Today begins week 3 of the annual Daily Getaways promotions run by the U.S. Travel Associations, and overall it is the least interesting except for the big Orbitz deal on Friday. Revisit my original post on week 1 to learn more about Daily Getaways as well as the special 10th anniversary sweepstakes. Remember, one of the reasons I and other bloggers cover this program each year has offered a number of discounts on package deals and cheaper prices for hotel points and car rentals, in particular.
Deals go on sale each day at 1 PM Eastern Time (11 AM Pacific Time). There are a limited number of each package available, and they tend to sell out quickly. Typically you can only buy one of each package, though exceptions exist.
Monday – May 20th: The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
- $850 for three nights in a Siena Suite at the Palazzo Las Vegas (20 available)
- $650 for three nights in a Piazza Suite at the Venetian Las Vegas (30 available)
The Venetian/Palazzo complex is one of the largest hotels in Vegas and has a nice mix of restaurants. I’m a big fan of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. However, I haven’t spent that much time checking out the other amenities such as the casino, shows, and night clubs. Three nights is usually too much for me in Las Vegas.
Tuesday – May 21st: Best Western Rewards
- 10,000 Best Western Rewards points for $55 (0.55 cents per point; 835 available)
Best Western, like IHG, is one of those chains you’ll find everywhere — especially in parts of the country where you won’t find the more traditional loyalty programs like Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. It’s a good option to keep in your back pocket for road trips and visiting less urban areas.
You can also transfer Best Western Rewards points to a number of airlines including Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan at a rate of 5,000-to-1,000. That means you could buy 10,000 points for $55 and get 2,000 airline miles. Good deal? Not really, as those miles would be worth, at most, $40. But this might be a good way to keep your account active. Some airlines require you to earn or redeem miles every 12 to 24 months or risk losing all of your miles. Buying a small number of miles directly from the airline can be expensive, sometimes $70 or more. This is a cheaper route.
Wednesday – May 22nd: Omni Hotels & Resorts
- $160 for a two-night weekend stay at select properties (30 available)
- $245 for a two-night weekend stay at select properties (41 available)
- $335 for a two-night stay at select properties (38 available)
- $235 for a one-night stay at select properties (15 available)
I admit that I’ve never stayed at an Omni hotel, since they seem to be less common on the west coast where I’ve lived most of my life. Some of these packages may be more valuable depending on the specific resort you want to visit. Be sure to check out the eligible properties in each offer.
Thursday – May 23rd: MGM Resorts Las Vegas
- $200 for three nights at Circus Circus, including dining and passes to the Adventuredome Theme Park
- $500 for four nights at Excalibur, including a $400 credit at Camelot Steakhouse at tickets to Tournament of Kings
- $1,700 for three nights in a Sky Suite at Aria, including dinner and spa treatments for two
- $1,750 for three nights in a Nightingale Suite at Park MGM, including two dinners and tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s “O”
- $2,000 for three nights in a Bellagio Suite at Bellagio, including dinner and spa treatments for two and tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s “O”
We had a similar slate of deals from MGM Resorts in week 1, but that was more middle-of-the-road. Now there are two budget options at Circus Circus and Excalibur plus three luxury options at Aria, Bellagio, and Park MGM.
I would be wary of the Park MGM deal. While it sounds like it could still be a good value with two dinners (not one) and tickets to “O” (which can be $200 each), the base rooms are not the nicest. Maybe the Nightingale Suite is a step up. In any case, I do like the renovated casino floor and restaurant complex. If you really want to experience the new Park MGM, I recommend booking your own stay at the NoMad hotel located on the upper floors.
Friday – May 24th: Orbitz Rewards
- $650 for a $1,000 Orbitz hotel credit (60 available)
I think Orbitz has a pretty good rewards program that lets you earn up to 10% back on hotels without the hassle of needing to complete a certain number of stays (a la Hotels.com). As such, I often use Orbitz to book independent hotels that don’t run their own loyalty program. This $1,000 credit would be great for a week-long vacation or even a weekend getaway at a luxury spa. The $650 price represents a 35% discount.
