Traveling in Europe for Half the Cost

The 1989 version of “Half-Price Europe” contains coupons for 50% discounts, two-for-one offers and other perks in 340 establishments, including hotels, restaurants, stores, car rentals, sports/entertainment activities, museums and sightseeing attractions.

Cellular phones, bicycles and cooking demonstrations are some additional items covered by coupons. The 456-page book has 382 coupons.

Among the destinations are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, Holland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. There are also hotel coupons for Limassol, Cyprus, and Cairo, Egypt. More than 95 cities are covered.

Two-for-One Offers

Hotel coupons provide 50% off a full stay, not just the first night, with restaurants and sightseeing attractions offering two-for-one perks. There is also a two-for-one coupon for flights between England and Ireland.

Hotel chains participating include Sheraton, Husa Hotels in Spain and Portugal, Edwardian Hotels in London and Atlas Hotels in Israel. There are also Hilton properties in Paris, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. When making a reservation, the hotel must be informed of the coupon.

Rooms are being offered on a space-available basis, which could mean that the more moderately priced rooms may not be available. In some cases a 50% discount on expensive rooms may still be worth it.

The coupons are good until the end of the year. However, some are only valid in certain months, days of the week or even hours of the day. Check restrictions on each coupon.

Coupons at some restaurants offer one free main course--not the entire meal--when one other main course is ordered at the regular price. The gratis main course is always the cheaper of the two.

The coupon book costs $65, plus $4.50 for postage and handling. For free brochures and more information, contact the Paris-based publisher in the United States at American Marketing, P.O. Box 9622, Coral Springs, Fla. 33075-9964. You can order by phone by credit card. Call (305) 923-3486.