Luxury Escapes

[Renato1]

The thing about these Luxury Escapes is that one has to evaluate the deals on offer, and see just how much of a saving is available.

In my case, I was looking at the 10 night Fairmont Sanur deal in Bali, and I checked the prices for the dates I wanted to go there (outside the wet season), both at Hotels.com (or was it hotelclub?) and the resort's own website. In both cases, for the same room and option we took, the price was twice what was on offer at Luxury Escapes, and only included breakfast, whereas the Luxury Escapes offer included breakfast, and also brunch, afternoon tea and dinner. That seemed like a darn good deal to me.

The Cannes offer I bought, which the hotel is trying to welch out of, was $799 for three nights, whereas the best I could make out by Booking.com was that the room price for that season was 499 Euros a night.

For retirees such as my wife and I, who are flexible in avoiding peak season, school holidays and wet seasons, Luxury Escapes can offer outstanding value.
Regards,
Renato

A Like to one of my posts on this thread prompted me to re read, and provide an update of our experience for any future readers on this Luxury Escapes thread.

Some months after writing the above post, BOTH my wife and I wound up having to have back operations with a long recovery period.

I contacted Luxury Escapes about the first vacation, who gave me contact details for Fairmont Sanur Beach in Bali, and even though Fairmont didn't have to do so via the contract, they happily shifted our vacation to much later in the year when we were recovered enough and could go on it (It was a great trip, marred only by having to endure an extra five days of luxury when we got stuck there because of Mt Agung erupting).

As the year progressed after our back operations, it became obvious that we hadn't recovered enough for our European trip and cancelled it. I contacted Luxury Escapes via email about the Cannes vacation, asking what refund if any I could get (so that I could then claim the lost money on travel insurance). Much to my surprise, Luxury Escapes came back to me saying that while I wasn't entitled to any refund, as a one-off good will gesture, I could have 80% of the money refunded as cash, or have all the money refunded as a credit towards a future Luxury Escape.

I took the credit, which a few months later I put towards a forthcoming Luxury Escape to Thailand (Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok and Grand Hyatt Hua Hin).

What can I say? Unexpectedly great service from Luxury Escapes!
Regards,
Renato

 

[cjd600]

As the year progressed after our back operations, it became obvious that we hadn't recovered enough for our European trip and cancelled it. I contacted Luxury Escapes via email about the Cannes vacation, asking what refund if any I could get (so that I could then claim the lost money on travel insurance). Much to my surprise, Luxury Escapes came back to me saying that while I wasn't entitled to any refund, as a one-off good will gesture, I could have 80% of the money refunded as cash, or have all the money refunded as a credit towards a future Luxury Escape.

I had a similar request to LE on my options about a non-refundable booked holiday.
I was given the same option, 80% cash or 100% credit to use on another.
Ended up not needing to cancel the trip (Maldives next month, bring it on), but also appreciated their flexibility in offering options when the T and C's do not demand it.
The resort we are visiting also happily changed our dates quite some time after we made the booking, after we made direct contact.

 

[Cossie]

Eagerly awaiting next LE Laos offer, this time I'll be buying more than one package!

 

[Renato1]

I had a similar request to LE on my options about a non-refundable booked holiday.
I was given the same option, 80% cash or 100% credit to use on another.
Ended up not needing to cancel the trip (Maldives next month, bring it on), but also appreciated their flexibility in offering options when the T and C's do not demand it.
The resort we are visiting also happily changed our dates quite some time after we made the booking, after we made direct contact.

Very interesting thanks.
That makes two very satisfied customers.
Maldives sounds very good.
Regards,
Renato

 

[ozbeachbabe]

A colleague did a LE package to Dubai and said she couldn't fault it. She was travelling with her husband and two young boys. They received early checkin and late checkout for no extra. They had breakfast included plus afternoon tea which they used as their lunch then some kind of buffet in the evening for dinner. There was even free alcohol in the evening including coughtails such as mojitos.

 

[Ric]

Heard a lot of good things about them so I bought a 4 nights package from them for Eccelston Square Hotel in London for the last week of April.
Seems very good value so let's see how it will pan out.

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

Eagerly awaiting next LE Laos offer, this time I'll be buying more than one package!

I hope you post here, Laos is very intriguing to me.

 

[Cossie]

I hope you post here, Laos is very intriguing to me.

Yes it certainly is, go there sooner than later, I did intend doing a tr, but I also did intend to do one last year as well!

Rooflyer did a tr a couple of years ago about his experience, well worth a read. We did the same cruise last year,

Cruise on the Mekong River, Laos

 

[Renato1]

One note for budget conscious people (e.g. retirees) considering a Luxury Escape, is that Five Star Hotels and Resorts usually have Five Star prices for their restaurant food and bar drinks - one often sees unhappy mentions of these in Booking.com reviews of those places. So, imagine that you are in a really hot country and your Five Star hotel/resort is charging you A$4 for a 300 ml can of Coke/Coke No Sugar. That will quickly get very expensive in just a day.

This won't be much of a problem if you determine that,
a, the hotel/resort does have reasonable prices, or
b. if the Luxury Escape also includes membership of a privilege club in the hotel/resort which gets you access to free drinks and snacks during the day or afternoon, and/or includes a fair number of free meals, or
c. the hotel is within walking distance of convenience stores, supermarkets (where the Can of coke costs say 60 cents or less) and restaurants, or runs a free shuttle service to the supermarket (Like my hotel in Bali did).

