Going For the Status Match

Earlier this year, Kimpton Hotels sparked my interest after I attended a travel event over at Kimpton’s Eventi Hotel in NYC. While the Kimpton portfolio itself is relatively small containing only a limited amount of properties the U.S., I’ve always heard great things about the brand in the past.

I then learned about a status match opportunity they were offering, so I quickly shot an email over to guestloyalty@kimptongroup.com, asking for a reciprocity match into the Kimpton Inner Circle program using my Hyatt Diamond status that I had at the time. While I had never stayed at a Kimpton property at the time of sending my email, reviewing at the perks and benefits associated with Kimpton’s Inner Circle really intrigued me.

Not only did I particularily enjoy the complimentary wifi and room upgrade perks, but what really caught my eye was this: Complimentary night at new hotels.

After studying their hotel collection, I saw that there were 6 “new” hotels that qualified for the complimentary night available for Inner Circle members. On top of that, Inner Circle members would additionally receive a $50 dining credit per stay. Was I really going to get 6 free nights and $300 in dining credits as a result of this status match? Wow!

At this point, I was curious and wanted to learn more. I had an upcoming night in DC that I needed a room for, so I called the Inner Circle VIP line and was able to book a complimentary night at the Donovan House in DC. Yup, it was true – I was able to reserve a night at the hotel completely free of charge just by being an Inner Circle member. I thought to myself, “man, this is just fabulous, but I can see this status match opportunity blowing up pretty soon and possibly being abused…”

Well, I guess between the time I made my booking and March 18, Kimpton decided to modify the terms of their reciprocity status match by sending out an email explaining that the free night benefit would only be available after completing 3 stays. Here’s an excerpt from what was sent:

It is the spirit of Kimpton to be generous; we offer reciprocity upfront and without required stays within any specified amount of time. We will continue to do so. However, in order to participate in the Free Night at New Hotel Offer we ask that you first complete 3 eligible stays.

By that point, I already had a confirmed free-night reservation. Would my reservation still be valid? Yes! The email then stated the following:

Existing complimentary reservations will be honored as of March 18, 2013. For any new reservations, we will require three stays before you are eligible for a free night booking at any of our new hotels.

I can bet that many people who were newly-status-matched into Inner Circle were bummed by that news, but in all honesty, it’s still an incredible offer that’s worth pursuing in my eyes.

My First Stay Experience – A Free Night at the Donovan House hotel in Washington D.C.

Two weekends ago, I spent a few days in San Juan, Puerto Rico because I wanted to burn some Hilton HHonors nights after the devaluation. Since the fares were cheaper to SJU originating from DCA, I decided to take Amtrak to Washington Station, spend a night in D.C., and then head to San Juan via Miami the following morning.

When I booked my free Kimpton night at the Donovan House, I received a personalized email from the hotel asking me to fill out my personalized preferences in my account. I arrived at the hotel for check-in around noon, but the room wasn’t ready, so I got lunch and walked around town a bit. When I returned, I was told I was upgraded to a corner room on a high floor with an awesome view. The room itself was modern, spacious and comfortable.

After exploring D.C. a bit, we returned back to the room and found a welcome note, a fruit platter and some sweet Honest Teas. In my Inner Circle profile, I had noted that my favorite drink was unsweetened iced tea and my favorite snacks were fresh mangoes, pineapples, and red velvet cupcakes.

 Did they nail it? Not so much, but nevertheless a personalized welcome amenity is always appreciated and makes me smile.

We then went down to the complimentary wine happy hour that’s held daily in the lobby between 5-6 pm and had dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Zentan, using the $50 dining credit. The food was awesome and the evironment was trendy and nice. Overall, I can say I was quite pleased with my first Kimpton stay after experiencing the Donovan House.

My 2nd Stay and First Paid Night: The Eventi Hotel in Manhattan

Last Friday was my 26th birthday. When I returned home from San Juan, I had to figure out what to do to celebrate, and a local night out in NYC sounded like the way to go after a friend suggested that we possibly get a hotel room at the W Union Square. I figured that instead of staying at the W, why not try to knock out a paid stay at the Kimpton and work towards my 3 paid stays?

Turns out, at $212 a right, the Eventi Hotel was cheaper than any of the W Hotels anyway; and in my honest opinion, I think the Eventi is way nicer than any of the W Hotels in Manhattan that I’ve been to.

We arrived at 3 pm, and were upgraded from a standard king room to a suite. The size of the room was what I expected for NYC and it was new and modern, featuring a separate living room, comfortable bed, and a great bathroom. I also really loved the floor-t0-ceiling windows.

We set out to get some gelato and snacks at Eataly nearby, and when we returned, Kimpton hit the nail on the head with my personal preferences:

They even knocked on the door with birthday balloons the following morning. I was so blown away by such a spectacular stay at the Eventi filled with exceptional personalized attention.

Things I really like about Kimpton

Hosted Evening Wine Hours – every Kimpton hotel offers an hour of complimentary hand-picked wines between 5-6 pm. It’s a great way to socialize and relax before dinner plans.

