Metafares' Deal Hunting Blog

Now that winter is almost over, it’s time get yourself out of the den and embrace the big wide world. Just in case that the idea of taking a vacation sounds a little premature for you, you might want to start with a weekend escape. And to make sure that this first step won’t force you to overcharge your credit card, here are some cool under $250 travel deals brought to you by Travelocity.com.

Once the biggest steel producer in the US, Pittsburgh has evolved into a modern, sophisticated city, surrounded by a green belt and splendid countryside. If you feel ready to explore Pittsburgh’s countryside within the next weekend, then, depending on your selected dates, you could book a hotel and flight for as little as $200. Other Mid-Atlantic destinations are Niagara Falls, Washington DC and Baltimore, all available for prices between $200 and $250 per person, including the flight. For more on the available dates and participation locations, check out all the under $250 travel pack deals on Travelocity.com.

Monday is just the perfect time to check some fresh travel deals (this way, if you decide to book some last-minute deal, you will have plenty of time to prepare for a great weekend). And to make things even more appealing, most of the discounted travel packages available online will guide your steps towards the warm beaches of the Caribbean.

Following the travel trends of the season, Priceline.com has prepared some special travel packs for anyone willing to take a break from winter and head for Cancun, Ixtapa, Bahamas or the Dominican Republic. With no more than $654, you will be able to enjoy all the pampering that an all inclusive resort can offer, and this for 5 days in a row. If you are ready to go all the way through and book a seven-day travel package, Oasis Hamaca in Dominican Republic is ready to provide everything you need for an amazing $917 per person. And the final argument: all the all-inclusive travel deals available on Priceline’s special deals page come with a round-trip flight.

If your plans for February include a short break on some tropical beach, maybe you should consider Expedia’s travel packages. For the upcoming month, Expedia has negotiated some really hot last-minute deals: with prices starting at $622 (flight included), you will be able to enjoy an all inclusive vacation in some Central American top resort – this particular offer, $622, is valid from February 7^th to February 11^th at Oasis Viva Beach in Cancun, Mexico.

In terms of all inclusive packages, Cancun has the most unbeatable prices: if you decide to spend an extended weekend at Royal Solaris Cancun Resort, you’ll be able to save up to $184 (the price of this package starts at $689 per person). If you are decided to have the best you can get, try the 5-star Excellente Playa Muheres in Cancun: everything included for a little less than $1300. For other destinations and more detailed offers, check out Expdia’s deals&offers page.

If you really want to start the New Year with a boost of energy, maybe you should consider taking a vacation. You don’t necessarily have to jeopardize your job by asking for a vacation in the first month of the year; an extended weekend in some classy hotel could be enough to restore your strength. A short glance over Travelocity’s vacation deals will show you that prices hadn’t gone up since last year and a decently priced vacation pack is only within a click’s reach.

As part of their “Cure the cabin fever campaign”, Travelocity are offering discounted vacation packages that allow you to save up to 50% of the initial price. Thus, you can stay at Nickelodeon Family Suites in Orlando for only $79 per night. In their Travel Deals section, Travelocity are offering a total of 4435 deals, most of which are in the United States, but also in exotic locations as the Caribbean, Australia or South America. Going for a weekend ski trip is another smart option: spending a night in the 4-star Aspen Meadows hotel can cost you only $149 per night.

2009 has been a crazy year for all of us. And this is exactly why you should leave all your worries behind just go somewhere for several days. It makes no difference if it is a Colorado ski resort or a Caribbean beach, as long as you can just relax. The good news for those of you that haven’t got any plans yet is that, even with two days left until Christmas, you still got time to book something.  Just to give you a heads up, here are some great last minute travel package deals that the Priceline Negotiator has prepared for you:

If a ski trip is what you’ve got I mind, then probably you would like to take advantage of the 3-night vacation package in Vail, Colorado, providing 4.5-star accommodation for as little as $356 per night.  Or you could just spend your nights in a Denver 4-star hotel, and be charged around $79 per night (this great bargain is only valid by the end of this week). So, take some time to consider my suggestion and maybe take a glance at Priceline’s last-minute deals.

