Hotels.com Black Friday and Cyber Monday hotel deals

by Melanie Nayer on

Still thinking about ways to get away this holiday season? One of the best things about the Thanksgiving holiday is what comes after – Black Friday and Cyber Monday. To help buyers celebrate, Hotels.com will launch one of their biggest sales of the year during the busiest shopping weekend of the year.

In addition to 50 percent off nightly room rates, the first 500 hotels.com customers who book the Hotels.com® 4-Day Sale and use code “4DAY” will receive a Flip™ Ultra camcorder.

The Hotels.com 4-Day Sale goes live at midnight on November 26 and ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on November 29. Some Black Friday and Cyber Monday hotel deals include:

The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago: The hotel is located in the center of Chicago Loop and close to the shopping district on Michigan Avenue. This four-star property has rates as low as $134 a night and is just one block from the Chicago Theatre and Grant Park.

Hotel Erwin, Venice, California:

Some of the best one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants can be found in Venice, California. With rates starting at $239 a night, the property is within two miles of fantastic shopping in Santa Monica and Marina del Rey. The hotel’s open-air rooftop lounge, High, provides panoramic views of the beach and Los Angeles

Le Meridian, Dallas:

The four-star Le Meridian in Dallas has weekend room rates starting at just $79 a night. Conveniently located across from Galleria Dallas, where signature stores, dining venues and an ice-skating rink are sure to bide your time, the Le Meridian is a perfect spot to stay while you shop for cowboy boots, bling and 10-gallon hats for the entire family.

Do Thanksgiving deals make hotels more appealing than staying at home?

by Amy Chen on

I’m going home for Thanksgiving for the first time since moving from the San Francisco Bay Area to New York City. And rather than agreeing to sleep on the futon, I’m springing for a hotel room. Does choosing to stay in a hotel make me a bad person since the whole point of the holiday is to be with family?

As much as I love my family, I’m not too crazy about the idea of my 9-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew rousing me out of bed at 6 a.m. every day. And though my sister tries her best to keep them occupied until I’ve woken up, the guilt — and their adorable pleading (“Will you play with me?”, “Are you still sleeping?”) — inevitably drives me to get up with the rest of the family.

To be honest, I didn’t plan to stay at a hotel over Thanksgiving. But as a Kimpton InTouch loyalty member, I received an e-mail blast several weeks ago for weekend deals. When I discovered that the deal wasn’t blacked out over Thanksgiving weekend, I ended up booking three nights at the Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco’s Union Square for $109 per night. Is the extra sleep worth that much money? In my case, yes.
For my last night, I found a last-minute deal at Sonoma‘s Farmhouse Inn: $177 (regularly $295-$375). Unfortunately, the online deal required a minimum two-night stay. Since I had already prepaid my Sir Francis Drake hotel reservation, I decided to call up the inn to see if there were any other deals. It turns out that if I was willing to take a smaller room, I could book the $177 rate for just one night. Done. Looks like I’ll get my turkey and a little wine tasting, too.

So you see, I didn’t intend to stay at a hotel over Thanksgiving. But at these low rates, how could I resist all these Thanksgiving deals?

Though staying in a hotel will be a lot more comfortable than sleeping on the futon, maybe I will miss the chaos of staying at home (and the convenience of opening the fridge to pick at the leftover turkey).

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[Photo by Amy Chen]

Hyatt hotels deal: 50% off on third night for holiday travel

by Melanie Nayer on

Now’s the time to start watching for the over-the-top holiday hotel deals. We’ll post what we think are the best holiday travel deals here, starting with this one: Hyatt Hotels & Resorts is offering the third night free for rooms booked during the holiday season.

Starting now, when guests book two nights for stays between November 19 and January 17 at participating Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites hotels, they will receive 50% off their third consecutive night. Rates at many hotels beginning at just $79, which is a steal if you’re visiting the family for the holidays and don’t want to sleep on the pullout sofa in the basement.

Hyatt Place has more than 150 hotels participating and more than 30 Summerfield Suites hotels located across the U.S. have jumped on board, which means your odds of finding a hotel in your destination are pretty good.

We did a quick check on HyattPlace.com and found the only blackout dates to be over New Year’s Eve. However, the promotion runs through mid-January so you can still get your discounts after the holidays are over.

Reservations may be made by visiting hyattplace.com or hyattsummerfieldsuites.com and you must use booking code *HOLID3 *when making reservations.

12 Cyber Monday hotel deals you won’t want to miss

by Melanie Nayer on

There are two types of Thanksgiving deal finders: Those who take a quick cat nap after Thanksgiving dinner so they can be in line super early for Black Friday shopping, and those who wait out the weekend then pounce on Cyber Monday sales. In the retail world, we call this power of purchase. In the hotels world, this type of consumer behavior is known as impulse shopping, and the hotels are more than happy to aid to your impulse.

