Deals Worth Buying Today To Go Away or Stay in Town

Virgin America is having a 3 day sale on fares that start at only $49 (to SF), for $129 you can fly to New York or Washington D.C., and for $159 you can go to Cancun between September 20 and October 5, 2011. The fares are one way based on round trip flights and don't include taxes and fees, so if you need to get out of town do it with a Virgin deal!

For what you would normally pay for one or the other, you get both a room and an omakase dinner with this Bloomspot deal. For $500, you get a night in a deluxe room at the Peninsula Hotel and dinner for two at Nobu, featuring a six course tasting menu (with wine or sake pairings) on select dates through November.

If you want to stay in town but feel like you're away, get this $12 deal from TravelZoo (good for the next 21 hours) for an all day pass (yes that means 24 hours) at the WiSpa in Koreatown. They have separate floors for men, women, and a co-ed floor in their 48,000 square foot spa which houses hot and cold baths, five saunas, free wifi and a rooftop terrace.

Renaissance Esmeralda

When I lived in Palm Springs, the Esmeralda, in Indian Wells, was always one of my favorite places to go out for drinks and music (Melvyns was my other favorite nightspot). Since the Esmeralda is now owned by the Marriott hotel chain, there are spectacular deals in the summer which include a daily $50 resort credit and a free breakfast for 2 night stays. I HATE resort fees, but their $25 daily resort fee actually pays for daily fitness classes, two bottles of water in the room, free in-room coffee and tea, and wifi (ask them how to access it) so our entire stay for two nights only cost us about $120 each! They offer Valet parking for $12 a day, but you can self park for free (in a covered lot).

They are in the middle of a renovation, but the lobby is already remodeled and very comfortable.

The only element in the lobby and terrace that remains from the former resort is the magnificent staircase connecting the two levels.

As I walked to the front desk to check in I saw these complimentary containers of cool water infused with pineapple, cucumber, and strawberry. A wonderful thoughtful touch anywhere, but especially here in the desert where outside temperatures were hovering around 118F.

The spacious rooms were clean and modern with great beds and linens.

The bathroom was fairly large and had a separate toilet area. Spa robes, soft fluffy towels, and Aveda products gave the resort an upscale feel. Thoughtful touches meant a lot, like a clothesline attached to the wall of the bathtub so you could dry your swimsuits over the tub, and the bathroom had a door to the closet so you could get dressed in the bathroom.

Rates for the summer are so low that the hotel was full of families enjoying the three pool areas; although the kids were well behaved, I still longed for an adult pool area. The poolside servers impressed me more than any other pool I have ever been to, including all the five star pools in Las Vegas; no matter what area I was seated in, someone always came by (more than once) to ask if I wanted either food or drinks! The menu is simple and the selections were reasonably priced, but it was too hot to stay outside for long or I would have ordered and enjoyed lunch by the pool. As with the in room touches, the pool area also had thoughtful touches like water containers and cups at several locations so you could serve yourself water.

The sandy "beach" area was full of small kids and fairly quiet.

The waterfall area was the loudest with screaming kids jumping in and out .

The view from the balcony of our room was tranquil and beautiful.

This view was also from our balcony but looking down instead of out. The small "river" with waterspouts alongside our building snaked around the side of the resort and is the view from the Stir Lounge as well.

Next post will be on the food, which was not as spectacular as the hotel, but the service was impeccable:)

Chocolate Dipped Valentine (literally)

Psst! Do you want to literally bathe your love in chocolate? Do you have $570 and 90 minutes? The the Auberge du Soleil in Northern California can make your fantasy come true with a special chocolate indulgence package the entire month of February. Their spa facility is over 7,000 square feet and has breath taking views of a 33 acre olive grove in Napa reminiscent of Provence, but with all the modern amenities of California like internet access and flat screen televisions.

It is a multi-chocolate experience that starts with a cacao and grape seed exfoliation, then a milk chocolate bath for two in a private outdoor garden while indulging in dessert and specially paired wine. And as a sensual "dessert", you both get a full body massage using a decadent massage oil of chocolate and spice.

