A new survey produced by Which? found that hotel spa fans are missing out on discounts worth hundreds of pounds, with deals available at the likes of Best Western, Champneys, Raffles and Bespoke Hotels
Customers could get 75 per cent off one-to-three-day breaks at Champneys(Image: The Wharf)
There are huge discounts available on hotel stays, but most holidaymakers don’t bother to use them. Two-thirds of customers who book spa hotels pay full price despite possible savings of up to 75 percent, new Which? research revealed.
In a survey of over 1,700 people who have stayed at a UK spa hotel chain, fewer than a third had booked a discount despite offers often being available. These can be worth hundreds of pounds. Two-thirds of customers (66%) paid full price by booking with the hotel directly, but customers could save hundreds of pounds by booking strategically and using trusted deal sites.
When it comes to deal sites, not all of them are trustworthy. Before booking a package through one, check the cancellation policy as they can be overly restrictive. It is also worth checking if access to the spa facilities is actually included in the overall price. More than a third of surveyed spa hotel visitors said they were charged extra – a significant dampener on a spa weekend.
For example, some Hilton hotels charge extra for the spa and pool, and it isn’t always obvious. Only on Cardiff Hilton’s spa page does it mention that guests are charged £5 a head for 90 minutes. In one example, the consumer champion found that the Liverpool DoubleTree charges £25 per hour for spa use.
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The best deals
Best Western Dartmouth Hotel and Spa: Which? got more than £300 off the price of staying for two nights by skipping the package, which included pricey extras like dinners and treatments, originally costing £544.97. Standard room rates already include free spa access, so customers could instead book a bed and breakfast rate for just £236.80 and still enjoy the spa facilities during their stay, making a 56 per cent saving.
Raffles London at The OWO: For something higher-end, the cost of a two-night getaway for two at Raffles London at The OWO would set customers back a whopping £2,480 without afternoon tea or welcome drinks if you book directly. However, on deal site Luxury Escapes, a getaway on the same nights was not only discounted to £1,629, it also included breakfast, an afternoon-tea experience and champagne on arrival. This is a saving of £851 (34%).
Brend Saunton Sands spa hotel: A two-night stay including breakfast and dinners would cost £642, but the same two-night stay on Travelzoo, with breakfast, dinner and a bottle of wine thrown in, is available for £495, a saving of £147 (23%). Despite the discount and extra perks available, an overwhelming majority of Brend guests paid full price (84%), according to the survey.
Bespoke Hotels: Bespoke offers discounts of up to 25 per cent on their own website.
Champneys: Customers could get 75 per cent off one-to-three-day breaks if they are also a Vitality Insurance customer: an overnight Original Spa Break in Tring on 19 December would cost £357.50, including meals and spa access. However, savvy savers using the Vitality customer discount would dramatically bring down the cost to £89.38, a difference of £268.12. As long as the Vitality plan is live and customers have completed their health review, the Champneys discount can be used straight away but must be booked four weeks in advance.
Free hotel loyalty accounts can also lower rates at big chains. Hilton offers spa discounts on certain tiers, and Marriott Bonvoy allows ‘instant redemption’ on points towards spa bookings. An All Accor account offers 10% off, and brought the Raffles direct price down to £2,232.