Deal 1: Just the two of us
Tropical Sky has a twin-centre seven-night trip in May to St Lucia going begging for a tempting £1,599 per person, having lopped £200 per person off the regular price. It's a couples-only holiday starting at the four-star 17-property Stonefield Estate Villa Resorts (three nights) on the western coast of the island and then heading off up to Malabar Beach (four nights) in the north for the four-star Rendezvous resort. The holiday includes scheduled flights from Gatwick, accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, resort and internal road transfers, taxes and surcharges.
Book: tel. 0844 332 9349; www.tropicalsky.co.uk/deals
Deal 2. Your own Jersey Shore
Sitting right on the beach at pretty St Brelade's in Jersey, L'Horizon Hotel and Spa has a three night room, bed and breakfast offer at £280 -- a £140 saving based on two sharing. St Brelade's Bay is one of the island's most popular beaches, its sheltered golden sands attracting the crowds in summer and its safe swimming big with families. The hotel itself, a very British affair despite its name, has great spa facilities (the indoor heated swimming pool with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean is bliss), four restaurants and a large beachfront terrace for people watching.
Book: tel. 0845 458 0905; www.handpickedhotels.co.uk
Deal 3. New Year in the mountains
Ski fans save a whopping £410 per person by booking Inghams' eight-night holiday in the village of Söll in Austria departing 30 December, priced at £459 per person. The village, at the foot of the Hohe Salve mountain, is perfect for beginner and intermediate skiers with the more experienced having access to the 280km of pistes in the huge SkiWelt area. Non-skiers can go ice skating on Lake Moorsee (and enjoy the après ski antics of course). The package includes half board at the three-star Sport Hotel Modlinger, return flights from Gatwick to Salzburg, transfers, a fondue evening with wine, 10% reduction to the local sports centre and a New Year gala dinner. Flights from regional airports are available for between £29 and £49 extra.
Book: tel. 0208 780 4447; www.inghams.co.uk
Deal 4: MSC's Cashback Gift
MSC Cruises is repeating its Pick Your Gift promotion which offers substantial savings on 2012 cruises across the Med, including its MSC Opera sailings in July and August departing from Southampton. Anyone booking a seven, eight or 11 night cruise can pick either free return flights from London (Genoa and Venice departure points only), £250 onboard spending money per person or a £200 discount on the cruise portion of the holiday price, which is useable for any cabin., not just the premium ones. To get the deal, you have to book your 2012 cruise by 31 December.
Book: tel. 0844 561 1955; www.msccruises.co.uk
Deal 5. Family-friendly skiing
Inghams is knocking £316 per person off its seven-night holiday at the four-star Edelweiss and Gurgl hotel in Austria's Ötz valley departing 7 January, making this deal at £799 per person. The location means snow-sure slopes and has one of the best children's ski schools in the country. It's also ideal for novices because there are two new beginner ski areas (but also loads of blue and red runs too for intermediates). The hotel, with its own spa and indoor pool, is ski-from-the-door and the village has a weekly ski show, night skiing and tobogganing. Price includes accommodation, flights from Gatwick, transfers and free child supervision.
Book: tel. 020 8780 4447; www.inghams.co.uk
Deal 6: Gala dinner deal
Sovereign Luxury Travel's December online deal to Cyprus might just lure you away from Blighty for Christmas. The operator is offering a seven-night holiday to the Columbia Beach resort at the centre of Pissouri Bay for £685 per person which includes half-board accommodation, flights from London Gatwick plus transfers and a Christmas Eve Gala Dinner. The trip, departing 21 December, represents a saving of £420 per couple. Columbia Beach, a five star resort steeped in orchards and backed by sweeping white cliffs, places an emphasis on spa treatments (for which has won awards), golf and relaxation (it has an amazing 80-metre long lagoon style pool). And NO cooking!
Book: www.sovereign.com
Deal 7: Take your Christmas to the Lakes
Diamond Resorts International has a festive 60% off its Scandinavian-style lakeside lodges over the Christmas period. For a rather pleasing £79 per night you get your own two bedroom lodge at the Pine Lake resort in Camforth, Lancashire, which sleeps up to six people. You have to book a minimum of three nights, you need to book by 15 December and the offer expires 31 January. The deal includes a bottle of bubbly on arrival and unlimited use of pools, sauna, gym and gym during the stay. You're also in an ideal spot to explore the delights of Lune Valley and the Lake District. And think of all those lovely Christmassy country pubs!
Book: tel. 0800 3586991; www.diamondresorts.com
Deal 8: Or go south
Pick up the keys for Granite Cottage, just two miles from Cornwall's Eden Project, near Lostwithiel, and spend a cosy Christmas in a 17th century detached barn house. Built on a Domesday site in the rural hamlet of Bodiggo, the cottage (which sleeps four) sits on a small holding with horses and has terrific views across the landscape. You'll also be 15 minutes from the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the fishing village of Mevagissey. Cornish Traditional Cottages has reduced the price over the Christmas and New Year weeks with the rate falling from £521 per week for £468. And if you fancy it for a week leading up to the 25th December, its £306pw.
Book: tel. 01208 821666; www.corncott.com
