Albuquerque’s Day of the Dead celebrated
Albuquerque celebrates
The state of New Mexico is wrapping up its celebrations marking 100 years since it became the 47th U.S. state in 1912 with special events and festivals in October and November. Albuquerque, N.M., is a great place to visit with lots of affordable lodging options for you and your family. For example, the Adobe Nido Bed and Breakfast has rooms available from $129 U.S. per room per night and a suite that sleeps six for $259 U.S. per night. Go to adobenido.com for more details.
At the Hotel Albuquerque (in the historic Old Town part of the city), when you book a three-night stay your third night costs only $19.12 U.S. Regular room rates at the 199-room hotel start at $129 U.S. The hotel website says the hotel rooms “feature stunning views of the surrounding Sandia and Albuquerque Mountains.” Go to bit.ly/eHEZ6r for details.
Among the events this fall, there’s the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (until Oct. 14), the International Symposium on Electronic Art (continuing until Jan. 6) and the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations that take place over the last weeks in October and into November. For more activity ideas and discount coupons, visit itsatrip.org or nmcentennial.org. For lodging options visit bit.ly/QmTSfH. Starwood Hotels program
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and its Starwood Preferred Guest program (which is free to join) are offering SPG Better by the Night, in which SPG members registered for the promotion can earn extra Starpoints (credits and discounts for things like car rentals and credit cards and airlines) now through Dec. 20.
Participants get up to three times their normal Starpoints at more than 1,000 hotels and can earn perks on hotel reservations made through the new SPG App for iPhone or on SPG.com, and for check-ins on synced Foursquare accounts.
SPG Better by the Night allows participants to receive double Starpoints on all eligible stays of one or two nights, and triple Starpoints on eligible stays of three or more nights. An additional 500 bonus Starpoints will be awarded for bookings through the SPG App for iPhone, and 250 bonus Starpoints for stays booked on SPG.com at all 1,100 hotels and resorts in the SPG program. SPG members can earn 250 bonus Starpoints for checking in to any Starwood property on synced Foursquare accounts during a confirmed reservation by Dec. 20.
SPG Better by The Night registration is open through Nov. 30. For more information and to register visit spg.com/betterbythenight. Members can sync their SPG and Foursquare accounts at spg.com/ socialcheckins. Air Canada Vacations
Air Canada Vacations has a 12day, 10-night all-inclusive guided tour of Italy, called Essential Italy with departures April 14 and April 21, for $4,189 per person, taxes included.
The tour visits Rome, Tuscany, Florence, Venice, Naples, Capri and Pompeii, among other places. The package includes round-trip flights from Montreal (which includes the first and last days of the trip) and 10 nights of “first class” hotel accommodations, guided tours through- out the trip on deluxe motor coach buses with air conditioning and English-speaking tour guides, as well as some meals. For details or to book call 1-866-529-2079 or visit bit. ly/SkmryA Disney-area Florida hotels
Seven Disney-affiliated hotels in Orlando and Central Florida are offering Fall Value Rates now through Oct. 22, meaning you and your family could catch Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom theme park, on now through Nov. 2, and the International Food & Wine Festival which runs at Epcot until Nov. 12. The participating hotels include the Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort Hotel, with rates from $69 U.S. per room, per night; the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa ($99 U.S. per room, per night); the Doubletree Suites by Hilton ($89 U.S. per suite, per night); the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista ($109 U.S. per room, per night); the Holiday Inn Lake Buena Vista Downtown ($99 U.S. per room, per night); the Royal Plaza Hotel ($69 U.S. per room, per night) and the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort ($59 U.S. per room, per night).
The hotels are close to shopping, dining and entertainment in what’s known as the Downtown Disney area. The hotels also offer free shuttle rides every half-hour to the four Disney World theme parks and two water parks. You also get a Downtown Disney Deals booklet with 40 exclusive discounts and specials.
For more information or to make a reservation, visit DowntownDisneyHotels.com and tinyurl.com/8zdprax.