Sherman's Travel

The dog days of summer may be upon us, but RockResorts is looking to cool you down with its winter getaway deals featuring savings of 25 to 50 percent, and rates starting at $85 per night at locations around the U.S. and the Caribbean.

Already dreaming of snow? Book now for the lowest rates at The Arrabelle at Vail Square or The Lodge at Vail, RockResorts’ establishments near Vail, Colorado, where you’ll find excellent back-country skiing and snowboarding. At nearby Beaver Creek, the group’s Osprey and The Pine Lodge also offer activities like snowshoeing, dog sledding, sleigh rides, and hot air ballooning. Read more

Some hotels are merely a place to rest your head at night, but others hold fascinating tales of wartime refuges, remarkable wildlife, valuable art, and ghostly spirits that refuse to let go. Sign up to be amazed and maybe learn a thing or two on these exceptional hotel tours.

Until recently, most people had forgotten there was an air raid shelter underneath the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi, Vietnam. When staff discovered it during some routine work on the pool area, however, the hotel decided to excavate the bunker and restore it to its original state. Now, hotel guests can participate in nightly tours that highlight the shelter’s famous past residents – including Joan Baez, who recorded “Where Are You Now My Son” there in 1972 – and Hotel Metropole’s role during the Vietnam War.

An in-house historian leads groups through the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida, each Wednesday through Saturday to reveal such nuggets as the unlikely origins of the hotel and President Calvin Coolidge’s preference to dine with the hotel staff during his visits. The tour costs $5 for guests, $10 for non-guests; alternatively, book the tour and a three-course lunch at Marchand’s Bar & Grill for $25.

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Get away to the luxury town of Aspen, Colorado, and stay in a 4-star hotel at the base of the mountain. The recently-renovated Sky Hotel, A Kimpton Hotel, is offering rooms for as little as $169 per night this fall – a savings of 65 percent on winter rates.

The Sky Hotel is a sleek boutique with an updated design aesthetic, and features evening wine receptions, high-speed wireless Internet, and a heated sundeck with outdoor fire pits, a heated pool, and sweeping views of the Aspen Mountain. There is also a 24-hour fitness center and a trendy lounge and restaurant. All rooms feature luxurious linens, iHome clock radios, and plush bathrobes. The Sky Hotel is only three blocks from downtown Aspen’s upscale shopping, dining, and entertainment.

These low rates with the “Nip & Tuck Package” are available Sundays through Thursdays from September 4 through November 21. Weekends and summer rates are available for more, also at a discount. To book, visit the Sky Hotel website or call 800-882-2582 and mention the rate code TUCK.

See our Aspen destination guide for more trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights.

On the fringes of the Moab desert and located in the heart of the Red Rock Canyons of southwest Colorado rests Gateway Canyons Resort. The upscale adventure retreat is currently offering an exclusive package to ShermansTravel.com readers, which offers room nights from $179, with 50% off the second night on any two night stay. Or, stay three nights at the $179 rate and receive the 3rd night free!

Guests booking this exclusive offer will also receive $100 in added amenities, which include:

• A complimentary bottle of wine upon arrival

• Unlimited admission to the Discovery HD Theater

• 2 Passes to the Gateway Colorado Auto Museum

• 25% off spa services at SpaTerre

• 25% off horseback riding at The Stables

Gateway Canyons Resort lies just east of the Colorado / Utah border and sits in awe of the Palisade rock formation, a perfect setting for hiking, climbing, fly fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and more. After a day exploring the canyons, relax at the spa or chlorine-free pool.

Travel now through April 15, 2012. To get this exclusive rate, call 1-866-671-4733 and mention Sherman’s Travel.  For more information on the resort, visit www.GatewayCanyons.com.

Use our TravelSearch price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights to Grand Junction, Colorado.

I’ve been to Aspen once before and I am pleased to say the charming Western town in Colorado continues to lead as America’s premier glitz and glamour ski destination. I’m not sure which is more impressive – the natural beauty of Aspen’s mountain ranges or the not-so-natural plastic surgeries of its many patrons! Of course, one comes to Aspen to ski the four mountains, and my favorite continues to be Snowmass, followed by Ajax and Highlands. (I have not tried Buttermilk.) Snowmass is 25 minutes from Aspen and there are regular shuttle buses from the center of town.

I found a wonderful lunch spot, Lynn Britt Cabin, at mid-mountain of Snowmass. It’s a charming restaurant, with linen covered table tops, that features some hearty goulash, bison stew, and an extensive wine list. Like Cloud 9 restaurant on Highlands Mountain, Lynn Britt is one of the more special places to stop for a bite after a good morning of ski runs.

