The Real Deal: Seven nights' accommodations, a $100 airfare credit per person, a $140 food-and-beverage credit per room, and additional discounts, for $435 per person — plus about $83 in hotel taxes.
When: Through Dec. 15, 2008.
The fine print: Additional taxes are 12 percent for the room and 7 percent for gratuities, which in the case of the $435 promotion rate amounts to a total of $83 per person. Based on double occupancy; single supplement varies based on the hotel chosen. You will receive the airfare credit (a $100 check) in the mail after a short application process. A four-night minimum stay required, but you'll get the best deal if you stay seven nights. The food-and-beverage credit isn't available at all properties. Mention "Curaçao now" when booking. U.S. citizens need a valid passport for travel; a visa is not required. Airfare is not included. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: Sept. 15, 2008.
Why it's a deal: The Curaçao Tourism Corporation is offering tons of incentives if you book a trip to the island: a $100 airfare credit per person, a $140 food-and-beverage credit per room reservation at select hotels, a free shore dive day or free two-tank dive when you book six dives, a free car rental day when you book a four-day rental, two-for-one museum admission, and discounts at local shops. Also consider that the $435 rate is based on a seven-night stay at the Lodge Kura Hulanda and Beach Club and breaks down to $74 per person per night.
Trip details: Fourteen hotels are participating in the Curacao Now promotion, although not all of them are offering the $140 food-and-beverage credit.
As of press time, we could confirm a $435 rate for seven nights at the Lodge Kura Hulanda and Beach Club, where you'll receive a $140 credit that can be redeemed for food and beverages at the four on-site restaurants.
This 74-room hotel sits on 350 acres on the westernmost point of Curaçao. You'll have a balcony or patio with panoramic views of the ocean or the gardens. There's a natural reef off the hotel's beach that is a prime diving destination—you can also take advantage of a day of free diving available through Curacao Now.
Here's a sampling of some other seven-night rates: $490 per person at the Habitat Curacao Resort, $507 per person at the Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino, and $805 per person at the Avila Hotel.
Of the Caribbean's Dutch ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), Curaçao is the most culturally diverse and populous — you'll likely pick up on Dutch, Spanish, British, and Indian influences while visiting. It's known for its European-flavored architecture and a burgeoning arts scene.
The rainy season is between October and February, with short, occasional showers, mostly at night. Temperatures average in the 80s year-round. Curaçao is outside the hurricane belt, so it's less likely than other Caribbean islands to get hit.
While we're highlighting a seven-night stay, you decide how long a vacation you can take — you only have to stay a minimum of four nights to qualify for the airfare credit.
For more tips on what to do, visit Curaçao's official tourism site.
Getting there: The promotion does not include airfare, but you will receive an airfare credit (a $100 check per person) to help offset that cost. A recent Kayak search produced the following round-trip fares in late September: $477 from Miami (Air Jamaica), $541 from New York City and Philadelphia (Air Jamaica), $577 from Atlanta (Air Jamaica), $822 from Minneapolis (Northwest), $1,021 from Portland (Delta), and $1,114 from San Francisco (Delta).
