http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/travel/your-big-box-vacation.html 2014-10-23 22:30:41 Your Big Box Vacation Should you book travel through chains like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club? Here are some factors to consider. === Amid the three-pound tubs of peanut butter, the 36-roll packs of toilet paper and the discounted Calvin Klein underwear is a large poster of a beach, a palm tree and a question: “Wish you were here?” The poster is positioned beside the checkout lines at a Costco warehouse in Rego Park, Queens, where it’s conceivable that one might find herself wishing she were on a deserted island. Such dreams are meant to become realities on Costco’s website, where club members can book discounted vacation packages, cruises and rental cars. But just how compelling are the deals? And what about the travel offerings from other big box chains like Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club? At the Costco membership counter I asked an affable woman if she could answer some vacation-planning questions. She handed me a pamphlet with Mickey Mouse in a Hawaiian shirt on the cover and advised me to call a toll-free number or visit VACATION PACKAGES That said, there are deals to be had. I searched the sites for a hotel and flight package to Cancún, Mexico from New York City for seven nights in November for two adults and a 3-year-old child. On each site I chose the JW Marriott Cancún Resort and Spa, and nonstop economy-class flights. On CostcoTravel.com, airfare, airport transfers and an ocean-view room with a balcony was $2,996.61 — including a $50 daily resort credit and a $75 spa credit to boot. The flight arrived in Cancún at 10:44 p.m., not ideal for a small child. For an additional $186, however, you could arrive at 3:10 p.m. instead, making the final cost $3,182.61. Costco appears to be the most transparent big box site mainly because when booking a room you do so directly with the hotel — so resort fees are clearly displayed. With BJ’s, as with many travel booking sites, things are subtler. A sentence under the total says “Mandatory fees: collected by hotel.” To learn how much they are, you have to click on a link below that says, “See details.” Sam’s Club turns up more lodging options than Costco, including brands like Westin and Ritz-Carlton. The company also offers deals on vacation home rentals, cruises and activities, including theme parks and theater tickets. Here the Cancún package was $3,165.29 — about $17 less than Costco but hardly enough to make up for the lack of airport transfers and spa and resort credits. The BJ’s package was $3,336.05, the most expensive club option. Booking directly through Marriott and American Airlines was even more costly. Still, while there were times when the big box sites had the superior package deals, there were times they did not. For instance, at Sam’s Club a weeklong package at the Ritz-Carlton, Cancún (including flights) was $2,445.14. That same trip on Expedia was $1,690.85 — about $750 less than the big box deal. HOTELS On BJ’s there’s more variety. I typed “Vail, Co.” and up popped options from the Evergreen Lodge ($88 a night) to the Four Seasons Vail ($276 a night). Those prices were the same on Expedia. At the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, the alpine view king room was $354.61, plus $50 in resort fees for a total of $404.61. BJ’s members who booked online could get a $20 rebate. But rebates are not as helpful as deeper price cuts. You have to front the money, fill out a form and wait for a refund. And even with a $20 rebate, the Costco price was cheaper. At Sam’s Club, the least expensive room for the weekend was $269.46. Curiously, there was no mention of a resort fee. I checked with Sam’s Club and as it turns out, there was a fee ($25 to $50 depending on the season, according to a customer service representative), but you would never know that by looking at the reservation page. That’s frustrating, to say the least. And while that increases the total cost, it’s still lower than the other club sites. Further research turned up hotel listings (like the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua in Hawaii) in which Sam’s Club did indeed show the resort fee. Lesson: If you want to be sure the price you see is what you’ll pay, always ask. As for the Park Hyatt room, the Sam’s Club price was a nonrefundable frugal option the other clubs didn’t offer. Additionally, booking that room would earn 269 points (one for each dollar spent online) in the Sam’s Club loyalty program, which could be used to pay for future hotel bookings. The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa was also listed on Expedia and Hotels.com, where a nonrefundable room could be had for the weekend for $382.40 (including resort fees) — more costly than all but one of the big box stores. Again, the lesson is: Shop around. Don’t assume your particular club’s rate is always the best. Sometimes it’s a travel booking site, or the hotel’s own website. RENTAL CARS The cheapest rental was on BJ’s: A standard car from Payless Car Rental was about $164 for the week. The most expensive was Sam’s Club, where standard cars started at $245.64 (including taxes and fees) from Alamo. Costco fell in between at $224.56 (including taxes and fees) for an Alamo rental. The price also included a one-car-class upgrade. (Note that Costco also has online rental car coupons, like $30 off an already discounted five-day Avis rental.) On BOTTOM LINE