It’s No Myth: Atlantis Paradise Island’s January Sale, Other Discounts and Even Ways to Get Free Rooms!
Whether you’re looking for a couples trip, an upscale honeymoon, or the ultimate family vacation, Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas is often on people’s wish lists. But this once-in-a-lifetime experience is costly. Even booking an off-season trip will cost thousands of dollars for the most affordable room.
But it’s no myth that a getaway to Atlantis Paradise Island is possible even for travelers with a small budget. So if you found a scorching hot flight deal or have frequent flyer miles to use, it’s possible to book Atlantis accommodations on sale or get a free room and only pay the small daily resort fee.
But First, What Is the Atlantis Resort?
Twenty-five years ago, the resort concept was re-invented when hotel developer Sol Kerzner spent $800 million to expand an existing Bahamas resort with a 140-acre water park at its center.
Over the years, this underwater Lost City-themed hotel grew to 5 accommodation types, eleven pools, and five miles of stunning white sand beaches. So popular, this iconic resort now has duplicate properties in Dubai and China.
While people associate the Atlantis resort with its iconic coral-hued castle-like towers, it is also home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world. It has over 50,000 marine animals, an award-winning Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course, a renowned casino, a kids club, a teens-only night club, and celebrity-chef restaurants.
How upscale is it? When Will and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, visited the Bahamas, they stayed in their all-suite luxury accommodations at The Cove. They reportedly enjoyed the resort so much that they want to return with their kids. You’ll see celebrities, athletes and wealthy families in their high-end suites.
But you don’t have to be royalty or rich to experience all Atlantis Paradise Island offers. You just have to be a savvy traveler, armed with one of these five ways to score Atlantis deals.
1. Take Advantage of Their January Sale
To celebrate the property’s 25th anniversary in 2023, Atlantis is offering a discount on rooms for those who book between January 1-25, 2023. Their January Sale provides a 25% discount on stays up to five nights or more and additional savings depending on room type booked.
The January Sale includes:
- A $250 resort credit for The Coral, The Royal or The Reef trips during June 1-September 30, 2023
- A complimentary 5th night for those who stay at The Cove
For those that are ready to lock down these prices now, their January Sale Early Access is available from December 25-31. Alongside saving 25% off on stays up to five nights or more, travelers can also receive additional resort credits by reserving their room the last week of December.
- A $500 resort credit for those who stay at The Coral, The Royal or The Reef
- A complimentary 5th night for those who stay at The Cove
- A $500 Cove experience credit
2. Timeshare Exchange or Timeshare Rental
If you know someone who owns a timeshare or prefers to vacation in a larger condo-style room, look into the Atlantis’ timeshare section.
Yes, there are timeshares at The Atlantis! If you love The Atlantis but prefer fully-stocked condo accommodations or to be in a quieter part of the resort, the Harborside section is for you.
Owned and operated by Marriott Vacations Worldwide, these units accommodate up to 10 guests. Take your pick of on, -two or three-bedroom suites. The suites give you all the same Atlantis resort access but more room to spread out and relax at the end of your day.
If you know one of the 22 million worldwide timeshare owners, ask if they have access to trade their timeshare to arrange a stay for you. It’s possible to stay at an Atlantis timeshare via the exchange company Interval International.
Suppose you don’t know a timeshare owner but prefer Airbnb-like accommodations. In that case, you can book timeshare rentals from an owner who isn’t using theirs, with many safe booking options.
You can book spacious condos in their timeshare section for about the same price as a hotel room booked directly with Atlantis. Nightly rates start at $157 for a one-bedroom and $229 for a two-bedroom on Koala, Redweek, and TimesharesOnly.
3. Stay at the Comfort Suites Next Door
One of the lesser-known secrets of Paradise Island is that you can stay at The Comfort Suites and have all the same access as if you were staying inside The Atlantis. Seriously. It’s 100% true!
Their 223 rooms are a fraction of the price, come with a daily full hot breakfast, and are closer to certain Atlantis water attractions than some of the on-property rooms. Some people prefer staying here than in the cheapest room at The Atlantis.
For those still unsure about the quality of accommodations, Comfort Suites Paradise Island has earned a Booking.com Traveller Review Award for consistently exceeding travelers’ expectations for the second straight year.
