Travel tips: Score your luxury getaway during the sales season!

What do the traveler with a thirst for adventures in the wild, the explorer curious about ancestral cultures, and the connoisseur in search of sophisticated experiences share? An equal, vested interest in one particular period: the sales season. These important dates, often starting in November, are the perfect opportunity to capture more than just discounts; it is when hotels release select benefits rarely available throughout the rest of the year.

For luxury travel, this strategic season is the difference between simply booking a room and curating a unique experience. It is the key to securing upgrades or accessing amenities that truly enrich the next escape. Discover recommendations for planning your next luxury getaway, leveraging the approaching incentives.

Get more than special rates

Photos by Grand Velas Riviera Maya

Value in the luxury sphere rarely translates to a simple percentage off the rack rate. Instead, it manifests in far more tangible and experiential forms. The strategic traveler should seek:

• Complimentary upgrades: The most desired benefit. Securing the enhancement to a premium category suite upon booking, rather than gambling on availability at check-in.

• Resort credit: Aim for a significant credit to be applied toward private dining, spa therapies, or exclusive activities, such as a yacht charter or golf rounds.

• Included amenities: Offers that bundle services that are typically available by special request, for example, complimentary round-trip airport transfers (in a premium vehicle) or access to special activities.

Mastering the calendar to book in advance

Time is one of the greatest privileges for any traveler. Knowing when to act is just as critical as knowing where to go.

• The power of the inner circle: Selected lists and pre-sales

While a myriad of destinations exist and over 300 days are available to plan a desired vacation, the reality is this: your favorite resort has a finite number of suites, and they can be depleted at any moment during this key booking season. Do not let this opportunity pass you by. Stay abreast of special access and pre-sales to secure your booking in advance.

The strategy: The true opportunities are presented days or even weeks in advance, so you must strategically position yourself to receive these invitations. This means proactively registering for the ‘preferred guest’ or ‘exclusive’ lists of your most trusted hotel groups. This simple act of registration is your key to being among the first to receive advanced notification of upcoming promotions, often with access to a preferential booking window.

The benefit: While the general public awaits a well-known date, you will have already learned of the exclusive rates and value-adds before anyone else. This advantage allows you to act decisively and secure your preferred suite while prime inventory is still available.

• The privilege of traveling in the secret season

The most-echoed advice—and yet, the most valuable—is to book in the off-season. Known as the shoulder season, this “secret season” is often when a destination is truly at its best, and leveraging it alongside promotions is key.

The strategy: Leverage this offer period to secure travel for the following year’s secret seasons. Think of the Riviera Maya in early November, when the sea is crystalline and the sargassum has diminished; the Mediterranean in late September, free of crowds; or Los Cabos in late October, to enjoy world-class sportfishing and forget the sweltering summer heat.

The benefit: You combine the preferred pricing of the secret season with the added incentives of the promotional season. In this way, you get more than the best rate and inclusive benefits; you also enjoy the tranquility of the resort.

• Long-term planning with today’s terms

This promotional window is the ideal time to plan for next year’s trips, and luxury properties are willing to reward forward-thinking guests.

The strategy: As you review the year-end offers, look for promotions with extended booking windows. This is particularly effective for multi-generational family gatherings, milestone celebrations, or complex, multi-stop itineraries.

The benefit: Securing a 2026 trip with 2025 rates and avoiding price increases. Furthermore, planning this far in advance gives you the advantage of choosing your first suite option, booking with priority at restaurants, and receiving the full attention of the Concierge team long before your arrival.

Travel specialist: your ally for the sales season

In an age of automation, managing your trip with an AI-powered personal assistant may sound tempting. However, consulting directly with a hotel’s dedicated reservations specialist can yield far better results, as they act more like a travel consultant who will grant you special access from within the heart of the brand.

An algorithm, for example, cannot tell you which specific suite offers an exceptional view and the shortest walk to the oceanfront pool for your family. It cannot arrange a consultation with the spa director to design a custom wellness itinerary before your arrival, nor can it coordinate with the in-house transportation team to ensure your preferred cold beverages and child safety seats are ready in the private transport from the airport.

This direct line of access is a strategic advantage. When a coveted, limited-time incentive is released, this specialist can not only secure it but also combine it with your known preferences—ensuring the upgrade is to the right suite or that a reservation is made for your anniversary. This human-driven, personalized service is the true, unassailable luxury deal.

Remember that your time is a treasure, and the experiences you choose to fill it with are invaluable. Ensure you plan an extraordinary journey by taking advantage of the promotions during this sales season!