European Discounts

Two companies are offering breaks in hotel room rates in Great Britain and Ireland.

The Bonusbreaks program offered by Palo Alto-based Great Exchange also involves rooms throughout Western Europe. You have to fly round-trip on Pan Am to Europe, using any normal fare and bookings can be made either through travel agents or Great Exchange. You then get a Bonusbreaks packet of five coupons and a check-guarantee card.

Each coupon is good for free hotel rooms for two people for one to three nights at more than 250 hotels, excluding London, throughout Great Britain and Ireland. However, you are obligated to pay for breakfast and either lunch or dinner each day at the hotel. Daily minimum meal expenditures are listed in the packet.

The coupons are also good on the same basis at 46 properties in France, Holland and some other Western European nations. The packet also provides discounts of 25% to 50% at an additional 200 hotels, including 25 in London. With most of these properties, the price includes a full breakfast and sometimes dinner.

First night’s hotel reservation can be made by Great Exchange. After that, travelers must make their own reservations. Rooms are on a space-available basis. Generally, it’s a good idea to set up your first night overseas before traveling on. In addition, the coupons can be used for discounts on car rentals. The check-guarantee card provides discounts at more than 500 restaurants throughout Great Britain including 50 in London. The packet includes a roster of the hotels, car-rental outlets and restaurants with their discount policies.

Information: Great Exchange at (800) 243-8883.

Europe Tourist Information, an Irvine-based retail travel agency/consolidator, has a Holiday Breaks International voucher booklet. This booklet costs $20 per person, but the agency may give it to you free if you buy plane tickets to London from them, according to the agency.

The booklet consists of vouchers good for five free stays of three nights each (or as many as 17 nights for one long stay) on a double-occupancy basis at more than 140 hotels in Great Britain and Ireland, including six hotels in London. You must pay for breakfast and dinner at the hotel daily, with daily minimum meal expenditures shown in the packet.

With this program, you have to make your own reservations, including the first night. Information: Europe Tourist at (213) 590-8200 or (714) 851-1787.