Anaheim on a Dime with Tropicana Inn & Suites

Designated as a Good Neighbor Hotel by Disney, located across from the Disneyland Resort and Downtown Disney District and also adjacent to the Pedestrian Parkway, so you can simply park your car for the duration of the trip, and just hop across to the theme parks. One would think that with all this going for it, the Tropicana Inn & Suites would ramp up their facilities and service and brand itself as an upscale family hotel.

Instead, the Tropicana goes the other way - Making a name for itself as one the many cheap hotels for the entire family which dot the Anaheim landscape. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. I mean, I've seen many family hotels which offer rooms and suites for around $100 which can house the entire family, and which offer the same facilities and services and amenities offered by 4-star luxury resorts. All that's really necessary is for spacious, clean and comfortable rooms, usable bathrooms and good service. That's not so hard to manage, whether the hotel is big or small, luxurious or budget.

While the Tropicana manages to offer some of these things (Rooms from $91, pretty spacious, outsize pool, free parking and complimentary breakfast, great location, wi-fi internet, etc.), its not all sweetness and apple pie. The service leaves a lot to be desired, and their check-in staff need to be taught some basic manners. Secondly, the breakast is nothing to write home about, the internet carries an extra charge, and the entire hotel could do with a full renovation.

But if all you're looking for is a place to sleep in for a night, then you can do your Anaheim vacations on a dime with the Tropicana Inn & Suites.

Info: 1540 South Harbor Blvd Anaheim CA 92802; (714) 635-4082; www.tropicanainn-anaheim.com/

Family Vacation Revolution at Williamsburg Hospitality House

Nothing like good old-fashioned Southern hospitality in the Old Dominion and a history tour in Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg to connect you back to America's roots. And no one does it better than Williamsburg Hospitality House in Virginia, located across the street from the College of William and Mary, 3 blocks from Colonial Williamsburg amd 11 miles from Yorktown.

Whether you're looking for family things to do or golf courses, or simply romantic hotels for a cozy wine country getaway, the Williamsburg Hospitality House (WHH) offers something for everyone, alongwith 18th century ambience mixed in with the latest amenities and facilities.

Specials include a Family vacation Revolution package - 3 night package for a family of four, with accommodations, breakfast, $20.00 in WHH bucks, and 'Americas Historic Triangle' passes for 2 adults and 2 children, which allows admission to Jamestown Settlement, Historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, the Yorktown Battlefields and the Yorktown Victory Center. Package rates from $550. Click here for details of this and other specials at WHH.

Restaurants at WHH include the 415 Grill with a regional menu and a full service bar, and Papillion - a garden bistro with a spectacular breakfast spread. WHH also offers an outdoor pool, free garage parking, a fitness room, a game room, meeting and event facilities for upto 500 guests with 14 seperate meeting rooms, a gift shop (The Mole Hole), same day laundry, concierge services and room service. Wireless internet available (extra charge), and you can get cribs, rollaway beds and refrigirators upon request.

WHH offers 296 guest rooms, including 11 suites, 3 junior suites and 3 demi-suites. In-room amenities include hairdryers, iron & ironing boards, cable TV with in-room movies, in-room coffee with coffee/tea maker, complimentary toileteries and workdesks. Rates from $119.

Info: 415 Richmond Road Williamsburg VA 23185; (757) 229-4020; www.williamsburghosphouse.com/

Fishy Package at the Mutiny in Miami

Why on earth would somebody name a hotel as Mutiny? To make it even worse, the darn hotel is located in a place called Coconut Grove in the middle of Sailboat Bay, and has a restaurant called 'The Pirates Bar and Grill'. And the cup overflows when this hotel is steps away from the shops at CocoWalk and also offers a deep sea fishing package. Ahhh... Matey, its the rum talking.

Funnies aside, we're talking about the Mutiny Hotel in Miami. 12 story tower, 120 suites, outdoor heated swimming pool with whirlpool and spa and poolside deck chairs surrounded by swaying palms in a lush tropical setting, fitness center, sauna and steam room. Also accesible in the immediate vicinity of the Mutiny are jogging trails, bike rentals, beaches, golf courses, tennis courts, sailboat charters, restaurants and nightlife hot-spots.

