Tag: Best Hotel Discounts

13 Things you need to know before you go to Punta Cana

by hotelsetc, posted in travel, vacation

Traveling to a new destination is always new, and there is a lot to be said about the element for surprise. However, have you ever visited somewhere but then found out afterward about something really amazing you missed out on? How about some important travel advice that your agent neglected to pass on? Some tips that would have made your trip easier? Or maybe some insider information on the best hotel discounts which would have made your vacation less expensive?

Luckily, if you are taking a vacation to Dominican Republic this year, or planning on doing so sometime in the future, the following list should help inform you about all the advice and tips for visiting Punta Cana 2016:

1. How safe is Punta Cana?

The tourist police do an excellent job at keeping crime to a minimum in Punta Cana. It is perfectly safe during the day, but it is strongly advised not to walk along the beach in the evening and to use common sense in the busier parts of town.

2. Where is the best place to stay in Punta Cana?

There are many all inclusive resorts in Punta Cana which are of the highest quality in the Caribbean, but some of the most popular hotels are the Excellence Punta Cana, the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro and of course, the Hardrock.

3. Where can I find the best deal for a vacation to Punta Cana?

You can find prices anywhere online today, but if you want to find genuine discounts (sometimes up to 60 – 80%!), it’s highly recommended to sign up for a membership at Hotels Etc who have the biggest hotel discounts in the travel industry.

4. Bring US dollars

It’s not a good idea to take a wallet full of one hundred dollar bills, but ignore the advice given to you before you left: you do not need to convert your US dollars to peso for your vacation. Everywhere in the Dominican accepts the dollar and as long as you take notes of small denominations with you, there will be no issues.

5. Be prepared

The airport in Punta Cana can seem hectic when you arrive, people searching for baggage, locals searching for family, and taxi drivers competing for your custom. This can be overwhelming, so the best advice is if you do not have any pre booked transfer to the accommodation, make sure you know how much it will cost to the hotel, and agree the price before leaving. (Return approximately $60)

6. Are there secluded beaches?

You can certainly request that the hotel organize a private tour to a secluded beach but unfortunately, there are none within walking distance. The beaches in Punta Cana are stunning, but it is difficult to find a stretch without tourists, locals, hotels, bars or restaurants.

7. Can you drink the tap water?

In general, it is not advised to drink the tap water in Punta Cana, although it is fine for taking a wash or brushing your teeth. That being said, make sure you take bottled water everywhere you go, the main reason tourists fall ill on vacation in the Dominican is not food poisoning or any sort of disease, it’s dehydration.

8. Meal reservations

Keep in mind that many of the hotels require a reservation to be made for evening meals. Don’t take a chance on this, as it could mean a very long and unhappy wait until you find somewhere with availability. Try to book your meals a day or two in advance when you get there, and remove the risk of disappointment altogether.

9. Excursions

Of course the number one thing to do in Punta Cana is relax by the pool or take a dip in the ocean, but when you grow tired of lazing about all day, there are many excursions in the area.

The most popular adventure tours are zip lining, kayaking and snorkeling all of which can be booked in your hotel upon arrival.

10. Is there a tipping culture in Punta Cana?

While nobody is there to tell you what to do, it’s important to remember the Dominican Republic has an extremely low minimum wage and they work very hard to keep their jobs. It is recommended to always tip, and anywhere between 15% and 25% is suitable.

11. On that note, is it safe to swim?

Yes, it is safe to swim on most beaches in Punta Cana but always check the weather before going out and ensure there is a lifeguard on duty.

12. Is it possible to visit Santo Domingo from Punta Cana ?

Yes, but it is not advised. If you really must go to see the Capital for a specific reason, then fine, but please know that the Capital city of the Dominican Republic is almost 3 hours drive from Punta Cana.

13. Are there secluded beaches?

You can certainly request that the hotel organize a private tour to a secluded beach but unfortunately, there are none within walking distance. The beaches in Punta Cana are stunning, but it is difficult to find a stretch without tourists, locals, hotels, bars or restaurants.

Sign up to Hotels Etc today and start saving on your vacation to Punta Cana

Why you should go to Varadero for Spring Break

by hotelsetc, posted in travel, vacation

Varadero has some of the most affordable hotel deals, the most popular day excursions and some of the best beaches in Cuba. Why would anyone not want to go there?
Every year, North American’s travel south with the sun for their Spring break vacation and 2016 will be no different.
It has everything a tourist could want for their vacation with a large number of quality resorts, each of them offering something different but what else makes Varadero so great?

