Atlantic City casino moguls must be quaking in their collective boots, because the NorthEast now has one more place where wheelers and dealers from NYC can head out to for a good time – Bethlehem, PA.

Specifically, the opening of The Sands Hotel in Bethlehem, PA. The new 300-room hotel opened just in time for Memorial Day and is part of the Sands Casino Resort, run by Las Vegas Sands Corp which owns the Venetian and Palazzo resorts in Vegas.

The Sands Resort in Bethlehem, PA

So Bethlehem, which is a bare 90 min from NYC and even closer to Philly, is now offering a full service hotel, 10 restaurants and three bars/lounges, all kinds of entertainment and a casino the size of three football fields.

Not to mention an indoor pool and a fitness center inside the hotel, and the upscale gift shop Sands & Co. Atlantic City is going to have a hard time convincing visitors from New York to drive a good deal further for essentially the same thing.

Guests staying at The Sands will be treated to everything from free wireless internet and a complimentary continental breakfast to a variety of 10 dining options including an outpost of NYC’s Carnegie Deli, an Irish pub, a steakhouse and an Italian restaurant, a food court, cafe and in-room dining courtesy the famous chef Emeril Lagasse.

Emeril's Chophouse, Sands Resort in Bethlehem, PA

There are three bars and lounges, offering a mix of live entertainment and specialty cocktails (Molten Lounge) and a chic hangout with martinis and the privacy of semi-enclosed glass walls (Infusion). Being a casino resort, there has to be a casino lounge (Coil Bar) which offers specialty cocktails and table top video poker.

The 300 guest rooms include six Presidential and 16 executive suites. The standard Deluxe King and Queen rooms are 400 sq ft with free in-room remote checkout and wireless internet. Not to mention connecting rooms with two queen beds, for families with kids or group travelers.

The rooms have a glass enclosed shower with a 42″ flatscreen HDTV and in-room safes. The executive suites are 800 sq ft and the Presidential suites top out at 1,200 sq ft and everything from 2 refrigerators and flatscreens to a wet bar, dining table for eight, soaking tub.

Photos courtesy Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem

More info: 77 Sands Boulevard Bethlehem PA 18015; www.pasands.com/

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As 34.9 million travelers hit the road for Memorial Day, the biggest concern is the price of filling the tank. To help ease the pain at the pump, many hotels, hotel groups and booking agents are offering free gas cards.

Pumping gas

Hotels.com: The summer giftaway promotion offers three tiers of rewards. Travelers who stay 1 night can save upto 30% while those who stay 2 nights get a $25 gas card (use promo code ROADTRIP). Stay 3 nights and you get an Amazon Kindle e-reader (promo code BOOKWORM). More details here.

IHG: IHG is offering a ‘Vacation Pay’ promotion, where U.S. travelers get a $75 prepaid card for staying two consecutive weekend nights at any of IHG’s 4,400 hotels worldwide. The card can be used for gas and other things too. Promotion valid until Aug 31, 2011. More details here.

Marriott: California road-trippers can get a $25 gas card free for booking a stay at any of the participating hotels in California, including in San Francisco, San Diego, La Jolla and Bakersfield. The promotion is valid until Sept 6, 2011. Use promo code TRS for online booking.

Marriott also has a free gas card offer for those who want to head north across the border to Canada. The ‘Cars Eat Free’ package offers a $25 CAD gas card for each weekend night’s stay. Most of the participating hotels also provide free parking, so your car also gets to ‘stay free.’ Use promo code TRS and the promotion is valid until Aug 19, 2011.

On top of these offers from hotel groups, there are hundreds more from individual hotels. For example, the Hyatt Regency Long Island in New York State is offering a gas card package that includes overnight accommodations, a $25 gas card per stay, free breakfast and complimentary parking and internet.

The Four Seasons Hotel Boston is offering a ‘Fueled up’ package with a $50 gas card. The Bay Point Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Panama City Beach, Fla. is offering $100 to $50 gas cards, depending on the length of stay.

It would be impossible to list all such offers here, but it’s a good bet that most cities will have at least a couple or more hotels offering free gas cards in addition to the hotel group offers mentioned above.

Photo by FutureAtlas (via flickr)

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Enjoying some ice cream from the roving cart

You’ve heard of the summer of love, and all of the freedom and fun it brings, right?  Well, this year, Loews Hotels is inviting guests to come invent their day this summer with the Summer of Loews promotion.

From now through September 9th, Loews concierges will be available to help guests plan their perfect summer vacation, whether they prefer an active city vacation, a relaxing beach vacation, or something in between.  In addition, each Loews Hotel is offering special summer menus, including gourmet “haute” dogs, summer BBQs, and yummy desserts.  On a diet this summer?  Then you can enjoy some of the skinny cocktails and menu items available. Loews is also offering complimentary signature non-alcoholic beverages in the lobby each afternoon this summer.

Of course, no summer is complete without fun games – so Loews is also offering games including “In It To Win It” and paddle ball.  These are high-stakes games – the grand prize is a Vacation of a Lifetime at any Loews Hotel!  If you have a little one traveling with you, the popular Baby Loves Disco is making stops at twelve different Loews Hotels throughout the summer.

If you aren’t visiting a Loews this summer, there is still the opportunity to participate in the giveaways on the Loews Hotel Facebook page – but why would you want to miss out on the fun?

Photo credit: Loews Hotels

Bring the family to enjoy New Orleans

You may not immediately think of New Orleans as family friendly, but it’s a wonderland for kids as well as adults. This summer, the New Orleans Marriott makes it easy to bring the entire family along on your vacation to the Crescent City.

With the hotel’s Escape! Family Time package, visitors get a guest room with one king or two double beds and free meals in the hotel’s restaurant, 5 Fifty 5, for up to four children (ordering off the kids’ menu) aged 12 and under. The free meals are good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and are valid with an adult-purchased meal (one adult per two children).

The package is good for stays through Aug. 31, 2011. Rates start at $99 per night and do not include taxes. For more information or to book the Escape! Family Time package, call 800-228-9290, or visit www.neworleansmarriott.com and use rate code MAJ.

Right at the edge of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Marriott is a great home base for family attractions, such as the Audubon Insectarium, Aquarium of the Americas, Jackson Square and the Natchez Steamboat.

New Orleans Marriott Hotel 888-364-1200
555 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Photo courtesy of the New Orleans Marriott Hotel

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