Readers can save 20 percent off rooms at the Reefs in Bermuda. Photograph courtesy of the Reefs
Travel Back in Time: Robert Morris Inn
Oxford, Md.; 410-226-5111
Robert Morris, financier of the American Revolution, built a stately house in 1710 along the Tred Avon River in Oxford, Maryland. Now called the Robert Morris Inn, it features four-poster beds, wood paneling, and decorative fireplaces in some of the guest rooms in the main house, while more modern rooms in the Bottle Cottage have water views.
Readers who mention The Washingtonian when booking receive 20 percent off rates (which start at $120 and include a full breakfast), excluding packages, now through February 28. This offer is valid Sunday through Thursday, excluding holidays.
Dine in the Country: Mendenhall Inn
Mendenhall, Pa.; 610-388-1181
At the Mendenhall Inn—set amid the Brandywine Valley’s winding lanes, stone farmhouses, and brick-red barns—readers can receive a 20-percent discount on rooms. The package includes a free bottle of house red wine and one dessert—try one of the tableside flambés—with the purchase of a dinner entrée at inn’s restaurant, located in a historic barn on the property. A hot buffet breakfast is included in the rates, which start at $115 a night before the discount. Offer valid now through April 1.
Go Winter Winetasting: Keswick Hall
Keswick, Va.; 888-778-2565
Keswick Hall, a historic estate on 600 acres, is in the heart of Virginia wine country. Couples who book the Washingtonian Package receive a complimentary room upgrade on check-in (a $76 value); a free bottle of wine; a $45 daily credit toward breakfast and a $130 credit toward dinner one night at the hotel’s restaurant, Fossett’s; and a free winetasting for two during the stay. Package rates begin at $390 a night, a 20-percent savings. The offer is valid now through December 30; no online booking.
Follow in Lee’s Footsteps: Fairfield Inn 1757
Fairfield, Pa.; 717-642-5410
You can sip spiced cider beside one of the nine fireplaces at the Fairfield Inn 1757, one of America’s oldest inns. Each guest room has a story, including some rich with Civil War legend.
For $345 (normally $435), readers can get a deluxe guest room for two nights, hot cocoa and cookies on check-in, breakfast both mornings, and dinner for two at the inn’s restaurant—which serves classic hearty fare, just as it did when Robert E. Lee stopped in. Readers will also take home a coffee-table book, City in Time—Washington, D.C. This offer excludes holidays and expires March 15.
Relive Gettysburg: Lightner Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast
Gettysburg, Pa.; 866-337-9508
The Lightner Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Gettysburg is offering an exclusive package to readers: a two-night stay in a queen room with breakfast, a $50 gift certificate to J’s at the Village in Gettysburg, and tickets to a Paranormal Investigation, a type of short walk, all for $330 (a $403 value).
The brick farmhouse, which was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers following the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, offers wi-fi, a full breakfast, and nature trails on its 19-acre property.
Stargaze in the Mountains: Primland
Meadows of Dan, Va.; 866-960-7746
In the southern Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, six hours from DC, Primland resort is rustic on the outside, sophisticated on the inside. Kids will like the horseback riding, geocaching, and tree climbing, while adults will enjoy an 18-hole golf course (open in winter, weather permitting), tennis, the eco-conscious spa, and stargazing from the resort’s Observatory Dome.
Mention The Washingtonian for a 20-percent discount on rates that normally start at $259 this time of year. The offer is good now through December 31, excluding holidays.
Escape to the Wilderness: Savage River Lodge
Frostburg, Md.; 301-689-3200
For a real escape, try one of the 18 log cabins at Savage River Lodge, on 43 acres amid more than 700 acres of Western Maryland’s Savage River State Forest.
You can spend the day hiking or cross-country skiing in the state forest before heading back to the wood-timber lodge for drinks in front of the fireplace. The Washingtonian deal includes a one-night stay for two, a gift certificate for dinner in the lodge’s restaurant (a $75 value), and a cheese plate and bottle of wine in your cabin on arrival ($50 value). The total cost is $300, which represents a 20-percent savings. Valid for stays through December 22, with the blackout dates of November 23 through 26.
