Half-off hotel deals: Expedia’s end-of-summer sale

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Summer? Yes, it’s still summer and that means there’s time for you to take a second or third break away from the grind. Expedia is having a half-off hotel sale with more than 400 participating hotels offering up to 50% off their rack rates. You might find similar deals online, but Expedia hand picks the cheapies for you by location and throws in a free gas card ($25, $50 or $75) when you book a minimum stay of two nights.

Deal: Get up to 50% off select hotels and resorts on Expedia when you book a vacation for four or more nights. I tested the sale and found the following deals in San Diego, San Francisco, Phoenix and Cozumel, Mexico. Don’t worry if you are interested in a shorter trip, there are deals within the same promotion for two- and three-night holidays.

> Cozumel: 35% off El Cid la Ceiba Beach for a three-night stay. Rates were dropped from $142 to $92 per night. For a three-night stay (Sept. 4-7), with taxes, the total came to $310.

> Phoenix: 50% off Scottsdale Links Resort for a four-night stay. I found rates as low as $48 per night when I tested the dates Aug. 22-26. The full four nights came to $229 after taxes. Note: The Scottsdale Links Resort is only three blocks from the TPC Desert Golf Course and the Stadium Course.

> San Diego: 30% off Paradise Point Resort & Spa for a three-night stay. Known for being an excellent family retreat, I found rooms starting at $153 per night in September. Weekend rates were marked down from $329 per night to $230. So, a three-weekend-night stay (Sept. 12-15) came to $707 including taxes and fees.

> San Francisco: 50% off Radisson Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf for a four-night stay. When I tested the dates Aug. 27-31, the rates dropped to $100 midweek and only $115 per night on the weekend, pre-tax. The four-night stay came to $500 after taxes.

When: Book by Sept. 2, for travel until Sept. 30, 2008

Tip: To get the free gas card, look for the “Expedia Extra” symbol. If you can be flexible with your dates, use the rate calendar to find out which dates are the cheapest for travel. Then follow the gas card instructions on your booking confirmation page to obtain the card. Expedia says it will take three to six weeks after your travel is complete to receive the card.

Contact: Expedia, (800) 397-3342

– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger

[Photo: Cozumel by Tara Noelle, Los Angeles Times / Your Scene]

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 4, 2008 at 4:50 pm by Jen Leo and is filed under Arizona, Business Travel, Cozumel, Deals, Mexico, News, Tips & Advice, San Francisco, Summer, Weekend Getaways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.