If you book directly with The Comfort Suites, you receive the 4th night free. For those into travel hacking, you can also redeem Choice Hotel points for your stay starting 100 days in advance. For mid-week stays, rooms start at 12,000 points a night and 16,000 points for weekend stays.
The no-annual-fee Choice Hotels credit card gives you a signup bonus of 32,000 points when you charge $1,000 worth of purchases in the first 90 days. That’s a great head start to a free stay!
4. Free Stay for Caesars Reward Members Annually
If you’re looking for Atlantis deals, it doesn’t get much better than a free annual stay! Suppose you are a Platinum, Diamond, Diamond Plus, Diamond Elite, and Seven Stars® Caesars Rewards® member. In that case, you can score a free stay every year.
If you’re Active duty military or a veteran, Ceasars will automatically grant you Platinum Status, which qualifies for a 5-night free stay at Atlantis. You also qualify if you’re a military spouse. This means that both of you can sign up and use your reward benefits back to back for an epic 10-night stay at The Atlantis Paradise Island.
In addition, if you’re a Wyndham Diamond member, you can receive a complimentary Caesars status match that qualifies you for this reward stay. While this status match is currently paused, online chatter indicates it might just be temporary, so keep trying.
Suppose you’re interested in this travel hack but aren’t a gambler. In that case, you can still earn the required 5,000 annual rewards points by staying, shopping, dining, and enjoying a spa day at their portfolio of hotels and properties.
Or, you can collect the required amount of reward tier credits by getting a Caesars Rewards Visa Credit Card and spending $5,000 in 12 months. Putting your everyday spending on a credit card in exchange for free accommodations at the Atlantis is an excellent perk!
Note that you will still have the hefty resort fee of approximately $65 a night and log 4 hours of play in the casino during your trip. However, it’s still a steal for a stay that members report is worth at least $1,000. Don’t forget to grab your free drinks and cocktails while you log your required hours of gambling in the casino.
5. Redeeming Marriot Points
What does Marriott have to do with the Atlantis? In 2012, they became affiliated with Marriott’s Autograph Collection of resorts, opening up the Atlantis as another option for reward travel. Because it is a luxury resort, you’ll need to redeem a lot of Marriott points for a free Atlantis stay.
It’s important to note that with this option, you’ll have to pay the daily resort fee and an additional fee of $50 per night per person for a third and fourth person.
If you have a war chest of Marriott points, it’s still a steal for a couple or two people. But this option quickly gets pricey for a family of four.
More Ways To Save Money Once You’re on Paradise Island
No matter what room type you’re in, a big way to save money at the Atlantis is to think differently about food and drinks.
In Atlantis planning Facebook groups, you’ll see endless comments about how expensive food is on the island and at the resort once you add in the required VAT tax and automatic gratuity.
One couple reported spending over $1,000 on food during their stay, while some spent $300 on a single dinner at one of the celebrity-chef restaurants. With $13 bottled water, $29 for one vodka and Redbull, $20 burgers, and $160 for breakfast for a family of 4, you can easily blow your vacation budget.
However, with some pre-planning, you can have a fun time, splurge a little, and stay within budget.
For example, grabbing alcohol and tropical fruit juices at the airport duty-free shop or liquor store across Marina Village can save you hundreds of dollars. Savvy parents can pack an entire suitcase of snacks and easy-to-prepare food. This can result in huge savings even with a checked baggage fee.
Consider nearby off-site options like Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, The Fish Fry for fresh, large portions of local Caribbean food, or Anthony’s across from Marina Village with a varied menu and killer happy hour drink prices.
Another bonus of staying in a room with a kitchen is that you can prepare your own meals. With grocery delivery and some easy vacation recipes, it’s possible to bring the total trip cost without spending hours in the kitchen.
After your flight, combine your ride from the airport with a stop at the grocery store or arrange for Instagopher service to drop groceries off at the resort. They only charge a $9.99 delivery fee with a minimum purchase of $125. If you only want a few things, head to one of the mini-grocery stores within a short walk of the Atlantis property, where prices are significantly lower.
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This article originally appeared on Savoteur.
