Travel deals, hotel bargains, travel news | Theme Park Mom

Almond Resorts, Barbados – Almond Resorts is offering a new package this year to help travelers celebrate the first annual Barbados Food Festival that features top celebrity chefs, including Tom Colicchio, cooking demonstrations, and wine seminars.

Celebrity chef Tim Love from the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Marcus Samuelsson, Ming Tsai, and Bravo series Top Chef, Tom Colicchio, will host the first annual Barbados Food and Wine Festival that runs from November 19-22, 2010.

Almond Resorts is offering an all-inclusive vacation package for the Barbados Food Festival starting at $695, that includes:

* A three category room upgrade
* 4-night hotel accommodations
* Roundtrip hotel transfers
* Hotel tax and service charges
* All meals, unlimited drinks and snacks
* Non-motorized water sports
* Entertainment and much more

As the culinary capital of the Caribbean, Barbados is partnering with Travel & Leisure magazine features to host an extraordinary Barbados Food Festival that will focus on island food, wine, and rum. Guests can book now for a memorable Barbados vacation at the Almond Resorts.

Almond Resorts Offers All-Inclusive Resorts Near Barbados Food Festival Activities

Guests can experience the Barbados Food and Wine Festival first hand at
Almond Beach Club & Spa All Inclusive. Featuring tropical gardens, golden beaches, and onsite gourmet restaurants and lounges, Almond Resorts provides a unique all-inclusive vacation experience.

Almond Resorts’ distinguished “For You. About You.” team takes care of guests’ every whim. The all-inclusive price also provides guests with unlimited food and beverage, with a choice of a la carte or buffet-style dining in a relaxed or upscale atmosphere.

Destin, FL – Ever dream of being a travel writer? Are you someone who blogs and interacts on the social networks? If so, Southern Resorts Vacation Rentals has the endeavor for you. Promoting the Southern Beach Tour, this proven leader in Florida vacation rentals will let some lucky winner stay free in a variety of properties along the coast for an entire month, October 8 – November 8, 2010. The properties are predetermined and the timing corresponds with some wonderful Fall festivals and attractions at the beach. The catch is the winner must attend the events, explore their Southern Perks amenities and be willing and able to share their experience with the outside world via blog, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

Does that sound like something you can do? Stay in a beach property and attend fun events for free? If so, visit the rules and regulations online and begin the process. An application and essay about why you would be the best person for the assignment are the start to enter the contest. With a little luck and skillful writing, you could be chosen to stay in some of the best Florida vacation rentals, while enjoying happenings such as the Seeing Red Wine Festival in the Beaches of South Walton, Destin Fishing Rodeo, the Seafood, Wine and Music Festival in Panama City Beach, the Blast on the Bay Songwriters’ Festival in the Forgotten Coast and more.

Fall is one of the most beautiful times at the beach along Northwest Florida’s gulf coast. Still warm weather, crystal clear water and low daily rates make it the perfect time for a quick getaway or Fall break. “With all of the publicity related to the oil spill and our beaches, we want to spread the word that the beaches in our region are as beautiful as ever and what better way than through the eyes of someone actually experiencing it first hand,” states Kevin Veach, one of the owners of Southern Resorts.
Soon, one lucky winner will get to experience firsthand the uniqueness and lure of this region in the Fall.

The Florida vacation rentals including condos, homes and cottages represented by Southern Resorts can be found in these Florida Gulf Coast beach communities: Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Beaches of South Walton, Panama City Beach, Mexico Beach, WindMark Beach and Port St. Joe. For more on these areas and vacation opportunities, visit SouthernResorts.com.

The Jalousie Plantation, Sugar Beach on the scenic west coast of St Lucia took first place for Favorite Overseas Hotel in the Americas and Caribbean at the Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards announced in London yesterday.

The resort, which is undergoing a $100 million enhancement that will see the property re-branded and re-launched as The Tides Sugar Beach next year, was also named at number 25 on the readers’ list of the top 100 Places and Hotels in the World—the first time The Jalousie Plantation has been afforded such accolades.

Located in the Val des Pitons (Valley of the Pitons), a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jalousie Plantation, Sugar Beach has a spectacular setting with over 100 acres of virgin rainforest and the only white sand beach in the south west of the island—a fact that obviously impressed readers.

According to the October issue of Conde Nast Traveller magazine (UK), there is “no leisure hotel in The Americas and the Caribbean that readers would rather stay than The Jalousie Plantation on St Lucia.”

Readers gave the resort a top score of 92.49 for its location. They also rated it above 90 for environmental friendliness and service, giving Jalousie an overall score of 91.87 and a place in the World’s top 25.

Earlier this year, Conde Nast Traveller asked readers to vote for the things they really liked about travel, from business hotels to destination spas, airlines to specialist tour operators. They were then asked to rate their choices according to various criteria, such as service and value for money. From these responses, the magazine calculated the average mark on each criterion, and used this to provide the overall satisfaction percentage figure in the league tables and The World’s Top 25.

“We are delighted to have achieved such recognition and would like to thank the readers of Conde Nast Traveller for their clear endorsement of The Jalousie Plantation, Sugar Beach,” the resort’s General Manager, Andre Boersma said.

“This is particularly gratifying bearing in mind that The Jalousie Plantation is in the midst of an extensive enhancement project and is very much a property in transition. The fact that we have been voted the best in the Caribbean and the Americas shows that we are on the right track and we are excited about what the future will hold as we are getting even better every day,” he added.

“Rest assured we won’t be resting on our laurels, but working hard to ensure the same levels of service and attention to detail that helped us to achieve the support of Conde Nast Traveller readers.”

The Jalousie Plantation, Sugar Beach was the only resort on St Lucia to make the World’s Top 25.

To provide hoteliers and travelers with a new way to give back during tough economic times, The OCeanfront coastal resort collection has partnered with Denver-based non-profit marketing agency Resort 2 Kindness, to execute a “Getaway 2 Give” program. Beginning August 15, travelers can choose from a two-night bed-and-breakfast package at any participating Orange County resort; 10 percent of proceeds will be donated to Oceana, Special Olympics Southern California, Make-A-Wish Orange County, and Lupus LA.

The participating OCeanfront hotels include: Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort; Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa; The Balboa Bay Club & Resort; Montage Laguna Beach; Surf & Sand Resort; The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel; and Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa. In addition, guests who purchase a Getaway 2 Give package will receive VIP treatment at nearby South Coast Plaza, Orange County’s world-class shopping destination; visitors who show proof of package purchase to the Concierge will receive complimentary valet parking and an Access Pass to the plaza’s VIP Lounge.

“Getaway 2 Give is a win-win-win for travelers, the charities, and our resort members. Visitors to The OCeanfront win knowing their vacation dollars really count double — for both charity and an incredible travel experience. And the resorts benefit from the ability to offer great rates during the slower fall and winter months, as well as benefiting local organizations that support our communities.” –Blaise Bartell, The OCeanfront Chairman

Getaway 2 Give packages can be booked at http://www.TheOCeanfrontCA.com beginning August 15. Rates vary by property; booking subject to availability. Blackout dates may apply; see website for details. Travel must occur between September 13, 2010 and December 31, 2010.