New travel sale site Sniqueaway: a first look

The team behind TripAdvisor has joined the online flash sale market with SniqueAway, launching September 20. The sample sale site is the latest to join the the ranks of Jetsetter.com, Vacationist, Voyage Prive and auction-based site Off & Away in the market to offer limited time discounts on luxury properties around the globe for a limited members-only audience.

“We’ve watched and learned and now we’re ready to party with the players who have proven the private sale model to be a winner,” said Massimo De Nadai, general manager for Smarter Travel Media, the parent company of both TripAdvisor and SniqueAway.

The site will offer both four and five-star properties like The Greenbrier in West Virginia and The Crane in Barbados on its inaugural lineup. To qualify, resorts must have a minimum four star rating, with limited exceptions for small and very new properties that have not yet developed a following on TripAdvisor.com.

Like other sale sites, SniqueAway will utilize both its existing member base within TripAdvisor and the “refer a friend” functionality to promote the site, which promises a $25 credit to the referrer when a new member purchases their first trip.

On SniqueAway, TripAdvisor hotel reviews are shown alongside limited-time, members-only offers, providing trusted traveler opinions of the hotels, making it easy to book a room before they sell out.

To gain early access to the site, use the link www.sniqueaway.com/invite/gadlingdotcom to secure membership and stay tuned for a full comparison review in the coming weeks.