Editors Note:  Although the summer is about the luxury getaways and long weekends at the beach, we think that making the most out of staying in town is a great way to feel relaxed while being a little thrifty.  Whether you are in NYC or Seattle we have some exciting places for you to take a staycation.  So now you can’t say you don’t have the time or the money to take a break from your hectic life! ~Nitika~

Often the idea of getting away sounds like a dream, but with time constraints, airport hassles and tight budgets, it’s one you think that can’t be turned into reality.

Well, there is a way that you can have that break for at least a night or two without leaving town, and it’s a concept that’s catching on fast throughout the country: taking a staycation.

The idea is that you check into a local hotel or resort and enjoy downtime in your own city. Peter Yesawich, CEO of Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, an Orlando-based travel marketing firm, says the staycation trend makes perfect sense in today’s environment.

“Our research shows that people are taking fewer vacations because there is so much time poverty with job and family obligations,” he says. “The time starved can’t afford to use up their vacation waiting around at airports and dealing with delays so they choose to escape in their own city for a day or even a long weekend.”

Checking into a hotel allows staycationers to partake in the little luxuries of vacation such as ordering room service for breakfast, lounging by the pool or getting a treatment at the spa.  Besides the time pressed set, those on a budget and parents looking to get a break from their kids are also contributing to the popularity of staycations.

“It’s usually much less expensive to check into pricey hotel near where you live than it is to buy airfare and stay in a so-so property somewhere else,” Yesawich says.

Hotels understand that travelers want to stay close to home base and are fashioning one-night packages geared toward locals. If you can spare the time, the ones we’ve highlighted below can also be extended to add more nights.

New York City

Jumeirah Essex House

Commuters to Manhattan are usually so rushed to make their trains and buses that they don’t have the chance to appreciate New York City in all its glory. The Commuter Escape Package from the recently renovated Jumeirah Essex House helps you celebrate the city and takes advantage of the property’s prime location across from Central Park. Parking, tickets to the Museum of the City of New York and walking tours of the park with different themes such as Art and Architecture and Family Fun are all included. You’ll sleep in a luxurious room with park and city views. The hotel also has an exhibition of historic images of Central Park arranged from their archives that dates from the mid-1800s to the present.

Visit www.jumeirahessexhouse.com, Rates from $309.

Phoenix

Camelback Inn

The Escape! Family Slumber Party package proves that you don’t need to be a couple to enjoy a staycation. Here, you get accommodations in either a casita which has a patio and a kitchenette or a two-bedroom suite which features two baths, two outdoor decks and an oversized living room. You’ll get pizza delivered to the room daily, an in-room movie a day and never ending juice and soda for your kids. The resort is framed by the golden desert and has two swimming pools and an extensive kids program with cooking classes, water games, storytelling and ice-cream socials. Adults can indulge in a couples massage at the spa, and families can bond with white water rafting and jeep or hot air balloon tours of the surrounding desert.

Visit www.camelbackinn.com, Rates from $279

Seattle

The Fairmont Olympic Hotel

The Savor Seattle Package celebrates the city’s food scene and includes a stay in a deluxe room with a separate sitting area, large bath and city views. The highlight of your visit will likely be the four-course dinner paired with local wines at the Georgian, the hot spot in town that’s hosted everyone from movie stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow to CEOs like Microsoft head honcho Steve Ballmer. The meal, a part of the package, might include chanterelle and sweet potato pie followed by roasted rack of local lamb, a trio of soufflés and a cheese finale. You’ll also get an autographed copy of the Savor Seattle cookbook by the restaurant’s chef Gavin Stephenson and free valet parking. Round out the foodie experience by walking to Pike Market to see the vast array of seafood, produce and locally baked goods.

Visit www.fairmont.com/seattle, prices from $499.

Dallas

The Ritz-Carlton

The Reconnect package is the most popular with locals. Guests stay in a deluxe room and get overnight valet parking, in-room breakfast or breakfast at Fearing’s, the in-dining spot in town, and two tickets to the Nasher Sculpture Center or the Dallas Museum of Art. Unwind at the spa which has unique treatments such as the eight-handed massage where four therapists work to melt away any tension and the eighty minute Dean Margarita’s Salt Glow which uses the same salts as in Fearing’s margaritas. The Ritz is walking distance from the largest urban arts district in the country which has museums, art galleries and the Morton H. Myerson Symphony Center. Major shopping areas such as Highland Park Village are also nearby.

Visit www.ritzcarlton.com, prices from $349.

San Francisco

The Orchard Hotel

Bay area residents love the “Shop, Then Drop” package at this chic boutique hotel according to the property’s marketing manager. A one night’s stay, valet parking, a box of truffles and a thick packet of local shopping coupons are included. You might get 10% off at Nordstrom or Bloomingdale’s or half off city tours. The breakfast, also part of the deal, is mostly organic and features breads and croissants delivered each morning from local bakeries. If you want to chill out in your room, get a movie gratis from the hotel’s collection of 200 DVDs, and watch it on the flat screen television with surround sound. The property’s location is among the most desirable in town: it’s a 100 feet from the Powell Street Cable Car line and two blocks from Union Square and Nob Hill.

Visit www.theorchardhotel.com, prices from $239

***This article was written by Guest Contributor and New York Times Journalist Shivani Vora. To view Shivani’s full bio and contact information click here!***