Stay at Luxury Resorts with a $25 Day Pass
Hey travel lovers! Are you itching for a luxury vacation but may not be in a situation where you can afford the cost? Or perhaps you are just looking for a daycation- a vacation for the day without needing a hotel room? Well buying a day pass is the answer for you! It is also a great way to get a taste of a hotel before committing to a full stay and the price that comes with it. Shop my vacation looks below or on my summer vacation outfits blog post.
WHAT IS A DAY PASS / DAYCATION?
Now more than ever we are looking for options to have a vacation without spending alot of money. And now due to Covid-19, we are looking for options without getting on an airplane. I started my Mini Vacation Travel series which featured some staycation ideas that are within driving distance of your home or where you can find cheap airfare around $100. Staycations are little trips you do within your city without getting on a plane. You stay at hotel and explore your own city as a tourist. So what is a daycation?
A Daycation is an option to have a vacation for the “day”. So unlike with a staycation, this does not require a hotel reservation where you will sleep the night. However, you will enjoy all the benefits of staying at a hotel by means of a day pass without checking into an actual room. You will be surprised of the different hotels in your own city that allows day passes. Yes, even hotels in the Dallas/Fort Worth area offer day passes!
Daycations can quite fun, convenient and cheaper than booking a room at the actual hotel. You typically have access to every part of the hotel including pools which is a great option for the summer. You will also typically have access to their spa, gym, restaurant and lounge areas. Also hotels with a shuttle services is a plus. A lot of hotels have shuttles to the center of the city, which saves you money on valet and parking too.
Book La Cantera Resort & Spa (below) in San Antonio, TX here!
HOW TO BUY A RESORT PASS/ DAY PASS?
There are various ways to get a day pass but my first go to way is buy directly from the hotel. Some hotels allow you to only get it directly from the hotel such as with Sandals Resorts. We got 2 day passes when we were on a cruise in Ocho Rios Jamaica. It was the best thing ever and highly recommend getting a day pass one of your port stops. I discuss in detail in this blog post here.
One easy way to check to see which hotels and resorts in your city allow day passes is by checking out Resort Pass. You can search for a hotel name, state search or city search and it will pop up which are available. Also of hotels use Resort Pass for you to purchase your day passes. You will see day passes as low as $25 to up to $100 per person. Usually resorts that offer closer to $100 are five star luxury resorts. Also there is a separate pricing that start at $100 if you want your own private cabana rental.
DAY PASS TRAVEL TIPS & COVID 19
So how can you use this day pass concept to your advantage to have the best vacation ever?! For my budget conscience travel here is a hack you can do. If you are going to a destination and there is a resort you really want to stay in because they have the best pool, restaurants and scenary, book a cheap hotel nearby or in short driving distance from the resort. This will be sleeping hotel or “bed hotel”. Then buy a day pass for $25 and that will be your “vacation hotel” that you will spend most of the day in and only return to your bed hotel in the evening.
Day Passes are usually from 8am to 6pm in the evening. This will save you a ton of money but not limit your fun. Getting a day pass also saves you from paying resort fees. If the property is considered a resort, remember in addition to the city taxes and hotel fees there is a separate fee called resort fee that you have to pay for. So if you think oh a one night stay is only $$, remember all the extra fees will be added which it will be $75-$100 more added to that nightly fee.
A key tip is try not to get a day pass on the weekend. I know that is the time you want to go but it will be more packed and you may not find a lounge chair. There is still a pandemic and you want to be able to socially distance yourself even at ta pool. If you do then plan to come as soon as it opens to secure your spot. Covid-19 has impacted day passes now. You will see that some hotels are not allow it to maintain social distancing and capacity limits to full staying guests.
Book Horseshoe Bay Resort (below) in the Texas Hill Country here!
I hope this information help you have another vacation alternative that is cost effective! If you are in the DFW area, be sure to follow me on Instagram where I will show you some of the prettiest hotels that offer day passes!
