Hotel Deals - A quarter a night at US Virgin Islands

I read here (http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/10/9/82754/9832/hotels/US_Virgin_Islands_Offering_Rooms_For_Just_25_Cents ) that Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Hibiscus Beach Resort, Hotel Caravelle, Marriott Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort, Secret Harbour Beach Resort, The Palms at Pelican Cove, Windward Passage, Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa hotels in US Virgin Islands will be offering $0.25 per night room rates.

Haven't used it myself, but thought some of you might be able to. Apparently you need to book it through bookit.com They report that if the link isn't active yet you can call their toll free number (1-888-782-9722) and ask for the "Cent-sational Promo."

In a celebration of the first-ever United States quarter for the U.S. Virgin Islands, the USVI Department of Tourism has offered 25 cent rates at participating hotels. Yes, a quarter a night.

The promotion will also including a $25 per person dining credit, $25 per person activities credit and a commemorative quarter Scotiabank coin set. To book go to Bookit.com. You have from today until November 2, 2009 (25 days only) to book. You must travel between the days of October 9 and November 15, so put in your vacation notice at work and get packing.

Here's the link (http://www.usvirginislands.bookit.com/) to the bookit page for the promotion. However, every date and resort I tried came up as available for the promotion, but the price was way too high. Airfare search alone would come up as ~$350, but the package price would be ~$850 even though it specifically said I was getting the 25 cent rate. Unfortunately, they don't tell you how much the hotel and/or airfare is as part of the package, so you're just supposed to take their word for it I suppose.

Anyway, thanks for the deal, but it's either not working or it's not a legit promotion.

Thanks so much for posting this - just snagged a 3 day weekend vacation for me and the boyfriend for $300 per person a/i!! FYI, the promo goes through Dec. 15, not Nov. 15 as posted on the link. Max. stay is 3 days at the 25 cent rate, and includes up to 2 $25 dining and 2 $25 activity vouchers.

Thanks so much for posting this - just snagged a 3 day weekend vacation for me and the boyfriend for $300 per person a/i!! FYI, the promo goes through Dec. 15, not Nov. 15 as posted on the link. Max. stay is 3 days at the 25 cent rate, and includes up to 2 $25 dining and 2 $25 activity vouchers.

The promo link is now online. http://usvirginislands.bookit.com/

This is a real deal. They really seem to be offering the rooms for 25 cents using standard airfare. And, coincidentally, there are some great fares to STT right now. Go to fare compare and search all domestic fares from STT to see if you have a city near you with a deal. Then plug the city pair into ita to see what dates there are seats available. Then use those dates to request a reservation from bookit.

It definitely is possible for 2 people to stay at the Marriott or Wyndham for under $200 per person for a 3 night stay including airfare.

I'd note that this might also make a nice family weekend because you could get the kids an extra room "for nothing." Also, I believe at least some of the resorts on St. Thomas offer a kids camp for free (often $70 per day per kid at many resorts).

I also wonder what happens if you want to stay more than 3 days. Perhaps you can somehow book the airfare and 3 nights on bookit and make your own hotel reservations for the additional nights (at what I presume would be a lower rate).

Too bad this is only good until Dec. 15. I'd do it, but I don't think I can work it in to my already busy travel schedule.

Title should specify that you need to book airfare thru them to get the 25 cent hotel rate.

i played around with dates, and the deal seems fishy. i also saw $300-ish per person rates for some of the hotels. what i don't understand is this - the airfare is the same (for the given dates), regardless of which hotel you stay in. the hotel is stated as $0.25 per night. then why is there a difference of more than $200 for 2 people in total package price? I saw as low as $304 (from JFK) to $396 for packages specifically identified as $0.25 deal. Also, I tried several dates and Marriott (the best of the bunch) never had the deal available. just regular packages. oh well, i'm passing on this one.

This is a real deal.

Yes, I was finally able to get the deal to work. However, now it seems to be different. It's showing as 25 cent rates, but says something about 3 free nights with 3 booked. The rate is higher than earlier, even though the airfare alone through their site is the same. When I called, they had it even higher lol. So, yes it's real and a very good deal. However, YMMV on it calculating it properly.

i played around with dates, and the deal seems fishy. i also saw $300-ish per person rates for some of the hotels. what i don't understand is this - the airfare is the same (for the given dates), regardless of which hotel you stay in. the hotel is stated as $0.25 per night. then why is there a difference of more than $200 for 2 people in total package price? I saw as low as $304 (from JFK) to $396 for packages specifically identified as $0.25 deal. Also, I tried several dates and Marriott (the best of the bunch) never had the deal available. just regular packages. oh well, i'm passing on this one.

Yes, that's the glitch I was referring to that it's doing right now. Hotels were all the same rate earlier, but now they're different. I think the site is crossing a couple promotions together and messing it up.