Go Dogsledding: Carmel Cove Inn
Swanton, Md.; 301-387-0067
Set in the woods alongside Deep Creek Lake, Carmel Cove Inn was once a monastery. These days, it provides guests with the free use of cross-country-ski and snowshoe equipment, evening hors d’oeuvres, and nightly bonfires with s’mores. Some rooms have fireplaces and whirlpool baths.
Readers who stay in November or December can get a 20-percent discount (excluding December 30 and 31), a free bottle of wine (worth $15), and 20 percent off a dogsled ride at nearby Husky Power Dogsledding, where Siberian Husky teams dash through fields of snow.
Soak up the Sun: Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa
Jupiter, Fla.; 866-943-0950
The Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa is a classic Florida resort with a tennis court, heated outdoor pool, and full-service spa. Readers can get 20 percent off the best available rate (normally starting at $219), free breakfast for two, a $25-a-day resort credit, 10 percent off one 50-minute spa treatment, and, when booking a bike rental, a second rental free.
To book this Washingtonian package, visit the Web site, click on “Book Now,” and enter the code WAMAG. Valid now through December 20, with the blackout dates November 24 through 27.
Readers can save 20 percent off a stay at Maryland’s Savage River Lodge. Photograph courtesy of Savage River Lodge
Swim With Dolphins: Hawks Cay Resort
Duck Key, Fla.; 888-395-5539
You can swim with dolphins in a saltwater lagoon just steps from your room at Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys, the only resort in the continental US with an on-site dolphin research facility. Located on Duck Key, the 60-acre resort is a magnet for active families: It has fishing, diving, kite-boarding, paddleboarding, tennis, and five pools.
The longer readers stay, the deeper the discount: You can get 10 percent off two nights, 20 percent off four, 30 percent off six. Rates normally start at $159. Use the code HCWash when booking. This offer is valid now through February 16, excluding holidays, and you must book by December 15. Tax and daily resort fee are extra.
Overlook the Sunset: Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa
Clearwater, Fla.; 727-373-1234
The new Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa in Florida has air-conditioned poolside cabanas, kitchens in its big guest rooms, and an eco-friendly spa. Readers can book an exclusive package that includes 20 percent off the nightly rate (which normally starts at $189) plus a free glass of wine per guest and a free appetizer at Skimmer’s Bar, where an outdoor terrace offers a view of the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico.
To book, use the online code WDCMG. Valid now through February 16.
Sip on Tea in the Isles: St. James’s Club & Villas
Antigua; 866-237-2071
The Caribbean island of Antigua was once a British colony, and the St. James’s Club & Villas honors that tradition with touches such as afternoon tea. With 251 rooms, the property has all the amenities of a big resort—fitness and business centers, a spa, four restaurants, multiple pools—but its secluded terraces, quiet cove, and grotto pool make it feel like a private club.
Readers who book a stay receive 30 percent off the all-inclusive rates plus a free half-day catamaran cruise and snorkeling excursion. The rates, based on double occupancy, after the discount: now through December 20, starting at $224 a person; December 21 through January 2, starting at $266. Children ages 2 through 11 are $42 per child per day. To book, use the code WWT.
Scuba Dive in the Caribbean: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club
Nevis; 800-742-6008
There’s a reason Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler named Nisbet Plantation Beach Club one of the Caribbean’s best resorts. At this historic plantation on the island of Nevis, the 36 rooms are spacious, and some have private screened patios.
Readers who book five nights or more receive one free night plus a $100 activity credit to be used to explore the island. Guests can choose from such activities as hiking a rainforest, snorkeling, scuba diving, cycling, and windsurfing. Daily rates begin at $436 a couple and include a full breakfast, afternoon tea, and a three-course gourmet dinner for two each day. Airport transfers from either St. Kitts or Nevis airports are included.
