How to enjoy luxury hotels for less with a day pass

A day pass allows you to optimize your budget by combining economical overnight accommodation with access to the facilities of a more luxurious hotel during the day. With this option, you benefit from top-of-the-range amenities such as pools, spas and private beaches, without having to book a full night’s stay.

Let’s find out how these passes can enrich your vacation experience, and what are the best websites to book them.

The day pass allows guests to use hotel facilities without spending the night. Some luxury establishments from major hotel chains, such as Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Fairmont and many others, offer the opportunity to take advantage of their facilities thanks to day passes.

Facilities accessible with a hotel day pass include :

• Swimming pools;
• Spa packages;
• Cabanas or loungers;
• Water slides;
• Private beaches;
• Food and beverage credits;
• Gyms;
• Conference rooms and more!

Here are five sites where you can buy a day pass. Remember :

• It’s best to book in advance, as places are often limited.
• Busy periods such as weekends and high season can sometimes be excluded.
• Most establishments require a deposit or full payment on booking. Be sure to read the terms and conditions regarding cancellations.
• Children benefit from reduced rates and children under three years old are often welcomed free of charge.
• The price of a day pass at the same location may vary from site to site. Take the time to compare.

ResortPass is a goldmine for finding U.S. resorts and hotels that offer day passes. Florida, California, Arizona, Texas and Hawaii are particularly well represented. Hotels can also be found in Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Caribbean and as far afield as Hong Kong and Bali. In short, a bank of over 1,000 hotels in 250 cities.

Just a few examples to whet your appetite:

• The Hilton Orlando with its pools, slides and lazy river
• The Fairmont Orchid and its beachfront paradise resort in Hawaii
• The JW Marriott Guanacaste in Costa Rica, including pools, private beach and meal credit
• Hanging Gardens of Bali in the Ubud jungle for a three-course meal, a massage and a breathtaking swimming pool

Although smaller in scope than ResortPass, Daycation covers much the same destinations, with a focus on the U.S. and five-star hotels.

What’s more, our booking policy is very flexible: you can cancel and get a full refund up to 10 a.m. the same day. Handy when the weather decides to play a trick on us.

For inspiration, take a look at :

• ModernHaus SoHo (formerly The James SoHo) in New York for a refreshing dip in the rooftop pool while admiring the view.
• W Hollywood and its superb swimming pool with trendy decor, restaurant and bar
• Conrad Bali beachfront with cabanas and sun loungers to enjoy the Indonesian sun

DayPasses offers a selection of 20 beautiful locations on less-visited Caribbean islands such as Aruba, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin and Antigua. Day passes are also available for Croatia and the Greek islands, destinations not covered by ResortPass.

Resort for a Day is essentially the same website as DayPasses, but is aimed at cruise passengers only. For example, a day pass at the Hilton Rijeka Costabella Beach Resort in Croatia is US$150 on DayPasses compared with US$125 on Resort for a Day. To benefit from the discount, you will need to provide the name of your ship and the date of arrival in port.

Some hotels in Canada are listed on ResortPass :

• Club Med Charlevoix (the only one in Quebec available on ResortPass)
• Fairmont Banff Springs
• Fairmont Vancouver Airport
• Fairmont Pacific Rim
• JW Marriott Parq Vancouver
• St Regis Vancouver
• Fairmont Empress
• Hotel X Toronto
• Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Mississauga
• Toronto Athletic Club
• Adelaide Club Toronto

Many Canadian hotels also offer day passes on Dayuse, including the William Gray Hotel in Montreal, The Yorkville Royal Sonesta in Toronto and the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver.

On ResortPass, Daycation, DayPasses and Resort for a Day, transactions are made in U.S. dollars. To avoid an additional 2.5% foreign currency conversion fee, use a no-conversion-fee credit card such as the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card or Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card.

To treat yourself to a little more luxury on your next vacation in the sun, consider day passes on ResortPass, Daycation and DayPasses (or Resort For a Day if you’re planning a cruise).

On Dayuse, you’ll find hotels available during the day in major cities around the world: perfect for a staycation or a comfortable bed during a stopover. Families will also be interested in the water parks available with a day pass at Great Wolf Lodge in the USA.

Finally, all day passes can be paid for with a credit card and earn points. Better still, you can use a card with no conversion fees and apply these points against the expense, which then becomes free.