Travel secrets for the bargain-hunter

[Bulldog]

Travel secrets for the bargain-hunter: Venice in March, Hawaii in May     
 

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Then heed the findings of CheapTickets.com's "Cheapometer," which offers month-by-month projections for when hotel rates will be cheapest in 2008 in popular destinations around the world.

For example, hotels in Athens will be 68 per cent cheaper in January than at its peak tourism period, the website said.
 

Other January bargains include Jackson Hole, Wyo., 64 per cent cheaper than peak, and Paris, 48 per cent cheaper, the site said.

Hotels in California's wine country in Napa and Sonoma is 47 per cent cheaper in February than peak, CheapTickets said, and London is 35 per cent cheaper in February.

Venice hotels are 55 per cent cheaper in March than what you might pay other times of year, and Montreal is 40 per cent cheaper that month.

Hotels in Hawaii are 22 per cent cheaper in May than in peak season, according to CheapTickets.

For Las Vegas, the best time of year for snagging a cheap hotel room is June, when prices are 26 per cent lower than peak, the website said.

And if you're looking for cheap in Miami, Jamaica or Cancun, try September, when prices are around 50 per cent what you might pay otherwise. The tradeoff: you'll have to deal with hot weather and take a chance on a stay at the height of hurricane season.

CheapTickets calculated the differential by taking the average price of three-star hotels by month in each destination, and comparing the lowest monthly rate with the highest monthly rate over 12 months.

http://travel.canoe.ca/Travel/News/2007/12/12/4721110-ap.html

[flopnfly]

I've always found that January, June and September are the cheapest months for Caribbean All Inclusive vacations. 

That's when you'll find the $300 - $500 deals.

You take a risk of not getting the best weather, but you're still pretty much guaranteed a few sunny days.  We've taken advantage of deals in January and September and had a full week of sunshine both times, with no hurricanes.

This year we found great deals for December, and took advantage of one.  Sandals St. Lucia for $1000 each, and you all know the rest of the story.    , but the weather was fantastic!!