As much as we love the Bay Area's plethora of chic, modern, urban hotels, it's also nice to soak up the history and elegance of one of Northern California's grande dames. The 279-room Claremont Hotel, in the Berkeley Hills, first opened in 1915 and still exudes a classic, old-style-resort vibe yet offers a lot more than croquet on the lawn.  It has three pools, tennis, a spa and a kids’ club that offers guests two to three hours of free childcare every day (two hours for kids ages 6 months to 2 years; three hours for kids ages 3 to 10). The hotel also puts on special events such as Friday night movies, tequila tastings for the grown-ups and yoga master classes. 

The Claremont is offering a Family Fun in the Sun offer this summer, with rates starting at $299 for a family of four. A family booking a three-night stay in July with this package would get:

• lodging in a a deluxe room, with taxes included (normally $269/night x 3 = $807)
  
• $100 resort credit, which you can use at the spa, kids' club (day-long camps cost extra) or on tennis or swim lessons
  
• daily breakfast for two adults and two kids at the Meritage at the Claremont ($80 x 3 days=$240)
• in-room movie and popcorn (worth about $15)
• free daily parking and waived resort fee ($24/day for each, or $48 x 3 days = $144 for three days)

When we price-checked a stay for a family of four in July, the package rate was quoted as $399 a night for a non-view room with two double beds, or $1,197 for a three-night stay. Meanwhile, if booking without the package, the best available regular rate was $269 a night. Once you figure in the resort credit, parking, resort fee, breakfast, and movie, your total spend would come to $1,306 for three nights before taxes, meaning that the package offers a mere 8% savings. Still, don't forget that free childcare (a half-day can easily cost $40 per child at comparable resorts), which definitely boosts the family appeal.

Deal or no deal? Eh. It's definitely not what we'd call a blockbuster deal, but shaving 8% off your bill is better than nothing if you've been dreaming of a stay at the Claremont. The Family Fun in the Sun package is good for stays through September 6. When entering dates online, look for the Family Fun in the Sun package or mention the deal when calling  800/551-7266.