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Groupon is a great site for deals on massages or classes, but do you use it for booking travel?
Turns out, a lot of people do — and for good reason. Many travel and hotel companies are offering some pretty great discounts in exchange for the publicity generated through Groupon. So yes, you can certainly save money on a vacation by purchasing one of their Groupon Getaways.
That said, there are a number of factors to keep in mind. For one thing, you’ll be giving up control of some key decision-making. The package deals limit you to a certain number of airports you can fly out of, and they choose the flight times and hotels for you.
The hotel deals are restrictive about which days you can book, and there are often other fees that aren’t factored into the rock bottom price they advertise. In fact, you should always price check your deal against the amount you’d pay if you booked directly.
Here are 10 travel options worth checking out on Groupon. The first three are packages that include airfare and hotels, while the rest are normally pricy hotels or resorts that have offered special deals for Groupon purchasers.
This all-inclusive, planned-out vacation offers the best of South Africa. Not only will you get to explore major cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, but you’ll head to national parks to see gorgeous landscapes — not to mention elephants, leopards, lions, buffalo and rhinos.
The package includes airfare from New York City to Capetown, plus 18 meals and 10 nights of hotel stays as you travel through the country. The low price of this trip is based on two people traveling together. (If you want to travel alone, you’ll have to pay an extra fee of $400.) You must book a departure date between April and December of 2024.
If you’d like to immerse yourself in the vibrant, dynamic culture of Colombia, this trip will bring you straight to the capital of Bogota (and give you the option to travel to Medellin or Cartagena as well). You’ll plan your own itinerary, choosing from options like snorkeling along Cartagena’s coral reefs, or strolling through brightly-painted neighborhoods with salsa music and papaya stands on every corner.
The trip includes round-trip airfare from five cities (New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boston or Chicago) into Bogota and out of Cartagena. Also included: hotels for either five or seven nights.
If you’re considering what to do on your next vacation, how about a guided tour of Italy’s major cities — with all the details worked out for you in advance? Gondola rides in Venice, shopping in Florence and museum tours in Rome are all on the menu.
Of course, you’ll also be opening some literal menus, which will offer you over a week’s worth of authentic Italian food. And gelato!
There’s no getting around it: For most people, a Disney World vacation is a pricy proposition. But you can mitigate the financial burden by staying in this resort hotel for Groupon’s low price. It’s a five-minute walk from the restaurant, shopping and entertainment hub of Disney Springs. And the hotel is a short drive to all three of the major theme parks.
Another way to keep the price down is to spend a few days at the hotel itself, where there’s a pool with fun water features for kids. There are different price options depending on if you want a room with a king bed and a view of Disney World, a room with two queen beds that faces a lake, or a Disney-view room with two queen beds.
If you’re willing to take a gamble, you can use Groupon to book a “Top Secret” 4-star hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans — for an astoundingly low price. Groupon will let you know precisely which hotel you’ve booked after you purchase the deal.
You’ll get some details before you book: The hotel is just around the corner from Bourbon Street, so close you might hear the sounds of jazz ensembles. And it also features an outdoor pool, a fitness center and a high-quality bar and restaurant. If you want to explore New Orleans and don’t have a specific hotel in mind, it’s hard to pass up this deal.
If you’ve been meaning to try out this family friendly, 38,000-square-foot indoor water park, now may be the time. Traverse City’s outpost of Great Wolf Lodge has water slides, a winding lazy river and a four-level treehouse with a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket.
In the unlikely event that your kids get tired of the water, you can head over to the the mini bowling alley or the arcade. There are several pricing options here, depending on how many people you want to bring with you. Six people fit in the Family Suite; seven in the Wolf Den Suite; and eight in a Loft Suite.
This offer includes daily water park passes for each guest, up to the maximum room occupancy.
This comfy, kid-friendly resort in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is an idyllic spot to enjoy New England’s foliage in fall, ski slopes in winter or hiking trails in the spring or summer.
The resort offers spacious two-bedroom deluxe and signature suites that come with kitchens, furnished balconies and several other amenities. If the kids get bored at the resort itself, there’s a three-story arcade and indoor mini-golf course nearby, as well as an adventure park with the world’s fourth-longest zipline.
The Warwick Hotel has a great reputation for elegance and comfort, but it averages between $200 and $250 a night. Book through Groupon Getaways, however, and you can stay for about half that amount.
The Warwick is walking distance to the Space Needle, the Pike Place open air market and scores of trendy restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries.
Sometimes you just want to kick back and relax in a sunny place—and you can do that at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas for under $100 a night. The resort has a full-service spa, two outdoor swimming poos, two restaurants and a coffee shop.
This deal offers several price options depending on the room you select, and it includes a waived resort fee.
This all-inclusive beachfront resort provides not only food and drinks but entertainment: There’s live music, drum shows, an outdoor fiesta, a full gaming casino and an array of beach activities.
You can also take part in some local attractions, like an archaeological site of ancient Mayan ruins.
About the Author
Jennifer Graham Kizer
Jennifer has written features and essays for over a dozen magazines, including American Baby, Cosmo, Cosmo Girl, Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, Health, Marie Claire, Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Self, Teen People, TV Guide, and YM. More.
