This is part of a trip from Pittsburgh to Lima, Peru that went horribly wrong. We spent a night at the Hyatt Regency Mexico City unexpectedly but fortunately for us, we loved it. If you want to start at...
The True Value of Elite Status – A Chance at Redemption
Being Stuck in a Bad Situation If you have followed the previous posts (start at the beginning) about the mishaps and mistakes I made during a recent trip to Peru, you will know that I was stuck in a...
Mistakes and Mishaps of a Travel Pro – Continued
To catch up on this story please first read this post. Still Stuck at Terminal 1 in Mexico City I had a fleeting thought that perhaps we should just get into a taxi, but taxi drivers sometimes queue for...
Baha Mar Resort Group Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Future of Grand Hyatt Baha Mar?
It’s a sad, sad, day. It looks like the much delayed Baha Mar construction project has come to an end and the future of the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar may be in jeopardy. Chinese construction delays have been blamed...
PSA – Get 30,000 American Aadvantage Miles or 40,000 Thank You Points Free Today
The title is only a partial stretch. You need to sign up today, you will receive the miles in as soon as 31 days. Let me walk you through how this is possible and why it needs to happen urgently....
Mistakes and Mishaps of a Travel Pro
When discussing my travel planning faults it only seems appropriate to wax biblical like my friend Matthew: “We have all fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) And to quote from the one of the finer films...
Review: Hyatt Regency Crystal City (Reagan National)
Hyatt Regency Crystal City is a full-service business hotel near Reagan National Airport in Washington DC. It’s convenient and impressive. Shuttle The key to any airport hotel is the time it takes you to get to the airport and...
My Cruise Rewards – Valuable or Worthless, Does Anyone Know?
After a recent change, I was considering the Royal Caribbean card from Bank of America. My daughter is getting to the age of running around and the idea of giving her hours of running around, swimming and food sounds...
Transparency of Airfare Pricing
I recently commented on the government’s website for USA Today regarding changes to CFR 399.88 which requires airlines to be accountable for their prices, mistakes or otherwise. Some of my colleagues at UPGRD may disagree with my position, but...
Hyatt Diamond Challenge is Back and Open to Everyone
My favorite hotel chain has been Hyatt for several years now. Service at the Park properties are fantastic but even the Hyatt House stays can offer really exceptional rooms. As seen on Flyertalk.com, a revamped status challenge promo has...
Hilton Making Moves in Myanmar
Bloomberg recently had a report about Hilton Hotels properties in newly opened Myanmar (formerly Burma). Hilton was one of the first chains to build in Southeast Asian country since sanctions have eased over the last couple of years. ...
Amtrak Train Derails in Philadelphia – 240 Onboard, 50 injured
On May 13th, 2015, an Amtrak train derail appears to have taken place on a track near Philadelphia and several injuries resulted. Washington DC to New York City While details are still sketchy at this time, an Amtrak train en...
