by Scott Laird
Last updated: 4:00 PM ET, Tue July 19, 2016
Don't let the summer heat cool off your desire for travel.
Summer is high season for most hotels and resorts in the Northern Hemisphere. With many hotels booked at or near fully committed, rooms can be hard to come by-particularly at the last minute, and particularly during even higher-demand summer weekends, but savvy travelers can find that some properties still offer good value for weekend getaways.
Cool Off with A Hot Anniversary Deal in Downtown Austin
When the mercury in Central Texas climbs over a hundred degrees in the middle of summer, some tourist traffic inevitably falls off and hotel rates fall as well-even in markets like Austin, which have long faced a dearth of hotel room inventory.
The Westin Austin Downtown, which opened last summer, is sweetening the low season with a one-year anniversary offer that includes 15% off room rates, a sparkling wine toast with dessert at the hotel's restaurant Stella San Jac (do try the biscuits), and a souvenir commemorative art print.
A quick scan of rates found them as low as $182 for some weekend dates during the promotion, which runs through August 31.
Cool off under a ceiling-fanned cabana (free on a first-come, first served basis) at the hotel's gorgeous rooftop pool, where the pool bar pours daily infused cocktail specials from porthole-shaped vessels.
Enjoy a Snow-Free Aspen and Score Free Breakfast
Ski resorts are another type of accommodation with summer off-seasons, but the natural beauty that attracts visitors during the ski season is just as spectacular during the summer.
This summer, weekenders traveling to Aspen can enjoy rates from $199, including breakfast at Sky Hotel Aspen. Membership in Kimpton's free Karma Rewards program is required and stays must be booked before July 31.
The hotel was originally slated to close for redevelopment into a W Hotel in April, but the closure has been delayed until the Spring of 2017, giving fans more time to enjoy the property in its existing incarnation.
Quench Your Thirst for Relaxation in the Desert
Palm Springs is another hot destination where traffic slows to a trickle during the summer which means great deals for weekend travelers.
The recently reflagged DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort in Palm Springs sits on a 27-hole championship golf course with expansive views of the Coachella Valley is offering rates from $81 for Hilton HHonors members booking prepaid rates as part of Hilton's Big World Sale.
Early morning golf and pool time and indoor spa indulgence is recommended during the hottest parts of the day.
It's also the perfect time of the year to take the nearby Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the top of Mt. San Jacinto for hiking, where daytime temperatures average 30 degrees cooler than the desert floor.
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Get Cultured in the Nation's Capital
City center hotels also present opportunities for affordable weekend getaways, as urban areas tend to empty out on summer weekends as city workers head out of town on getaways of their own. Grand Hyatt Washington is offering up to 15% off room rates with the Washington Summer Sale.
Rediscover some of the top-notch museums that litter the National Mall (most of which are open daily and free to the public), enjoy international and North American cuisine benefitting from the abundance of the Chesapeake Bay region, or simply spend time in one of the most gracious, livable urban areas on the Eastern Seaboard.
We'll be unearthing more weekend deals, so be sure to check back each week for more getaway offers from noteworthy properties around the country.
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