One participating hotel is the Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, located on Puerto Rico’s northeastern coast. Set on 500 beachfront acres, the Rio Mar boasts two championship golf courses, a sprawling pool, spa, kids' program, and nearly a dozen tennis courts. More family-friendly activities await in nearby El Yunque Caribbean National Forest, which is loaded with hiking trails, waterfalls and panoramic views. At this property, for a four-night stay in February, the package rate is $450 a night. When you factor in the two free nights, your total room spend for a four-day stay would only be $900. But does this package actually save you $900? No way.

Our recession travel rule no. 28 says to compare the package rate with other available rates at the same property. As it turns out, the advance purchase (non-changeable and non-refundable) rate is $278 a night ($1,112 for a four-night stay), and the best available (unrestricted) rate is $309 a night ($1,236 for four nights). This explains why "buy two, get two" is not the same as a 50% savings. Compared to the advance purchase rate, the stimulus package will save $212 on the room and $100 on food and drinks. Spread out over a four-night stay, that works out to a savings of $78 per night, which is 28% of the non-refundable rate.

The upshot: It's not half off, but it's still a good deal.

Restrictions and blackout dates apply and vary by property. For Rio Mar, this deal must be booked by September 30 but you can travel until December 20, 2010.