- I earned my yoga certification for travel perks.
- I use a program to book stays at Caribbean resorts that can cost $1,000 a night.
- In exchange for teaching two classes each morning, I get a free stay and some awesome perks.
I earned my yoga certification, but never planned to teach at a local studio. I had a different idea.
I'd always dreamt of staying at high-end, all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean. The kind with infinity pools, five-course dinners, and beachfront views. At $5,000 to $8,000 a week, though, they felt out of reach.
Then, about 10 years ago, I came across a program through a company called Fitness Pro Travel. Certified instructors can sign up to teach various fitness classes — yoga, Pilates, Zumba, AquaFit, Pickleball, to name a few — at resorts in exchange for a free stay.
I got my yoga certification shortly after and finally had my ticket to luxury travel I could never otherwise justify.
I taught two morning classes in exchange for free stays
In exchange for teaching two classes each morning, I didn't pay rent, utilities, or groceries my entire stay. And after those morning classes, the rest of the day was mine to enjoy.
The program does charge a booking fee (roughly the price of one night at the resort), and I had to cover my own flights. However, the value far outweighs the upfront costs for me.
Each of my contracts last seven nights, with six days of teaching and one free travel day.
To date, I've completed more than 20 contracts through the program, and many of the resorts I stayed at, like Secrets Maroma in Mexico, typically run over $1,000 a night during peak season.
Across all my stays in Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Curacao, I've received over an estimated $100,000 in free travel and living costs.
We went all in and lived at resorts full-time
It didn't take long before my husband and I leaned all the way in. We canceled our lease, stored our belongings, and spent several months living full-time at resorts while working remotely.
Later, we brought our baby too, as many properties allow one guest and up to two children to join at no additional cost.
Eventually, even my husband got in on the gig. He became certified as a fitness instructor while training for an Ironman, and occasionally subbed in to lead classes in the resort cycling studios.
Most days, I'd teach two morning classes and be done by 10:30 a.m. We'd head to the breakfast buffet and spend the rest of the day like regular guests: lounging by the pool, trying out new resort activities, or watching the evening shows.
One of the more surreal moments was when the head chef at Secrets The Vine invited us back to the kitchen for a private tasting and gourmet cooking experience after class. It was some of the best food we've ever had.
It was one of the best financial decisions I've ever made
This experience gave us more than free vacations. It gave us the kind of memories we could never have bought outright.
We've tried hydrotherapy in jacuzzis overlooking the ocean, participated in a temazcal "sweat lodge" ritual ceremony, woken up to peacocks and monkeys on our balcony, chased sunsets on catamaran cruises, released baby sea turtles into the wild, learned how to salsa and merengue from professional instructors under the stars, and more.
These days, we're more rooted because our child is in kindergarten, so we don't live full-time at resorts anymore. However, we still plan to take advantage of the program again soon, most likely during school breaks. I don't see us ever fully quitting. It's part of our lifestyle now.
It's easy to think of luxury travel as something you have to save for, but I was happy to discover that you can trade talent for access. It's one of the best life upgrades I've ever made.
