SUMMER GETAWAY SPECIALS
Florida horels are offering all kinds of summer packages and discounts
Florida hotels and resorts are offering all kinds of off-school/offseason packages and discounts. Get in while the getting’s good.
The sun is shining, the water is warm and wanderlust is setting in. Yes, we’re in summer vacation season here in Florida. Which means you might be feeling the urge to pack your bags and head off to explore a new city— or just relax on the beach with a good book. No matter where you want to go in the Sunshine State or how active you want your getaway to be, there’s a hotel with a summer deal or special. Here are some options to check out—located everywhere from the Panhandle to South Beach.
MARGARITAVILLE HOLLYWOOD BEACH RESORT
If a Jimmy Buffett tune sounds like your ideal vacation theme song, you might want to check in to the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. Situated on the well-known Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, the resort was inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of the singer-songwriter. There are two beach-level family-friendly pools, a rooftop pool and bar and plenty of dining and drinking spots for enjoying a cheeseburger in paradise or the hotel’s namesake cocktail.
Through Sept. 30, the resort’s Great American Summer Fun package (nightly rates starting at $249) includes free breakfast for children 12 and under. It also includes $25 per night in “Summer Bucks,” which can be used for on-site recreational activities like hanging ten at the hotel’s beachside FlowRider Double wave simulator.
Looking for something a little more romantic? The Summer Love Stories We Could Tell package (nightly rates starting at $399) includes two welcome margaritas and chocolate-dipped strawberries, a 50-minute Swedish couple’s massage at the St. Somewhere Spa, a $100 nightly resort credit, valet parking and a 60-minute paddle boarding tour for two along the Intracoastal Waterway. 844-562-5625, margaritavillehollywoodbeachresort.com
PALM BEACH MARRIOTT SINGER ISLAND BEACH RESORT & SPA
Located on an oceanfront spot, the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa offers condominium-style suites with fully equipped kitchens ideal for family getaways. The resort includes three on-site restaurants, an infinity pool and a lagoonstyle pool with a waterslide.
Guests who book the resort’s Little Loggerhead package get overnight accommodations for two adults and two children (two-night minimum) and a private tour of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a nearby nonprofit focused on ocean and sea turtle conservation. They also enjoy participation in the center’s Adopt a Sea Turtle program, receiving a certificate with the name of the sea turtle they’re helping to support. Summer rates for this package start at $294 per night.
The Kids Time Out package includes overnight accommodations for up to four guests and half-day access to the resort’s Kids Club, plus lunch for up to two children (ages three to 11) each day of guests’ stay. Summer rates for this package start at $449 per night. 561-340-1700, marriott.com
THE BETSY – SOUTH BEACH
Recently named one of Condé Nast Traveler’s favorite hotels in the world, the Betsy – South Beach offers stylish accommodations (think dark walnut floors, marble bathrooms, mirrors that incorporate flat-panel TV screens) in an action-packed location. The Miami boutique hotel offers luxe amenities ranging from sunrise yoga on its Ocean Deck to fresh lemonade by its Courtyard Pool and is home to LT Steak & Seafood, which showcases award-winning chef Laurent Tourondel’s seasonally inspired menus.
From July 31 through Oct. 31, Florida residents can receive
free valet parking, 15 percent off the best available rate, and a full American breakfast for two with every room booked. A twonight minimum stay is required, and blackout dates apply. Use booking code FLRES; Florida resident ID is required at check-in. 844-862-3157, thebetsyhotel.com
THE ALFOND INN
The only hotel in the United States that serves as an extension of a fine arts museum, the Alfond Inn in Winter Park is owned by Rollins College and displays rotating installations of works from the Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art. That collection includes more than 300 paintings, photographs, sculptures, mixed-media works and other pieces donated by Rollins alumni to the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at the c ollege.