Raid the Mini Bar – In Touch members automatically get a $10 mini bar credit ($15 in NYC) to use towards whatever snacks or drinks you want.

The Personal Experience/Overall Brand Image – The one thing that got me hooked on Kimpton was the fact they they don’t take themselves too seriously; their brand is hip, fun, and relevant, catered to making every stay personable and fun. You can even feel it from the wording on their website and emails.

They have an incredible pet policy – they welcome any pet, any size, at any of their hotels. Now… who wants to try checking in with a giraffe? Also, if you’re bummed that you don’t have a pet with you while on the road, they’ll even deliver a pet goldfish to your room! I’m kicking myself for not finding out about that during my stay!

Why I am pursuing Inner Circle

In all seriousness, I’ll admit that it’s tough to maintain top-tier hotel status with a hotel program entirely through stay credits. Are the benefits even worth it when you find yourself mattress-running and scrambling to get stay credits as a leisure traveler? Not for me. I’ve actually found that mid-tier hotel status is sufficient enough. For instance, Hyatt Diamond status is great because you get awesome free breakfast, but you need 25 stays or 50 nights a year to maintain it. I’ll take a Dunkin Donuts flatbread sandwich instead, thankyouverymuch.

Back in November, I was gifted a Hyatt Diamond 3-month trial as a Star Mega Do 4 participant and I didn’t re-qualify this year to maintain it. Frankly, just by having the Hyatt Credit Card, the Platinum status that comes along with it has been enough. I’m also automatically Starwood Gold and Hilton Gold just by having the American Express Platinum Card and Citi HHonors Reserve Card, respectively.

I do find incredible value in the Inner Circle program though, so in my eyes it’s “worth it” to stay 3 times (1 down, 2 to go) to unlock the other 5 complimentary nights. I’ve been so incredibly pleased by my two experiences at Kimpton hotels so far that I’ve been raving about the program to all of my non-point-and-miles-affiliated friends, encouraging them to go for the match themselves; when “real” friends get involved, you know I’m crazy about the program.

I’m not the only blogger who’s become newly-passionate about Kimpton either – Hack My Trip just recently posted a similar opinion/analysis on his blog too. He also raves about their customer service in this post too. Somethings in the air.

Conclusions

On so many blogs and forums, we’re taught to chase top-tier elite status with Hyatt and Starwood; they’re perceived to be the cream of the crop. Don’t get me wrong, they are great programs, but let’s be realistic – if you’re not a business traveler, it’s very hard to maintain those statuses as an average person or family. And to be completely honest, I found the Club Carlson program to surpass both the Hyatt and Starwood programs entirely, especially now that there’s a competitive US Bank Club Carlson Visa on the market.

A rule of thumb for pursuing any status in general: you have to seriously ask yourself if it’s “worth it” for you. Frankly, chasing Starwood Platinum or Hyatt Diamond Status is not worth it for me, but to each their own.

I’m so glad I was able to give Kimpton a chance. 6 free nights after completing 3 paid stays is an incredibly generous offer, and I think of it as a “stay 1 night, get 2 nights” kind of deal. I’ve been ridiculously pleased with and giddy about the Kimpton Inner Circle program this month. I’m hooked – good job, Kimpton!

If you’re interested in a reciprocity status match with Kimpton Inner Circle, you can learn more about it here.

Feel free to share your thoughts as well!

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Dad and I recently visited Tokyo last month on a whim. Naturally, we did some “homework” to ensure that we were getting a good value at a quality clean and convenient place to stay. The last time I visited Tokyo in September, I stayed at the Sheraton for one night using points, and then for the following three nights, I stayed at what is referred to as a “business hotel”, Hotel Listel Shinjuku. The Hotel Listel Shinjuku was less than $100 a night, and was a perfect crash pad.

This time around, Dad and I opted to stay one night at the luxurious Park Hyatt Tokyo using points just to say we had the experience of staying in one of the finest hotels in Tokyo. Yes, the Park Hyatt was wonderful, but with only two nights in town this time around, the budget hotel that we stayed at the first night, The Comfort Hotel, suited our needs a bit better.

The Listel Hotel Shinjuku

Back in September, I impulsively visited Tokyo for a few days to catch up with an old college pal who was living in and teaching in Japan full time. Since the trip was booked literally a day before I arrived, there wasn’t much time to plan. For our first night, I used 12,000 Starpoints to stay one night at the Sheraton Miyako Hotel. I figured we’d play it by ear for the rest of the nights.

The Sheraton was great, but just a little out of the way, in a quieter part of town. I didn’t want to spend anymore points, since I prefer to transfer Starpoints to airline miles, so we opted to find a budget-friendly, but clean place to stay. I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous and did not know what to expect from the Listel Hotel Shinjuku. I knew it was a budget hotel, and rooms would be tiny, but my main concern was cleanliness.

When we arrived at the hotel, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, it was basic and small, but very clean (whew), and fully stocked with everything we could need – free wifi, bathroom amenities, towels, robes, slippers, etc. The room and bathroom kind of reminded me of a cruise ship cabin if that makes any sense.

