12 travel deals of the season
Island dreaming
COST From $179 a night
THE DEAL Through the end of January, travelers booking a Puerto Rican vacation at one of seven Hilton Hotels and resorts on the island receive every fourth night free and complimentary breakfasts with the "Puerto Rico Sparkles" promotion. Travel must be completed before April 30. Each hotel also has its own special discounts - most include 20 percent off spa treatments, but the El Conquistador Resort, for example, also throws in a 20 percent discount on admission to the Coqui Water Park, while the Caribe Hilton's package includes 20 percent off at its three restaurants.
INFO 888-564-1307, puertoricogetaways.com. Mention booking code P3.
Credit: Photo by Justine DamianoIn the midst of the holiday season, with gifts to buy and perhaps a houseful of guests to feed, you may find yourself planning an escape. Whether your dreams tend toward Bavarian Christmas markets, Caribbean beaches, luxury spas or skiing the Rockies, we found deals that will make them come true - for less. Winter offers low-season bargains for many destinations, but even if you are headed to ski resorts or tropical islands, there are good deals out there. While all were available at press time, they are likely to sell out, so don't wait.
Czech inn
COST From $119 a night
THE DEAL When the snow lays round about deep and crisp and even, take a walk from the Radisson Blu Alcron in Prague to nearby Wenceslas Square, home of one of the city's more popular Christmas markets. The Alcron is part of the Radisson Blu group, which brings a contemporary breath of fresh air to a hotel group that isn't frequently associated with cutting-edge design. But more importantly, the Blu hotels provide a great value that's even better through Jan. 31, with the stylish four-star hotels offering travelers headed to Europe 20 percent off at 121 properties participating in the Winter Weekends promotion, from Milan to Moscow. The discount is good on two- or three-night stays and must include a Saturday night.
INFO 800-333-3333, radissonblu.com/weekend-breaks
Island dreaming
COST From $179 a night
THE DEAL Through the end of January, travelers booking a Puerto Rican vacation at one of seven Hilton Hotels and resorts on the island receive every fourth night free and complimentary breakfasts with the "Puerto Rico Sparkles" promotion. Travel must be completed before April 30. Each hotel also has its own special discounts - most include 20 percent off spa treatments, but the El Conquistador Resort, for example, also throws in a 20 percent discount on admission to the Coqui Water Park, while the Caribe Hilton's package includes 20 percent off at its three restaurants.
INFO 888-564-1307, puertoricogetaways.com. Mention booking code P3.
Cold comfort
COST As low as $295 for a two-night stay
THE DEAL Boston is appealing any time of the year, but there's something particularly magical in winter, when the Common is covered in a blanket of white or you're watching the snow fall from inside a North End trattoria. Only problem? It's cold. The Frosty Friday package from the Back Bay's Colonnade Hotel, however, may have you hoping the temperature drops even lower. The cost of your Friday night stay is determined by the 5 p.m. reading by the National Weather Service. If it's 20 degrees, you pay $20. You do have to stay Saturday night, when you'll pay $249, regardless of the temperature.
INFO 617-424-7000, colonnadehotel.com
Singapore shopping spree
COST From $256 a night
THE DEAL To coincide with Singapore's "Christmas in the Tropics" street festival, which runs through Jan. 15, the Fullerton Hotel is offering a "Cheers to a Festive Holiday" package that includes a double room and breakfast for two, along with a Fullerton teddy bear and a late checkout. (A similar package, including free Internet, is available at the sister Fullerton Bay Hotel, starting at $302.) In addition to the city's perennial attractions, such as its night market and world-famous zoo, the department stores and boutiques of Orchard Road have extended hours while carolers and other performers entertain shoppers.
INFO fullertonhotel.com
(Don't be alarmed at the prices on the website, those are in Singapore dollars.)
Canadian mountain highs
COST From $2,745 a person for 11 nights
THE DEAL This ski vacation from VIA Rail Canada is a sampler of the country's best ski resorts: Banff, Jasper and Whistler. Mountain-base accommodations are customized, depending on whether your tastes are three-star or five-star, but all packages include lift tickets. Best of all, you won't have to navigate icy passes or put chains on your tires, as travel between the mountains is aboard VIA Rail trains (transfers to and from train stations are included).
INFO 888-842-7245, viarail.ca/en.
