Picking a hotel for our three-night stay in Gulf Shores involved some work. Though a popular vacation destination, the Alabama coast offers few "hotel" choices. That's especially true for points and miles junkies. By my count: one Best Western in Gulf Shores, and … [Read more...]
Review: Hotel St. Marie New Orleans
We broke our journey to Gulf Shores with two nights in New Orleans' French Quarter. The Big Easy features a ridiculous number of hotels, so picking one took some research. Originally, we planned on staying on Canal Street. However, I found prices surprisingly low in … [Read more...]
Free Breakfast – The Most Overrated Hotel Loyalty Benefit
A couple of months ago, The Deal Mommy posted an interesting article. She discussed the "Status Trap", where we make decisions solely based on chasing (or maintaining) elite hotel status. In other words, you might make an otherwise poor decision just to get that one … [Read more...]
Review: Hilton London Hyde Park, Kensington, London
My 24 hours in London spanned two days, necessitating an overnight in the city. I prefer boutique hotels, but also wanted to take advantage of Hilton's triple points promotion. That led me to the Hilton London Hyde Park. Located in a "Grade II Listed Edwardian … [Read more...]
Is Loyalty Still Worth It? Case: Starwood Preferred Guest
I don't think the loyalty game is dead, but it certainly is more difficult than it once was. In may ways, the benefits of elite status are better than ever, but it is also typically more difficult to achieve, especially for airlines. As a frequent traveler for … [Read more...]
Review: Andaz Ottawa Byward Market
I tend to have a lot of business trips to Canada. Until this year, one place I hadn't spent much time in was Ottawa. When searching for a place to stay, I found a brand new Andaz scheduled to open just before my trip. The Andaz brand is a small part of the Hyatt … [Read more...]
Review: The Tarpon Inn Port Aransas, Texas
For my wife's birthday this past March, we both wanted to enjoy one last pre-baby getaway somewhere. With late March the peak of my busy season, we needed to keep it reasonably close. I'd long heard good things about Port Aransas, a beach town on Mustang Island along … [Read more...]
The Sweet Spot for Status with Each Hotel Loyalty Program in 2016
This morning I released my third annual update of my hotel loyalty program comparison tables. While I try to keep those unbiased, this post is all about opinion. If you’re aiming for elite status then which program — and which tier in that program — is right for … [Read more...]
Comparing Hotel Elite Status in 2016
After comparing the four major U.S. airlines earlier this week, I'm now back to review six major hotel chains side-by-side. My objective is to compare each loyalty program to the others using common measures and help you choose one (or two?) most deserving of your … [Read more...]
Rumor: Hyatt Will Limit Expiration of Diamond Suite Upgrades in 2016
Apparently the recent update to the Gold Passport systems has already had one consequence: Diamond Suite Upgrades can no longer be applied to reservations past their expiration date. Existing suite upgrades (for members who received them this year) will continue to be … [Read more...]
