I am usually more interested in a getaway where one spends time with the locals, and eats with the locals, and drinks at the pub with the locals, and does my best to be as ordinary as possible. No doubt I would stick out like a sore thumb due to being a Yank, but I'd be trying to disappear anyway

Being treated like some kind of royalty is the last thing I want when seeing another part of the world. One learns little from that. I like the sound of the food, mind you, but I have seen few places that I would want to drop 500 quid on renting a bed for the night. I'd come closer to spending the 300 quid for the meal