Photo: The pool at the Four Seasons Las Vegas

Daydreaming today about upcoming Labor Day escapes reminded us of Orbitz's recent survey of this year's most popular holiday-weekend destinations. Topping the list is Las Vegas, where oversupply of room inventory—and more conservative gamblers—are keeping rates low, on average just above $100 a night. It may be too late for a visit this weekend—unless you're planning really last minute—but these deals will stretch well into the fall, with no hurricanes in sight.

The Four Seasons Las Vegas, a regular on our Gold List of the world's best properties, is offering the third night free in its Deluxe or higher category rooms, as well as a $50 credit for an 80-minute spa treatment, through August of next year. Rates are suprisingly low for this fall, too, with mid-week stays in October starting at $279, or just $186 a night when you factor in the free night.

The still-new, all-suite Vdara resort, part of the CityCenter development, has rooms as low as $129 in early September and November and from $139 in October, prices that are very attractive considering the property's huge rooms, luxe in-room amenities, and cutting-edge in-room electronics. Also in CityCenter, The Mandarin Oriental is offering the third night free on stays in suites, dropping the starting nightly rate from $595 to $397 through the end of the year.

The Signature at the MGM Grand, a higher-end all-suite hotel just off the strip, is also running a one-week promotion tied to the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence. September 13-20, suites that normally cost $182 average just $119 during the week-long special, for savings of 35 percent. Book it through DealBase, which first uncovered these savings.

Photo: Flickr/abdallahh

After expanding the service this summer, Air France continues to offer attractive pricing on its premium economy seats. This fall and winter, fares for premium economy between New York and Paris start as low as $1,253 round-trip including all taxes and fees. Why pay that when regular coach is about 40 percent cheaper? The upgrade gets you steep seat reclines that makes sleeping possible, 40 inches of seat pitch, free noise-canceling headphones, and priority check-in and baggage delivery.

The special reaches beyond New York to Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, and Washington, D.C. The lowest fares are available October 29 through December 13 and December 25 through March 31, 2011. From now through October 28 and December 14-24, flights are a few hundred dollars more, depending on your gateway. And while the premium economy seats are only available on Air France's long-haul flights, you can of course connect to other European destinations upon touchdown in Paris.

As is usually the case with airfare sales, the booking window is slim. You'll need to reserve these seats by September 9.

The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, earlier this month
Photo: Allison Yii

The Gulf Coast of Florida remains a deal, despite the fact, said President Obama earlier this month, that "as a result of the cleanup effort, beaches all along the Gulf Coast are clean and safe and open for business." And now Newsweek reports that "last-minute summer deals" are driving up occupancy in the oil-free beaches of Florida. There are still plenty of savings available, provided you book soon.

Thanks to money from BP, the Beaches of South Walton marketing group is offering $250 gift cards to visitors that spend at least three nights at the area's hotels before September 30. Gift cards are valid at either the Silver Sands Factory Outlet in Destin or for future flights on Southwest Airlines—which recently started flying to the conveniently located Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Among the participating properties, the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and the 2010 Gold Listed WaterColor Inn & Resort are both giving a fourth night free on top of the gift card, on stays before September 30.

Also playing off the new Southwest service is the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, where guests who check in with a ticket stub from the low-cost carrier get 25 percent off their room rate on stays of two nights or longer. To make reservations for this special, you'll need to call the resort (800-559-1805) and mention promo code ST. It's valid through December 30, with no blackout dates.

Meanwhile Pensacola is offering a free $100 American Express gift card per night, for stays of up to three nights. You'll need to reserve directly with one of the area's hotels—rather than with a booking site like Orbitz—and sign up for the offer with the Pensacola Convention and Visitors Bureau. The giveaway goes until September 30.

Photo: Marriott's Kaua'i Beach Club

Looking for more space than a typical hotel room can offer? Dozens of Marriott Vacation Club and Grand Residences by Marriott resorts worldwide are offering 20 percent off stays of two nights or more September 7 through December 17, as long as you book with promo code FSZ before December 10.

