Looking for a last-minute bargain in Mexico? Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort is offering a super-tempting low summer rate of $99 a night, which drops to $89 a night if you book within seven days of your arrival. (The one catch: The $89 rate is an advance-purchase deal where you must pay in full when you book, and the purchase is non-refundable.)

To sweeten the pot even more, you can also score free kids’ meals through the end of September (one child per accompanying adult). If you figure that kids’ meals run about $30 a day per child ($10/meal x 3 meals), then this deal delivers an added value of $60 every day for a family of four, or a total of $300 in value for a five-day stay. The resort has five restaurants, offering a variety of Mexican and seafood themes and one  devoted just to pizza and pasta.

The Hilton Cancun offers plenty to keep the family occupied between meals, too.  The 426-room, AAA Four Diamond resort has a white-sand beach, seven pools, a playground, bicycle rentals, golf, a spa and a kids' club for ages 4 to 11, priced very reasonably at $45 per child for a full day, including lunch.

The last-minute summer special is good through September 30, 2010. When booking online, there is no special code for this deal; book the regular rate and the free kids’ meals will be incoporated. Alternatively, call 877/GO-HILTON (877/464-4586) and mention the Kid Eat Free last-minute deal.

The Marina Inn at Grande Dunes has an enviable location in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The resort is set on 2,200 acres on the intercoastal waterway, tucked off the main strip yet still very accessible to the Carolina Opry, Dixie Stampede, Broadway at the Beach, Nascar Speedpark, and other attractions that make Myrtle Beach so appealing to families.  The hotel offers a naturally-landscaped beach, tennis, golf, and accommodations ranging from standard guest rooms to spacious suites with full kitchens, fireplaces, and washer/dryers. Better yet: The resort has a "kids stay, play, and eat free" policy all summer long for kids 12 and under. 

Still shopping for a summer getaway? The Marina Inn's Last Days of Summer special is valid for stays from August 8 to August 31, and it's a straightforward deal with two options.  Stay five or six nights in a grande guest room or two-bedroom suite and you'll receive one free night.  In August, a grande guest room costs between $149 and $209 a night, depending on travel dates; the free night will chop about 15% off your bill—and that's in addition to what you'll save on kids meals. Two-bedroom suites run $314 a night during those dates.

Stay a week and you'll save even more; book seven nights and you'll get two more for free—which translates to a savings of 22% on a nine-night stay.  The offer can be used to book the hotel's roomy three-bedroom/three-bath suites, which run $419 a night in August, so two free nights means saving a sizable chunk of change.

Book online or call 866/337-4958 and ask for the "Last Days of Summer" special. Note: There is also a $15-a-day resort fee that includes in-room wi-fi, rental bicycles, valet parking, and shuttles to the beach, about a mile away.

• accommodations  (deluxe double room starts at $129/night in August with the best flexible rate)
• four tickets to the Florida Aquarium  (worth $19.95/adult x 2 + $14.95/child x 2 = $69.80)
• a "Finding Nemo" audio CD (worth, let's say, $10)
• a "loaner pet fish" in a small aquarium, placed in guest room for duration of stay

When we price-checked a stay for a family of four in August, the package rate was quoted as $181 per night in a deluxe double room. If booking an identical room only using the best flexible rate, the cost would be $129 for the night. When you factor in the value of the aquarium tickets, the package delivers a value of $198.80. In other words, booking the package saves you about $18, or roughly 10%, on a one-night stay.

But keep in mind that if you book the package for multiple nights, you'll be charged the higher rate for each night.  After the first night (when the rate covers the cost of the aquarium tickets), it makes sense to spend $52 less for each subsequent night using the best flexible rate ($129 instead of $181). 

Deal or no deal? This package delivers guppy-sized savings.  The rent-a-fish and CD add some fun but no genuine extra value. Think of it like this: Saving $18 is almost like getting one free adult ticket to the aquarium. But remember, if booking more than one night, you're better off paying the best flexible rate for the rest of your stay. You can book online or call 866/402-0758 and use rate code IKCT1.

Handed $100 at a resort, what would you do with it—eat? Go to the spa? Eat at the spa?

We know that resort credits offered in hotel deals almost always get absorbed at hotel restaurants—and that's very smart, especially when you’re traveling with kids who love to order $7 sundaes.  The Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, located between Jacksonville and St. Augustine on Florida's Atlantic coast, is offering such a deal this summer for families: The Stay Together, Play Together package, where you’ll reeive a $100 resort credit per night, good at the resort's restaurants, golf course or spa. If you stay for three nights, for instance, you'll get a $300 credit.

And this is definitely a place where you'd probably use that credit on dining, since there's so much to keep you busy on-site.  The 508-room resort has a beach,  four pools, two golf courses, a kids' club, a beach clubhouse with playground and 350 acres of fishing-friendly lakes. It’s been named one of the country's Top 50 resorts by Conde Nast Traveler and acclaimed a great Family Beach Resort by Parents magazine.

