Meet the world's latest high-profile Caribbean hotelier: Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez. The controversial leader seized control of the Hilton Margarita on Venezuela's Margarita Island this week, reports the Wall Street Journal.

After receiving a press release late last week promising $.25 per night room rates available through a new promotion from a number of hotels and resorts in the U.S. Virgin Islands, we spent over an hour last trying to find them so we could blog about them here. After all, $.25 rates are big news.

Before you go dismissing thoughts of islands and beach destinations until another summer rolls around, consider that there are many worth visiting for post-Labor Day, shoulder season weekend jaunts.

One example: Block Island, a tiny New England escape reachable by ferries departing from New London, CT through late September and from Montauk, NY through mid-October.

New Jersey residents are getting some love from at least two local hotels:

The Chelsea (pictured): New Jersey residents save 30 percent off regular rates here through Dec. 30, plus a $30 resort credit per day.

The Beach Shack: This Cape May hotel is giving New Jersey residents 20 percent off room rates and a $25 resort credit with stays through Oct. 9.

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The Westin Resort, Aruba is celebrating coral spawning season by encouraging guests to follow suit and reproduce during fall visits to the hotel. The benefit to making a baby here (other than the lovely addition to your family, of course)? A $300 credit towards your next stay at the resort.

If you're wondering how one would go about proving the success after the fact, USA Today reports that a doctor's note is all that's needed.