Your Life - Travel

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

TRAVEL BRIEFS

Act fast for 25-cent room rate

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands — To celebrate the minting of the U.S. Virgin Islands quarter, the islands’ Department of Tourism is promoting 25-cent room rates at participating hotels.

The hotel stays are limited to three nights, while supplies last, and also include a $25 dining credit and a $25 per person activities credit. Trips must be booked before Nov. 2 and travel must take place before Nov. 15.

Reservations must be made through BookIt.com for air-hotel packages at these hotels: Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Hibiscus Beach Resort, Hotel Caravelle, Marriott Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort, Secret Harbour Beach Resort, The Palms at Pelican Cove, Windward Passage, and Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa.

A limited number of packages are available and the offer does not apply to existing bookings. Hotels can also set blackout dates, and the 25-cent rate does not include taxes or fees.

Magazine lists top 10 snow resorts for families

NEW YORK — Parents magazine looked at more than 100 winter resorts and came up with a list of 10 places in snowy destinations that cater to families.

All of the properties offers rates that are less than $250 per night for a room or $400 for an all-inclusive daily package for a family of four.

The magazine looked at family activities on site and at nearby ski areas, quality of ski lessons for children, standard room size, child care services, kids’ clubs and supervised play areas.

The 10 resorts that made the final list, as it will appear in the magazine’s November issue, are: Jackson Gore Inn in Ludlow, Vt.; the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, Beaver Creek in Avon, Colo.; The Lodge at Suncadia in Cle Elum, Wash.; Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, N.H.; The Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa in Telluride, Colo.; Woodloch Pines in Hawley, Pa.; Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt.; Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa in Thompsonville, Mich.; Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, Calif.; and Dakota Mountain Lodge & Golden Door Spa in Park City, Utah.

Winter cruises: Try the Arctic Circle

NEW YORK — Most travelers who book winter cruises are trying to escape the cold weather by heading to Mexico or the Caribbean. But the expedition cruise company Hurtigruten is betting that some travelers will bundle up to experience the unique wildlife, culture and scenery of Norway above the Arctic Circle.

Hurtigruten is offering six itineraries between January and March along Norway’s 1,250-mile west coast between Bergen and Kirkenes, with each seven-to-12-day trip offering different experiences and adventures. Fares range from $2,499 to $6,048 per person, double occupancy, with higher rates for suites.

Details: 800-323-7436 or www.hurtigruten.us.

— From wire reports