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🥳 The (second) winner of 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
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It's my great pleasure to unveil the latest sequel in our points giveaway franchise. I'm calling it Marriott Bonvoy Giveaway 2: Rise of the active newsletter reader.
Like a good sequel, I'll keep this announcement underwhelming and get straight to the point.
The winner of 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points is..... Wesley M!! Congratulations, you have enough Marriott Bonvoy points to spend as many as 50 or 60 nights at some hotels. Or you could blow it all on one incredible night at the St. Regis in the Maldives (yes, these points would only get you one single night there...). Either way, no judgement here!
If the rest of you want to earn this many points for yourselves, it's really easy to do and won't cost you much time or money. Check out our post below to see how 👇
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🚗 How to get an international driving permit
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Some of you have written in asking about renting cars and driving internationally. This is a pretty complex topic (mostly when it comes to renting cars, getting insurance, etc.). But today we'll focus on getting an International Driver's Permit, which is actually very cheap and very easy.
Basically, the International Driver's Permit (IDP) is issued by AAA in the US or CAA in Canada. It translates your existing driver's license into a dozen languages and is recognized by over 150 countries around the world, allowing you to rent cars and drive freely in those countries.
It sounds like something that would be cumbersome to get. But really, all you need to do is fill out a simple application and pay a modest $20 fee. That's it. To be very specific, here's what you do:
- Fill out the application form
- Mail it in with $20, a copy of your license, and two passport-sized photos
- Wait for your permit to be mailed to you
- Hit the open road 😎
Do you need an IDP to drive abroad?
Yes and no. It really depends on the country. For example, there are a few countries in Europe that do not require an IDP, while there are many others that DO require it.
I would recommend getting one and keeping it with your passport. You never know when you might be in a situation where renting a car could save your butt and this is something you'll want handy. A $20 investment goes a long way with this permit, so why not get it just to have?
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I had never owned an IDP until quite recently. Earlier this year I took a trip to Oman where I rented a car and drove around the Omani countryside (highly recommend, btw). It was only the day before leaving on this trip when I realized I needed an IDP and didn't have one.
Thankfully, I was able to show up at a CAA store here in Toronto and get one produced for me in about 15 minutes. I'm not sure if this would work the same way everywhere else, but it seems like something that you can get on the fly if need be.
Driving can be an amazing way to see a new country or city. It can also be a really convenient way to travel without needing to deal with tickets and schedules of other modes of transportation. Having an IDP in your passport wallet means that renting a car will always be on the table if and when you need it.
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🏨 Surprisingly good Marriott promo
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Last week I told you about a pretty good Marriott Bonvoy promo to earn up to 4,000 bonus points per stay. Well, as it turns out, there is actually another interesting Marriott promo, this time dealing with their Marriott Homes & Villas business.
If you haven’t heard of it before, Marriott Homes & Villas is almost like Airbnb. People can list their homes (and villas, obvs), though most properties listed are owned by bigger companies with multiple homes.
What makes the program different from Airbnb is that you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points on your stays, earn nights toward Marriott elite status, and even redeem Marriott points for stays at these properties.
In the past, I never thought much about this program or any promos that they offered. However, the other day I was moving around some travel plans and actually ended up taking advantage of a promo that I had previously thought to be pretty worthless.
The reason I hadn’t previously cared about promos like this is that Marriott Homes and Villas properties tend to be more expensive than either hotels or Airbnb…
...or so I thought 😯
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As I was looking for a place to stay in Athens next week, I noticed that Homes & Villas had a ton of cheap properties right in the heart of the city for a fraction of the price of any other hotel or Airbnb in the same area. I ended up booking this beautiful property and getting a really good deal.
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So let’s run the numbers here. It cost me $277 for five nights at a 2-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen, work area, and living room in the heart of Athens. I’ll also earn 12,139 points (including the 10k promo) which are worth about $105. That means that the net cost of this booking is only $172 or about $34 per night. For a clean, private place in a city where accommodations are otherwise pricey, that is a STEAL.
There are a ton of great opportunities to use this promo to get a nice hefty rebate on your booking. Here’s an example of a property in Cancun that would run you $150 for 3 nights and earn you 10,893 points.
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The points are worth about $94, which means you’re getting this place for about $19 per night. Since the property has 3 bedrooms, that means you and two guests would each pay $6 per night for a beautiful home on the beach. That’s pretty insane.
This promo is great because it’s so simple. No need to register, easy 10,000 points and a variety of properties and places to book. Why not get some free travel from your already cheap travel?
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Well, that's gonna do it for today! We still have one lucky giveaway winner to announce tomorrow, so don't forget to check the newsletter to see if you've won.
Have you ever rented a car abroad? What do you think about that Marriott promo? Let me know by replying to this email or reaching out on social media.
Until next time,
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Mike Dodge
Head Writer, The Daily Drop
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