Free hotel stays when you dine. Times offer

MSE_Jenny

What’s the deal?

The Times is giving readers free hotel nights, when you dine and spend a certain amount in the hotel’s restaurant.

Some of the restaurants are quite fancy-smancy, with prices to match, but it’s a decent deal if you were planning a winter weekend away with a meal anyway. Some are also valid on Valentine’s Day, which is a Saturday next year.

How to grab one

You need to collect two tokens from the Times newspaper, published each day until Friday 28 November. There’s also a free online bonus token, so really you only need to buy one paper.

Then take them along to the hotel, with a form.You need to book and take your trip by Feb 27 2009. Some hotels exclude weekends; check on the individual listings.

How the deal works

There are lots of hotels included; see a full list. The catch is you have to have dinner in the restaurant for each night you stay, with a minimum spend. The required spend varies according on your hotel’s band (it’s mentioned in the hotel listings).

Minimum restaurant spend (per couple)

Band A: £125 Per Couple
Band B: £100 Per Couple
Band C: £75 Per Couple
Band D: £50 Per Couple

As an example, The Bay Tree Hotel in Oxfordshire is in band B, so you would need to spend £100 per couple in the restaurant. Normally rooms cost £150 per head, so for less than the price of a room, you get dinner as well. Do check the hotels' normal tariffs to ensure you're getting a bargain.

Three nights for £99 in Scotland

Visit Scotland is also running a nice offer, where you get three nights for £99. There are £50 hotels to choose from and you need to book stay before 20th March 2009.

To grab one, simply take the voucher along to your hotel and mention it when booking. Some are hotels better value than others, so check rack rates before booking. Some popular dates are excluded; check on the voucher or with the hotels.

If you spot any particularly good deals included in these offers, please post below to let others know.

Permanent ways to get bargain basement rooms

This deal isn’t about getting the cheapest possible hotel, but getting a posh place at a bargain price. Read the Cheap Hotel guide for how to slash the price of all rooms and find cosy hostels.


Thanks to the peeps on the newspaper thread for spotting this deal first. This thread was created so we could give you the full lowdown.

richardw

Always double check alternatives in the same location as these hotel offers https://www.tripadvisor.com is a good source, to make sure it is a good deal when compared with alternatives. Also check that the hotel's restaurant is still open if you are arriving late in the evening.

dmg24

MSE_Jenny wrote: »

What’s the deal?

The Times is giving readers free hotel nights, when you dine and spend a certain amount in the hotel’s restaurant.

Some of the restaurants are quite fancy-smancy, with prices to match, but it’s a decent deal if you were planning a winter weekend away. Some are also valid on Valentine’s Day, which is a Saturday next year.

How to grab one

You need to collect two tokens from the Times newspaper, published each day until Friday 28 November. There’s also a free online bonus token, so in reality you only need to buy one paper.

Then take them along to the hotel, with a form.You need to book and take your trip by Feb 27 2009. Some hotels exclude weekends; check on the individual listings.

How the deal works

There are lots of posh hotels and country houses included; see a full list. The catch is you have to have dinner in the restaurant for each night you stay, with a minimum spend. The required spend varies according on your hotel’s band (it’s mentioned in the hotel listings).

Minimum restaurant spend (per couple)

Band A: £125 Per Couple
Band B: £100 Per Couple
Band C: £75 Per Couple
Band D: £50 Per Couple

As an example, The Bay Tree Hotel in Oxfordshire is in band B, so you would need to spend £100 per couple in the restaurant. Normally rooms cost £150 per head, so for less than the price of a room, you get dinner as well.

This is easier than it sounds as the restaurants aren't exactly Maccie Ds; meals easily cost £30 upwards a head, so bung in a nice bottle of wine and you’re done.

Do check the hotel's normal tariffs to ensure you're getting a bargain.

I can't believe that this is being promoted as moneysaving! :rolleyes:

Remember that the room rates being quoted for this 'deal' are rack rates, and it is very rare that you will not find a cheaper rate than this, either through an alternative booking service or the hotel itself.

As an example, The Bay Tree Hotel is currently offering b&b for £98, and that was on the first site I looked at, so there is no doubt even cheaper out there.