The Beach
Naturally, most resorts in the Caribbean, or around that area, are suitable for swimming and leisurely strolls along the sand, but Varadero is right up there with the best of them. The waters are warm but it’s the crystallized blue color of the ocean which is most striking and the moment you see this beach, is the last time you will fantasize about any beach, anywhere else.
Excursions
Most people enjoy relaxing for the entirety of their vacation, but not everyone. Luckily for such people, there are a number of great day tours from Varadero and the best of these is arguably, Ambrosio Cave where there are many ancient paintings inside the cave. As mentioned above, you can take a day trip to Havana and possible spend the rest of that da admiring the immense character of this most interesting town which is full of 1970’s American cars and then full to the brim with Character.
The Cost
It is affordable and you can find some great hotel or vacation package discounts for Varadero on Hotels Etc. Remember, these are high quality resorts with all the top amenities you will find elsewhere, not to mention the fact that it also has the sun, sand and beaches we talked about before. If you take a little time choosing the right resort, finding it at the best price on Hotels Etc is a simple process after the two minutes it takes to sign up.
The Resorts
The Ibersotar Varadero has a more traditional interior and very much a Caribbean feel about the place. It is ideal for kids due to the great childrens club and also has many watersports on the beach for adults. Meanwhile, the sister hotel Iberostar Laguna Azul is an ideal place for anyone looking for a bit more entertainment and nightlife; there are many restaurant or bars on location and the nightclub also means there is always something lively going on at the resort.
Regardless as to where you stay or what you see, Varadero is an excellent choice for a Spring break vacation, be it with the family, a partner or even if you are just looking for something in between relaxing, and lively. The beaches are sensational, the resorts of the highest standard and some really enjoyable options for day excursions. There is really every reason to go to Varadero on vacation this year and if you avail of the best hotel discounts, it won’t break the bank either.

Don’t lie to yourself, you can afford a vacation

by hotelsetc, posted in travel, travel club, vacation

Spring break is just around the corner, the best hotel deals are selling out fast and you still haven’t booked your own vacation, why?

For a select few, there’s already a home for those vacation days from work but for almost everyone else who thinks they can’t go on vacation this year, it comes down to the same factor of cost. Yes, it would appear that most people feel they cannot go on vacation this year or in the foreseeable future because they are either too expensive or because they simply have too many bills to pay.

Paying Bills vs.. Luxury Items

There’s no question that bills need to be paid. Rent, electricity, bank charges, phone bill, debt; the cost of these all need to be met on a regular basis, nobody denies that. But lets be honest, having covered the cost of these expenses most people will then continue to waste their disposable income on needless possessions, services or product.

In fact research has proven this too often before. Recent studies by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) have shown that less than 50% of most individuals and families weekly pay check can be attributed to the necessity bills above whereas a much smaller percentage then goes toward the likes of transport and miscellaneous or unexpected costs.

These studies are not much more than speculation of course but it doesn’t take much to realize that most people are wasteful when it comes to disposable income and have a tendency to put it toward “luxury” items as opposed to savings.

The point of the matter being that most people are in a position to save money on a regular basis, they just choose not to.

Vacations are too expensive

It might seem that way on the face of it. Hotel discounts do crop up online from time to time but not often enough and then how often does a person check a particular hotel website directly to see such offers?

Truth is, prices in the online world have leveled out recently and it’s all thanks to a new law called rate parity. This new law states that travel companies must display the same price across all distribution channels and this drastically affects their pricing strategy as it effectively means there are no longer any amazing discounts to be had through the booking engines.

This is one of the main reasons in today’s market as to why vacations, hotels and other travel products seem so expensive all of a sudden. Unfortunately for those large travel brands, the “good old days” have passed and the prices being advertised on such sites is no different to what you will find direct with the hotel or service provider.

So what does one do? How is it possible to find a cheap package deals or hotel discounts?

Join a travel club. Hotels Etc is a travel membership club who are taking the current market by storm in light of the damage being inflicted on the major travel brands. Essentially, they negotiate the best hotel discounts, vacation package offers etc for their clients in return for a small membership fee.

It couldn’t be more simple.

The website has a booking and search engine similar to what you will find elsewhere online but the obvious value being provided here are the big discounts and best vacation packages on the market. It may seem too good to be true but really, there is no catch and Hotels Etc now offer the best possible way to go on that vacation that you didn’t think you could afford.

It’s important to take a break from work, to find some quiet time and relax in the sunshine. So the next time you ask yourself as to why you haven’t booked that vacation yet, don’t lie to yourself. With the above strategy there is a perfect way to find the vacation you want for less and when you consider this with a little bit of careful spending this year, it’s likely you’ll find that you really can afford that vacation after all.

Click this link to start making huge savings on your next vacation.

The best resort in Cancun for Spring break

by hotelsetc, posted in travel, vacation, vacations

Have you been looking around for the best hotel discounts or possibly the best resort in Cancun for Spring break?