The staff were friendly, but from what I remember, they did not speak much English. My friend did much of the talking in Japanese. It was a little bit of a pain to find the place at first, but once we got the hang of the location, it was easy to get to and from the hotel. Overall, we had a great stay and I’d happily return to another budget “business hotel” in Tokyo in the future.

Comfort Hotel Kiyosumi-Shirakawa

Last month, Dad and I spent one night at the Comfort Hotel Kiyosumi Shirakawa using 8,000 Choice points. Getting to the Comfort Hotel was a breeze from NRT. At the aiport, we purchased a Keisei Skyliner train ticket to Ueno station for 2,400 Yen. From there, we hopped on the Oedo line on the Tokyo Metro to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa (E14). The hotel is literally adjacent to the subway station – could not ask for a better location.

Check-in was quick and our room was spotless. The Comfort Hotel is a newer building to begin with so the room was new, basic, and clean with two double beds. There was free wifi throughout the hotel and complimentary hot breakfast in the morning, featuring a fantastic spread and variety. Do note that check out time is 10:00 am.

If you have Choice Hotel points to burn, I highly recommend this hotel. The location is fabulous – only 15 minutes from popular spots such as Asakusa and Akihabara, and it’s a fantastic value. If you do not have Choice points, rooms sell for about $80-$90 a night.

What other budget-hotel gems have you found in Tokyo? Reader Claire is heading to Tokyo in a few weeks and could use some suggestions!

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Happy Easter, all! I just returned back home after an amazing two-week trip with Dad to San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo. At the tail end of the trip, it’s safe to say that I knocked an aspirational hotel stay off my bucket list, as we spent our last night at the legendary Park Hyatt Tokyo.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo is often referred to as the “best hotel” in Tokyo according to Trip Advisor and other reviews circulating around the internet; some even refer to it as the best hotel in the world, period. Naturally, I was curious to give it a try and my expectations were quite high.

Getting the Room

Many people tend to burn their two-free night certificates from the Hyatt Visa here since a standard room can range from $550-$1000 per night, depending on the season. Since I already used my two-free nights last year at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, another option aside from paying the standard rate was to use 22,000 Hyatt GoldPassport points (transferred from Ultimate Rewards) for a free night. Since Dad and I were traveling together, it ended up being “justifiable”, at 11,000 points each, for a one-night stay.

The Location/Getting There

I’ll be honest, the location was not ideal. Unless you’re a business traveler and are happy to be in the heart of the Shinjuku business district, then the location will not impress you if you are a tourist yearning for a real “Tokyo” experience. The hotel is situated on the top floors of a sleek office building, and at times I felt like I was in Manhattan rather than in Japan. You can get to the hotel via public transportation, the shuttle, or a taxi.

I found these directions to be the easiest and most convenient:

Take the Oedo Line (“E” on the Toei Line) to the Tochomae stop (E28). When you exit the train, look for exit A4 and proceed up the stairs. Make a right onto the sidewalk and continue walking until you identify the distinguished Park Tower building (pictured below). It’ll be about a 7 minute walk.

If you decide to get off at Shinjuku station, you can also walk directly to the Park Hyatt Tokyo if you choose. This option will take you probably about 12-15 minutes. Alternatively, there is a complimentary Park Hyatt courtesy shuttle that runs every 20 minutes from the Shinjuku L-Tower. Information about the shuttle service can be found here.

If public transportation is not your thing, you can go the taxi route, but be sure to pay the price. A taxi from Shinjuku station to the hotel will run you about 700-800 Yen, while coming directly from NRT will cost you a hefty 27,000 Yen if you ask the hotel to arrange the transfer for you. Do not be afraid of public transportation in Tokyo – it’s extremely easy to use and efficient.

Since we had an early flight out of HND the following morning, and the metros do not run between midnight and 5 am, the hotel staff recommended that we take the “Airport Limousine” bus at 10:50 pm for 1200 Yen per person. We were able to stow our bags at the hotel free of charge from check out until the time of our bus to the airport.

The Property/The Room

The hotel is located on floors 41-51 of the Park Tower, and I’ll be honest, it’s a gorgeous hotel all around with sleek modern designs and amazing panoramic-views of the city. Upon entering the building, you’ll be greeted by a number of staff members who will give you undivided-personal attention. You’ll then be directed to the elevator which will take you up to the 41st floor for check-in. The first thing that will meet your eyes upon exiting the elevator is an amazing lobby bar complete with a sky-ceiling atrium, providing an abundance of natural light.

We booked at standard room, and as Platinum guests, we were not upgraded, but that’s OK because we wanted two beds anyway. The room was modern, spacious, cozy, and I was generally impressed with it. The only thing I learned I was not a fan of was the green carpet because I felt it did not photograph well. All of the small touches in the room definitely lived up to “5-star luxury”. I appreciated the hand-written welcome note and welcome amenity (some sweet, peanut-based snack).

