Top 6 Private Sale Sites for the Best Travel Deals

By Erica Swallow 2011-01-09 18:09:58 UTC

Private sale sites are all the rage, and in the past year we've seen a rapid growth in sites that focus on travel deals.

There is, of course, the debate over whether these sites are actually "members only" when invites are usually a Google search or membership request away. We concede that the exclusivity gimmick is usually just a matter of an Internet user's drive to type a few words into a search bar and copy and paste an invite code. (The cat's out of the bag, private sale sites!)

And then, there's the other debate over whether these sites actually provide real deals. We say, yes. You don't have to take a site's word for it when they quote a discount percentage; we recommend performing a quick scan of the web to size up deals on other sites just to make sure it's the lowest price out there. Some sites, like Tablet, even guarantee the lowest price — if you find a better deal, they'll refund the difference.

With that, here are six private sale sites for travel (in alphabetical order) worth checking out. Let us know in the comments below which ones you use and recommend.

1. Jetsetter

Launched by luxury sample sale site Gilt Groupe in September 2009, Jetsetter is a luxury travel sale site offering trips to destinations all over the world at discounted prices. The site claims that its prices are generally "30-50% off the best available rates out there." Among the growing number of travel private sale sites out there, Jetsetter offers some of the best variety.

While the site is invite-only, invitations are easy to come by with an easy Google search and membership requests can be made on the sign-in page. Furthermore, if you are a Gilt member, you are also a Jetsetter member (and vice versa). You can either access Jetsetter via the tab on Gilt.com or via Jetsetter.com, where all purchases ultimately take place.

Jetsetter sales last from five to seven days, or until sold out. To book a vacation, users can choose the destination, desired room or tour package and dates (these options usually accommodate multiple price points). A "Wait List" is also available, and users on the list are notified if additional rooms become available. For users on the fence about a particular deal, Jetsetter has a reservation feature that allows users to pay 10% of the trip's cost to hold the reservation for 72 hours. If a user decides not to book a trip, the money is refunded as Jetsetter credit, good toward a future purchase. Once a trip is booked, though, cancellations, refunds, exchanges, or any date modifications are not permitted for any reason.

Like most private sale sites, Jetsetter offers referral credits: Users receive $25 in Jetsetter credit when an invitee makes his or her first purchase.

2. SniqueAway

Smarter Travel Media, a TripAdvisor Media Group company, launched SniqueAway in September 2010. The site showcases hotels in private sales that last seven days or until sold out. Invites are easily found on the web, but membership can also be requested on the sign-in page.

Choosing an "escape" entails selecting the trip, room type, check-in and check-out dates, and the number of rooms and travelers. Users have 15 minutes from the time they select the dates to book the trip before it is taken out of their shopping cart. Once purchased, cancellations are not available.

The selection on SniqueAway is usually limited to a handful of destinations across the world but the rates make checking in every once in a while worth it.

3. Tablet Hotels

Tablet Hotels is a site that focuses on curating a list of "hotels which have personality and obsess on the details." How does it do that? It maintains a network of travel experts who anonymously review hotels — those reports are passed on to Tablet's team who review them, pick out the best and showcase them on the site. Lastly, the site features a customer rating meter. If a hotel falls below an average of 15 points (out of 20) on customer ratings, the hotel is automatically removed from the site's selection.

Tablet's listings are discounted at up to 50% off, and users earn $10 with every booking and $25 when an invitee books for the first time.

Like the rest of them, Tablet claims that its sales are "only available to people who have either booked with us or have been invited in," but as we have learned by now, the exclusivity behind most of these sites is usually a gimmick. I signed up and navigated to the "Private Sale" section without a hitch.

4. TripAlertz

TripAlertz offers 30 to 75% off premium hotels and distinguishes itself by offering prices that go down as the number of bookings go up. As more members book a deal, the price decreases, and everyone pays the same price once the deal ends.

The site offers more community features than others in the private sales industry. For example, once a deal is booked, users even have the option to meet and share advice on a private collaboration page with fellow travelers. In the end, 1% of each sale's revenue is donated to the user's choice of sustainable efforts. Furthermore, users can submit and vote on trip ideas. The ideas with the most votes ultimately become the deals offered, and the person who submits the idea with the highest booking volume for the month travels for free.

Also unlike other sites, TripAlertz users receive $5 in Trip Cash for each invited friend who signs up, no purchase necessary!

5. Vacationist

Presented by Luxury Link and Travel + Leisure. Vacationist features sales at up to 40% off on fine hotels around the world. Sales last between three to seven days, or until sold out.

Each sale showcases as resort or hotel, along with available dates and room types. Special to Vacationist is a "Hotel Report" from the editors of Travel + Leisure. which includes details like hotel features, awards, nearby airports and insider tips. The travel publication also weighs in on nearby attractions and seasonal adventures that can't be missed. The buying process mirrors that of other sites, and cancellations are not permitted.

Members receive $25 in credit for each person they invite who joins and makes a purchase.

6. Voyage Privé

Voyage Privé, meaning "private travel" in French, offers high-end travel deals at prices of up to 75% off. The company offers 10 to 15 travel deals per week. Based in France, the site boasts more than 5 million members across five countries: France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. (Insider tip: Save yourself some noggin scratching — before logging in, make sure you choose the correct country. Your log-in information only works for the country chosen upon signing up.)

Each sale on Voyage Privé features a flip-through Flash brochure, complete with information on the hotel and destination, but most of those details can also be found on the sale page, saving the hassle of flipping through the feature. The sale page also includes a number of offers for various price points, usually ranging in the number of nights included.

If you need a little boost to get you started, you can be sure to collect a $25 travel credit when your invited friends buy their first deal.

BONUS: Travel Sections Within Larger Private Sale Sites

With the growing popularity of travel sites, existing private sale sites that traditionally focused on fashion, home or beauty have begun incorporating travel sections for discounted vacations and travel gear. Here are a few of our favorites:

Exclusively.In : Focusing on providing the best of India's goods, Exclusively.In also offers Indian travel experiences at discounted prices.

Hautelook : Los Angeles-based online private sale site Hautelook recently acquired the travel site BonVoyou to form its Getaways section, which offers travel at up to 75% off.

ideeli : Private sample sale site ideeli introduced its travel section last September to accompany its offerings in fashion, home and beauty.

RueLaLa : After teaming up with luxury travel network Virtuoso in August, fashion-focused private sale site RueLaLa began offering cruise and resort vacation deals.

Your Picks

Which private sale travel sites do you use to book vacations (or just daydream about the many possibilities)? Let us know in the comments below.

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