A couple of years ago, we were able to stay in one of the nicest rooms at our favorite B&B for less than $130, saving about 50% off the regular price. I was really proud of the way we were able to save money! And about the things I’ve learned over the years that help make our getaways more affordable. I wanted those tips to be shared in a way that they could apply to a romantic getaway anywhere.
Twice a year, we leave our kids with grandparents or aunts/uncles and get away together for a night or two. Romantic getaways are something that we have made a priority in our marriage since the beginning. And we plan to continue to do so for years to come. After a day or two away from work, the kids, and our never-ending list of house projects, we feel refreshed in our relationship and more in love than ever. We do a lot of relaxing, take long walks alone, stay out as late as we want, and enjoy quiet meals together. We try our hardest to get away at least twice a year, three times if we’re lucky.
If you’ve ever thought, ‘We can’t afford to stay somewhere nice and/or romantic’, this post is for you! I’m here to tell you that you can enjoy a nice night away, without having to scrimp and save for years. And if you’re like us, you might get more excited about the ways you are able to save money than the fact you’re getting away together.
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This is my biggest tip for staying anywhere! Staying on a weeknight rather than a weekend can save you a lot of money. The deeply discounted stay that I mentioned earlier took place on a Thursday night. That alone dropped the cost of our suite from $269 to $249. Weeknights may not seem ideal, but if you leave after work on a Thursday, you can stay over that night and enjoy a Friday (and possibly Saturday) just the two of you. It’s only one work day that you’d miss! And if you truly want to invest in your marriage, that’s a sacrifice that I’m betting you can afford to make.
There are deals everywhere for top romantic getaway destinations of all kinds. Staycations, mini getaways an hour or two away, short trips or vacations; you can find deals everywhere! I’d suggest checking deal sites, or the website of the specific place you are hoping to stay. For this particular getaway, I took advantage of a text message exclusive as well as a gift card deal that was being offered at Costco.
I have been a member of the text message “club” for our favorite overnight getaway location for a while. Long enough that I know which months I can usually count on a discount text. I reserved our room and then called to have them apply the deal as soon as I received the text offers. Our Costco stocks gift cards to this particular B&B before the holidays every single year. I try to grab a gift card or two when they’re in stock to use throughout the year on our stay. These gift cards save us $30 on each stay.
For previous getaways, I’ve known about regular deals for certain hotels, inns, or bed and breakfasts that appear on websites like Groupon. If you’re planning for a getaway, check those deal sites often and snatch a bargain up when you see one. Oftentimes, they’ll offer special romance packages or include a gift card for entertainment and dinner with your stay. I know a great bed and breakfast in the mountains near us that used to offer these deals regularly for slower seasons. There’s also a fancy hotel near us that often has discounts on deal sites and offers an affordable romance package in their nicest rooms for a decent price all year round. If you aren’t able to easily find a discount, you can always call and ask and they’re bound to offer you something!
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I recently found out about a customer appreciation program of sorts that our favorite hotel offers. Their program offers you a $5 voucher for every $50 that you spend during your stay. They also offer a bounce-back discount. If you book your next stay within a certain time frame, you get a significant discount on that stay. Another perk I’ve found that a lot of places offer is a discount or opportunity to win a free stay.
There may be other rewards programs you can enroll in at other romantic getaway destinations that you frequent. I wish I’d known about the frequent guest program sooner. Next time I know to ask about things like that! The worst that could happen is they could tell us that it’s not something that they offer.
Breakfast
We love getting to sleep in and eating breakfast in our room without having to get ready. One of our favorite things about our favorite B&B is the fact that breakfast is included in the price of your stay. We love room service, but having the bonus of breakfast included in the price of our stay is definitely a plus for us.
Amenities
We always look for a room that includes a large jetted tub. Some getaway destinations have movies you can check out from the front desk (no extra cost). And you receive complimentary sparkling cider and cheesecake or other snacks in your room. We’ve loved staying at hotels with restaurants in their lobby, or within walking distance of great entertainment, activities, and eateries. If the room has a TV with a DVD or Blu-ray player, that’s a bonus as well because we love watching movies together.
To give you a condensed breakdown of how we saved money on our example stay; We stayed in a Diamond Suite which costs $269 a night (weekends). We opted to stay on a weeknight, which dropped our price to $249. I received a text message deal that got us a rate of $139 for any suite for the month of our stay. (Weekends for the month were $179.) Then I grabbed a $100 gift card from Costco for just $70. We paid $50 for our deposit, $70 for the gift card, and $6 more when we checked in. Our total was just under $130 for the night. At the regular price (on a weeknight) that stay, would have cost us $249 plus tax.
Long story short, do some research, ask around for suggestions and browse online for deals. You could save $100 or more on your next romantic getaway! With tips like these ones to help you save money, you have no excuse not to make time for a romantic getaway at least once a year.