Although I once questioned the value of it, I have successfully re-qualified for Hyatt Globalist status with 60 nights in the bag for 2017. Last year I barely squeaked by, earning Hyatt Diamond status with 25 stays. Hyatt has...
Hyatt On The Bund’s Xindalu – Shanghai
One of three restaurants at Hyatt on the Bund is Xindalu, a Chinese kitchen. I asked Neil at check in where a good place to go for Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) near the hotel. He stated the hotel restaurant. Usually...
Review: Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong – Suite
As part of my United 1K Challenge I headed to Shanghai for a quick status run. I wanted to stay in some new properties as I had previously stuck to Hyatt and hadn’t spread my wings beyond the brand....
Airport Shuttles are NOT the Bane of My Existence!
Travel with Grant wrote an entertaining rant entitled, Airport Shuttles are the Bane of my Existence. I hold a different viewpoint. He lays out a string of recent horror stories involving airport hotel shuttles and vows to never wait for...
The Nastiest Hotel Room in the World?
Some people carefully inspect their sheets, pillows, mattress, and towels when they check into a hotel room. I don’t. I don’t even want to know… But when I watch Another Dirty Room, it makes my heart race. If anything will...
Rocketmiles Gave Me $20 Without Booking
I am always on the look out for better ways to book travel. Certain markets make services like Rocketmiles a great value or later in the year where status has already been achieved. After shopping around for an upcoming...
Hit and Run: My Car Was Damaged in Hotel Parking Lot
I spent a few nights at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands last week and came home with an unexpected souvenir…a damaged front bumper. What do you do when your car gets damaged at a hotel? Of course the immediate answer...
Would You Switch to a Suite for One Night?
Earlier today I published a review of my recent stay at the Park Hyatt Dubai. Only standard rooms were available the first night, but I was offered a suite my second (and final) night. Would you move rooms just...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: July 2, 2017
Greetings from over the Atlantic on a rare overnight westbound flight. The week took an unexpected turn as I found myself on a very quick jaunt to Germany and Jordan. More details on that trip are coming. In the...
Why Are Status Hotel Upgrades Tough?
Some hotel chains offer room upgrades of varying levels to their elite guests. These are typically listed as “if available upon checkin” but often moving up from a double queen room to a coveted suite seems like hard work....
Review: Ace Hotel Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is a city of chain hotels – which is where I usually stay due to elite benefits and point accrual – but on occasion there is sufficient cause to divert from the pattern. Ace Hotel Pittsburgh is just such a...
Park Hyatt Bangkok: Suite and Bitter
I’m pleased to announce the first contributor to Live and Let’s Fly, Kyle Stewart. Kyle and I wrote together at UPGRD and we co-founded Pen and Passport. He’ll be adding commentary on hotels, airlines, and travel products. I’ll still be...
Why I’m Opting for More Expensive Airport Hotels
On my trip to Europe last month I found myself twice at more pricey on-site airport hotels than properties with a similar star level a few miles away. Why? I’ll explain. Airport hotels always tend to be more expensive than off-site...
My Unorthodox Free Suite Upgrade at Hilton
We’ve all heard of hotel upgrades due to overcrowding or loyalty status, but yesterday’s upgrade was a first. My wife and I checked into the Hilton Munich Airport yesterday evening with little Augustine. We had reserved a standard room. With...
Am I the Only One Who Doesn’t Use Hotel Deadbolts?
Earlier this week I wrote about a rough experience I had at the Hyatt Regency Mainz. A member of the hotel staff entered the room without knocking at 3:10AM, while my family slept. In the comments section, many reprimanded...
My Hotel Dilemma in Santorini and Mykonos
I’ve set foot in 125 countries, but there are still many places I have yet to visit. In Greece, I’ve been to Athens and Thessaloniki, but not to any of the Greek Islands. Soon I’ll be departing for Germany for...
Do You Use the Hotel Gym?
A new study confirms why I often have hotel gyms to myself. Hotels are racing to build fancy gyms for their guests—but that may be an exercise in futility. Fewer than half of hotel guests who say they planned on...
Review: Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort (China)
Off the radar for most US travellers, China’s “Red Hawai’i” offered us an incredible opportunity in Sanya, China. I wanted to review the exquisite Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay and was not disappointed. If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
Review: Holiday Inn Resort Aruba – Families and Couples
Continuing our stay at the Holiday Inn Resort Aruba, see the previous post here. This property segments the property so that it can be a family or couples resort or a mixture of both. If you are considering booking travel or signing...
Take $40 Off Your $73+ Hotel Bill Instantly
MakeMyTrip, an Expedia-linked travel agency in India, is currently offering 2750 INR (~$40) off your hotel stay of 5000 INR (~$73) more. There is no minimum stay requirement, meaning this deal can be stacked quite nicely for a multi-night stay...