The deep sea fishing package I was talking about includes 1 night accomodations, and 1/2 a day fishing trip for 2 people with all equipment included. Bring along your common sense (deep sea fishing is more difficult than it looks) and leave behind your seasickness. Oh, and after you book the package, call Captain Wayne at (786) 236-4842 to reconfirm your place on his fishing boat.

To make matters worse, whatever pathetic tiny creature you manage to coax out of the depths of the Atlantic will be cooked for you by the Mutiny's restaurant for $12.95 per piece. And don't forget your frickin' pirate eye-patch.

Package rates from $199. Valid until Dec 28 2008. With this rate, you get a 1-bedroom suite with a view of the Bay or the City, private balcony, a King bed, fully equipped kitchen, television with VCR, premium coffees and terry robes.

Info: 2951 South Bayshore Drive Miami Florida 33133; (305) 441-2100; www.mutinyhotel.com/

Romantic Escape at Half Moon Bay Lodge

You don't have to go looking for romantic things to do half way across the world. Half Moon Bay will do. The very name invokes a romantic essence wafting through the air. The sparkling blue ocean, the beautiful beach, the blooming flowery grass running alongside the coast, historical sites like Pillar Point Harbor, and the impeccable golf course on a bluff overlooking the ocean... All this adds to the laidback getaway quality that hangs over Half Moon Bay like a mist, 25 miles south of San Francisco.

And when you have a labor day weekend coming up and there's a quaint hotel offering a special romance package in such a romantic place a short drive from San Francisco, well, its not hard to deduce why the Half Moon Bay Lodge is considered as one of the premier romantic hotels in Northern California. Package includes 1 night stay for 2 in deluxe accomodations, sparkling wine and gourmet chocolate, a romantic gift basket, and complimentary late checkout. Rates from $279, inclusive of all taxes.

For this rate, you get a deluxe King room with a fireplace, private balcony or terrace with a view of either the landscaped garden or golf course. All rooms feature live plants, robes, coffee, refrigerators, and a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast.

And if you want a couples massage for 2, call ahead with at least 72 hours notice. Oh, and this is a Best Western hotel, so book before August 29th, and you'll get a free $50 gift card. They also have a Stay & Play golf package and also a family fun package with complimentary beach blanket, beach toys, a kite and a selection of gourmet treats. Click here for more info about their specials and online booking.

Info: 2400 S. Cabrillo Highway Half Moon Bay CA 94019; (650) 726-9000; www.halfmoonbaylodge.com/

Book 1 Room, Get 1 Free at Hawaii Prince Hotel

The Hawaii Prince Hotel, Waikiki, is offering a 2 for 1 promotion - You book a room, you get one free. The complimentary room is based on double occupancy and must be of equal or lesser value than the 1st room booked. Dates of stay for both rooms must overlap. Valid until Decemer 22 2008. Watch out for the blackout dates, and make sure you're getting value for money, because rates per night, for the one room you need to pay for, begin from $390, which gives you an Oceanfront Marina room (or rooms, if you count the free one). More details and online booking here.

I was going to pass this one by, because they have other packages at rates starting from as low as $189 (for the same Oceanfront Marina room), but then, it comes to about the same, for two rooms. And the reason why I'm interested in this 2 for 1 promotion is because I was looking up family hotels in Oahu. Most hotels, including the Hawaii Prince, offer spacious suites designed to accomodate the entire family, along with a host of family-friendly amenities. It's way cheaper than booking two seperate rooms. Only problem is, you end up sleeping with the kids in the same suite. Kinda cramps your holiday fun a bit.

So let's say you do want two seperate rooms. That's about slightly less than $400 per night, which is on par with rates at comparable Honolulu hotels. The 420 sq ft oceanfront marina rooms are in between the 5th to 9th floors, with views of the ocean and Yacht Harbor. Contemporary decor, floor to ceiling windows that open. Beds are king or 2 beds assigned on arrival.

