Thinking a trip to the islands might be fun this time of year? Had enough with the snow and ice storms in the east coast? Fortunately, several hotel specials on the island of Kauai make it easy to imagine a tropical trip.

Kauai Beach Resort

photo courtesy of Kauai Beach Resort

Kauai Beach Resort, on Kauai’s eastern side, offers a Valentine’s Chocolate Package, which includes 2-night stay in an ocean view room; daily breakfast buffet; and a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Continuing on the theme, in the onsite Naupaka Terrace restaurant, enjoy a chocolate dessert buffet along with a special Valentine’s Day dinner. Before dinner, book a holiday spa treatment, cocoa facials, chocolate massages or a couples massage escape with champagne and strawberries.

For room reservations, call Kauai Beach Resort direct at 808-246-5517 or toll free at 1-888-805-3843 or book online at www.kauaibeachresorthawaii.com.

Waimea Plantation Cottages

Photo courtesy of Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages

At the Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages, save up to 20% on a Hidden Romantic Getaway from $234. Escape to these private seaside cottages on a historic 27-acre coconut plantation adjacent to Kauai’s famous Napali Coast and Waimea Canyon. Special winter rates are reduced from $293, now starting at $234 for a 1-Bedroom Garden View Cottage. With an onsite spa, swimming pool and private chef services, this is truly a dream vacation.

For room reservations, visit www.AstonHotels.com or call toll-free 1-877-997-6667.

Aston Aloha Beach Hotel

Photo courtesy of Aston Hotels

The Aston Aloha Beach Hotel’s wedding and romance package makes bridal dreaming easy. The romantic experience begins with a lei greeting at check in, room service breakfast for two, and discounts and free activities via Aston’s Aloha Book. The beachside gazebo is complimentary for the wedding ceremony and becomes the private dining spot for the complimentary, 4-course, champagne dinner for two. Onsite wedding coordinators are available to assist with any additional arrangements needed for the ceremony. The package is based on a 3-night stay in an ocean view room, a junior suite, cottage or one bedroom suite.

For more information visit www.AstonHotels.com or call 1-866-774-2924.

The Claremont Hotel on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Summering on the waterfront in Maine is a dream for most of us, but for a weekend — or a few weeks if you are rich or lucky — you can live the dream at the Claremont hotel in Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island.

On the opposite side of the island from Bar Harbor, the Claremont is a classic hotel built in 1884. The quietly stunning setting on the Somes Sound, where you can see the only fjord in North America, is a dramatic backdrop for the historic main hotel and several guest cottages.

There are 24 recently renovated guest rooms in the main hotel building, six private rooms in the Phillips House, and 14 cottages, spread across the six acre property.

The main house boasts a porch with rocking chairs where you can relax with a book or your computer — yes, wifi has reached Maine!

Relax in a rocking chair on the open deck at the Claremont hotel in Maine

The more intimate Phillips House also has a veranda that tempts the tired traveler to sit and contemplate the water, as well as a large common room with a fieldstone fireplace.

Each of the 14 housekeeping cottages has a wood or gas burning fireplace, deck and kitchenette, for a classic “cottage on the water” vacation. The cottages has loads of character, from charming log cabins to more contemporary styles, and range in occupancy from two to seven.

The view from the Claremont hotel restaurant

There are a couple of options for meals on the property, including fine dining at Xanthus Restaurant. The menu is impressive, with local and organic offerings like Niman Ranch pork loin with fava bean risotto, and pan roasted red snapper with stewed fennel and tomatoes on a porcini risotto cake. But I have to admit I was disappointed not to see lobster on the menu. For me that’s a vital element of every trip back to Maine!

You can also enjoy a light lunch and evening cocktails at the Boathouse, and there is a new hotel bar for pre-dinner cocktails. “In season” between July 1st and September 2nd the hotel also serves afternoon tea, and in the summer has weekly lectures and music recitals.

For entertainment, the hotel offers boating, tennis, a library and two croquet courts, as well as close proximity to Acadia National Park, where you are practically guaranteed a moose sighting. The hotel is a quick 20 minute drive from the shops, restaurants and attractions of Bar Harbor.

The Claremont hotel is open from late spring to early autumn, with rates in the neighborhood of $150 to $250 per night in the off season, and from $200 to $300 range in season. Check the website for exact dates and rates.

In 2008 they offered two special packages, “Summer in Acadia” and “The Colors of Fall”. The two day packages were based on double occupancy and included two nights lodging, two full buffet breakfasts and one dinner. It’s definitely worth a look when you’re planning a summer vacation on the coast, or a foliage trip through New England.