I was lucky this trip in that snow had fallen the week before and so the mountains had excellent powder. The light snow of Colorado is unique; Europe, California, and the U.S. Northeast can’t compare. The busiest and best month to come is March; days are longer than in January or February, the temperature begins to get a bit warmer, and there is usually a good snow base.

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Millions of people will be indoors watching the Super Bowl this Sunday, but Liftopia is offering exclusive lift ticket deals to get you out on the slopes – be quick, though, because the offers are limited. Currently, savings range from 20 to 76 percent and you can find deals at over 80 resorts, from Alaska to New England, organized by location.

Liftopia is an online lift ticket retailer that offers deals throughout the year and around the world, from small ski resorts in the Midwest, to big names like Sun Valley and Mammoth. The Game Day sale is Liftopia’s biggest sale yet, but be sure to check out the site (or use their iPhone app!) for great deals on lift tickets throughout the ski season.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, vacation packages, and other travel deals.

Beaver Creek’s slopes may be the star attraction at this sister resort to Vail in Colorado, but they have some competition from an increasingly delectable culinary scene. The latest manifestation of this new foodie fervor is the first annual Beaver Creek Food & Wine Weekend, held January 26-28.

Events range from casual après-ski noshes to semi-formal multi-course dinners with wine pairings. You’ll also find cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, and a meet-and-greet with the chefs. Throughout the three days, event-goers will sample exquisite culinary creations from visiting celebrity chefs – like Tim Love, John Besh, and Stephanie Izard – as well as local talent from area restaurants.

You’ll have to act fast to score tickets, as some programs are already sold out. Tickets start at $75, and all events are for ages 21 and up.

Planning to make a weekend of it? Beaver Creek has lodging packages on offer starting from $425 per person, per night that bundle accommodations, multi-day lift passes, and select event tickets. Click here for more information.

For general trip-planning information, see our Vail and Beaver Creek Travel Guide.

It’s the forecast that skiers and snowboarders have been longing for: Big snow is finally on the way this weekend. More than four feet of snow are expected to dump on Jackson Hole, Wyoming – as well as other snow-starved resorts – this weekend, as part of the winter storm fronts that are gearing up to hit the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. In anticipation of the long-awaited snowfall, two properties in Jackson Hole are offering a 3-night “Storm Chaser” package that includes accommodations, lift tickets, and other perks.

Package deals from Teton Mountain Lodge and Hotel Terra come with a 3-day lift ticket for two adults, a $20 per room breakfast credit, and accommodations, with starting nightly rates from $314 for Teton Mountain Lodge and $339 at Hotel Terra (three night minimum stay required). Considering that adult full-day passes at Jackson Hole cost $85 alone, that’s pretty significant savings. The deal runs through Jan. 31.

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Celebrating its 35th year, Aspen Gay Ski Week 2012 kicks off January 15 with a trip down memory lane, along with all the parties and powder that have made it not only the nation’s largest and oldest gay ski event, but one of the most fun happenings of the season overall (read our post on Aspen Gay Ski Week in 2011). Plus, it’s a boon for charity: Proceeds from this year’s event benefit GLSEN, the Trevor Project, and the Point Foundation, in addition to select local organizations, and come with an opportunity to get some charity – in the from of free passes – for yourself, as well.

“With the theme ‘Through the Years,’ this year’s gay ski week will embrace our beginnings in 1977,” says co-producer Bryan Gonzales, program director of Roaring Fork Gay and Lesbian Community Fund. Each night will feature a themed decade party with prizes for the best costumes. “In addition to a week of epic skiing, après-ski, and nightly events, and the popular downhill costume competition, Aspen offers visitors world-renowned restaurants, indulgent spas, and first-class shopping,” he continues. “There is something for everyone, even for the non-skier.”

Highlights include: Read more

This season there are several snow-filled directions to head in to get your ski on. We’ve chosen five of the tip top spots where the spas certainly rival the slopes.

Montage Deer Valley – Deer Valley, Utah
This classic Craftsman resort tucked in to the forested slopes of Utah’s Deer Valley Resort with its ski-in/ski-out access is a truly evocative spot, reminiscent of the great North American mountain lodges from another era.

The resort is a mere 36 miles from Park City International airport and minutes away from the charming and historical town of Park City, the epicenter for cinematic and celeb activity every January with the Sundance Film Festival.

Check in to one of Montage Deer Valley’s 154 guest rooms or spacious 66 suites with gas fireplaces and sweeping mountain views. Then walk out your door and onto the slopes of Deer Valley Resort with its 2,026 acres of skiable terrain on six mountains with 100 exciting trails and an annual drop of 300 inches of fresh powder each year. If you need some ski assistance, simply call the on-site ski-concierge.

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