Sherman's Travel

Though we’re all glad for the warmer weather in summer, when temperatures spike too high it can really be a drag on your vacation. Not anymore! With a bevy of hotel discounts tied to the outside temperature you’ll be praying for a scorcher.

Book a two-night stay at the Colonnade Hotel in Boston from June 29 to July 8 and you’ll receive a discount on the first night based on the temperature at 5pm that day. Plus, you can always beat the heat at the hotel’s swanky Roof Top Pool. Rates for the July 4 Summer Meltdown Package.

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Get away to Chicago this summer, when temperatures rise, baseball’s in season, and the parks are in full bloom. Stay steps from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile at the 4-star MileNorth Hotel, where rooms start at $187 per night – including over the Fourth of July. Book this deal and you’ll save over 20 percent on the hotel’s current rates.

Enjoy spacious and contemporary accommodations, including high-speed Internet, flat-screen TVs, and stereos with MP3 capability. MileNorth also features an upscale restaurant, C-House, and a rooftop bar and lounge, C-View, where you can enjoy views of downtown Chicago.

Leave the hotel and stroll down the Magnificent Mile, Chicago’s most famous stretch, with its upscale shopping, restaurants, and historic buildings like the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, headquarters for the Chicago Tribune. The theater district and Lake Michigan are also within easy walking distance. Plus, Chicago is celebrating its 175^th birthday this year with special events throughout the summer, including an outdoor farmer’s market in Lincoln Market and bi-weekly fireworks at Navy Pier.

To book this deal, visit the MileNorth Hotel website; enter your dates and the promo code Mile20.

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

Stay at The Attwater (formerly the Attwater Villa) in Newport, Rhode Island, and enjoy 20 percent off a chic boutique stay in New England. The hotel is currently closed for renovations, but to celebrate its June 1 reopening you can enjoy the redesigned rooms at 20 percent off from June 1 to June 20. The 20/20/20 Special offer includes not just 20 percent off the room rate, but also a $20 gift card to a nearby restaurant and a $20 room credit for future stays. Discounted room rates start at just $143.20/night for a Petite Queen – and compared to the $209/night starting rate you’ll see for the same room in July, that’s a real steal.

The renovated hotel’s 12 rooms will be decorated by award-winning Rachel Reider Interiors of Boston with bold colors and fabrics, contemporary furniture, and nautical touches. They’ll feature deluxe amenities like designer linens, waffle robes, personalized concierge service, flat-screen TVs and DVD players, and even iPad 3s equipped with info on local attractions. You’ll also get free Wi-Fi, free parking, and three complimentary items a day from the all-day coffee bar and café – think espresso, lemon-ginger scones, and macaroons with bittersweet chocolate ganache. Plus, The Attwater is within walking distance of beaches (for which you’ll get beach chairs and bags), dining (did we mention that $20 gift card?), shopping, and Newport’s Cliff Walk.

The 20/20/20 Special has no blackout dates or restrictions and can be booked by calling 800-392-3717 and asking for the 20/20/20 Special package or by making a reservation online. (Note that to reserve the package online you’ll need to mention it in the “Additional information” section and you won’t see the discounted price, so you might want to book by phone to be sure of the exact cost of your room.)

For more trip-planning information on Newport, see our 1-2-3 Weekend: Newport article and our Rhode Island destination guide.

Rosewood’s Caneel Bay, a former sugar plantation turned 166-room luxury resort, is located on a picture-perfect, national park-protected bay on St. John. The tropical sanctuary—that counts seven beaches among its natural assets—is offering excellent savings this April in honor of Earth Day (April 22). Guests who book overnights from April 23 through 30 will receive 30 percent off regular rates. But, even better, guests who donate four hours of their vacation on Earth Day to help clean the offshore coral reefs will receive a $100 resort credit. The Patagon Dive Shop at Caneel Bay is leading the annual clean-up efforts and guests who participate can either dive (if scuba-certified) some 15 feet deep to collect any debris and bottles or snorkel the shallow waters to skim for rubbish and help transport items by kayaking them to shore. What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by helping to ensure Caneel’s slice of paradise stays that way? Rates start from $612/night for a premium oceanfront room. Call 888/767-39663 to book and reference Earth Day Special. www.rosewoodhotels.com

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

Some areas of the country may be having an unusually dry winter, but California’s Mammoth Mountain has received 107 inches of snow so far this year. Take advantage of the fresh powder with the Slopeside Lift & Lodging Package. For just $139 per person, per night you can stay at the Mammoth Mountain Inn and get a free lift ticket for every day of your stay! Rooms are also available at Tamarack Lodge & Resort, Juniper Springs Resort, and the Village Lodge. The package is bookable through May 26.

