smschloss

looking to stay in PR for 5 days with husband and 2 teenage girls. Any suggestions on places that have suites or two lwss expensive rooms? Embassy suites looks nice, 1.5 blocks to beach, but have suites with bfast included. Is isle verde a good place to stay or should we look at san juan / old san juan. Want a good beach to hang out at, but within walking distance to some fun areas.

any tips on airfare? From NYC or CT it is $700

RoamsAround

Isle Verde has a very nice mile or so long beach that's within walking distance of Embassy Suites. There are a variety of shops, restaurants, etc. within a few minutes walk. You can even walk to several of the large hotel casinos. If you want to stay "right on the beach" check out ESJ Towers - it's an "older" condo type hotel with moderately priced rooms (breakfast included) - perhaps it's in your budget.

Can't help with airfares fro NYC other than to say to keep checking as prices vary from day to day and week to week. Sign up for fare sale alerts with your airline(s) of choice.

qwovadis

www.travelocity.com is running GREAT PR Carib sales right now

might check there... also www.spirit.com packages can save a

ton...

For rooms only great deals up to 70% off

www.betterpidding.com search "Puerto Rico"

4 stars bidding priceline for me like marriott

from $50/nt get 2 rooms free upgrades as a rewards member.

Have fun,

qwovadis

Marriott Stellaris Resort winning bids from $80

my fav there with free member upgrades

www.betterbidding.com www.marriott.com

Intercontinental good packages also.

smschloss

thanks everyone - will check out what you sent me. how do you get the free upgrades as a marrioot member - do you do that at check in??

-sharon

sassy_cat

Airfare should not cost $700 from NY to Puerto Rico. Expect to pay less than half that unless you're looking at dates less than a couple of weeks away.

doug_stallings

Depending on when you go, I think you can get a better airfare than $700, but that will only be from JFK or EWR (it may not ever be any cheaper from Connecticut). But I think it's completely unrealistic to think you'll find it for less than $350 this year. Maybe $400 if you are lucky ... $450 if you are not. But if you are planning to travel during a busy week like Spring Break or Easter (area schools have different vacation schedules), you may not find anything better. Airfares are just not as cheap this year as they have been.

However, if you are willing to fly off-hours and on a weekday, you can sometimes get a very good deal on JetBlue

doug_stallings

By the way, you ought to book a ticket asap (as in the next couple of days) if you can find an acceptable airfare. The recent increase in oil prices is going to result very shortly in substantially higher fuel surcharges. This really applies to anyone planning to travel in the next 3 or 4 months. If Libya stabilizes, then the oil prices may go down after the summer.

sassy_cat

Doug, did you check prices?

JFK to SJU direct flights on AA, Delta, Jet Blue are all under $300 for most of March, April, May dates on Kayak right now
EWR flight are around $325.

www.kayak.com

Flight costs are higher at weekends especially around Easter but still lower than $450

Join Marriott rewards online. It's free but you acquire different levels of membership according to number of stays.

doug_stallings

I have looked at prices, and they go up and down with great frequency. You could just as easily find the same flight you just checked costing $500 now as it did 90 minutes ago. I still think it's unreasonable to EXPECT that a flight of $325 will be available unless the OP flies mid-week and not during a school vacation period. Often I find that last-minute tickets to the Caribbean are cheaper than booking far in advance, especially if it's a quiet week. You just never know.

But fuel surcharges are an almost certainty and will be added shortly ... though some airlines may not have to add them for as much as a month because of hedges for the preceding quarter.

sassy_cat

I look at the prices quite frequently and while they do fluctuate I haven't seen the high prices you're quoting EXCEPT at major holidays and primarily Christmas/New Year/Thanksgiving.

Yesterday when I checked the prices were similar to today and I disagree with you that "it's completely unrealistic to think you'll find it for less than $350 this year. Maybe $400 if you are lucky .."

Currently all weekends in March, April, May are less than $350 except Easter dates and just after (spring break in the NE).
I can't even find a flight on Kayak's month long projection JFK> SJU that costs more than $427 on Sunday 17th April.

To the OP, book your flights soon as the prices are pretty good right now.

doug_stallings

I get what you're saying sassy_cat, but I did the same search yesterday, when I made my initial post, and I couldn't find a flight under $460 round-trip for any Friday or Saturday departure in mid-March (once taxes were included). I think the OP can follow your advice as well as consider mine. But I'm going to stand on the subject of fuel surcharges, which don't always show up as a part of the price when you do a search.

sassy_cat

Looking at the fare charts for the last 90 days for most of the time (60+days) the average fare is $300-350.
It has been a little crazy lately with prices shooting up over the last 3 weeks and I do think fuel surcharges are coming.

Still not 'unrealistic' to get flights for $350 or less IF you're a little flexible with dates.

Friday March 18th for 5 nights $340 direct on Delta

http://www.delta.com/booking/priceIt...1219AKAYAAENUS

smschloss

thanks everyone - got a deal on Caribe Hilton on pricline for $87 a night! flight was $700 on airfare.com - but somehow got first class!! yay! My dates are tied to spring break and Easter, but it has snowed here way too much! Teachers have the most expensive vacation dates...

sassy_cat

Sounds great, congratulations!