Portland, Oregon

Economy got you down? Me, too, but we all need to get away from it all sometime and take a short weekend trip! Luckily, there are plenty of affordable hotels out there which can let you spend your money on good food and entertainment instead. Citysearch came out with their Best Budget Hotels for a wide range of cities this year for 2008 and some for 2009. Check out some of the ones below!

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a beautiful city with lots of things to see and do in the city and in the surrounding nature as well!

Jupiter Hotel

La Quinta Inn Portland

Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites

Ready to pack your bags? Here is a great resource for Portland flights.

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles offers a wealth of fun activities and experiences for both families and for couples. These hotels will help you pinch your pennies.

Cadillac Hotel

Glendale Lodge

Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn

Farmer’s Daughter Hotel

Miami Florida

Miami, Florida

Entertainment options in Miami can get a little expensive, but staying at these hotels will help make sure your money is spent on food and fun instead of just a place to crash for the night.

Holiday Inn Coral Gables – University of Miami

Miami River Inn Bed & Breakfast

Circa 39 Hotel

Houston, Texas

Check out what this vibrant city in the Lone Star State has to offer. These budget hotels put some of Houston’s most fun things to do within easy reach.

Sheraton Suites Hotel

Kemah Escape

Residence Inn Houston

Atlanta, Georgia

This peachy city is a wonderful place to visit year-round. These hotels are closer to downtown, where all the action is.

Glenn Hotel

Highland Inn

Hotel Indigo

Photo Credits: Stu Seeger, (le) doo

Another week, another set of deals from our friends over at DealBase. Instead of the usual rundown, howzabout we assess these discounts through a frame both timely and horrifying: what would our Great Depression-era grandparents think?

Renaissance Chicago's indoor pool: Avoid the sun!

Chicagoland boasts the top savings for this week–58% off on a room at the four-star Renaissance Chicago Hotel. That rate includes a buffet breakfast for two adults and two kids, so wear your loosest muumuu, roll bread and cheese in paper towels, and slip ‘em down your gown. Lunch and dinner? Done and done.

Cheap thrills: take a stroll with your main squeeze

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel offers a Stay Across from the Pier for Less Package, which lands you mere steps from the beach for $159 a night, a 50% savings. Grandma would tell you tans are for farmers: wear your biggest hat, slather on the sunscreen, buy a pair of knock-off sunglasses, and you’re ready for your close-up.

And my favorite: the un-deal of the week. That goes to the Kona Village Resort, for their wedding-in-a-box package at $2,633 a night, which includes a sound system, videographer, leis, a cake and conch shell blowing–is that what they’re calling it these days?

Rejected on all counts. Patch together an outfit and get hitched at city hall. Grandpaw would.

Los Angeles International Airport, fondly known as LAX, is an inevitable stop on the way to Palm Springs, Asia, and parts of Mexico. Or even, Los Angeles itself!

Since LA is a driving town, and there isn’t really a downtown, you might as well stay at the airport if you can get a great deal. Here are three options, in our usual range of schmancy, nice, and on-a-budget.

Luxury: The Inn at Playa Del Ray

You don’t usually think “beach resort” and “airport hotel” but in Southern California all things are possible. The Inn at Playa Del Ray is gorgeous, the kind of place people visit, rather than merely stay.

Every morning you are welcomed to a full, hot breakfast buffet, laden with fresh, home-made bread and egg soufflés! See? Schmancy.

Afternoon tea at the Inn at Playa Del Ray

In the afternoon guests are invited to tea and cookies, and each evening you can enjoy wines and hors d’oeuvres. There are private sunbathing gardens, and bikes for rides on the beach.

A room at the Inn at Playa Del Ray

Each of the 21 rooms is slightly different. Some have views of the bird sanctuary, others of the ocean. There are jacuzzis, fireplaces and sunny decks.

Another room at the Inn at Playa Del Ray

Sounds heavenly, and not at all like an airport hotel. Of course, with basic rooms starting at $275/night, probably most people are there for a vacation, not just a layover.

Mid-Range: Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport

For hotel that is a lot less expensive, but still offers some decent amenities, take a look at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. It’s a Starwood property, so you can earn/use points, and you can get a room starting at $89/night, with suites available if you’re traveling with the whole family and need a little more space.

Room at Four Points by Sheraton LAX

There is an outdoor heated pool, a fitness room with cardio machines and free weights, and a gift shop filled with brightly colored mugs and shirts that will seem like a good idea at the time.

Heated pool at Four Points by Sheraton LAX

The rooms are a good size, there is both a bar and a restaurant on-site, and free airport pick up and drop off. Perfect for a tired traveler just passing through town.

Restaurant at Four Points by Sheraton LAX

Budget: Super 8 Motel – Los Angeles/Airport LAX

With rooms as low as $60/night, you probably shouldn’t expect much beyond clean sheets and a door that locks. Located just a mile from the airport, this Super 8 offers a free LAX Airport shuttle, free “Super Start Breakfast” and free parking during your stay.

Super 8 LAX Breakfast Room

There is a 24 hour front desk so you check in and out at weird times, wifi and an outdoor pool.

Super 8 LAX pool

The rooms look clean and bright, and you have to love the candor of a place that lists California Pizza Kitchen and Quiznos Sub as “nearby restaurants”.

Super 8 LAX Room

Deetjen's Big Sur Inn

California is a great place for vacations: beautiful beaches, serene forests, and sophisticated cities all packed into one gorgeous state.

If you’re on a trip with your honey, where should you stay? Here are a few options for romantic hotels in California:

Wine Country is high on the must-do list for lots of couples, but if you’ve tried to stay there, you know it can be exceptionally expensive. Best Western Sonoma Valley Inn is surprisingly affordable ($179 king bed rates in December, a steal ’round these parts) and centrally located in Sonoma, a perfect home base for your explorations. The rate includes complimentary breakfast and use of the pool and hot tub; better yet, the hotel is in walking distance of the town square, which has great restaurants.

For a romantic retreat in woody Big Sur, I recommend Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, a charming retreat with furniture handmade by the Norwegian owner in the 1930′s. Each room is unique–we loved “Grandpa’s Room,” which felt like a tree house with a wood-burning stove and runs at $200 per night.

Way down the coast in Los Angeles, try the Omni Los Angeles’ “Sugar and Spice Package,” available through January 4. This includes 25% off your room rate (because worrying about money is anti-romantic!) and Mexican hot chocolate delivered to your room. Delish!