Tweet and win with the Valentin Imperial Maya Resort

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Blast your thoughts in 140 characters or less, and you could find yourself under the sun in Mexico. The Valentin Imperial Maya Resort is launching a new contest, “Follow Valentin & Win,” so if you’re a Twitter ninja, this is a user you want to follow – by the end of the month.

The Valentin’s goal is pretty simple: the adults-only resort on in Riviera Maya wants to reach more than 1,000 followers. Make yourself one of them, and you have a shot at being one of the three guests to receive a free three-night stay at the resort. The Valentin will pick three secret numbers. If one of them corresponds to yours (i.e., as the Xth follower), you’ll be on the receiving end of a relaxing getaway which includes a 45-minute Primax swim with the dolphins, round-trip transportation to the resort and a DVD of your experience.

There is a catch … there always is. Each winner will be asked to keep a “Valentin Journal,” documenting the stay. These journals, along with photos and videos, will be popped onto the resort’s Facebook page, showing the experience through the eyes of a fellow vacationer.

The contest closes at the end of April, and the winners will be announced on May 3, 2010. You can follow the resort at @valentinmaya.

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Nation’s oldest amusement park to give ‘deserving’ family private access

by Leigh Caldwell on

To celebrate its 165th anniversary, Lake Compounce is “giving away the keys” to the amusement park to one family for 165 minutes.

Nominate a “deserving” family online by April 20 to enter the Win the Keys to Lake Compounce contest. Park officials say economic troubles, personal hardships and sacrificing yourself to serve others are examples of things they would consider deserving. You can nominate your own family if you would like.

Lake Compounce officials will judge the merits of each entry and announce a winner on the park’s 2010 opening day, May 15.

The prize will be awarded on the evening of May 28, when the winning family will receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the amusement park, private access to the park’s rides and attractions and an overnight stay at a nearby Clarion Hotel in Bristol, Conn. The winners will also be given $100 to spend on souvenirs at Lake Compounce.

Win a deluxe Japanese HighTECH toilet from Miyako Hybrid Hotel

by Laurel Miller on

L.A.’s outpost of the stylish Miyako Hybrid Hotel has a gift for you this tax season. Become a Facebook Fan by 8:00 p.m. (PST) on April 15, and you’re in the running (ha ha, get it?) to win the most superfluous of home appliances: a Japanese HomeTECH bidet and TOTO toilet system (the HI-3001 WT “Feel Fresh” Bidet n’ Wash Hygiene System, to be exact). For the uninitiated, this is the ultimate in ass luxury. Think push button control panel with memory, warm water wash, twin spray nozzles, and cozy heated seat; retail value just under $600.

The hotel features one of these thrones in each of their 208 rooms and 12 suites, but the extravagance is tempered by the LEED-certified chain’s commitment to high-tech sustainability. As the word “hybrid” suggests, the property boasts a solar-powered electrical system and environmentally-friendly and recycled construction materials, along with contemporized Japanese art and artifacts appointed throughout the hotel. So get your butt in gear, and sign up now.

Find a golden Easter egg, win a luxe trip to The Joule

by Annie Scott on

If you live in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Washington DC or Dallas, your Tuesday just turned awesome.

Tomorrow, Today, March 30, in the selected cities above, Dallas’ The Joule, a Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel in a fabulous 1920s neo-gothic building, is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt! To play, follow @thejoule, watch for #JouleHunt hashtags and join the hotel’s Facebook page to get tips and hints about where your town’s egg might be. The lucky local in each city who finds the egg will be given a two night stay in a 465 square foot Joule Suite, as well as dinner for two at Charlie Palmer (at The Joule), two free cocktails at the PM Nightlife Lounge, breakfast in bed, valet parking and a $200 American Express giftcard to be used toward airfare.

The Dallas winner gets to stay in The Joule’s extravagant Penthouse, a 2,500 square foot suite favored by celebs like Britney Spears. Here are the amenities: “exquisite décor throughout two bedrooms, two and half baths, a living room, dining room, full kitchen and stocked bar, library, pool table and two balconies overlooking downtown.” Whoa. The Dallas winner also gets dinner for four at Charlie Palmer.

In addition to the big hunt tomorrow, one lucky guest on Easter, April 4, 2010, will receive a golden egg upon checkin at The Joule, good for a future stay in the aforementioned suite.

Belief in the Easter Bunny optional.

Teva introduces flip flops with lights – and you can win a pair!

by Mike Barish on

With Spring hitting the Northeast early, we’re thrilled to be able to start thinking about trips to the beach, hikes in the woods and some new camping adventures. And warm weather means throwing those Winter boots aside in favor of flip flops. Our feet haven’t seen the light of day in months and it’s time to let those dogs breathe. With that in mind, we were psyched (and a tad amused) to see that Teva is launching a new flip flop with LED lights attached. We’re also pretty jazzed that we have a pair to give away to one lucky reader.

The Teva illūm is a new of sandal that gives you a powerful LED light on each foot. The 10-foot beams of light are intended to help keep you safe when the sun sets and you find yourself on the trail, looking for your campsite or seeking a clandestine spot on the beach to make out with your date. While it may seem gimmicky, we’re actually rather intrigued by the idea of having sandal-mounted lights to help guide the way. Sure, you should still pack a headlamp for any night hikes or camping trips, but extra light is never a bad thing.

The Teva illūm will be available on the Teva website beginning on May 1, 2010 and you can learn more about the sandals on their own unique site. They will be available in synthetic and waterproof leather for $50 and $60, respectfully.

But you can get your hands on a pair for free before they even hit stores. Gadling and Teva want to give to one lucky reader a pair of illūm sandals. We plan to have an official Gadling review on the site later this Spring. In the meantime, perhaps our winner can give us some feedback.

To enter to win these sandals, simply leave a comment below stating the place you’d least like to find yourself in the dark. Maybe it’s in the foggy English countryside. Perhaps it’s alone in Death Valley. Or maybe it’s just in your own attic. Wherever it is, let us know in the comments and one person will be randomly selected to win a pair of Teva illūm sandals.

  • The comment must be left before Friday, April 2 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
  • You may enter only once.
  • One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  • The winner will receive pair of Teva illūm sandals (valued at $50).
  • Click here for complete Official Rules.
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, including the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.