Sherman's Travel

Unwind in secluded Turks and Caicos at an all-suites, beachfront complex. Stay five nights at the Ocean Club Resort on the gorgeous island of Providenciales – including weekends – and receive the fifth night free. This means you’ll effectively pay $167 per night and save 30% on comparable hotels in the area.

Located on award-winning Grace Bay Beach, the Ocean Club Resort offers individually furnished suites with private balconies and kitchens or kitchenettes. Stretch out on a hammock along the beach or take a dip in the turquoise water, learning why Grace Bay is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The Ocean Club also features two swimming pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, a water sports center, and two on-site restaurants. For those who came to work on their swing, the Provo Golf and Country Club is just across the road.

To book, visit the Ocean Club Resort at MyTurksandCaicos.com or call 877-468-8757 and mention the Ocean Club’s “5th Night Free” promotion. A minimum five night stay is required.

See our Turks and Caicos destination guide for more trip-planning information, then use our TravelSearch price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights to Providenciales.

The perfect location (on one of the island’s prettiest beaches), villa-style accommodations, and fantastic French-Caribbean fare make La Samanna St. Martin’s leading luxury hotel. White-washed Mediterranean villas perched above Baie Longue feature 83 newly renovated rooms and suites (since November 2011), complete with white travertine floors, marble bathrooms, shabby-chic furnishings, and oceanview balconies or terraces. The best suites come with their own private plunge pool or terrace with jacuzzi. A clubby colonial bar, impressive wine cellar, pool deck, and small spa round out the offerings. If you still need selling, a meal at Le Reserve is bound to dazzle. Alfresco seating on the oceanfront deck, bites of lobster ravioli, and a bottle of crisp Sancerre easily won me over. Rates are steep, starting at $845/night, but the resort’s More Paradise offer includes breakfast and $100 resort credit daily in peak winter season.  www.lasamanna.com

For general trip-planning info, see our St. Martin Travel Guide.

Not sure what to do with that $100 Sears gift card you got for the holidays? Now through February 29, you can pay for a Caribbean vacation at Elite Island Resorts with your unused gift cards. Walmart, Home Depot, Amex – whatever you’ve got, Elite will take it, up to 25 percent of the cost of your stay.

On top of that, Elite will donate the gift cards to children’s charities including Ronald McDonald House, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Make a Wish Foundation, among others.

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Tired of reading about the typical all-inclusive Mexico resort? Take a second look at the Paradisus Playa del Carmen, one of the finest all-inclusive properties in the country with a unique concept. This brand new resort is really two resorts in one – a family resort, Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralada, and one for adults only, Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla, with communal restaurants located in between the two.

Just minutes from the Cancun International Airport, the Paradisus is a hidden gem situated on the Caribbean with views of the island of Cozumel in the distance.  The resort boasts 14 restaurants, 10 bars, complimentary life-enriching classes (including sessions on Mexican wines and tequilas), and a 20,000-square-foot spa and health club.

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This holiday season, escape to the warm weather and friendly atmosphere of Sandestin, Florida, located on the Gulf of Mexico’s beautiful and eclectic South Walton Coast. Take advantage of special holiday rates at the 4-star Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, where you can book two nights and receive the third free.  With lead rates from $149 per night, you’ll pay only $99 per night for three nights — a savings of 33% on current hotel rates.

Set along the coast of the aquamarine gulf, the Hilton Sandestin serves as an ideal family getaway. Guests have access to four championship golf courses, 15 tennis courts, a fitness center, and a full-service health spa. Make a splash in one of the three pools and two whirlpools, or wade in the warm Gulf waters. All spacious rooms offer a wet bar, kitchenette, sitting area, private balcony, and in-room entertainment. The resort also boasts six diverse dining options and two bars.

For more information on the beaches in South Walton, go to www.visitsouthwalton.com.

THE VALUE: Save 33% on current rates at this upscale family resort.

THE CATCH: This deal is only available until December 30, and rates are slightly higher on weekends.

THE DETAILS: Visit the Hilton Sandestin to learn more, then call 800-559-1805 and mention the code BT.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on flights to Destin.

For general trip-planning information, see our Florida Travel Guide.

