Tucson’s JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa  has been racking up the accolades lately, landing on Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Top 100 resorts in the US and Travel+Leisure's World’s Best Hotels Top 500 lists. Starr Pass is offering a 3-for-2 holiday package through January 8: when you book two nights at $199 a night—the regular rate—you'll get the third night free.

The 575-room resort has four  pools, a lazy river and water slide, an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course and a spa. If you like the desert but not the blazing heat, December is a nice time to be in here, when high temperatures tend to be in the ballpark of 70 degrees. Either way, you can combine a nice dose of nature—there’s great hiking around here—with some kid-friendly civilization: the Starr Pass does Nickelodeon character breakfasts on many weekends throughout the year. The hotel is within a short drive of the local Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum and the Pima Air and Space Museum.

If you're up for a last-minute getaway, the weekend of December 10–12 will feature a visit from Santa and his elves, who are bringing a giant load of real snow for some desert sledding down the resort’s Starr Circle Hill, located at the resort’s main entrance, as well as craft-making workshops.

The 3-for-2 holiday package is good through January 8. When booking online, use promotional code B4F, or mention the 3-for-2 when booking over the phone at 888/527-8989. Some blackout dates apply.