This week's Smart Deal is a tale of four nights in four cities -- Paris, Rome, London, and Barcelona -- and one provider, Travelocity (tel. 888/TRAVELOCITY; www.travelocity.com), for travel in the coming months. Prices are fluctuating somewhat, but travel starts at $854 for Paris, $890 for Rome, $951 for London, and $917 for Barcelona. Prices are calculated based on New York City departures and include taxes; some blackout dates apply. The price also includes fuel surcharges and because the prices are not necessarily tied to a specific promotional period but current pricing, they will vary somewhat vary depending on when you travel and your departure city.
Some of the properties that are part of this promotion have special incentives that are being offered. Here's how it breaks down. For the Paris trip, the least expensive, entry level price reflects Elysees Union Hotel, but you're not shuttling off from some remote suburb; you're close to the Metro and within a ten-minute walk of the major attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. At this hotel, children under age two stay for free of charge. In Rome, the price of $890 reflects the Grand Hotel Palazzo Carpegna Rome, with marble floors and high ceilings on the inside and park and courtyard on the outside. You're not far from the center of Rome via metro. It's not a terrible time to consider London, either, if weather is not a big factor; plus, the dollar is starting to gain a little bit more against foreign currencies. The Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London is priced from $951 and is located in Kensington, close to the Underground. And finally, travelers to Barcelona should be prepared to spend about $917 per person for the three-star Hotel Inglaterra, which is close to Plaza Catalunya, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, and walking distance of Liceu Opera House and La Boqueria. The rooms are stylish and modern; the hotel also boasts a roof deck.