Stay at a family-friendly oceanfront resort in Sarasota, Florida, this December, when book a room for four nights at the Lido Beach Resort. With this deal, you’ll save 25% on current resort rates! Plus, kids under 12 eat for free.

Located on a private beach along the Gulf of Mexico, this Lido Key island resort boasts two outdoor pools and a poolside tiki bar, and is only half a mile from dining outlets affiliated with the hotel. All rooms and suites offer kitchens or kitchenettes to help you save even more on the price of meals.

The Lido Beach Resort is also just three miles from downtown Sarasota, a culturally vibrant city on the Gulf Coast. It offers boutique shopping, fine dining, and an omnipresent arts scene.

This deal is valid now through December 23.

THE VALUE: Save 25% on current rates, plus kids eat for free.

THE CATCH: You must stay for at least four nights to receive these savings.

THE DETAILS: Visit www.lidobeachresort.com to book this deal.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find now rates of flights to Sarasota.

For trip-planning tips and information, see our Sarasota Travel Guide.

A pair of hotel openings hit Miami Beach this week, just in time for Art Basel. Whether down south for the art or the sun, check out these two affordable newbies.

Surfcomber The totally renovated and rebranded Surfcomber (now a Kimpton Hotel) opened yesterday on Collins Avenue. The 186-room oceanfront hotel has a playful vibe, stylish accommodations, and Kimpton’s personalized service and amenities. The pool deck and bevy of cabanas look inviting, as do the opening rates from only $149/night. www.surfcomber.com

Shelborne South Beach This Art Deco mainstay which spent the last two years under renovation reopened Wednesday. The look is retro glam, the vibe is sexy. The hotel’s own exhibition “Art of Night” features intimate celebrity images from nightlife photographer Seth Browarnik, but the catwalk runway connecting the two beachfront pool decks seems like the ultimate stage for eye candy. Opening rates here start from $159/night. Note: not all rooms have been renovated so be sure to request one. www.shelborne.com

For general trip-planning info, see our Miami Travel Guide.

Fly to Australia this February through May, and count on a three-night complimentary stopover in Tahiti with luxe accommodations included. This is how we see it: You’re preparing for a killer flight halfway around the world to your dream down-under destination (ahem, Auckland or Sydney), so how clutch is a free touchdown in South Pacific paradise along the way? Travelers can pick between the Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti, a contemporary beachfront resort with innovative dining and prime access to Tahiti’s most famous black-sand beach, or the Sofitel Maeva Beach Resort, a two-year-old all-suite resort with a happening lounge (upgrades are also available for an overwater bungalow at Le Meridien Tahiti for $275 per person for all three nights). Round-trip Air Tahiti Nui flights to Auckland or Sydney from LAX start at $1,118 which represents over 30 percent in savings, minding the Tahiti stopover. This offer must be booked by November 6 for travel January 30 to May 31. Visit www.airtahitinui-usa.com for more details or call 877/824-4846 to book.

For general trip-planning info, see our Australia and Pacific Travel Guide.

B Hotels & Resorts celebrates its first birthday this year, and the brand wants to let guests in on the merriment with a new ongoing offer: Bed down at a B Hotel on your birthday, and the second night of your stay costs just $1; you’ll also get a surprise amenity and a free B’licious B-Day Cocktail.

As yet, the brand has just one hotel, the B Ocean Fort Lauderdale. The offer is valid on Chic category rooms and rates start at $149/night. All 240 rooms sport white leather furnishings and free Wi-Fi, and Chic rooms boast ocean views. The hotel has two restaurants and a bar, as well as an outdoor infinity edge pool.

Blackout dates definitely apply to the “B-Day” offer, especially during high season – if your birthday falls on a weekend in December through May, or around a major holiday, you’re out of luck this year. The B South Beach is scheduled to open in Miami in fall 2012, and will likely also honor the offer.

For general trip-planning information, see our Fort Lauderdale Travel Guide.

One of our favorite Riviera Maya resorts just got even better. Azul Beach Hotel – featured in our Top 10 All-Inclusive Beach Resorts – has recently finished up $21 million in expansions and renovations that encompassed two new restaurants, a new 150-seat theater for live music and shows, enlarged suites, a new wedding venue, and a kids club partnership with Fisher-Price.

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