Small touches can make a big difference. Just a few small upgrades the the Lufthansa Welcome Lounge in Frankfurt really elevated the experience…for me at least. The upgrades: a new coffee machine with Lavazza coffee beans, new Staub cast...
Review: Singapore Airlines 777-300 Business Class Sydney to Singapore
This review recounts my daytime flight aboard Singapore’s fairly-dated regional 777-300 from Sydney to Singapore. As I metioned in my Rydges hotel review, we cut it far too close and arrived at the airport with mere moments to spare...
Review: Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel
With an early flight to Singapore the following morning, we chose to spend our final night in Sydney at the on-site Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel. My stay took place after the hotel first opened in June 2013. But if...
Review: Hyatt Regency (Kota) Kinabalu – Suite
During our Christmas/New Year’s trip to Borneo, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu. We were able to use a suite upgrade and it was one of the best we have had. The waterfront location, excellent service, and suite...
Review: Park Hyatt Sydney (Opera View Deluxe)
This Park Hyatt Sydney review covers my upgraded Opera View Deluxe room. For a full review of the property, its restaurants, and amenities, you can read my earlier review. The upgrade was unexpected: thank a broken thermostat in my original...
Review: Park Hyatt Canberra
Admittedly, this hotel reminded me more of a retirement home than a Park Hyatt property. But I still liked it a lot. Have you ever been in a retirement home that has a sort of musty/old smell? That’s this...
The Hilton Waikoloa: A Family Paradise
On a past trip to the beautiful Island of Hawaii, we stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa. My husband previously stayed here as a teenager after his mother won an all-expenses-paid giveaway from Sargento Cheese. Yes, people really win those...
Review: Qantas 737-800 Economy Class Melbourne to Canberra
The plane went up, the plane went down. The point of this 293-mile economy class flight review is to ask whether Qantas is worth the premium over its low-cost competition. Qantas remains a full service airline, even on short...
Review: Qantas Club Melbourne (MEL)
The domestic Qantas Club in Melbourne is a perfect example of what U.S. airlines should aspire to. It wasn’t over the top, but featured everything I am looking for in a domestic lounge. Let’s start with a construction update....
Review: Park Hyatt Melbourne
While not a typical Park Hyatt hotel, I enjoyed a relaxing three-night stay at the Park Hyatt Melbourne. Please note this review is from 2013, but very little has changed at the property since my visit. I outline my...
Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class Singapore to Melbourne
The moment had finally arrived. It was time to experience (at the time) the superlative first class product in the skies. We had to get to the gate, though, from The Private Room, Singapore’s lounge-within-a-lounge for first class passengers....
Review: Singapore Airlines Private Room (SIN)
The Private Room at Singapore’s Changi International Airport offers both tranquility and fine dining to Singapore Airlines’ first-class passengers. First, though, we had to find it. We arrived from San Francisco at 1am and were on our own in...
Why Did Singapore Airlines Close Lounge in Seoul?
Next up in my Australia trip report is a review of the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge in Seoul Incheon. But that seems almost pointless considering Singapore unexpectedly shut down the lounge last month. Instead, let’s focus on the reason...
Review: Singapore Airlines 777-300ER First Class
After a successful photo finish in San Francisco to connect just as the doors were closing, my uncle and I settled into the eight-seat first class cabin dripping in sweat. Talk about first class… Note, this trip report covers...
Review: Le Méridien New Orleans – Suite
During a business trip to the Big Easy, I stayed at the Le Méridien New Orleans, upgraded to a corner suite. It was one of the best experiences I have had as a Platinum SPG member and an excellent...
Review: Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara
Los Angeles is a great place to live, but one of the blessings of living in Southern California is weekend trips out of LA. One of my family’s favorite getaways is a two hour drive north to Santa Barbara....
Review: Malaysia Airlines First Class Lounge Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Tomorrow, Malaysia Airlines will open a newly refurbished first and business class lounge in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). I look forward to visiting the new lounge soon. I never published a review of the “old” first class lounge...
Review: Magnolia Hotel Houston, Tribute Portfolio
Looking for a downtown Houston hotel near the convention center, I stumbled upon an independent brand I didn’t know SPG had acquired, Magnolia. The boutique brand commanded a premium when it was independent with midwestern locations in Omaha and...
Review: Qatar Airways A330 Business Class Doha to Ho Chi Minh City
No matter what time of day, you’re in for a comfortable flight on Qatar Airways. In my intro to this trip report, I focused on the excellent food onboard even a relatively short overnight flight in Qatar Airways business...
Review: Hyatt Regency Orange County (Near Disneyland)
If you’re looking for a family-friendly hotel near Disneyland, the Hyatt Regency Orange County fits the bill. That wasn’t what I looking for, though. I just wanted a quiet hotel to spend the night with my wife and a...
