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When searching for trips on a budget, don’t forget to check out discount sites like Groupon Getaways. Sound weird? Maybe, but hear me out. In my experience these deals are being provided by legitimate travel agencies that are using Groupon Getaways to sell trips to individual customers at a group rate.
Too Good to be True?
Last fall I was cruising through the Groupon Getaways to see what was available and saw trips to Rome, Italy for the spring that included the flights and hotel room for a great deal. I started searching flights for that timeframe thinking maybe there were just some cheap flights available, but no. Flights alone bought independently were priced about the same as the Groupon deal that also included the hotel room.
Being a skeptic at heart, I did a little google research on the hotel that was listed only to find that it was actually a decent hotel. I then ran a search on the travel agency, Gate 1 Travel, to see if this was some scam site. Nope, it was a legitimate travel agency with decent reviews online. Hmm… Now I was intrigued and sent the deal to my husband to see if he was interested since there were dates available for his birthday.
How it Works
As with most any deal you buy through Groupon, you make your purchase through their site and receive a ‘Groupon’ voucher. This is your certificate with a code that will show the company that you’ve purchased this deal through Groupon. For local businesses such as restaurants and spas you go there and either show them the certificate on your phone or print out a copy to give them.
For the travel deals, you have to call the travel agency to book your trip and provide them with the code so they know you’ve already paid for the trip. From there it works like any other travel agency experience: they then take your information and book your trip (flights, hotel, etc). Since we lived in Buffalo, NY, we had purchased the Groupon with the flights departing and returning to Newark, NJ with the plan to either buy cheap flights or drive down.
When we started to work with Gate 1, they were able to give us a quote to add the connecting flights from Buffalo and to add an additional day to the trip. The quote was lower than we anticipated so decided it was well worth it and we booked the extras.
Our Real Life Experience Using Groupon Getaways
Flights
The flights were through United Airlines and Lufthansa, and the flights went pretty smoothly. We had a couple of hours layover at Newark’s EWR airport where the Groupon Getaway’s original flights were departing from when we booked. Our flight from Newark went directly to Rome FCO airport. We were fairly impressed with the flight since our meals were really good, especially by airplane food standards. Drinks, including wine, were included and we enjoyed the in flight entertainment options.
Welcome to the Neighborhood
Once we’d arrived in Rome, we caught a bus into the city to check into our hotel, Hotel Galles, which was located near Termini Station. Since Termini is the main hub for public transportation in Rome, this is an extremely convenient area to stay in and is more affordable than many of the more touristy neighborhoods. Hotel Galles was only about a 5-10 minute walk from Termini. While I had seen many people say online that it’s not an especially desirable neighborhood with concerns about safety, we felt comfortable walking around the area. We even spent a many evenings of our trip exploring the city, and these photos of Rome at night might inspire you to do the same!
Hotel
At check-in, we were able to add the extra night for our extended trip with no issues. We hadn’t added it when we extended our trip with Gate 1 due to our itinerary being up in the air at that time. We initially had wanted to catch a train down to Naples on our first day so we could visit Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius, but eventually decided against it so we could focus our time in Rome. The room was clean and serviceable with two twin beds we pushed together, and included continental breakfast, wi-fi (not the most reliable), and a slightly questionable elevator (but at least they had one!).
The reception employees were very helpful and spoke fluent English. They even booked our Museo Borghese tickets for us since we’d struggled to do so online. We were satisfied with the hotel and while it was no five star hotel, it was a definitely a step above our usual hostel stays.
Tips for Using Groupon Getaways
Overall we had a positive experience using Groupon Getaways for travel. It enabled us to visit Rome for nearly a week for Mr. Poky Little Wanderer’s birthday while not breaking the bank.
Before booking your own Groupon travel deal, take the time to read all the details regarding what is included/excluded so you know what to expect. For our trip, Rome’s tourism taxes were not included in the price, but we knew the extra expense would need to be paid when we checked out of the hotel. Also note that the deals with hotels are usually based on two person occupancy so if you’re traveling solo, you might have to pay an extra fee for your room when using Groupon Getaways.
Looking for more ways to save money while traveling? Check out these 15 Free Things to do Anywhere You Travel!
Have you used Groupon Getaways to find travel deals? Share your experience in the comments. Find this helpful? Subscribe to my blog to receive emails when new posts are published!
Nice!! I had never done a groupon trip but I have some one with a similar deal site. Glad things worked out well!!
Thanks we had a great time! I’m thinking it might be time to do another soon 😁
thanks for sharing, this is great to know and just the info we were after
Wonderful! I’m so glad you found it helpful, and I hope you’re able to take advantage some travel deals!
Thank you for sharing this! I had been curious about using Groupon for travel since the prices and options seemed too good to be true to me. I’m glad to know it’s all legitimate!
Sarah
You’re so welcome! Just do your research on what’s included & the travel/tour agency, and enjoy!
Thanks for sharing! I look at Groupon getaways often and am never sure how legit they are! We have had one friend take a trip and loved it but don’t know of anyone else. Glad to hear you guys had a good experience too!
I used to wonder about them too! I finally decided to do a little homework on them, and decided to give it a shot. Thanks for reading!
I had never heard about something like Groupon. From the post it really seems that it had helped you in Rome. Thanks for sharing, its preety new for me!
It’s a website where you can find discounted deals for restaurants, local attractions, and travel too. It was a great way for us to visit Rome on a budget!
A great post. I always look at the Groupon deals and then panic and don’t book incase its shocking lol. We’ve had a few bought for us though and they’ve been really good so I think just need to research hotels on offer a bit before booking to know what to expect. Really enjoyed this post is something different than the usual travel.guides..thank you x
I’ve used Groupon in the past for local restaurants and never had issues, but really hesitated to buy the travel deals. I think it’s because it’s a lot more money, so definitely do the research to make sure you’ll be happy with what you’re purchasing. Thank you for reading, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I always take a peek at these whenever I am on Groupon because I’ve made a promise to myself to travel more. They do have such great deals and some long vacations — which is exactly what I want/need!
Great post! x
Michelle
You should definitely go somewhere fabulous! Just make sure you read all the details to make sure you get what you want and read their fine print so you know what to expect. Thanks for stopping by!
I have seen these deals on Groupon, but have never used them. Im glad your experience was so lovely though! Great post!
We had used Groupon for local restaurants, salons, events etc., but never for international travel before this. It was only after doing some research that I trusted it enough to buy the deal, and I’m so glad we did because we had a wonderful time in Rome!
Oh my goodness, I love surfing Groupon for trips! I’ve only booked a few in the state, but they have led to amazing memories. We even got engaged at a Colorado destination that we found on Groupon, at a huge discount. It’s also great for things like spa treatments and gifts, :). Great post, as usual!
Thanks so much! Prior to our Roman Holiday (see what I did there? 😉), I’d only used Groupon for local deals like restaurants, so this was a big jump. It was a great trip though so I’m sure we’ll be using the Groupon Getaways more in the future.
Often saw those deals but never booked an international one. I’ve availed of several of the ones at home as there’s no real risk involved. I know what I’ll be doing as soon as I get off Twitter. Nice to know all is as it should be.
I was the same way and had only used them for local restaurant deals previously. It’s definitely a great way to save some money on travel as long as you’re reading all the details so you’re not surprised by something. Hope you find a good deal!
I saw fantastic ones for Berlin and Rome when I looked now. Wasn’t a fan of every hotel they use but some looked completely fine. I think It was around 100€ pps for 3 nights. Will definitely be taking advantage of those.
That’s awesome! I hope you have as much fun on a trip as we did on ours!