But is the "Stay Together, Play Together" package the best you can do? The Marriott Sawgrass also has a Family Fun package, where kids eat free (one child per accompanying adult). Like the $100 resort-credit package, it promises a starting rate of $169 a night. But when we compared prices for some August dates, the price for a resort-view room with two queen beds and a  balcony was $149 a night with the "Family Fun" package but $219 for the "Stay Together, Play Together" package. 

If you figure that each children's meal is worth about $10, then the "Family Fun" package would deliver added value of about $60 a day ($10 x 2 kids x 3 meals).  If we also assume that two adults could eat for about $120 a day ($20 per meal x 2 adults x 3 meals), then lodging for three nights plus meals would come to about $807 ($149 x 3 nights + $120 x 3 days). Meanwhile, you'd pay $897 for three nights with the "Stay Together, Play Together" package ($219 x 3 nights + $180 x 3 days - $300 credit). The upshot: The "Family Fun" package would save you $30 a day, or $90 on a three-night stay.

Both offers are good through September 30. You can book the "Stay Together, Play Togther" and the "Family Fun" packages online or by calling 904/285-7777.

Naples Bay Resort is offering a three-night Florida's Wild Side package through December 18, with rates starting at $310 per night for a family of two adults and two kids. But is it a good deal for families?  We did the math to find out.  A family booking this package for a weekend in August would get:

• three-night stay in a two-bedroom canalview suite (in August, worth $182/night x 3 = $546)
• welcome amenity of two Florida stuffed animals (worth, let's say, $15)
• popcorn and one pay-per-view movie (worth about $10)
• in-room pizza dining on one night (worth about $25)
• four tickets to Naples Zoo (worth $19.95/adult x 2 + $11.95/kid x 2 = $63.80)
• four tickets for a half-day Everglades Adventure (worth $129/adult x 2 + $65/kid x 2 = $388)
  
• full-day poolside cabana rental (worth $40)

When we price-checked a stay for a family of four in August, the package rate was quoted as $348 per night in a two-bedroom canalview suite, which works out to $1,044 for a three-night stay. If the components are booked separately, the price would come to $1,088 for the three nights—$44 more than the package. Long story short: The package delivers a savings of about 4%. If getting a good price is a priority, you're better off booking a room only and purchasing tickets to the attractions you most want to visit. 

Because the package is available for an extended period, both room rates and the package price fluctuates, depending on dates.  For example, if you were to book a weekend stay in December, you'd pay $269 a night for a room, or $807 for three nights. Adding in the components of the package brings your spend up to $1,348.  Comparatively, that same stay booked with the package would cost $420 a night, or $1,260 for three nights. In this case, the $88 you'd save with the package works out to a savings of 7%.

Still, you could pay much less if you booked à la carte and simply opted to forego the stuffed animals, pizza, in-room movie and cabana rental. Those little extras really do add up when you're paying for them yourself. And with this package, you definitely are.

Deal or no deal?  Nah.  When you subtract the value of the movie night, cabana rental, and stuffed animals, the package price and the non-package price are essentially the same. The resort has basically priced the package to cover the cost of the components. 

You can book online or by calling 866/605-1199 and requesting the "Florida's Wild Side" package.

Families have been returning to Michigan's Mackinac Island for generations, and it's easy to see why: No cars are allowed on the island, and the place seems to have been plucked from another era, with its ferry ride, horse-drawn carriages, old-fashioned ice cream parlors, fudge purveyors, and easy bike path that rings the island. 

Set on 18 acres along the southeastern shore of the island, Mission Point Resort features a heated outdoor pool, kids' club, tennis, golf, and even a museum with local historical exhibits.  The resort is offering a two-night Family Island Adventure package through October 24, with rates starting at $851 for a family of two adults and two kids under age 12. But is it really a good deal for families?  We took a close look at the numbers to find out.   A family booking this package in August would get:

• two-night stay in a garden double room (in August, $215/night x 2 = $430)
• two breakfast vouchers for adults; kids under 12 eat free (worth, let's say, $30)
• two dinner vouchers for adults; kids under 12 eat free (worth about $50)
• four tickets to Fort Mackinac (worth $10.50/adult x 2 + $6.50/kid x 2 = $34)
• four tickets to the Tower Museum (worth $5/adult x 2 + $2.50/kid x 2 = $15)
• four half-day bike rentals (for single-speed bikes, $18/person x 4 = $72)
  
• four tickets to the resort's putting course (worth $12/adult x 2 + $7.50/kid x 2 = $39)
• four tickets to the Butterfly House (worth $8.50/adult x 2 + $4/kid x 2 = $25)
• four round-trip ferry tickets ($21/adult x 2 + $11/kid x 2  = $64)

When we price-checked a stay for a family of four in August, the package rate was quoted as $851 for two nights in a garden double room. If booking the room only using the best available rate, the same room would cost $430 for two nights. Add in the prices of the package components, and your total spend would come to $769—so the package price is actually $82 more than what you'd pay if booking à la carte.  