Most of the 57 participating properties are in popular vacation spots. In the Caribbean, Marriott's Aruba Surf Club has rooms that sleep up to four, with kitchenettes and balconies, starting at $239 in September, down from $299. In Spain, Marriott's Marbella Beach Resort on the Costa del Sol has two-bedroom apartments for €215 ($272) in October that normally cost €269 a night—and feature enough room to sleep six, fully equipped kitchens, two bathrooms, and in-unit laundry machines.

Domestically, Marriott's Kaua'i Beach Club in Hawaii has guest rooms from $239 this fall—or bump up to a 700-square-foot, two-bathroom, one-bedroom villa with space for four for $367 a night. (Regular rates run $299-$459.) And two properties in Park City, Utah—Marriott's MountainSide and Summit Watch—are on sale for early season skiing, with rates in December starting at $151 for a one-bedroom villa with a fireplace, whirlpool, and full kitchen.

The full list of participating properties is available on Marriott's deals page.

Summer is almost over—yes, it is, and no amount of denial will halt the leaves from turning. But if you're already feeling nostalgic for the lazy days, the British islands of Turks & Caicos have the answer with two luxe beachside properties offering significant savings on room rates, just in time to quash those autumn blues.

The Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is a brand-new, ultra-hip hotel located in Providenciales, the islands' urban center (or is it centre?). At just 91 rooms, it's smaller than most resorts and thus can offer more privacy and personal attention, via the pampering but unobtrusive staff. The place made such a splash when it opened that it landed on our annual Hot List of the world's best new hotels. Through October 31, rates for a sizeable 500-square-foot Deluxe Ocean View Studio start at $350 per night, including Wi-Fi and ample buffet breakfast. But with the Summer Wrap-Up promotion, every third night during that time is free. Call 888-844-5986 to book your escape.

Less new, but just as swank, is the 47-room West Bay Club on Grace Bay Beach. With the Fall Special, you can book a sprawling 1,500-square-foot One Bedroom Suite for 40% off regular price. These accommodations come with full-size kitchens and ocean views. We test-booked September 23-26 and got a rate of just $326 per night, including all taxes, fees, and a free breakfast. There is a three-night minimum, but at these rates, why not?

The only caveat: September and October are the islands' wettest months, with potential hurricanes. However, Turks & Caicos' location north of the main Caribbean islands puts it outside the main paths of storms, so your chances of an exciting monsoon are lower than elsewhere in the region (but bring your umbrella, just in case).

India's Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, one of the country's best hotels and one of the landmarks assaulted during the three-day 2008 terrorist rampage across the city, re-opened this week on Indian Independence Day, after a nearly two-year, $37 million restoration project. Among the updates were a complete overhaul of guest rooms, refurbishment of the property's extensive art collection, and new additions like 24-hour butler service, a lounge area with free food and beverages throughout the day, and free access to the fitness center, steam room, and Jacuzzi.

To celebrate the event, the hotel is offering free nights for stays in Luxury Grande Rooms in the Palace Wing and stays in suites through the end of October. For Grande Rooms, like the one pictured, you'll get one night free for every night paid through September 15 if you book by August 31. After that, stays through October 31 will offer a free third night for every two paid. Suites, meanwhile, are stay-one-get-one through the end of October, but the booking window doesn't open until September 1; mark those calendars now.

Wendy Perrin visited the Taj in February—parts of the hotel were operating before the official re-opening this week—and passed along two first-hand insights as to why the hotel is so great:

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai is one of those rare hotels where you can sightsee from your room, as well as from the lobby. When I was there, my room looked onto the Gateway of India and the plaza in front of it, and I could have sat there for hours watching the boats move around the harbor and the locals move around the plaza. And the lobby and restaurants are such key meeting spots for Mumbaikers that you can learn a lot just by people watching there.

I felt very safe there, not only because of the solid security but because the staff is so welcoming and attentive. It's that degree of superlative hospitality you tend to find only in top Asian hotels, where every time you return to the lobby after a day's sightseeing they welcome you back as if it's your second home.

Photo: One&Only Ocean Club

Interested in a late summer or fall trip to the Bahamas? A collection of 14 hotels and resorts in Nassau and on Paradise Island are offering free companion airfare for trips through December 22 when you book at least three nights. Depending on which hotel you choose—and your gateway airport—your savings might top 20 percent as long as you book by September 15.