Of course is chocolate isn't your thing, they have other special packages that include rooms with a view and culinary delights like a four course dinner or wine country limo tour. For the ultimate luxury, indulge in one of the Melissa Suite packages which begin at $2000 and includes three hours in the Melissa Suite with two 120 minute treatments, private use of the hot pool area, a special chef's plate, and complimentary robes.

Two Bunch 50% off

Happiness is getting 50% off all room rates at Two Bunch Palms, so you can make yourself happy today by booking through September 31, 2010 using Promotion Code 72R. The offer is even good over Labor Day week-end, and the longer you wait, the less of a discount you get, because if you book by tomorrow you get 35% off and by Friday the 20th your discount goes down to 25% off.

Clock's ticking, save now, or spend more later, it's your choice.

72 Hour Two Bunch Sale

Two Bunch Palms is famous (or infamous, depending on your take on history) as the old Al Capone hideout, the setting for a scene in the movie "The Player" and as a celebrity getaway spot.

Rates usually range between $200-$500 for a very luxurious private enclave in Dessert Hot Springs, but you have until Friday July 16, 2010 at 5pm PST to get your room almost free because they will give you a 60 or 90 minute spa credit for $200 and room rates start at only $200 (plus $17 resort fee and taxes). Enter code SPA2010 to get this deal under "promo code".

You can choose from the usual facials, massages, and mud baths, or try something more exotic like the water therapy (Watsu), breathwork, or Reiki.

Think of this as a way to incorporate something you need with something you want; a healing session and a place to sleep afterwards.

Living a Little or a Lot in Laguna

The Surf and Sand in Laguna is the perfect place for a beach side getaway; with the crowds of summer gone, this is a great time to go to the beach before it gets cold (for California). They have a special package called "Live a Little" that includes one nights' accommodation with a three course dinner for two for $369 Sunday-Thursday (add $100 for the week-end). If you want to "Live a Lot", you can opt for two nights, three course dinner for two, $100 resort credit, and complimentary valet parking for $738 Sunday-Thursday (add $200 for week-ends). These rates don't include any alcoholic beverages, taxes or gratuities. Make sure you call to reserve at 877-349-0345 and mention the special when you book to get your discount.

If you just want a taste of the resort, I would recommend their spa & lunch package which combines a 50 minute massage or facial with a three course lunch at Splashes for $125. Make sure to call the spa to reserve your package at 949-376-2772.

Or savor the view and stop by for a glass of wine at their bar as you watch the waves any Monday-Thursday between 2-5 pm and get 50% off your bill (the discount is also available between 8-10:30pm). Make sure you print out the promotion page to get your discount.

Now all you have to do is choose whether you want to savor, taste, or live in Laguna at the Surf & Sand (or all three).

Solo Spa

My first real spa experience was in Calistoga, in Northern California, a small town in wine country known for its' mineral springs and mud. I went with some college friends and we indulged in a full spa experience. I had a full mud treatment, steam, and massage package which left me nearly unable to walk from the sheer pleasure of it all. Now that all my friends are working, it's hard to get anyone to take a break and go away with me; finding a spa deal for single travelers is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Fortunately, Golden Haven offers a $225 Solo Spa package that includes 3 hours of pampering including 1 hour of massage, 1 hour facial, a mud or herbal mineral bath, use of the hot springs mineral pool and jacuzzi. You also get a winery guide that includes complimentary wine tasting and a free t-shirt. The only restrictions are that you can't get this discount on Saturdays or holidays, you can't combine the offer with another discount, and you must print out the web page before you go.

If you can find someone to go with you, Golden Haven also offers a girlfriend special for $195 and couples specials from $125 to $225, so whether you go solo or accompanied, you can go play in the mud and stay overnight if you don't feel like going anywhere afterwards; remember that if you choose to stay the night, you can have more treatments the next day!

Rosey Toes

Rosey Toes on Balboa Island is a very small mani/pedi lounge which not only uses the most scrupulous sanitary practices (they use small metal bowls which they sanitize and they do not reuse files), but they also welcome young ladies to come in and develop a beauty habit, no matter what their age. This is the perfect place to have a preteen or teen birthday party or to celebrate the any special occasion, even if the occasion is the "pamper myself" holiday.

They are on Marine (the main street) but a bit hidden upstairs, so look for the silhouette of two women at a table and you have found them. They only do natural nails, so if you are looking for gels or acrylics, this is not the place for you.

