An interesting way to try and score a travel deal is by bidding in an online auction. I’m aware of two websites that include various travel-related offerings. There are seldom many listings in Canada but I nevertheless check them periodically and since there are currently a few options available, I thought it would be worthy of a brief post.
Online Travel Auctions
The two websites that I check occasionally are Luxury Travel Diary and BiddingForGood. The former is a British site that focuses mainly on higher-end accommodation while the latter is a platform for charitable fundraising by all sorts of non-profit organizations. Items up for bid in the travel category include things like hotel stays, recreational activities and loyalty point packages.
It can be fun to peruse the wide assortment of accommodation around the world and daydream about snagging a bargain. However, unless one has some preliminary travel plans in place, it’s kind of hard to imagine bidding on a two or three night stay without a pre-existing need for lodging at that destination. Therefore, options closer to home have a bit more appeal as they’d be much easier to plan a trip around.
Canadian Accommodation
Although I’ve noticed a few Canadian listings in the past such as stays at Trout Point Lodge or bed & breakfasts in Newfoundland and Ontario, the pickings are usually slim to none on Luxury Travel Diary. But, right now there are three to choose from as seen on the website:
2 nights at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal (ends June 14)
2 nights at the Fairmont Mont Tremblant (ends June 14)
3 nights at the Pendray Inn & Teahouse, Victoria (ends August 1)
On BiddingForGood, make sure to look at all the places listed in the location filter as there can be different auctions under “Canada”, “Ontario” and “Toronto”.
For example, the Golf Canada Foundation has two listings but one is under “Ontario” and the other is under “Canada”. Both end on June 8:
Old Mill Toronto Hotel & Spa Bundle
Oakville Golf and Stay Package
The “Toronto” auction listings end on June 13 and include a helicopter ride in Niagara Falls and a $2000 Sunwing Vacations gift certificate.
Note that when the organization is based in Canada, the current bid amount is actually in Canadian dollars as you’ll see when you click through to the listing.
Conclusion
These auction websites are worth checking now and then in case something interests you and you want to try your luck at bidding. I suspect there are some really great deals occasionally or at the very least you might discover new accommodation possibilities for a future trip. Just be sure to read the fine print carefully before you take the plunge on one of these. It likely helps to have a lot of flexibility with your travel dates.
This is a neat option. I had never heard of this before. Thanks for the tip.