A handful of hotels in The Bahamas are running specials this spring, from discounted rates and spa credits to personalized butler service and free nights.  Among them is the larger-than-life Atlantis, which is offering a fourth night free.  This sprawling mega-resort boasts 19 restaurants, 11 pools, eight waterslides, and—with more than 3,300 guestrooms and suites—a wide choice of accommodations.  One option, Coral Towers, is popular with families thanks to its central location and relaxed atmosphere. Here's the deal: Book a three-night stay before April 30 with travel ending by September 30, and you'll get the fourth night of your stay free. 

We test-booked this offer for a four-night stay in late April for a family of two adults and two kids in a Coral Towers Terrace View room, and found different nightly rates during the stay: $439 a night for the first two nights, $369 for the third night, and the fourth night free (normally $369).  With this deal, the total for the room (before taxes, fees and gratuities) comes to $1,247, with an average nightly of $312.  Normally, you would pay $1,616 for the same stay, with an average nightly rate of $404—so getting that free night saves you $369, or about 23% of your total lodging bill. 

But wait, there's more. If you book a minimum four-night stay before May 10, you can also take advantage of an island-wide promotion offering a free companion airfare. It comes in the form of an airfare credit, which means that when you book the package, the base fare for one passenger is deducted from the package price. You book the flight as part of your hotel package, so in theory you’re limited to whatever air transportation options the particular hotel has.  In this case, Atlantis lists 11 different airlines.  This offer is limited to one free companion airfare per room.  

When we test-booked the package with airfare for a family of four traveling from Philadelphia, the lowest roundtrip airfare came to $208 per person (taxes and fees not included for all of the rates/fares used in this example).  After one companion fare was deducted, the final price came to $2,079 for lodging and airfare.  When we comparison shopped on Kayak.com for flights on the same itinerary, the lowest airfare we found was $218 per person on USAirways. That would bring the lodging and airfare total to $2,488.  In this example, the Atlantis air+hotel package would save $409, or about 16%; however, every flight option offered through Atlantis involved overnight layovers.  The USAir flights were much more traveler- and kid-friendly (as in, departing and arriving within the same day).  This, of course, could vary by departure airport. The take-away: You have to do the math to determine the best deal and also weigh the convenience factor when comparing air routes.

Be sure to read the fine print with both offers. Book online or by calling 888/877-7525.