So Near Yet So Far
Where: Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Va.; 703-729-8400.
What’s special: About 45 minutes from DC, Lansdowne can seem a million miles away. Two challenging
18-hole courses and a family-friendly nine-hole short course mean golf takes center
stage. But there are other diversions, including an aquatic complex with one indoor
and four outdoor pools. At Spa Minérale—which offers massages, facials, and body treatments—you
can try such summer specials as the Just Peachy Facial and the Strawberry Kiwi Fizz
Pedicure.
The deal: The Girlfriend’s Spa Getaway package
includes one room for two and one 50-minute spa
service per adult. You can choose among a 50-minute Swedish
massage or other body
treatment, the European Facial, or a simple manicure and simple
pedicure. Guests can
add additional 50-minute spa treatments for $99 each. The
package starts at $349,
a 20-percent savings. Mention Washingtonian.com when making a
reservation to get an
additional 10 percent off the price. You can book this deal
here.
When: Valid through August 31, 2013.
Historic Richmond
Where: The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Va.; 804-649-4750.
What’s special: Strolling through the lobby of the Beaux Arts-style Jefferson Hotel is a treat, with
its stained-glass windows, mahogany paneling, marble columns and floors, and life-size
Thomas Jefferson sculpture. Staying there is a treat, too. In the heart of downtown
Richmond, the hotel is within minutes of the most popular attractions, including the
state capitol—where many scenes in the movie
Lincoln were filmed—and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Guests enjoy complimentary downtown
transportation, a fitness center and indoor pool, and free high-speed internet access
and evening turndown service.
The deal: The Rise & Dine Package includes a “superior” guest room; a traditional Southern breakfast
(entrée, juice, and coffee or tea) for two, including gratuity; and valet parking.
Rates start at $245 a room, a savings of $180. Mention Washingtonian.com to receive
a free room upgrade when available, a $40 value. Book by calling 800-424-8014 or by
clicking here.
When: Valid through September 4, 2013.
“Tropical” Getaway in the Garden State
Where: Crystal Springs Resort, Hamburg, N.J.; 973-827-5996.
What’s special: Surrounded by mountains and dense woods, this 4,000-acre resort features several accommodations
to choose from. At the luxurious Adirondack-style Grand Cascades Lodge, guests can
enjoy not only a spa but the indoor Biosphere Pool Complex, with its freeform heated
pool, 140-foot-long water slide, grotto-like Jacuzzi, and underground aquarium. The
Biosphere’s tropical interior has an abundance of colorful flowers, lush greenery,
and waterfalls. The Minerals Resort & Spa also offers guest rooms and condos, and
it includes a spa and the Minerals Sports Club. Crystal Springs has 12 restaurants,
seven golf courses, tennis, and a new Adventure Center with horseback riding, canoeing,
and kayaking.
The deal: The Twosome Package includes accommodations at the Grand Cascades or Minerals Resort
& Spa, one 18-hole round of golf for two with a cart, unlimited use of the driving
range at the course played, free golf-bag storage, a spa credit of $110, and unlimited
access to the Minerals Sports Club. To book, call 973-827-5996 ext. 2 and mention
the Twosome Package. Rates start at $212 per person Sunday through Thursday and $269
Friday and Saturday, a savings of 10 to 15 percent depending on accommodation. Mention
Washingtonian.com to get a free $50 bottle of wine from the resort’s 135,000-bottle
cellar.
When: Valid through October 2013.
Cheaper Caribbean
Where: Seven Stars Resort, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos;
866-570-7777.
What’s special: With its white-sand beaches and heated saltwater pool, Seven Stars Resort was on
Condé Nast Traveler’s 2013 Gold List of the World’s Best Places to Stay and the top-ranked Turks and Caicos
resort on the magazine’s Readers’ Choice survey. Among the amenities included in any
stay are continental breakfast; nonmotorized water sports such as paddleboarding,
kayaking, and Hobie Cats; fitness programs; and the use of snorkel equipment, bicycles,
and lighted tennis courts.
The deal: Reserve three nights in an oceanfront junior suite, at $380 a night, and get the
fourth night free. Call 866-570-777 or e-mail
reservations@sevenstarsgracebay.com and mention the rate code SSR4.
When: Book by August 15 for travel July 1 through December 20, 2013.
