Starwood Hotels & Resorts is running a global summer sale under which 600 participating hotels are offering as much as 50% off.

Starwood Hotels Summer Sale

Offers available include the Sheraton Kauai with rates from $189 per night, W Times Square with rates from $199 per night and Sheraton Boston Hotel with rates from $139 per night.  

In Mexico, Le Méridien Cancun Resort & Spa has rates from $92 and the St. Regis Punta Mita is offering rates from $239. Travelers to Asia Pacific will enjoy deep discounts at properties including Le Méridien Bangalore with rates from $107, W Hong Kong with rates from $219 and Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo with rates from $120.

Book by July 20 for stays between July 16 and October 12, 2009. Reserve online at www.starwoodhotels.com/julyLTO or by calling 866-924-8704 and asking for “July LTO.”

Also, if you’re interested in a summer spa getaway with Starwood, book in before July 31 at participating Starwood Hotels & Resorts in the Caribbean, Florida, Alabama, Texas, the Carolinas and Georgia. 

Starwood Summer Spa Getaway

Under this promo, Starwood will fork over daily spa credits worth $100. For every night you reserve, you get $100 worth of free spa credits, which you can spend on anything you want.

Offer valid until Sept 30, 2009. Book online here – http://starwoodpromos.com/spa/

Where do you find romance?

guest post by Sherry Gray

Romance is a subjective and intensely personal preference based on fantasy fulfillment. Finding a romantic hotel starts by defining what makes you feel romantic and includes figuring a comprehensive and comfortable budget for the getaway.

For some people, the key to romance is in simple peace and quiet, a respite from day-to-day stresses with elements of pampered luxury.

Look for a remote location bereft of hordes of noisy tourists and boisterous children, offering opportunity for real relaxation, and absolutely no nearby centers of frenetic activity (theme parks) demanding attention by their very proximity. To fulfill the illusion of privacy, look for a place with individual cabins, lush landscaping and spectacular scenery. Amenities like massage, private hot tubs and fireplaces create the opportunity to get very, very personal with minimal distraction.

Spa at Calistoga Ranch

Situated on 157 acres in a private canyon, the Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley, California offers the rich indulgence of the wine country culture and cuisine in a natural setting. Find the romance in the indoor/outdoor living. Luxuriate in a private outdoor shower garden, relax in front of a crackling fire set in an indoor/outdoor fireplace or soak in a private hot tub on the deck of your lodge. Each spacious lodge is placed for maximum privacy in a heavily wooded setting, and view depends on location. Choose a breathtaking hillside view overlooking the private vineyard, a forested location next to a babbling brook, or the majestic Estate Lodge on the shores of beautiful Lake Lommel. Prices start at $850 per night.

If private cabins are out of your price range, consider a bed and breakfast with only a few rooms and simple, pleasurable activities or a luxury resort out of season, like a beautiful lake resort in the winter. Normally unaffordable luxury can be romantic, even if swimming is out of the question. With prices starting at less than $200 a night, the Arch Cape Inn & Retreat on the Oregon coast is nothing less than spectacular. Dramatic cliff views and ocean views, large rooms and exquisite attention to detail combine to give this resort far more sex appeal than the price tag would indicate.

Tropical paradise holds the key to romance for some. Gentle ocean breezes, exotic tropical foliage and the opportunity to wear as little clothing as possible can set the stage for unforgettable romantic adventure.

For a really special occasion, splash out on a hotel set on a private island resort just off the Florida Keys. My favorite place for tropical romance is Little Palm Island Resort & Spa. The price is a bit steep, starting at nearly $1000 per night with a 2-night minimum, but you’re not paying for an ordinary room. You’ll stay in a luxurious bungalow decorated in tropical style, surrounded by exotic foliage. You may choose to dine in suite, in the gourmet restaurant or right on the beach. Children under 16 are not allowed, and there are only 30 bungalows on the entire island. You can reach the island only by seaplane or boat from Little Torch Key, and there are no noisy cars on the island to interrupt your romance, only the seductive sound of the waves punctuated by the cry of seagulls and the rustling of the palms.

