January can be bleak, and with the kind of weather most of the United States has had this month, it's fair to say that the weather may be getting people down. Orbitz (tel. 800/504-3248; www.orbitz.com) has put together a promotion that offers up to 50 per cent off hotels and packages for travel through May 31 as long as you book by March 29. The special is valid at hotels in more than 45 destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, Hawaii, New Orleans, San Francisco, Miami, and other warm places. The promotion, however, also includes colder spots such as ski destinations in Vail, Aspen, and Breckenridge, Colorado. Some blackout dates apply.
Examples of savings include the Dreams Punta Cana Resort and Spa in the Dominican Republic, priced from $217 per night, which represents 40 per cent off and a $200 resort credit. La Meridien Cancún Resort and Spa is priced from $294 per night for high season -- January 23-26, representing a savings of 50 percent off; also, kids under the age of 12 stay free. Skiers might find the rates of $218 per night at the Crystal Peak Lodge in Breckenridge for April 3-6 a good bet. In Las Vegas, many of the promotions incorporate resort credits, which are useful in many of the top tier restaurants or in the casinos themselves.
