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🎉 1,000,000 point giveaway update
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Here at the Daily Drop, we want everyone to get to travel farther for longer. Kara and Nate spent a lot of money to try to go above and beyond for a few special individuals *cough* Heather S., .... *cough*... So far, not a single winner has replied to my email and claimed their prize 😭
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So we are calling an audible with the sweepstakes. Winners have 7 days to claim their prize according to our lawyer, so on Monday, we will start redrawing winners! The goal is to give away all 1,000,000 points next week so make sure you don't miss your opportunity! While I'm feeling 💔 about being ghosted, 5 of you lucky readers will get a second shot at winning thousands of dollars worth of travel! 🎉 🥳
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🏨 Marriott Bonvoy promo (4,000 bonus points)
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You've probably noticed that every single hotel chain out there is coming out with amazing offers these days. It’s like an episode of The Bachelor where WE'RE the bachelor, and Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Wyndham, Choice Hotels, Accor, and Hyatt are all competing to win our love.
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The latest installment of The Bachelor - Hotel Edition features Marriott Bonvoy. They recently launched a promotion to earn 2,000 bonus points per stay plus an additional 2,000 points for select stays if you hold a Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
Now there is some fine print, and it's important to read it carefully:
- The 2,000 bonus points per stay will begin with your second stay (the first stay during the promo won't earn bonus points)
- The promotion period is September 21-December 21, 2022
- You must register for the offer in your Marriott Bonvoy account
- The 2,000 additional points for being a credit card holder will be awarded for each BRAND you stay at, starting with your second brand.
- The promo only applies to paid stays, not award nights
- You must present a rose to the hotel staff at check-in, a la The Bachelor
Basically, Marriott is making you stay at least twice to earn any bonus points at all. But don't worry, there is a good way to optimize this deal to get some awesome value.
Let me tell you how I am going to take advantage of this offer.
I have a number of paid stays coming up over the next 6 months. Some of them are one night long, some are 5 nights or longer. The strategy I'm adopting is to break up my stays into as many single-night bookings as possible.
So if I had a 3-night stay, I'll rebook it as 3 individual 1-night stays so that each stay earns an additional 2,000 points. If the prices have gone up, I'll leave them alone.
Next, I'll try to diversify my stays to include as many brands as possible. I have a few different stays at brands like Courtyard, AC hotels, and Ritz-Carlton. If I can find other Marriott hotels in those cities for similar prices or cheaper ones, I'll rebook them to maximize the offer.
Finally, I'll look at all of the stays that I have with other hotel chains. If Marriott's promo is more valuable than their promos, I'll try to find Marriott hotels in the same areas for the same prices to further maximize the offer.
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It sounds like a lot of tedious work, but after just an hour of shuffling some stays around I was able to guarantee myself an additional 28,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I even ended up saving money by doing this shuffle (remember the newsletter about weekly travel audits?).
The reason I'm going so hard on this promo is that I always prioritize Marriott stays over other brands. I find that Marriott hotels are easy to find almost anywhere In the world, I have tons of points with them, and I've stayed with them enough to earn some really solid perks that I don't get with other hotel chains.
Depending on who you are, other hotel promos might be more valuable to you. So you should always explore your options and decide which option is best for you.
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🌎 The Queen's life in travel
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As many of you know, Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away yesterday afternoon. She was the longest-serving monarch in British history and was truly an iconic leader in our world.
As a long-serving monarch (more than 70 years!!), the Queen traveled to 117 countries - more than most of us ever will. So, to pay homage to her I thought it would be fun to share a great article focusing on some of her travels over the last seven decades. As the Queen, she traveled to every corner of the globe as an ambassador for her country.
Here are just a few excerpts from the article:
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Queen Elizabeth II visits India in 1961
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The Queen visits Yosemite National Park in 1983
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It's going to be weird to not have her in the world (I'm sure most, if not all, of you haven't known a world without her as the Queen), but I find it inspiring to take a look at her travels and all that she accomplished in her lifetime.
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🐆 Ending the week on a positive note
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I know this is a sad end-of-week newsletter with the giveaway winners not responding and the Queen dying, so here’s a heartwarming story to cheer you all up:
Most of you might not know that cheetahs suffer from anxiety, making it difficult for them to socialize and mate with other cheetahs. This is one of the contributing factors to their risk of going extinct.
The solution? Pairing cheetahs with emotional support puppies to help with their anxiety. Yes, I know, it's the most adorable thing on earth. Here's a photo to give you a visual:
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There. Hopefully now you're all smiling again 😁
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Wow, that was exhausting. I'm ready for a nap after that newsletter... But make sure you stick around next week - we are planning to give away ALL 1,000,00 points and miles by the end of the week, and you are all eligible for a second shot at winning them.
Are you devasted by the news about the Queen? Did you know about cheetah anxiety as a contributing factor to their extinction? Let me know by replying to this email or reaching out on social media.
Have a wonderful weekend,
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