[EXPIRED] If you’re going to Vancouver, grab a gift card

For the past few years, beVancouver has offered a nice promotion to encourage travelers to spend time in Vanouver by providing Amex gift cards when you reserve through https://amex.bevancouver.com/. It’s back again and there are some solid deals when you factor in the value of the gift card.

The Deal

• Book your stay through the beVancouver site and earn an Amex Prepaid gift card worth up to $125 CAD and an extra $50 CAD for each extra night
• Direct link to promotion page

Key Terms

• Valid for bookings from 10/30/17-12/31/17
• Each person can make up to three bookings through the promotion
• Must pay with Visa, Mastercard, or American Express
• Stays are prepaid and nonrefundable

Quick Thoughts

This promotion is a pretty solid deal if you have plans to visit Vancouver this winter. Keep in mind that you most likely will not receive points or elite credit/benefits if you book at a chain hotel, but the savings provided by the gift card may outweigh the value of those things. I looked up some example rates for a 1-night stay on Friday, December 8th.

Some deals are better than others, but many of them work out better than rates available elsehwere when considering the gift card. Note that the gift cards are in Canadian dollars, but the hotel prices above are in US dollars. So while the value is decent, it’s not quite as strong as it first appears.

That said, the $75 gift cards are worth about $58 USD and the $100 gift cards are worth about $77. That certainly brings the Ramada and Westin hotels above into very reasonable price ranges. The $125 gift card bundled with the Fairmont seems like a great deal. That gift card is worth about $96 USD, dropping the net cost to $97 before tax. I haven’t seen many opportunities to stay at a Fairmont that cheaply. It’s easy to get the full value out of the gift card as the promotion clearly states that you can even use the gift card towards the cost of your stay.

Some of the rates I cross-referenced were a bit higher through beVancouver, so it’s worth checking to be sure you’re getting a good deal. For example, the Residence Inn is available from $131 USD through beVancouver.

The same hotel is available through Marriott.com for $137 CAD.

That’s about $106 USD. However, when you factor in the $77 USD value of the gift card bundled with the stay booked through beVancouver, the net cost comes down to about $54. In my opinion, the ~$52 savings probably outweighs the value of elite benefits / points…though if you’re on the cusp of requalifying for status or meeting a promotion, the math may work out differently for you. Also don’t forget to check things like Amex FHR. The Fairmont Waterfront is listed on Fine Hotels & Resorts, although I found it to be unavailable through FHR on dates when it is available via this promotion.

Bottom line

There are surely some good deals to be had in this promotion if your travels take you to Vancouver in the coming couple of months. Those living in the Pacific Northwest could surely find it well worth a weekend getaway to Vancouver to enjoy a deeply discounted hotel and what I understand is a pretty cool city to visit.

H/T: One Mile at a Time

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