Each year we see all the major resorts sell out for this most popular time of year and for this reason it can often be a very expensive time of year to travel to Mexico. However there are still some of the best hotel offers available right now and if you take advantage of some really amazing hotel discounts or packages, you could be traveling down there very soon on a genuinely affordable vacation.

Why stay in Cancun for Spring break?

There are an endless number of options when booking a trip to the sun destinations down South such as Riviera Maya or Playa del Carmen but the one destination which guarantees the most fun place at this time of year is Cancun.

Yes there are great day tours in the region to Chichen Itza or the Coba ruins but really, if you are looking for the best place to party at Spring break with all the right facilities in the area to relax in between then one of the many Cancun resorts have everything you could want to make this the trip of a lifetime.

The best resort in Cancun for Spring break

There are an endless number of resort options but the most popular hotels in Cancun for Spring break are usually the Oasis Cancun or Krystal Grand Punta. Except these are usually the first options to sell out and not only that, the constant “noise” can be a little too much for some with the fact that there are day/pool parties every other day.

An excellent alternative option for Cancun is the Riu Caribe which is a nicely decorated hotel with a quality interior design. It is situated right on the beachfront and boasts a great selection of amenities including 3 separate restaurants and 4 bars. As mentioned above, this is an all inclusive hotel so you can expect the usual complimentary snack, meals, drinks and even scuba diving classes.

The Grand Riu Caribe has at least a 4 star review rating on most websites and is a short distance from all the other resorts meaning you have immediate access to all the parties in the area whenever you want and then the perfect opportunity to go back to your own hotel for a little quiet time.

Finding the best hotel discounts for Spring break

Would it not be better to pay less for your vacation?

Naturally everyone wants to find the best offers for Spring break, the cheap vacation packages or best hotel discounts. Luckily this is a very easy process with the help of one particular website.

Hotels Etc are a travel club who offer huge savings for their clients in return for a small minimal membership fee. They have an impeccable rating, 4 million members and a 20 year reputation for finding the best deals in online travel.

To put it in perspective as to the value provided by this membership club; Despite it being the most popular time of year for vacation, the Gran Caribe in Cancun mentioned above is currently being offered at a 35% discount on Hotels Etc compared to the major booking websites. An incredible offer by any standard.

So whether you are planning on traveling to Mexico for Spring break, there should still be some availability online but Cancun and the above resorts are probably the better of these options.

Regardless of where you decide to go, make sure to sign up for Hotels Etc and pay less for your Spring break vacation.

Best hotel discounts for Spring break

by hotelsetc, posted in hotel discounts, travel, travel club

Wondering how to find the best hotel discounts for spring break? Thinking about going on vacation soon but can’t seem to find the best vacation deals?

As the rush gets underway to find great travel offers for Spring Break, it seems like as good a time as any to inform any bargain hunters about some big news coming out of the travel industry.

The reason you may be struggling to find a great deal or something more affordable has little to do with availability and more to do with a new law called “Rate parity”.

Not too long ago, the easiest way to find the best hotel offers or spring break vacation packages was a very simple process which involved a quick search on a booking engine but those days have passed and the biggest travel brands are no longer able to offer the best rates.

The new law mentioned above is a straight forward restriction which outlines that a product or service must maintain the same price across a company’s distribution channels. Therefore, most of the major travel brands such as Expedia, Orbitz or Booking.com, who are all part of the same company, are no longer able to advertise a variety of prices across their distribution network.

The law has naturally hurt the businesses in question as these websites have always prided themselves on having the lowest prices nevermind the fact that shopping online with regard to travel has always been about finding the best hotel discounts or cheap package deals.

This is why you may or may not have noticed how certain websites are now using “extra towels” or some other service of little value as a selling point as opposed to focusing on the cost. The obvious solution here might be to boycott such booking engines and booking direct but really, you still save no money by paying the full price to the supplier.

What if we told you there is a really easy way to find the best hotel discounts, the lowest price vacation packages and the best all round travel deals for Spring break?

People are not so familiar today with travel club membership as they were back in the 1970’s but make no mistake about it, the new rate parity law has seen them come back with great force in the last few months. The reason for this being that travel clubs are actually exempt from the rate parity law which leaving them in the very attractive position of being able to offer customers the best hotel discounts and other great travel offers.

Hotels Etc are the leaders when it comes to travel club membership and they have over 4 million registered users along with a solid 20 year reputation behind them. When it comes to being up front and honest, you can’t really ask for more than a free trial which is available after a very quick sign up process.

So before the rush gets underway and everybody begins to wonder where the special offers are for vacations in Spring Break, make sure you get signed up for Hotels Etc before passing the news and great savings on to someone else.