Internet auctions for the very best deals on stays, attractions and activities in Florida simply cannot get any simpler, safer or more fun than at FloridaVacationAuction.com. The web site partners with Visit Florida, the State of Florida's Official Source for Travel Planning, and the auction site is a member of the Florida Lodging Association and the Florida Attractions Association. As active members of the Florida tourism community, consumers can bid with confidence and trust.
Travelers can bid weekly on auction lots which include golf, spa, attractions, hotels and top resorts. Auctions close at 10 p.m. each Sunday. Winning bidders save on an average of 50 percent and as much as 80 percent off of regular prices.
There is very little to do on the front side. Bidders must register their credit card (the number is purged once the auction lot closes) and the registration is simple and free.
Bids are placed in $5 increments. If you are outbid, an email alert with a link back to that auction gives the opportunity to place another bid.
Auction winners receive an email with a Adobe PDF link to a travel voucher worth the value of the bid, including any taxes. If the winning bid was $200, that's the final charge. There are no additional costs or handling fees. However, various hotels and resorts have mandatory resort fees of up to $20 per day which are collected at check-out.
To give you a bit of incentive to visit the site and look around, here are three of the top Active Auction Deals this week. The bidding on these auction lots will close on Sunday, July 24 at 10:00 p.m. EST:
The romantic Bayfront Westcott House Bed and Breakfast offers an ideal waterfront setting on St. Augustine's Matanzas Bay. This historic Victorian house, built in 1880, offers guest rooms with period antiques, fireplace, robes and most rooms have double Jacuzzis. All the rooms have access to outdoor seating overlooking the picturesque bay. A two-night package includes full breakfast and a social hour with wine, beer, and hors d'oeuvres. The B & B is an easy stroll along the brick-lined streets to the city's historic sites, museums, art galleries, quaint shops, and fine restaurants. This package is valued at $437.80, however, a lucky bidder could land this package at a total rate of $130, a 70 percent savings. Winners can redeem this offer on Sunday-Thursday stays starting on or after Aug. 7 and through Nov. 13 (blackout dates: Sept. 1-5; Oct. 7-10). Review this offer at www.floridavacationauction.com/index.cfm/event-ViewAuction/auctionId-8242.
A two-night stay at the Marriott Key Largo Bay Resort, located just under a one-hour drive south of Miami in the north Florida Keys, is offered at the auction ending at 10 p.m. on Sunday, July 24. Save up to 70 percent off the retail rate of $492.75 if you are the winning bidder. The current bid rate is just $150, a 70 percent savings. This resort features an open-air day spa overlooking the Florida Bay, a heated pool, a poolside tiki bar, an award-winning restaurant, luxurious modern guest rooms with private balcony, a private sunning beach and complimentary WiFi. Stays are permitted from Aug. 7-Nov. 13. This auction lot is not valid on Fridays or Saturdays or Sept. 1-5 or Oct. 7-10. Get in on the auction action at www.floridavacationauction.com/index.cfm/event-ViewAuction/auctionId-8271.
Enjoy a three-night, four-day stay at the family-friendly Blue Heron Beach Resort, including four complimentary tickets to SeaWorld, WiFi, complimentary transportation to SeaWorld and Disney theme parks and all hotel taxes and service charges. This lakefront resort (on spring-fed Lake Bryan), located in Lake Buena Vista and one mile from the Disney World gates and a few minutes from Sea World, features two-bedroom condominium style suites with full kitchen and other comforts of home. The resort's high rise towers give guests a perfect view of the Disney World fireworks from the observation platforms on every level. This auction lot is redeemable between Aug. 8 and Nov. 14. Blackout dates: Sept. 1-5 or Oct. 7-10. The three-night package retails at $709, yet the auction bidding has started at $190, a 73 percent savings. Have a look at www.floridavacationauction.com/index.cfm/event-ViewAuction/auctionId-8242.
Clara Bosonetto is a retired travel consultant.
About the Author
