I have officially died and gone to resort heaven. Last week we checked into the Intercontinental Da Nang Sun Peninsula Resort, considered by many to be one of the best resorts in the world, for two nights. I woke up the first morning feeling more refreshed than I have in months, walked out onto a balcony that’s larger than most of the rooms I’ve slept in in the last year and stared out at one of the most beautiful views in the entire world. One night here costs as much as two months rent at the homestay we were living at in Hoi An.
Somebody recently asked me “How do you afford to travel this much!?”
If you read our blog you’ll know that we travel on both ends of the spectrum. Most of our travels are backpacking / nomadic, not luxurious resorts like this one. A week ago I was bartending for free food and drinks and then there are times like this where I’m feeling like a big shot at the Intercontinental. Things like this we have to get using other means besides cash, because let’s face it: We can’t afford this place!
**Side Note** We’re definitely the first guests in IC Da Nang history to ask if we could park a motorbike there. We got a pretty firm no. I guess most guests just use private drivers. Snobs!
Back to the story! Luckily we each have the IHG credit card, which gives us one free night each year at any of their hotels and resorts worldwide. The card cost $49 a year, but even if the only benefit you ever used was the free night certificate, you’re coming out way ahead.
Since Da Nang is next to Hoi An and we already had enough points for our trip to Europe (more on that in a future post), we decided to use our free nights here. We couldn’t have made a better decision. The place is absolutely amazing, and definitely worth the hype. I don’t want to get into the specifics of that, because Breada is a much better writer than I am and she’ll be posting about it soon, but just take a quick Google search of the place and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
For someone who enjoys fancy schmancy hotels, the IHG card is absolutely a no brainer. Better yet, for anyone who stays at least one night a year in a hotel the card is a no brainer. It’s even better if you’re traveling with someone else and you both have it (like Breada and I) so you can combine your free nights and have a two night stay.
Had we booked our two nights with cash it would have been $966, or $483 per night. Instead, we used our free night certificates and it cost us a whopping $0. I think it’s safe to say we got a good deal 🙂
Which IHG property would you use your free night certificate at? Let us know in the comments!
Hey! So just wondering about the credit card do you have to use it or can just have it for the free night per year at $49 total? Does the card have any other benefits?
Hey Laura!
So the card will come with a sign up bonus. Usually it’s 60k IHG points for $1000 spend in the first 3 months. Right now I think it’s 80k for $1000 in the first 3 months. The resort in the post cost 50k points a night, so that can give you a rough idea on what those points are worth.
You also get free platinum status with IHG with the card. Some hotels and resorts are great about recognizing it and giving you some free perks and others aren’t. At the hotel in Da Nang we got a free glass of wine with both meals because of it, plus a free bottle of wine in the room, and a voucher for a free cocktail each at the bar. If we were to pay for all of that ourselves it would have cost at least $100.
That being said, if you wanted to just sign up for the card, not even bother with the bonus , and just pay the $49 every year you would still get the free night. It will be the best $49 you spend each year!
Anthony,
Happy Birthday !!! We miss you . I see you have a new look. Can’t wait to see you and Breada. Can’t believe it’s almost a year. We enjoy reading about your adventures. Several of my friends follow, also. They think it’s so cool that you are following your dreams.
Love,
Auntie Janice
Thank you Auntie Janice!! And we miss you too! In less than a week it will be a full year away! We’ll be home for the summer time though so we’ll come over and tell you all about it , and we could use a good ol fashioned American home cooked meal. Tell Michael I have been asking about him! I don’t think he’s on any type of social media so I have no way of getting in touch with him. Tell Uncle Lenny I say hello and that he would love Vietnam. It’s a fashion paradise!
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