It's getting to be that time of year where we all start thinking of vacations!
Summer was always the time growing up when we would go on vacations or weekend trips.
Nowadays people are planning "staycations" because vacations and getaways are just too expensive. And now with the cost of gas rising, even driving is getting expensive.
Living Social, another daily deal site like Groupon, offers discounted Vacations at Living Social Escapes!
They offer anything from kid friendly resorts in Kissimmee, Florida to romantic weekend getaways at a vineyard. They even offer all inclusive packages to places like Mexico, Costa Rica and even Australia.
These deals are only available for a limited time and often sell out!
I personally check these deals EVERYDAY because I never know what places and prices will be offered!
To start searching for a deal on your dream vacation, check out Living Social Escapes Here!
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We just returned from what was our first and will be our only LivingSocial escape. We booked "A Storybook Getaway" at The Black Mountain Inn in Black Mountain, North Carolina. As the saying goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, don't judge a LivingSocial deal without looking inside and reading between the lines. First, the inn was not as presented on the website. There is no air conditioning (does not say that it has air conditioning but also does not disclose that it does not)--only window and, for some rooms, ceiling fans. Although on the website it says all rooms have ceiling fans, our daughters' room did not. The photos must have been taken shortly after the inn opened because it just isn't as fresh and bright and airy as the pictures project. The common area, with a TV which did not work, was a small room with a sofa and chair. If there were other guests downstairs there really was no where else in the house to sit comfortably and relax. Most of the bedrooms did not have seating. We just all piled on our bed one evening to chat. When we arrived it was raining but still warm enough that we had to sleep with the windows open and fan on to keep the room cool, making everything damp. I have slept like this before, just not in a room that costs $128 a night. Also, the mattresses in both rooms were sagging. Breakfasts are listed on the website as gourmet. The breakfasts were adequate, but I would in no way call them gourmet. There was no meat, and the fruit each morning was cantaloupe. Additionally, part of the LivingSocial package was a spa basket, which turned out to be a cardboard "basket" with individual packets each of scrub and lotion, a package of made-in-China leaf soap petals with printing on the back of the package saying "Another free piece of your powder room set!," and a "tranquility eye pillow." No doubt the eye pillow was the only thing in the basket, including the basket, which cost more than $1. The rest of our LivingSocial package included a $50 voucher for a signature spa treatment. Only it was not made clear up front that the only spa treatment offered with this LivingSocial package was the $150 treatment of a facial and upper body massage and reflexology. The facial itself took 45 minutes of lotions being applied and removed, to be followed by a literal few minutes of massage. On the website it says the treatment will include a 30-minute upper body massage and reflexology. For both people in our party that received the spa treatment, the massage lasted no where near 30 minutes. If they both would have received the 45 minute facial and 30 minute massage as promised, it would have taken 2 1/2 hours. Both people were finished with the spa package in less than 2 hours. Finally, there is wine tasting with keepsake glasses as part of the escape. Only the two wineries we were given tickets for were both 40-45 minutes from the B&B--in different directions! That’s a 90-minute roundtrip drive to sample wine. I would suggest looking very closely at any LivingSocial escapes before buying! I would have to say that few things were outright lies--except that the one bedroom did not have a ceiling fan as stated online, which was uncomfortable without air conditioning on a hot/rainy July night--but nothing lived up to what was promised, either!!!
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