Deals of the week

Early March marks the official start of "snap" travel season. You know, like when there's an iced-over foot of snow on the driveway, and you dropped your keys in the snowbank blocking the driveway, and when you finally retrieve them the car won't start (to use a random example). That's when you snap -- and book a vacation to somewhere you won't need a car, or keys, or a snow shovel, or a parka, or pants (but hopefully shorts or something)...anyway, this week's podium: 

GOLD: If you prefer to book sun-and-sand vacations a la carte -- instead of going with an all-inclusive option -- then Luxury Link, an L.A.-based accommodations wholesaler, has some eye-opening offers. From the home page, click on the "top deals" tab and scroll through multi-night lodging packages where savings top out at 70 per cent. Of particular interest to sun-seekers: the Hotel El Ganzo (pictured below) in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, which is charging $475 (including taxes and based on double occupancy) for four nights in a luxurious "Balcony King Ocean View" room. (The price, a 61-per-cent discount, is the starting bid in an online auction. Luxury Link also lets customers "buy now," which in this case costs $597. There's also a $40 booking fee.)