Ems!

Agreed, its not exactly cheap, but if you were going away anyway its good!

We love going to the lakes a couple of times a year for the weekend, normally pay between £60 pn for a b&b or around £100pn b&b for a hotel. Then we'd spend another £60-£80 on dinner. This time I've got the free room and we need to spend £100 between us on dinner - looking at the dinner menu (£38.50 each!), I think we'll manage that! I'm pleased anyway!:T

sturll

Thanks OP.

itsnever2lateisit?

I too am surprised this is being promoted by MSE as moneysaving. I used to work in a marketing dept of an Insurance Co, and 'free' w/e hotel breaks was one of the incentives we offered to new customers because it had a high perceived value,but cost my employer just 50p per voucher. The trap was that the user had to use the hotels restaurant, usually a-la-carte which worked out more expensive for them than booking direct wth the hotel. I have never before disagreed with Mr Lewis so strongly, it's not a con but it may well be more expensive than doing the legwork yourself

MSE_Martin

sturll wrote: »

This is a blatant plug - no doubt a few bob have been thrown Martin's way for him to promote this.

This is not moneysaving, it is extortionate prices for hotels you can cheaper through a number of other ways. Including priceline etc..

The above is both untrue and libellous; and I would caution you that such slurs are defamatory and I won't accept them either on my own website or anywhere else.

Neither the site NOR me personally EVER promotes anything for the sake of payment, that is our core ethical promise. There is absolutely no commerical link between the site and either the times or the hotels listed.

If you intend to continue posting here I would suggest you familiarise yourself with how the site works and how its funded as any further libellous comments and I will revoke your permission to post.

As it happens, I hadn't seen this until now, and I dont think this is a particularly great deal and won't be including it in my email. Yet for those who go and want to eat in these hotels there are savings to be had.

It was a valid post by a member of my team, it was explained and the rationale was there. As was the link to our cheap hotels guide - which includes all the 'check other places' points mentioned and many more.

We are always happy to accept opinion and critique. Yet such comments are uncalled for, unfair and unacceptible.

Martin

PandaPants_2

Well said Martin.

Although I think it's an ok deal to get a dinner and hotel room for £50 or £75 per couple.

I can't get the links to work. Anyone else having trouble?

Moonchild

So, if I cut through all the crap, am I right in saying:

I could get a £98 room (if I search online) for £100 but with dinner and wine included? (as long as I restrict dinner to exactly £100?).

So, £2 for dinner for 2 including booze as long as I keep track of expenditure?

Sounds good to me

Except I don't think I could bring myself to buy a Murdoch paper...

sturll

MSE_Martin wrote: »

The above is both untrue and libellous; and I would caution you that such slurs are defamatory and I won't accept them either on my own website or anywhere else.

Neither the site NOR me personally EVER promotes anything for the sake of payment, that is our core ethical promise. There is absolutely no commerical link between the site and either the times or the hotels listed.

If you intend to continue posting here I would suggest you familiarise yourself with how the site works and how its funded as any further libellous comments and I will revoke your permission to post.

As it happens, I hadn't seen this until now, and I dont think this is a particularly great deal and won't be including it in my email. Yet for those who go and want to eat in these hotels there are savings to be had.

It was a valid post by a member of my team, it was explained and the rationale was there. As was the link to our cheap hotels guide - which includes all the 'check other places' points mentioned and many more.

We are always happy to accept opinion and critique. Yet such comments are uncalled for, unfair and unacceptible.

Martin

I don't agree what i wrote was libelous or defamatory.

But since reading the link you provided regarding your 'core ethical promise' i understand how my comments have caused you concern/insult.

I accept it was out of order to post what i did and for that i am sorry.

nb: I have edited my initial post.

MSE_Martin

sturll wrote: »

I don't agree what i wrote was libelous or defamatory.

But since reading the link you provided regarding your 'core ethical promise' i understand how my comments have caused you concern/insult.

I accept it was out of order to post what i did and for that i am sorry.

nb: I have edited my initial post.

Thats appreciated. Saying the deal is pants is one thing (whether I agree or not is irrelevant that's your opinion) saying its pants and I'm only doing it due to a bung was where the insult came from.