Birthday

Destination Hotels & Resorts apparently knows this, so they’re offering a Birthday Credit promotion to soften the blow. Guests receive hotel credit equal to their age, so the older you are, more credit to you. You also get a complimentary breakfast and a special celebratory birthday welcome amenity.

All you need to do is book a 2-night stay (or more) to celebrate your birthday at one of Destination’s 30 hotels. And sign up for destination’s customer loyalty program – Destination Delivers.

If you think Southern California makes for a good birthday destination, you might want to combine Destination’s Birthday Credit offer with the free birthday admission offer from Disneyland. 

Destination has two Los Angeles area hotels – The Sheraton Universal Hotel next to Universal Studios in Hollywood, and the new Terranea Resort which recently opened along the Palos Verdes Peninsula just 20 miles south of Los Angeles.

Terranea Resort, Palos Verdes, CA

Another Southern California favorite in the collection is the seaside L’Auberge Del Mar in San Diego, which recently completed a $25 million renovation featuring a new restaurant and spa.

L'Auberge Del Mar, San Diego, CA

Other great Destination properties to choose from include Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Sunriver in Oregon, Vail Cascade in Colorado or East Coast locations such as Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont, Wild Dunes in South Carolina or The Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla.

Dalmatian photo credit – hassan abdel-rahman; Cake photo credit – atp_tyreseus; Terranea & L’Auberge Del mar photos courtesy Destination Hotels & Resorts.

Kimpton Hotels Earthcare Program

In addition to the (so hilarious, right? Right?) hotel reviews I write here, I’m also a regular contributor to AOL GreenDaily. That means I’m always thinking about the eco-friendly angle, including when I check out hotels.

And let me tell you, in case you don’t spend as much time as I do reading hotel sites, it’s freaking hard to find information about most hotels’ green practices.

With the exception of certain chains like Kimpton, which are loud and proud about their green programs, most hotels bury their sustainability programs at the very bottom of their “about” page — if they even post it all! For the casual, “I just want to compare availability/price/one or two other features and make a reservation already” type of hotel shopper, green hotel info is pretty inaccessible.

At long last, in 2010 AAA will add an eco-designation, indicating that a property is managed sustainably and is eco-friendly. To get the designation, the hotels have to be AAA-approved plus have the stamp of approval from a certified state or national green lodging program. So you will be able to find your green hotel choices fast, and be sure that the green-cred was earned.

Photo: Kimpton Hotels

Southernmost on the Beach

So, Key West, Florida isn’t exactly known for its beaches. But, what if you could stay at a hotel that had its own private beach ? I say, who cares if sand isn’t perfect or if the water isn’t crystal clear? Key West, Florida’s Southernmost Hotel on the Beach is a relaxing, luxurious retreat that has nice sand just for its guests. It’s a really beautiful hotel, with very calming surroundings. And, you’ll be within walking distance of famous Duval Street that has many of Key West’s best restaurants, bars, cafes and boutique shops.

There are many things to like about Southernmost Hotel on the Beach. There’s free parking (really surprising to me considering this hotel is a little pricey.) You don’t actually need a car at all – you can walk to everything. Free Internet. A lovely pool. A private beach. The staff is really nice and well-trained. Free chairs to sit on the beach with. A great poolside bar.

What’s not to like? Not too much! Again, the beach is nice, but you’re not in the Bahamas. The “cheapest” rooms are not as large as so might like, but I saw absolutely not problem with them, they were beautiful.

If you’re looking for a luxurious stay in Key West, and don’t mind working out your credit card a bit, definitely check this hotel out. I think you’ll be happy as a hippo, like I was.

Photo Credit: Southernmost on the Beach website

Red Roof is offering one night for 1 cent at select Red Roof hotels. They’re starting with Boston and Orlando, with plans to extend it to their 345 properties in 36 states.

Red Roof Inn

The promotion is currently valid for booking 1-cent rooms at two Red Roof hotels in Boston (Mansfield & Woburn), and the Red Roof at the Orlando Conevntion Center in Florida. 

But there’s a catch which you should be aware of before you start dreaming about swimming with the manatees in Orlando.

The 1-cent rate at each individual Red Roof hotel is valid only for stays on a specific date. For example, the valid stay date for the Boston Mansfield Foxboro Red Roof is Aug 16.

Secondly, in order to book a room under this promo, you need to sign up and become a Redicard member. This frequent traveler program will apparently enable you to receive 48-hour advanced notice of all Red Roof special offers, before it beocmes public.

The point here being that when Red Roof expands the 1-cent promotion to other hotels across the US, Redicard members will have a better chance of booking in before the rooms get sold out when the news becomes public. More details and online booking options here.

Photo credit – DiscoverDuPage