Baby, it

Ski lodges offer a classic opportunity for a romantic getaway. After an energetic day on the slopes, snuggling in front of a warm fire with a hot toddy fulfills the deepest romantic fantasies of many people. The Castle Hill Resort and Spa offers elegantly appointed rooms or private resort homes and a majestic view of Vermont’s Green Mountains.

For some, exuberance is romantic, which explains why more than 2300 couples get married at Walt Disney World every year. Suggestions for Disney romance include taking in the fireworks aboard the Breathless, a beautiful boat that accommodates up to 6 guests, or only two, or dinner in Cinderella’s Castle.

Hotels that cater to every fascination are available, from haunted paranormal experience to bird watching to extreme sports, and the choice is up to you and your partner.

Use caution when deciding. A poorly planned getaway can be a romance killer, especially if a special vacation that misses the mark is meant to be a surprise. Choosing a place that reflects only your tastes and does not consider your partner can be disastrous, and so can an overt romance offensive launched too soon in a relationship. Look for hotels that boast romantic touches without heavy-handed lack of subtlety. Hotels that offer really comfortable beds and high quality linens advertise them.

Find as much comfort, privacy and luxury as your budget will allow, with a beautiful setting, good food and whatever level of distraction makes you and your partner happy. That’s where you’ll find real romance.

The very modern Copley Square Hotel lobby

As a Boston native, I hardly ever get to stay in hotels when I visit — too many family members demanding requesting face time. But I may have to make an exception this summer.

For a limited time today, July 14, 2009, the historic Copley Square Hotel is celebrating its 118th birthday by offering rooms for $18/night!

Here’s how it works: at 1:18pm EST, you have 118 minutes to go to the hotel’s website and make your reservation. They will have five rooms available per night, between July 24 and September 24, 2009. They will also have an additional five rooms available for $118/night.

Decadent luxury in a hotel room - yes, please!

I know that “Boston” and “Historic” probably make you think of low ceilings and dark, awkward antique furniture. But the Copley Square Hotel is newly — and gorgeously — renovated, with what they call “Decadent Boston Luxury Accommodations.”

Great location, swank amenities, and a price you can’t beat. I’m looking up airfares to Boston!

For all the details, including how to book the summer’s best bargain hotel rates, visit the Copley Square Hotel birthday page.

Hat tip to the wonderful Annie Scott at Gadling for sharing this deal!

Hyatt Regency Phoenix

I recently stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Phoenix, Arizona, and even though I wasn’t there for even an entire night (I had to be flown back to Atlanta that evening, hurray for jet-setting), it was a nice stay. Customer service was first-class at the check-in counter, very professional and attentive. I made a couple of phone calls to the front desk when I got to the room, and the phone was always answered with “How can we help you, Ms. Bengen?”

Phoenix is a funny collection of neighborhoods that kind of all blur together, but as far as I could tell, this hotel was pretty central to everything. It was certainly close to the airport – the ride took less than ten minutes.

I took a short nap in the bed, and it was really big and comfy. I like Hyatt bedding a lot, I’ve discovered. I think I will be treating myself to some Hyatt sheets for Christmas this year. Especially if my dog continues to eat the ones we have.

The pool was on (4th?) floor, and it was a little odd – It was a 3 foot deep “lap pool.” I didn’t care though, the view was nice, the pool area allowed you to look up at some buildings and watch the planes come in which was kind of cool. It was so hot outside though that even this heated pool felt refreshing!

If you need a nice hotel that’s close to the airport, I’d definitely recommend this Hyatt. No complaints! There was some sort of touch-screen contraption by the front desk that might have allowed you to check in yourself, I wasn’t sure, didn’t have time to check it out. I did, however, print out my boarding pass right at the front desk for free which was awesome.

Photo Credit: Jenny Bengen