentials like freshly squeezed juice from a cactus, or M&Ms separated by color and placed into individual silver bowls. The great thing about staying at the best hotels (must be 5-Star) is that the hotels must obey your demands, as long as you’re not requesting anything illegal. I’ve heard it all, when it comes to demands. Of course, make sure you can pay for these demands, because rock stars always have the money to back up their zany desires.

Arrive by limousine You definitely cannot arrive in a rental car, or worse, your own car. It doesn’t matter if you own a Mercedes, nothing compares to arriving in your own chauffeured car. Make sure to hire a driver for the entirety of your stay.

Check in using an alias Celebrities never, ever stay at a hotel using their real name, and you shouldn’t either. You can ask the hotel to register you under the name of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and they’ll do it for you. For extra fun, ask your friends to call for you using your assumed name.

Carry Louis Vuitton bags I know that we don’t all have the capital for LV, but if you want to be taken seriously as a rock star, you’ll definitely need to upgrade your luggage. Bellmen know quality luggage when they see it, and your luggage says a lot about you. Granted, you can go the opposite way, and only travel with plastic bags, but it’s hard to pull of the eccentric rock star. It’s just best to be as traditional as possible. Louis Vuitton never goes on sale, so you may want to travel light, and only buy one bag.

Tip well It’s not enough to say you’re a rock star, you have to spend like one. Celebrities don’t really watch their spending. They have people to do that, and usually those people aren’t with them on vacation. Be prepared to tip everyone at least $10, or more, depending on the type of service. If you don’t want to spend hundreds in tips, you may want to keep a low profile, and not ask for too much.

Arrive in the middle of the night Most celebrities arrive late, at around 2am in the morning, to avoid throngs of adoring fans. However, when you’re a pseudo celebrity, you definitely want to arrive early enough for people to see you, and wonder about you. Shoot for 9pm on a Friday. That’s when a lot of the hotel guests are leaving out to go clubbing, and you can get maximum attention. Definitely arrive in the middle of the night after your partying. You have a reputation to uphold.

Wear sunglasses all the time Even at night. Don’t go anywhere without them. Sunglasses provide instant mystery. It’ll suit you if you can find the big, black, round sunglasses that take up half of your face.

Never travel alone Rock stars are famous for their entourages. You have to go everywhere in a group. Make sure that everyone is wearing sunglasses.Ensure that you’re at the center of the group, so that you’re identified as the star. Alternatively, you and your friends can each take a turn at being in the center.

Wear clothes that look slept in Rock stars don’t iron! They don’t wear crisp clothes, either. Usually, rock star outfits look like an abstract art piece with all the asymmetrical layers. Leather jackets always help to anchor the look.

Be bold and dedicated This is the most important tip. If you don’t believe you, no one else will. If you really want other people to believe you’re a celebrity, you’ve got to sell it from the moment you step out of your limousine. You must exude the “don’t you know who I am?” type of arrogance that’s inherent in most rock stars. You have to keep a constant look of disdain on your face. Remember that you have to spend a lot of money to maintain the lifestyle of a rock star. Is it worth it? For a weekend of fun role-playing, you bet! Try it, you may like it.

Can you think of anything I need to add to the list?