Off-season travel to Europe usually presents a harvest of bargains to savvy travelers. Among this year’s crop of winter deals are United Vacations’ basic four-night packages to any of eight cities: London, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Under this plan, two people could fly from Chicago to London and back Jan. 10-15, for example, stay four nights at the Comfort Inn Hyde Park with a continental breakfast each morning and pay $1,257, including all taxes, surcharges, and the required “document express fee” for mailing tickets and vouchers. Or, on those same dates, two intrepid travelers could venture even farther, to Budapest, bed down at the well-regarded Mercure Budapest Korona, and shell out $1,478, also including those pesky required fees. Round-trip flights are on United, Lufthansa or SAS airlines. As for the fine print, surcharges may be added on certain dates, and the packages are good from now until March 31, except for the blackout dates of Dec. 15-24. Numerous add-ons like city tours and transfers can be arranged, at extra cost, for most destinations. (800-328-6877; or at www.unitedvacations.com, though these deals do not yet appear on the site)
ONE FOR THE BIRDS
First, there’s the annual Christmas Bird Count. Then, a couple of weeks later, farsighted avian mavens can make a V-line for the Birders’ Paradise Weekend Jan. 5-7 at the Mohican State Park & Conference Center, just southeast of Mansfield, Ohio. The nearby Ohio Bird Sanctuary puts on a whole weekend of fine-feathered events: seminars, live-bird demonstrations and wildlife artists’ workshops. Like the subjects they study, many bird fanciers return year after year for this one. The weekend package, priced at $299 for two, includes lodging in a lake-view room, a Friday night reception, two breakfasts, Saturday night dinner and all birding activities. (800-282-7275; or at www.mohicanresort.com or www.atapark.com)
HOLLY IN BALI
Old St. Nick really does circle the globe at this season. You can prove it to the kids by taking them with you to the Ritz-Carlton in Bali during the resort’s “Celebrating Festive Holidays” promotion. Special holiday activities will have the youngsters busily decorating cookies as local children sing Christmas carols to the sounds of traditional bamboo instruments. On Christmas Eve, gifts in handmade stockings will magically appear in all guest rooms. Room rates at this posh establishment start at $192 Dec. 24-Jan. 5, with children receiving a second room in the same category at savings of up to 50 percent. (800-241-3333; or at www.ritzcarlton.com)
FREE STUFF
Winter Escapes in San Francisco provides a list of 44 hotel packages valid for various periods between now and the end of March. A surprising number cost less than $100 per night for two (at the Fitzgerald, Chancellor, Embassy, Foley’s Inn, Grant Plaza, Herbert and Stratford), although the Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental goes for $259/night and the Westin St. Francis package is $349/night. (800-368-2228; or at www.sfvisitor.org)
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Rates generally are per person double occupancy, unless otherwise stated.