Winter Park is also home t o the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (featuring the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany), making the city an ideal spot for an artsy summer getaway. The Alfond Inn’s A Night at the Museum package starts at $239 per night and includes two nights’ accommodations, two artinspired cocktails, passes to all three museums and a selfguided iPod tour of the inn’s current art installation. Guests staying on the first Wednesday of the month can take part in the inn’s Happy Hour Art Tours; weekly guided art tours are also offered on Sundays at 1 p .m. 407-998-8090, thealfondinn.com
PGA NATIONAL RESORT & SPA
Take a swing this summer at the PGA National Resort & Spa. It’s home to five golf courses, including one designed by the late Arnold Palmer. The Champion course, which was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2014 and hosts the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic each spring, is considered one of the most challenging in the state. And if golf’s not your game, the Palm Beach Gardens resort also boasts a European-influenced, full-service spa, 19 tennis courts and several spots for dining or drinks.
Through Sept. 30, the resort offers its Summer Escape and Play Unlimited Golf package. Guests enjoy one round of golf daily on the Fazio, Squire or Estates courses ($50 surcharge for play on the Champion course), a complimentary replay round daily, $35 cart fees per person per day, 50 percent off daily golf clinics, access to the Waters on the World mineral pools at the Spa at PGA National and a full daily breakfast. Rates start at $94.50 per person per night (double occupancy) or $174 per person per night (single occupancy). 561-627-2000, pgaresort.com
HAWKS CAY RESORT
Situated midway down the island chain that makes up the Florida Keys on secluded Duck Key, the 60-acre Hawks Cay Resort features 427 hotel rooms and villas that offer water views and plenty of room for families. The entire resort underwent a recent renovation and is now home to six restaurants, including the new Angler and Ale, which serves up fresh seafood and craft beers.
Amenities include a saltwater lagoon, five swimming pools and an award-winning spa. The resort’s full-service marina helps hook guests up with fishing charters, guided Jet Ski tours and other water-based activities, while the on-site Dolphin Connection facility allows guests to interact and swim with the marine mammals or observe training sessions.
During the summer, guests who stay three nights get a fourth night free. Stays are available throughout the summer, but some blackout dates may apply. 888-395-5539, hawkscay.com
SONESTA COCONUT GROVE MIAMI
Sonesta Coconut Grove Miami allows travelers to take a different approach to visiting the Miami area. It’s close enough to all of the city’s action but offers a quieter escape in the midst of the artsy Coconut Grove neighborhood. Amenities include an eighth-floor pool and a contemporary art collection that includes pieces by artists such as Frank Stella and Robert Rauschenberg. At the resort’s Panorama Restaurant & Sky Lounge, diners can enjoy Latin fare while taking in sweeping views of Biscayne Bay.
Through Sept. 30, the hotel’s Spring into Summer offer gives guests 25 percent off two nights or more at the hotel’s best available rate. Blackout dates and restrictions may apply; use promo code SPRING when booking. 305-529-2828, sonesta.com
EPICUREAN HOTEL
If what you eat is as important as where you sleep, check out the Epicurean Hotel. Located in the trendy Hyde Park historic district of South Tampa, the 137-room boutique hotel blends high-style accommodations with high-end eats. The hotel— developed in collaboration with Tampa’s legendary Bern’s Steak House—includes an on-site restaurant, wine shop, rooftop lounge and pastry shop, plus a state-of-the-art culinary classroom that hosts everything from cupcake classes to cooking demos and instruction on wine p airings.
From May through September, Florida residents can receive up to 15 percent off the best available room rates, which begin at $169 a night. There are a limited number of rooms available for this promotion, and blackout dates may apply. 855-8292536, epicureanhotel.com
DELRAY SANDS RESORT
Looking for a low-key escape? The Delray Sands Resort occupies a quiet stretch of Atlantic Ocean shoreline on Highland Beach. The 115-room boutique property recently underwent a refresh. Guestrooms now boast beachy color schemes and custom bedding; premium suites feature stylish kitchenettes and beachfront patios. The new Latitudes restaurant serves coastal cuisine in a space that takes design cues from its ocean views.
