Mexico: The Real Deal - Savor eight hard-to-resist seasonal values

Beach cabañas await bargain hunters at the Live Aqua Cancún. (Photos by Maribeth Mellin)

November’s a great time to visit Mexico. The hurricanes and rainstorms are gone and temperatures have dropped below the sweltering stage. Hotels and other tourism businesses are all spiffed up in preparation for the winter high season, which doesn’t begin until Thanksgiving.

Bargains abound if you book flights and accommodations immediately. Here are eight of the best deals we’ve found:

1.  Alaska Airlines - Book online by Nov. 19 for great web airfares to several destinations. Naturally, the bargain flights depart from Los  Angeles, but it may be worth the commute to fly to Mexico City for $139 each way. A quick check on fares to Los Cabos in December shows round trip LAX-Los Cabos fare at $273.33. From San Diego, the same trip costs $441.33. Deals include most beach resorts including lovely, Loreto. Fares are good for travel through March 17, 2010 and only available on the web at www.alaskaair.com.

Extra touches make Casa Natalia special.

2. Casa Natalia - Named the Number 1 Mexico hotel in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2009 Readers’ Choice awards, Casa Natalia is offering 3 nights for the price of 2 until Dec. 15. I always spend at least one night at this serene boutique inn when I’m in Los Cabos. It’s like having a private retreat buried in bougainvillea, with a fine gourmet restaurant just steps away from my hammock. Rates start at $295 per night.  (888) 277-3814; www.casanatalia.com.

3. Fiesta Americana - Nine resort hotels in the chain are offering up to 35 percent off the nightly room rates, plus additional discounts on dining, beverages and spa services. For example, rates at the Fiesta Americana Veracruz start at $99 per night; at the swank Live Aqua Cancun rates start at $180 per night. These prices are available for booking and travel until Dec. 23. Check out packages at http://fiestamericana.com/fall4less.

A winter deal offers up to 35 percent off high season rates for reservations made by Feb. 2, 2010, for travel between Jan. 3 and April 10, 2010. Details: http://fiestamericana.com/winter.

4.  Velas Resorts - Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and Velas Vallarta Suite Resort in Puerto Vallarta are waiving the single the supplement fee for single parents traveling with their children.  In addition, at both resorts, two children — including teens up to 16 years old –stay and eat free when occupying the room with a parent.  All-inclusive rates range from $165 per night at Velas Vallarta Suite Resort to $300 per night at the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort in Riviera Nayarit. The single parent rate is valid through Dec. 24. (888) 210-9591; www.velasresorts.com.

Lights glow against the rocky hillside at Capella Pedregal.

5. Capella Hotels and Resorts - Get an amazing deal at Capella’s elegant new Cabo San Lucas hotel. Accessed via a tunnel through the Pedregal hills, the hotel sits on a previously inaccessible beach on Cabo’s Pacific coast. Until Nov. 21, guests receive one free night with each one booked. The offer is valid for up to 14 nights. Rates begin at $475 per night - but buy you two nights.

The same deal is available at Capella Ixtapa, buried in a rocky hillside above a secluded part of Playa Linda. The Ixtapa 2-for-1 deal is good  through Dec. 25. (877) 247-6688; www.capellahotels.com.

Passengers on Holland America's Mexican Riviera cruises can check out the tidepools at Mazatlán's waterfront.

6. Holland America - The cruise line is offering inside cabins for on 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises for under $500. When we checked, the rate was available for the Jan. 9 sailing. Check with your favorite cruise professional for fab deals on Mexico Riviera cruises until April, when ships move to Alaska. Call your travel agent or contact Holland America at (877) 932-4259; www.hollandamerica.com.

7. Volaris, Mexico’s most successful low-cost carrier is starting flights from Los Angeles to Morelia and Zacatecas on Nov. 23 and 24, respectively. Fares start at $99 each way — a real deal when compared with the $597.97 fare from San Diego to Morelia on Aeromexico (with stops in Los Cabos and Mexico City). Purchase Volaris tickets before Nov. 15, and receive a $50 credit for travel between Jan. 15 and March 15, 2010. The credit is also available on bargain-rate flights from Tijuana to destinations all over Mexico. www.volaris.com.mx.

8. Aeromexico - The airline’s Family Plan promotion includes one free ticket with the purchase of four or more tickets on the same flight between San Diego and Los Cabos. Tickets must be purchased by phone by Dec. 15. (800) 237-6639.

Tags: Alaska Airlines, Cabo San Lucas, Capella, Casa Natalia, cruise, Fiesta Americana, Holland America, Live Aqua Cancun, Los Cabos, Mexico, Mexico Riviera, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, SDNN, Uncategorized, Velas, Veracruz, Volaris. Aeromexico

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 7:30 pm and is filed under 8 great, Local News, Travel . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.