The Real Deal: Seven nights' accommodations in a one-bedroom villa, condo, or cottage that sleeps up to four people and includes a living room and a fully equipped kitchen, from $379 per rental — including taxes.
When: Through March 2008, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.
The fine print: Prices include any taxes, and there is no booking fee. The price remains the same for groups of any size between one and four people. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book By: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: Endless Vacation Rentals, 877/782-9387, evrentals.com.
Why it's a deal: You'll save up to 40 percent off the typical rental rates through Endless Vacation Rentals. Consider, too, that by forgoing a hotel room for a villa or condo you gain access to a full kitchen, which gives you the option to save money by cooking meals instead of eating out.
Details: In Spain, you can stay in a villa on the Canary Islands, off the coast of North Africa, from $379 (about a 40 percent discount off the original price of $629). You can find tips on what to see and do on the sun-kissed islands by visiting the official tourism Web site. You can also opt for Málaga, an Andalusian city along the much-touristed Costa del Sol, where rentals now start at $629 (originally $1,069).
On the southern tip of Portugal, the resort town of Albufeira — many of whose beautiful beaches are tucked amid cliff formations — has rentals starting at $519 instead of $770, a savings of about 30 percent.
In Greece, properties on Rhodes — one of the Dodecanese islands influenced by Europe, Africa, and the Middle East — and on Crete, the ancient center of Minoan civilization, start at $499, a discount of more than 25 percent off the original price of $689. (For more on Crete, check out our recent Real Deal, Kayak and Hike in Crete, $1160.)
Note that Endless Vacation Rentals works with more than 60,000 properties around the globe (not quite "endless," but close!) and each rate quoted above isn't based on just one specific villa. The Web site is regularly updated to showcase the available properties on any given date.