Wow I have to read about how to actually bid etc... but it was a fun website to look at and seems like you can get some deals. Maybe not spend less overall but certainly maybe get an upgrade for same price.

How do people work availability, any experiences, how do you find the good stuff etc.

Thanks!

What's the URL for the web site?

I was just looking at the site earlier today and although I have not used it, they do offer some great deals.

I asked about it on another board & was told that the best thing to do is to call the hotel beforehand to see if the dates you are traveling are available.

luxurylink.com

It's a terrific site. My husband and I have used Luxury Link a number of times and have been very, very happy with the hotels and inns we've bid on, with just one exception (that was in the U.S.). We've stayed in hotels and inns in Rome, Umbria, Normandy, Carcassone, the winelands in South Africa, as well as several in Vermont, and Seattle and Napa. After we got married, my dad asked for suggestions for a wedding gift, and we suggested a gift certificate for Luxury Link, which for us was a perfect gift, as my husband says that he's married a gypsy! I usually email the hotel one or two days before the end of the auction, with dates we're thinking about to check for availability. I've never had a problem with that, although we tend to travel on the shoulder or off seasons, especially to Europe. I also check the hotel or inn's website, and look at other sources for reviews/info before bidding. Our one not-so-great experience was for an inn in Vermont that I wasn't able to get a lot of information on, and what I was able to get, was outdated.

Funny, I just was looking at that website for the first time the other day as well. It looks beautiful.

I've used luxury link twice once for for Rome (Aldrovondi Palace) and once for a ski trip in Austria. I was very satisfied with both experiences and highly recommend the site. I did the same as the other poster with calling ahead to see if the dates I wanted were available.