Cyber Monday deals are no secret to smart shoppers, but we wrangled up 12 of the best hotel Cyber Monday deals you won’t want to miss. From New York to Costa Rica, get your fingers ready (and your credit card out) for some fast bookings:

1. Copley Square Hotel: This little boutique hotel in Boston just received it’s four-stars and is planning to celebrate with a Cyber Monday special. Book a boutique room for $129 for a Boutique Room or a Deluxe Room for $149. The deal is valid from Nov. 29, 2010 – March 31, 2011, for all dates except New Year’s Eve.

2. Westin St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands: Starwood’s Cyber Monday Sale is a brand-wide event, but we like this one in particular for its location. Head to St. John from Jan. 1- April 30, 2011, and stay a t the Westin St. John for $289 per night – a 35% discount off regular starting rates. For reservations use rate code CYBERLTO.

3. The Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club: The historic 85-year old resort in St. Petersburg, FL, will offer a discount of 30% off the best available rate for those who book online on Cyber Monday (Nov. 29, 2010) using booking code DOD. The offer is valid for stays through Jan. 8, 2011. Rates start at $112 per night.4. Broadway Hotel & Hostel, New York City: Book rooms at 15% off the best available rate on the property’s private and semi-private guest rooms. Using rate code CYBER, the offer is valid for booking Nov. 29 – Dec. 3 for stays through March 31, 2011.

5. Marrakech Hotel, New York: Guests who book two or three nights at the Marrakech Hotel, a Moroccan-themed hotel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, will save 15% off best available rates when booking with rate code CYBER. Those who stay four nights or more can enjoy a 20% discount using the special Cyber Monday code. Booking is available Nov. 29 – Dec. 3, 2010 for visits Dec. 19, 2010 – March 31, 2011.

6. Portland Square Hotel, New York: Currently undergoing renovations to become the four-star Sanctuary Hotel, the Portland Square Hotel in Times Square will offer a 20.10% discount on best available rates to guests booking on Nov. 29 with rate code CYBER. This offer applies for stays through March 31, 2011.

7. Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Aruba: Buy two nights at the leisure rate and get two nights free. Rates start at $294/night and are valid for travel from April 26 – December 22, 2011. Book online and request Promo Code D52.

8. San Juan Marriott Resort, Puerto Rico: Follow @SanJuanMarriott on Twitter and any time on CyberMonday tweet “I want to book a #CyberMonday vacation at @SanJuanMarriott” to receive a reply DM with an exclusive booking code and details for a special offer. Once you receive your offer code, head to www.marriottsanjuan.com and use your twitter provided promotional code to book your room.

9. Kura Hulanda Resorts, Curacao: Buy two nights get third night free at Hotel Kura Hulanda or Lodge Kura Hulanda. Valid on all nightly room rates starting at $130/night. Travel from now until Dec 23, 2010 and Jan 03 – April 16, 2011. Make sure to mention CyberMonday when you call or email for reservations [877-264-3106 or email reservations@kurahulanda.com]

10. Marriott Hotels & Resorts of Costa Rica: Book your 2011 vacation on CyberMonday and receive $99-$119 nightly rate at Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose (deluxe room), Courtyard San Jose Escazu (standard room), Residence Inn San Jose Escazu (studio); and $119.00 plus tax per room/night at Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort (standard room). Valid for Travel: January 1 – December 19, 2011and request promo code PR5.

11. Cuisinart Resort & Spa, Anguilla: Book seven nights but only pay for five with this CyberMonday deal at the Cuisinart Resort & Spa. Plus, you’ll receive an additional $250 food and beverage credit. With promotion, pro-rated nightly rates start at $580 per night. (Savings of $235 per night). The rates are valid for travel from January 3 – April 2, 2011.

12. Colonnade Hotel, Boston: Celebrating the hotel’s 30 percent reduction in energy usage, the Colonnade Hotel is offering 30% off select room rates through Feb. 2011 on Cyber Monday.

Colonnade Hotel offers Halloween discounts

by Melanie Nayer on

Halloween night can get a little, well, creepy. Before you set out on the streets of Boston looking for something ghoulish and gaudy to participate in, make sure you have a place to call home at the end of the night. Boston’s Colonnade Hotel is offering all guests who arrive in costume on the weekend of Oct. 31, 2010 a 10 discount on room rates.

But for those who like a little trick with their treat, The Colonnade is upping its ante.

For the more competitive enthusiasts, The Colonnade Hotel will offer guests the chance to compete for 31 percent off of the room rate. If your costume is deemed the funniest, the scariest or the most original, your nightly room rate just got 31 percent cheaper. Since The Colonnade is a pet-friendly hotel, pets can dress up and also join in on the fun for a chance to win.

Need a few suggestions? No problem! If you’re coming to Boston for Halloween weekend, consider dressing up as one of these hometown favorites:

  • Ted Williams (with or without ice)
  • Any one of the New Kids on the Block (a good family costume idea)
  • Samuel Adams (with or without the beer)
  • Benjamin Franklin
  • Paul Revere
  • Donna Summer (sequins required)

Happy Halloween!