Speaking of par, mention needs to be made of their Golf Club, with 27 holes of championship golf. And the Hawaii Prince itself has a bit of an exhibitionist streak. 28 floors full of 521 oceanfront rooms and 57 luxury suites sit atop 5 floors worth of restaurants, lounges, meeting and banquet facilities, shops, and other guest and parking facilities.

All said and done, its one heck of a luxury resort with a fitness center, a business center over 20,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor meeting space, a day spa and beauty salon, multiple restaurants offering genuine Hawaiaan and Japanese cuisine. To top it off, the hotel is located 5 minutes from the Hawaii Convention Center, and 15 minutes from Honolulu International Airport, and just a short walk to the beaches.

Info: 100 Holomoana St Honolulu HI 96815; (888) 977-4623; www.princeresortshawaii.com/

Cocobelle Resort, Fort Lauderdale

No specials here, but the fact is that the Cocobelle Resort on Vistamar Street in Fort Lauderdale doesn't need to put on any specials to attract guests. If I was asked to describe the hotel, I'd say that the Cocobelle was the ubiquitous innocent girl next door - Beautiful, low maintenance, low profile, always welcomes you with a smile, and doesn't give you reason to complain. We're still talking about hotels. I think...

Anyway, you take a look yourself, and then consider the pros and cons. $119 average nightly rates with a choice of 16 rooms, studios and 1-bedroom suites, located 2 blocks and 5 minutes off the beach. In-room amenities include 1 King bed or 2 queens, coffee maker, microwave and a small refrigirator, full bathroom with hairdryers, cable TV with VCD/DVD player, and air-conditioning.

Free parking, free wireless internet and free local calls and cell phones available upon request. There's a neat tropical pool area with a large heated swimming pool. The poolside area has lounge chairs and a shaded table and chairs. Laundry facilities on-site, iron & ironing board available upon request, and you get beach towels when you check-in. No pets, no smoking and no spring break type college kids allowed. Some of the 1st floor units have their own private sitting area in the back.

In a nutshell, the Cocobelle ofers a cheap, homely and convinient lodgings to enjoy Fort Lauderdale vacations, and you have nothing to worry about when it comes to value for money. The hotel has been listed as the 'Best Bargain' in the United States by TripAdvisor in their 2008 travelers Choice listings, and it ranks 1st out of 140 Fort Lauderdale hotels listed in TripAdvisor.

Info: 2831 Vistamar Street Fort Lauderdale Florida 33304; (954) 561-5660; www.thecocobellehotel.com/

Discover Downtown Package from Millenium Hilton, NYC

If you want to wear your 'I Love NY' t-shirt and do NYC like it was meant to be done, then nothing better than the 'Discover Downtown Package' from the Millenium Hilton. After all, New York vacations are essentially all about shopping, theater, restaurants, museums, sight seeing and cruise rides around Manhattan.

Includes overnight accomodations and a $25 Century 21 gift card, 2-for-1 admission to nine lower Manhattan museums, $5.00 off CitySights NY Double Decker Downtown Tour & ZEPHYR Harbor Cruise, South Street Seaport gift bag, 15% off dining certificate to Alfama restaurant (Portugese cuisine) in the West Village, voucher for one complimentary champagne toast at Thalassa Restaurant (Greek cuisine) in Tribeca, and a 15% dining certificate to Church and Dey Restaurant.

And all of that for rates starting from $225 per night. Valid until Dec 31 2008. And this isn't the only special either. In fact, I've never seen so many specials being offered concurrently at other New York hotels. The other specials offered by the Millenium Hilton include the NYC Adventure package, 20% off the best available rates on Sunday, a special summer promo with rates from $189, a Shop and Stay package, Bloomingdale's Shop Til You Drop Package, and a Food Network Travel Package, among others. Click here for online booking and more information about the specials at the Millenium Hilton.

Info: 55 Church Street New York NY 10007; (212) 693-2001; Website