The bathroom was spacious and featured a full standing-shower and large bathtub, with a large vanity area. There were more towels than I could ever imagine needing, and I was a huge fan of the Aesop amenities.

The Service/Stay Experience

Hands down, the service was impeccable. I have never experienced such attentive staff in my life. Everyone from the doorman to the gentleman who delivered an iron to my room exceeded my service expectations completely. In fact, the service was so attentive that at some points it felt slightly overwhelming. I’m usually not used to such over-the-top treatment, but it definitely stuck with me in a good way.

I also had an opportunity to experience the breakfast the following morning as a guest of a Hyatt Diamond member (thanks, Summer!). The breakfast spread was plentiful and there was also an option to order from the menu. I chose to order from the menu and every course was spectacular.

Overall Impression

At the very least, I am extremely appreciative that I got to experience one of the finest hotels in the world. Will I return to the Park Hyatt Tokyo the next time I’m in town? Probably not, and here’s why: I don’t need luxury every day. In fact, I prefer a more “local” experience when I travel. While the service and experience were exceptional, the location was not impressive at all, and I generally prefer to be where all the action is. I don’t mind budget hotels in excellent locations. In fact, Dad and I had an incredible stay at the Comfort Hotel the night before and I am excited to review that next.

In conclusion, I’m happy I can say I had the experience, but I certainly can put 22,000 Ultimate Rewards points to a better use next time around.

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For the first two nights of our Australia trip, Dad and I had a very pleasant stay at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney. The hotel is a Category 6 property that redeems for 50,000 Club Carlson points per night. Since Dad is a Club Carlson Visa cardholder, we were able to book two consecutive nights for just 50,000 points total, which is an excellent redemption given the fact that this hotel normally prices out for AUD 300 per night.

Getting There/Location Details

Getting to the hotel from SYD is very easy. Upon exiting customs, turn right and follow signs for “Sydney’s Airport Train”. The fare from SYD to downtown Sydney is AUD 16.70, and the ride takes about 20 minutes. The closet stop to The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney is Wynyard Station. The hotel is located at the intersection of Pitt Street and O’Connell Street, only a few blocks from Wynyard Station.

The hotel is situated in an ideal location; it’s nested between Sydney Harbor (about a 5-10 minute walk) and Martin Place (2 minute walk). We found it to be easy to walk almost anywhere from the Radisson Blu. Town Hall is about a 15-20 minute walk from the hotel, and I highly recommend you take the Free Sydney Walking Tour (more on that will be covered in our trip report) during your visit.

The Room

The entire hotel is is very modern, updated, and newly-renovated. We were given an upgraded corner room (room 430) with two double beds. The room had a lot of natural sunlight and sound-proof windows to block outside traffic noise (not that there is much anyway). The corner room was extremely spacious and open, featuring a flat screen TV, a work desk, sitting area, and modern decor.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was roomy, clean, and fantastic with a standing shower (excellent water pressure) and a separate large bath tub. There is also an optional heat light that was a nice touch. The amenities were by Peter Morrissey and included bar soaps, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, toothbrush kits, and a vanity kit.

Other Notes

• As Club Carlson Gold Elites, we were not given access to the executive lounge or free breakfast (even after asking); however, we did get upgraded to a corner room (without asking).
• To upgrade to an executive room with lounge access, they were asking for AUD 110 per night. Breakfast is offered at AUD 35 per person. There are plenty of places for quick eats right outside, and there are lots of 7-11 type of convenience stores within a block away.

Overall, we had a very pleasant stay in one of Sydney’s top hotels. As always, I love that points came to the rescue!

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How We Got It

Last month, I headed to Istanbul for the first time with some friends for a President’s Day Weekend getaway. Since we all were gifted top-tier Hyatt Diamond status as Star MegaDo 4 participants back in November, we decided it would be best to book a few rooms at the Grand Hyatt Istanbul, so that we could take advantage of our Hyatt Diamond benefits (free breakfast, club lounge access, complimentary daily happy hour, etc.) before they were set to expire at the end of February. We also wanted to add our soon-to-be expiring suite upgrade certificates to the reservations.

One of the friends I was traveling with is an IBM employee, so not only did we secure an amazing corporate rate of just 109 Euro per night, but somehow the Presidential Suite was showing as available on the Hyatt booking engine when we were making the reservation. We ended up “reserving” the room, but had a strong feeling we’d be contacted by the hotel shortly.

As we expected, a few weeks went by and the property realized what had happened, and a manager told my friend that a confirmed booking into the Presidential Suite was indeed a mistake. When we arrived, we assumed that they had already automatically rebooked us into one of the Grand Suites that we were supposed to get from our upgrade certificate, but to our surprise, they told us that the Presidential Suite was ours for the whole weekend! Wow!

The Room

The Presidential Suite at the Grand Hyatt Istanbul is located on the 9th floor in room 948. My first impression of the room was that it was huge and never-ending. At 240 sq. meters and pricing at over 4100 Euro per night on average, this room was a dream come true for us.

