This coming winter, hundreds of thousands of Americans from the northeast or midwest will compete with one another for the few low-cost or moderately-priced condos or vacation homes in Florida and Southern California. They are determined to spend at least two weeks and more away from the frigid ice, snow and temperatures that everyone expects. And I recently discussed those urges in an earlier blog appearing on these pages..
I was immedihately upbraided by a reader who faulted me for failing to point out the opportunities to rent a low cost room in one of the many all-inclusive hotels (lodging and three meals for one set price) on the island of Malta, in the Mediterranean. He wrote:
"You overlooked the islands of Malta when discussing possible Euiropean sites for winter. We spent the month of February 2014 in a sea view balcony room on the fourth floor of an all-inclusive resort for about $150 a day for two persons. It was too cold for much swimming, that's true, but the average nighttime low temperature was about 50 F and the day time highs were about 70 F. It is the off season in Malta, so prices for everything, not just the room, are pretty low. There's a lot to see and do in Malta, and a day ticket for unlimited bus travel is 1.50 Euros. And the buses go just about everywhere on a 30-minute schedule. Wintering in Malta is popular among German and British retirees, and is gaining popularity among the Dutch and Scandinavians. But it's a deep dark secret among North Americans. The four of us traveling together were the only Americans we saw for the whole month."
That reader's slam served to remind me as well of oceanside hotels on the French Riviera, whose sky-high rates come down considerably during the still-mild months of winter. In past centuries, a winter stay on the so-called "Cote d'Azur" was regarded as a phenomenal vacation opportunity, and there's no reason to disregard the same today. During January and February of 2015, high-quality rooms at dozens of such hotels are priced at the French equivalent of $120 a night per double, often including a full buffet breakfast for two persons. If you will simply go to any hotel search engine, and request quotes for hotels in Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, and more, you will find a multitude of such opportunities, and although you'll pay a round-trip airfare of at least $800 per person to fly to the Cote d'Azur, your total costs will be no greater than you would have spent for similar lodgings in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. What could be better than winter on the French Riviera?
While there are no all-inclusive hotels on the Riviera, there is a popular Club Med (Club Med "Opio") offering an all-inclusive policy in the hills behind Cannes (and thus in Provence), charging $174 a night in January and February for everything, including gourmet-level meals--and as much wine as you can drink.
As for those all-inclusive hotels in Malta, the Seabank Resort Spa and the Paradise Bay Hotel are typical, but there are many more. And even more hotels throughout Malta include a buffet breakfast in their reasonable room rates.
You get there by first flying to Rome, and connecting to numerous daily flights to popular Malta.