Recently in Colorado Category

The town of Avon, Colorado lies at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain, and it's the place to be for all manner of activities in and around the Vail Valley. If you're itching for a little mountain time right now, here's a great opportunity. The Sheraton Mountain Vista Villas, Avon / Vail Valley is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next eight weeks. This luxurious four-season resort has everything you need to feel relaxed, refreshed, and reinvigorated, with three different types of villas furnished with the latest amenities, as well as kitchens, separate dining areas, and breakfast bars. You'll be ready for anything, whether you prefer skiing, sleigh riding and horseback riding or hot air ballooning, fine dining and gondola rides. Spend your day snowshoeing through forested trails, or feel the rush of downhill skiing on the surrounding slopes. When it's time for dinner, indulge in several world class eateries nearby, including Vin 48 Restaurant Wine Bar, where Chef Charles Hays offers a rustic American menu of small and large plates, and Juniper, with dishes like beef tenderloin with smoked trout brandade, and Colorado rack of lamb with baba ghanoush ravioli. It's a perfect end to an active day. New Starpicks properties are posted every Tuesday, so check the list for the latest deals.

If you've held off on booking your travel plans this holiday season, the time to act is now. SPG is offering amazing savings throughout the holiday season on destinations throughout North and South America, the Caribbean, and French Polynesia. Choose from great rates, free nights, and special packages that include spa credits, gift cards for holiday shopping, free breakfasts, and more. If your family likes to ski, book a stay at the luxurious St. Regis Aspen Resort (pictured), where rates start at $450 and include two adult ski lift tickets daily, personalized ski valet assistance, and superior room accommodations. Looking for an urban adventure? Check into the stylish W Montréal, where any three-night stay earns a fourth night free. In need of a few days in paradise? Stay one night at Le Méridien Tahiti and earn 50% off your second night, giving you plenty of time to explore the island's bubbling waterfalls, expansive canyons, and picture-perfect white sand beaches. Book now for stays through January 30, 2010 and make this holiday season one to remember forever.

Avon, Colorado is a paradise for outdoorsy types, with an endless range of activities that provide open-air thrills against a breathtaking natural backdrop. Now it has a stunning new resort where adventurers can relax and recover at the end of an action-filled day. The Westin Riverfront Mountain Villas open on May 29, 2009, bringing a new level of service and style to this rustic mountain area. Situated at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain, the resort is the ideal place to enjoy a perfect mix of outdoor adventure and tranquil alpine moments. Whether your interests lie in skiing, hiking, and biking on the mountain or kayaking, rafting, and trout fishing on the Eagle River, you'll find the perfect setting for your Colorado dreams. When the day is done, the luxury begins at the resort, which boasts delightful villas with private balconies, jacuzzi and outdoor heated pool, and a range of spa services designed to soothe tired muscles and leave guests feeling refreshed and reinvigorated. Dine in an atmosphere of casual sophistication at Restaurant Avondale, where the cuisine is matched only by the mountain views, and then toast the beauty of the place with a glass of wine at the Wine Bar. Mountain life is sweet indeed. Click here to book your stay at this exciting new resort, and start getting into the Colorado spirit.

Lucy Williams is an Orlando-based writer for Starwood Vacation Ownership and thelobby.com's expert on the subject.

The Travelocity Roaming Gnome is on another adventure, and this time he has been seen at several different Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts. When you stay at one of these resorts in 2008, you can go on a Roaming Gnome scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes. Roaming Gnomes will be hidden in secret spots around the resorts. Participants will receive a clue sheet with hints as to where they are hiding. Once you complete your clue sheet, you can redeem it for a prize at the resort. You will also be entered into a grand prize drawing to win a five-day, four-night resort stay, plus two airline tickets worth up to $750 each. The contest began on May 1 and will continue through the end of 2008. The grand prize winner will be chosen at the end of the year.

Participating Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts are: Sheraton Vistana Villages and Sheraton Vistana Resort in Orlando, Florida; The Westin St. John Resort & Villas in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas in Maui, Hawai'i; The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas in Kaua'i, Hawai'i; The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas in Rancho Mirage, California; Sheraton Desert Oasis and The Westin Kierland Villas in Scottsdale, Arizona; Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon, Colorado; Sheraton Broadway Plantation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Vistana's Beach Club in Jensen Beach, Florida.

Lucy Williams is an Orlando-based writer for Starwood Vacation Ownership and thelobby.com's expert on the subject.

If you're looking for the perfect place to cool off this summer, consider taking a vacation in the Rocky Mountains. When other parts of the country are feeling the heat, Steamboat Springs, Colorado offers ideal weather for an array of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and fly-fishing. Plus, you can beat the heat with a dip in the cool pool at Strawberry Park Hot Springs.

For a limited time, you're invited to get away to the Rocky Mountains and discover the pleasures of Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, a vacation ownership resort in Steamboat Springs. Enjoy five days' and four nights' accommodations in Steamboat Springs for just $229. To learn more about this offer or to view the complete details of participation, please call 888.293.9186 or click here.

The Starwood Spa Collection, one of the world's largest associations of premier-level spa resorts and hotels, is better than ever for 2008, with twelve new properties that represent some of the finest spas in the world. From the Westin Hilton Head to the Sheraton Hua Hin, the new additions to the collection elevate the spa experience to an art form, utilizing the Seven Pillars of Well-Being to create treatments that relax, refresh, and rejuvenate. A variety of special offers make it easier than ever to indulge in a visit to one of these amazing destinations. The St. Regis Aspen Resort, home of the Remède Spa (pictured), for example, has the St. Regis Aspen Welcome Spa Package, which comes with one 60-minute spa treatment per person per stay, daily continental breakfast, and 4:00 p.m. late checkout (if available) for rates that start at $410 and require a two-night stay. Guests have access to the fitness facility, outdoor pool, and Jacuzzi, as well as the Remède Spa facilities on days receiving treatments. It's a luxurious way to bid adieu to winter and say hello to spring.

Denver is a city with a lot going for it, from its abundant sunshine (more than 300 sunny days a year) to its many parks and recreational areas. But just because it's such a treat for active, outdoorsy types, don't think Denver lacks a sophisticated side. You'll find plenty of style at Park Meadows, Colorado's only retail resort, which boasts 160 of the finest retailers and restaurants in America. In addition to its modern indoor shopping area, it will soon unveil a beautiful outdoor street park, with one-of-a-kind specialty stores and four themed restaurants to help turn an afternoon of errands into an evening of fun and excitement. Park Meadows will get even more exciting in June, 2009, when the new element Denver Park Meadows opens its doors. This innovative property from element by Westin represents the latest thinking in hotels, with everything you need to be happy, healthy, and productive. Guest rooms feature full kitchens, spa-like bathrooms, and the Westin Heavenly Bed, while common areas boast natural light, a signature water feature, and access to the outdoors, so you can stay connected to nature as you connect to your business, family, or both. It's a refreshing new way to enjoy one of Denver's most exciting new communities.