Last Minute Travel: Familygetaway.com

I just went to the luxurylink website, to see what kind of deals are available right now, and i saw that they have a sister site, called familygetaway .  it's really good.  there are some fantastic deals--many of the packages are discounted by 50 percent...there is a 5 night package at the mauna kea in hawaii, for two adjoining rooms, breakfast, and a number of other perks thrown in, for $4365 buy it now price.  That's pretty close to half off.  And what I really like is, you don't have to figure out how it works for you as a family--the site knows you are a family, and has the deal targeted as such.  I think this is going to be my new favorite site to send my friends to, that are planning trips at the last minute.

Unexpected Spring Break: Little Corn Island

I've never been to this place, Farm Peace Love , but I love the way this bio-farm with self-catering accommodation looks. I especially like the sweet little cottage on the beach, for $80 a night, that sleeps 2 adults and 2 kids... There is a kitchen, and apparently you can get your food replenished from the owners' farm, or take a boat into the closest village to buy more groceries.  There's also a restaurant on property, and the couple that owns it-- Paola (Italian) and Bing (Nicaraguan)--alternate cooking their native cuisines. There's even an espresso machine in the cottage. (What do you expect from an Italian owner?) The more I look into this island, the more stories I find about it, from the NY Times to Daily Candy.  It seems like a place we'd love--quiet, not overloaded with tourists, sleepy beaches, bonefishing, calm water, and cheap beer.

Unexpected Spring Break: Hacienda de San Antonio

I love having a six year old--it's one of my favorite ages--but now that she's in first grade, we have to take vacation when everybody else with school-age children does.  Since I have such a problem with finding places to go, where the rest of the family world isn't going, I thought I'd start writing once a week about this issue.  I'll post about places that usually don't get booked up in the winter or spring breaks, or destinations that you might not usually think about, but they are actually fine in the off months.  It makes me crazy to see flights to Florida and Cancun for $900, and then paying top dollar once you get there.  I'll do a mix of high and low, so don't worry that the first one is expensive--I promise the next one will be cheap.  (I just really like the pics of this one!)

Hacienda de San Antonio in rural inland Mexico is one of those off the beaten path luxury estates, that you'd think is a gazillion dollars, but it actually is well priced, especially for what you get.  Okay, it's not cheap--suites go for $720 a night, but you could easily have a family of three in one, and then you can get the meal plan at $140 per person.  It is a lot, but it is a place that really feels like it might be the nicest place you've ever been.  Part of its charm, and lack of crowds, is the perseverance it takes to get there--you do have to take a connecting flight to get to the nearest airport in Colima, or you can fly into Guadalajara (then it's a 2 1/2 hour drive), or Manzanillo, a 2 hour drive. It gets booked up the most over the holidays, and it isn't billed as a "family hotel", so it isn't something that gets families in droves. 

The rooms are insanely beautiful--large, tall ceilings, views onto the gardens, or the distant volcano.  Furniture is beautiful, sourced from Oaxaca, Guadalajara, and Europe, by the owners. The food is great--our favorite was the tortilla soup (below).  We asked for the Mexican meals every night--sometimes the chef wanted to do French, and it just wasn't the kind of food we want to be eating in Mexico.  Most of their food comes from their own organic farm, and their own animals.  They make their own cheese there, and roast their own coffee (there's also a shade grown organic coffee plantation there).  At night, they set up dinner for us in a different place each evening--once it was  outside on the terrace, in front of a chiminea, another night we were inside in front of a grand fireplace, and they created a table with an intricate design done with tiny beans.  It's such a special place.

Every day you can do long walks on the property, horseback rides, tennis, or just sit at the pool.  I'll write about our day trips in another post next week.  Note:  this is the sister property to Cuixmala, which I wrote about in another post , and while the Cookie website is still up, you can read my story about both places online.

File Under Rentals: Prince Edward Island

We did a story in Cookie last year, on PEI as a destination.  I like the idea that there are white sandy beaches, and the ocean there is warmed by the gulf stream, making for swimmable water in the summer. There's great food there,  and rental houses aren't very expensive, even waterfront.  I started looking the other day, and found this really nice one, that was featured in Country Living Magazine. It still has availability for the first two weeks in August, and it's $2500 a week--for a 3000 square foot home on the beach, that sleeps 10, and is nicely decorated, I call that a deal.

Cold Weather Option: NYC Indoor Pools

I've always known that the pool is the main attraction for any trip we go on.  It can be a rinky-dink chlorine filled one with a chain link fence around it in the middle of Idaho, or a salt-water infinity pool in Mexico--it doesn't really matter--if there's a pool, it's a good time.  While not a fan of an indoor pool because I can't stand the smell of chlorine, I can probably get past that for an afternoon of bliss (for Clara)  this winter, especially if I am not going anywhere warm in the immediate future.  The NY Times recently did a clever piece on indoor pools around New York. Most of them require an overnight, but the Grace Hotel doesn't.  It's only $10 per day for the pool, and a two-drink minimum.  Le Parker Meridien has a pool overlooking Central Park, and for $50 you get an all-day pass, and access to gym and classes (and you can see when there's a line at the Burger Joint or Norma's).  Crowne Plaza Times Square has a 50 ft indoor pool, and a $25 per guest pass. The Millenium UN Plaza Hotel has an indoor tennis court, and a 44 foot indoor pool, and it's $35 per day.  

When in Palm Springs: Community Shop

I was just checking out my friends' website, Commune Design, and saw that they've just opened up a Community Shop at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.  I love the idea of shopping here in between jumping in the pool and eating the organic juice snow cones they serve at the Ace. 

Cold Weather Option: Brooklyn Boulders

We went to a birthday party at the Brooklyn Boulders, and I think it's a good way to spend a freezing weekend afternoon, if you and your kids are sick of being inside. They have gear and instructors for little kids, and there are plenty of walls for different levels of skill.  It's not a kid place per se, so it isn't dumbed down at all.