That long list of package inclusions seems very impressive at first glance, but the package doesn't save you a dime. In fact, the price has been inflated to more than cover the cost of the individual components.

Deal or no deal?  No way, no how, no deal. You're much better off booking a room on its own and then cherry picking the activities your family would like. 

Note: If you book this package, full payment is due at the time of booking. There's a minimum 14-day advance cancellation policy.  There are also a few blackout dates.  You can book online or call 800/833-7711.

Summer officially kicked off less than three weeks ago, but many families around the country are already halfway through their school breaks.  To help you squeeze out every last drop of the season's fun, Georgia's Jekyll Island Club Hotel has launched an End of Summer Special good for stays August 1 through September 2.  The BOGO offer is as straightforward as they come: Stay one night at the regular rate and you'll get a second night free, which equates to a 50% savings. The deal is good on all room types except the Presidential Suite. August rates start at $249 a night for a double room, so this promo could save you about $500 on a four-night stay (wow!).

Once the winter retreat of millionaires such as Rockefeller, Goodyear, and Astor, the historic hotel now offers up a luxurious yet laid back line-up of family-fun activities, from golf and tennis to croquet, swimming and more (see our review).  

To book this offer, call 800/535-9547.  The fine print: There are two black out dates (August 6 and 7). Taxes and resort fee are not included.

Sure, there are a gazillion websites out there promising to find you a fantastic hotel deal. Problem is, despite their slick metasearch engines and fancy ranking systems, very few have considered whether you're traveling with children. So parents still have to spend hours of sifting and cross-checking on other sites before they can be sure they've found a property that fits their needs.

That's why Travel Ticker is one of our go-to sites. The clean, intuitive design is set up so that you're in, you find a great deal (or several), and you're out in no time flat. You'll see some deals from other big travel booking sites, such as Expedia, but Travel Ticker's big strength is its knack for offering insider deals we don't see on other sites, such as limited-time offers at non-chain upscale properties. You can search by location, interest (we head straight for the Family Travel page), or price. We routinely check out the Hotels Under a Hundred page, where every hotel is priced under $100 a night.

Check out the fantastic family-friendly deals we spied this morning:

• Palm Springs, CA: One-bedroom villa at Desert Oasis Resort, $69 a night midweek, $79 a night on weekends. Villa features a king-size bed, living/dining room with sleeper sofa, full kitchen, and balcony. Resort features two pools, golf course, complimentary WiFi. Plus, get discounted tickets to Knotts’ Soak City at the concierge desk. Book by July 7; travel through September 30.
• Miami, FL: Save 50% off at the 4.5-star Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, named to Travel+Leisure's World's Best List in 2008. Land a room for just $99, including unlimited golf(!) on two courses. Valid through September 30.
• Mackinac Island, MI: Save up to 35% at the historic Island House Hotel. Rooms $159 a night midweek, $179 a night on weekends. Plus, get discounted ferry tickets, breakfast coupons, and room upgrades from $25. Book by July 7; travel July 1-31 and August 16-31.

Spend your vacation in a town with a lot of kid-friendly attractions—theme parks, museums, zoos—and you'll blow a good chunk of your budget on overpriced, concession-style meals. So we were intrigued by the Experience More Paradise package at San Diego's Paradise Point Resort and Spa, which works on a sliding scale: stay three nights and you get a $300 resort credit; four nights earns a $400 resort credit; five nights comes with a $500 credit.  You can use it at the resort restaurants, shop and spa—and, according to the reservations agent we spoke to, also at the kids' club and bicycle rentals (online, the site says the credit is only for dining). But even if you do only use it for dining, $100 a day would cover at least one meal a day at the resort.

And this is just the kind of resort that you would want to log some good time at, and not just as a base camp for area attractions. The 44-acre, 460-room resort, set on the edge of San Diego's Mission Bay, feels nicely isolated, thanks to the bay on one side, and the lush, tropical vegation that surrounds the rest of the island-style resort (proof: they call the patios “lanais”). It has a bayside beach; five pools (one for adults, one for little kids); tennis; an 18-hole, kid-friendly putting course; water sports rentals and a summertime kids' club for ages 4-12.

The resort is also blessed with a fantastic location, just a couple-minutes’ drive into the heart of Mission Bay and funky, neighboring Pacific Beach, with an ocean beach, restaurants and a small, Coney-Island style amusement park. You're also within a half-hour drive of the San Diego Zoo or Legoland and, best of all, within walking distance of SeaWorld.

Now for the bad news: The Experience More Paradise offer is only good on the Garden Bungalow or Bayside Bungalow suites, one-bedroom-plus-living rooms accommodations priced at $645 a night on the dates we checked. The good news: We quickly saw a better deal, good for all room types: a Summer - 4th Night Free promo which offers a 25% break on rooms that start at a more modest $279 a night for standard digs with two double beds and a garden view.

The offers are based upon availability for stays through August 21. To book the Experience More Paradise or 4th Night Free promo online, look next to rates after you punch in dates. Alternatively you can book by phone at 800/344-2626 and mention the offer by name.