For many families, the holiday season is best celebrated at a warm-weather resort. If you're still looking for the perfect sun-and-fun getaway for your family this December, here are a few great options:
NEW YEAR'S EVE ROCKS AT THE TRADEWINDS ISLAND GRAND
The TradeWinds Island Grand - a newly renovated tropical and traditional resort located along acres of sugary white beaches overlooking the Gulf of Mexico on the island of St. Pete Beach, Florida.
New Year's Eve Revelers looking for a hot night out need to look no further than the TradeWinds Island Grand "Hot Tropical Night" New Year's Eve Party. Partiers are invited to don their best tropical flip-flops or Hawaiian elegance attire for a night of festivities, food and fun. The "Hot Tropical Night New Year's Eve Party" takes place Wednesday, December 31, 2003 from 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. in the TradeWinds Island Grand Ballroom. Highlighted by a two-night getaway contest for best tropical wear and best dancers, dancing 'til dawn and an open bar, the New Year's party is $99 per person, inclusive of tax and all gratuities. Those wanting to keep the celebration going through New Year's Day are invited to stay overnight at the Island Grand for as low as $119.*
Kids wanting to get in on the action are welcome to "get down" at the TradeWinds "Rockin' New Year's Eve Children's Bash," which takes place from 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. Geared for kids ages 4-11, cost is $50 per child.
For more information, call toll-free (866) JUST LET GO (587-8538), visit www.JustLetGo.com or contact a travel professional.
BOCA RATON RESORT & CLUB SERVES UP SUN, SURF AND … SNOW!
Guests of the Boca Raton Resort & Club will want to pack a warm hat and mittens along with their swimsuits this holiday season. Families can enjoy a snowfall - yes, snowfall! - at sunny Boca Raton Resort & Club on December 29. Some 20 tons of snow will fall on the Resort & Club's Great Lawn, fashioning a winter wonderland for children of all ages to engage in snowball fights, build snowmen and slip and slide down two mountains of powdery white snow. This adds to the unique festivities Boca Raton Resort & Club offers throughout the season, creating an unforgettable holiday experience for the entire family.
The Boca Raton Resort & Club will be the setting for holiday merriment and cheer this year. Activities planned for the holiday season include:
* The Resort & Club will host the circus camps Kidz du Soleil and Hi Fli Circus Camp. In Kidz du Soleil, children ages 3-11 will learn circus performances, magic tricks, balloon art, crafts and interactive games through Kidz du Soleil, while pre-teens and teenagers will enjoy learning high-flying tricks under the instruction of a professional trapeze trainer in the Hi Fli Circus Camp. Sessions for the two camps will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in two four-day sessions December 22 through December 30. At the end of each session, children and teens will demonstrate all they have learned in a circus for their parents and other Resort & Club guests. Performances are scheduled for December 24 and December 30.
* Santa's helpers will visit the Resort & Club's guestrooms on Christmas Eve (December 24) to tuck-in children and read them the Christmas classic "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". Each elf will deliver cookies and milk for the children to enjoy. The service will be held from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., and reservations must be made 24-hours in advance.
* A "Dinner with Santa" will offer kids one last chance to tell Santa what they want for Christmas. On December 12, children will enjoy a kid-size buffet, bounce house and face painting, while being entertained by balloon artists and interactive DJ games. Each child will also have their picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. "Dinner with Santa" will take place from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
An assortment of additional holiday activities are also planned, including daily Hanukkah candle lighting, family bingo, daily children's shows, and a series of dining and social events for families, teens and adults.
Located in the heart of Florida's Gold Coast in Palm Beach County, Boca Raton Resort & Club, a private, security-gated property, is one of the country's premier destination resorts and private clubs. Offering families a setting of casual elegance, the Resort & Club's amenities include two 18-hole championship golf courses, 30 tennis courts, a new spa, several pools, state-of-the-art fitness centers, and a half-mile stretch of private beach with a variety of watersports. In addition, Boca Raton Resort & Club offers an wide selection of dining options and a full range of activities including a comprehensive children's program.
For information and reservations please call the Boca Raton Resort & Club at (888) 495-BOCA or at (561) 447-3000, visit www.bocaresort.com, or contact your favorite travel professional.
LANAI'S MANELE BAY HOTEL OFFERS A SELECTION OF YULETIDE FESTIVITIES
Holidays on Lana'i are an ongoing celebration, from Thanksgiving 'til the New Year, from the island's highlands down to the ocean's shore. The family-friendly Manele Bay Hotel on Lana'I is offering families a festive schedule of activities, presents, gourmet feasts and special amenities to make this holiday season the best ever.
The Manele Bay Hotel has more special activities, workshops and events than one would think possible in such a short season. Highlights include the Dive-In Movie Night where guests are invited to a pool party with reclining flotation devices and a feature movie presentation for the whole family. Also, the Sunset Spooky Tales Night on the beach features marshmallows, hot cocoa and scary Hawaiian tales. This activity is definitely not for the smaller kids. Another fun movie night is the Classic Christmas Movies Night in the Hotel library with hot chocolate and holiday treats.
