Caribe Royale Orlando Disney Vacation Package

In the middle of all the economic uncertainity and people bailing out on planned vacations, one thing remains a certainity - The Disney magic is alive and kicking. Yes, fewer people are buying tickets the Disney parks and resorts, but they're still buying enough to keep it a going concern, and even more important - Its just about enough to keep the hotels in Orlando and Anaheim in business.

And you won't find a single hotel in Orlando/Kissimmee which does not promote a Disney vacation package. Leaving side the big resorts and costly rooms, I was poking around for a package which was a wee bit more economical. And that's when I bumped into the Caribe Royale Orlando.

The hotel is offering 1 bedroom suites for $129.99 on selected dates through March 2009. And if you want the full works, they're also offering a Disney vacation package which includes 4 nights accommodations in a one-bedroom queen suite, 3-day WDW Park Hopper pass with no expiration, full American buffet breakfast each day, scheduled transportation to Walt Disney World® Theme Parks, and a complimentary evening shuttle to Downtown Disney. More details and online booking here, or call (800) 823-8300.

FYI, the reason they're stressing on the suites is because the Caribe Royale is an all-suite hotel. And the free buffet breakfast on offer at The Tropicále is not something to be shrugged at either. If you're a fan of fine cuisine, then the hotel has six more restaurants and lounges, which offer everything from poolside snacks to gourmet Continental cuisine and fresh seafood. And that's on top of in-room dining.

Info: 8101 World Center Drive Orlando FL 32821; (407) 238-8000; www.cariberoyale.com/

Winter Ski Packages at the Atlantis Reno

They call Las Vegas an urban paradise, but actually, its more of a decaying paradise, which is falling apart at the seams and being swamped by the recession. The real paradise in Nevada is Reno. Especially at this year of the year, when the area in the California Nevada border is blanketed with snow and all the ski resorts are souped up to meet the expectations of winter vacationers.

And what better way to enjoy the myriad pleasures of Reno, including the casinos, spas, ski and snowboarding trails and the golfing, than in a city of redicovered pleasures - The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Of course, same as Vegas, every casino complex is bigger and better and more extravagant than the next one. But as far as hotels in Reno, and the facilities on offer are concerned, its hard to top the Atlantis.

The Atlantis allows you to build custom ski packages for the Tahoe ski resorts. Starting at the ridiculously cheap price of $65, Atlantis guests can mix and match from nine world-class ski resorts. Your custom package may include Luxury Tower Accommodations, lift tickets, shuttle service to and from the ski resort(s), complimentary airport shuttle, resort food credits and ski storage. Concierge Room & Suite upgrades are available at an additional charge.

More details and online booking here. Or you can call (877) 348-0003. Course, ski packages are not the only thing the Atlantis has on offer. It would take a very long time to list everything on offer, but let's just say that whatever your needs, the Atlantis is quite up to the task.

Everything from golf packages to spa and adventure packages are available. There's lots of indoor entertainment and fine dining available in-house, in addition to the casino and outdoor sports options.

Info: 3800 S. Virginia St. Reno NV 89502; (800) 723-6500 or (775) 825-4700; www.atlantiscasino.com/

Discover San Jose Package at Fairmont San Jose

Actually, to get a taste of San Jose, you don't really need to leave the palatial Fairmont. That's because you can't really lump the Fairmont along with the other San Jose hotels. The Fairmont is what you might call a microcosm of San Jose as a whole. Almost every conference, event and press avail from any major company or organization in Silicon Valley is hosted by the Fairmont San Jose.

There's always a buzz in the lobby and in the bucketload of restaurants and lounges dotting the grounds, with talk about startups and VC funding and IPO chatter. And of course, you can't go 5 minutes without hearing about twitter meetups and social media. That, my friends, is Silicon Valley in a nutshell.

So, let's say you still want to check out the attractions in San Jose other than the Fairmont. In that case, you'd want to start by booking the 'Discover San Jose' package which the hotel offers. Includes 1 night accommodations in a luxurious Fairmont room, 2 tickets to the Winchester Mystery House, and 2 tickets to the Tech Museum of Innovation.

And that takes care of just about everything there is to see in San Jose. Just kidding. You still gotta see the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose Museum of Art, the Chinese Cultural Garden, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Mexican Heritage Plaza. And of course, if it interests you, then the vineyards and golf courses.

Anyway, rates for the Fairmont's Discovery package start from $209, and there's no expiry date on the offer. Its available all year round. You can find more information and online booking here.

Info: 170 South Market Street San Jose CA 95113; (408) 998-1900; www.fairmont.com/sanjose/

Best Hotel View of Times Square Ball Drop

Of all the New York hotels which are bunched in Manhattan, and specificially those in Times Square, which hotel has the best view of the Times Square Ball Drop on Dec 31? That would be, without any doubt, the Marriott Marquis.

You might be wondering why I'm writing this on Dec 31? Well, that's because the suites at the hotel which offer the best views of Times Square are booked solid a year in advance, and sometimes even more than that. So if you want to have any chance of being in a perfect location to see the Ball Drop without being engulfed by a sea of humanity and stuck on the streets of New York for well over half a day, then you have to book now for 2010, or for 2011.

So, what's the dope on the Marquis? Well, in their own words, "The Marriott Marquis sparkles with updated hotel rooms, high-speed elevators and six hotel restaurants and lounges. With area attractions such as Fifth Avenue shopping, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, NBC Studios and Central Park just minutes away, a stay at this New York City hotel ensures that entertainment is just around the corner."