The rate for DC air and 3 nights (avoiding their many blacked-out dates) came to $517+. Totaled up to pennies short of $600. Knowing that airfares are much better now, I called Bookit and talked to a man who found the same "deal" that I found, using US stopping in Charlotte. The US Air site has the same flights on the same days for $427 AI. Bookit seems to have a package air+hotel that adds up to more than air plus hotel separately!

2009 CENTsational Sale
Now it is more affordable than ever for you to experience the paradise that is the U.S. Virgin Islands! BookIt.com® and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism are now offering INCREDIBLE savings when you book your air and hotel package at participating resorts. Travel during a large selection of available fall dates from October 10 until December 15, 2009.

Hotel rates are now only 25¢ per room, per night when you book an air + hotel package of three nights or more! PLUS, you will also get dinner and activity coupons valued at $25 each per person! To take advantage of this irresistible offer, check out the select hotels and resorts below. But HURRY! You must book your vacation package while inventory lasts and before 12 AM ET on November 2, 2009. This offer is subject to sell out quickly!

St.Thomas
Marriott Frenchman`s Reef
Wyndham Sugar Bay
Bolongo Bay
Windward Passage Hotel
Point Pleasant
Sapphire Beach
Secret Harbour Beach Resort


St.Croix
The Palms at Pelican Cove
Hibiscus
Club St. Croix
Hotel Caravelle
Maximum of two (each) $25 dinner and activity coupons. Coupons provided by Department of Tourism. Offer Valid for travel between October 10 – December 15, 2009. HURRY! This offer expires on November 2, 2009 or when all packages are sold out! For real-time pricing and availability, please search your specific travel dates.

Hmmm...I wonder when the hurricane season is in the USVI...that being said, STX is a special place to visit. If you can, be sure to see this place.

This deal does not seem to be for us. We need to fly out of STL and the deals at various times are still above $ 600/person for 3 nights. Pity it is.
So to the ones going, have a marvelous time.:o

Hmm.. In need of a getaway!!

edit: Are these ALL-INCLUSIVE deals also at certain hotels?!

i do earn rdm and eqm for flights booking with bookit, right?
just a confirmation. i suppose the answer is yes. but want others wisdom here.
i just book SFO - STT for 266 and would be pissed if i dont get rdm and eqm (consider that i need to buy another ticket to get to SFO.)

Hmmm...I wonder when the hurricane season is in the USVI...that being said, STX is a special place to visit. If you can, be sure to see this place.

Hurricane season is June 1 - Nov 30th.

i played around with dates, and the deal seems fishy. i also saw $300-ish per person rates for some of the hotels. what i don't understand is this - the airfare is the same (for the given dates), regardless of which hotel you stay in. the hotel is stated as $0.25 per night. then why is there a difference of more than $200 for 2 people in total package price? I saw as low as $304 (from JFK) to $396 for packages specifically identified as $0.25 deal. Also, I tried several dates and Marriott (the best of the bunch) never had the deal available. just regular packages. oh well, i'm passing on this one.

Which dates are the $304-396 from JFK? Thanks!

Hmmm...I wonder when the hurricane season is in the USVI

What is my chance of having a tropical storm or hurricane strike by each month?

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G12.html

Which dates are the $304-396 from JFK? Thanks!

The Marriott rooms were always scarce but the Wyndham has more available. Departing NYC on Dec. 12, I saw great 3-day deals (in the $250ish range per person, plus $30 tax). And these were nonstops on AA, DL and CO (if you're only going for 3 days, I think the nonstops are key to getting your money's worth). The first step for any city is to do an ita search for cheap airfare days. The fares vary dramatically from day to day.

At the Wyndham Sugar Bay in mid-November, our family of four would pay $1,892.75 for a three-night stay with BookIt.com or $1,896 for a four-night stay if booked independently. Don't forget, booking with BookIt.com means you also get $200 in credit for dining and activities. But not all credits can be considered as savings. Think of it as $100 saved (since dining is a necessity) and $100 in money not spent (since fee-based activities are optional).

Deal or no deal? This New York family would be better off booking independently and grabbing the fourth night with Wyndham's own package. Given that they'll spend more than three hours each way on the plane, they would probably be happy to spend an extra $103 for another day in paradise.

Be careful not to draw conclusions for the other 13 participating properties until you go through the same number-crunching process using real dates and airfares from your home airport. As we see time and time again, you just never know until you do the math.

http://blog.wejustgotback.com/blogengine/post/2009/10/Deal-or-no-deal-Virgin-Islands-for-25-cents-a-night.aspx

Plus you will get the points/nights credit with the Wyndham & Marriott when you book independently.

Yep - From Pittsburgh it looks like I'd do better on my own, given the dates I'd have available.