Yuupon: New deal site offers bargain hunters booking flexibility

A new bargain site is offering deals without locking you into travel dates. Yuupon.com makes its debut Tuesday.

“Deals run for seven days, but people can get a full cash refund up to eight days after purchasing,” said founder Mary Song, who has been in the online travel business since 1999. “If travelers miss that initial refund window, as long as they cancel before their voucher expires, they can get a credit to their Yuupon account.”

The site will showcase eight to 20 deals a week, including deals for midrange properties. Once travelers have selected and paid for accommodations, they will receive a PDF voucher by email. After they determine their desired trip dates, they can book directly through the hotel’s special Yuupon customer phone number. Song says Yuupon will initially focus on travel deals within the U.S. and then branch out with offerings in the Caribbean and Mexico.

It’s free to join, and you could win $10 to $1,000 in Yuupon “Getaway Gold” just for signing up (beginning Tuesday). During its launch period, Yuupon will put more than $1 million in random increments from $10 to $1,000 in each opened account.

Tested: I tested the 40%-off-a-suite deal ($299) for the Hotel Ménage in Anaheim. In peak season, suites (the hotel has only four of them) range from $450 to $499 a night. The Yuupon deal includes tax and breakfast for two (which typically costs $15-$20 per person pretax).

Info: Yuupon.com