Canadian booking question

[Baz&Sus]

Hello there,
We always check the group prices/direct bookings with H2, etc....and previously always saved a couple of thousand booking through Expedia.ca (direct flights all inclusive) and in Canadian funds. It was great! This year is a different scenario as prices are a lot higher. We actually found that our best deal was calling down to Hedo (state you are Canadians as there is a special rate), and purchased our flights separately. We use our priority passes to zoom through access to club Mobay.
Still saved based on the other prices out there, so we are pleased and going for 14 nights. Oh, almost forgot...we also took advantage of an extra couple of days and will get our $700USD Hedo credit which we will apply to our room cost there.

We have found that booking as early as possible gives you the best rates. Hence why we book more than 9 months in advance.

Hope this helped along all the other advice. Everyone is great to help out on this forum. Enjoy!

[we2are469]

We are still over a year out from travel so most sites, the resort included, don’t even have pricing. I am going to hit up an agency when we get to within a year. Hoping to book flights and trip separate as we have the points to fly direct, it is just getting the time we need at a good deal for the resort.

DennyP Travel already has the 2021 rates and is offering resort quotes effective Feb 10 (as posted on https://dennyp.com/ubbthreads/ubbthr...021#Post145006.
Another wrinkle thses days is that some groups have reported sell outs of specific rooms as early as 1 year ahead.
This happened to us last April, when trying to book for this April, when we waited till the last day of our vacation and were told that "the GCR catalgory was sold out, want on the wait list!". This by our groups on site travel agent.
We came home and booked that time slot, that room, through our normal local TA, which was through the resort, at the Canadian price break, just slightly less than our groups rate.
Here's how that happened. Each group is allowed to block out a number of rooms (50 I think). They can than sell them to whom ever they like. If, a few months from the appointed time, they haven't sold them, they then can turn them back to the resort, which then sells them. Certain catagories sell out fast (the less expensive ones). TA will trade rooms among themselves, and as well, you can always try multiple (H2 specific) TA's to see whom has what you want.
The resort shows as sold out because all the rooms are blocked out, NOT because all the rooms are occupied.
Here's what you need to do.
Select your travel time. The sooner the better if it's a high occupency time.
View which groups are on site, decide which one you might like, ask for a price quote from them. Remember that joining a group does not mean you need to socialize with them, it's still your vacation to do as you like.
Request a price quote from the resort.
Check out travel agents that specialize in this resort. Remember most are American based, but can offer the Canadian discount rate, BUT, you need to ask for it. TA's would be the likes of: Dennyp, GoClassy, Castways, Toms Trips, to name just four, there are more.
Check out the prices on Expedia.ca and maybe TripCentral.CA, and a local bricks and mortar TA.
Do note that Expidea and H2 are currently having a Tiff over Expedia having too low of a rate, so H2 is charging customers a surcharge on arrival at the resort (from the Facebook Hedo group page).

Ray

[Cdn_cpl]

Great advice from Ray but keep in mind even though the group TA’s and the resort will quote you a Canadian rate you’ll still pay in US dollars which may negate any savings. Except for one trip we’ve always travelled solo and been happy with the prices we’ve got from Westjet or Air Canada Vacations.

[rvt]

We ALWAYS book through a local TA, associated with a big travel company. We let her know when we want to travel and she books it. She has managed free night certificates etc. We much prefer the early afternoon WestJet flights. They miss all the crowds so absolutely no need to use Club Mobay to bypass them. Package vacation always includes to minibus to the resort. So no added costs.

Heading home we take the late afternoon/early evening flight. All morning on the beach, a proper resort lunch, and we pack something to eat on the flight home. Have access to Club Moday outbound using my AmEx card, so that works well. Back in Toronto before midnight, so an easy drive home.

Any good TA can make it happen. Go to any of the Canadian travel sites to see what's on offer -- then ask your TA to natch or better the offer.

Easy and done in an hour.

Go enjoy

PNK

so you get club mobay free without booking?

[Goldorak]

so you get club mobay free without booking?

https://global.americanexpress.com/l...J?locale=en-XB

[rvt]

wow thanks

[D and C]

Some credit cards , as perks, do allow airport lounge access, but almost all CC's in the case of Club Mobay, allow only use of the departure lounge,not the arrival service.

[D and C]

There are direct flights to MoBay from Winnipeg which could cut out one connection for you.

Unfortunately, those flights must be seasonal. strangely the pricing from yxe with the extra flight is only about 20 more pp so it would not be worth the drive . Too bad