April 24, 2004 -- Barbados just announced it's annual spring sale, "the Best of Barbados" promotion (for brevity's sake, let's just call it BOB), that offers a slew of amenities like extra nights in hotels, discounted airfare and reduced car rental rates. Subsidized by the Bajan government in an effort to keep those tourists coming in the off-season, the deals are made through several tour operators, among whose bargains we searched for samples of this always-popular opportunity.
Highlights of the program are one free hotel night, $100 off the airfare, rental car one day free when you buy three, and a 15% discount on shopping at places that have joined in the promotion. Restaurants offer discounts, too. The latter deals are part of a "Bajan Passport" scheme. At All-Inclusive resorts, you get a free night for stays of five nights or longer. At non-inclusive resorts, you get your free night on stays of seven nights or longer, and a full breakfast in hotels that are able to provide it.
Least expensive of the seven-night programs is one offered by Atlas Vacations, costing only $499 for the week based on Miami departure and stays at the Golden Sands. You get a studio room with kitchen, plus roundtrip airport/hotel transfers and daily breakfast. Taxes and service charges are extra. The same deal out of New York is $603, from Boston or Baltimore $582 and from Houston $600. If you want to upgrade to the Rainbow Reef, the price starts at $609 from Miami. For the Acres, it's $750, again from Miami, but only $599 from New York. Travel dates are through June 30 and again from September 7 through November 30. Contact Atlas Vacations at www.atlasvacations.net or by phoning 800/634-1057 or 888/285-3390.
US Airways Vacations also participates in the BOB program, with a seven-night stay at
Time Out at the Gap hotel, costing just $723 out of New York's LaGuardia or Philadelphia. The promotion is good from now through November 23, and includes free breakfast. Travel is valid through June 30 and again from September 7 through November 30. Prices out of Washington, D.C. start at $728, from Boston $731, from Charlotte $814 and from Pittsburgh $823. Contact them at www.usairwaysvacations.com or at 800/352-8747.
You can stay at the same hotel, Time Out at the Gap, at a price of just under $937 per person when you fly Continental Airlines from Newark, again including breakfasts and transfers. This would be in a pool view room (said to be their cheapest), and travel dates would be from now through June 30, then again from September 7 through November 30, booking no later than November 25. The hotel has 76 air-conditioned bedrooms, each with satellite TV and mini fridges among other amenities. Contact Continental Vacations at www.covacations.com or at 888/346-3812.
For more information on other travel providers, visit www.barbados.org or call 800/221-9831.
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