Browsing the wealth of properties and possibilities on LuxuryLink.com has inspired you to finally make your dream vacation into a reality. We love that. This is why we’d like to give you a few pointers on how to get the most out of what Luxury Link offers, so you can enjoy the absolutely best vacation, at the best price.

There are two ways to purchase a vacation on LuxuryLink.com. Either choose our “buy now” option, or keep things interesting by bidding on an auction. Both options guarantee an amazing deal. But by placing a bid on an auction, you have the chance to book the most luxurious vacation at an EVEN LOWER fraction of the cost. Not only is bidding exciting, but it couldn’t be easier!

This is how it works:

1)      LOG IN to LuxuryLink.com. Not an official user? No problem. Simply click “Register” at the top right corner of the Luxury Link website, complete the registration, and get ready to bid!

2)      SELECT YOUR BEST PACKAGE. Make sure the validity dates match your travel plans, and you find inclusions and amenities that best fit your perfect escape.

3)      PLACE YOUR MAXIMUM BID. Enter the highest dollar amount you are willing to pay for the package. The system will use the minimum amount possible to keep you the highest bidder, continuing to outbid other participants on your behalf, all the way up to this maximum amount. (If another Luxury Link user outbids your maximum amount, you may return to the property’s page and place a new bid.)

4)      SUBMIT YOUR BID by entering a valid credit card number and clicking “Submit & Confirm Bid.” Your card will only be charged if you win the auction.

5)      ALL SET! Now just keep your eye on the auction for other bidders, and check your email for a notification if you’ve won!

Bidding on an amazing vacation is a thrilling process! Now that you know the basics, here are some INSIDER’S TIPS for smart bidding:

1)      Call ahead to see if your chosen property has your preferred dates available.  Be sure to tell them you are checking availability for a Luxury Link package.

2)      Follow the auction! Things can change at the very last minute, so check-in when the auction is getting ready to close.

3)      Keep an eye out an upcoming LuxuryLink.com feature which will help you follow the auctions you like, and notify you when they are coming to a close.

4)      Remember the 5 minute extension! If a Luxury Link user bids on an auction at the last minute, the auction will automatically extend for an extra 5 minutes… it’s not over until it’s over!

5)      Got questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us! Luxury Link Customer Care is available Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 5:30PM PST to answer questions about the auction, the purchase process and technical assistance. Call (888) 297-3299 or e-mail customerservice@luxurylink.com.

Once you’re hooked, explore our other bidding opportunities, including Mystery Auctions. The starting bid is only $1!

Find out more about Mystery Auctions and get additional insider tips by joining our Community. Browse our message boards to see what other Luxury Link users are saying about their travels and get more general information about Luxury Link. Find the “Community” link at the bottom right corner of the LuxuryLink.com web site.

Good Luck!

There’s nothing quite like the bond between mothers and daughters. And, there’s no better way to nurture this special relationship than by taking a fabulous Mother-Daughter escape.  It might have something to do with the whole unconditional love thing, but our Moms are simply always there.  In honor of Mother’s Day this year, we suggest you return the love by giving Mom the timeless gift of travel.  Arrange a Girls’ Getaway that will make her feel appreciated, and keep your mother-daughter bond strong.

Check out our favorite Mother-Daughter Getaways:

Italy

It’s said that food brings people together. Let the stunning scenery and decadent dishes of Italy bring you and your mother together for some serious culinary creativity. Take a delicious cooking class in the gorgeous Italian countryside. And in your free time, take in some of the world’s most important pieces of art, awe-inspiring ancient ruins, and the breath-taking cliffs cascading down the Almalfi Coast. Not only will it satisfy your appetites for quality time together, but give you reason to plan cooking dates when you return home. 

For a delicious getaway to the amazing Almalfi coast, try one of our Furore Inn Resort packages.

New York City

Get glamorous in this cosmopolitan city. Get your nails done, shop till you drop and eat to your hearts’ content (or your stomachs’ capacity). In the evenings, don your stylish new attire and catch a show on Broadway. You’ll find plenty of time for long walks and good conservation (just what mother-daughter bonds are made of).

For a glamorous girls getaway, we recommend checking out one of our Sherry Netherland packages.

