Over the past few years, Courtyard by Marriott hotels have steadily rolled out a brand-new lobby concept throughout the United States. The new look features modern and sleek (yet warm and inviting) decor, plenty of open space and comfortable seating; laptop friendly work stations and  free wi-fi; The Bistro quick-serve breakfast, snacks and dinner menu; GoBoard touch screens for visitors to learn more about the local attractions, weather and transportation; and easy Boarding Pass printers.

The Courtyard Refreshing Business lobbies are indeed inviting, as I experienced last year during a stay in downtown Denver, one of the recently renovated locations. While business travelers certainly appreciate the new lobby services and amenities, as a mom, I think The Bistro is especially great for traveling with kids. Many of the menu items are healthy and kid friendly, plus they are prepared quickly: scrambled eggs, French toast or oatmeal in the morning, then burgers, pizza flatbreads, chicken wings and Caesar salads later in the day. Plus coffee, beer and cocktails!

As of today 500 Courtyard by Marriott lobbies throughout the United States have been totally refurbished with this new look. Over halfway done, Courtyard’s remaining 300 U.S. properties are projected to be completed in 2013. To celebrate the 500th renovation for Courtyard, the hotel brand has teamed up with The Vacation Gals to give away a $300 Courtyard by Marriott gift card to be used toward a stay at any renovated Courtyard property in the continental United States. To enter, just check out this list of renovated U.S. Courtyard properties and tell me in the comments where you’d like to stay!

Here are the details:

• Leave a comment below telling me which renovated Courtyard by Marriott property you’d like to visit and why.
• For another entry, Tweet the following, and then tell me you did in the comments (for a total of two comments daily maximum):
  I entered to win a stay at a renovated Courtyard by Marriott @thevacationgals: http://bit.ly/marriottlobbies
  
• You may leave comments (again, up to two daily: one answering my question; one telling me you Tweeted) until 8 p.m. (Mountain Time) Tuesday, May 1, 2012.
• The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
• We’ll do our best to weed out repeat entries from the same household (duplicate IP addresses in one day), but we’re not superhuman. Please, as an individual, just comment up to twice daily — don’t try to dupe the system.
• Immediate family members of The Vacation Gals are not eligible to enter.
• You must be 18 and have a U.S. mailing address to enter.
• We will enter the total number of comments into random.org to generate a winning comment numbers. Winners’ names and winning comment numbers will be announced at the bottom of this post May 2, 2012.
• If winner does not respond to two emails announcing his/her win within five days, another comment number will be chosen.
• Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary.
• The $300 gift card should cover two nights of accommodations at most U.S. locations (though depending on the time of year and the destination, winner may have to chip in for the balance, or use the gift card toward a one-night stay).
• Gift card expires August 23, 2012.

Good luck!

This contest for a gift card toward two free nights at a renovated Courtyard property in the continental U.S. was sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott. I will also receive a complimentary two-night stay at a renovated Courtyard property. Photos courtesy Courtyard by Marriott.

UPDATE: Congrats go out to commenter #112 Gina Maddox — she’s our winner, as her number came up via random draw at Random.org.

One of the joys of being married to a guy who works in the outdoor industry is that he sometimes comes home from the office with a random items of gear. Of late, we realized we had a plethora of hydration packs on our mud room shelves — ones we’ve never used (tags still on them). So, I figured I’d share two of them one lucky The Vacation Gals reader in a hydration pack giveaway!

If you’re into adventuring in the outdoors — whether it’s hiking, biking, fishing, kayking or canoeing — you know how valuable a hydration pack can be. With these two packs — from Geigerrig and fūl — you’ll always have water on hand (or, er, on your back).

What’s cool about the Geigerrig Rigg 500 pack ($125) is that reservoir is pressurized, so the nozzle actually sprays; use it to cool off while exercising, or even clean your bike or kayak! I like the fūl Cargo pack ($70) because it’s lightweight, but still has all sorts of spots to hold your stuff — like an mp3 pocket and a hideaway mesh helmet holder.

Here’s how you can win these cool hydration backpacks:

1. Leave a comment below describing where or how you’d use the hydration packs. You may enter once a day.

2. Tweet the following on Twitter: I entered to win hydration packs from @thevacationgals http://bitly.com/TVGhydrate You must tell us in a separate comment below for the tweet to count as a giveaway entry, and you may enter this way once a day.

3. Like The Vacation Gals on Facebook, then tell us you did in the comments below. Same, if you are already a “fan” of ours on Facebook. Just tell us in the comments below. You may enter this way just once.

The giveaway starts today and ends May 31 at 6:00 pm CST. Winner will be determined by a random number generator and announced June 1.  Immediate family members of The Vacation Gals cannot enter this giveaway. You must have a U.S. mailing address to win. Thank you for entering and good luck!

