We’re
not too proud to take a dare in the hopes of scoring a serious discount, and the Kimpton
hotel chain has certainly thrown down the gauntlet. At its Hotel Palomar
Dallas—a boutique hotel in
one of the toniest sections of Big D—you can get 50% sliced off your room rate if you can Hula Hoop (no typo) for a full minute
at the check-in desk. Room rates in August start at $199 a night, so that’s an easy $100-a-night payback for all your hoop practice
years ago in the backyard. (The deal also includes a free yoga class and 25% off at the spa to help you bounce back.) Keep your hoop up for 20 seconds and you get a free room upgrade.
And if your Hula Hoop fizzles to your feet after just a few seconds of embarrassing hip-swinging? You can still score a deal. The hotel’s Summer Vacation Package gives you a $25 dining credit and complimentary in-room movie and popcorn—which the kids might enjoy almost as much as watching Mom or Dad make a fool of themselves in the lobby. Meanwhile, the Palomar has a gym, heated outdoor pool, and an afternoon sangria happy hour (with a neighboring Wii for the kids), as well as afternoon popsicles in the lobby.
Both deals are available for travel through September 7. Book online (enter rate code SMR for the Hula Hoop offer or PLGD for the Summer Vacation Package), or call 800/KIMPTON.
And in the meantime, go dust off your Hula Hoop and start practicing.





