BEST LUXURY LINK DEAL?

[Mountie]

Myquestion to all of you seasonedSHOPAHOLICS and SPAVERS here at luxury link is:



WHAT IS THE BEST LUXURY LINK DEAL YOU HAVE EVER MADE?



Best can mean PRICE, DESTINATION, PROPERTYor GENERAL EXPERIENCE or of course, a combination of all of these. Since many of you have made multiple purchases over the years, there have to be some great answers.



Come on, it is time to SHARE!



p.s. If you've had a bad experience, just save that for your own Subject and start a New Thread!

[kyshel]

Best Exotic Deal:
3 nights Tuningi Safari Lodge South Africa
$707
all meals, some wines, 8 game drives, private bush villa
OUTSTANDING property and staff!!!!

Great question, Mountie! The best deal will probably end up being our 08 Amazon trip because I've applied a contributor gift certificate. We'll see...
Can't wait to hear from others!

[disneygal]

My first purchase on LL was easily the best deal....and how I wish they would bring it back! It was a SeaDream cruise for 2 in the Caribbean. The auction was in 2001 shortly after SeaDream split off from Seabourn. We took the cruise in March 2002. A best shot auction with 5 winners, and I think the winning price was $2250, or something like that.

[obrienkf]

Mountie --- good thread.... wonderful up-beat topic, hats off to you. What a positive way to end 2007 / start 2008.



2 best deals --- the Relais& Chateau hotel in Gran Paradiso National Park, in Cogne, Valle D'Aosta, Italy....(went twice...and wrote about it in a thread months ago.... as did LL-Travel Fan, who had the same positive reaction to this fine old hotel.)



Chateau Yering, in Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (the only Relais &Chateau in Australia). (I have also written about this in the Australia board, as have others who have stayed... top marks all around....)



In both those properties the amenties alone(meals, includedactivities, little extras) were worth the price of the stay. And the staff weregracious, and exceptionally helpful, with a sense of 'ownership' of the hotel and its historic reputation. Rooms were as described, no wide angle shots on websites, in fact, the hotel websites did not really do justice to the property, so I was more that pleasantly surprised at what I had 'found'.



Luxury Link properties that are exactly or "better" than they advertise should be acknowledged inone of our discussions. That would certain encourage those properties to remain in Luxury Link.



kind regards

[bonniejoy03]

My two best deals were Punta Islita in Costa Rica in 2002. We got the 4 night package for$903. What a deal! The place is wonderful (just got back from our 6th stay in November.) AND THEN in August 2003 we got Punta Islita for $731 (which includes the 15 fee!!) Same package. We were happy with both prices but REALLY happy with 2003 price. 4 nights in the Junior Suite, Daily breakfast, one dinner, two massages....What a great deal!!



Of course, I can't also forget us getting Morgan's Rock in Nicaragua where we went in January 2007. ....SIT DOWN FOR THIS ONE>>>>> $$720.00 for 4 nights with all food and activities. Haven't seen this one come up again lately...this is the best deal!!!

[claassenam]

Two "best deals" come to mind. The first was the first LL package I purchased - 5 nights at Snake River Lodge and Spa in Jackson Hole, Wyoming -this was several years ago, right after it opened. The room we were given was a junior suite, it included spa treatments, breakfast every morning and one very nice dinner at the hotel's restaurant, Gamefish - all for $850. Wow! We were blown away, and the hotel was fairly empty so our service was a amazing. What a great experience!

The other excellent deal was pricier, but well worth it - I think we ended up paying about $3200 for the 8 night Orient Express trip to Peru, which was phenomenal. We were for some unknown reason upgraded to the Presidential Suites at the Miraflores Hotel in Lima and the Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu (we had this large patio to ourselves as close to Machu Picchu as one can get!). That was such a beautiful, memorable trip, one I wouldn't mind recreating again.

That said, every LL trip I've purchased has ended up being an excellent deal. I wish I had the vacation time to purchase more! I'm looking for the perfect 2008 steal - hopefully Morgan's Rock, Fiji, Bali or maybe Morocco? I can usually only fit in one or two LL purchases a year, so I like to do my research beforehand.

[Mountie]

What happened to all of the other VIPs? I really expected to see some greatresponses posted here. So many of you have written so much about your trips in other threads. Some of you have been buying trips here for years and a lot of the offers are no longer available. What about hearing about some of thosegreat deals? Maybe LL will try and bring them back in 2008!


Message Edited by Mountie on 01-03-2008 09:24 AM

[kyshel]

hmmm...do I see YOURS mentioned here? g'head--we're waiting!!
Maybe some are still decompressing from the holidays--but, then again, some never kiss and tell...

[lhbrown]

Hi everyone,
Actually, we had a number of winners. Went to the Topnotch Resort and Spa in Stowe, VT twice and loved it. Great resort and spa, excellent food and great massage, but unfortunately no longer offered by Luxury Link. Went to the Hotel Bellevue in Cogne, Italy two years in a row and are going back again this Summer. Obrienkf also gives this one high marks. Hotel Raphael in Rome was great, excellent location, right in the hub of things, but unfortunately no longer offered by LL. Went to Hotel Fortyseven last year and liked it very much. Nice hotel, and price was excellent. Also liked Hotel dela Ville in Florence, but have not seen it back on LL. Castle Fragsburg was a nice find in Meran, Italy and the food was outstandstanding. Hotel Castle Hill in Vermont was an excellent deal, nice place and great spa/massage, but unfortunately, the massage for two got cut from the package at this point and price went up. Grand Hotel Continental in Sienna was perhaps the most luxurious hotel. The price for 3 nights with dinner was a steal it has since doubled.

[lhbrown]

Hi obrienkf,
Both properties you liked are Relais & Chateaux properties, and it is hard to go wrong with these. Their motto are the 5 Cs (Courtoisie, Charme, Charactere, Calme, Cuisine). You are right, the Hotel Bellevue is also one of my favorites, although they have gone up quite a bit in price.