We use tons of online tools to find the most competitive travel deals on the Internet. Then we hand pick the very best specials for our favorite people: New Yorkers.
Our favorite finds this week? A deal at the Ritz Carlton for 4 nights in San Juan, plus roundtrip, nonstop airfare, for less than $498/per person based on double occupancy.
Keep reading for more details on how to book this amazing special, plus our other favorite travel finds of the week.
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Hotels
South Beach Splurge: [via Thrillist] The Tides South Beach boasts super-deluxe accommodations (think vintage, one-of-a-kind decor; free-standing marble soaking tubs; Molten Brown toiletries; etc) and seriously discounted rates - 50% off if you enter the promo code SSST when booking. While the deal is only good for Amber Suites and above (which means you'll be spending $750/weekend night), we think this is a serious splurge steal under the right conditions. After all, your room will be extra spacious - you'll have one large room, a separate living area, and a 500 sq-ft private balcony all to yourself. You also won't need to rent a car when you book a hotel room at The Tides: the hotel provides free airport transports to and from the airport, and you'll be located right on the beach. You'll also get free Wi-Fi and unlimited snacks and non-alcoholic beverages from the minibar in your room. Finally, The Tides has a full-service spa and a much-lauded restaurant, La Marea, should you venture out of your palace. So grab a few friends and split the sweet suite. To read more about what the resort has to offer, check out Thrillist. Otherwise book (remember that promo code!) here.
Luxurious Paris for Less: [via Budget Travel] Chic Parisian hotel Le General has been substantially lowering their prices this summer, despite the fact that it's Paris's high season, which means spend-savvy jauntsetters like yourselves can stay in style without feeling too much guilt. Standard doubles - which include AC, WiFi, satellite TV a "sweet and savoury breakfast upon request" - are booking for $193, down from the regular $255. A single room is even cheaper at $166. Stay in and relax by the bar or in the sauna, or spend the money you've saved around the corner in trendy Republique, an area with a great bar scene, lots of yummy patissiers, and five subway lines close by. Book now or click here to read more from Budget Travel.
Phuket for Pennies: [via TabletHotels] Okay, while this deal isn't exactly pocket-change-cheap, it's still a serious bargain. For the next two weeks, stay at the gorgeous Racha hotel in Phuket, Thailand for just $141 per night, down from the regular rate of $337. A Small Luxury Hotel of the World, the Racha comes highly recommended by Conde Nast Traveler and was rated one of its Top Ten Best Beach Resorts in the World in 2008. And with reason: This property is tucked into the jungle on the edge of a pristine white beach, and features spacious villas with minimal decor and lots of natural light. Each villa has an indoor-outdoor shower, private terrace, and sea views; some even come with a private plunge pool and sun deck. The hotel also offers relaxing treatments at the Anumba Spa and three dining options, all with outdoor seating. Click here to read more about this deal and book, or visit the Racha's website here. And don't worry: if you can't make it in the next two weeks, the Racha is hosting last minute specials through October 2009.
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Packages
Montauk Madness: [via Thrillist] This isn't normally our thing (in fact, it sounds kind horrifying and amazing at the same time) but we're including it just in case you need to organize a hipster-friendly Bachelorette Party this summer. Consider heading out to Sole East (a normally relaxed, lovely hotel) in Montauk for an Ivy-affiliated Saturday night shindig that has its very own free booze bus to get you there. That's right, this party has transportation all lined up for you, and it works like this: Board a 30-person bus at 11am or noon out of Manhattan on select Saturdays this summer, and enjoy complimentary cold, hard refreshments the whole way to Montauk. Once you arrive, your party will continue with poolside lounging, a live DJ, lots of fancy snacks (think skirt steak sandwiches and duck tacos), and... more free liquor. Premium tequila is gratis, but you'll have to pay for the wine and custom cocktails. At the end of the night, Sole East offers free transportation back to the train and jitney stations. Click here for more details, such as exact dates and contact info to reserve a spot on a bus. And don't forget your RayBans!
Ritzy San Juan: [via Voyij] This incredible package to San Jaun, Puerto Rico is our favorite deal of the week. The details: spend only $983 for two people to fly round trip to San Juan and stay 4 nights at the swanky Ritz Carlton, conveniently located just minutes from beautiful Old San Juan. You can choose from multiple airline carriers and dates from August through October 17th for this low price. By the way, there are no wacky schedules or airlines involved; we found lots of convenient flights when testing this deal, including an American Airline ticket for a Thursday morning departure and a Sunday afternoon return the first weekend of October. To give you an idea of just how good this deal really is, we also checked out what the total cost would be if we booked this trip at the cheapest a la carte prices. The result? You'll be saving $643. This package also gives you free hurricane insurance (not that it should be a problem in October) plus various extras, including a $100 debit card for use in and around San Juan. Make sure you enter the code PR250 for the fully discounted price when you book here. More dates available - from now through December - for slightly higher prices.
Paris, Rome, and Back Again: [via Frommer's] We found this quick European jaunt to two of our favorite cities in the world with the help of Frommer's and travel booker European Destinations. For just $1212, fly from NYC to Paris for 3 nights stay, then fly to Rome for another 3 nights, then fly home - all airfare, hotel stays, taxes and fees included. We tried booking this trip on our own and the best price we could come up with was $508 more. Click here for more details from Frommer's. Or book here.
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Airfare
Note: As always, all our quoted airfare is for roundtrip, nonstop flights with all taxes and fees included, unless otherwise noted.
Super Low Fares to Barcelona: [via Travel + Leisure] Thinking about a jaunt to Spain this summer? At the rates we found, you should be. International travel site Vayama teamed up with British Airways to offer round trip fares to Barcelona for as little as $632 through August 31st, which is much, much cheaper than regular summer fares to one of our favorite cities in the world. Book here before June 30th to snag this great price! Or click here to read more details on the fare at T+L's Hot Deals.
Bangkok Bargain: Singapore Airlines is having an unbelievable sale for flights from JFK to Bangkok for travel from July 1st through November 30th. While the lowest fares are hard to book during the summer due to limited availability, we don't mind at all - in fact, we'd much rather travel to Thailand in the fall, when the weather is cooler. On that note, we found airfare for as little as $804 in October, with plenty of flexibility on dates that month. Hurry, though, and make your plans for Thai travel now - the sale ends on June 28th. Book here. (Note: there is one stopover each way on this trip, as there are no direct flights to Thailand from New York.)
Last Minute Montreal: Quick! Book this last-minute flight - for this weekend - before it sells out at just $181. Fly to Montreal at 8am this Saturday morning, and arrive just in time to check into your hotel and see the city over the weekend. Can't take Monday off? That's fine - return on the 6am flight and be in the office by 9:30. Or, take the later flight home that night and spend 3 lovely days in one of our favorite cities. Book with Continental here - and hurry.