If you’re dreaming of your summer vacation while looking at mounds of snow out your window, or making plans with family members over the holidays, you may want to consider a rustic visit to Maine, (State Motto: “The Way Life Should Be”) and stay at the Claremont hotel.

The Claremont Hotel
PO Box 137
Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679
phone: 1-800-244-5036
email: clmhotel@roadrunner.com

Gatlinburg Tennessee

One of the reasons I adore traveling is because it allows me to learn so many new things about the places I visit and the people I meet. I’m constantly reading new travel articles about a wide variety of destinations, and my list of places to go is starting to look as long as my Costco receipts.

How many of you are familiar with Gatlinburg, Tennessee? Before I randomly came across an article about it recently, I knew next to nothing! Gatlinburg is apparently a fairly small town of just under 4,000 people, but it’s a very popular resort town. It’s right on the border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The town also has a Space Needle which looks very similar to the one in Seattle! As soon as I heard learned about that and the fact that it’s a popular resort town I immediately though “ooh, I wonder what sort of hotels they have there…”

The Mountain Loft looks like a great resort. It’s over 2200 feet above sea level, so it has great views. It’s only five miles from Smoky Mountain National Park and it has jacuzzi tubs, a spa, a sauna and indoor and outdoor pools. It seems to be a great home base from which to explore the area.

I would personally be more interested in staying in a cabin, though – you’re in the Smoky Mountains, after all! Something along the lines of Hearland Cabins seems so much fun to me. I haven’t stayed in a cabin since college, and it was such a great time. When it’s snowy outside, you can stay inside next to the fireplace and drink hot cocoa. Happy sighs. It’s time to get a group of people together and head to Tennesseee!

Ripleys Aquarium Gatlinburg

Photo Credits: James. Thompson, Brent and MariLynn

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, New York is one of the few “must see” places in the U.S. that I have yet to visit. I have no idea why I haven’t been yet, as it looks absolutely spectacular. So, since I’m a planner, I’ve decided to at least plot out which hotels I’ll stay in when I eventually do visit – which will hopefully be in the next year!

Niagara Falls is one of those places I wouldn’t mind visiting by myself, with friends or even on a romantic getaway. So, my hotel list takes this into account.

One of the hotels I came across that could definitely fit the bill for all three categories (well, at least definitely the first two) is the Sheraton. If I were to go by myself and needed a more budget friendly room, I’d probably check out the Sheraton on the Falls. It’s right across the street from the falls, though I’m still deciding if I’d want to to pay for a room with a view of the falls, which runs about $160 per night (though you can snag a partial falls view room for about $130 per night, which is not bad at all).

Or…I could just book a room that has a city view for about $110 per night. I think I’d be cool with visiting the falls during the day and saving some money for a nice dinner or whatnot. This place even has rooms that have showers with floor to ceiling windows that look out onto the falls! There’s also a heated pool, a fitness center, and it’s connected to Casino Niagara. Ok, I really want to go see Niagara Falls now.

Sheraton on the Falls in Niagara

As for a Niagara Falls hotel which falls more easily into my (fairly picky) romantic category, the Lions Head Bed & Breakfast looks like a sure winner. I don’t have anything against large chain hotels, but they’re just so…large. The Lions Head has only four beautiful rooms housed in a gorgeous Craftsman style bed and breakfast, and it’s located only minutes from Niagara Falls. Two of the rooms overlook the Niagara Gorge. The breakfasts are elaborately prepared, and my mouth seriously watered looking at the pictures. Wine tours and tastings can be arranged at any of the 45 wineries in the area…now we’re talking!

And then, the Renaissance Fallsview Hotel seems like it would work out nicely. Many of the rooms have views of the Falls, and the hotel offers all sorts of packages ranging from family packages to romantic packages to entertainment packages. The basic rooms with a view of the Falls run about $100 per night, though the description reads a view of the “Niagara River.” The pictures seem to show the rooms having a view of the actual Falls though – the more expensice rooms definitely do. Some of the rooms are whirltub suites which sounds kind of fun!

One thing I didn’t realize was how beautiful the Falls appear to be at night. That changes my thinking about whether I want a room with a view of the Falls or not, because they looks really stunning lit up at night. At least I have some good choices to think about now. Niagara, here I come!

Niagara Falls at Night

Photo Credits: Randy OHC, Satoro Kikuchi, C.P. Storm