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Are Groupon Getaways Legit? (Plus, Discover why Groupon travel is so cheap!)

  • Writer: Abigail Gaston
    Abigail Gaston
  • Sep 28, 2018
  • 7 min read

Yes, Groupon Getaways are Legit

Over the past few months I have received a handful of messages from different awesome individuals from across the United States, and one great neighbor from Canada, asking if Groupon vacations really are legit. The wonderful individuals that I have had the pleasure of interacting with through Instagram messenger, Facebook messenger, and email have asked about the vacations I have purchased through Groupon and if they actually were good experiences, if I had gotten “ripped off” at all, if the vacations ended up being worth the money spent, and so on. I love hearing from readers, followers and vacation researchers; talking travel is my absolute favorite topic to chat about. So, each time I hear from someone who is wanting to know more about a vacation I have taken, travel rewards credit cards I use, deals I discover, etcetera, I am so quick to engage!

"Are Groupon Getaways legit?" has been such a hot topic of question lately. Therefore, I thought it may be nice to put the answers to this question and other top Groupon related questions in one easy to find location. That said, please, do not stop asking questions! Keep them coming; I love hearing from my readers!

Are the travel deals within Groupon Getaways (website listing) or Groupon Travel (phone app listing) legit?

Yes, Groupon Getaways are legit. Based on my experience with the three travel Groupon’s that I have purchased, Groupon Getaways are genuine deals. With that said, if you should ever find yourself in a situation where your deal is not fulfilled and you have not been able to make contact with the company who placed the deal with Groupon; Groupon has a 100% money back guarantee policy and does whatever they can to correct the issue. This goes for all Groupon deals.

I personally have never experienced this with any Groupon purchase, travel or other. However, I have done my research; I have read many different reviews and experiences of other Groupon-er’s and bloggers as a precautionary measure and although the large majority have been positive, I did read about a couple of instances where Groupon’s purchased ended up being scams.

Do note that the two reviews that I read were not Groupon Getaway’s. Still, it is unfortunate and can cause concern for Groupon shoppers, understandably. That said, again, Groupon made everything right with each consumer. With all the above info; I choose to trust that the deal is honest and enjoy the very amazing bargain! If you need a bit more reassurance, typically the company behind the Groupon Getaway is listed, give them a call and/or scope out their website before you purchase. You may also Google them to see if any scam reviews turn up. But, again, this has not been the case for any of my Groupon purchases.

Why is travel so cheap on Groupon?

I asked this exact same question to Gate 1 Travel when I purchased my very first Groupon Getaway! My Gate 1 Travel representative, who was fantastic by the way, told me that many travel agencies add travel deals to Groupon to get their name out to the public and to stay relevant in an economy where travel purchases are increasingly cyber-heavy. According to my representative, it is all about establishing the relationship and hoping to sell additional travel in the future directly through the agency. Evidently, travel agencies do not actually make much money off Groupon deals but the regular return customer they get makes up for the initial minimal commission.

Are you getting everything advertised?

I have yet to be shorted on my Groupon Getaways purchases. During my first Groupon Getaway, 5 nights and 6 days in Iceland, the deal was exactly as indicated; flights to and from JFK in New York City and 5 nights at a 4 star or higher hotel in Reykjavik. Our hotel, Hotel Cabin, was in a prime location; we could see the ocean from our room window and the beds, oh my goodness, the beds were heavenly; probably the most comfortable beds I have every had at a hotel.

Our 10 day China trip was incredible; in fact, I feel like we actually ended up getting more than what we paid for, more than what was on the initial itinerary. And, the hospitality was fantastic too! Each hotel was 4 stars or greater, with the majority being 5 stars. This deal is incredible and I very much recommend it. You will see things you have spent your entire life hearing about; The Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, Imperial Gardens, etc. The entire experience was very surreal and my boyfriend and I learned so much. As for our Ireland road tip, stay tuned…

Before you purchase a 10 day China trip via Rewards Travel China and/or Groupon, read this to make sure it is right for you!!

What is the process like?

Each purchase has been the same; select what you want and then place your order! You will receive a Groupon voucher and an email of your purchase which will indicate next steps.

Iceland through Gate 1 Travel – Incredibly easy! All I had to do is call Gate 1 travel agency, provide my voucher number and answer a few travel preference questions. I also emailed a copy of both my boyfriends and my driver’s licenses to prove we are who we say we are.

China through Rewards Travel China – China required quite a bit more attention. The initial encounter with Rewards Travel China was via email; I had to email them four or five pieces of information, including a copy of our passport. There were many other actions to be taken, including choosing and paying for any add on activities; shows, for example. Rewards Travel China helped to keep things moving along consistently and appropriately with the detailed checklist they provided. I did have to call Rewards Travel China to ask a few clarifying questions; each time, they were able to satisfy my inquiry.

Ireland through Great Value Vacations – The scheduling process for Ireland was completed entirely online. It was a bit interesting compared to the others, however. Upon receiving the "next steps" letter, I was instructed to go to the Great Value Vacations website and complete a purchase order. When it came to the payment section, I then entered the Groupon number provided on the voucher. Within a day, I received an itinerary with confirmation information and a detailed info on what our trip entailed. Additionally, I had to go to a specific Ireland Bed and Breakfast website, “B&B Ireland” to reserve the five bed and breakfasts we would prefer during our Ireland vacation. You do not have to worry about the first night; this night is spent at a hotel in the Dublin countryside and already reserved by the travel agency.

I did have a few questions, however, and emailed the generic agency email provided on their website and I received responses within 24 hours. Everything was pretty easy.

What is the actual vacation like?

Iceland and China were both amazing trips. I cannot say enough great things about the experiences I had during both of these vacations! My boyfriend and I talk all the time about returning to Iceland; the stunning natural beauty of this European island is something magical. Plus, there are a lot of really fun and exciting things to do in Iceland. We stayed in one hotel the entire time during our Iceland vacation and we were free to plan our own itinerary, schedule our own excursions, and come and go on our own timeline. We decided to rent a car and I think this is the absolute best option for seeing Iceland!

We do plan to return to China as well; however, now that we have knocked Beijing, Shanghai, Wuxi, Suzhou, and Hangzhou off the list, we likely will not return to any of these cities again; too many other great places to go in China! Our China trip was a lot different from our Iceland trip. We spent each day in a group of 32 and had a fabulous tour guide with us 24/7. Well, aside from the last day; we skipped the tour portion and took off in a taxi to Shanghai for a full day’s worth of exploring on our own. Besides the flight from Beijing to Shanghai, we traveled by bus and stayed in five different hotels. It was a great trip and I learned so much; even 9 months later I am still shocked that I have actually been to the Great Wall of China!

Why should I purchase Groupon Getaways/Travel?

I do not know about you, but I am all about saving a dollar! I make a pretty average salary and have monthly bills to pay; however, I also desire so much to travel every inch of this earth, within reason, of course. If I can find a deal that gets me to a location of my dreams and assists me with planning one heck of a good vacation for pretty much half the cost, sign me up!

There are so many fascinating, beautiful, cultural, romantic, relaxing, the list goes on and on, destinations offered at such a low cost through Groupon Getaways. I like to look at it as an opportunity for us hard working people to be rewarded for all the daily work we do, stressors we deal with, and care we provide, with a dreamy vacation that does not break the bank. So, take advantage of the major discounts these travel agencies are providing via Groupon; if they didn’t want you to, they wouldn’t put them out there.

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