Their menu includes a refreshing peppermint soak, sugar body polish and mint masque for $35 (mani) or $40 (pedi). You can indulge with an Island Delight Special which features a mango sugar scrub and hydrating creme followed by a mango, papaya & pineapple enzyme skin purifying masque for $40 (mani) or $60 (pedi). They even offer quickies for $18 (mani) or $25 (pedi). For the younger set they have a Lil Rosey Toes Glamour Girls for 8-14 year olds, who want a beauty treatment for $15 (mani) or $20 (pedi) and they even give itty-bitty girls under 7 a taste of beauty for $10 (mani) or $12 (pedi).

For the adults treating themselves they will serve you a drink during your treatment and put on an old Sex in The City episode; Rosey Toes is the perfect place to spend a day with your girlfriends, either the real life kind or the virtual television version.

ETravelbids and Miraval Deals

With so many airlines offering discounts, it is nice to compare all the offers in one place, especially for super premium economy and business class fare discounts which could end up costing the same or less than a regular economy fare at Etravelbids. They offer discounts on resorts like Club Med, cruises like Crystal Cruises, and tickets to events like the Kentucky Derby. I found a special at the Four Seasons on Maui which includes 5 nights and a $500 airfare credit for only $1179 per person (based on double occupancy). You can customize your trip on their website with specific preferred airlines or hotels and they will list a few competitors so you can choose your favorite or maybe change your mind based on the quotes you get.

For something closer to home, the Miraval Resort in Tucson, AZ, is offering a special price of $399 per night which includes 3 gourmet meals a day and a $125 spa service or golf round credit per day of your stay. Miraval has been consistently voted the #1 spa in the world by Conde Nast Traveler, with 400 acres, an Olympic lap pool, a tri-level pool with cascading waterfalls, accupressure stone walk and whirlpool, state-of-the-art equipment including Cybex and Woodway machines, treadmills, life cycles, Stair Masters and free weights, and 20 minutes away, access to the Golf Club at Vistoso, an 18-hole, par 72, Tom Weiskopf-designed course playing to 6,905 yards.

Once you get to your destination, try Google Transit to get around using public transportation; you can even send the directions directly to your mobile phone!

Xpress Spa

My friends got stuck in the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport for 5 hours today after missing a connecting flight. After taking the shuttle around the airport (which took 45 minutes), they discovered the Xpress Spa and spent some time enjoying a manicure, pedicure, and a massage while they waited for their next flight. Delays during air travel are never convenient, but getting pampered while you wait can make it more pleasurable and both my friends were in a much better mood after their spa stopover.

Xpress Spa is to spa services, what Starbucks is to coffee houses; they are in 27 airport locations around the world from Amsterdam to San Francisco, with ten locations in JFK and La Guardia (NYC) alone. Six more are scheduled to open this year, mostly on the East coast.

Prices are very reasonable with time allotments ranging from a 10 minute foot massage for $25, to a 60 minute full body massage for $120. You can get facials, waxing services, gel and silk nails,and specialties like a 100% collagen hydrating mask, or an organic Ginseng and Spirulina mask.

If you travel frequently, sign up for their Membership program to earn points and get special offers, including a $25 birthday gift certificate. Even if you don't travel frequently, you can use your gift to purchase a candle, soap or eyemask from their online store.

You may actually want your next flight to be delayed, at least long enough to refresh your body at the nearest Xpress Spa.

Wynning Encore

The new Encore hotel is opeing this month and they are offering a deal in January 2009 for either the Encore or the Wynn. Use code RHHED07 and get either the Wynn for $129 a night or the Encore for $149 most days of the week (Friday & Saturday rates are an additional $30 per night respectively). As an added bonus, if you spend at least 2 nights, you can also take advantage of a $50 dining credit with the code EXPDINE.

For everyone who loves the Wynn hotels (The Mirage, Bellagio, and Treasure Island were all built by Wynn before he sold them), this latest version will include 5 restaurants (one with walls which actually move and another named after Frank Sinatra), 7 bars, 11 retail shops, a nightclub, spa, and salon. The signature gardens and open naturally lit public spaces will once again be highlighted in this new resort.

