Today begins week 4 of the annual Daily Getaways promotions run by the U.S. Travel Associations, and it has a couple of easy opportunities to save with Hertz and Marriott. 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 27th: Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas
- $350 for two nights at The LINQ Hotel, including show tickets and limo transportation (20 available)
- $425 for two nights at one of several Las Vegas hotels, including a $100 dining credit and $150 spa credit (10 available)
- $450 for two nights at Caesars Palace, including all-day buffet passes and limo transportation (15 available)
- $500 for two nights at Planet Hollywood, including a $100 dining credit and show tickets (10 available)
- $590 for two nights at The Cromwell, including a $100 dining credit at Giada’s Restaurant and access to Drais Beach Club (5 available)
- $590 for two nights at Nobu Hotel, including dinner at Nobu and limo transportation (5 available)
We’ve already seen a suite of offers from Caesars and its competitor, MGM. Now they’re back for another go. This lineup is decidedly more budget-friendly and one that I would consider. In particular, the Nobu deal looks good since I’m a fan of good restaurants and haven’t tried it yet (but have heard a lot of promising things).
On the other hand, it’s pretty easy to find deals that include $100-200 credits for restaurants and shows. These packages may not be very different from what you can book later in the year on your own.
Tuesday – May 28th: Universal Studios Orlando
- $592 for two three-day tickets to Universal Orlando (35 available)
- $1,869 for a Universal Orland Resort VIP Experience, including breakfast and lunch, valet parking, and priority access to attractions (4 available)
- $2,738 for a four-person family vacation to Universal Orlando Resort, including round-trip airfare, ground-transportation, three nights’ hotel accommodation, and three-park admission passes (10 available)
Universal Studios had an earlier offer for tickets to their Hollywood location. Now you can check out Florida. The VIP package seems grossly overpriced just to feel important, though the three-day tickets might save you some dough. I think the family vacation package is the most interesting. I’m excited to see Universal throw in flights and a hotel stay rather than just sell tickets to their own park. Anyone traveling from far away should take note.
Wednesday – May 29th: Hertz
- $280 for 5,500 Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points, enough for a one-week standard rental (5.1 cents per point; 45 available)
- $560 for 13,200 Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points, enough for a weekend Prestige Collection rental (4.2 cents per point, 35 available)
- $698 for 16,500 Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points, enough for a one-week Prestige Collection rental (4.2 cents per point; 50 available)
UPDATE: Hertz significantly devalued their loyalty program last week, and as a result many of these offers from Daily Getaways are no longer as valuable (and may border on false advertising). As described by The Gate, the number of points required for an award redemption has increased by 10-50% or even more in some cases. I can no longer recommend buying Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points through Daily Getaways.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is a promising opportunity to save on car rentals, but only if you’re willing to invest the time to learn a new loyalty program scheme. I admit, I have more expertise when it comes to airlines and hotels. Car rentals, not so much. (I just rarely rent them anymore.) But I have looked into using Hertz points before.
Earlier this year I had the option to pay $800+ for a standard car rental or redeem points for my annual week in Hawaii. It would have been much better to buy the 5,500 points through Daily Getaways. Given how much wear and tear the Hawaiian rental cars get, maybe next year I should upgrade to the Prestige Collection.
Thursday – May 30th: Marriott Hotels & Resorts
- $80 for a $100 Marriott eGiftCard (1,070 available)
- $200 for a $250 Marriott eGiftCard (252 available)
- $400 for a $500 Marriott eGiftCard (200 available)
This offer is an easy sell. Get Marriott gift cards for 20% off, while still letting you book elite-qualifying rates (earning Marriott points and status). The only downside I see here is the new Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. I haven’t personally suffered from the changeover, but I have read plenty of horror stories about the lack of elite recognition, difficulty getting credit, and indifference from customer service. Hopefully those issues will resolve themselves before you use your gift card.
Friday – May 31st: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
- $608 for a two-night stay and breakfast in Austin, TX (20 available)
- $2,000 for a four-night stay and breakfast in San Diego, CA (10 available)
For many years, Fairmont has used the Daily Getaways promotion to offer discounted packages at its two Hawaiian properties in Maui and on the Big Island. They weren’t a bad deal, and my wife and I enjoyed a lovely stay at the Fairmont Orchid two years ago. (Although we booked that on our own.) Too bad they were replaced this year.
I don’t have much to say about Austin. Now that I live here, I’ve heard it’s one of the nicer hotels. I also really, really don’t like the downtown area and would not stay at the Fairmont because of its location near all the partying crowds. San Diego sounds nicer, though apparently it isn’t beachfront. Perhaps the golf really is good enough to justify paying $500 a night.
