Want to relive the Summer of ’69 in a 60′s themed vacation in Tucson or Tempe? Sage Hospitality is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Summer of ’69 with special offers including $69 room rates, $6.90 suite upgrades, $6.90 entrees, $.69 beers and $69 massages (where applicable).

Sage Summer of '69

The Sage Summer of ’69 offer is valid from July 1 to Sept 30, 2009, and is available at the following Sage hotels - Marriott Ogden, UT; Marriott, Pueblo, CO; Sheraton Phoenix Airport, Tempe, AZ; Marriott Charlotte Executive Park, NC; Hotel Baronette, Novi, MI; and the Sheraton Tucson, AZ.

Walter Isenberg, president and CEO of Sage Hospitality, says that Sage is running thhis special because  ”Whether it’s the funny fashions, man’s first walk on the moon or the music and movies you remember, the summer of 1969 was a time of transformation in America and after 40 years, a time worth remembering.”

And to make it a more memorable experience, each hotel is adding some special touches, like “munchie” menus in the restaurants (think Magic Mushroom Pizza, Twilight Twinkies, Peace Brownies with a peace stencil and Tie Dye Sherbet). Guests may find 60′s vintage VW buses and VW bugs on display, 60′s music playing and even a bit of incense on a few appropriate locations.

You could even have a flower child check you into your room or get classics like ‘Easy Rider’ or ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ as part of your in-room entertainment package, says Nanci Sherman, general manager at the Sheraton Tucson.

More details here – http://www.sagehospitality.com/specials/summerof69.htm

Duval Street in Key West

Looking for an amazing value for a hotel in Key West, Florida? Check out The Inn at Key West! I was researching hotels for my wedding next year and came across this one. I happened to get an amazing deal of $109/night due to a pricing mistake on the website, but I also just booked a room for $89/night for a scouting trip next week (stay tuned for updates about how the hotel actually is). Here’s what I know so far, which is why I’m so excited about this hotel:

It’s cheap!

Good-quality, cheaper hotels are pretty tough to find during high season in Key West, and this hotel starts out with rooms for about $130/night in high season. That’s very reasonable. If you book during summer, you can snag rooms for as low as $89/night like I did. And, many rooms come with two Queen beds, so you can accommodate two couples easily.

Away From Duval Street Craziness

The Inn at Key West is about 3 miles away from downtown Key West, which can actually be a good thing. Duval Street can be nuts, so if you’re looking for a quieter retreat, you’ve found it.

Largest Freshwater Pool in Key West!

Yep – check out the pics on the website, the pool looks amazing.

Great Food and Drinks Poolside

You can grab breakfast and lunch poolside. Rumor has it that the pina coladas are must-haves.
So there you have it! I’ll report back next week after my stay to see if this hotel lives up to the hype.

Photo Credit: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar

guest post by Sherry Gray

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando?  Finding the right resort can be a daunting task because there are so many factors to consider.  Should you stay at a Disney hotel, or nearby?  Cost is important, and to some, the defining factor.  But you may also want to consider the quality of your stay. For dedicated Mousketeer families, immersion in the Disney experience and culture is a big part of the fun. For kids of a certain age, expectations will be high, and nobody delivers the magic like Disney.

So here’s why you should consider staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Proximity is your friend. If Disney is your only destination, then the closer you are to the parks, the better. Traffic around Disney can be as bad as downtown at rush hour, and who wants to be stuck in traffic with kids at the end of a very long day?
• Siesta time. Staying inside Disney allows you to start early, return to your hotel to cool off with a dip in the pool or a nap, and go back for that tenth ride on Space Mountain (or maybe the Teacup ride) feeling refreshed. Florida is HOT most of the year, and being outdoors in the fierce sun can really wear you out – dangerously so. Off topic: Wear a good sunscreen, drink plenty of water, and find a cool spot if you start feeling shaky.
• Disney has transportation of every conceivable variety. You may be able to forego a rental car and return to your hotel by bus, train, monorail, sky gondola or even boat. Disney’s inter-park transportation is free to travel, but getting from one point to another may be time consuming and involve multiple transfers. Disney World is huge, 47 square miles, so while getting around without a car within the park is certainly possible, it might not be desirable.
• Disney’s Magical Express is a pretty cool perk. You board the plane at your home airport and when you arrive at the Orlando airport, you simply jump on a coach. Disney will claim your luggage and deliver it to your room. Bear in mind that you might want to pack some essentials in a carryon, because your bags may arrive hours after you do.
• Extra Magic Hours give Disney guests a few extra hours to enjoy the parks before and after the invasion of the unwashed hordes: an hour extra in the morning before the parks open to the public, and a few hours in the evening after public closing time.
• Fixed-rate dining plans can potentially save you money on your meals. It’s a comparative value; eating outside Disney or bringing in groceries could be far less costly, but compared to free-range foraging for meals without a package deal, it’s practically budget.
• Golf and sports. Disney offers a beautiful golf course and a sports venue that hosts youth sports, professional training camps, exhibitions and championship events for when you’re ready for some more grown up recreation.
• Expense. Years ago, Disney had only one resort price range: high. Today they offer options for nearly any budget, although to drop under $80 per night, you’ll need a camper. There are many options in an affordable $80-$150 range.

