Ways to trim holiday costs

By Richard P. Carpenter, Globe Staff, 11/03/02

		Sensible traveler  Destinations  Where they went  Travel gear

We've entered the last two months of the year, and you know what that means: Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas, followed by exhaustion. Some people like to get away for the holidays, and others enjoy recovering from them via a getaway. There are lots of deals for either type, but it's wise to act, or at least begin planning, now. Hotwire, an online discount travel site, notes that with fewer planes flying, space will go faster. It offers these tips on a newly launched Plan Smart page:

Travel on off-peak days, when more seats are available, can result in much better fares. So when searching for fares, avoid these peak travel days: Nov. 26-27, Dec. 1-2, 19-23, and 26-30, and Jan. 2 and 4-6.

Check different airports in and around destination cities. For example, if you're New York City bound, flying into Newark may be cheaper than flying into JFK.

In looking for a hotel, search urban areas. They generally have more lodging places and thus more rooms available.

As for car rentals, search multiple car types — you just might find a good deal on a bigger auto. Whatever size you pick, rent for the entire weekend if possible. Weekend rates can be much cheaper than daily ones.

For the full list of tips, visit www.hotwire.com and click on "Three Ways to Save."

(The fine print: Hotwire purchases aren't refundable.)

Caribbean turkey

If you've ever considered a tropical Thanksgiving, Chenay Beach Resort in St. Croix is offering two free nights, a holiday celebration, and a one-day free car rental. Rates for this "Gobble Up This Deal" package start at $158 per room, per night, double occupancy for a garden-view room for travel Nov. 25-Dec. 2.

The holiday package includes: fourth and sixth night free with a minimum of seven nights booked; the one-day free car rental; a complimentary Thanksgiving buffet dinner for two at The Island House, the resort's on-property restaurant; and champagne in your room upon arrival. The Virgin Islands resort is set on 30 acres of a former sugar plantation.

Call 800-548-4457, e-mail chenaybay1@msn.com, or visit www.chenaybay.com.

What'll you bid?

If winning an auction thrills you, log on to www.skyauction.com and click on "Holiday Travel." A lot of Thanksgiving week flights, cruises, and packages (and some for Christmas and New Year, too) are up for bid. Bids start at $1 but naturally the ending price will be higher. But you never know: Not long ago, a Thanksgiving package including a seven-night stay at your choice of South Beach, Miami, resort, with air went for $54. Read the Frequently Asked Questions before bidding.

On the beach

Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa on Marco Island, Fla., has a Fall Getaway Package from $109 per night, available for Thanksgiving or any dates through Dec. 24. A Two for Breakfast Escape package is $159 a night and includes breakfast for two in the new Tropiks restaurant. The resort, off the southernmost tip of Florida's Gulf Coast, boasts a long stretch of beachfront.

Call 800-438-4373 and request rate codes LLOF, TFBC or visit www.marcoislandmarriott.com.

"Peaceful Pleasures"

The Quiet Corner, a region of Connecticut between Hartford and Providence, has put together a two-night "Peaceful Pleasures" getaway starting at $160 per person, double occupancy — 20 percent lower than regular rates.

The package, available through April 30 (but not on Thanksgiving), includes two nights' lodging with breakfast in a B&B, country inn, or hotel; a three-course dinner in a choice of fine restaurants; afternoon tea in an English tea room; a basket of Connecticut-made products; a voucher for Old Sturbridge Village, just over the line in Massachusetts; vouchers to three local museums featuring art and history; and all tips and taxes.

(The fine print: Price will vary depending upon accommodations chosen. In addition to Thanksgiving, the offer is not valid on New Year's, Valentine's Day, President's Weekend, and Easter.)

Call 888-628-1228, e-mail quietcorner@snet.net, or visit www.ctquietcorner.org.

History for $89

An "America's Historic Triangle" steeps travelers in the history of Jamestown Settlement, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Yorktown Victory Settlement. Plus, it provides an opportunity to enjoy Virginia in the fall (or any other time, for that matter).

The package begins at $89 a person per night, double occupancy, for a minimum two-night stay. Included are lodging and unlimited admission during your stay to the three attractions, all near one another in the Historic Triangle, where events in the 17th and 18th centuries helped shape the nation.

Call 800-465-5562 or visit www.americashistorictriangle.com.

Dinner and a show

New York City is always popular during the holidays, and taking in a show is often part of the experience. For $65 to $100, Continental Guest Services offers a package, good Monday-Friday, that includes a show and dinner in a restaurant in the theater district. Taxes and tips are included.

The 16 shows to choose from, subject to availability, range from "Rent" to "Beauty and the Beast" to the "Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular." Restaurants are Alfredo of Rome, Jack Rose, Joe Franklin's Memory Lane, and the Heartland Steak and Chop House.

Call 800-299-8587 or e-mail cgs@intercharge.com.

Overseas holiday

Christmas trips to London or Paris are available from Europe Express for $570 and $647, respectively. Included are round-trip air fare from Boston, six nights' hotel, and continental breakfast daily. Similarly priced Thanksgiving packages are also available.

(The fine print: Prices don't include $99 airport taxes or weekend surcharges, and space is subject to availability, and there may be restrictions. In checking the site, www.europeexpress.com, I found that flights to London on a December date I entered went first to Dulles Airport in Washington. The flight from London to Boston stopped first in Chicago. Both itineraries involved changing planes.)

Stopping down South

Seniors heading South along Interstate 95 can stop for the night without spending a whole lot. Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn hotels offer 20-30 percent discounts to travelers 60 and over who book in advance. Those 50 and older get a 10 percent price cut with no advance reservations. There are dozens of these hotels, all part of Choice Hotels International, along the way. Beginning rates range from $37 double occupancy in Florence, S.C., to $60, single or double occupancy, in Cocoa, Fla.

Call 800-4CHOICE or visit www.choicehotels.com.

Hey, big spender

If you're stuck for gift ideas this holiday season, consider the "Best of Both Worlds" offering at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa in Maui.

The gift, redeemable from Jan. 2 through Dec. 19, 2003, includes seven nights of luxury accommodations for two, personal butler and concierge service, a private limousine and driver, champagne and caviar delivered daily at sunset, daily dinners prepared by the resort's executive chef, a personal spa therapist on call, two daily spa treatments, a private snorkeling or scuba charter, and a choice of a daily island adventure ranging from windsurfing to a helicopter tour.

The price: $75,000.

Call 800-888-6100 or visit www.grandwailea.com.