Unlike those lucky millionaires, the large majority of people don’t have tons of money to spend on their yearly vacation. Most have to save up all year long and put in some real effort in order to be able to take that trip. The masses have to travel on a budget and they have to try and get the best bang for their buck. Here are some things that people can do in order to get the best perks without having to dish out a small fortune.
The Right Card
There are certain credit cards, like the American Express Platinum Card, whose holders are afforded special access to particular hotels and resorts. These resorts and hotels will partner with these credit card companies in order for both the hotel or resort and the credit card company to benefit with business. This partnership extends special benefits to the credit card holder.
The types of perks that may be available include room upgrades, free breakfast, resort or hotel credits, late check-out, and free nights. These types of things can really enhance the vacation in ways that may be very unexpected. Room upgrades and free breakfast can even save some cash over the course of the vacation as well.
Get Access To The Lounge
There are certain hotels and resorts that cater to business travelers with club and executive level rooms. Business traveler or not, when you book one of these rooms the guest gets access to an exclusive lounge with amazing freebies and bonuses. This private area may come with free breakfast, drinks, cocktails, and snacks, concierge service, laundry service, and WIFI. Not to mention, most times these are much nicer rooms with the best views and amenities. The free stuff can really pay off during the trip.
Be A Member
Many hotels (like the Marriott and Fairmont) and hotel groups (like the Leading Hotels of the World) have loyalty clubs that come with incentives for their members. One of the best incentives is the preferential treatment that the employees and managers afford to people carrying these loyalty cards. They also come with things like double points, room upgrades, free WiFi, and free nights.
The Right Agent
The hospitality business is all about relationships. A great agent creates a relationship with hotels and resorts and the more business the agent brings them, the better the incentives they afford to that agent for their clients. These incentives are passed on to clients in the form of spa credits, early check-ins, late check-outs, restaurant credits, and better rates.
These are easy ways for people to get a hold of the perks that those rich-types get a hold of. Many of these incentives and bonuses can even save a lot of money during the vacation. These are the type of things that can really make people feel like they are getting the VIP treatment even though they weren’t paying extra for it.