Choosing dates of stay ay Luxury Link hotels and resorts?

[ange55]

We have bought lots of LL packages, in the US, Europe and the Carribean and I have to agree with everyone, it is VITAL to check with the property beforehand. I have always checked with the hotels in advance and with some flexibility it has always worked out.

However, on one ocassion I didn't follow my own advice.

I presumed that because I wanted to go to the Carribean at the beginning of the low season and I was very flexible, we would have taken any date within the next couple of months, that it would be no problem...WRONG. I called in April, after I had won the auction and they were fully booked through August! I couldn't believe it, I had failed to take account of all the honeymooners visiting St. Lucia over the summer. If I had called the hotel they would have let me know. We ended up going in November and had a wonderful time 7 nights at ladera, we arrived the same month Conde Naste voted it the number one hotel in the world and we paid a fraction of the rack rate which we couldn't find discounted anywhere else. Thanks LL.

[travelwisdom]

Since we like to use frequent flyer air miles as often as possible, I usually start with checking air mileage availability and finding a couple of potential dates. Next, we call the property and see how those dates look. Then, we bid. As soon as the bid closes, confirm the dates with the property. So far, it's worked every time.



How about international properties? Anyone had pros or cons on booking them?Thus far we've only done U.S. property auctions, but am looking at several in Europe.

[curtiejoe]

Hi travelwisdom



Earlier this week, I won an LL Auction for a fabulous luxury resort in the Canadian Rockies. Using the same precautions as you do, I checked our frequent flyer miles availability of flights to and from Calgary, Alberta. Then, called the property and asked about accommodation availability in mid-September this fall (when we want to travel to the Rockies). They confirmed availability, so I booked our flights and then finalized the reservation at the Cathedral Mountain Lodge. So, now all is booked and waiting for us. Haven't as yet done this for any property in Europe, but I'm sure other LL Community Contributors have. Good luck!



Curt

[lhbrown]

Hi C,
That is exactly the procedure I follow, even in Europe. I check with airlines and hotels about availability. I make tentative reservations with the hotels. Then I book my flights, then secure the LL auction and confirm my dates with the hotels. It works every time. The hotels and LL properties are more than happy to work with us as LL customers. It's a matter of doing your homework beforehand.

C, what happens if the LL Event in NYC is held in September?

[curtiejoe]

Hi L



I'm sure others on the LL Community will be pleased to know that the procedures we're following for US and Canadian properties also work well for those in Europe. Thanx for the info. One aspect of our up-coming Rocky Mountain vacation that I wish I had checked out before finalizing all the others, is reserving a rental car for the week. Now, I find out that there's a hefty charge we face for doing a one-way rental between Calgary and Vancouver. Had I checked this out beforehand, I would have changed our itinerary so that we would pick up and drop off the rental car in either Vancouver or Calgary and done a large 'loop' circuit through the Rockies instead. Oh well, live and learn.



Curt

[bonniejoy03]

No problem with Central America properties. We have used LL numerous times for Central America and so far no problem. Most of the time, we correspond by email. We also ask to have a confirmation as soon as possible with the dates. I also periodically check to make sure there are no hitches. (we typically book way in advance. That is why I follow up.) We typically use FF points for one of the tickets so it can be quite interesting trying to coordinate LL auction, free ticket, paying ticket, and navigate the country's domestic air connections if visiting more than one destination. I think I have almost mastered this skill!!!

[curtiejoe]

Hi bonniejoy



Glad to hear things have worked out well for you by booking well ahead of time for your travels to Central America. My wife and I found the same thing when we made advance reservations for our recent vacation in Costa Rica. Everything went very smoothly once we got down there because we'd arranged not only our accommodation but also our eco-excursion ahead of time from home over the Internet. Saved a lot of possible headaches that way. Sounds like you've got everything well in hand. Cheers!



Curt

[omegaet]

We try to use the "300 Day Rule" rule when using FF award tickets. Most US based airlines release seating allotments approximately 300 days out for travel. For our bigger holidays (those involving long-haul flights where we wish to fly business class or better), we generally start planning with a 300 day window, giving us some wiggle room, if we need to come back to change the air reservations. We have always been able to find one or more LL hotel packages that we are able to work into those schedules. The more time you can have for communication with the properties, the higher the success ratio.

[jashermd]

Hello,

As others have said, checking in advance works as well with European properties as it does with ones in the US. One thing to remember if you can't get FF flights direct to your destination is that you could fly into one of the hubs for the budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet, and get a cheap flight to your destination (though don't forget to build in an extra day at the end in case of budget airline cancellations).

Cheers,
Julian

[lhbrown]

Hi,
Using FF miles or regular airline tickets, it always works out cheapest to fly in and out of the same city. That is where RyanAir or any of the other budget airlines come in handy. Our friends came to visit us in Paris recently and we travelled throughout Italy with them. Since the trip ended in Naples more or less, they thought it would be great if they flew into Paris and back out of Naples. Well, the price tag for this little manoeuvre would have cost them about $2500 each, while a round trip in and out of Paris was just under $600. We used RyanAir to return from Rome back to Paris for a mere 35 Euros per person and they spent an extra 3 days enjoying Paris with the Hilton Tour Eiffel as a base. It's just a matter of doing your homework.....