Gift of Time

In our experience (on more than one trip), if you book both a pre- and post-trip hotel room through Tauck, the Gift of Time will be applied to the less expensive hotel. We always book the less expensive hotel directly with a note that we will be with the Tauck group and don't want to change rooms which has always worked. On another occasion, the difference between hotels was only a few dollars so we didn't bother.

A specific example was the river cruise from Paris (using the Waldorf Astoria in Versailles) ending in London (at the Savoy). We booked the WA directly through Hilton (actually a bit cheaper than through Tauck, though Tauck's extra hotel nights don't have the ridiculous premium that some cuisse lines have), and had the extra Gift of Time night at the Savoy (which was WAY more expensive)

Of course, if you don't want to add an extra night at each end then the choice is easy.

I have always understood, and followed, the principle that the Gift of Time is available either at the hotel where the tour begins or ends. So, if the tour begins at hotel A then you can choose to arrive early and use your extra night there, OR if it ends at hotel B you can stop over an extra night at that hotel instead - one or the other. We have always followed that. It has always worked and it avoids any disturbance of changing rooms.

Sue we also are on the 10/22 week in Spain...2 couples in our early 60's and my 83 year old single mom! We are arriving on the 18th at night, and added 2 days in Madrid. One of which we will go to Toledo. Staying at same hotels; thanks to SPG points!