Meanwhile, hotels and chains have publicists spreading the word on just-cooked-up bargains. Among them:
•Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' spokeswoman last week announced low fall and winter rates at most of its properties, plus a free-night option at many. You can get into the Fairmont San Jose in once highflying Silicon Valley for $119 a night.
•Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont decided to give away a free massage with every room booked in November to draw attention to the brand-new resort.
•The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge, Md., just announced a "Luxury on Sale" escape starting at $99 Sundays through Fridays, including, for whatever reason, a s'mores kit.
•Triple Creek Ranch in Montana is offering 20% off last year's prices on all-inclusive, meals, drinks, horseback riding and massages packages (such as $3,320 a couple for a four-night ski vacation on select dates this winter, down from $4,000).
Family time is priceless
Amid financial uncertainty and fears of what the future may hold, the luxury crowd still is planning getaways. "We've had a few cancellations or postponements of trips, but we have actually noticed a surprising surge in people planning family trips," Indagare's Bradley says.
"The week that Lehman went bankrupt, we had a number of people decide to book ski trips with their extended families. It's almost as if the economic situation is so agonizing that it puts in perspective for people that what they want most is to spend time with their loved ones — and that multi-generational trips are one of the luxuries (or investments) worth committing to.
"We had one individual who was laid off and decided to take his family on a once-in-a-lifetime safari in Africa. He had been working so hard … and never had time to spend weeks away. So he decided to make something positive out of a bad situation."
Another positive, say industry observers: Travelers who couldn't previously afford a multi-star lodging now can. Two can stay at The Homestead, a historic grande-dame property in Hot Springs, Va., for $175 between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Price-chopping isn't a trend in Manhattan, where daily rates average about $300 and rise during the holidays. New York's luxury hotels aren't on sale because of strong occupancy, says George Fertitta of NYC & Company, the city's tourism and marketing arm. "But we're not saying it's not going to happen" if the economy keeps tanking, he adds. Watch for lower rates in January.
