A few weeks ago I wrote about mystery shopping as a way to travel free, earn miles and a little cash. I singled out Coyle Hospitality as the single best option for mystery shopping.
In preparation for an upcoming post, I logged into Coyle today to check on assignment availability. To my surprise, there was a large selection of hotel assignments in India and neighboring countries. While they’re all upscale hotels, the one that caught my eye and that I’m sure most of you will be excited about is the Vivanta by Taj Coral Reef, Maldives.
This is a 5-star resort on Hembadhu Island, Maldives. The property is beautiful and has excellent reviews on Tripadvisor. The complete assignment description reads as follows:
2-night stay for 1-2 people to be completed between November 2012 and February 2013. Includes some meals and possibly a spa. Pays $200 fee. Please provide your ideal itinerary and travel costs. Can be completed in conjunction with other Vivanta evaluations.
While the stay is short, you could extend your trip for another 3 nights at another property, since your airfare will already have been paid for and your first 2 nights are free. Be sure to check with Coyle before making additional travel plans.
If you’re wondering what the odds are of landing this assignment, you’ve got a decent shot if you’ve done at least a few phone and/or restaurant assignments. The description says “can be completed in conjunction with other Vivanta evaluations,” and my guess is if they’re paying you to fly all the way out to Asia, they would prefer it if you picked up another assignment or two along the way. There are currently no less than 24 Vivanta evaluations throughout Africa and Asia, including in Bhutan, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Zambia, and more.
If you’ve been on the sidelines thus far, I say give it a shot anyways. If your travel costs are low enough and you make a good case for yourself, they may just pick you.
When they pay for the ticket (in case they select you) then is it economy class only or do you have other options?
They don’t specify, but I highly doubt they’ll pay for anything other than economy. When you apply for the job they ask you to estimate your travel expenses. If alot of people in good standing applied, they will pick the person with the lowest cost.