Upon entering the suite, you’re greeted by a grand marble foyer leading to an elaborate living room with a nice stretch gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows providing awesome views of the Bosphorus. On your left, there’s a complete full and modern kitchen; to the right is a long hallway leading to the rest of rooms within the massive suite.

The the Presidential suite has a giant living room, full kitchen, a grand dining room table that seats 10, a separate office/study, a hallway bathroom, a king suite bedroom, and the most elaborate hotel bathroom I’ve ever seen. In fact, I think the master bathroom area alone was bigger than my two-bedroom apartment.

On the topic of the bathroom, the master bathroom was almost like a spa itself, featuring a private full-sized sauna, olympic-sized bathtub, a 6-jet power shower, two sinks fully stocked with June Jacobs amenities, a separate fairy-tale makeup vanity, a complete walk-in closet, and even a mini “ballet studio” with a ballerina bar/stretching area with full floor to ceiling mirrors! Though 3 of us shared the room for the weekend, the room could easily and comfortably sleep 8-10 with the use of rollaways and the many comfy couches tastefully placed within the suite.

Our Stay Experience/Overall Hotel Impressions

The hotel is located near Istanbul’s famous Taksim Square, and getting to the property is extremely easy via public transportation from the airport. For just 8 Turkish lire, you can hop on a Havatas bus from the airport, which will take you directly to Taskim Square in just 45 minutes. The ride was smooth and the buses ran very regularly. From Taksim Square, it’s just a short walk through a pretty park to the Grand Hyatt. The check-in process was a breeze, and we were informed that the hotel provides a complimentary daily happy hour in the executive lounge between 6-8 pm.

The happy hour was plentiful, featuring many fine wines and premium spirits along with small-plate appetizers such as cold-cuts, cheeses, and Turkish desserts. Breakfast is also held in the lounge daily and includes a vast buffet spread as well as a sit-down menu.

On a scale of one to five stars, If I could, I’d honestly rate this experience as above the scale. Everything about our stay was exceptional. There was not one thing I could complain about or even consider an issue. The staff, the attentive housekeeping personnel, the lounge offerings, the property, and the location all were out of this world.

Actually, yes, I did just think of one very minor complaint – when I returned back to the states, I received my Hyatt Platinum card. After that incredible Hyatt Diamond experience, I was back to where I was pre-MegaDo :-P. Overall, I am very fortunate that I can truly say I got to experience what Hyatt Diamond status has to offer!

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PS – I am currently on a big trip with Dad, so posting might be less frequent than usual. However, I invite you to follow me on Instagram for some “InstaUpdates” and pics before they make it to the blog!

Last month in August, I got to experience the Aloft brand for the first time during two separate occasions. My first stay was at the Aloft Lexington while I was up in Swampscott, MA working, and the second stay was a few weekends ago at the Aloft Philadelphia Airport in order for Kevin to receive his 2,000 bonus points through SPG’s targeted “Bonus Beginnings” promotion (related post).

For those who are unfamiliar with the Aloft brand, it’s Starwood’s fairly-new chain that is what I’d call a “budget-friendly” version of the their trendy W brand hotels, featuring hip and modern rooms with elements of the W vision spread throughout. I personally really enjoy the W brand since I love young, hip, and modern decor, so I was eager to give the Aloft brand a spin. You can scroll down for my reviews/photos of the two properties I stayed at below.

One thing I noticed at both locations was the option to make a green choice – by declining cleaning service during your stay. As a reward, the property was offering either a $5 credit or 250 Starpoints. Naturally, I value the points more than the $5 room credit, so I opted for that. I really love hotels that offer points or some kind of reward for opting to help conserve, and I have seen this “go-green-for-points” effort at select SPG properties in the U.S. Back in March, I was awarded 500 Starpoints for declining cleaning at The Nines in Portland. OK, enough about me – do you make an effort to participate in similar “make a green choice” promotions in exchange for an incentive, such as bonus points?

Hotel Review: Aloft Lexington

Back in the beginning of August, when I spent a few weeks hotel-hopping in the greater Boston area, I used cash and points (2,800 SPG points + $45) for a one night stay at this property. I arrived at the hotel at around 10 pm after a long 13-hour work day, so I was happy that check in was quick and painless. When I entered the lobby, or I should say “living room”, I definitely saw major components of the W in the decor and atmosphere, as it was very modern, trendy, hip, and inviting with its open floor plan.

I was given a king room on the first floor that was pretty basic, but clean, quiet, and comfortable, featuring a large flat-screen TV, a work desk, and a spacious bathroom. Just like the W brands, the bathroom was stocked with Bliss products, but the shampoo and bodywash were in fixed wall dispensers inside the shower. I understand that they do that as a way to be “green”, but honestly it made me feel like I was showering at a community facility, such as a gym, instead of at a hotel. Other than that, there really were not any issues with my stay, and I was able to get a good night’s sleep.

