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You don’t have to travel far to satisfy your wanderlust. Currently bereft of the business travelers who typically pack their rooms, local hotels are offering steep staycation discounts to attract locals who’ve been forced to abandon trips because of COVID-19. In other words, these deals from big and boutique hotels are a guilt-free win-win—a way to support a critical industry while still finding a substitute for your own canceled vacation.
If You Canceled Your Trip To…Orlando, Florida
While nothing can replace Disney World’s Blizzard Beach, Arapahoe Springs—the on-site water complex at Aurora’s Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center—might help ease your kids’ disappointment. Through the end of the year, promo code ZJL scores you a $179 nightly rate, including a $50 resort credit, with each guest getting at least four hours of access per day to the indoor pool, outdoor pool, or lazy river (secure your slot as early as 10 days in advance; the areas are sanitized between groups).
If You Canceled Your Trip To…London
Get a taste of Old World elegance at the 128-year-old Brown Palace Hotel & Spa, where the $350 per night Palace Perseverance package grants you a room, a $100 food and beverage credit, and a $100 spa credit through October 10. For the full Anglophile experience, don’t forget to reserve a spot at the Brown Palace’s elaborate afternoon tea, which includes finger sandwiches and house-made scones and is served in the iconic eight-story atrium.
If You Canceled Your Trip To…Pinehurst, North Carolina
A nightly rate starting at $595 per room might not sound like a steal, but it could be if you’re a golf aficionado. As part of the Broadmoor’s Welcome Back Golf Package (good through October 31), the cost of a room covers most golfing fees, including unlimited tee times and cart rentals. Bonus: Social distancing is easy thanks to the 5,000 gorgeous acres that comprise this 102-year-old, five-star resort and its two world-renowned courses, one of which hosted the 2018 U.S. Senior Open.
If You Canceled Your Trip To…Las Vegas
You can still live that #cabanalife at Mile High City hotels with rooftop pools. Rates for the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel’s Staycation Experience start at $139 per night (with free self-parking), and poolside drinks are 20 percent off. When you show your Colorado ID, Cherry Creek’s Halcyon is offering 20 percent off advertised rates and a $25 food and beverage credit. And the Altogether Cherry Creek Staycation package at Jacquard Hotel and Rooftop includes a $100 dinner credit per night and breakfast for two each day.
If you canceled your trip to: the national parks
Kimpton Hotels’ Room to Roam special, through October 31, helps you plot a road trip around its properties in three Western cities. Start at Denver’s Hotel Born ($199 per night), where you can design your own route with suggested adventure stops and get a road-trip playlist; check into the Armory Hotel Bozeman ($199 per night) in Montana; and end your journey at the Salt Lake City Hotel Monaco ($169 per night). Along the way, snap a photo and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #KimptonRoomtoRoam to earn a $25 gas gift card. Parking and room upgrades are free.
If you canceled your trip to: Bend, Oregon
OK, so Clear Creek and Boulder Creek aren’t exactly the Deschutes River, but the small-town charms and outdoor recreation opportunities in Golden and Boulder are more than decent substitutes for Bend. The creek-side Golden Hotel has dog-friendly rooms for around $239 per night, which includes a $30 gift card to the on-site Bridgewater Grill and two boxed lunches to take on whatever foothills adventure you choose. In Boulder, nightly stays at Chautauqua’s Flatiron-adjacent cabins are up to 25 percent off through September 7 (and honestly, just the fact that this perennially popular, historically significant property still has openings is a rare treat). For a less rustic experience, book a recently renovated guest room at the luxe St Julien Hotel & Spa and get a $50 credit you can put toward spa services or on-site food and beverage—like a perfectly mixed dirty martini from the Terrace patio bar enjoyed alongside live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
If you skipped your trip to: Sonoma, California
Through a partnership with Dairy Block neighbor Blanchard Family Wines, the Maven brings the vino of Sonoma County directly to your room. Starting at $174 per night, the Mavens of Wine package (good through the end of the year) includes three 375-milliliter bottles—one red, one white, and one rosé, all crafted from Sonoma-grown grapes—and a video tasting led by winemaker James Blanchard. For an extra $200, you can creatively channel your buzz via a private paint and sip lesson with local artist Elysia Myers.