I’m pleased to introduce Elena, who will be providing hotel reviews and other musings on Live And Let’s Fly from time to time. -Matthew
Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Elena from Austria.
If there’s one thing I noticed since starting to follow points and miles websites over the past few years is that most seem to be more male-oriented. That is, missing a female perspective. Travel is a passion of mine, both solo or with friends and family. For work and holidays over 150 nights a year.
Whilst I have learned so much as an Austrian from LALF (and a few others) in how to strategize credit cards, hotels, and airline points, which is not as intuitive for Europeans as for Americans, I have often bemoaned that the reviews of hotels and different destinations seem to be missing the occasional female voice.
Not that Matthew and Kyle don’t try. They are wonderful and thorough in capsulizing a property. Yet they can’t help but to miss a woman’s perspective. How did it feel dining alone at the restaurant as a woman? How was the interaction from the staff? What funny thing happened to me that might feel differently for either of them? Were the bath salts and tub special? (Do Matthew and Kyle even use the bathtub?) Or how about the in-room tea selection was or whether there was even a tea kettle provided?
More than that I hope to provide everyone, not just women, with a clear and concise review of many of the hotels and destinations I am so fortunate to travel to. I have currently been to over 80 countries with many more on my list to explore. What I derive from this passion is both content for my work as a freelance journalist and feeding the same addiction that many readers here have: a need to move about and experience first-hand.
Why I was long ago drawn to Live and Let’s Fly, and Matthew’s work, is his belief that travel is a chance to connect cultures and people in remarkable ways. For me as well it shapes my perspective each, and every, day. Oh, and of course, what is the best usage of Hyatt points!
My hope as well is to bring to readers a look at properties and destinations that are not on the usual path of American bloggers. As an avid diver, skier, and surfer to also open the idea of alternative destination spots that few may know about but offer a genuine experience and opportunity for the adventurous.
I am so honored that Matthew has given me a place to share my love of photos, place, and writing. I hope that readers here will appreciate my reviews and that women will also see a place in travel through me that is helpful and inspiring.
Into the lion’s den
Welcome. It will be interesting to see another perspective on things and I look forward to reading what you have to say.
+1!
Looking forward to an additional perspective.
Let’s hope “from time to time” = “Sundays”.
Uncalled for. Read what she has to say before getting judgemental.
Uh-oh, somebody had too many nuggets in their terd soup today.
You have an interesting diet.
You misunderstood my comment
He wants to replace Kyle with Elena 😉 he gets my upvote!
I hope you review my favourite hotel , the Goldener Hirsch in Salzburg .
It has the Austrian sophistication and good cheer , that Austria is known to be .
I was just there a week ago. The breakfast was divine! Best eggs Benedict with salmon EVER. And I didn’t even need to sign a bill at the end of it, perfect!
Finally this blog won’t be such an insufferable sausage fest any longer. Elena, I look forward to having as many positive and genial interactions with you as I do with Kyle and Matthew.
Thank God. Finally a mainline blog, with a female perspective, that’s not a “mommy column”.
The one that I’m sure everyone in the flying community knows of, was so cloying and annoying, I stopped reading that blog almost entirely.
Matthew, I love the way you write and talks about your kids. It’s almost not like a ‘Dad’ thing, but a ‘people’ thing – that anyone can relate to and take pearls from, regardless of sex, orientation, or parental status. Definitly not anything like a ‘mommy blog’. It annoys me to no end that is the only available major airline blogger option for a woman’s perspective (that’s not entirely a smokescreen for an influencer/instragram perspective) and it’s so time warped from where many woman travelers are.
Bravo Matt. Looking forward to the first few readings.
Thank you, CMT. I am a “mom” but I don’t subscribe to that as defining me entirely, or my travel. It’s a wonderful part of travel, yes. to share this time together. If anything I hope I teach my daughter to find the joy of traveling solo or leading friends.
Excited especially for the Australian perspective on things, cheers!
Hahaha, read again where Elena lives 😉
Excellent initiative!
I was telling myself yesterday, as a French gay man: this guy (Mathew) seems to be very smart and I appreciate reading him.
Yet, the overall impression is that it’s too “male-oriented” with too much testosterone put uselessly everywhere (special interest for fights/altercations,etc.).
Mathew is definitely not as much sophisticated as Ben Omaat (especially for foor food tastes/choices/palates), but seems to be much more authentic in what he is reviewing.
Yer, Both of you have a very classy style that helps me improve my English level.
So Super Welcome to Elena! I look forward reading soon with this very expected feminine European prospective.
Creepy homosexual Ben Schlapig sucks. Matthew is smarter and much more handsome.
I’m not so certain I am sophisticated, far from it, but I do love nice things. Much like Matthew and Kyle. I hope I can fit in here whilst still giving a fresh perspective.
Welcome Elena, looking forward to reading your posts. Based on this one, your redaction need a lot of work. Constructive criticism, not just trying to complain.
Shouldn’t the author of this post be her? Or credit to both of you?
Austrian or Australian?
That may be a typo, or wrong image
Austrian (despite the picture in Australia)
It’s a joke. The souvenir shops in Vienna, Austria, are full of t-shirts that say “no kangaroos in Austria”.
No Birkenstocks, no socks – must be Australian.
I promise you all I am Austrian, not Australian. I do love Australia though. But it’s funny because so often I have to explain when traveling that in Austria we have no Kangaroos. Sorry that photo confused everyone!
There wasn’t an American available? More outsourcing destroying the American economy.
That’s a joke by the way, welcome Elena!
Hopefully you won’t be as obsessed as Matthew is with always sitting in Business Class and always getting an upgrade at every hotel you visit. Welcome.
Nope, I’m equally obsessed with sitting in Business Class and won’t turn down a nice hotel upgrade. Female traveler perspective on same is more than welcomed!
I agree on all your points!
I enjoyed Kyle’s wife’s posts back in the day. Our son is older than Lucy by a few years but as a mother, I related to her content.
My honest view: I read this blog 100% for Matthew’s posts. I enjoy his writing, perspectives, and quirks, and don’t quite understand why he has other people who post. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy some of Kyle’s posts, and I’ll probably enjoy some of Elena’s posts too. No disrespect intended to anyone, just my honest opinion.
One day off a week isn’t unreasonable. I enjoy Matthew’s posts and writing style too, (well maybe not the clickbait articles but we all must pay the bills however we can), but it’s interesting to read other writers as well from time to time. If Matthew started mixing it up on random days, that probably wouldn’t go over as well though.
Knowing on Sundays there will be other contributors always makes Sunday a bit of a (mostly pleasant) surprise, wondering what type of topics there’ll be. Sometimes I’m not much interested (but I’m not interested in all Mathhew’s articles either).
Now and then though, Kyle’s topics are areas that Matthew normally doesn’t choose to write about. A good number of Kyle’s articles of those types, I’ve found especially relevant and interesting. I look forward to Elena’s as well.
I would love to see reviews on Credit Cards, Points & Miles from the perspective of an european eye.
Nice