Sherman's Travel

Whether you’re packing up the family for a few more days of quality time before everyone’s hectic school year schedules start up again or planning a rendezvous for two, these hotels are offering an old-school way to kick it on a red-checkered blanket, no ants allowed, for the last few days of summer.

Head west to the family-owned El Capitan Canyon located on the Pacific coast of Southern California for the Family Picnic Package, which includes a two-night stay in the accommodation of your choice. This upscale outdoor destination is nestled against the Los Padres National Forest and only a five-minute walk away from the El Capitan State Beach. The package includes a complimentary Canyon Logo picnic bag packed with a s’mores kit for four and a bundle of firewood, as well as a picnic blanket, trail mix snack, and a lunch coupon for four to be redeemed at either the Canyon Deli Garden Patio or the Back Market Lawn. Lunch can be packed up to go and enjoyed with gorgeous ocean and mountain views from one of Canyon’s several hiking trails. Rates start at $384 for two nights in the Safari Tent, $516 for a Cedar Cabin, and $494 for the Adventure Yurt; www.elcapitancanyon.com.

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Experience the French elegance and individual expression of a Sofitel Luxury Hotel now with the Chic Picnic Package. 86 of the 120 world-wide properties are participating in the special with room rates (varies based on the property) starting from as little as $79 per night! Guests staying a minimum of four nights will get the fourth night free, 4 p.m. late check-out, as well as a picnic basket, inspired by the hotels location. The basket includes a selection of appetizers, a main course of salads and sandwiches, fruits and pastries, a bottle of wine or champagne, soda, and bottled water. Participating locations include Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Montreal, Amsterdam, Hanoi, and many more. Book and start travel by August 31, 2011.

THE VALUE: Receive the fourth night free and a picnic valued at $150!

THE CATCH: A four-night minimum stay is required.

THE DETAILS: To book the Chic Picnic Package, visit www.sofitel.com.

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A proper picnic demands plenty of planning: Before taking a single bite you have to prepare food, pack the basket, and find a dry patch of grass to sit on. Let someone else handle the muss and fuss at London’s The Lanesborough, which is offering “Butler Picnics” in nearby Hyde Park for the second year in a row. For the elegant affair, a butler accompanies guests to the park and serves morsels from the kitchen of Apsley’s, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant (think Cornish poached lobster with Beluga mayo, Taittinger Rose Champagne, and house-made artisan chocolates). Naturally, paper plates won’t suffice; picnickers dine with crystal glasses, Royal Worcester china plates, and linen napkins. Butler Picnics cost about $409 per person and are available from May to August. www.lanesborough.com

See our London Travel Guide for more trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, packages, and more travel deals.

Shelling out for kid care at a hotel is one of those inevitable costs that can add a significant chunk to your vacation bill and there’s nothing you can really do about it. Especially in a city like London, where grown-up fun (happening restaurants, brilliant theater) comes at a high cost anyway, paying for several nights of nanny care can really take its toll. Unless…you check into The Athenaeum

For a limited time, the luxe hotel in London’s Mayfair district is offering complimentary nanny service. And these aren’t just any nannies… Read more

Wining and dining through Napa Valley is a classic getaway but this time it’s girls-only. Through July 31, Napa River Inn invites you and your three BFFs to stay two nights at the historic hotel fronting the Napa River, and they will take you around for a day of vineyard tours and tastings, including a picnic lunch, so that your clique can just sit back and relax. Staying in the heart of the city of Napa, you’ll experience the up-and-coming city with its hip Oxbow Market and newly restored Napa River Walk. The cozy inn has a jazz spot that you will have VIP access to, and its two restaurants offer top-rated Napa dining. 

THE VALUE: The “Girls Gone Wine” package starts at $199 per person and includes these perks:

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Looking for the ingredients for the perfect picnic lunch on your Caribbean getaway? How about some snacks to keep the kids fueled up for a day at the beach? With Divi Resorts’ new online grocery service, you can order all the essentials before you even leave home, and find your fridge stocked when you arrive. Divi recently introduced the service at Divi Little Bay in St. Maarten and Divi Southwinds and Divi Heritage in Barbados, with plans to expand to the brand’s other six resorts. With a quick click on each hotel’s website, guests can pick from a range of meals, snacks, drinks, and essential sundries (Forgot the sunscreen? No problem!). The items are then charged to the guest’s credit card and delivered to the room. Craving an aperitif or an after dinner drink? Divi’s got you covered there, too, with a range of wines, liquors, and mixes. Best of all, the groceries don’t cost much more than what you’d pay at the supermarket at home – $1.89 for a box of pasta, $3.25 for a dozen eggs – and most of Divi’s rooms come furnished with fully equipped kitchens for complete meal prep. Now if only there was someone to do the dishes afterwards.

Before you go, check out our guides to St. Maarten and Barbados.

Southern California’s Temecula Valley produces an unusually diverse range of world-class vintages, from cool climate grapes such as Riesling and Chardonnay to warmer climate Mediterranean varietals like Syrah and Sangiovese. Winner of the state’s Best of the Best Winery of the Year award for two years running, the South Coast Winery Resort and Spa offers 76 richly appointed villas tucked away among the vineyards, each with its own fireplace, spa tub, and private outdoor terrace. Try the Temecula Wine Country Picnic Tour package for an insider’s look at this remarkable wine region. Starting at just $380/night per couple, it covers your villa stay and a full-day tour of the valley’s largest wineries, including wine tastings, a gourmet picnic lunch for two, and special discounts on wine purchases.

Celebrate the arrival of summer with a sumptuous picnic in an exotic locale or a special spot closer to home. From now through August 31, guests who book the “Chic Picnic” package at participating Sofitel properties will enjoy a tasty meal in a basket, to be enjoyed at your favorite local setting. Try a stay at the upscale Hotel Scribe Paris and savor a warm and romantic afternoon in the gardens of Tuileries, or head to the fashionable Sofitel Cairo Maadi Towers and Casino for panoramic views overlooking the Nile. Each basket includes a selection of mouthwatering appetizers, sandwiches, pastries, and fruit , as well as a complimentary bottle of sparkling champagne. Plus, book this offer by July 5 and you’ll also receive a fourth night free at upscale hotels in the U.S. and abroad. Rates for this unique offer start at $75/night.