I certainly had some of the most colorful luggage in the Grand Junction, Phoenix and Honolulu airports in the last week, pulling my navy and “boysenberry,” paisley-patterned 22-inch expandable upright from Vera Bradley. Indeed, I’m accustomed to toting boring black — or sometimes solid red or orange — rollerboards, so it was fun to show my “girly” side with this pretty piece of luggage from a company known for its upbeat quilted cotton totes, handbags and duffels, cosmetic bags and accessories.

This carry-on-sized rollerboard is one of a handful of new pieces from Vera Bradley’s rolling luggage collection. Other pieces with the Boysenberry pattern include the 28-inch expandable upright, the 27-inch spinner, the 22-inch roll along duffel and the 17-inch, checkpoint-friendly roll along tote. These pieces also come in black if you prefer a more streamlined look.

My 22-inch expandable upright was plenty big to hold five nights’ worth of clothes and accessories for my recent stay on Oahu. The front zippered pocket is especially roomy and held some “overflow” items. In between our two hotels on Oahu, I did take advantage of the “expandable gusset” — which zipped open effortlessly to allow for about two inches of additional packing space. I zipped this closed for my flights so it would fit carry-on standards. Even with the bag stuffed full, with outside pockets filled to the brim, flight attendants never batted an eye when I rolled it onboard to fit in the overhead bins.

Other nice features: interior pouches, a comfortable telescoping handle, water-repellent (and flower patterned) interior lining and fully recessed wheels. I also like that the bag came with a clear plastic cosmetic bag (for TSA-friendly liquids), a nylon shoe bag and a lock.

As I mentioned, Vera Bradley makes 100% cotton quilted bags — but the exterior fabric on the rolling luggage is high denier polyester. It’s durable to withstand rough treatment from luggage handlers, and it’s water repellent (I tested this in Hawaii rain!).

I really like my Vera Bradley bag, and will certainly use it for upcoming flights and road trips. I think anyone who owns other Vera Bradley bags will also find the rolling luggage a nice addition to their collection of fun prints.

The Vera Bradley 22-inch expandable upright retails for $280 on the Vera Bradley website, but thanks to Vera Bradley and our friends at Colorado Bag’n Baggage, we’re giving one away to one lucky reader!

Here’s how to enter:

1. Leave a comment below describing where you’d use your Vera Bradley rolling luggage if you win. You may enter once a day.

2. Tweet the following on Twitter: I entered to win luggage from @verabradley and @cbnbaggage on @thevacationgals bit.ly/rollerboard You must tell us in a separate comment below for the tweet to count as a giveaway entry, and you may enter this way once a day.

3. Like The Vacation Gals on Facebook, then tell us you did in the comments below. Same, if you are already a “fan” of ours on Facebook. Just tell us in the comments. You may enter this way just once.

The giveaway starts today and ends May 24 at 6:00 pm CST. Winner will be determined by a random number generator and announced May 25.  Immediate family members of The Vacation Gals cannot enter this giveaway. You must have a U.S. mailing address to win. Thank you for entering and good luck!

Thanks to Vera Bradley for providing my piece of luggage for review. You can purchase Vera Bradley at Colorado Bag’n Baggage retail locations (scroll down for list of stores).

When planning a vacation, smart travelers know to research their destination before arriving and one easy way to do that is Go City Cards and Explorer Passes by Smart Destinations. These multi-attraction passes are available in 14 destinations across North America: Boston, Blue Ridge, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Maui, Miami, New York City, Oahu, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto and there are many perks to when you choose this route:

Money saving. What is fabulous about Go City Cards is you can visit the destination’s top attractions while saving up to 55% on the cost of admission if you compare the price you would pay if you buy individually. You can see how the savings works here on the Go City Card site.

Unlimited admission. Go City Cards get you unlimited admission to attractions for a set number of days — Go City Card compares it to all-you-can-eat sightseeing.

Wide selection. When you arrive at your destination you can choose from about 100 attractions. There’s something for everyone from families to girlfriend getaways or a just for you and your spouse.

Explorer Passes option. If you choose an Explorer Pass you pick how many attractions you want to see (for example 3, 5, 7 or 10)  and visit them anytime during your trip – you may also pick the attractions the day you visit them.

I was browsing the Go City Card site and I was pleasantly surprised to see some really fun family attractions, including some Orlando spots my family has even been to such as Gatorland. Other highlights include Ripleys Believe It or Not!, Pirate Adventure, Dinosaur World and Kennedy Space Center.