The lobby of the Aloft Lexington

The bed

Flatscreen wall TV

Basic work desk

A glimpse of the sink/vanity area

Hotel Review: Aloft Philadelphia Aiport

A few weekends ago, Kevin and I had a work and play weekend in Philadelphia. As I was looking for a place to stay, a little birdie reminded me that the Bonus Beginnings promotion that Kevin’s SPG account was targeted for was coming to an end, which would allow him us to earn an additional 2,000 bonus Starpoints with any stay. Naturally, I generally try to consolidate all of our hotel stays under my account so that they count towards elite-status qualification, but of course it was worth sacrificing that element for the 2,000 bonus points. I was able to book the room at a great $101 rate with AAA.

The location of this hotel is not so ideal. Yes, I understand it is an airport hotel, so if you’re looking for a quick place to rest and shower for a few hours then this is for you. Other than that, be prepared for total isolation… from food at least. There isn’t a restaurant inside the hotel, nor is there anything desirable to eat within a 5 mile radius, except a [really grungy-looking] Ruby Tuesday or a Chinese Buffet with horrid reviews. They also charge $7 for parking and exiting/entering the hotel lot is super annoying because the room key cards do not seem to work for anyone. All of my attempts to exit the lot with my room key left me frustrated and having to honk/use the [not-so-courtesy] phone in order to request the booth-lever-thingy (what are they actually called?) to raise so I could exit.

The hotel itself was just your average 3-star hotel experience – nothing to write home about. We were given 2 double beds, which were both oddly lumpy as you can see in the pictures below. The shower and bathroom were clean, and it was the same Bliss-products-in-wall-dispenser-amenities ordeal as the Aloft Lexington. I’m not too sure I would stay at this location again; not that it was anything terrible, but I recall staying at the adjacent Four Points by Sheraton a few years back, and from what I remember, it was a better experience. Both the Aloft and Four Points hotels go for roughly the same rate, so I’m sure you already know what I’ll be choosing next time!

Inside the lobby of the Aloft Philadelphia Airport

Our lumpy beds

A glimpse of the sink/vanity area

The shower with Bliss products in wall dispensers.

A few weeks ago, Gary posted about a $60 “renew your soul” mistake rate at the Westin Times Square. As we already know, mistake fares, mistake rates, and flash sales are super time-sensitive, so I quickly booked a room on a whim while my adrenaline was rushing even though I live less than 10 miles away from the property. Nevertheless, I was excited to look forward to an excuse to spend a Saturday night out in NYC. To top it off, the $60 rate included a $10 mini bar credit, $10 metrocard, $10 coffee card, 1 free-in room movie, and access to the health spa and fitness center.

I arrived at the property around 11 am, and check in was a breeze. Ironically, the front desk agent did not seem to be aware of the $60 mistake rate; she simply looked up at me and said, “Wow, how did you get such a great rate? Normal rates for this room are over $400″.  Despite the strict “one-guest-only” regulation that many people who booked this $60 rate were worried about, I was given two keys. Plus, the lobby is extremely large and constantly busy, so I can’t really see how they’d actually enforce the one-guest-only rule anyway. YMMV.

At check in, I was not asked to choose my gold amenity, nor was I given my $10 metrocard or $10 coffee card. Once I was settled in my room, I called the front desk to activate my in-room wifi as my gold amenity selection. The woman on the phone kept repeatedly telling me that it would cost me $14.95 for 24 hours, and that wifi was only offered as an amenity to platinum guests. After going back and forth a few times, she finally apologized and told me that wifi was indeed offered as a gold amenity. I’m surprised that such a high-volume SPG hotel would be so unsure about their elite amenity choices.

I also asked about the $10 metrocard and coffee card that was included in my rate. It turns out that they did not have any available at the moment, and then told me that they’d have to mail them to my home address. That was a bit disappointing, but I’m sure I’ll receive them (or at least I hope I do…).

I was given a king room on the 12th floor, and the room itself was wonderful, comfortable, and spacious for NYC. The bed sure did live up to its “heavenly” claims. In fact, I think it has to be the single most comfortable hotel bed I’ve slept in to date! The room was quiet (no street noise what-so-ever), and the bathroom had a double-headed shower which provided amazing water pressure. Before heading out for the evening, I kicked back and watched my in-room movie (That’s My Boy), and I sure was glad that the in-room movie was included in the rate (my movie selection was priced at $16.95). I also enjoyed 2 cans of diet Coke ($5.50 each) to apply my $10 mini-bar credit.

As far as the fitness center/spa access,  I’m too ashamed to admit that I chose a burger and fries at Shake Shack (…and I even went back for custard) instead of utilizing the health center facilities, so I can’t really provide a genuine “renew your soul” assessment in that regards…

The heavenly bed.

TV and work desk.

The bathroom

The awesome double shower heads provided great water pressure!

The Bath Amenities

In-room coffee, minibar, and safe.

Minibar prices.