Desert dozen
COST $1,200
THE DEAL We'll admit it would be a stretch to call this offer a steal, but we appreciate a clever package, especially when it comes from one of our favorite resorts. The Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain is a simple, contemporary resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., that eschews Southwestern shtick in favor of a Zen environment, though the spa treatments, and the organic menu at "elements," its restaurant, are far from Spartan. To make holiday shopping simple, the Sanctuary's Twelve Days gift-card package is an updated list of gifts for the 12 days of Christmas (spa treatments have replaced turtle doves), including one night in a mountain-view casita, a cooking class, a weeklong fitness class pass and nine other offers.
INFO 480-948-2000, sanctuaryaz.com
Chill out
COST From $379 a night
THE DEAL Manhattan's new Eventi hotel combines clean design with the feel of an urban grand dame, thanks to its soaring common areas, its food market and the Bar Basque from Jeffrey Chodorow. Located in Chelsea, Eventi is a good base for exploring nearby galleries or restaurants in the Flatiron District. With the "Big Chill" package, however, the idea is to stay inside - included are morning chai lattes, afternoon hot chocolates, 20 percent off in-room spa services plus winter Wii and board games, as well as a $50 food and beverage credit and free overnight parking. Valid for stays through March 31.
INFO 866-996-8396, eventihotel.com. Mention booking code PCHL.
Mexican escape
COST From $154 a person a night, including meals
THE DEAL The window on this deal at the Occidental Grand Xcaret is short, from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, but it's an easy sale to convince the family to forego the cranberry sauce for guacamole. About an hour south of the Cancun airport, the Occidental Grand Xcaret is a sprawling oceanfront complex of pools, 11 restaurants and rooms in low-lying buildings. It's attached to Xcaret, a theme park with an educational twist, focused on the local Mayan culture and history.
INFO 800-858-2258, occidentalhotels.com
Royal Caribbean
COST From $50 a person, a night
THE DEAL Royal Caribbean's collaboration with DreamWorks has made the line more family friendly than ever, with characters from "Shrek" and "Madagascar" giving Disney some competition. The collaboration also has led to tech upgrades: 3-D theaters, outdoor screens and iPod docking stations in the rooms. Royal Caribbean can boast the first true Broadway productions at sea, with "Chicago" and "Hairspray." Many deals depart from Cape Liberty, N.J.; for example, at press time, a nine-night cruise to the eastern Caribbean aboard the Explorer of the Seas (departing on Jan. 28) was available starting at $594 a person while a 12-night southern Caribbean cruise aboard the same ship (departing Jan. 16) started at $653.
INFO 866-562-7625, royalcaribbean.com
Prices based on availability at press time and are subject to change.
Sunshine State savings
COST From $149 with Best of Waldorf, $19.09 with the Founders promotion
THE DEAL If you're looking for a Florida vacation, the Best of Waldorf Florida provides guests who book a stay at seven in-state hotels with complimentary breakfasts and resort credits of $25 to $50 a night. Among those participating are landmark resorts such as the Boca Beach Club in Boca Raton and the Naples Grand Beach Resort. If you're on a budget, some hotels in Palm Beach are participating in a 1909 Founders Special offering an extra night for $19.09, and others offer daily credits of $19.09.
INFO 800-925-3673, waldorfastoria.com. Visit palmbeachfl.com founderspackage for a list of hotels participating in the $19.09 Founders promotion.
Designer vacation
COST From $106 a night
THE DEAL The Design Hotels group is a collection of some of the world's trendiest, most playful and sometimes surprising hotels. More than 60 of their properties are participating in a winter promotion, with third nights free. Check out the work of French interior designer Frederic Thomas at the Park Hotel Tokyo, or the magnificently restored 19th century buildings of the Nobis Hotel in Stockholm.
INFO 800-337-4685, designhotels.com/winterspaces
Nutcracker suite
COST From $192 a night
THE DEAL After a $120 million renovation and expansion, the historic Omni Bedford Springs Resort (just over four hours from New York, in central Pennsylvania) is entering its second century in style. While winter weather means you might not enjoy the resort's 18-hole golf course, the water that emerges from the resort's eight natural springs is steaming hot year-round - you may find little reason to leave the 30,000-square-foot spa. A look at the hotel's unusual collection of more than 1,000 nutcrackers (including traditional soldiers), however, can fill some time between treatments. The resort is offering 20 percent off on stays through Dec. 30.
INFO 800-843-6664, omnihotels.com
