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.