Valentine's Day is over but you've still got a chance to redeem yourself for those pink carnations you gave her — American Express is sponsoring a free trip to tres exclusive Jumby Bay in Antigua. The "tweetheart" (get it?) promotion includes round trip airfare and four nights of all inclusive accommodation for two at the private island resort – and considering the going rate for room and board is around $1,400 a night, if you win, you're probably all set for Valentine's Day for the rest of your life. Enter the contest by following @americanexpress on Twitter and tweet this message once before 11:59pm EST on Monday, February 22.
From our Excursion feature in the December issue to our glowing trip reports here on the blog this month, you've been reading a lot about lovely Barbuda lately – and naturally you're ready to go check it out for yourself now. But in case you're a little short on the $1,000-per-night starting rate at the island's luxe Lighthouse Bay Resort, we thought we should mention that you can also enjoy the island's pristine, 17-mile beach and a taste of the resort's delish dining without ever checking in. Chart a course on your own vessel and drop anchor near the resort's beachside Lagoon Café for a bite and a signature cocktail...all of the island's beaches are public. Sans sailboat? You can also hop a ride from Antigua on one of the island's many day-trip charters for a modest fee. Since you're out of excuses now, be sure to share your trip report and photos on our Facebook page after you go!
The Deal: Book five nights in a deluxe junior suite at the Four Diamond Sivory Punta Cana and get one night free through April 4 – or travel between April 5 and December 25 and get two nights free. Either way, if you make your reservation at least 30 days prior to your arrival you'll also enjoy a $100 spa voucher for your stay. 
If you've been craving a romantic escape but can't get away for Valentine's Day weekend, today's featured vacation package is definitely for you...
Bermuda's AAA Four-Diamond Cambridge Beaches Resort has just announced a new added-value promotion to help you stretch your vacation budget this winter. Just book a three-night minimum stay by January 31 for travel through March 31, 2010 and you'll get complimentary breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner with the Dine on Us package. Rates start at $385 per night double occupancy – and you'll enjoy all of your meals free in either the gourmet Tamarisk Room or the more casual Shutters restaurant. Call 800-468-7300 or surf over to cambridgebeaches.com to book using code CBDINE.
Recently, I blogged about Nisbet Plantation's unique video amenities that allow guests to record their vacations for free; But now the boutique resort has added another cool amenity that I think is pretty great for the active set. Guests of the 36-room luxury resort can take advantage of complimentary Garmin eTrex GPS units for hiking around nearby Nevis Peak, making it easy to track your distance, coordinates and altitude during your trek...you know, just in case you're curious just how far you've made it on the 3,232-foot peak. And if hiking isn't your thing, you can always just hop on one of the resort's free Vespa scooters instead. Not a bad alternative.
The Deal: Book a weekend stay at any participating Hilton Caribbean, Mexico and South America property by January 31 and get up to 33 percent off your stay all year.
Here's one for all the spa lovers out there: The Spa at Sandy Lane – one of the Caribbean's largest (at 47,000 square feet) and most comprehensive spas – just introduced nine personalized Spa Experiences to their menu. Each one integrates various massage techniques and body wraps with fresh, local ingredients such as Bajan sugar cane, coconut oil and banana leaves, and guests can enjoy the services in one of the spa's 11 newly renovated treatment rooms.
The Deal: Book a three-night stay at select AQUA (pictured), Fiesta Americana and Fiesta Americana Grand resorts in Mexico this winter and get your fourth night free – or book six nights and get two free – plus, you'll save an additional 10 to 25 percent on dining and spa services during your stay.
I just returned from an extremely restful four days at the Iberostar Punta Cana in Punta Cana , DR. (Here's the view from my hotel room). And I gotta say, there's something great about an all-inclusive resort. Let me break down my days for you: Awaken slowly, stretch out on comfy bed. Don swimsuit and coverup, place towel on beach chair to guard it while I hit the breakfast buffet. Enjoy delicious food in abundance, complete with Bloody Mary. (Free!) Return to room, retrieve Sudoku book, pen and book. Waddle to beach chair, with quick stop at beach bar. Sit completely still, turning over to baste both sides evenly for hours, liberally sprinkled with bathroom and beach bar visits. As the sun made its way across the sky, I'd make my way back to the room to freshen up for dinner at any of five delicious restaurants. Five delicious restaurants, might I add, that were all included in my stay. After (over)eating, I'd make my way to the floor show (also free!) Retire to room, full and happy, repeat the next day. If this sounds good to you too, might I suggest the Iberostar?
Oh, it was so romantic. The beach, the sun, the sand, the six — count them, six — various towel sculptures placed delicately in my room at the lovely Iberostar Punta Cana on Bavaro Beach in the Dominican Republic; the pictured kissing swans were surely the pièce de résistance. How nice for them that they were getting some action. I, sadly, was there solo. The job hazards I face, truly. Each morning, I gently woke myself with sweet murmurings about how I’d be with myself forever; this was true love after all. Each day, I took myself for long, intimate walks along the beautiful, creamy beach. At night, I wined myself; I dined myself. I told myself how beautiful I looked in the moonlight. It was, in a word, magical. The swans in my room stared me down for days; I hadn’t the heart to dismantle them. I did remove the flowers each day as they wilted, but every evening, upon returning to my room, I found that Cupid had come in my absence and replaced them with fresh ones. I felt the love. Really, I did. 
If you've been considering a Belize vacation, now may be the perfect time to book a trip. American Airlines just announced limited-time low fares for travel between Belize and a handful of U.S. gateway cities – like Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Dallas – when traveling by March 27, 2010. One-way fares start at just $149 when booked by December 22, 2009.
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The Deal: With the Holiday Inn Caribbean's limited-time Cyber Monday deal, you can save 55 percent on rooms at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Montego Bay or 65 percent on rooms at the Holiday Inn Aruba for qualifying 2010 vacations. In Jamaica, you'll also get a free room upgrade to the superior category and a free bottle of wine at check-in. 
The Deal: For every night you stay at the private Young Island Resort between January 1 and March 31, you'll get an additional free night. The buy-one-get-one offer is valid on any room category as long as you reserve the breakfast plus dinner plan. 
I just returned from a quick trip to Turks and Caicos, where I had the chance to check out the new Italian Village wing at the all-inclusive Beaches Resort. Going into it, I knew the Grace Bay location would be tough to beat – but I had no idea how much I would end up liking the resort itself. Here, four surprising reasons to check out the property...
2. Butler Service – I'll admit it, I didn't expect much when I was told I'd have a personal butler during my stay. I thought this would only come in handy for the occasional poolside cocktail order, but oh! – was I wrong. These were not mere butlers but mind readers. By day two, mine already knew exactly how I take my coffee, how I like my eggs, what time I might feel like a snack (any time?), and that I have a hard time deciding on dessert (he just brought me one of each – thoughtful!). At check in, my butler even gave me a special bat phone to reach him at any hour, and with the touch of a button I really could – whether it was just for another daiquiri, or to make a reservation at the Red Lane Spa or one of the specialty restaurants on the property. Butler service is included with top suite categories so just ask your reservation agent about the option when you book.
4. Kid Stuff – I don't have kids myself, but man...next time I'll borrow a couple for the trip. Besides the fact that I personally hung out at the pool with the characters from Sesame Street twice during my stay, I also had access to the huge Pirate's Island water park, a giant Games Garage filled with every Xbox game known to man, five pools and a gaggle of other kid-distractions everywhere I looked. But with tons of supervised Kids Club programs for all age groups, there's also an escape for mom and dad, too.
