Down Under Discount

The Southern Pacific Hotel Corp. is offering a Down Under Hotel Pass at the rate of $55 per night on a single-, double- or triple-occupancy basis ($27.50 per person, double).

The pass is valid in 77 hotels in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia: 30 hotels in Australia, 29 in New Zealand, 4 in Singapore, 2 in Fiji, 2 in Papua New Guinea, and 1 in New Caledonia.

You have to purchase the pass in the United States. There is a minimum purchase requirement of coupons for seven nights. But those seven hotel stays don’t have to be on a consecutive basis, or at the same hotel or country.

The cutoff point for the program is Dec. 31. Children 18 or younger can stay free when sharing a room with an adult, except for 12 Tourist Hotel Corp. properties in New Zealand where free stays are limited to children 12 or younger.

Reservations Recommended

It’s advisable to make reservations for at least your first night’s stay while in the United States. You can make additional reservations as well in the United States or overseas.

If you make your reservations in the United States, you’ll get a confirmation slip from the organization’s Los Angeles office.

Reservations are recommended in the busy season--October-April--in New Zealand, particularly on the South Island.

The $55 rate represents a discount over rack rates. Depending on currency fluctuations, there’s always the possibility of a lower rate being available at some locations. On the other hand, the $55 rate includes all hotel service charges as well as taxes.

This program also allows you to use two coupons (worth $110, but still less than rack rates) per night at the Tahiti Beachcomber in Papeete, Tahiti. This includes tax, and permits triple occupancy at no extra cost.

It’s up to you to make your on-going reservations. In the kit you get with your pass/coupons are a list of participating hotels with phone numbers and addresses.

You can’t get refunds on your minimum purchase of seven nights’ coupons. But if you buy coupons for more than seven nights, you can get a refund for unused vouchers minus a $25 handling charge.

The pass is sold through travel agents or you can contact the Southern Pacific Hotel Corp. at 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles 90067, phone (213) 557-2454 or (800) 252-2155.