TRAVEL DEAL

Buy two, get one free

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is offering a free night at a number of luxe properties in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. For example, stay two nights and receive a free third night at the Carlyle in New York; San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif.; the Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta, etc. Or spend four nights and get a fifth free at Caneel Bay on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Jumby Bay in Antigua, among others. The Carlyle, for instance, starts at $594 a night, plus $90 in taxes; with the deal, guests pay $1,376 for three nights, taxes included. Travel Jan. 3 to May 30. Info: 1-888-ROSEWOOD, www.rosewoodhotels.com. Request "More Rosewood."

WASHINGTON POST

ON THE NEWSSTAND

Skiers' delights

Outside magazine's November issue scopes out the best ski resorts in North America.

For the deepest snows, Outside lists Alta/Snowbird in Utah; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Alyeska Resort in Alaska, and Silverton Mountain in Colorado.

And on the magazine's "editor's choice/Best in Class" list were Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia, Steamboat in Colorado, Taos in New Mexico and Mammoth Mountain in California.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

IN BOOKSTORES

Explore world landmarks

Some 50 years ago the United Nations founded the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO. Its purpose was to safeguard the world's cultural landmarks. Thus far, UNESCO's list consists of 878 sites in 145 countries. Every one of those sites is described in "World Heritage Sites" by Firefly, $29.95. It includes some of the most famous places in the world, such as Machu Picchu in Peru and the Great Wall of China.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

ON DECK

Cruise, social media-style

If you're curious about what it's like aboard the world's largest cruise ship, check out the live interactive coverage that CruiseCritic.com will offer from Oasis of the Seas later this month when Oasis makes its first U.S. sailing.

The short cruise to nowhere, designed to show the vessel off to travel agents and media, departs Port Everglades, Fla., Friday and returns next Sunday. CruiseCritic.com's online coverage will begin Thursday.

Five times larger than the Titanic, the $1.5 billion ship from Royal Caribbean Cruises departed Oct. 30 for the United States from Finland, where it was built. With 2,700 cabins, Oasis can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members. You can follow CruiseCritic's Oasis coverage at www.cruisecritic.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

THIS JUST IN

More rooms at the inns

Hotel room prices are expected to have dropped 8.8 percent in 2009 compared with 2008, and will continue creeping down in 2010, though at a much slower rate, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers Hospitality & Leisure Practice.

A 3.2 percent increase in the number of hotel rooms this year added to the hotel industry's problems, expanding supply just as consumer demand weakened and further hurting the ability of hotel operators to maintain stable prices.

Many new hotels, including a number of luxury projects and high-end renovations such as the Fontainebleau in Miami and the Roosevelt in New Orleans, have opened during the recession as projects that were planned before the downturn came to fruition.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SIDEROADS

Festival of lights

Weihnachtsfest, an annual winter celebration in Biwabik, Minn., kicks off at 11 a.m. Dec. 5 with a children's musical. Festivities continue through the day, around town and on Main Street, with live music, lighting displays, art and crafts, horse-drawn carriage rides and ethnic food. The festival wraps up at Schuster Park with a lighting ceremony at 6 p.m., followed by fireworks (1-218-865-4183, www.cityofbiwabik.com).

COLLEEN A. COLES