For dinner, we dined at DohYo, an Asian/Latin fusion restaurant located on the 4th floor at the nearby Yotel. I recently discovered a great website/app called Savored that allows you to [discreetly] book a reservation at hundreds of restaurants in major cities for 10-40% off your entire bill. This was my first time using Savored, and I definitely will use it again. At first, I booked a reservation at Shula’s for 30% off (the steakhouse located directly inside the Westin) because I wanted to save and get my precious SPG points too, but in the end, we settled on the idea of light tapas/sangria over a heavy steak dinner.

Savored.com saved us 30% off on dinner and drinks in NYC!

After a fun night out and a fantastic stay at the Westin Times Square, I was determined to take advantage of “free taxi week” from Uber. I recently downloaded the Uber app and blogged about NYC free taxi week + $25 free credit, and I was excited to finally try it out for myself. While checking out, I requested my taxi pick up right out front of the Westin. The app told me that my driver was 7 minutes away. After about a 5 minute wait (if even), the app texted me alerting me that my UberTaxi has arrived. Immediately following that text, the driver called my cellphone and told me where he was waiting for me. I was extremely blown away by how easy this was!

We were only taking a short cab ride to the car that was parked at a garage 20 blocks away, so we didn’t actually “maximize” our $25 limit (our ride was only $8.50 in the end), but the entire process was so easy and pleasant that I’d use Uber again in a heart beat. When we arrived at our destination, we simply said thank you and we were on our merry way. A receipt for the ride landed in my inbox instantaneously. No cash, no hassle, no worry.

Real-time updates from Uber

My Uber receipt arrived in my inbox within a minute of exiting the cab.

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This post is part of a larger trip report from our two-week trip to Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Phuket and Singapore back in March and April. During our two-night stay in Macau, we spent one night at The Westin Resort Macau, and the next at the Casa Real Hotel.

After checking out of the Westin, we took the free shuttle from the Westin back to the Macau ferry terminal, and then jumped on the shuttle headed to The Casa Real Hotel, which is located right on the Macau peninsula (about a 5-7 minute ride). The great thing about Macau is that taking advantage of the free hotel shuttle services that is offered from all makes it extremely easy to get from one hotel to another simply by connecting at the ferry terminal. Taxis are generally very inexpensive as well (less than $5).

I not only booked this hotel because of its close proximity to the ferry terminal, but also because I had some HotelClub member reward dollars to burn, which brought the rate down to $67 (standard rate being around $91). Granted this hotel is not the typical action-packed mega-resort casino you imagine when you think of Macau, it was a surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable stay at a great price during a holiday weekend.

Located directly across the street from a gas station, (where you can go to stock up on bottled water, beverages, and snacks), the exterior of the property looked kind of bland, so we weren’t really sure what to expect inside. Thankfully upon entering, we saw that the interior lobby and the rooms appeared to be newly renovated and furnished.

By the time we arrived, we were starved for lunch, and we originally had hopes of checking in, dropping off our bags, and then heading to the Venetian to eat at the casino noodle bar, but we were unfortunately informed that our room would not be ready for at least an hour. With not many food options nearby, we gave in and had lunch in the hotel restaurant, which was having an “Easter Buffet” lunch spread for the equivalence of about $15 a person. Lunch was nothing special, and I would only recommend it if you’re too lazy to venture elsewhere.

On the plus side, our room was absolutely perfect exceeded our expectations. The beds were comfortable, the room was immaculately clean, large, and fully-stocked with complimentary water bottles, teas, and an array of bathroom amenities. There is a hotel gym, but it is very dated and cramped; however, that did not stop me from using it.

I’d recommend that you stay away from the casino in Casa Real Hotel unless you enjoy being smothered in a sardine-like, atrocious, smoke-filled environment. No thanks – Macau has plenty of other beautiful casinos to spend time in. Overall, I’d recommend this property to those who are looking for a comfortable, affordable, and quick one-night stay in Macau, with close proximity to the Macau ferry terminal.

The main entrance of the Casa Real Hotel in Macau

The bedroom was very large, spacious, and still smelled new.

Simplistic sitting area

Work desk

Another shot of the beds

A shot of the sink/vanity area in the bathroom.

Bathroom was stocked with a full supply of amenities, including two toothbrushes.

Very large shower and bathtub.

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With all of the recent buzz surrounding Club Carlson’s fourth promotion, Park Plaza’s Ultimate Night Giveaway (related post), I figured it would be appropriate to pick up on the trip reports related to our recent trip to Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Phuket, and Singapore. Back in April, Kevin and I spent our first two nights in Thailand at the Park Plaza Hotel Bangkok Soi 18, and our experience here was truly superb to say the least.

We redeemed a total of 30,000 Club Carlson points (15,000 per night) for the two nights that we were there, and it was an excellent redemption from the first Radisson Big Night Giveaway promotion back in November of 2011 (related post). Since we arrived in BKK later in the evening, we hopped in a cab directly to the hotel, which was about a 25 minute ride.

When we entered the Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18, we were impressed with its trendy and modern design – to us it resembled a W Hotel. The hotel is a new contemporary property, centrally located in the Sukhumvit district with easy walking access to the BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit. The hotel offers free wifi, a beautiful roof-top pool, a modern fitness center, and a delicious 24-hour restaurant on called Mezza.

