Mountainside Hotel Promotes Weight Loss with Low-Calorie Meal Plan and Fitness Regimen Guests of the Hunter Mountain Hotel & Spa can take fitness walks through numerous nature trails in the Catskill Mountains. As you're burning calories, the hotel's executive chef—a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America—is busy preparing a low-calorie lunch. The hotel is known as one of the premier weight-loss spas in the country: as you set a fitness regimen according to your goals and abilities, Hunter Mountain Hotel... [ Read more ]

Historical Inn with Glass-Enclosed Porch Overlooking Lake In the 19th century, some of the Northeast's industrial pioneers— including Silas March, an entrepreneur and New York state assemblyman—spent their idle days in a clapboard estate built along the shores of Mariaville. In 2003, husband-and-wife innkeepers Rick and Lorrie Runnels purchased this historical home and dubbed it the Mariaville Lake Bed and Breakfast. Since then, they've made extensive renovations while managing to preserve the building's casual, Federal-style elegance; it still has its original... [ Read more ]

A Taste of Merry Old England in a Cozy, Tudor-Style Inn Since its founding in 1793, the town of Stowe has reinvented itself numerous times, from its early days as a potash-farming enclave to its brief stint as a Canadian smuggling outpost during the War of 1812. Stowe's streets and buildings are rife with American history, but today the town thrives as a mountain retreat with an artistic soul and an outdoorsy spirit. Just north of Main Street, Ye Olde England... [ Read more ]

By Mikal McLendon, Travel Correspondent Historical Boutique Hotel in Thriving Downtown Arts District “Oh, that’s pretty,” says a well-dressed guest who has recently arrived at Hotel Providence, nudging her companion and nodding at a large jade sculpture of galloping horses. “That’s our centerpiece," the concierge chimes in. "From China. It’s really rare.” The horses are the most vibrant piece adorning the marble-floored lobby of this hotel, whose collection encompasses French steel engravings, centuries-old murals, and gilded Swedish mirrors. And the building itself... [ Read more ]

The smartest brains, like the laziest hibernating bears, tend to be the hungriest. Feed the brain that feeds you with this Groupon. $99 for a Certified Online Training Course in the Microsoft Office Suite ($1,157 Value) The online e-Careers portal provides 24/7 access to more than 500 hours of online training through 38 individual course modules in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, and Lotus Notes. Microsoft Windows is covered in various forms, including XP, Vista, and Windows 7. Beginners and advanced... [ Read more ]

Giving yourself a back massage is impossible, much like keeping your eyes open while sneezing or reading an entire book. Give spines a rest with this Groupon. $35 for a 60-Minute Swedish or Deep-Tissue Massage ($70 Value) Licensed therapists apply medium- or firm-pressure strokes during Swedish massages, or clients can choose to target specific aches during deep-tissue massages. Myo Massage Michelle Campbell, a seasoned massage therapist and a member of the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals network, pilots Myo Massage's team of licensed practitioners.... [ Read more ]

Like passing the bar, tending a bar requires extensive knowledge, and in some jurisdictions, a fitting for a barrister's wig. Pursue a new profession with this Groupon. Choose Between Two Options $25 for an online bartending course (a $74.99 value) $49 for an online bartending course plus a mixing kit (a $113.94 total value) Each online course guides the hands of aspiring barkeeps through a combination of 14 lessons, 16 timed exams, and more than 50 drink-recipe videos. Students work their way through the... [ Read more ]