November 22, 2009|By Michelle Deal-Zimmerman | Michelle Deal-Zimmerman,michelle.deal@baltsun.com
Sporting holiday. : The "Holiday Unlimited Activities Package" at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va., includes free ice skating, bowling, falconry, golf, horseback riding and other activities. There's also the Holiday Lights & Ice display. Rates are $249 per room, based on double occupancy. Each additional adult or child over age 6 in the room is $50. Taxes and resort fees are additional. A "room only" rate - no activities - is $149. Offer good through Dec. 22. Go to thehomestead.com or call 866-354-4653.
New Orleans Noel. : "Papa Noel" (that's Santa Claus to you) rates start at $89 per night at the New Orleans Marriott, where guests can celebrate the holiday at the hotel's 5 Fifty 5 restaurant with a six-course reveillon dinner, for $45 per person. The term "reveillon" comes from the French word for "awakening," and was originally a meal served after midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Call 888-364-1200. For more "Papa Noel" hotel offers go to neworleansonline.com/christmas.
Maryland deals
One for you, one for me. : Give the gift of a stay at the Brampton Inn in Chestertown and receive your very own reward. Buy a gift certificate of $200 or more and receive a $100 rewards certificate to be used toward a future two-night stay during January through April. The rewards certificate cannot be used in conjunction with a gift certificate or on holiday weekends. Rates start at $169 per night. Gift certificate must be purchased by Dec. 31. Call 866-305-1860 or go to bramptoninn.com.
Holiday on the Shore. : Book two weekend nights in December and get the second night at half price at the Old Brick Inn in St. Michaels. The bed and breakfast offers a full, hot homemade breakfast, free wireless Internet and afternoon tea. Weekend rates start at about $150. Call 410-745-3323.
Ice that's nice. : Gaylord National Resort at National Harbor in Prince George's County is celebrating Christmas on the Potomac, through Jan. 3, including Ice!, a new attraction featuring 10 different holiday scenes carved from about 2 million pounds of ice. Shivery. The "Ice! Family Fun Package" starts at $249 and includes overnight stay, admission to Ice! for a family of four (two adult tickets and two child - ages 4-12), four tickets to the ice skating rink, free kids breakfast, free parking and a waived resort fee. Guests can add a second night for $120. The resort also has a package that caters to grandparents, who can stay one night and get the second night free. Call 877-432-8674 or visit gaylordnational.com.
Caribbean/island deals
Free night in Bermuda. : Stay three nights and get the fourth night free at the Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa in Bermuda. The package from the AAA Four-Diamond resort also includes daily breakfast and afternoon tea. Rates start at $305 per night. Book by Dec. 31 for travel through April 15. Call 800-468-7300 or go to cambridgebeaches.com. Ask for offer code CBBDA4.
Stay cheap. : CheapCaribbean.com has savings of $300, $400 or $500 off a three-night, four-night or five-night package on Grand Bahama Island, including hotel and airfare. For example, a three-night stay at Radisson Our Lucaya resort starts at $359 with the discount. (Taxes and fees are extra.) Book by Wednesday online or call 800-915-2322.
Friend me. : Become a Facebook fan of a Hilton Caribbean island hotel and receive a $50 resort credit for use by Jan. 31 at Hilton hotels in Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad, Barbados and more. Go to facebook.com/HiltonCaribbean.
Puerto Rico premiere. : The Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino is marking its grand opening with a package of discounts, ranging from 35 percent off room rates and dining to 15 percent off spa services and golf. The 503-room hotel in San Juan offers a casino, spa, fitness center and multiple pools. The offer is for Starwood Preferred Guest members and you will need to sign up for the program to reserve this package. Rates start at $139 per night through Jan. 31. Call 866-924-8704 or go to starwoodhotels.com/sheraton.
Tahitian treat. : Save 30 percent on airfare to French Polynesia with the "Tahiti Christmas Fare." Fly round trip on Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles for $998 per person for Dec. 9-12 departures with return dates of Dec. 25-26. The offer includes taxes and fees. You'll need to book a separate flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles, but with competitive fares on that route, the savings is worth it. A round-trip flight to Tahiti from BWI Marshall is easily more than $2,000. Book by Tuesday. Call 877-824-4846 or go to airtahitinui-usa.com and click on "Airfare Specials." Package deals for couples retreats to Tahiti, including hotel and air from Los Angeles, start at $1,699 per person, based on double occupancy, for select dates at tahititourism.com or call 877-468-2448. Book by Monday.
