Mexico Hurricane-proof your vacation

By Los Angeles Times

August through October in some parts of Mexico can mean hotel bargains and fewer tourists. If you’re planning travel during that time in a hurricane-susceptible region, there’s no guarantee that a nasty storm won’t derail all your plans at the last minute and leave you scrambling for a new destination.

We hope that the only hurricane that’s going to work its way into your holiday has rum in it, but if you do run into serious weather, Tesoro Resorts — which owns three Mexico properties — wants you to be assured that at least your vacation dollars will be safeguarded.

Deal: All-inclusive resorts Tesoro Ixtapa, Tesoro Los Cabos and Tesoro Manzanillo are offering a “Hurricane-proof” package, good for a minimum three-night stay. For rates starting at $80/person per night (pre-tax and based on double occupancy), you get a room and free travel insurance. To keep you smiling, they’ll also give you waterproof mascara, an umbrella and welcome hurricane cocktails. Use the promotion code “HURRICANE.”

As for the “proof” part of the package: If the National Hurricane Center classifies the weather at your destination as “subtropical storm” or worse, you can reschedule or cancel your stay, with no fees incurred.

I asked the company what happens when a hurricane hits in the midst of a vacation. Pam Streeter, vice president of electronic distribution/marketing, said, “If the government requires an evacuation we will refund the unused portion of their hotel stay. If the government does not require an evacuation and the guest chooses to leave of their own accord, the insurance does not cover the air, but we will go ahead and allow them to vacate early and not be charged for their unused nights. And we’ll give a 20% discount off the rooms for a return trip.”