Taking a vacation can be expensive. Even a short weekend getaway can cost a few hundred dollars, especially if you want to stay anywhere decent. A typical chain hotel can run up to $150 per night, after a couple of nights and a few meals out you may be wondering where all your hard-earned money went. That’s why it is a good idea to invest in resort vacation packages that offer a good deal in exchange for 2 hours of your time to show off the property and explain the benefits of owning at a resort or being a member of a travel club.

Resort vacations are definitely low-priced, but it’s important to keep in mind that “cheap” doesn’t always mean sub-par. You can find really good deals on vacation packages if you know where to look, and you may be surprised to find out that you can stay at hotels that are even better that what you’re used to.


So, first, let’s cover the basics for a resort and the difference between a Timeshare Resort versus a Vacation Club:

What is a Timeshare? A timeshare allows a person to own the rights to stay, for a designated period of time (generally a week), at a shared property. Each timeshare unit at the property is part owned by a person for a week at a time, so, in theory, every unit can have 52 owners, one for each week of the year. Not only does a timeshare give you rights to a certain week a year, you can also trade your timeshare with the exchange company, to stay for a different time or a different place.

There is generally an initial investment required upfront, maybe a few thousand dollars, and then a nominal monthly fee. The two top timeshare exchange companies in the world are Resorts Condominiums International (RCI) and Interval International (II). Obviously there’s no obligation to purchase or join anything on these tour vacation packages, but it may be something you are interested in and may benefit you if you’re able to travel with it. Many people own Timeshares and use them regularly as the main way to travel with their families every year!

Now, of course, the resorts know that only 1 out of 10 people that tour their property will end up purchasing into the plan, so their real purpose of offering these great rates is….ADVERTISING.

There are a lot of times throughout the year that hotels and resorts will offer their rooms to travel agencies, like us, at a steep discount (Up to 80% off!), to help get the word out about the properties and fill up the rooms.

It works like this: you spend just 2 short hours of your stay previewing the property, getting familiarized with where everything is, listening to tidbits about the property, see what your pricing options would be if you were interested in purchasing, and then it’s over and you get to save a lot of money on your trip.

There are many benefits for taking advantage of resort deals. Below are 5 Reasons you can and should travel this way (and tell others to):

  1. Bonus Incentives – Since the main goal when offering steep discounts on resort accommodations is to fill up the rooms and get some referral business coming in, hotels sometimes offer extra incentives, like passes to nearby attractions, complimentary room upgrades, dining vouchers, etc. Not every deal has an added incentive, but if it does, it will end up helping you save even more money on your vacation!
  2. Flexibility – Most of the time, when traveling through packages you will find that there is a certain time frame to book, usually 12-18 months, and within that time frame, you can travel whenever you want. This is a HUGE benefit. Typically, holidays and peak seasons are difficult to book, either the rooms are sold out or they cost too much to make it worthwhile.However, with most vacation package deals, we are given the rooms, set aside, for priority reservations, so not only does purchasing a package lock you in at that special discounted rate, it also helps ensure you have the room for the dates you want (provided that you give proper advance notice).
  3. Exotic Locations – One huge location for resort accommodations is Orlando, Florida, and the resort packages to be had here have definitely helped the Florida tourism thrive. Orlando had almost 126 million visitors for 2018! With that being said, other destinations are known for resort vacations, too, like Myrtle Beach, and Branson.Some international destinations like Costa Rica, Cancun, Vegas, and even Thailand have resort deals too.

    The point is, vacations can cost thousands of dollars, so looking online for vacation packages will not only help you save money, but you may even find a location you would really enjoy, but maybe never even considered because of how expensive the resorts and airfare are. If you can save 80% on your hotel stay, there is no excuse not to go.
  4. Membership Opportunity – Now this is a benefit only if you take advantage of it. Joining a timeshare or vacation club can provide big savings. Becoming a member of a travel club or timeshare company can offer incredible perks, like discounts, earn points, friend/family referral bonuses, etc. Many that buy into the program offered on these package deals, people that travel every year (or every other year) around the same time of year and use their membership end up loving it, but if you are more of a spur-of-the-moment kind of traveler, you may want to weigh your options and maybe stick to these memberships.
  5. Save Money – Everyone likes to save money, so why spend 3 or 4 times more for the same exact thing? It just doesn’t make sense. Let’s do some math, normally a three night stay at a hotel in Orlando would run around $130-$150 per night and 2 Tickets to SeaWorld Aquatica would currently cost $120, so for just 3 nights and 2 water park passes you’d be paying OVER $500, and you’d still need to eat, shop, and visit other attractions in the Orlando area.However, with a resort vacation package, you can get possibly get multiple nights at the resort you’re looking at for under $100! As you can see, the savings you can get are real and significant.

These resort and vacation club packages are a great way to take your family on an big vacation. Even if you have no intention of buying into their programs, these resorts and hotels are fully confident that you will enjoy your time here and the property and at least spread the word about your vacation and where you stayed.

Word of mouth is the best way to get new visitors, referral business, and advertising. The resort bundles end up being a big win-win for everyone.