tl;dr – A list of compelling travel deals that you might want to consider.
Welcome back to another edition of “Deals I’m Booking That You Should Book Too”, a weekly series where I walk you through three curated (possibly more) random travel deals – points & miles, cash, otherwise (?) – that I find compelling for one reason or another. I’ll try to keep this coming to you every Friday (hopefully 😉). You can find the past installments here. Ok, let’s dive into it.
The Deals
172,000 Bonvoy Points for Five Nights at the Turaco Ngorongoro Valley, a Tribute Portfolio Lodge
Nowadays, when it comes to safaris, travelers have more options at a variety of price points and luxury levels than ever. The influx of safari options on points has only added to the intrigue here. I maintain a list of (possibly?) all the African safaris you can book on points. Now you’re able to book some interesting off-the-beaten-track safari camps, entirely on points.
It’s no secret that Marriott has been investing in the space, both through homegrown brands (JW), acquired brands (Ritz-Carlton), and soft-branded hotels (Autograph Collection).
Keeping with the ‘M’, I present to you the Turaco Ngorongoro Valley (TNV), a Tribute Portfolio Lodge in Karatu, Tanzania.
Here are the point rates for a five-night stay, virtually any day of the year.
I’d like to remind you that (as referenced in last’s week edition), Marriott is currently running a points sales (through December 7th) where you can purchase Bonvoy points with a 40% bonus.
If you were starting from zero, you can purchase all 172,000 points for $1562.50, which is quite a steal to see some of the most magnificent animals in the world.
Opened in November 2024 in Karutu, Tanzania, 38 minutes away from the Lodare gate entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, this hotel features a simple yet inviting lodge design, perfect for a few days of relaxation after venturing out to the nearby national park.
If you’re unfamiliar, the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most underrated places in Africa for seeing wildlife. Ngorongoro offers prime-spotting opportunities for the Big Five and Great Migration. It is said to have the highest density of large mammals on the planet, and your chances of spotting lions on a Ngorongoro Crater safari are the highest in the world.
While TNV isn’t all-inclusive, guests have lauded the property in early reviews – citing the quality of the food, the grounds, the rooms, the service, and the game drives. It’s also worth noting that the property’s location puts you within striking distance of Tarangire National Park, a prime day trip to see dramatic baobab-heavy scenery and elephants.
The look of TNV is giving me flashbacks to my time at Leopard Sands, an Autograph Collection Hotel, my 2024 safari stay that I booked on points. Just outside of Kruger National Park’s gates, I’d describe the property as upscale, convenient, comfortable, and brimming with potential. It’s far away from Singita, but that’s obviously not what they’re going for. Five nights at Leopard Sands will run you about 360,000 Bonvoy Points at its cheapest, but it does include full board for two.
Oftentimes, I get messages from folks asking for ‘bucket-list’ opportunities to deploy the points they’ve accumulated after days/months/years of traveling for work. Both of these properties, in my opinion, are great candidates, particularly if you’re traveling with a plus on your family.
An Accessible Emirates Business Award Fare Class That’s Always Available on Points
For a long time now, Emirates has flown a Boeing 777 fifth freedom route between Mexico City and Barcelona. If you’re looking to enjoy Emirates hospitality, in lay-flat business class (albeit not the carrier’s glamorous Airbus A380 business class), then you may want to consider hopping across the border.
Yes, Emirates points transfer ratios to Emirates have taken a hit (Amex and Citi are now both 1 to .8). I’ll point out that Capital One and Bilt are still 1 to 1, and this route (as many as 7 seats) is available for 96,000 Emirates Skywards virtually any day of the week (as is the inverse routing BCN -> MEX).
Go ahead and position in CDMX for some tacos, lie flat, before enjoying some evening tapas.
6 Nights in a Junior Suite at an Upscale Riviera Maya ALL-INCLUSIVE for just $1300
Listen, folks, I’m not too much of an all-inclusive fan, but I do know a good deal when I see one. If you’ve been rocking with You Are Travel for a bit, then you may have read about this before. If not, then let me (re)introduce you to Wyndham. There’s one Wyndham brand in particular that warrants your attention – The Registry Collection. The Registry Collection features several upscale all-inclusive properties, many of which are in the same popular destinations as similar properties from Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Barcelo, Bahia Principe, The Palace Company, etc. And as Wyndham redemption rates peak at 30K points per night at participating properties worldwide, including all-inclusive locations, you can purchase points (and immediately redeem them) for an all-inclusive stay for just over ~$200 per night. For what it’s worth, there’s also the Wyndham Alltra collection, more affordable mid-tier all-inclusives, but if you’re seeking a more upscale experience, you likely want to stick to The Registry Collection options.
The property we’re looking at is the TRS Yucatan Riviera Maya, Adults Only – All Inclusive Resort.
I did a bit of research, and this one feels a bit like a diamond in the rough. Ok, maybe not a diamond. Spinel? Beryl? Peridot? Let’s go, peridot.
The resort boasts 4.8 on Google and 4.6 on TripAdvisor. Guests have great things to say about the food (both variety and taste), and the amenities are solid. As a reminder, it is all inclusive and you’ll also be able to book into a (junior) suite.
The steps are as follows:
- Purchase Wyndham points when they are running a sale
- Find availability at the property
- Use those purchased points to reserve your stay.
Again, Wyndham is unique in that its properties have fixed redemption rates (7,500, 15,000, and 30,000) points per night.
I’m cheating a bit here as Wyndham just concluded its BEST-EVER points sale, offering a 90% bonus on your points purchase.
I should mention that most Wyndham sales are typically in the neighborhood of 60% bonus, but if we go with the rates offered during this latest sale (in hopes that they may return again), you could max out the sale and purchase 190,000 Wyndham Rewards Points (pay for 100,000 and get 90,000) at a cost of $1300.
190,000 / 30,000 (per night) = 6 nights.
If you paid the cheapest cash rate, 6 nights would cost you $2215.82, meaning that you’re saving $915.82 off the cash rate, simply by purchasing the points for your stay.
No, you won’t earn points from the stay since you’re making a redemption, but I’d ask you, if your goal is to ‘max and relax’ and you don’t frequent Wyndham’s to begin with, does that really matter to you?
Get yourself some sun and fun.
I’ll see you next Friday, and if you found this helpful/interesting/enjoyable…please hit the subscribe button!