THE VALUE: One-day lift tickets cost $96 per person, so effectively lodging costs just $43/night!

THE CATCH: A two-night minimum stay is required, but the package is good for up to 14 nights.

THE DETAILS: Check out www.mammothmountain.com for more information, then call 800-626-6684 to book.

WE’VE GOT MORE: For general trip-planning information see our Mammoth guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more travel deals.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s the perfect time to think about getting away to a romantic pied-a-terre in New York City. Gild Hall, part of Thompson Hotels chic line of urban boutique properties, is your go-to getaway after a night on the town. With the “Heat Up This Winter” package – created exclusively for ShermansTravel.com readers – you’ll get overnight accommodations in a plush King Suite, along with close to $200 worth of tantalizingly romantic extras. From rose petal turndown service to a champagne toast and artisanal cheese platter, you’ll make your special someone feel like the center of the universe. The offer is available January 19 – March 5, 2012 and is good for stays on any Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night.

THE VALUE: The normal rate for a King Suite starts from $500, so with the extras the total savings is 57 percent!

THE CATCH: Reservations must be made a minimum 48 hours in advance and are subject to availability

THE DETAILS: This offer is only available through our ShermansTravel Local Deals.

WE’VE GOT MORE: For general trip-planning information see our New York City Travel Guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more travel deals.

Don’t let your winter blues get the best of you this year. Instead, plan a tropical getaway to Rosalie Bay Resort on Dominica. This luxe eco-resort, located 20 minutes from the island’s main airport, comprises 28 airy rooms spread among 9 cottages. In-room perks include local, organic bath products and wraparound verandahs. Guests can indulge in local cuisine concocted with ingredients from Rosalie Bay’s garden at Zamaan Restaurant. Complete your relaxation at the resort’s spa, pool, and quiet stretch of black sand beach. Rosalie Bay also leads turtle education activities from March through October, when three endangered species of sea turtles nest and hatch on the property. From March 16 through October 31, rates are just $149/night. Need to get away earlier? Rates are $199/night through March 15.

THE VALUE: These rates represent a savings of 33 percent.

THE CATCH: There are no direct flights to Dominica from the U.S.; plan for a stopover in San Juan or St. Maarten.

THE DETAILS: Book via www.RosalieBay.com or by calling 877-732-2864.

WE’VE GOT MORE: For general trip-planning information, see our Dominica Travel Guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, vacation packages, and more travel deals.

Even big name luxury hotels aren’t immune to the daily hassles of New York City. Case in point: Le Parker Méridien has endured its next-door neighbor’s room-shaking construction for the past couple of months. To celebrate the end of the cacophony, the hotel is giving guests 20 percent off rates Thursday to Sunday through April 8. This is your chance to take advantage of Le Parker Méridien’s ergonomically designed rooms – some with views of Central Park – as well as the 15,000-square-foot fitness center and spa. Don’t forget to breakfast at the famous Norma’s, get caffeinated at Knave espresso bar, and grab a burger at the “secret” Burger Joint.

THE VALUE: Rates start at just $199/night!

THE CATCH: Rooms at this low rate are limited. Payment is non-refundable and must be made in full at time of booking.

THE DETAILS: Book via the hotel’s website.

WE’VE GOT MORE: For general trip-planning information see our New York City Travel Guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more travel deals.

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.

The new year may have just begun, but it’s definitely time to start thinking about your next vacation. For a fully loaded family getaway with year-round activities, consider The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia. The town lives up to its name with the aforementioned hot springs one of the big draws at the resort, not to mention a slew of other active pursuits from skiing and snowboarding to horseback riding to golf. In honor of the leap year, you can get a second night at The Homestead for only $29. The special rate is available for travel January 4 through December 20.

THE VALUE: Standard rates start at $175/night, so you’ll save over 40 percent on a two-night stay.

THE CATCH: Though the discount is available on most dates in 2012, these rates are only bookable through January 6.

THE DETAILS: To book, call 540-839-1766 and mention the Leap Year Sale.Visit The Homestead’s website for more information on the resort.

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