Summer Florida resident rates start at just $159 per night, subject to availability and excluding resort fees. Valid Florida ID required at check-in. 866-790-2198, delraysandsresort.com
HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA
The largest full-service beachfront resort in Northwest Florida, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa underwent a $30 million renovation in 2015. Located in South Walton, it
features rooms with Gulf of Mexico views, six dining spots, indoor and outdoor pools and a variety of children’s programs throughout the day. It also offers easy access to the other Northwest Florida beach communities located along Scenic Highway 30A, each of which have their own character and charm.
This summer, Florida residents can enjoy 5 percent off the hotel’s popular Bed & Breakfast package, which includes daily breakfast for two adults and Wi-Fi. When booking, mention code RPFLR2. 800-559-1805, hiltonsandestinbeach.com
PLANTATION ON CRYSTAL RIVER
A 232-acre, eco-friendly resort, the Plantation on Crystal River often serves as a jumping-off point for folks interested in exploring nearby Kings Bay, where the federal government allows “passive observation” in the water between manatees and human beings. As a result, tours give people the opportunity to swim, snorkel and dive alongside the gentle creatures.
The resort also offers a full-service marina, 18-hole golf course, nine-hole executive golf course and spa. During the summer, guided scalloping tours take guests into saltwater grass flats to hunt for the tasty shellfish. A resort chef will even cook up any scallops guests bring back with them.
This summer, Florida residents can receive a 15 percent discount on best available room rates Sundays through Thursdays, with rates during this timeframe beginning at just $102 a night. Discounts are subject to availability, and blackout dates apply. 800-632-6262, plantationoncrystalriver.com
LAPLAYA BEACH & GOLF RESORT
Part of the Noble House Resort group and situated on the beachfront in Naples, the 189-room LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort serves as a great place to connect with the great outdoors. This summer it’s again offering its annual Sea Turtle Suite package in conjunction with local sea turtle nesting season, which runs from May through October.
The two-night package, which starts at $2,400, includes accommodations in a Gulf-view suite, a “chef-tested, sea turtle-approved” dinner at the resort’s beachfront Baleen restaurant, two adult and two children’s tickets to the nearby Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s Nature Center, participation in a sea turtle adoption program, regular “turtle tweets” alerting guests to on-property sea turtle sightings and a welcome kit with a beach bag and stuffed sea turtle toy. The resort will donate a portion of the proceeds from each Sea Turtle Suite booking to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, a local nonprofit that works to protect
and preserve the area’s land, water and wildlife.
LaPlaya also offers a Stay & Play package during the summer for visitors interested in hitting the links. Guests r eceive 50 percent off golf tee times and a $50 per day r esort credit. 800237-6883, laplayaresort.com
HYATT REGENCY COCONUT POINT RESORT & SPA
Summer is a great time to check out the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa’s new addition to its pool area. Last fall the Bonita Springs resort opened three new threestory waterslides—two speed slides and one inner-tube slide— along with a 1,095-foot heated lazy river. Those wet-and-wild features supplement the property’s existing 2,700-square-foot Waterfall Pool, 5,000-square-foot Adventure Pool with 140-foot corkscrew slide and adults-only heated pool.
This summer, the resort is offering guests a fifth night free. The average daily rate is $259, and the $30 daily resort fee covers things like self-parking, two bottles of water each day in each guestroom, ferry transportation to the resort’s secluded island, beach chairs and umbrellas at the resort’s beach, and bicycle rentals. The offer isn’t valid for groups or conventions and can’t be combined with other offers; blackout dates apply. 239-444-1234, coconutpoint.regency.hyatt.com
NAPLES BEACH HOTEL & GOLF CLUB
Tee up this summer at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, which recently completed a $9 million total redesign of its championship golf course done by legendary PGA pro Jack Nicklaus and well-known course architect John Sanford. Non- golfers can also find plenty to enjoy at the 125-acre resort, including a 7-mile stretch of beach, a tennis center offering lessons and clinics, two pools, a spa and yoga classes. And there are no resort fees, plus complimentary valet parking.
