beach travel in californiaEvery other week Travel-Intel brings the latest deals on travel from destinations and resorts all over the world.

Revving up for the Rose Parade

If everybody loves a parade, the Rose Parade on January 1 in sunny Pasadena, CA is the one to watch. The tradition is as old as the Hollywood Sign and just as iconic as a California here I come experience that most people do not want to miss in the course of a California Christmas Vacation. But, of course you need tickets and the package that puts it all together.

Sports Empire, based in Long Beach, CA, does just that and can add plenty of extras value-laden three-night packages. Priced from $695 per person, double occupancy (extra nights for $75 ppd), participants receive three nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles Airport plus:

  • Reserved Tournament of Roses Parade Ticket located on Colorado Blvd with an excellent view of the parade for picture taking!
  • Dec 31st Full Day Parade Float Construction Tour: Spend the morning exploring the Rose Parade floats then off for sightseeing of Los Angeles, Hollywood and Beverly HillsRose Parade
  • Roundtrip Parade Day Transfers
  • Transfers to and from Los Angeles International Airport
  • Continental breakfast and box lunch on parade day
  • Official Tournament of Roses Parade program
  • Hosted by Sports Empire

Add-ons include options for trips to the Getty Museum, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo.

To book or for added information contact Sports Empire or call (562) 920-2350.

 

Jamaica for Joy

Make it Jamaica this year for that holiday cheer with a stay at Moon Dance Cliffs in Negril. The stunning seaside resort and spa perched on cliffs about the waves at the westernmost edge of Jamaica is offering up to 30% off nightly rates. From December 22, 2012 through January 2, 2013, stay four 4 to 6 nights and receive 20% off Moon Dance Cliff’s nightly rates.  Stay 7 nights and enjoy even deeper savings with 30% off its nightly rates. Moon Dance Cliffs in Jamaica
Moon Dance Cliffs is Negril’s newest luxury resort and features those oceanview accommodations in a secluded, picturesque setting on the cliffs of Negril. Active adventurers can try they skill at cliff jumping and snorkeling off the resort’s shore are. Relaxed travelers can sit by the pool or on their private verandah and watch the sun slip away.Accommodations are in 480- to 1,200 square-foot rooms and suites, along with 1-, 4- and 5-bedroom private, poolside villas – all with amazing Caribbean views. Villas have private garden Jacuzzis and fully stocked wet bars; some feature other festive amenities such as full-size pool tables in the living rooms.

Holiday rates start at $325 per room ($195-$220 other times of the year).

Contact:

Moon Dance Cliffs and Moon Dance Villas

 

 

One Grecian Autumn

Greece may be quite the bargain these days in its own right but complement that with a stay at Amanzo’e. This is Aman Resorts latest property to open on Greece’s stunning Peloponnese peninsula, just 2.5 hrs from Athens by car. Guests staying at the property this season can avail themselves of a raft of enticing extras wrapped in an “Autumn Spa Retreat.”

Travel to Greece

 

  • Complimentary breakfast
  • One 60-minute massage per person per day
  • Daily 60-minute yoga or Pilates group class
  • Daily group stretching class
  • Olive harvest excursion

Autumns in this region are marked by balmy days and crisply cool nights and are an ideal time of year to explore and appreciate the region’s classical ruins and natural beauty, including the harvesting of the olives from the groves surrounding the resort.

Each of the 38 guest pavilions that comprise the resort has a private, heated swimming pool and the resort offers various options for fitness and recreation, including a fully equipped gym, Pilates facilities, a yoga studio overlooking the surrounding hills and two outdoor tennis courts. Additional rejuvenation spa treatments are available as a supplement to the offer.

For activities beyond the resort, visit the vineyards of Nemes, sail to a number of islands offshore, mountain bike the countless trails and visit ancient ruins. Historic archeological sites in the area include the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus and the legendary citadel of Mycenae – both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Rates start at €825 ($1,069) per night. For more information, visit Amanresorts.com.

 

Tennis, Anyone? In Oz, That Is …

Hayman resort australia

 

For anyone walking around with a racket looking for a luxurious place to play, consider Hayman, Australia’s celebrated private island destination in the Great Barrier Reef.

This Leading Hotels of the World property presents tennis for experienced players and beginners, including clinics and matches operated by professional organization, Peter Burwash International.

 

 

– Daily beachfront breakfast

– Two 1-hour private tennis lessons for each guest

– Tennis court and racquet

– Tennis welcome pack including a Hayman cap, tennis balls and PBI magazine

The rates are available through March 31, 2013 (excluding the Holiday Season from December 19, 2012 to January 9, 2013), and are priced from $1,187 per person for the four nights.

Hayman can be found on the northernmost of the Whitsunday Islands in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland. The resort’s 210 stylish accommodations all look onto the turquoise waters and have balconies and terraces.  Upgraded accommodations come with 24-hour butler service. Hayman provides an insider’s access to the best locations, experiences and opportunities on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Whitsundays, many of which are otherwise inaccessible. Click here for Hayman Resort

Contact: 

[email protected]
(61 7 4040) 1838 1800 075 175

 

 travel to kauai

Hawaii, Car Free

Hawaii can be costly when it comes to renting a car. Recent surveys show it to be the second priciest destination in the US when it comes to renting a car. But not so for those who take advantage of the Kaua’i Beach Resort’s Fall FREE Car promotion.

The package not only includes a free rental car to explore the island, but an upgraded room category and activity credit. And the package starts at the attractive price of $169 per night, which includes a $25 activity credit.

The hot-wheeled promo is available through December 18.

Car choice will be a compact (Ford Focus or similar) from Dollar Rent A Car and added benefits include an upgrade to Ocean View room and complimentary self-parking. The $25 credit can be redeemed for an island adventure of choice at the Activities Desk.

Kaua’i Beach Resort is taking advantage of Kauai’s off-peak rates but adds the option of putting in a $10 per day more and indulging in the daily buffet breakfast for two persons at Naupaka Terrace.

The Fall FREE Car Promotion is subject to availability, not combinable with any other promotions and must be booked 72 hours prior to arrival. Car upgrades must be must be done directly with Dollar.

For reservations, call (866) 406-2782 or book online using promo code: freecar.

A little about the Kaua’i Beach Resort

This is a 350-room deluxe five-story oceanfront resort, situated on 25 lushly acres that access a 3-mile stretch of beach on the eastern “Coconut Coast.”

The resort offers its share of exotic lagoons and cascading waterfalls amid four swimming pools, plus an on-site spa, variety of dining venues and complete meeting and banquet facilities. Location is close to the Līhu’e airport as well as shopping, championship golf. The property is managed by Aqua Hotels & Resorts, a Hawai’i-owned and operated lodging hospitality company founded in 2001 with locations on O’ahu, Kaua’i, Maui, Moloka’i, Lāna’i and Hawai’i Big Island.

For more information about Kaua’i Beach Resort, call 808-245-1955 or visit Kauai Beach Resort.