They say practice makes perfect, I look forward to Steve Wynn's latest try at perfection.

Star Island

Soon you will have a choice of traveling to the Caribbean instead of Latin America if you want to stay in a green resort.

Star Island (an acronym for Sustainable Terrain and Resources) in the Bahamas will be opening next Fall with 60-70 rooms, as an exotic green luxury resort and home site development which aims to be completely sustainable and carbon neutral. Whether you want a vacation in a hotel, or a vacation home, the on site amenities include a pool, spa, and gourmet dining for all guests and owners. Their restaurants and markets will feature local produce, organic products, and fair trade coffee, keeping the green theme in everyday practice. The bungalows all have waterfront views and private plunge pools; the hotel villas each feature infinity pools, full kitchens and living rooms, and the home sites even include personal docks.

All of us are awaiting the unveiling, repeating the mantra, "Open open, open."

Desert Getaway

The motto is "Out of the silence comes the sound of your life."

The location was the former hideaway for Al Capone.

It was featured in the film, "The Player."

Two Bunch Palms is famous (or infamous) as a getaway for both spiritual and practical reasons (one of which is that it is only a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles). Known for its' celebrity and gangster clientele, it is an accessible and and luxurious destination for everyone; especially if you travel midweek or book a special package (with an arrival on Sunday or Monday for three nights they are offering a fourth night free). If you sign up for their email updates, you will receive even better deals.

Getaways are not only for the rich or famous, they are also for anyone who needs a quiet retreat to comtemplate life; if you don't stay the night, take a hike in the desert though Joshua Tree National Park and soak in the solitude and silence on your own private retreat.

Diamond Facial

My friends who live in California are buying property in Austin. Yes, they are moving to Texas (it's ok to go now; the state idiot doesn't live here anymore). Austin has grown more metropolitan with the influx of people looking for an affordable place to retire and simply to live as prices on the West Coast have skyrocketed; a three bedroom house on a nice piece of land in Austin costs less than a one bedroom condo here in Los Angeles. They are already known for having a vibrant country music scene and a world renowned University, but do they offer what displaced Californians would want? It seems the answer is yes. Celebrities like Sandra Bullock are opening hip restaurants in Austin using green philosophies (their "plastic" to go utensils are made of potatoes), and I found some surprisingly upscale offerings that blend the luxury of city tastes with the country style of Texas.

For the ultimate in facials, the Lake Austin spa resort offers an 80 minute diamond facial which stimulates collagen production and uses diamond particles to make your face sparkle for $230 (diamonds are expensive). They offer other unusual and slightly less expensive options too, including Asian cupping, marine facials, and a tour of Texas session which includes a scrub using prickly pear, an aloe wrap, and ending with an essential oil massage; try out more than one offering if you have time. This spa resort was named by Conde Nast Traveler magazine as the #1 readers choice in North America in 2008, so it is worth a trip to Austin. If you go with six or more people, you get 40% off their regular rates, so get a discount by making it a party!

If you are going to make the trip, make sure that you stop at Jeffrey's which shows that Texas isn't just home to BBQ and cowboys anymore. Jeffrey's has the kind of food that is putting Austin on foodie itineraries with twists on American comfort food and European techniques that are as beautiful to your tastebuds as they are on a plate. You can be decadent with Petrossian caviar and blinis to start, or adventurous with crispy oysters on yucca root chips with habanero honey aïoli, then for an entree, choose either the balsamic braised short ribs with cheddar chive potatoes & roasted garlic olive sauce, or the prosciutto wrapped chinook salmon with fettucine, mushroom tapenade, and pistachio pesto. Make sure you save room for a dessert like their caramelized crêpes with butter pecan ice cream & citrus confit (or share it).

Austin may not have been on your radar, but there are more reasons than ever to explore it as it grows into a destination for spa and food lovers with roots in southern hospitality.