Plus, they have a 4000 sq ft fitness center overlooking Times Square. And what about those rooms with a view? In addition to wired internet inside the rooms and wirless in public areas, the rooms at the Marriott Marquis are equipped with a coffee maker, iron and ironing board, hair dryer and bathroom amenities, cable TV with pay per view movies, down comforters, custom duvets, cotton-rich linens, a pull-out sofa bed, rollaway bed and safe.

Info: 1535 Broadway New York NY 10036; (212) 398-1900; Web site.

New Year With a Capitol View at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento

I'm guessing most of you already have your New Year's Eve party plans finalized. But if you don't, then you could do a lot worse then end up at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento. For starters, it's one of the few Sacramento hotels with a clear view of the State Capitol from the rooms and the rooftop bar.

Secondly, if its good enough for the Governator, it should be good enough for just about anyone. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had conned the state bureaucracy into renting him a Suite at the Hyatt Regency during weekdays, since his wife Maria Shriver is employed in Los Angeles, and they didn't want to have to maintain a second home in Sacramento.

Ok, so now that we've established that the Hyatt Regency is not so shabby a place to spend the last night of 2008 and ring in the New Year, let's see what they've got lined for revelers, in the form of entertainment, dining and overnight accomodations. As per their website, they have the following options:-

Amourath Lounge - join us in our lobby bar and enjoy complimentary music from 8:00pm - 12:30am. Sip champagne while listening to the sounds of Ryan Hernandez, who was recently voted the "Best New Big Thing" by the readers of Sacramento Magazine.

Dawson's - join us for a gourmet four course meal from Chef Ian Libberton and his culinary team. We will offer two seatings: 5:30pm and 8:00pm. Reservations required by calling 916-443-1234

Captiol View - our rooftop bar will be transformed into a lounge featuring the music of Carte Blanche, a four piece ensemble that plays a range of music from soft jazz to powerhouse dance music. The lounge will be open from 8:00pm - 1:00am. Reservations required by calling 916-443-1234

As for accomodations what you get with a simple guest room is stunning views of the Capitol, park or cathedral in a spacious 375-sq.-ft. room featuring balcony, stylish sitting area and one king or two double Grand Beds with ultra-plush pillows, the softest sheeting and thick down blankets–all piled upon pillow-top mattresses. Deluxe amenities include generous work area, Portico bath products, wireless Internet access, and complimentary newspaper. Rollaways available upon request. Rates from $199.

Info: 1209 L Street Sacramento CA 95814; (916) 443-1234; www.sacramento.hyatt.com/

French Kiss New Year's Eve at Omni San Diego

If you're gonna be in San Diego on Dec 31, then you gotta be in the Gaslamp Quarter to be able to do it right. By right, I mean the right spirit and the right quantity of spirits. And if you're with me so far, and we're in the Gaslamp, then you need to home in on the King of all the San Diego hotels, the first among equals, as far as uncorking the spirits and letting it all flow is concerned. That would be the Omni San Diego (www.omnisandiegohotel.com/).

And this year, in addition to all the rip-roaring, eardrum-shattering stuff, they're also pulling out some mushy and romantic smoochy stuff from their top-hat full of specials and packages. This one is called the French Kiss New Year's Eve, where you and a guest will enjoy an authentic French dinner along with bubbly Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne as you celebrate the New Year.

Includes luxe accommodations for 2, French cheeses and Evian upon arrival, romantic French dinner for two, cocktails for two and a bottle of Nicolas Feuillate Champagne with dinner, French toast breakfast in the morning, and late checkout upon request. Rates from From $359 per night based on double occupancy. More details and online booking here.

As for what else the Omni offers, you can read the review here. And you'll find listed here a lot more events and attractions in San Diego specifically arranged to help you ring in 2009 with a bang and a bar. Lots of bars, actually...

Escape to W Seattle for the New Year

Usually, I try to stay away from chain hotels, and stick to reviews of the boutiques. Theory behind it is that if you've seen one outlet of a chain, then you've seen em all. I mean, a Marriott is a Marriott is a Marriott. Sure there'll be superficial changes, but the 'experience' is basically the same.

New Year's Eve parties and celebrations are a different matter. End of the day (make that night), you can hardly remember your own name, let alone what kind of room and shower and curtains and mattress the hotel has. Just need to find a good deal. Doesn't really matter if its a hotel chain or a padlock or a hammer. Or a W. In Seattle.

After poking around for some decent Seattle hotels which had good deals plus a fair bit of entertainment lined up for ringing in 2009, I bumped into this special offer from the W Seattle called 'Ring in 2009 With a W Escape to Remember'. Includes a W Hotels Limited Edition 2009 CFDA Calendar to fill with the year’s festivities, bottle of bubbly for a 2009 toast, W Camera for in-the-moment memories, Bliss® Spa baggage handler to keep you bright-eyed and bag-free, and a 2pm late checkout so you can sleep it all off.

Book and stay by Jan 25. Book online or call 1-877-WHOTELS and use promo code WNC. More details here.

The baggage handler is a nice touch, and the bubbly is a good deal, New Year or not. A camera is ... well, a camera, and the late checkout is absolutely a life-saver on Jan 1 to get over the hangover. So all said and done, not so shabby for rates from $265. And they do have a lot going on, in the form of events and parties and such.

But if that's not enough for you, the only place to really party hard in Seattle on New Year's Eve has to be the Indulgence party on the waterfront. You won't find any other New Year's Eve attractions in Seattle as attractive as this downtown party, with 5,000 party animals expected to fill up 6 areas of live entertainment, 5 dance floors and more than 35 bars.

Info: 1112 4th Avenue Seattle Washington 98101; (206) 264-6000; Website.