The offer is available now through January 13, with these blackout dates: November 20 through 27 and December 20 through January 3.
Kayak on a Private Pink Beach: The Reefs Hotel & Club
Bermuda; 800-742-2008
Because the Reefs Hotel & Club is perched on a limestone cliff overlooking a private pink-sand beach, every guest room has a view of the Atlantic Ocean. This Bermuda resort has a freshwater infinity pool, complimentary kayaks and snorkeling equipment, and a spa.
An exclusive offer for readers includes 20 percent off stays of four nights or more in all rooms, suites, and condos. Discounted daily rates start at $328 a night and include full breakfast, afternoon tea, and a gourmet dinner. The offer is available now through December 20.
Live in Luxury: Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel
Costa Rica; 954-234-2372
The Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel is a two-year-old luxury boutique hotel in a rainforest next to Tenorio Volcano National Park in Costa Rica. Roomy casitas have vibrant lime- and lemon-colored walls, four-poster beds, and private back yards surrounded by lush plantings.
Readers can book two nights in a large casita with a private terrace and outdoor shower for $590, a 30-percent savings off regular rates, plus receive a free welcome cocktail, a river hiking tour with a guide, dinner for two on one night (excluding alcohol), and one couples massage. Valid November 15 through December 19 and January 4 through 31.
Shop Till You Drop in London: InterContinental London Park Lane
In the heart of the elegant Mayfair neighborhood overlooking Hyde Park, the InterContinental London Park Lane is offering readers an exclusive package for 299 pounds a night (about $480 in current exchange rates).
Guests receive a VIP shopping experience that includes special discounts, Champagne, and tastings along Marylebone High Street, a tree-lined shopping mecca filled with boutiques and gourmet-food purveyors. Also included: a guided gin tasting at the Arch Bar, a London hot spot, with canapés featuring the botanicals used to infuse the gin, plus breakfast for two at the Cookbook Café, which serves upscale British fare. Mention The Washingtonian when reserving a stay now through December 29 at londonreservations@ihg.com or call 44-207-409-3131.
Take a Western Adventure: Red Mountain Resort
Ivins, Utah; 877-246-4453
With temperatures between 55 and 65 in winter, the Red Mountain Resort in Utah offers lots to do outdoors. For $230 per person a day, readers who book the three-night Essential Retreat, an all-inclusive package with three meals a day, receive a complimentary trip to Zion National Park (a value of $199).
The resort offers guided morning hikes in the red mountains that hug the resort, unlimited fitness classes, health and wellness workshops, cooking demonstrations, free in-room high-speed Internet, and use of the pool, bicycles, and strength and cardio studios.
Snuggle in New England: Forty 1 North
Newport, R.I.; 401-846-8018
Forty 1 North, a chic addition to Newport’s long roster of upscale properties, makes for a romantic retreat in New England. Readers who book a Premium Water View room that overlooks Newport Harbor and has a private fireplace receive special amenities such as a butlered aromatherapy bath for two, complimentary cocktails and marshmallows at the outdoor fire pits, a private in-room three-course chef’s dinner for two including one glass of wine per person at the Grill, and late checkout. The price per night per couple is $429, a discount of 25 percent. This package is valid now through March 31.
Ski in Big Sky Country: 320 Guest Ranch
Gallatin Gateway, Mont.; 800-243-0320
The 320 Guest Ranch, a century-old homestead near the slopes of Montana’s Big Sky Ski Resort and Moonlight Basin, is offering a special Ski & Stay Package for readers. The deal includes cabin lodging, a free room upgrade, a hot buffet breakfast, an all-day ski pass, free transportation to the slopes, and a free appetizer and dessert at the Steakhouse Restaur
ant.
The Washingtonian Package starts at $90 per adult per night ($60 per child under age ten), based on double occupancy, and is available December 15 through March 31. That’s a savings over the regular Ski & Stay Package, which usually costs $193 a person and doesn’t include food or room upgrade.
This article appears in the December 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
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