Check in was simple, and we were given a nice corner room on a high floor. We really loved our room; though it was on the smaller side, it was elegantly-chic and met our needs in every way with a large, comfortable king bed, a 37″ wall-mounted LCD flat-screen television, and a full bathroom (including a separate bathtub), complete with modern details and design touches.

This property is definitely Bangkok (and Club Carlson’s) little gem. From check in to check out we had nothing but a positive experience and exceptional service from all of the staff members. There are several 7-11 stores nearby to stock up on bottled water, and be sure to try some local street food, which can be found at virtually every corner. I wouldn’t think twice about staying here again the next time I’m the Sukhumvit district of Bangkok – can’t wait to go back!

Inside the trendy lobby at the Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18

Lobby lounge couches

Our stylish room and ultra-comfortable bed

Work desk, wall-mounted TV, and minibar

Full set of bathroom amenities

Large, modern bathtub

Contemporary shower

Closeup of mini-bar options

Late-night room service: Mango sticky rice and pad thai. Absolutely delicious and beautiful presentation!

We hung out at the roof-top pool for a few hours each day!

Though we primarily ate street food in Bangkok, the restaurant inside of the hotel was amazing - every dish we ordered was impressive, authentic, and tasty. I usually find hotel dining over-rated and unappealing, but this place takes the trophy as far as delicious and reasonably-priced hotel food.

Another shot of the very artistic/contemporary decor of the restaurant inside of the Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18

A shot of one of our dishes at Mezza: Yum Nau Yang (Grilled beef salad with Thai celery, onion, tomato and a lime dressing).

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Poor Kevin; our last two weekends consisted of hotel-hopping and mattress-running because his crazy, points-obsessed fiance (aka yours truly) needed to collect her precious points. Last weekend we spent our Friday night at the Radisson in Piscataway, and then we spent Father’s Day road-tripping for hours to no-wheres-ville, NJ for yet another another mattress run at the Country Inn & Suites in Millville, NJ (related post).

This weekend was kind of the same story – we spent a whole 8 hours at the Radisson Newark-Carteret (in by 11 pm, out by 7 am kind of ordeal). At the time, little did Kevin know that this would be his last sight of any trace of this season’s Club Carlson promotions. Yes, I know there’s the Park Inn Plus One promotion that would get us another 44,000 points each, but after heavily considering it, I don’t think I have it in me to get myself to drive 3 hours one way to the nearest Park Inn in Harrisburg, PA. With that decision, I learned that yes, I do apparently have limits to this addiction hobby.

It’s definitely a wrap for me, and in the end, I’m 100% content that between the two of us, we racked up ~200,000 bonus points with an out-of-pocket expense of about $270. Those 200,000 points can get us between 4 and 22 free nights at any Club Carlson hotel worldwide, depending on the category. We’re pretty psyched about that because I’m sure that will inspire some impulsive weekend getaways (those are 3 of my favorite words together)!

And now on to a mini-review of our stay at the Radisson Newark-Carteret…

The hotel is located directly off of the NJ turnpike, which is great for a commuter, but definitely not the most scenic because it’s located in the heart of industrial-nothingness. I suppose the guests of use this hotel merely as a sleeping point for an overnight connection at EWR because there’s virtually nothing to do in the vicinity.

When we arrived at the hotel on a Friday night at around 10:30 pm, all we wanted to do was hurry up and get into the room to sleep because we were both exhausted from a long work week, and I had a 17 hour work day ahead of me starting at 9 am the next day. I became frustrated when I walked into the hotel and saw a massive amount of people crowding around the front desk. It ended up being that because of some bad weather earlier on, many flights experienced inevitable cancellations, and the hotel was booked to capacity with frustrated travelers. The worst part was that there was only one person simultaneously checking guests in/managing the front desk/taking calls/paging the shuttle driver, etc.; it was chaotic.

When it was my turn to check in… 25 minutes later… I was very cranky to say the least. In the past, I have never waited more than 10 minutes to check in, and having to wait for so long at such a late hour was not something I wanted to deal with. It was quite obvious that the hotel was understaffed that evening, and the woman who was checking guests in was not the most pleasant to begin with. In my opinion, that’s a poor way to set the tone of the stay.

We were relieved once we got up to the room – there weren’t any problems from there on, thank goodness. In fact, our room was quite comfortable, and we both got a great night’s sleep despite our short stay there. In addition, the hotel does offer complimentary breakfast and free airport transfers to EWR. Like I said earlier, I can’t imagine anyone choosing this hotel for anything other than an airport hotel, but it certainly was adequate for what it was.

Inside the lobby of the Radisson Newark-Carteret hotel

The beds were SO comfortable - they were not Radisson's typical Sleep Number beds, which I'm not particularly a fan of.

A shot of the workspace and TV. The TV was definitely a bit outdated, but we didn't turn it on anyway.

I love when there's complimentary bottled water!

A shot of the bathroom sink vanity area

The shower/tub

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