COULD "BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS"... become the new "after the holidays" in the years to come? It's a thought. Consider how often you tell a friend that "I can't get together now, I'm too busy, too stressed, too over-scheduled." Plans are made in pencil for January, which then becomes February, and you end up seeing your pal on the first of June. The go-go-go nature of the weeks ahead of the holidays are often written about and often sighed over, with suggestions and tips as to how we can undo a lot of our so-called must-dos ahead of New Year's Day. If ever there was a time of year to take back a few hours, or a day or two, it's the stretch from Thanksgiving into the December celebrations. While this is a busy period for retail it has been, in the past, a quieter period for hotels and travel, but no longer: Deals and packages and savings frequently spring up ahead of Christmas at hotels hither and yon.
LOOK TO... Borrego Springs Resort & Spa, which wants to give people a pre-relax moment in early December. Families hoping to incorporate a trip to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for some not-so-hectic hiking will find crisper daytime temperatures but plenty of sunshine (if El Niño doesn't pop up, unannounced). Hanukkah also falls within the time period of the resort's offer, so celebratory get-togethers can also happen, bringing together family members from different points around Southern California as they fete the Festival of Lights. So, what's the deal?
IT'S A 25% DISCOUNT... on "any guestroom" at the hotel from Tuesday, Dec. 1 through Thursday, Dec. 24. You'll need to ring the resort to book this one -- phone number's 760-767-5700 -- and tell your reservation agent these two words: The Gift. That's the code for the deal, a deal that approaches what is typically the busiest period of the year in a new, go-hiking, relax-by-the-pool, gaze-at-the-stars light. Could you actually and truly get together with that good friend in December instead of pushing your reunion to February, March, next June? Maybe with a quick overnight in the desert? It's time we rethink our time. And as for saving money on a getaway? It's always the right time for that.