A good place to search for travel deals is the ‘Top 20 Weekly Travel Deals’ made by the editors of Travelzoo. It is quite amazing what you can get these days with a little research! Just to give you an example, a weekend cruise in the Bahamas aboard a Celebrity Cruise ship can go as low as $149 (and you also get $50 credit onboard). If you want to take a swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, there are numerous options to choose from. One would be to take an all-inclusive vacation package in Carbo for the modest amount of $499. Or to pay around 75% per night in a Jamaican all inclusive resort.

If you prefer big cities to exotic beaches, no problem: you can stay in London for 6 nights and spend only $597, including the plane ticket. Low rates also apply for big city hotels:  according to Travelzoo, this week you can book a room in San Francisco, Las Vegas or Austin with less than 100$ and enjoy the all privileges of a top rated hotel.

Most of you have already planned their Christmas and New Years Eve vacations in detail by now, but what about Valentine’s weekend, Family Day of the Mid-Winter Vacation? Booking now can save you lots of time and effort. And if you haven’t thought about a possible destination by now, I dare make you a suggestion: what about Virgin Islands? It’s warm, it’s luxurious and, most of all, you don’t need visa if you have a US passport!

If you book a trip to St. Thomas or St. John by January 31, 2010, through Expedia.com you can spend as little as $476 for several days of relaxation in a 4-star resort. Many Virgin Islands upscale resorts have decided to offer special rates for this time of the year (January-March). Another option is to pay for at least 4 or 5 nights and get one for free. Depending on your departure city, the length of you staying and your flexibility in what concerned the dates; at Ritz-Carlton in St. Thomas you could pay only $293.33 for a 5-night staying. Take a look at the Virgin Islands deals page on expedia.com and you’ll be able to read a brief travel guide and get a personalized offer.

The Priceline Negotiator comes with some interesting all-inclusive vacation deals this week. Destinations include the Caribbean beaches in Mexico and some Central American republics. But rates are quite incredible: with $779 you get a round-trip flight from Charlotte to the Dominican Republic, 7 night accommodation in a 3-star hotel and all you can eat and drink. For a shorter vacation, you can pay as little as $493 (the rate is valid for a 3 night staying at Oasis Cancun Hotel in Cancun, Mexico, with the departure from Philadelphia).

My personal favorite was the $574 worth of peace, relaxation and quality entertainment on the private beaches of Playa de Bravo Hotel in Melia Caribe Tropical. Encompassing 40 kilometers of beaches, golf courses, pools and plan trees, Melia Caribe Tropical is the newest resort in Punta Cana. The offer includes a flight from Washington and back and 5 nights in a modern, 4-star hotel (not to mention all the free food and drinks). For a bargain to your liking, check out the all-inclusive travel package section on priceline.com (rates might change from one day to another).

Nothing says family vacation like a getaway to the Walt Disney World Resort! From the very first moment you will step foot in this magic world, both you and your children will be enchanted by the encounter with the Disney characters, by the Magic Kingdom and you’ll definitely have fun when taking a fantasy ride in the amusement park. Best of all, you can extend your vacation without paying a bundle when picking up the latest Walt Disney World Resort deal.

More precisely, you can get three free extra nights as well as free tickets for the theme parks if you purchase a four-night/four-day Magic Your Way package at participating Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.  If not, there’s another profitable deal you can take advantage of: make a reservation for a five-night/five-day Magic Your Way Package at participating Disney Value Resorts and you will receive two additional nights with free tickets. Both deals apply from November 1 through 20, December 11 through 24 and January 3 through March 27. Still, you have to book your vacation by December, 20. For further information and online bookings, go directly to Walt Disney World Special Offers.

For many of us, a trip to Barcelona is like a dream come true. When spending your vacation in this top-rated city, central to Spain’s art and culture, you can visit museums, spot the church of Sagarada Familia, go to the beach, treat yourself to fresh seafood served in the fancy restaurants and shop on the Las Ramblas ring of glitzy boutiques. Best of all, this fall, you won’t have to exhaust all your financial resources to take this trip because Expedia has posted this great vacation package deal.

More exactly, it features a four-night accommodation at the Husa Oriente hotel, located right on the Las Ramblas boulevard and a roundtrip airfare from New York, all for a price as low as $891. After a day out touring the city and tasting the best local dishes, have a drink or a snack together with your family or friends and shared your impression on this elegant city. This deal applies from November, 19 to November, 23, 2009. And if we managed to arouse your interest, visit Expedia’s Vacation Packages Page to get further reference.