Early birds get best Phoenix, Scottsdale summer resort deals
In the middle of March, a glorious time of year when scorching summer temperatures are blissful months away, Arizona Grand Resort launched a summer sale.
The all-suite resort near South Mountain in Phoenix sold rooms for $99 a night.
A few weeks later, the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa launched its own $99 offer.
And on Monday, May 4, with summer still weeks away, Hotel Valley Ho will have a one-day sale starting at $79 a night.
Take a summer staycation at these Valley resorts
Thanks to the popularity of deal sites like Travelzoo.com, the best bargains for summer resort stays in Arizona go to early birds. The trend of preseason sales started during the recession and has continued as the economy has improved. Travelzoo said Arizona hotel deals promoted through the site are up 50 percent year over year.
Chandler resident Tinina Keene loves staying at local resorts in summer. She's always on the hunt for specials. A couple of years ago, she and a group of friends booked rooms at Arizona Grand through LivingSocial.com because they love the resort's water park. She was tempted by this year's $99 Biltmore deal on Travelzoo but didn't buy it because her son's summer sports schedule was not set.
"I totally look at all those places to find these deals,'' she said, adding that the offers usually include extra perks, like free breakfast or a waived resort fee.
The Biltmore, a historical north-central Phoenix resort that has hosted presidents and celebrities, said this year's Travelzoo sale was one of its most successful.
"If you're going to go in early with a package, you have to get the consumer's attention,'' said Brian Rowley, director of sales and marketing. "We went out early with a very compelling rate.''
Running the $99 summer special in early April, when the resort's peak-season rates can top $300 a night, showcases the value of the offer, said Brandon Smith, the resort's director of revenue management.
The early-season offers bring hotels business during a slow time when last-minute bookings are the norm. Savvy shoppers get screaming deals and bragging rights by the pool.
Phoenix attorney Kathryn Smith looks forward to summer resort stays with her 14-year-old daughter.
Last year they checked into the Biltmore for two nights and celebrated her half birthday with a slumber party, movies by the pool and a Phoenix Mercury game downtown. The best part: They were upgraded to a villa, a spacious condolike room. They've also stayed at the Phoenician, Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs and other resorts — on a budget.
"It makes perfect sense to enjoy these places that are here and that I couldn't stay at in regular season,'' Smith said.
They are moving to Denver this summer and might stay at a resort before they go. The tradition will continue after they move.
"I think we'll probably come back and do it again next year,'' Smith said.
Getting the best rate
There's still time to find a deal because Phoenix-area hotels struggle to fill thousands of rooms between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Here's how.
-Follow your favorite resorts on Facebook and Twitter. Some post exclusive discounts or announce specials there first.
- Sign up for e-mail offers from deals sites like Travelzoo.com, Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com. Membership is free. Make sure to read the fine print with each offer.
- For last-minute stays, check out "blind'' deals on Hotwire.com and Priceline.com. You won't know the name of the hotel until you book, but you can pick categories including star level, amenities and location. Does it really matter which five-star hotel you're staying at?
- It sounds like a no-brainer, but check the deals/special offers section of resort websites.
- When comparing deals, don't forget to add in the nightly resort fees. Most resorts impose the mandatory charges; some waive or reduce them during summer as part of their packages.
- Hotels have a dizzying number of rates and packages and don't always list the lowest prices first. When searching for rates on a hotel website, scroll through the entire list of options to find your best deal. Don't forget to take advantage of AAA or AARP discounts.
- Don't be fooled by the term "best available rate.'' That is generally a hotel's best unrestricted rate. At one Scottsdale resort, I found a restricted rate of $119 and just below that was a package for $119 that included a $50 resort credit.
-Consider booking a prepaid, non-refundable room if your plans are definite or you're willing to gamble. The rates are often the lowest and the packages often come with perks such as a room upgrade.