Calistoga

Get together for some R&R in charming Calistoga. Located in California’s Napa Valley, this stunning destination is world renown for sprawling vineyards, fine wines, and decadent dishes.  Also, prepare to be pampered at this quintessential spa destination, where you can catch up on the hot gossip with cool cucumbers resting on your eyelids. Indulge in serene afternoons dipping in natural hot springs, and spend colorful evenings enjoying live jazz. Also, if you’re of age, make sure to sample internationally-acclaimed wines.

For creative rejuvenation and culinary delight check out our Calistoga Ranch packages.

Thailand

Set out in search of some enlightenment with a mother-daughter interlude in Thailand. Trek through a lush jungle atop an elephant, get Zen-ed out on a yoga retreat, and indulge in the blissful afterglow with some face-time on one of Thailand’s pristine beaches. You’ll have plenty of time to revitalize mind, body and spirit.

Find blissful balance (and a beautiful bonding experience) with one of our Bundarika Villa packages.

Costa Rica

Like mother, like daughter… and you’re both the adventurous types. Get an adrenaline fix and some beach-bumming bonding time in sunny Costa Rica. Zip-line through rainforests, climb an active volcano, and even go white-water rafting, before you hit the sandy coastline to swap stories and share the intricate details of your lives. Just as mothers and daughters do.

Share a once-in-a-lifetime experience tailored for life-long adventures with one of our Rancho Pacifico packages.

We really appreciate all our dedicated Luxury Link Travelers.  To show our gratitude, we’d like to send you a gift – your very own Luxury Link baseball cap.  It’s a little something to show our appreciation but it’s also an opportunity for you to save $$$ on your next Luxury Link vacation.

Here’s the deal – Next time you go on a vacation, take a picture of yourself wearing your Luxury Link hat and submit it to us at adventures@luxurylink.com.  We’ll give you a promo code for $150 dollars off your next Luxury Link vacation package.  The promo code is valid until August 31, 2011 and there is no minimum purchase requirement. 

Please email your address to adventures@luxurylink.com so we can send you a hat and get you on your way to savings!

Here are a few fun photos of Luxury Link fans and their hats to help inspire you:

LL Fan, Nye, takes a break in a hammock by the sea while on vacation in Costa Rica.

Here are a few guidelines for photo submissions:

• Photos should be emailed to adventures@luxurylink.com. 
• Photos must be taken during a vacation.  We want to see your travel pictures so send us your best shot!
• Please include the name of the person in the picture and the name of the hotel/resort/destination where you stayed.
• Smile!  We appreciate creativity and we want you to have fun with this.  But please, nothing indecent or inappropriate.
• Shy? Not sure you want your picture on the internet?  That’s ok!  Photos should clearly display the hotel or location of your trip and the Luxury Link hat but if you’d rather not be in it, we understand.  Have your travel partner wear the hat, find a friendly hotel staff member and see if they are willing to pose for a photo with the hat or just make the hat the star of your picture. 
• Promotion ends August 31, 2010.  Discount is valid until August 31, 2011.
• Please see Official Rules*

*Official Rules (a.k.a. The Legal Stuff):

This contest is open only participants who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry.  To be eligible to receive the $150 discount, entrants must submit one photograph along with the name of the hotel and the name of the person in the picture according to the instructions provided above. Any other form of online entry and mail-in entries will not be accepted. Photographs may include landscape, locales, activities, people and/or animals, but must include the LuxuryLink hat. Photographs must be in color and must have been shot by the entrant while on a vacation. LIMIT ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON. Incomplete entries or entries that do not comply with the instructions will be rejected.  By entering this contest, entrants grant to LuxuryLink and its licensees and assigns, a royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide right to copy, crop, edit, publish, display, distribute, sublicense or otherwise use their photographs for the full term of copyright thereof, in connection with the publication or display of travel-related content, in all languages and all media, whether now known or hereinafter devised. Entrants warrant that their photographs are their original work and are not owned by any other person or entity; do not violate any law or regulation; and do not infringe the rights of any person or entity. Entrants understand and agree that nothing in this agreement obligates Luxury Link to use their photographs. Promotion ends August 31, 2010.  Luxury Link reserves the right to end this promotion at any time. Discount is valid until August 31, 2011. 

Photo of the Week

We firmly believe in the adage “A Picture is worth a Thousand Words”.  So every week we’ll post our favorite pictures of top luxury hotels and resorts from around the world.

Pimalai Resort & Spa

Krabi, Thailand

To view additional information and travel packages please check out Pimalai Resort & Spa.