Holiday help.

August 6, 2007 12:38 PM

Looking for a nice, inexpensive vacation destination for this coming January (2008), leaving from Montreal.

So, I know there are a tonne of online booking websites for vacation packages, but it’s a little overwhelming (especially from Canada).
The destination isn’t that important to us, we just want to get away (for as little money as possible) somewhere warm.
Is booking with a travel agent the better way to go? (If so, does anyone have a recommendation for one in Montréal?) How soon, or late, before our departure date should we book in order to get the best deal?
Less crowded locales, with beaches, are preferred. (also, we aren't nightlife types).

Tips, personal recommendations, links, money, will all be welcomed & appreciated. ;)

posted by Laura in Canada to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

January usually is a good month to go cheap. If you can go mid-week to mid-week, you can save even more.
If you're not picky as to your destination, very last minute is the way to go, (leaving in two days or less), but your choice may be quite limited.
(Selloffvactions.com is my preferred site to check.)
For less crowded and cheap - Cuba's Cayo Guillermo is a good bet. I like Sol Club Guillermo - it had the best beach, and was the last resort on the island. It is in the north, so it will be cooler than many places, but this may discourage the crowds. It also showed up a lot on the selloff sites, usually with daily flights. caveat - I was there in 2001, and things may have changed.
posted by Chuckles McLaughy du Haha, the depressed clown at 1:15 PM on August 6, 2007

selloffvacations.com, since it has a typo and I don't want anyone else to get confused by the domain squatting page.
posted by smackfu at 1:49 PM on August 6, 2007

In November 2005, I booked a very inexpensive package at Cuatro Palmas hotel in Varadero, Cuba (leaving from Montreal). It's a pretty low key hotel right on the edge of the main town, so it's not among the bigger and busier hotels. The beach is very nice there, and the water is perfect for swimming.

We used Go Travel Direct for arrangements. No complaints with them at all! In fact, I really like that they use Zoom airlines for the flight. Compared to Air Transat, Zoom has better service and you are not crammed in like sardines!
posted by exquisite_deluxe at 4:12 PM on August 6, 2007