Choosing dates of stay ay Luxury Link hotels and resorts?

[disneygal]

Hi mikekama1! I don't think there's any way to predict when a new package with more perks will be added. But if you watch the auctions obsessively (none of us do that, do we?), you may get a general idea from previously years what you might expect for a package at a particular property during a given season. Of course there are some that I've only seen for a short time and then never again. That's the reason it's so interesting. ;-)

[lhbrown]

No, I would say, I disagree with packages that include air. At that point you might as well chose an all inclusive tour. LL has some of those too. But as a whole, picking and choosing top of the line hotels at an affordable price in the various cities you want to see, makes more sense. LL is not a tour operator.

[vavrap]

I've had similar experiences to other posters. I've had great luck contacting properties prior to the auction closing to see if my desired dates are available.



This has worked great for mewhen planning far in advance or for travel strictly within the continental United States (I'm writing this as a US based customer).



The BIG personal problem I've faced is whentrying to use frequent flyer miles to get international airline reservations to use on an LL itinerary.

[disneygal]

Hi vavrap. I've also had some problems using ff miles for international air, especially in the past year when seats have been particularly scarce. I've even called just after midnight 330 days in advance when the seats are supposed to be released, and no luck. If anyone has suggestions, I'd like to hear how to get those seats!

[lhbrown]

The trick is to select the places and the time when and where to you would like to travel overseas. Nail down your overseas flights booking flights and airports you would like to fly in and out of , and then start bidding for the hotels/towns where you would like to go. For instance, if you would like to go to Italy, start deciding when you would like to go. Then start working on your frequent flyer destinations. If you cannot get the dates you want for Rome, try Milan, Naples, etc. Then start working on your cities, which cities would you like to visit, Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, etc. Check with the hotels you are considering to see if they have availability on the dates you want and then put in your auction bids at LL. If you did not win the auction, communicate with the hotel, telling them you were outbid on the auction that just closed but you will definitely try for the next one. Usually the hotels will work with you. Travel by train between the various cities is very easy and inexpensive in Italy and in Europe in general. Be flexible. If you want to see Florence and Venice, but Florence hotels are busy when you want to book, try to go to Venice first and see if you can visit Florence after Venice. Communicate with both the Florence and Venice hotels. It is fun to put your trips together yourself and you usually wind up in much better accommodations and some excellent meals thrown in then when you join a fixed tour group from the US. My experience is that the tour prices from the US are quite cheap, but they put you in tourist class hotels on the outskirt of the city. The tour bus leaves by 8:00 AM and if you are not on it... so help you God... Independent travel is fun and much more adventerous....

Good Luck - you can do it!

[lhbrown]

I have had good luck with American and United and often made my ff reservations just within 60 days.of travel. I check their ff booking sites for international flights and check for availability. I have always gotten two seats without a problem. Other times I have called the ff international agents and talked to them and they found me seats without too much of a problem. (I must admit, we generally travel in off-season). Have the agent check a week ahead and a week after your preferred dates. Usually they they come up with something. Of course, try to be flexible and try to avoid high season. If you call up for flight reservations the airlines usually charge you an extra handling fee (around $15.00), if you book it yourself, no booking fee applies.
I usually fly once or twice a year to Europe, but I haven't had any problems yet.. However, I understand the airlines are getting tougher on ff seats. Good Luck!

[curtiejoe]

Hi lizlathan

I agree, LL auctions that include airfare would be a great idea to bring back. I've used just such a feature on another excellent travel auction site called 'skyauction.com'.

curtiejoe

[omegaet]

We "ALWAYS" call the property and inquire about "AVAILABILITY" for the approximate date we will travel,before wefinalize a bid with LL.....then we send a confirming email mentioning the person by name, to whom we spoke. This system has worked best for us.

[lhbrown]

Hi O,
Whatever works for you is fine. Calling overseas can still be expensive, unless you have some supper dupper calling plan which we don't have. I accomplish the same thing by e-mail and then I do have a record in writing as well as the persons name. In the end, it all comes to the same to have a good understanding of the available dates and the intent to bid on the auction with the understanding of taking advantage of the available dates. Good Luck!

[curtiejoe]

Hi Travelfan

Saw your post to omegaet and want to tell you about SKYPE which is indeed a super-duper calling plan that works on the Internet. I use it to place calls to folks around the world on a regular basis because it's unbelievably cheap, easy and beats Bell and other regular phone services hands down. For example, on Christmas day I called relatives of mine in Lima (Peru), Waterloo (Belgium), and Helsinki (Finland). Spoke to nine different people for an avaege of 23 minutes EACH and paid all of $4.62 CDN (or about $4 US)!!!

Skype calls between people who are on Skype are FREE and if each party has a webcam hooked-up to their computer, they can see each other live while talking! Even if people you wish to call are NOT on Skype, but have a regular home or business phone, then anyone on Skype can call them at ludicrously low rates (as I do). For more info on this fantastic service of great benefit to people who travel and need to make international calls, go to: www.skype.com

Happy New Year!

frequent flyer