TRIP REPORTS

With the addition of the Hounds Tooth Inn in Oakhurst, California,  and now the El Capitan Hotel in Merced, California, Hyatt has made some positive inroads into the gateway entrance markets that…

A couple weeks after our stay at Ventana Big Sur, An Alila Resort, we returned to Big Sur, California, to checkout the Ventana’s sister property, Ventana Campground. The Ventana Campground is a…

During a recent epic road trip out to California’s coast, we decided to “go big” and end in style at the Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort, in Big Sur, California. The…

For months, I tried and failed. No matter when I looked, I couldn’t find any available dates to book the Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas on points. That changed recently when I…

Hyatt had my curiosity when I discovered the World of Hyatt was expanding its portfolio to cover the area around Yosemite National Park. Hyatt had my attention when I discovered World of…

Billing itself as “the first new luxury hotel in Palm Desert in over 30 years”, HOTEL PASEO, Autograph Collection, has certainly set expectations high. Did it meet those expectations during our stay?…

On our way up to backpack the Lost Coast Trail (LCT), we made a stop in NorCal wine country for one last buzzed hurrah before hitting the backcountry. I am embarrassed to…

This is a room walkthrough video of a “Vineyard Oak Studio With King And Outdoor Tub” room at Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel, California. Read the full review here: Review: Carmel Valley…

For our first trip to California’s wine country, I wanted to go big. Having just checked out the Hyatt Regency Sonoma, it was on to one of the newest jewels in Hyatt’s…

After a pair of amazing stays at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, I was curious to see if I could “three-peat” at the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage. Would…

The legendary Hotel Del Coronado has long been on my “must-stay” list of California hotels – and I finally got the chance to stay there. Did it live up to its legendary…

Early in 2021, World of Hyatt offered its members the chance to earn expedited status with just half the usual required numbers of stays. Taking them up on that offer required me…

If you haven’t heard the news, Disneyland has officially reopened! Well, reopened on a limited basis. I recently made my way down to OC (Orange County. California) to check out the Hyatt…

After an excellent stay at the neighboring Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, we headed down the street to continue our Dana Point, California, getaway at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. Admittedly,…

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had actually been to the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club twice before, first when it was the St. Regis and again…

Having  had the pleasure of staying at Andaz Peninsula Papagayo and Andaz Singapore, I’ve been clamoring to check out more Andaz locations closer to home. I finally got that chance with the…

As the de facto gateway city for many traveling to Southeast Asia, Bangkok is known for its great hotels (like the St. Regis Bangkok) at incredibly reasonable prices. During my last trip…

From Luang Prabang in Laos, we flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand. As with our last destination, we decided to again forgo the “points game” and go “independent” on the hotel front. We…

From Chiang Mai, Thailand, we flew down to Krabi where we’d be staying at yet another independent [non-points game] hotel, The Elements Krabi Resort. But was it a good choice for a…

After an excellent stay at the Crowne Plaza Vientiane, it was time to move on to our next Laotian adventure, the town of Luang Prabang. Whenever possible, I try and stay at…