I personally didn't mind paying the higher prices at my hotel to be sure that we didn't get Bali Belly - I treated it as insurance. But I baulked at $4 a can of Coke No Sugar and went elsewhere.

However, if the Luxury Escape is to a fairly secluded hotel or resort - where you are effectively a hostage to their prices - well, expect to be paying a fairly significant cost for daily food and drink needs.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Drakecula]

(Maldives next month, bring it on)

The Maldives are on my bucket list, and I was eyeing off the Luxury Escapes deal. I hope they have a similar one for next year, as that's when I'm hoping to go. Would love to hear how it goes for you.

We have used LE before and didn't have any trouble at all. The hotel even told us if we'd like to come back, they would do the LE deal for us even when it wasn't currently a deal via LE. One day we will go back, but there's still so much more of the world to see first!

 

[get me outta here]

There's currently quite a nice Iceland and CPH deal on which ends tomorrow.

 

[LadyC]

I bought a 3 night package at The Peninsula Bangkok back in April that I used earlier this month. I ended up paying $999 for 3 nights in a suite with breakfast and one dinner. I was really happy with the package and the stay at the hotel - I would definitely consider returning and the cost was significantly cheaper than if I had have booked directly with the hotel.

 

[HockeyMonkey]

We did a Maldives LE deal in April. Were pretty happy with it. Seemed to be 90% Aussies in the resort from the LE deal. Was an all inclusive deal. Food, Climate and Marine life was wonderful. Main disappointment was low quality alcohol and coughtails full of sugar syrup rather that real fruit juice etc.

 

[pauly7]

We did a Maldives LE deal in April. Were pretty happy with it. Seemed to be 90% Aussies in the resort from the LE deal. Was an all inclusive deal. Food, Climate and Marine life was wonderful. Main disappointment was low quality alcohol and coughtails full of sugar syrup rather that real fruit juice etc.

Sounds a bit like my colleagues experience . They got a perfectly good deal, but the resort was absolutely rammed full of LE Aussies and their families, screaming kids and unfortunately not great behaviour from the adults either. They also said the drinks during happy hour were definitely premixed and watered down. Apart from the noise and drink situation they said it was nice but would only use LE again for a smaller resort. So I guess beware if you like a quiet holiday!’

 

[serfty]

Seems luxury escapes have withdrawn from being accredited, due to "material fee increase”.


DISQUALIFIED: Online travel agency removed as an NTIA finalist - KARRYON

 

[Borisdog]

Seems luxury escapes have withdrawn from being accredited, due to "material fee increase”.


DISQUALIFIED: Online travel agency removed as an NTIA finalist - KARRYON

Probably doesn't impact LE's ability to provide good packages though does it? And I realize your post was purely informational.

I can think of plenty of instances where the "Industry representative body/club/association/Co-op" just turns up for their hand-out and you, the business, gets absolutely nothing for being in the body.

I've been on a couple of LE tours and have found them to be terrific value and very reliable. Gotta be a bit choosy though with regards to where and what, but that's no different to any operator.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I can think of plenty of instances where the "Industry representative body/club/association/Co-op" just turns up for their hand-out and you, the business, gets absolutely nothing for being in the body.

I've been on a couple of LE tours and have found them to be terrific value and very reliable. Gotta be a bit choosy though with regards to where and what, but that's no different to any operator.

An industry association does not make individual operators good or bad. An industry association is also only as good as the input from the industry. When it all works, it works exceptionally well to set parameters and expectations for the industry, to identify and oust rogue operators and to assure clients. when it just trundles along doing very little (often because industry thinks these "magical" bodies will do all the work for them) then they are a waste of a good opportunity.

I actually thought that AFTA was doing a pretty good job at encouraging a high level of self regulation amongst their members. I'd be curious as to why LE has decided to withdraw. It may be as simple as conflicting ego's rather than anything AFTA is doing inappropriately. I wonder if this is a one off, or is there a wholesale resignation happening or a groundswell of discontent building?

 

[rock86]

I actually thought that AFTA was doing a pretty good job at encouraging a high level of self regulation amongst their members. I'd be curious as to why LE has decided to withdraw. It may be as simple as conflicting ego's rather than anything AFTA is doing inappropriately. I wonder if this is a one off, or is there a wholesale resignation happening or a groundswell of discontent building?

I thought it said in the article that LE didn't believe the membership fee, which they said has risen significantly since they joined, was worth the 'benefits' of the association any longer.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I thought it said in the article that LE didn't believe the membership fee, which they said has risen significantly since they joined, was worth the 'benefits' of the association any longer.

Yes, thanks. I read it when I was still half asleep!

Personally, I don't believe that spin as the fees for both membership and accreditation are quite reasonable (IMHO). I think being a fly on the wall of private discussion would bring alternate reasons to light, but of course, that's entirely conjecture on my part, with no facts at all.

 

[rock86]

Yes, thanks. I read it when I was still half asleep!

Personally, I don't believe that spin as the fees for both membership and accreditation are quite reasonable (IMHO). I think being a fly on the wall of private discussion would bring alternate reasons to light, but of course, that's entirely conjecture on my part, with no facts at all.

I don't believe that's the sole reason either, it's just an easy line for LE to throw out, which is a line many companies will use even when there's a number of other reasons for a particular decision made.