Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abaconda/5702410400/sizes/z/in/photostream/

With the summer season officially upon us, we thought we’d share this beautiful New Zealand beach photo. Many happy sunny days ahead!

Hawaii can be one of the most expensive wintertime destinations in the US.  Airfares and pricey resorts can quickly spoil the most well-planned travel budget.  However there are discounts, pr0motions and 00 that can make a vacation in the 50th state much more affordable, even during the high season.

Aston Hotels and Resorts, with properties on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island, is offering one of this winter’s best deals.  Rates at Aston’s hotels and resorts will be discounted up to 40% this winter.  That means prices as low as $89 per night.

The reason that this is such an attention-grabbing promotion is because so many different locations and resort-types are included.  Centrally-located hotels like the Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel (from $91 per night) offer visitors a chance to stay in the center of Oahu’s beach and tourism scene for a very reasonable price.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages on Kauai.  These deluxe cottages offer garden views, a level of seclusion and privacy not available in hotels, and a reasonable price tag of $176 per night.

With rental condos, villas, suites and standard hotel rooms available at resorts bearing the Aston name, this state-wide promotion truly falls into the “something for everyone” category.

The 40% off deals can be booked now for travel between January 3rd and March 31st.

To make a reservation or to check if Aston has a hotel or resort in your favorite corner of the Hawaiian Islands, visit the company’s web site, call 1-866-774-2924 or inqure about Aston properties at your travel agent’s office.

South Beach is the glitziest part of the Miami metro.  Known for its hot beach scene and hotter nightlife, the district draws the city’s scene-makers and visitors from across the country looking for the perfect combination of glitz and good times.

The Mondrian Hotel fits perfectly into the South Beach scene.  The over-sized, fairy-tale-inspired decor and stylish mix of amenities earned it a spot on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2009 Hot List.  It was the only hotel in the area to earn such a distinction.  But, at least for most of December and January, you don’t have to be on a “hot list” yourself to afford a room at the Mondrian.

An early winter promotion puts the hotel within any South Florida visitor’s reach.  The regular nightly rate of $295 will be reduced to $175 per weeknight (Sunday-Thursday) from December 1st to 24th.  Weekday rates remain below normal for all of January, at $225 per night.

via kevgibbo

The Mondrian’s studio rooms include plasma screen TVs and iPod docking stations.  The spacious bathrooms feature rainfall shower heads and high-quality bath products.  The whimsical, over-sized decor found in the hotel’s public spaces is carried over into the studios, though at a much smaller scale.  The indoor/outdoor lounge on the hotel’s terrace overlooks Biscayne Bay and the 5-star Asia de Cuba Restaurant consistently earns praise for its gourmet take on the fusion cuisine fad.

Those who want to make the Mondrian part of their South Beach experience will need to book by November 30th.  The promotion is not in effect during Christmas and New Year.  The only other blackout dates are between December 3rd and 5th.