Never too late: Six top hotels with rock-bottom prices during Christmas week

During the holidays, the cost of a beach vacation can soar and be quite expensive, as those who live in cold locales all want to rush to the sand and sun. The upside? If you're interested in taking a Christmas time vacation in a city instead of the beach, you may be able to find some excellent hotel deals in big cities all over the U.S.


We noticed that right now we have great prices -- and some rock-bottom ones --for several of our favorite hotels on Oyster for the week of December 24th through January 1st. These hotels are all fabulous options if you're looking to take a vacation during Christmas -- and finish it off with a New Year's Eve blast!


Gild Hall, New York

• Location: Lower Manhattan, New York City
• Price: $391/night $278/night
• You Save: 30%

Gild Hall is far hipper than your average Wall Street business hotel. Friendly service, a hunting lodge-like lobby, fantastic flat-screen TVs, Kiehl's bath products, and Sferra linens, available in every room make this the premier choice for stylin’ financiers or families looking for a hip/sleek style.


Petit Ermitage, Los Angeles

• Location: West Hollywood,Los Angeles
• Price: $242/night $202/night
• You Save: 30%
  
  
  It's a matter of taste. The hotel's bohemianism -- think hipsters and distressed fixtures -- will appeal to some but not others. Oyster's take? We dig it, man. For half the price of some of its competitors, you get a newly renovated, truly unique boutique with large suites (many with kitchens) and a lovely rooftop pool.
  
  
  Taj Boston
  
  
• Location: Back Bay, Boston
• Price: $155/night

Bought from the Ritz-Carlton in 2007, the Taj Boston holds on to the Ritz' elegant look, but also offers some superb perks, like chenille bathrobes and free rides in the house Jaguar. Given its free business center, well-equipped gym, and ideal location bordering the Public Garden and the swank boutiques along Newbury Street, it's an excellent luxury pick.


The Fairmont San Francisco

• Location: Nob Hill, San Francisco
• Price: $310/night $186/night
• You Save: 40%
  
  
  The Fairmont combines the history, cachet, and decor of a turn-of-the-20th-century grand old dame with the amenities, technology, and corporate-dominated clientele of a large chain property. What separates it from its luxury competitors are its beautiful, well-appointed rooms, many with stunning views, and its location atop Nob Hill.
  
  
  Intercontinental San Francisco
  
  
• Location: SoMa/Financial District, San Francisco
• Price: $145/night
  
  
  Built in 2008 near the Moscone Convention Center in the business-oriented neighborhood of SoMa, the modern, 550-room InterContinental's luxury-level service, high-tech guest rooms, lap pool, well-reviewed spa, and Michelin-star restaurant make it one of the best values in San Francisco.
  
  
  The Jefferson, Washington, D.C.
  
  
• Location: Downtown, Washington, D.C.
• Price: $353/night $265/night
• You Save: 25%

After a massive renovation in 2009, this boutique reopened, and regained its place among DC's elite hotels. It's not as famous as the Hay-Adams, but its subtle blend of technology (TVs embedded in bathroom mirrors; electronic housekeeping buttons) and colonial charms (intimate library, working dumbwaiter) are second to none. All that's missing is T.J. himself. (Oh wait, no. Here he is… )