• What's elliott?
• About elliott
• Contact us

t o p i c s

• Business
• Commentary
• Destinations
• Help
• Leisure
• Technology
• Vault

Copyright Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved. For more information, call (305) 453-4781 or send e-mail to us.

Posh, Not Pricey
US News & World Report · May 31, 2002

And the winner is . . . Cozumel. In a U.S. News survey of 223 travel agents, the Mexican island off the eastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula topped the list of destinations that offer the best vacation value in North America and the Caribbean. Secluded St. Bart's, on the other hand, is the place to go if your cash flow is endless. The Caribbean isle led the ranks of spots that give the least value for the dollar.

The survey reflects the nation's travel mood. Travel agents once divided customers into two camps–bargain hunters and seekers of a vacation "experience." That's no longer the case, says Keith Waldon, a spokesman for Virtuoso, a luxury travel agency consortium based in Fort Worth. In a fragile economic recovery, Waldon thinks even affluent vacationers are keeping a tighter grip on their wallets. "Above all, people are looking for financial value," he says.

That's what they'll find in Cozumel, a 30-mile-long island in the Caribbean. What makes it such a good deal? The U.S. dollar goes far in all of Mexico. But unlike some parts of the country, where the crime rate is worrisome, the agents noted that Cozumel is relatively safe. And they raved about the Mayan ruins, coral reefs, and varied dining options.

So do tourists. Mary Browning, a Superior, Colo., advertising consultant, is taking her fifth trip to the island this summer. This spring, she and her husband stayed in a $35-a-night bungalow, paid $30 for gourmet seafood meals for two, and spent the day diving for $65 per person. "We're totally sold on it," she says.

Mountain lows. Of course, you do have to be a beach person–preferably, a diver–to enjoy Cozumel. Fortunately, the best-value list has other options. Canada is well represented because its dollar is weak–so weak that Whistler, the Canadian mountain resort near Vancouver, will rent you a room with a cathedral ceiling for $87.50 in August. And in case you were wondering: You can ski in the middle of summer–on a nearby glacier.

New Orleans is the highest-rated destination in the continental United States. Even when heat and humidity peak in summer, travelers still come for music, food, and swamp tours. Getting to Crescent City is inexpensive; no-frills Southwest is the dominant carrier. And while tourists could drop a bundle at four-star hotels and fancy eateries, they can also take advantage of an array of midrange hotels that have opened in the past year, such as a new Quality Inn & Suites and a SpringHill Suites. Rates at Quality Inn, just two blocks from the French Quarter, start at about $99 a night.

The places that made the other list were expensive, and they know it. "If you come to St. Bart's on holiday, you should be prepared to spend money," cautions Elise Magras, the island's director of tourism. "St. Bart's is hard to get to and offers limited accommodations," says Margery Leedy, an agent with Admiral Travel in Sarasota, Fla. Leedy compares the rates on everything from meals to hotels to those on another island: Manhattan.

Aspen, the runner-up, readily acknowledges that people think it's overpriced. But the resort is trying to change its image by offering 20-percent-off packages and hosting ESPN's X Games.

Rankings, by their very nature, are subjective, and you can tell the minute you look at our two lists. Bermuda and Vail each earned votes for best and worst value. The upscaliness is offset by cut-rate packages in winter and low rates in summer. "Even the expensive places can deliver bargains and the inexpensive ones can deliver a top-notch price," says Tim Zagat, who publishes guidebooks that rate hotels, resorts, and spas. But the budget-minded travelers of 2002 may feel like poor country cousins when they stroll by pricey shops and restaurants in both destinations.

A good agent can steer you away from overpriced places, says Bob Cowen, who edits a Web site called InternetTravelTips.com–especially an agent who specializes in the area you'd like to visit. And how do you know your agent is on the right track? Just ask, "Where's the best place for a value vacation?" If the answer is "St. Bart's," you might want to bargain hunt elsewhere.

Best Value

1. Cozumel - Discover Scuba class at Eagle Ray Divers is a bargain $65.
2. Whistler - A 2-hour fishing lesson at the Western Canadian resort: $49.
3. Maui - Rooms at Bambula Inn ($90 and up) come with free sunset cruise.
4. New Orleans - Nightly jazz at Preservation Hall: $3 a head.
5. Lake Louise - A Canadian Rockies gondola ride, two meals, a bed: $55.
6. Quebec City - Most museums are free.
7. Vail - A 2-bedroom suite at Park Meadows Lodge is $99 in summer.
8. Bermuda - Check out free companion air tickets from certain operators.
9. Amelia Island - A Southern fried-food fest is $6 at Florida House Inn.
10. San Antonio - Remember, the Alamo is free.

Most Overpriced

1. St. Bart's - Sample off- season rate: $275 a night for a resort cabin.
2. Aspen - Home of the $18 crab-cake appetizer.
3. Bermuda - Full-day fishing charter costs $850.
4. Virgin Gorda - Another $275-a-nighter.
5. Palm Beach - An oceanfront massage: $200.
6. Key West - Ocean Key Resort's 1-bedroom oceanfront suite: $474.
7. Barbados - A 6-bedroom villa: $21,000 a week.
8. Carmel - Greens fees at Spyglass Hill Golf Course are $250.
9. Vail - Beluga caviar is $48 a half ounce at chic La Tour.
10. Santa Fe - A 3-night package at La Posada Resort & Spa: $1,145 and up.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Annapolis, Md. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.