Smart Destinations is offering our readers the chance to win two 2-day Go City Card passes ($150-200 value). Please note, if the winner selects NYC or Las Vegas, there is no unlimited option, so they will receive 3 attraction passes. You may enter the giveaway by leaving a comment below telling us what city you will choose if you are the winner. You may enter once per day per email.

The giveaway starts today and ends March 29 at 6:00 pm CST. Winner will be determined by a random number generator and announced March 30.  Immediate family members of The Vacation Gals cannot enter this giveaway. You must have a U.S. or Canada mailing address to win. Thank you for entering and good luck!

After experiencing Antler’s Liquis, a piece of lightweight and hardsided luggage I deemed it “perfect” for many reasons, but mainly because it combines two ideal luggage features. It extremely light and it’s hardsided. As I mentioned in the other post, there are numerous benefits to using hardsided luggage. For example, your contents will be more protected and the suitcase will stay dry if it encounters a rainstorm or falls into a puddle on the tarmac. On the other hand, lightweight luggage is also helpful when you’re on the road. It’s no secret that many bags start off heavy before you pack your travel wardrobe and if you’re a heavy packer there’s a chance you may cross the airlines’ maximum weight limit, which can cost a lot. I previously mentioned I wish I had my Antler Liquis for the Alaskan cruise because I returned with so many souvenirs and found myself toting a very heavy suitcase. That’s usually the case for any traveler.

Here are some more details about Liquis:

Size: This line can be ordered in three sizes: 22-inch weighs 4.4 pounds, the 27-inch weighs 6.6 pounds and the 33-inch weighs 8.4 pounds. As of this writing, the luggage is on sale at Colorado Bagn’ Baggage for between $300-400.

Color: The suitcases come in silver and navy and each case has a sleek “waterfall” pattern.

Lock feature: The cases have a TSA fixed combination lock – no personal lock needed.

Easy glide: Patented gliding wheels offer easy maneuverability through crowded hotels and airports.

Today, Colorado Bag’n Baggage is offering our readers the chance to win a 27-inch Antler Liquis suitcase of their own. You even get to pick the color!

There are two ways to enter for your chance to win this Antler’s Liquis Lightweight and Hardsided Suitcase:

1. Leave a comment below describing what you like about the new Antler Liquis. You may enter once a day.

2. Tweet the following on Twitter: I entered to win an Antler Liquis from @cbnbaggage on @TheVacationGals http://bit.ly/liquis You must tell us in a separate comment below for the tweet to count as a giveaway entry, and you may enter this way once a day.

Learn more about our Colorado Bag’n Baggage, our sponsor for this giveaway, on Twitter and Facebook.

The giveaway starts today and ends March 15 at 6:00 pm CST. Winner will be determined by a random number generator and announced March 16.  Immediate family members of The Vacation Gals cannot enter this giveaway. You must have a U.S. or Canada mailing address to win. Thank you for entering and good luck!

Let’s face it, carrying a bottle of perfume while traveling isn’t exactly convenient. Add the hassle of security regulations with their maximum liquid allowances and you may as well leave your favorite scents behind. That is, unless you have the Histoires de Parfums Nomad Kit. These cute perfumes are perfectly travel sized and can be carried through airline security.

Our readers have a chance to win this wonderful TSA-friendly Nomad Kit, which retails for $96 at beautycafe.com and other high-end retailers nationwide. The giveaway includes three mix-and-match (your pick) Histoires de Parfums 14ml sprays in a sleek, black neoprene case.

The winner will get to choose from the list below. I’ve had the opportunity to sample several of the scents and I can honestly say they are very nice. My favorite is Tuberose 2, but I know everyone has their own personal preference. To have a chance to win this fantastic collection read through the different options below and tell us what three scents you would order if you are the winner:

• 1804-George Sand: a freeing amber floral scent with pineapple, rose, Indian jasmine and gardenia
• 1826-Eugenie de Montijo: a refined and sensual amber fragrance is carried on a trail of white flowers and patchouli
• 1873-Colette: bursts with the scents of lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and the blooming wildflowers of the countryside
• 1876-Mata-Hari: spicy rose, jasmine currant, cumin, and cinnamon – the ultimate in glamour, intrigue and seduction
• Blanc Violette: a romantic and delicate powdery violet that opens subtly through complementary notes including bergamot, anise and sandalwood
• Vert Pivoine: clean, fresh and feminine peony scent with notes of ivy, mimosa and gardenia
• Noir Patchouli: unisex; a wooded chypre developed around patchouli with bewitching notes of coriander, cardamom, leather, and vanilla
• Ambre 114: unisex; a spicy amber filled with 114 ingredients including nutmeg, cedar and vanilla
• 1969: unisex; warm, mysterious and ever-changing scent full of chocolate, patchouli, coffee, rose, and fruits
• Tuberose 1: a powdery floral that combines the freshness of bergamot and the warmth of saffron with essences iris and ylang-ylang
• Tuberose 2: a floral oriental that combines sparkling mandarin orange and sweet cherry with smooth frangipani, Tahitian tiara flowers and sensual jasmine
• Tuberose 3: unisex; floral and tobacco leather scent that opens with a bath of fresh kumquat and neroli and leads into a strong combination of plum, herbs and dry grasses
• 1889-Moulin Rouge: bright, vibrant and sensual with notes of mandarin, cinnamon, absinthe and lipstick
• 1725-Casanova: confident and refreshing with a combination of sandalwood, cedar, fresh lemons and lavender
• 1740-Marquis de Sade: a powerful spiced wooded scent comprised of bergamot, patchouli and immortelle flower
• 1828-Jules Verne: clean marine scent composed of cedar, grapefruit, eucalyptus, and pinecone

