The Lobby of the Onyx Hotel

So far, winter 2012 has proved to be fairly mild, but most New Englanders like me know that it’s just a matter of time before Boston is blanketed with the white stuff.  Celebrate in style this winter with the Kimpton Hotel Group’s Winter Wonderland package – available at the three Kimpton Hotels in Boston (the Nine Zero Hotel, the Onyx Hotel and Hotel Marlowe).

The Kimpton Hotel Group’s Winter Wonderland package is a great way to enjoy the Boston winter weather.  It includes the following:

• One night of deluxe overnight accommodations at either Nine Zero in Boston, the Onyx Hotel in Boston or Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge
• Breakfast in bed for two people (up to $50)
• Free valet parking (regularly over $40 per night!)
• Late 2pm check-out so you can have a lazy morning in Boston
• Two tickets and ice skate rentals to ice skate on Boston Common’s famed Frog Pond

The Kimpton Hotel Group’s Winter Wonderland package can be booked online at http://www.kimptonhotels.com/hotels/hotels-boston.aspx or by calling 1-800-KIMPTON and mentioning the rate code PWTR. All rates are subject to space, availability and change. The Winter Wonderland package does not includes taxes or gratuities.

Nine Zero Hotel
90 Tremont St
Boston, MA 02108

Onyx Hotel
$161
155 Portland Street
Boston, MA 02114

Hotel Marlowe
25 Edwin H Land Boulevard
Cambridge, MA 02141

Photo credit: Kimpton Hotels

InterContinental The Clement Monterey

When you vacation in Monterey, Calif., you want to get as close to the water as possible. Why waste any time away from that magnificent view? For a front-row seat right on the edge of Monterey Bay, get a room at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey.

The hotel is in the heart of Cannery Row, right next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Even during busy times, the nature of this hotel is so calm that it’s like taking a deep breath of salty ocean air.

The 208 guest rooms and suites include natural wood, marble and glass. All include bathrooms with soaking tub and separate shower, 37-inch plasma TVs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi (for an additional fee), coffee maker and enough desk space to get work done if you really have to work (come on, just tell the boss you’re going to Monterey). My favorite thing in the rooms, however, is a plush otter in place of a teddy bear on your bed. Winter weekday rates start at $159 per night, and weekend rates start at $209 per night.

Of course, you’ll want to spend plenty of time watching the water, and you can do it in a few ways. First, get a room with an ocean view. Second, spend time out on the Pacific View Courtyard (lounging around two fire pits) or hang out along the railing and watch for marine life.

Warm up on the Pacifc View Courtyard

The third way to get an eyeful of ocean views at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey is to eat a meal at the C Restaurant. Sticking to the standards of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, the dishes here include sustainable fresh seafood, premium meats and organically grown local produce.

Don’t leave without some down time in the hotel’s spa, where a long massage is the perfect thing to get you ready for the rest of 2012.

InterContinental The Clement Monterey, 831-375-4500
750 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940

Photos courtesy of InterContinental The Clement Monterey

More Monterey area-related information:
Fandango: Fine dining in Pacific Grove, California
Monterey, California’s Sardine Factory

Harth at the Hilton McLean Tyson's Corner

Are you planning to visit the Washington, DC area this wintertime?  If you are a foodie, the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner has a great hotel package for you!  The Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, along with their on-site restaurant Harth, is offering two cooking packages for two this winter/spring.  Packages are running on January 14, February 11, and March 17, and they include the following:

• A two-hour cooking class for two with Harth Executive Chef Thomas Elder with the following themes for each weekend – January 14 – Holiday Leftovers; February 11 – Romantic Meals for Two; March 17 – St. Patrick Day Treats
• Lesson from Harth’s in-house mixologist Andrew Pecoraro
• A copy of From our Harth, to Your Home
• A bottle of Moët Gold to enjoy during your meal
• free valet parking at the hotel during your stay
• Overnight accommodations in a redesigned guest room at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner

Packages start at $259, and include a one night stay.  If you are local to the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner and still want to do the package without the overnight stay, there’s a no-room option available too.

Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
7920 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, Virginia 22102
703-847-5000

Photo credit: Hilton McLean Tysons Corner

More time to relax at the Hotel Diva

Do you hate having to pay extra for parking when you stay at a hotel? At San Francisco’s Hotel Diva, you can leave your car with the valet, and not have to pay a penny more for your stay.

The hotel’s Get Pumped Parking Package lets you leave your vehicle with the valet with unlimited in and out privileges, plus get a $10 gas card when you check in. One car per room allowed, and if you drive an oversized vehicle, you’ve got to pay just $5 per day.

Fresh from a $2 million renovation, Hotel Diva is conveniently located in downtown San Francisco, close to primo shopping locations as well as two of the city’s best performing arts theaters. And when you don’t have to worry about the parking, that’s more time for shopping, theater, dining, or lounging in your swanky room.

With the savings, that’s more you can spend on fun in San Francisco.

Hotel Diva, 415-885-0200
440 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Photo courtesy of Hotel Diva

More San Francisco-related information:
Nopalito—San Francisco, CA
Hog Island Oysters in San Francisco: Best Lunches With a View