News to use

Here are some of the more interesting deals and Web sites that came across our desk this week:

•Britain’s National Trust handles rentals of cottages in the countryside of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with weekly rates far less than what you might spend for a few nights in a hotel. For example, a cottage for two in the Cotswolds during the first part of January is only about $464. www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk

•CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. has come up with a list of “Top 40 Cruises Under $40/Day,” all of which are before the end of the year. www.chicagotribune.com/40dollarcruises

•The new 161-room Sheraton Chicago Northbrook Hotel boasts an interactive lobby that includes complimentary workstations for Internet access, as well as free Wi-Fi. www.chicagotribune.com/newsheraton

•To celebrate its reopening, Hotel Le Christopher on the usually pricey island of St. Barts has rooms at $136 a night (rates are quoted in euros, so it may vary slightly), including a buffet continental breakfast. www.hotelchristopher.com

•The After the Crush Wine and Dine Series at the Abbey Resort in Fontana, Wis., includes a two-night stay, cocktail reception, cooking demonstration, wine seminar and tasting, and a chef- and sommelier-hosted four-course dinner. The special runs the next three weekends. www.theabbeyresort.com

•Crowne Plaza Glen Ellyn-Lombard celebrates its grand opening Tuesday. The 119-room hotel features a guest recycling program and windows that reduce energy loss. www.chicagotribune.com/newcrowneplaza

•Looking to rent a condo for that ski trip to Colorado or that Disneyworld jaunt to Orlando? Check out www.zonder.com.

•If you’re going to be in Boston Nov. 19-23, do some early holiday shopping for your arty friends and family at Inside Out, the annual sale at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. www.smfa.edu/News_Exhibitions/InsideOut

•Bedandbreakfast.com has posted its “Best Of” list for 2008-09. www.bedandbreakfast.com

•Having a heavy foot on the gas pedal obviously burns up gas, but it can cost you even more if you get caught speeding. When you’re traveling in unfamiliar territory, know where to slow down by going to www.speedtrap.org.

•Prices start at $209 a night for the new Chicago Bed & Breakfast package offered by the Fairmont Chicago. Included are accommodations in a newly renovated room and a breakfast buffet for two in aria, the hotel’s restaurant. www.fairmont.com/chicago

•The Marriott and Renaissance Hotels of New Orleans have put together the WWII 101 package starting at $109 a night that includes accommodations, two tickets to the National World War II Museum and breakfast. www.chicagotribune.com/ww2