There’s trouble brewing in paradise this weekend. It’s all that Karma, or is it Carmageddon? The Sepulveda pass section of the 405 Freeway is being closed for 53 hours, choking off traffic in Los Angeles.

From 7 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, half a million vehicles that use the gridlocked pass will have to find another way in or out (Jetblue is offering $4 flights…). The city is advising people to stay put, or as Tom Hanks puts it – “Grid-lock-apalooza! STAY HOME. Eat & shop local!”

Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica

For those who would rather escape the gridlock, a number of hotels from Santa Monica and Los Angeles to Newport Beach and Las Vegas are offering Carmageddon 405 escape hotel deals.

Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica: The $405 ‘Live Like a Local’ package offers a ’405 free weekend’ with deluxe accommodations, overnight parking and poolside relaxation at the hotel’s Beach Club.  Valid for the month of July 2011.

Fairmont Newport Beach: The Fairmont’s ‘Escape the LA Gridlock’ package includes overnight accommodations, 40% off on a 60-minute massage or facial treatments at the hotel spa, 2 cocktails, complimentary valet parking and a late 4 pm checkout. Valid July 15-17, with rates from $139.

Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas: The aptly priced $405 Carmageddon package includes 2 or 3 nights in the hotel’s casino tower, a complimentary cabana and VIP access to Vanity Nighclub. Package valid July 15-17. For more details or booking, call 800-343-4346 and use promo code ‘HCARMA.’

Hotel Palomar Los Angeles: Their Carmageddon weekend package includes complimentary parking, $40.05 dining credit and $4.05 specialty cocktails. Just call (800) 472-8556 and ask for the Carmageddon package.

Mammoth Mountain: Their $405 package includes a 3 night stay in your choice of lodging from the available options, which are the The Mammoth Mountain Inn, Tamarack Lodge & Resort, Juniper Springs Resort and The Village Lodge. The package is valid July 13 – 17, 2011 and you can add additional nights for $135/night, if you want.

Sheraton LAX: Plan a relaxing weekend with a stay at Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel and enjoy rates starting from $99. Valid July 15-17, 2011. For more details or booking, call (866) 716-8134 and use promo code ‘CARMAGDN.’

Newport Beach alone has six hotels (including the Fairmont and the Island Hotel) offering Carmageddon deals and packages. There are even more Los Angeles hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping centers offering all kinds of deals that are mapped out here.

Photo – Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

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A Dream Come True: Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows in Santa Monica, CA

Once in a while you visit a hotel and you come away remembering more than how well you did or did not sleep.

Once in a great while, you leave a hotel gushing about the food.

I recently attended a press conference and dinner at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island that reinforced my fan girl status of the Ritz-Carlton brand and left me renewed with hope for the future of America’s food.

How can one dinner do all that?

The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island hosted a “Farm to Table” dinner to highlight its restaurants’ organic, local, seasonably correct, and sustainable ingredients. In attendance were local foodies and some of the producers themselves. I was thrilled to get to hear the passion for providing high quality food came not only from the farmers and fish purveyors, but from Executive Chef Thomas Tolxdorf, as well.

Once I learned why the food was so good (for me and the environment), I got to experience firsthand just how good a meal at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island tasted.

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Inn at Lost Creek

Wouldn’t it be great if you could go on vacation without having to deal with the hassle of luggage?  An upscale ski resort and hotel in Telluride, Colorado has come one step closer to making that fantasy a reality with a creative new amenity.

The Inn at Lost Creek, which markets itself as “the little hotel with large amenities”, is offering to handle at least part of the luggage hassle for guests who book the Simply-Ski package.  Although you’ll still need to pack and unpack your own luggage, the Inn at Lost Creek will do the rest of the heavy lifting for you – literally.

The Simply-Ski package for the 2010/2011 ski season includes:

• Four nights ski-in/ski out accommodation
• Up to two free ski rental equipment packages per room/per night
• Daily continental breakfast
• Advance luggage pick-up and delivery between the guest’s home address and hotel for up to two bags
• $75 in groceries pre-ordered and stocked for the guest’s arrival

The hotel will also provide ground transportation from the Telluride Airport or wash your car before you head home.

Nightly rates for the Simply-Ski package start at $357 per room during the early season.  The package is being offered from November 25, 2010 to April 4, 2011.  No word on who will be responsible for tackling the laundry mountain once you’ve returned home.

Photo courtesy of the Inn at Lost Creek

As the San Francisco Giants take on the Texas Rangers, fans for both teams are making last-ditch plans to invade enemy territory. Hotels in Dallas are having a ball milking Giants fans, and San Francisco hotels likewise have hiked rates well above normal.

2010 World Series

Here’s a few world series hotel packages, featuring hotels in both cities that know how to respect and treat baseball fans, regardless of which team they support.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas:  Sunday and Monday night guests wearing a Texas Rangers or San Francisco Giants cap or other apparel item when checking into The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas will receive a certificate for one complimentary breakfast to be enjoyed either in-room or at Fearing’s Restaurant.

In addition to all kinds of baseball themed food and drinks, Fearing’s will also honor visitors from San Francisco with a house cioppino inspired by northern California’s fresh seafood delicacies. The in-room menu features smoked Texas pecans with ice-cold Anchor Steam beer from San Francisco.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas also has baseball concierges at the ready to answer guest questions about games, teams, players, TV broadcasts and baseball history. Also, the hotel spa is offering a special 50 min sports-lovers’ World Series wind-down massage during Texas game dates that includes a complimentary choice of Texas or California beer.

The Westin Park Central, Dallas: World Series package includes free breakfast (for a family of four) and free transportation to and from Arlington Stadium.

Larkspur Hotels, San Francisco: The three Larkspur hotels (Villa Florence, Abri & Larkspur Union Square) are offering a World Series special with 10% off the best available rate plus a free upgrade at check-in. Use promo code BALL for online bookings.

The Westin St. Francis, San Francisco: They don’t have a world series package per se, but this Union Square hotel has something better – the Texas Rangers, who are staying at the hotel. It’s good enough for the Rangers, so fans should have no complaints. Besides, what better way to show your support?

Photo – Red3biggs