There's nothing quite like New York City this time of year, and for many families a seasonal getaway to the Big Apple is just not complete without catching the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The show has been a family memory-maker for generations thanks to an all-star lineup ranging from Santa and his elves to those famous high-kicking Rockettes. The Carlton Hotel is offering a Radio City Christmas Spectacular package starting at $229 a night through December 3.
The offer includes discounted rates and show tickets, but is it really a good deal for families? The package includes:
- one night accommodations (regular rates during the holiday season run $279 to $417 for a double room)
- $10-per-person discount on Radio City Christmas Spectacular
(worth $40 for a family of four)
Right off the bat, we found some significant limitations with this package. The discounted Radio City tickets are only available for "select performances," which is code for no weekend shows. And though the package price starts at $229 a night, it turns out that you can spend nearly twice that for a midweek stay. See the problem?
We priced out the deal for Wednesday, December 2. If a family of four were to independently book a stay in this hotel ($479) plus tickets to the Radio City show ($75/ticket x 4 = $300), the total pricetag would come to $779. By comparison, the package price for the room ($407) and tickets ($65/ticket x 4 = $260) would be $667, for overall savings of 14%.
Deal or no deal? A trip to the Big Apple for the holidays is a big-ticket item, no question. But super hotel deals are plentiful these days, so a 14% savings really doesn't cut it. Our advice: You can do much better, even if it means paying full price to see Santa and the Rockettes.
