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Up Scale, Down Fee
US News & World Report · August 30, 2002

For a long weekend in October that Juli Echols describes as a "getaway just for the girls," the New Orleans attorney wanted to visit Manhattan with daughters Courtney, 15, and Ashley, 13. But rates were running $450 a night at the kind of upscale property she preferred–a tad rich for her taste.

Then she phoned the Waldorf Astoria. For $349 a night she could stay on the landmark hotel's concierge-level floor, where guests are treated to continental breakfast and evening hors d'oeuvres. The Waldorf even threw in a pair of two-day passes to attractions like the Guggenheim Museum, the Bronx Zoo, and the Museum of Television & Radio. "That clinched it," says Echols.

This autumn is unlike any other in the travel business. A widely anticipated summer recovery in tourism appears to have fizzled, forcing hotels and resorts to extend–or even sweeten–existing specials. "There are more deals out there, and they're concentrated in the weakest parts of the travel industry," says Mary VanMeer, editor of the bimonthly online newsletter ThriftyTraveling.com.

And weak spots are everywhere. In Florida, for example, the Boca Raton Resort & Club gives half off an adjoining room for the kids from November 24 through December 1; rates start at $250. Imperial Majesty Cruise Line, which runs two-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, Bahamas, is offering $179 weekend rates this fall, all meals included. Over in Aspen, Colo., rooms at the chic Hotel Jerome go for as little as $125 a night through November 21, a discount of $300. Just keep in mind that it's hurricane season in the tropics–and a little early for snow in the Rockies.

Although bargains abound, the most noteworthy are at high-end hotels in urban destinations. In New York, 9/11 anniversary jitters and the uneven economy are prodding even the most posh properties to prune prices. But nothing can compare with the Houston Omni's Red Carpet Weekend Package, which has plummeted from $2,000 to $199 a night. An honest-to-goodness red rug rolls out to greet you, and champagne and strawberries await in your suite. Some of the best rates for high-end properties are listed on Site59.com, a Web site specializing in last-minute travel packages. "People overcome their fear of traveling," notes VanMeer, "when they're offered a good enough deal."

Nor do they mind condensed trips. Nine out of 10 Americans are planning a weekend trip this year–a 27 percent jump from 1996, according to YP&B, an Orlando travel consulting firm.

True, a shorty won't give you the same mellow afterglow as a two-weeker. Think of it as "a pit stop [that] can help you keep running the race without blowing out the tires," says Mark Gorkin, a Washington-based organizational-stress consultant. But don't make the trip too short. "It takes one night to adjust to your new environment and a second just to feel as if you're on vacation," says Mark Goulston, a medical school professor who wrote The 6 Secrets of a Lasting Relationship. "Then you start to unwind."

Pick one. A little preplanning helps avoid vacation meltdowns. "Recall your best and worst brief trips," Goulston advises. "Keep what was good and eliminate what was bad." If you're taking the kids, he recommends letting each one pick an activity, so they feel included.

Then again, a couple of free days in the city is enough to make some travelers happy. "I dearly love the downtown experience," says Dolores Kanaley, a retired schoolteacher from Wilmette, Ill. This November she's planning to indulge with two nights at the newly refurbished Hotel Inter-Continental Chicago for a well-priced $349. Freebies include parking, hot toddies, gift wrap, and do-it-yourself aromatherapy. She and her 13-year-old granddaughter will stroll up and down North Michigan Avenue, enjoy the holiday lights, and get a jump on Christmas shopping. And if the Windy City lives up to its name? Kanaley plans to seek solace in the arms of Santa, who'll be presiding in the lobby of the Inter-Continental.

Romp in the pomp

ON THE AVE HOTEL

$225 a night

The deal: New York's On the Ave Hotel cut the price of its $475 penthouse suites.

How posh? Belgian linens, four truffles nightly on overstuffed Euro-pillows.

THE OMNI HOUSTON HOTEL

$199 a night

The deal: The Omni Houston Hotel's Red Carpet special is normally $2,000.

How posh? A butler serves a meal in your suite; chauffeured town car.

THE FAIRMONT SAN FRANCISCO

$189 a night

The deal: That's $60 off the rack rate at San Francisco's Fairmont. Plus free parking.

How posh? Locale: tony Nob Hill. Gift basket goodies include Ghirardelli chocolate.

WYNDHAM EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT & GOLDEN DOOR SPA

$154 a night

The deal: Book a $205 room for three nights, get a fourth free at Puerto Rico's Wyndham El Conquistador.

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