TRIP REPORTS

After an uneven and mostly “shut down” stay at Hyatt Carmel Highlands, I was beginning to wonder if travel during the pandemic (especially when redeeming 20,000+ points a night) was a bad …

I have no problem driving the 5 hours from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. However, I draw the line at the 5.5 hour drive to Carmel. Why? Good question. It just seems …

I love my American Express Hilton Aspire Card. I love it so much in fact, that I have two of them! Last year, I used the $250 Hilton credit (on each card) …

After a long-haul flight from LAX, I landed at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport (ICN), where I promptly consulted with my American Express app to find a lounge to pass the time …

One of my favorite things about visiting the Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks (and the Sierras for that matter) is the chance to try out new beers from the Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co. …

One of my favorite things about visiting the Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks (and the Sierras for that matter) is the chance to try out new beers from the Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co. …

Get a $25 Best Western Gift Card for Each Night You Stay! Along California’s Highway 41, lies the mountain town of Oakhurst, California. Oakhurst is not just any ol’ town – far …

As you know, I’m a huge fan of Hyatt hotels. So I’ll admit it’s strange that although I’ve stayed at some amazing Hyatt hotels around the world (Paris, Bali, Costa Rica), I’ve …

Palm Springs has long been known as one of the paramount destinations in SoCal. I’m pretty sure that an annul weekend getaway to Palm Springs is a mandatory legal requirement for residents …

We just took a look at the brand new TownPlace Suites San Diego Central. In this post, we’ll take a look at the Residence Inn San Diego Mission Valley. Review: Residence Inn …

Yes, “vanilla hotels” may not be the “sexiest” use of points in the travel-hacking universe, but they can often provide massive outsized value, especially when you just need a place to crash …

After my prior stay at the upscale and trendy Kimpton Hotel Palomar San Diego, I opted to try another IHG hotel located in downtown San Diego. This time, I chose the Holiday …

During my stay at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla At Aventine in San Diego, I chose to cash in one of my Club Access Award passes for access to the Regency Club. …

Earlier, we took a look at several Category 4 (or below) “vanilla” Hyatt properties in the San Diego area, including Hyatt Place San Diego/Vista-Carlsbad and the Hyatt House San Diego/Carlsbad. We’ll keep …

After my previous review on the Hyatt House San Diego/Carlsbad, I’m keeping the “vanilla” Hyatt hotel theme going with the Hyatt Place San Diego/Vista-Carlsbad. Let me be clear, “vanilla” hotels are not …

On a recent weekend road-trip to San Diego to visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, we needed a quick place to stay for the night that wouldn’t eat a ton of …

It’s no secret that Las Vegas has some of the best (and most famous) restaurants in the world. Any chef who’s anybody has their own signature restaurant on “the strip”. But what …

I had stayed at Vdara several times (years ago), not long after its opening in 2009, and I remember being very impressed. One time, I was even given a massive City Corner …

If you have a Chase World of Hyatt credit card, then you already know you get a free night annually just for being a card member. What you may not know is …

I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of this tour at Luxembourg City. As we drove back to Belgium, I fell asleep on the 1 hour and 45 minute bus ride to Dinant …