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 love the tranquillity of the desert.
I would choose the Al-Maha for the included desert activities.
My favorite auction item is the 3 Nights In A Suite At The 5-Star Das Central, Austria.
I’d stay at Al Maha to swim in that pool!
i would go to the Al Maha because its a once in a lifetime experience!
My favorite auction currently is two nights at the William Hotel in New York.
With this prize I think I could convince my wife to do a mile run with me!
The Singapore auction looks to be my favorite right now, that town is on my bucket list.
Would love to go there with my family with a big surprise on our anniversary
My favorite auction is 2 nights at the Grand Hyatt Singapore
I would choose to stay at Al Maha Desert Resort because Lucky stayed there!
I would chose the Al-Maha for the remote desert vibe.
I would love two nights at the Al Maha to go with the Etihad apartments redemption I am hoping to make in the near future!
My favorite thing up for auction is 2 Nights At Argentario Golf Resort & Spa in Tuscany. Such a beautiful area!
I would choose to stay at Al Maha Desert Resort because it looks amazing, and I’ve never been to the Middle East!
I’d love to stay at the Al Maha Desert Resort. It’s a place that’s on my bucket list
My favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary is 2 Nights In A Park Suite At Park Hyatt Buenos Aires.
Would love to relax and just enjoy life at Al Maha Desert Resort.
Would love to stay there because its close to me snd never stayed at all inclusive resort before
I may bid on the Bali villa resort at Luxury Travel Diary since I’m headed there in a few months. And the Singapore hotel, though that one doesn’t end for a while and possibly after I would need it.
Want to go visit family who live in the Middle East, this would be perfect for that!
3 nights at Pumziko Safari & Wellness Lodge in Tanzania sounds pretty cool.
I would love to win an aucton to Das Central, Austria
My favorite auction is the Luxury Rome Villa.
I have never been to Dubai so the Al Maha Desert Resort would be a great way to visit.
And I want to take my mom to Al Maha since her favorite vacation was a few years ago – Emirates first class and Saadiyat St Regis. She loved the UAE. This would be the perfect “round” birthday present.
I would go to the Al Maha because I’ve never been to Dubai
two nights at the William Hotel in New York would be awesome
My wife lived in Jeddah as a teenager and has been disappointed to not be able to go back, this will really make her happy!
My favorite auction item is the Villa Laetitia in Rome!
I would love to visit Al Maha to see the vast and endless desert!
Love the all inclusive experience especially if it’s upscale like the Al Maha
I’m a fan of the often overlooked my gousto food packages
Also, I have never been to Dubai but would love to go.
i’ll actually be there next month as well–lucky’s post made the whole experience sound so cool, that i couldn’t say no! (and since my reservation is already past the cancellation deadline, adding an additional 2 nights would let me try out more of the activities!)
would love to go to al maha given all the attention it’s been getting on boarding area!
and my favorite on luxury travel diary is the 2 Nights In A Park Suite At Park Hyatt Buenos Aires!
the 3 Nights In A Villa At Loama Resort Maldives At Maamigili looks beautiful!
I’m down for the 7 night stay at the Acanto Boutique Hotel in Playa del Carmen. Mexico seems like a good escape.
My favorite auction is the 7 Nights At Aquila Porto Rethymno Hotel In Crete, Greece
Honestly, I’d got to have a relaxing break before spending a day (or two or three) at Ferrari World and hour away!
Just to get really far away… to a place I won’t be able to bring my work laptop 🙂
2 nights in a villa in Florence!
I love the idea of a villa with friends in Goa
My favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary at the moment is 8 Nights At Amaya Resorts & The Kingsbury, Sri Lanka
I have my eye on the Palacio Duhau auction item.
I’ve been wanting to stay at Al Maha because of Lucky’s review – sounds like an amazing experience.
I’d like to stay at Al Maha for the desert activities. Falconry? Yes, please.
My favorite auction is 3 Luxury Nights At The Iconic Santorini, Greece!
Did you see the view from the pool? That wide expanse of desert from a cool body of water? That looks AMAZING.