Ever wonder if those “romance” or “adventure” hotel packages are really giving you more bang for your buck — or if you’ve been suckered into booking a clever marketing pro’s cutesy champagne and chocolate-covered price markup? Welcome back to Oyster’s Bundle Breakdowns, where we go through the painstaking process of (roughly) breaking down the costs of popular hotel bundle offerings to determine whether you’re getting a steal or getting robbed.
Today, Bundle Breakdowns visits New York City to dissect Trump International Hotel and Tower’s (supposedly) family-friendly Kids on Central Park package. But is it wallet-friendly?
The Deal: One night in a Two-Bedroom Suite overlooking Central Park; milk & cookies from Jean-Georges delivered to your room; “your kids’ favorite DVDs” (which you do not get to take home); four tickets to either the Central Park Zoo, the Manhattan Children’s Museum or the Museum of Natural History (only one of the three).
The Package Price for Sunday, October 11th: $2,650, plus tax
The Breakdown (based on rates for Sunday, October 11th):
- Two-Bedroom Suite: $2,500, plus tax
- Kids Cookie Plate: $8 (by Jean-Georges, from in-room dining)
- Two Glasses of Milk: $10 ($5 per glass, from in-room dining)
- Tickets for Two Adults and Two Children:
- Childrens Museum of Manhattan: $40
- Central Park Zoo: $30
- Museum of Natural History: $50
Estimated Non-package Cost: $2568 (plus tax) or less
Total Estimated Savings: None. The package is at least $82 more than all the same goodies purchased without the package.
Pros: If you spring for the package, you get to borrow some kiddie movies on DVD during your stay.
Cons: That’s really not worth $82, right?
Bottom Line: There are no savings here. Bring some movies from home to entertain the wee ones at night, and order up a plate of cookies from in-room dining. With all that money you’ll save, you can splurge on the $14 large cookie plate – which comes with chocolates.
*Room rate and food prices obtained by calling the hotel.
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