Deals of the Week: Marquis Los Cabos & Sofitels Offer Jan & Feb Specials

I know we’re at the start of Christmas week, but it’s not too early to begin thinking about . . . Valentine's Day. 

You heard me right, Valentine’s Day.  So here’s a suggestion: Mark your calendar for January 7th.  That’s when every Sofitel hotel in North America launches a sale that actually lasts the entire month of February in honor of Valentine’s Day. It’s called the “Air of Romance” deal, and here’s what you get:  Along with a swanky room, a couple receives a daily breakfast, a bottle of Champagne per stay, a complimentary gift of roses or chocolate, late check out of 4 p.m. depending on availability, and priority reservation at the hotels' restaurants. Now, your rate depends on what hotel you choose.  There are Sofitels in Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New York.  Room rates for this February package range from a low of $170 in Minneapolis to a high of $334 a night in LA. But Chicago at $185 and San Francisco at $210 are darn reasonable, especially when you factor in the price of a hotel breakfast for two and a bottle of the bubbly.

So, remember, it's called the Air of Romance deal, and you can book beginning January 7th.

My second hotel deal stars the Marquis Los Cabos, a lovely hotel on the beach between the towns of Los Cabos and San Jose del Cabo  at the tip of the Baja California peninsula. From January through May, guests who book rooms receive a third night free.  But here’s where the deal gets interesting.  If you book a junior suite, you’ll also receive a rental car for two days and be upgraded to a 1,420-square-foot Marquis Suite or, even better, one of the resort's 28 ocean-view casitas with a huge bedroom and bathroom, not to mention a living room and private pool.

I ran the numbers, and they came out this way: By the time you add in 13% tax and a $35-a-day resort fee, a junior suite costs about $425 a night.  A Marquis Suite costs about $644 and a casita costs $850 a night.  Throw in the rental car and a third night free and you’ve got a considerable savings—an upgraded suite or casita for $283 a night.

The Marquis Los Cabos is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, and it’s been named one of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s “Hotels with a Heart” because it donates five per cent of its annual revenue toward the staff’s education and health care.  I stayed at the Marquis three years ago and found the service delightful and the private setting ideal for a beach vacation.

If it sounds good to you, I'd give the hotel a ring at 877-238-9399 because even though the resort has a new web site, I couldn't find this package on the site.