These Airbnbs and hotels would have cost us $3,975, but we only paid $96!
We had Free Night Certificates (FNCs) that were expiring on July 4th so we once again looked around for the best trip to use them on. We decided on a Southern California coastal tour. This fell five days after we got married, so we called it a honeymoon trip (even though we feel like we’ve been on a honeymoon ever since we met)!
No flights this time. We drove with our good friends, Pat and Sid, from the Bay Area to San Diego.
We first stopped in Bakersfield to break up the drive from the Bay Area to San Diego. Our first night was in the Bakersfield Hilton Spark hotel. We received a suite upgrade (by having the Hilton Aspire card and being Diamond members). The cost for this hotel would have been $145, but we used Amex Business Platinum credits to bring our cost down to zero.
Our next two nights were shared in an Airbnb with Pat and Sid. The cash cost would have been $443 ($886 split two ways). For our share, we used $343 of Airbnb credits (loaded from gift cards) and a $100 Airbnb voucher. This would have brought our out of pocket cost down to $0, but we spent $70 to obtain $350 of Airbnb gift cards.
While we were in San Diego, we ran in the Torrey Pines beach area, went to Balboa Park and toured the Air & Space museum and the Natural History Museum.
Our fourth night was in The Tides Laguna Beach hotel in Laguna Beach. The cash cost for this would have been $226, but we used our annual $200 Delta Stays reservations credit to bring our out of pocket cost down to $26. We arrived a couple hours before the room was ready. We asked the front desk clerk if any upgrades were available and he told us that we would receive an upgraded room. We then left to explore the town. When we returned to check into our room, the clerk told us that between the time that he had told us we would receive an upgraded room and when he put it in the computer, a reservation came in for that room and he wasn’t able to do it. The lesson learned is to remain in front of the clerk until they complete the upgrade.
While we were in Laguna Beach we went to the Laguna Beach Playhouse and saw the play Peril in the Alps (A Hercule Periot mystery). I had played the drums at this venue forty-five years ago for the musical I Do, I Do. When I told the bartender this he gave me a fifty percent discount on my drink.
Our fifth night was in the Oceana Santa Monica LXR. We received an upgrade to the nicest suite we’ve stayed at. The cash cost for this would have been $1,310, but we used our Hilton Free Night Certificate to bring our out of pocket cost down to $0. Our parking and food charges would have been $156, but we used our Diamond status and Amex Business Platinum card credits to bring this down to zero.
While we were in Santa Monica, we walked to the Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade.
Our sixth night was in the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. We received a double upgrade to an ocean view suite. The cash cost for this would have been $1,199, but we used our Hilton Free Night Certificate to bring our out of pocket cost down to $0. Our parking and dining costs would have been $207, but we used our Diamond status, Amex Hilton Business Platinum cards and Amex Hilton Surpass card credits to bring this cost down to zero.
While we were in Santa Barbara, we rode bikes to the Santa Barbara pier and marina, Maritime museum and the Funk Zone. We ran on the Cold Springs Trail in the Santa Ynez mountains and walked from our hotel to the Santa Barbara zoo.
Our last night was in the Marriott TownePlace Suites San Luis Obispo. We received an upgrade to a suite. The cash cost for this would have been $289, but we used Kate’s Marriott 35K Free Night Certificate (+14,000 Marriott points transferred from Mike’s acct to top it off) to bring our out of pocket cost down to $0.
While we were in San Luis Obispo, we explored downtown and went to see a jazz trio at the Sidecar bar.
On our way home we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
That sounds great. But how did you get the Airbnb credits?
Our three Amex business Gold cards provide a $20 credit per month at Staples. Every month, we buy three $25 Airbnb gift cards from Staples. So every month we get $75 of Airbnb gift cards for a cost of $15.
For the Airbnb coupon voucher: Sorry, this one is hard to get. We got ours by being an Airbnb Superhost.
How did you get the Delta Stays credit? We got this by having an Amex Platinum Delta Business card (we’ve since closed this after receiving 95,000 miles, $200 Delta Stays credit (twice) and about $100 of Resy restaurant credits. We’ve now switched to an Amex Delta Gold Business card).
How did you get the Hilton Free Night Certificates?
We received one FNC from opening an American Express Hilton Honors Business card and another one from opening an American Express Hilton Honors Surpass card.
How did you get the Marriott Free Night Certificate?
We received it as part of an annual benefit of having an American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card.
How did you get the suite upgrades? We got the Hilton upgrades by being a Hilton Diamond member (through having the Amex Hilton Aspire card). We got the Marriott upgrades by being a Marriott Gold member (through having Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business cards).
How did you get the parking and dining credits? We got these credits by having Amex Business Hilton Honors cards and an Amex Hilton Honors Surpass card. These each reimburse you for $50 of expenses per quarter at a Hilton property.