Through Sept. 30, the resort is offering a Summer in Paradise promotion. Guests who stay two nights receive a third night free. It’s valid for stays on any day of the week, but blackout dates may apply. 800-237-7600, naplesbeachhotel.com
’TWEEN WATERS INN ISLAND RESORT
Captiva Island’s ’Tween Waters Inn occupies 13 acres situated between the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound. That prime location means guests enjoy easy water access for all kinds of recreational options—and postcard-worthy views. The inn dates from 1931 and features a collection of historic cottages as well as traditional hotel rooms and suites.
Through Sept. 30, guests who book three nights get a fourth night free. Holidays are excluded from the deal but weekends are not. The offer is for one free night per reservation (whether guests are booking for three nights or seven). Travelers also receive a free $100-value coupon book, free continental breakfast buffet, free parking, and there are no resort fees. 800-223-5865, tween-waters.com
DIAMONDHEAD BEACH RESORT & SPA
DiamondHead Beach Resort & Spa has freshened up its look. The Fort Myers Beach property recently completed a $2.5 million renovation of its suites, which was the final phase of a resort-wide enhancement plan that also included new lobby bathrooms,
resurfacing of the pool, and new tile on the pool deck. Suites now include things like granite counters in the bathrooms and kitchenettes, walk-in showers and updated modern décor.
Through Dec. 21, guests who stay four nights receive 20 percent off their stay. The offer is based on availability, and some restrictions may apply. For shorter stays, Florida residents can take advantage of the resort’s 15 percent discount for Sunshine State dwellers. Similar offers are also available at other SunStream Hotels & Resorts properties in the area. 844-652-3696, sunstream.com
SOUTH SEAS ISLAND RESORT
Located at the tip of Captiva Island, South Seas Island Resort serves as a popular spot for multigenerational vacations. Lodging options range from traditional hotel rooms to ninebedroom homes, and the resort offers activities and amenities for all ages. Guests can golf, book a fishing charter, take sailing lessons—or simply relax amid the site’s picturesque setting.
Through Sept. 30, South Seas is offering a Summer Getaway package. Guests who stay three nights at the resort’s regular rate receive a free fourth night. The package also includes free breakfast for kids 12 and under and a resort coupon book with more than $250 in savings. 866-565-5089, southseas.com
WEST WIND INN
If you’re looking to try your hand at Sanibel’s world-famous shelling, consider a stay at the island’s West Wind Inn. Situated on 500 feet of beachfront, the inn offers standard guest rooms along with studios with kitchenettes. Relax by the pool with a drink from the Upper Deck pool bar, or rent a bike to explore Sanibel’s 25 miles of bike paths. The inn’s Normandie Seaside Cafe features a new menu and is open for breakfast and lunch (plus dinner during the winter season).
Through Sept. 30, guests who stay three or more nights receive a bonus free night. The offer’s valid on new reservations only and excludes national holidays. 800-824-0476, westwindinn.com
THE INN ON FIFTH
Set amid the boutiques, restaurants and galleries of Naples’s Fifth Avenue South, the Inn on Fifth serves as a luxe getaway location. Treat yourself to a stay in one of the inn’s 32 Club Level Suites, which range from 516 to 1,200 square feet and feature high-end bedding, furnished balconies with views of downtown Naples, concierge service and a secluded rooftop retreat. Guests at the inn can also enjoy its rooftop pool, spa, 24-hour fitness center and restaurants, including the recently opened Ocean Prime Naples, a modern American restaurant and lounge from renowned restaurateur Cameron Mitchell.
Through Sept. 30, the Inn on Fifth will offer Florida residents 25 percent savings on available room rates Sunday through Thursday and a 20 percent discount on Friday and Saturday night stays. Discounts are subject to availability, and a valid Florida ID is required at check-in. 888-403-8778, innonfifth.com