One thing that belongs in both pro and con columns is the Disney Magic.  If you’ve ever ridden the “It’s a Small World” ride, you know what I’m talking about. It’s fun at first, until you realize you’re being smothered by ubiquitous Disney…sort of like subliminal messages in 70s elevator music. Bushes are trimmed in character shapes.  Floor tiles are arranged in attractive advertising layout.  Power lines are threaded through mouse-head shaped pole toppers.  Golf course sand traps are mouse-eared. If a seagull flies over and poops on the sidewalk, it lands in perfect character silhouette (ok, I made that one up.  They probably pay somebody to shape the poop after it lands). For an enthusiastic five-year-old, this level of inundation really is pure magic. Small kids will delight in finding mouse ears in unexpected locations (everywhere).  Adults and older kids might be considerably less than enchanted.  Depends on how they feel about Disney.

Here’s why you should consider staying off Disney property:

• Fitting your budget.  First, you can find a less expensive hotel. The lowest price Disney hotel, excluding Fort Wilderness campsites, is $82 per night and reservations for lower price rooms tend to fill up well in advance.  Offsite, there are literally hundreds of nearby hotels to meet any budget. You can also choose a reasonably priced all-suite hotel; suites are both rare and pricey on Disney property. Hotel rooms in the highly competitive Kissimmee area close to Disney’s West Gate can run as low as $38 per night for a very basic stay (not that I’d go so far as to recommend them). In addition to hotel cost, the choice of eateries ranges from street vendor sandwiches to five-star gourmet…or you can just hit a grocery and pick up some supplies.
• Shuttle service to all attractions. Disney is a closed environment, but offsite hotels often have shuttles that will take you to any of Orlando’s attractions like Seaworld, Universal Theme parks, water parks, and themed restaurants. Pirate’s Dinner Adventure anyone?
• Convention facilities. If you’re planning a working vacation while attending a convention or conference, a hotel on or around International Drive might be your best bet.
• Chaos factor. Disney hotels and hotel grounds are busy. If a picture of downtown Bejing sends you into convulsions, you might want to find a nice quiet hotel off the beaten path.  On Disney property, the more adult oriented the property, the higher the price.

Your best preparation is in planning and research. Outline your objectives and decide what is most appealing to every member of your vacation party, and then find a compromise. Selecting a hotel that fits your budget and meets your comfort needs means less stress and a more enjoyable overall experience for everyone.

400 years ago this September, Henry Hudson sailed into what is now known as New York Harbor, and ever since, visitors have been looking for a place to stay in New York City. Here’s a few of New York’s ‘centennial club’ hotels, all of which are at least 100 years old.

The Sohotel, New York

Let’s start with a simple question – Which is New York’s oldest hotel still in business? That title belongs to the Sohotel, which has been in operation since 1805 under various names including The Worchester, The Occidental, The Pioneer and now Sohotel.

That’s a 204 year old hotel located just north of the spot where George Washington entered the Bowery with his troops and took command of the city, setting up the government of the United States on November 25, 1783.

This location in lower Manhattan off The Bowery at 341 Broome Street - with walking access to the attractions of Soho, Greenwich Village, Little Italy, China Town, and Tribeca - is pretty good even today.

The Sohotel nowadays makes a decent living as a no-frills budget hotel for students and tourists looking for reasonable accomodations in the heart of Downtown Manhattan.

The Algonquin Hotel, New York

Next question – which is the oldest NYC hotel operating under the same name? That would be The Algonquin Hotel, which opened in 1902.

Nothing much needs to be said about this famed historic hotel which has been immortalized on screen and in the literary works of Dorothy Parker and the rest of the Algonquin Round Table members.

Next up on the list is The Plaza (now the Fairmont Plaza), which opened its doors on October 1, 1907. Billed at that time as the world’s greatest hotel, The Plaza charged the exorbitant price of $2.50 per night for single rooms when it opened.  

Straddling Fifth Ave and Central Park, The Plaza is not only a traditional brunch and afternoon tea spot for New York’s socialites, but also a movie star in it’s own right – most famously featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.

Hotel Chelsea, New York

No list of New York hotels would be complete without honorable mention of the Chelsea Hotel - ground zero for Bohemians. The Chelsea is housed in a distinctive landmark building which dates back to 1884, first as an apartment building which opened as a hotel in 1905.

Former residents of the Chelsea include Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Sid Vicious and many more linked to Andy Warhol’s Factory.

Another hotel which just makes the cut as a 100+ historic hotel is The Jane NYC. Originally built as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms in 1908, the hotel was restored and brought back to life in late 2008 as a budget hotel offering $99 rooms.

The Jane’s claim to fame lies in the fact that in 1912, the survivors of the Titanic stayed at the hotel until the end of the American Inquiry into the ship’s sinking.  The surviving crew held a memorial service at the hotel four days after the ship sank.  

Also eligible to join New York’s exclusive centennial club is the The Hotel Wolcott (1904), which also housed one Titanic survivor – Dr. Washington Dodge of San Francisco, who then penned a harrowing first-person account of the tragedy while staying at the Wolcott. Really dodged that one, didn’t he? 

Hotel Chelsea photo by Gyrofrog (creative commons).