#244: I'll explain how I saved over $10k on luxury hotels in Costa Rica and Carmel Valley using points, free nights, and elite perks. I’ll walk you through every step, from how to book with points, when to buy them on sale, how to stack hotel credits, which hotel programs give you upgrades and free breakfast, and more!
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/maximize-savings-costa-rica-carmel-valley
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Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift
LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix
For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals
Resources Mentioned
Credit Cards
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Blog Posts
How to maximize your Hilton cards
How to use Hyatt's Guest of Honor Globalist benefit
How to earn up to 6 free nights with Hyatt Brand Explorer
Award Search Tools
Rooms.Aero
AwardTool ($20 off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS)
Points Path Chrome Extension
PointsYeah Hotels
Awayz ($10 for ATH listeners and 50% off for ATH members)
Gondola
MaxMyPoint
StayWithPoints
Costa Rica
Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
Adobe Rent a Car
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste
Sensoria
Diamante Eco Adventure Park
La Finca
Carmel Valley Ranch: Little Ranchers | River Ranch
Earthbound Farm
Lucia Restaurant & Bar
The Great Tide Pool
Revival Ice Cream
Snack Shack at Lovers Point
Lucy's On Lighthouse
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Alila Ventana Big Sur Hotel
Buy World Of Hyatt Points For 20% Off
Elemental Movie
ATH Podcast
Video Episode with Photos/Videos
Luxury Hotel Upgrade Program
Ep #157: Costa Rica: A Top Travel Destination for Adventure, Rainforests and Relaxation with Javier Echecopar
Ep #167: Best Tools for Booking Hotels with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler
Ep #182: Shortcuts to Elite Travel Status with Greg the Frequent Miler
Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@allthehacks.com
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:47) How Chris Got Six Free Hilton Night Certificates
(01:53) How Hilton Free Night Certificates Work
(02:59) Earning Free Nights with Hilton Credit Cards
(04:13) Planning the Trip to Costa Rica
(06:23) Buying Hilton Points (and the Caveats)
(09:40) Ways to Earn Hilton Status
(13:48) Stacking Amex and Hilton Credits
(16:14) Booking Flights with Points & Leveraging Alerts
(19:35) Renting Cars in Costa Rica
(20:55) The Flight Experience
(22:16) Adobe Car Rental Review
(23:03) Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Overview
(25:20) How We Handled an Issue at the Hotel
(30:09) Resort Layout, Pools & Amenities
(33:16) Our Sensoria Rainforest Excursion
(35:46) Diamante Eco Adventure Park & Zip Lining
(37:06) The Dining, Drinks & Staff Experience
(40:33) Sharing Feedback & Tipping the Hotel Staff
(41:59) Overall Costa Rica Takeaways & Total Costs
(45:33) How to Maximize Travel Perks without Points
(48:50) Booking Carmel Valley Ranch with Hyatt Points
(51:29) Hyatt Globalist Perks & Guest of Honor Certificates
(54:08) Hyatt Brand Explorer Program
(54:37) The Experience at Carmel Valley Ranch
(58:21) Off-Property Activities & Local Recommendations
(01:00:06) Trip Recap & Key Takeaways
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