Among the properties participating is the family-friendly Atlantis, which is sweetening the pot by also including a fourth night free with stays of three. It's a continuation of a promo the mega-resort ran this summer, and also includes free extras like dolphin swims, two-for-one pricing on golf, and a few rounds of drinks and snacks at three of the on-site restaurants.

Also offering the companion-flies-free deal is the lovely One&Only Ocean Club, an annual shoe-in on our Gold List of the world's best hotels and the elegant 20-room Graycliff Hotel in Nassau. (The full list of participating properties is here.)

A few caveats about this deal: It's not available during Thanksgiving, with blackout dates of November 23-29. And while the companion airfare is, of course, free, the taxes and fees on that ticket are not and could total up to $120.

Photo: Flickr/mil8

In a replay of one of last year's most innovative travel promotions, JetBlue has announced its All You Can Jet pass for 2010, which promises unlimited flights between September 7 and October 6, "while supplies last." While customers can buy the pass now, they don't need to start booking flights until August 23. But as buzz about AYCJ builds on Twitter, we're wondering: is it actually a deal worth booking?

The short answer is "it depends," and a few sample cases will illuminate who should—and who shouldn't—bother booking this pass. This year it comes in two flavors: a $500 version that offers the right to fly Monday through Thursday and on Saturdays and a $700 version that allows flights any day of the week. Both are saddled with various restrictions and include domestic taxes and fees—but not the extra charges levied on tickets to international destinations and Puerto Rico. Oh, and you'll have to be a member of the TrueBlue loyalty program to buy; join for free here.

Because anyone with a regular 9-to-5 job will want to fly on Fridays and Sundays, we'll be basing our calculations on the $700 AYCJ pass. Sure, there will be a few die-hards that take 40 flights over the course of the month and will obviously get bang for their buck. Godspeed to you; we'll be following along on your blog. Now, for the rest of us...

Photo: Viceroy Snowmass

Maybe we've been spending too much time at the beach this summer, but we've got mountains on our minds lately. Today, we point you to Aspen/Snowmass, where dozens of hotels and resorts are offering free nights from now through early December.

The ski-in/ski-out Viceroy Snowmass, which opened last year to Hot List accolades, is offering the third night free through December 19 with promo code 3NF. In Aspen, The Little Nell, a six-time entrant on our Gold List, is offering a third night free for stays through November 24, as is The St. Regis Aspen Resort, another Gold List property. At the St. Regis, use promo code ZS3 to get the free night through November 30.

But what to do in Aspen/Snowmass if the ski slopes aren't yet open? Fall activities abound along with these deals, including Aspen Filmfest, a five-day cinematic smorgasbord; the Big Aspen BBQ Block Party, a two-day barbecue blowout; and even the 43rd annual Aspen Ruggerfest, a rugby tournament with competition drawn from around the globe.

Photo: Seven Seas Voyager

As travel picks up, along with the economy, cruise deals haven't been as omnipresent as they were a year ago. But here's one from Regent Seven Seas Cruises that's like a time machine back to the bargains of 2009: Regent is offering two-for-one fares plus additional bonus savings of up to $3,000 per person on 28 sailings this fall and early winter.

Richard Turen, one of the cruise experts on Condé Nast Traveler's 2010 list of top travel specialists, says that some of the prices are about what you might expect to see for these sailings, but there are a few true pricing gems mixed in.

According to Richard, the best of these deals is the December 10 seven-night round-trip sailing from Ft. Lauderdale on the Voyager, with ports including Key West, Belize, and Guatemala. The brochure rate for a category G room (the least expensive balcony cabin with an unobstructed view) on this sailing is $8,895 per person; with this deal, the price drops to just $2,950 (including all port and government fees).

For folks who like days at sea, the 14-day repositioning sailing on the Mariner, departing on December 3 from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro, offers stunning savings: The cost per person in a category G cabin is $4,395, down from the brochure price of $13,195—for savings of 65%.

In addition to these great fares, Turen notes that Regent is the only cruise line to include unlimited shore excursions in their cruise fares, making for possible savings of hundreds of dollars more.

The details: The discounts are available on 28 select sailings through the end of the year; book by September 30.

Book through: Richard Turen, whom we’ve recommended before for his savvy advice, unflinching honesty, and in-depth knowledge of luxury cruise lines.