September 10, 2004 - In terms of value for money, Latin America's best bets are as easy to remember as your ABCs: Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica. Regardless of which one you decide to visit, your dollars will go a long way.
Off Peak Traveler
Off Peak Traveler (www.offpeaktraveler.com) has four different packages to Latin America at the top of their listings in that part of the world. Least expensive per night is their Best Buy Rio & Buenos Aires deal, costing just $599 per person. The package features daily morning departures from Miami, three nights of lodging in each city, and daily continental breakfast. In Rio, you stay at the Savoy Othon, in Buenos Aires at the Waldorf.
Their Best Buy Buenos Aires deal costs $549 and is also for a morning Miami departure, with five nights at the Waldorf or similar hotel, and continental breakfast daily. Best Buy Rio goes for the same price, with morning Miami departures and a five-night stay at the Savoy Othon with continental breakfast daily.
Finally, there's a Best Buy Buenos Aires Spa & Ahh deal, costing $699 per person. In addition to the morning Miami midweek departure, you get your five nights of lodging with private bath or shower, daily buffet breakfast, welcome drinks, one day of full Spa treatments (with facial shock hydration, corporal massages of 30 minutes, sauna or Turkish bath and ozone therapy), and dinner at the restaurant one evening. The last two perks -- upgrade to superior room and late check out (6 PM) -- are subject to availability.
On all packages, there's a surcharge for evening departures of $75 and a weekend surcharge of $30 each way. If you want to go during the December holidays, there's a surcharge of $250, except for the Spa package.
Add-ons for the varying packages range from $100 to $280, depending on the package and your gateway. All deals are valid through December 31, 2004.
Go Today
You have until November 4, 2004 to book one of Go Today's two cool specials, the fist to Buenos Aires, the other to Rio de Janeiro, for travel from early September to early December, depending on the city chosen. The Buenos Aires special features roundtrip air from New York (via Lima and Santiago, Miami), six nights of hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, hotel taxes and service charges, roundtrip transfers between airport and hotel, and a half-day city tour. Travel dates are from September 15 through November 15, 2004, (spring down there), and the hotel is the Embajador. This hotel will not be available from October 8-15, 2004.
The Rio Special from Go Today starts at just $629 per person in a double room, with roundtrip airfare from New York or Newark, five nights of lodging at the Savoy Othon Hotel, daily breakfast, hotel taxes and service charges, and roundtrip transfers between airport and hotel.
Add-ons for either package are available from other gateways and range from $25 to $250, depending on destination and departure city chosen. Book at www.gotoday.com or by phoning 425/487-9632 ($20 fee for booking on phone).
They Know the Way to San Jose
Gate 1 Travel (800/682-3333; www.gate1travel.com) has a marvelous package I call a "starter" trip to Latin America for beginners. If you want just a taste, and want to play it safe, try their 3-day San Jose on Sale deal, which starts at just $369. For this, you get roundtrip airfare from Chicago, two nights in the three-star Barcelo Rincon del Valle hotel, daily breakfast and arrival transfer. Other departure cities are available.
Travel dates are from now through December 9, 2004. You'll be on your own in San Jose, but there is an optional half day tour of the city and to nearby Moravia for just $24. That's just one of several options within the country, ranging from $29 to $239, involving an additional two or three-night stay.
NOTE that for all trips to Rio, you will need a Brazilian visa in addition to a passport.
Also NOTE that in all packages above the price is per person in a double room, and that none of the costs includes airport taxes and security fees.