Photo credit: Banana Bay Resort
By MARYANN HAMMERS
Check out these waterfront resorts in destinations like Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and the Chesapeake Bay — with generous military discounts, too. Or use your discount to charter a yacht and sail to exotic destinations like Thailand, Greece, or the British Virgin Islands.
Florida
Would you rather a big beach hotel or small tropical inn with marina? You’ll get the same great discount either way. B Ocean Resort, a recently renovated 487-room hotel on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, and Banana Bay Resort, a boutique 59-room hotel and marina in the Florida Keys, both offer a 25-percent “B Saluted” military/veteran discount on weekdays — plus a complimentary upgrade. Call Banana Bay Resort at (954) 564-1000 and B Ocean Resort at (866) 559-1032.
Hawaii
Aualani, a Disney family beach resort that opened in 2011 on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, offers military members a 35-percent savings on weekday stays through Dec. 19, 2016. (At this writing, regular rates start at $469.) The resort has 351 standard hotel rooms and suites, 481 villas with full kitchens and separate bedrooms, several dining options, three lounges, a spa, a fitness center, golf, plus complimentary amenities including a kids club, pools, waterslides, movie nights, fireside storytelling, nature walks, and a game room. Call (866) 443-4763.
North Carolina
Sanderling Resort, a newly renovated four-diamond family resort on the shores of the Outer Banks, offers a “Heroes Welcome” program with a discounted rate of $119 to military members, plus an additional 20-percent discount for food, the spa, and retail. (Regular rates start at about $150.) Call (877) 650-4812.
Virginia
The Tides Inn offers active duty and veteran military personnel a special “Military Appreciation” room rate of $99. (At this writing, that price beats the next-best offer by more than $70 a night.) Located on a private peninsula in Virginia’s Northern Neck with a half-mile of waterfront, the 106-room Chesapeake Bay resort is near the Virginia Wine Trail and many of the state’s historic sites. Amenities include a spa, an 18-hole championship golf course, a 60-slip marina, a professional sailing school, and a children’s program. The offer expires Dec. 31, 2016. Call (866) 988-5389.
Nationwide
Marriott Vacation Club offers active duty, retired, and reserve military members a 15-percent discount through Dec. 31, 2016, at coast-to-coast timeshare resorts and villas, including destinations like Hawaii, Maui and Kauai, South Beach, Hilton Head, and San Diego. Click here to find participating resorts and learn more about the offer and. Use promotional code XYD when booking online, or call (800) 845-5279 and ask for promo code XYD.
At Sea
Why stay merely near the water when you can be on it? Sunsail, a yacht charter company, offers state-of-the-art monohulls and catamarans for rent in 25 destinations worldwide. “You’ll get the experience of boating with resort-style accommodations in places from the British Virgin Islands to Greece, Thailand, and beyond,” says Andrew Silverstein, a company spokesperson. Active duty military members get a 20-percent discount for yacht charters departing within 30 days. Proof of active duty status is required. Call (844) 921-3690.
More seaside deals
Also check out these previously published offers. Some of the offers might have expired, but most still are valid. (Even if an offer appears to be expired, many hotels are happy to extend it if you ask.) You can save on a Caribbean vacation, San Diego and other seaside resorts, and cruises (Princess, for example, gives military members $250 free spending money — nice perk!).