The Good Life
10 Ways to Save on Christmas Vacation
Michael Martin
07/18/08 - 10:00 AM EDT
It happens every year: a dreaded telephone call to a place such as Little Nell in Aspen or Eden Roc in St. Bart's inquiring about those seven coveted nights between Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 better known as the "Christmas Getaway."
It seems that what was once an October practice is moving earlier and earlier every year, with Christmas rooms selling out as early as June for coveted destinations such as St. Bart's, Aspen and St. Moritz.
After calling around to lots of hotel chains, we celebrate Christmas in July with 10 festive tips for landing that coveted holiday room before it's too late.
1) Think Outside the Box
With Christmas falling on a Thursday in 2008, try booking a room for between Dec. 21 and Dec. 26 instead of the usual Christmas week. Room rates usually increase on the 26th, meaning that you'll also save a stocking-full of cash. Plus, you'll probably get to forgo that painful Secret Santa with all the office misfits on Christmas Eve. 2) Avoid the Chains
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek increases its room rates by over 90% from Dec. 24 compared with the week prior to Christmas, while local boutique hotels such Kimpton's Sky Hotel increase by no more than 30%. While facilities and services might not be comparable, you can upgrade to a better room category or splurge on some spa treatments with the money saved. 3) Bundle It Up
If you absolutely must stay at a luxury chain, inquire about special promotions, such as the Ski Package offered by Four Seasons Whistler. While room rates rise to $875 CAD (US$890) during the holiday period, a special ski incentive that includes two lift tickets and full breakfast is a mere $50 CAD (US$42) more per night.
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While basic room categories almost double during the peak holiday season, upgraded suites tend to fluctuate a lot less. Try getting a larger group together and renting a larger two- or three-bedroom suite. Residence Clubs such as the Ritz Carlton and the Four Seasons tend to have an ample supply of new units on the market given several major new openings in the last years. 5) Look for Cheap Currencies
Instead of hitting the slopes of Gstaad or Courchevel, take a sun-vacation and fly south toward more-affordable South American economies. While taking advantage of Argentina's devaluation and Brazil's ramped inflation may not sound very festive, you will be supporting local economies in need of foreign tourism while getting a toasty tropical tan and living like an American in '80s France. 6) Find One-of-a-Kind Gems
It may sound ridiculous, but one-of-a-kind and privately owned hotels tend to raise their rates a lot less during the holiday season than corporate-owned mega-chains. Hotel Quintessence in Quebec's Mount Tremblant offers all-suite accommodations during the holiday season at a mere 10% premium (suites go from $699 CAD to $749 CAD), vs. the nearby Fairmont Tremblant, which nearly doubles ($299 CAD to $599 CAD) and requires a five-night stay. 7) Be a Trendsetter
It's hardly a novel thing, albeit acceptably fabulous, to spend Christmas week in Verbier or St. Croix. Instead of the well-populated standards, try to discover new and less-populated destinations, such as skiing in Sochi, Russia (home of the 2014 Olympics), or a beach vacation in Sharm el Sheik along the Red Sea, which is all but abandoned during the holidays.
It may sound provincial, but renting a French Gites during the holiday season is surprisingly affordable, utterly charming, and quite convenient given the travel time from New York. For those looking for more sun or something more glamorous, villa rentals in the South of France are deeply discounted during the off-season, with last-minute availability that's surprisingly affordable. 9) Go to the Source
Sites such as Ownerdirect.com and VRBO.com offer premium vacation rentals with low fees and surprisingly good selections of luxury homes. With a variety of destinations and options, be studious about looking at photos and coordinating details with the owner, as many of these fees are paid in advance and nonrefundable. 10) Just Use Them
After accumulating all those impossible-to-use American Express(AXP Quote) and Delta(DAL Quote) miles, perhaps a more practical alternative would be to redeem the miles for hotel stays. With fewer blackout dates, a weak dollar and sky-high holiday rates, a one-night stay at a Park Hyatt or a Starwood(HOT Quote) Luxury Collection property may be a better value than that elusive round-trip airline ticket.