The Rules:

Simply leave a comment below telling us which of the scents you would choose as the winner. You may enter once a day. This giveaway is open until Thursday, December 30, at 6 p.m. Central Standard Time. The giveaway winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Good luck and Happy Holidays!

We had so much fun giving away a five-night hotel stay on Oahu last month, we’ve teamed up with Aqua Hotels & Resorts to do it again! This time we’re giving one lucky winner five nights at the contemporary Aqua Palms & Spa in Waikiki, just one block from the famous beach. While none of The Vacation Gals has stayed at this particular property, we are certainly familiar with this awesome area of Honolulu.

Outdoor pool at Aqua Palms & Spa

I have fond memories of a vacation on Oahu with my husband before we were married: hanging out on Waikiki’s white-sand beach, taking a catamaran cruise for scenic views of nearby Diamond Head, eating at famous Duke’s restaurant and generally taking in the sights and sounds of the fun Waikiki scene. The new Waikiki Beach Walk has added even more energy to the upbeat area.

Some highlights of the Aqua Palms & Spa Waikiki property itself: free in-room internet (a huge bonus in my book), microwave and mini-fridge in each room (great for storing beverages and making snacks), and bedding that features AquaBLISS pillow-top beds. On property is a small pool with sundeck, fitness room and poolsde AquaSPA, offering body treatments and massages.

According to TripAdvisor.com, this is the 19th most popular of 94 hotels in Honolulu, and former guests say they enjoyed great value for the money while staying at the Aqua Palms & Spa. While the property is decidedly in the budget category — room rates start at just $90/night — the hotel doesn’t skimp on service: former guests report that staff is “friendly” and “helpful,” and they go out of their way to help visitors find their way around Waikiki, directing them to recommended restaurants and shops.

Comfortable accommodations at Aqua Palms & Spa

I’m especially pleased to be partnering with Aqua Hotels & Resorts for this giveaway, since I’ll be staying at an Aqua property on Lanai next year!  The Hotel Lanai, a darling little historic inn, falls under the Aqua Hotels & Resorts umbrella, and I’ll be staying at the hotel in the late winter, as part of the Lanai Visitors Bureau’s New Media Artists in Residence Program. I actually overnighted at the delightful, value-priced property in 2008, and I can’t wait to return to this spot in Lanai City — steps from the charming downtown. (Check out all of the Aqua Hotels & Resorts accommodations — as well as some air + hotel packages — on five different Hawaiian islands on the informative Aqua website.)

In the meantime, if you’d like five nights of free accommodations at Oahu’s Aqua Palms & Spa, just a few minutes’ walk from Waikiki Beach, enter this giveaway one of two ways:

1. Simply leave a comment below explaining what you would do in Waikiki or on Oahu if you won these free accommodations. Please enter this way only once a day.
2. Tweet the following on Twitter: I entered to win a 5-night Aqua Hotel stay in Hawaii from @TheVacationGals http://bit.ly/HawaiiHotelGiveaway You must tell us in a comment below for the Tweet to count as a giveaway entry, and you can enter this way once a day too.

Immediate family members of The Vacation Gals cannot enter this Hawaii vacation giveaway; otherwise the giveaway is open to anyone 18 years or older, anywhere in the world. Some holiday blackout days apply, and winner must use the nights by December 31, 2011.

BIG BONUS PRIZE: The winner will also receive a $100 gift certificate to use at the online shopping boutique Eve’s Apple. Here, you’ll find jewelry, clothing, accessories, shoes and handbags — all sorts of goodies for use on your Hawaiian vacation. (Gift certificate expires February 28, 2011.)

This Aqua Palms & Spa giveaway — with Eve’s Apple bonus $100 gift certificate — is open until Tuesday, December 28, at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The giveaway winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Good luck!

UPDATED: COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED. Look for a winner announcement on Wednesday afternoon, December 29.