Deal of the Week

Beginning Saturday, discounts of 30% to 50% at about 50 hotels in Washington, D.C., and suburban areas of Maryland and Virginia, will be available from Capitol Reservations. The family rates are for standard rooms at participating hotels and do not include parking and taxes. Reservations are required but prepayments are not. Prices are good weekends and weeknights and there are no blackout periods, although some dates are sold out at some locations, a spokesman said. Most of the discounts will be offered through Sept. 4 (Labor Day). Some sample rates include: Loew’s L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, $109 per night (regularly published rate is $195); the Holiday Inn-Capitol Hill, $105 ($129); the Holiday Inn-Arlington, $69 ($99) and the Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C., $170 ($230-$250). Reservations: (800) VISIT DC.

Free for the Asking

The 1995 Big Bear Lake Visitors Guide, featuring lodging and recreation information, pullout map with directions, calendar of events and restaurant guide, is available from the Big Bear Lake Resort Assn., P.O. Box 1936, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315; (909) 866-7000.

This Week’s Holidays

Banking and government offices will be closed or services curtailed in the following countries and their dependencies this week because of national and religious holidays:

Monday: Canada, Colombia, Madagascar, Somali, Venezuela

Tuesday: Djibouti

Wednesday: Djibouti

Thursday: Chile, Costa Rica, Italy, Malta, Peru, Seychelles, Switzerland, Tahiti, Vatican City

Friday: Brunei, El Salvador, Guatemala, Peru, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Zaire

Saturday: Bangladesh, Botswana, British Virgin Is., Burundi, Canada, Ghana, Malaysia, Portugal, Rwanda, Somali, Suriname, Taiwan

Source: J.P. Morgan