The Manele Bay Variety Show will also take place with the resort's versatile and talented staff putting together an evening of song, dance, comedy and fun. Cake and punch will be served. The list of other Manele Holiday activities include: Hawaiian Ornament Making; Arts 'n Crafts Fair; Face Painting; Garden Tours; Senior's Christmas Caroling; Hawaiian Fish Printing; Holiday Cookie Decorating; Holiday Tennis Clinic; Holiday Stocking Making; Candle Making; Pictures with
Santa; Oil Painting Classes; Hula Classes; Lei Making; Lauhala Weaving; Hawaiian Luau Show; Keiki Carnival; Beach Hula Volleyball (complete with grass skirts and coconut bras); Coconut Palm Weaving; Guided Tide Pool Exploration; Intro to Snorkeling; Keiki New Year's Eve Party; and the big New Year's Eve Celebration complete with fireworks!
For reservations and information, visit www.islandoflanai.com or call Lana'i Resorts at 1-800-321-4666.
Cobblers Cove, the Relais and Chateaux resort jewel on the Gold Coast of Barbados offers guests a family Christmas experience Bajan style complete with carefully selected gifts for naughty or nice children. For guests who remain during the New Year, Cobblers Cove offers fine dining, dancing and bon homie, culminating in a grand display of fireworks over the warm Caribbean Sea.
Holiday festivities will include a complimentary children's party on Christmas Eve complete with games and activities, complimentary lessons for children in local Bajan craft making including basket-weaving, tie-dye and authentic Bajan doll making, a Christmas Eve and New Years Eve dinner (black-tie optional, $100 supplement inclusive of tax and service), a Christmas dinner (black-tie optional, $175 inclusive of tax and service), and a visit from the Bajan Santa. Guests are also invited to attend the Island's annual Christmas Parade. A colorful parade of floats and donkey carts decorated with Christmas Scenes travels the main street of Bridgetown delighting both local and visiting children. The parade is only a twenty minute ride from Cobblers Cove.
Santa's visit is a tradition at Cobblers Cove. "Santa arrives on a boat every year and lands on the resort's beach laden with presents for the children," says General Manager Ross Stevenson. "Santa greets the children and hands out carefully selected gifts. We have a 15 year record of the presents to ensure that returning children get a different and thoughtful gift each time." Cobblers' family atmosphere during the holiday season is truly a unique experience in the Caribbean and elsewhere.
Holiday rates begin December 20 through January 5 and range from $740 to $1,110 per night, including full American breakfast (BP) daily. The MAP supplement, offering lunch or dinner daily, is $71 per person.
All rates are based on double occupancy, inclusive of a government value added tax, and include spacious accommodations, unlimited water skiing, sunfish sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, day and night tennis, afternoon tea - island style, and use of the air-conditioned fitness room.
For more information and to make reservations, contact your travel agent or call toll-free in the United States: 1-800-890-6060 or in Canada call Resort to the Best, toll-free: 1-800-567-5327.
SANTA BRINGS FAMILIES BIG SAVINGS IN ST. LUCIA THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Santa has it all wrapped up for families as St. James's Club, Morgan Bay on St. Lucia extends summer rates for the holidays. All-inclusive rates start at just $390/day, based on double occupancy for a seven-night stay. What's more, up to two kids stay and eat free when sharing the room with two adults. Second rooms are just 50% off at $195/day, offering families and friends the most affordable holiday week in the Caribbean.
The 'Santa's Summer Rates' offer reflects nearly 40% off normal holiday season rates, a savings of over $1,500 on a seven-night stay. Rates include all meals, all drinks and cocktails, entertainment, non-motorized water sports, taxes, service charges and tips. Additionally, for those looking to tee it up this holiday season, St. James's Club, Morgan Bay is offering three complimentary rounds of golf per room at the nearby St. Lucia Golf & Country Club; offer is based on a seven-night stay.
The 'Santa's Summer Rates' offer must be booked by November 15, 2003 and are valid for travel December 21-January 2, 2004. A seven-night minimum stay is required. Reservations can be made by calling 800.345.0356 or visiting www.eliteislandresorts.com.
St. James's Club, Morgan Bay, the island's most recently renovated all-inclusive resort, offers a host of new amenities including an interactive Kid's Klub, the Bonne Vue adults-only swimming pool bar, and the white-glove service of the newly opened steakhouse, Nicole's. Fabulous cuisine and unlimited refreshments are offered at three restaurants and four bars, along with live entertainment and dancing. Each of the 238 guest rooms feature a terrace or balcony with spectacular ocean or garden views and a host of water sports, health club, various land and sea activities, lighted tennis complex, family swimming pool and the Morgan Bay Salon & Spa round out a perfect vacation destination. Wedding, honeymoon and vow renewal packages are available. For reservations and information, call 800.345.0356 or visit www.eliteislandresorts.com.