Being Korean

Spending a day in another culture is a good way to sample the lifestyle without needing a passport or committing to a trip abroad. Los Angeles offers many cultural choices, and one way to spend a day in Korea is to go to the Olympic Spa in Koreatown. They offer spa packages that rival the best of the chain spas at less than half the cost. A word of warning for those who are self-conscious about being nude, do not come here if you are not comfortable being naked or seeing naked bodies within 2 feet of you. If you are only comfortable in the prudish setting of an American spa, then do NOT try this. This is women only spa, so you are naked only with other women (the therapists wear a bikini type combo as they work on you). If you are able to open your mind and relax your body enough to try a taste of an Asian spa, you will reap the benefits of both the unique offerings and prices you will not find elsewhere in Los Angeles. The Olympic Spa offers an oxygen room, a mugwort hot tub, and their famous Pure Bliss package, which offers a scrub, massage, facial and mask, for about the price of just a massage at any other full service spa. For those who doubt the quality of this experience, the spa uses Bumble and Bumble, so they are not skimping on products. It is a very different atmosphere than you would find at an American spa, but that is the point here as you immerse yourself in the hot and cold spas, steam rooms, and spa packages that make this a haven for Koreans and those who are willing to travel to another culture for their spa experience. The people who work here are all very nice to foreigners (non-Koreans), so be nice to them and tip generously because at these prices, they work very hard for very little. There is a resting area where you can take a nap after your treatments, and they even serve food in a small cafeteria on the premises (Korean food of course).

For better Korean food, leave the spa after your service and try Cham Sot Gul for Korean BBQ, just a few blocks away, in a setting that befits the Flintstones, with boulders set into the walls of the restaurant. They have delicious Galbi (marinated short ribs) and Bugolgi (sliced beef) for meat lovers, and squid or shrimp for those who want lighter meals. If you can't decide, pick one of their combos. Everything comes with an umpteen number of side dishes (including spicy kim chee, mild bean sprouts, steamed egg, etc.), along with a nice salad. The idea is to eat the BBQ meat wrapped in the rice wrappers that come as a side, or with the lettuce. Rice is considered by Koreans to be the thing you eat if you have nothing else, so if you want rice, you must order it separately. This is the typical grill it yourself Korean BBQ restaurant, with a surprising touch of kindness (those who have gone to other Korean places will appreciate this even more than the food). They are nice to Caucasians (and non-Korean Asians), they have a menu in English (with pictures), and the waitresses will even help you grill your food and change your grill when it gets too charred.

To be Korean for a day while enjoying all the perks, but without the jetlag and repressive regime, just go to Koreatown.

Local wine & spa

Sometimes a quick day or two away is enough to feel like you've been on vacation, especially if you can go wine tasting and have a spa treatment on the same trip. Just about an hour and a half away from Los Angeles is Los Olivos, where you can stay in a nice suite with a working fireplace and huge bathtub at Fess Parker's Wine Country Inn. There is a pool and small restaurant on the premises if you don't want to walk around to the cafes in this six block town. The town has NO big chain stores or restaurants so it feels like time has stood still for the last few decades. It's a pleasure to get all your meals made on the premises and buy things that are not available in every mall in the U.S.. There is even a small art gallery on the "edge" of town (that means one block behind the main street). There are wine tasting rooms on the main street, and the Divine Day Spa set in a cottage at the entrance to town. All this is already a nice getaway, but then add in the wineries just minutes away and you have a true vacation. The Fess Parker Inn has packages with the Divine Day Spa and /or various wineries that give better discounts than booking it all yourself, just go to their website to pick the package that you prefer. My favorite winery in the area is the Firestone which has a little gift shop with all things wine related from chocolates to go with that nice bottle of red, to earrings with different colored "wine" in the glass.

Nearby in the town of Santa Ynez, is the Artiste art gallery and tasting room, with art by one of my favorite artists Aldo Luongo. They have several artists showing their work here and you can buy it here and then have them ship it home for you. Their bottles are blends named after the paintings that grace the labels; great collector's items if you have the discipline not to drink the wine (or buy two bottles, one to drink, one to keep). The Artiste is in the middle of the town of Santa Ynez, so you can stroll the few blocks that make up this quaint town and have dinner at the Vineyard restaurant. The Vineyard has live music and special wine & dinner menus that feature local vintners; the best time to go is when it's warm enough to enjoy sitting outdoors on their patio.

It's not as big or varied as Sonoma, but it's less than two hours from Los Angeles, and a few minutes from Santa Barbara (the big city in this area). Sometimes smaller is better.