LAST-MINUTE GETAWAYS, RE-CONSIDERED: If only the whole process of deciding to get out of town was as stylish as it is sometimes presented in stock photos or clips. Picture it: The laughing person runs out to their freshly washed, '50s-era convertible. They toss a designer suitcase in the backseat, don sunglasses, and, with a wink, they're off on a fabulous and spontaneous weekend. That's not how it goes for most of us -- we can't find our sunglasses and our bag has been through one too many trips to be camera-ready -- but our desire to do it up at the last-minute is strong, very strong, especially when a three-day weekend is on the horizon. Don't have a '50s convertible, either? No worries: Just get to your getaway however you can, and start saving cash, if possible. Joie de Vivre is making it easier to have that impromptu weekend away and save some good money, at least if you're headed to the Bay Area for Labor Day. The upshot? The boutique hotel group is shaving up to 20% from stays over the late-August holiday three-dayer for properties around San Francisco and its environs.
YEP, BEYOND ONE HOTEL: This is one reason we're feeling the jazz on this one: You have your pick of several places in which to stay and save. Hotel Del Sol, with its pop-y bright colors and family-nice vibe? If you like. Laurel Inn? The Pacific Heights spots is also going the up-to-20%-off route. And Oakland's Waterfront Hotel and The Epiphany Hotel in Palo Alto? Yes and yes. You don't need to stay right in San Francisco to score some money-saving-ness.
THE DATES? Oh, right. We keep saying "Labor Day Weekend" here but Joie de Vivre has a very generous sense of what Labor Day Weekend means. The good-times-20%-off-ing is on at nine Bay Area hotels from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7. That's one long Labor Day. And honest? If you want to do the laughing/convertible/fancy bag thing, as you set off on your getaway, no judgment. Roll how you will, happy traveler. We all should.
