Hot Holiday Deals in the Holy Land

DEAD SEA, Jordan, Aug. 17, 2009 — -- Summer in the Holy Land can be high season for hot deals. After the rush of spring and the crush of Easter, some of the region's most popular sites are less crowded and more affordable. If you can stand the heat, that is.

One of the hottest places is the Dead Sea. At 1,340 feet below sea level, nicknamed "the basement of the world," the Dead Sea is naturally hotter than higher-level areas. In summer that can easily mean temperatures up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

But it's relatively easy to weather sitting poolside at the Dead Sea's luxury resorts, with the slashed rates and free upgrades that can come with the off-season.

The Movenpick Hotel, the most charming of the lot, is a nicely done replica of a traditional Jordanian village with restaurants and street performers in terra cotta-style courtyards. Summer rates start at $187 including breakfast, compared with the $271 per night during high season in autumn.

The neighboring Kempinski Hotel, an outpost high-luxury chain that boasts the largest spa in the Middle East, is offering a $218 per night summer promotion, a discount from the regular $316.

The less expensive Dead Sea Hotel and Medical Center takes guests at $185, including breakfast, and focuses on delivering the therapeutic effects of the Dead Sea – the Middle East's version of "Taking the Cure." Doctors say the famed salinity of the Dead Sea, along with oxygen-rich air and mineral-rich mud, encourage deep relaxation. They recommend Dead Sea vacations to ease conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, arthritis and various skin problems.