I’m going to visit Al Maha Desert Resort next month. Lucky called it his favorite Starwood Starpoints redemption ever. It’s an all-inclusive with standalone villas and infinity pools in the desert outside Dubai where rates can exceed $1700 per night and is consistently deemed one of the world’s best properties on TripAdvisor.
For bookings made by March 8 Starwood is offering awards there for ‘only’ 39,000 points a night instead of the usual 60,000. And I’m going to use some of my points there.
And I’m going to give away a couple of nights there, too! And it’s thanks to Luxury Travel Diary.
Luxury Travel Diary is a high-end travel blog with great reviews based in the UK that has a bunch of travel auctions with real bargains.
I suppose that folks who already know about these auctions don’t like this added attention, because frankly there aren’t enough bidders relative to the value of the offerings and some of these items go too cheap.
- Here are their auctions
- And here are the ones ending soon which are probably the best to check out right now – to get an idea of just how good a deal you’re likely to get.
Luxury Travel Diary wanted to highlight some of their deals, and offered to help organize a giveaway of a 2 night hotel stay at Al Maha Desert Resort. As I said, it’s an inclusive resort. So you get breakfast, lunch and dinner. That even includes room service. And you even get two desert activities per night stay at the property. This is a giveaway worth ~ $3000 or 78,000 – 120,000 Starwood points.
To enter: leave a comment on this post with your favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary, or why you would choose to stay at Al Maha Desert Resort. You may enter two times if you wish and answer those two questions one time each in separate comments.
Contest deadline and drawing winner: Entries close Friday, January 29 at Noon eastern. I will draw winner with the assistance of random.org.
The fine print: The winner will be able to pick when to redeem the nights within 6 months. It’s not available on public holidays, Eid, Christmas and New Years (both of which are beyond 6 months anyway, but in the terms I was given). Advance booking is required and it’s subject to availability.
For avoidance of doubt, my own stay next month is paid for with my points. I have no affiliation with Luxury Travel Diary or Al Maha Desert Resort. I am not getting anything in exchange for running this giveaway other than an opportunity to share the place with readers.
I will put the winner in touch with the hotel for booking. They are solely responsible for providing prize to winner. All decisions made in the course of running this giveaway are final and unappealable and your entry signifies your acceptance. The goal here is to make readers aware of a pretty cool auction opportunity, and to give away a stay. So please don’t make it hard on me for doing so!
You probably won’t fly to Dubai and back for a 2 night stay, though you might add onto it and do other things in the region (great opportunity to spend American AAdvantage miles and fly Etihad first class at 90,000 miles each way before the March 22 devaluation, and Etihad even provides a car service anywhere in the UAE… or to spend Alaska miles and fly Emirates).
I want to be at Al Maha for that desert air!
I would definitely choose to bid for the 2 nights at Vila Galé Douro Portugal. It is amazing!
There’s luxury and there’s over luxury. Few people in this world have the chance to experience what over luxury must feel and be. Al Maha seems like one of these rare places. Al Maha Desert Resort sure seems like this kind of place. And I’d definitely like to try 🙂
Al Maha! The magical hotel to stay for the middle east with a special one!
Villa Sungai in Bali because I will have a party with my friends!
I want to stay at the Al Maha as I am flying thru Dubai next month and would love to stay there for a few days.
I like the ‘2 nights at the Grand Hyatt Singapore’ auction item because I have an upcoming 2 night trip to Singapore – this could work!
Gary, I totally get what you mean about staying at the Al Maha for only 2 nights. So I’d probably extend our trip there one night, followed by a quick flight to Doha to the lush looking 5-star Grand Hyatt (3 nights) auction at Luxury Travel Diary. Planning my trip there now, thanks!
I want to stay at the Al Maha to get away from the city!
my favorite item up for auction is the two-nights at viceroy bali!
i have a upcoming trip to dubai and being able to stay at the al maha would be a dream! would love to relax in the private plunge pool and participate in the included activities!
Would love to check out pristine desert sand and wild gazelles during a stay at Al Maha
Never been to India. Always hear interesting things about the country.
“3 Nights For 4 In A Luxury Private Villa In Goa, India” would be my choice to bid on
Staying @ Al Maha on an award trip on Etihad’s Apartments? Yes please!
