‘Definitely worth the $200’: Women book $200 Groupon all-inclusive mystery trip. Then they see the Orlando DoubleTree they’ll be staying

It's no secret that money is tight for many people. As a result, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are rife with content creators giving advice on how to pinch pennies on everything from groceries to travel.

One such travel hack is going viral on TikTok, and it's bringing Groupon back in a big way.

‘Honestly, it's so nice'

Lifestyle content creator Roufaida Ali (@roofayduh) posted a review-slash-rundown of a Groupon trip to Orlando, Florida. Ali began her video by taking her viewers on a virtual tour of the hotel included in her package.

“Honestly, it looks really nice,” Ali said, panning her camera around a spacious hotel lobby. “We're staying at the DoubleTree. I honestly didn't think it was this nice.”

Ali explained that the Groupon “mystery getaway” she purchased cost just under $200 for the weekend, including flights and hotel costs. She said that the package did not include a hotel breakfast, but still said it was a nice deal.

Ali showed her viewers her hotel room. She approved the layout of the beds, desk, TV and bathroom. She then pulled back the curtain of her window, revealing a view that featured a body of water with a large, grassy park and towering overpasses.

“I'm not gonna lie, this is a good view,” Ali said. “Definitely worth the $200.”

The last feature Ali showed her viewers was the palm tree-filled rooftop of the hotel, complete with a “nice” pool deck, sun deck and “cute” flowers. She wrapped up her video with a glowing verdict.

“So far the Doubletree, 9 out of 10,” Ali said.

Commenters wade into the world of Groupon

Viewers seemed compelled by the affordability of Ali's trip, with a few expressing surprise at the price tag. Some viewers, however, wondered if there was a catch. One viewer said she wanted to “do this so bad [she's] just so scared.” Another warned that Groupon may have “many hidden fees.”

“My Groupon trip was to Orlando…..in a place that has bed bugs,” shared one commenter. “I paid extra for a different hotel. I will never do it again.”

However, many viewers were simply wowed by the $200 figure. One person simply commented, “Redownloading Groupon now lol.”

“That room alone would be 200 after taxes lol,” wrote one commenter.

“You can't even get a round trip flight anywhere I the U.S. for 200 right now,” said another. “So it's a deal.”

Some made it clear that Ali isn't the only one taking advantage of Groupon deals. Others are getting in on the bargains.

“Groupon sent me to Hawaii for a week!” commented a viewer. “Just had to pay for a rental, did the managers special & it was only $400 for the whole week!!! WORTH IT.”

What is a Groupon mystery trip, and how do they work?

Groupon's “Mystery Getaways” are voucher-based travel packages that allow customers to book vacations at unknown destinations for a fixed price. After customers purchase their $200 voucher, Groupon's system assigns them a destination via “random draw.”

“An algorithm randomly selects your vacation destination based on your preferred travel dates and departure airport from a pool of 2,000 vouchers, with trips drawn from Gold, Silver, or Bronze tiers,” Groupon's website says. “Every booking comes with roundtrip flights and accommodation … Every hotel is guaranteed 3-star or above, independently rated 7/10+ on Booking.com or 3.5/5+ on Tripadvisor.”

The Bronze Tier holds the vast majority of possible trips for Mystery Getaways, making up 1,982 out of the 2,000 possible trips in the random-draw trip pool. The Bronze trips are for two nights and take place in one of 34 “major U.S. cities” including New York, Chicago and New Orleans.

The 12 Silver Tier trips, conversely, are four-night-long trips categorized as “tropical” and “bucket-list escapes.” The trips can take place in the following destinations: Iceland; Hawaii; Los Cabos, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Aruba; and Curaçao.

Lastly, the Gold Tier is the rarest possible tier to draw, with only six trips available in the pool at any given time. The Gold trips last for seven nights and are reserved for “premium destinations” such as Paris, Santorini and Singapore.

Buzz News reached out to Ali and Groupon via email.

@roofayduh @Groupon $198 for flight and this hotel is so good #grouponmysterygetaway #groupon #mysterytrip #hotel #orlando ♬ original sound – Roofayduh