Christmas-week travel doesn't reward procrastination, and a round-up of current winter deals shows the price gap between booking now and hoping for later can be brutal. Here's what's on the table.
For skiers who like a rail journey with their snow, SNO has cut £645pp off a New Year week in Sauze d'Oulx, in the Italian-French Via Lattea domain — 400km of slopes in total. Departing 27 December, it's £859pp for seven nights' half-board at the central Hotel Villa Cary, with Eurostar from St Pancras to Oulx and transfers included.
Chasing warmth instead? The Gambia Experience has a week at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi for £649pp, down from £1,109pp, departing 1 or 5 December — flights, transfers and breakfast in the price, with the Atlantic beach on your doorstep. Alternatively, Star Clippers sails a tall ship from Panama to Costa Rica on 19 December, calling at Coiba National Park, Isla Iguana, Quepos and Islas Tortugas among others. Seven nights' full board starts at £2,185pp, though flights are extra.
Snow-dusted old towns more your thing? Tallinn's Christmas market runs in the Town Hall Square until 6 January, and Regent Holidays has a four-day December break from £775pp including flights, transfers, breakfast, a city museum pass and a snowshoe hike through forests and bogs.
Staying closer to home, Norfolk Cottages is listing Smugglers Retreat in Wells-next-the-Sea — beamed ceilings, inglenook fireplace, sleeps six-plus — for seven nights from 21 December at £1,179, down from £1,836. Over in the Scottish Borders, the East Wing of Branxholme Castle near Hawick sleeps eight, has a games room, hot tub and takes up to two dogs; a self-catering week from 11 December is £1,349 via Cottages & Castles, rising to £2,649 over Christmas itself.
And for the big-budget trip: New Zealand Sky runs a 14-night highlights group tour of both islands — Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Rotorua and Mount Cook — from £5,449pp with flights. Or try Experience Travel Group's 16-night Cambodia and Vietnam itinerary via the Mekong: Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City and a beach finish at Mui Ne, from £5,500pp.
Who should care: anyone with fixed dates around Christmas and New Year. The standouts on value are the Gambia deal (near 40% off) and the Italy ski week with rail travel thrown in, while the tall-ship cruise suits travellers who'd rather anchor off uninhabited islands than lounge by a pool. Book early — festive-week availability at these prices won't last.