Husband and I always wanted to go to Greece. 7 Nights At Zoe Seaside Resort In Messinia, Greece would be perfect for us
I like the 2 night auction package at Gili Lankanfushi Luxury Resort in the Maldives. The place looks so relaxing and looks like it includes round trip transportation from the capital.
I’d like to experience the Loama Resort Maldives at Maamigili. Looks like pure relaxation!
I would love to take my partner their for our trip to Dubai in April. We love unique experiences and I think this one would be amazing!
Thanks for the great giveaway.
I would love to win the 2 nights at Gili Lankfushi in the Maldives!
I would love to stay at Al Maha as I don’t want to have to pay for the ridiculous price of the the Burj Al Arab and people seem to like the Al Maha more! Plus the location is amazing.
Pick me – Pick me!
I would stay at the Al Maha Desert Resort because it seems like a unique place, that I should visit!
I would love to stay at the Al Maha since I’ve never been to the Middle East before, and would love some R&R in the lap of luxury with everything already paid for and not having to think about anything.
I would love to win the Regalia resorts Suite in Suzhou which ends soon! It would make for a great weekend trip from Shanghai!
My husband and I have been working very long hours and saving every penny for over two years so that we can take a year off of work and go on a trip around the world together. We would love to spend some time in Dubai on our way from Europe to Asia and the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa seems like the ideal place to stay!
My husband and I would love to spend three nights at the Loama Resort Maldies at Maamigili!
Who wouldn’t want to wake up and see animals from the conservation area as you are sipping your coffee at the Al Maha resort.
Dubai encapsulates the new but keeping intact the old Arab culture and the rustic feel when the city was not a cosmopolitan hub. Having over 200 nationalities that have made Dubai home, ensures really wide variety of cuisine options.
Al Maha resort with the luxurious stay and authentic Arabic desert living experiences promises a traveler an unforgettable journey into one of world most unique and often misunderstood cultures.
The ‘2 nights at the Grand Hyatt Singapore’ auction would be a great buy for a travel around the Formula 1 season.
Hope to win. Great work guys! 🙂
Idrees
To stay at Al Maha Desert Resort so we can see the Arabian Oryx & the Gazelles – the star attractions in the reserve!
2 Nights At Gili Lankanfushi Luxury Resort In The Maldives – my favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary.
My wife and I are world travellers and have yet to visit Dubai. What better way to make a great first impression than by starting our inaugural visit at Al Maha 🙂
I’d love to try falconry at Al Maha
The villa in Bali looks awesome to me to bid on
Relaxing for seven nights in Messina, Greece sounds like a nice summer getaway!
Favorite auction #1 is the value for 3 nights at the Grand Hyatt Doah
Favorite auction #2 is two nights in a suite at the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires.
Would love to see the cute animals lucky posted about at Al Maha whilst staying over in the UAE on a trip in September!!
Favorite auction is the on for the Grand Hyatt Doha. They have a fabulous lounge!
Always wanted to go to the Mediterranean so I’d try for the 7 NIGHTS AT AQUILA PORTO RETHYMNO HOTEL IN CRETE, GREEN. And Al Maha just sounds amazing from everything I’ve heard.
Always wanted to go to the Mediterranean so I’d try for the 7 NIGHTS AT AQUILA PORTO RETHYMNO HOTEL IN CRETE, GREEN.
Big Bond fan so the Austrian location sounds pretty cool.
Definitely the Das Central in Austria.
My favorite item up for auction is the 2 Nights At Gili Lankanfushi Luxury Resort In The Maldives.
I’d love to see the stars from Al Maha!
I would stay at the Al Maha Desert Resort for the desert seclusion, the private villa, the infinity pool, and the overall luxury!
Would love to win the Grand Hyatt Doha auction!
My dream will always be the MALDIVES!
My favorite of the auction items would be 4 Nights At The Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel, Myanmar.
I’d like to stay at Al Maha in order to go dune bashing.
I would have to say that my favorite auction right now on the Luxury Travel Diary would be the three nights stay at the “Spectre” film location in Austria. It would be awesome to stay there!
Honestly, I would stay at the Al Maha in order to take in the desert and do nothing. It looks like such a nice location to relax.