Tips on Traveling Well
I appreciate your tolerance of this quick random thought:
Seriously, am I the only person in the world that actually likes the new United (aka old Continental) livery? For some reason, I’ve always kinda dug the globe on the blue tail. Below is the shot of the 747-400 in the new livery. Wonder when the Mileage Plus Visa will wear the new logo?
Photo: United-Continental Holdings
February 27
I know this has been blogged about already…..too many times to hat tip. But since I just played the game on Facebook and won 200 AAdvantage miles, I wanted to mention the opportunity here. AAdvantage is offering a Mystery Miles game where you can earn between 100 and 100,000 Advantage miles. Here’s a link. Go get yourself some free miles.
February 26
The headline says it all. Truthfully, other than having the elite membership card for international lounge access, I don’t guess I really care all that much about the annual elite mailing. That said, I think it’s interesting to compare what’s included. In the last 3 years, I’ve received “middle tier” elite packages from 3 airlines, American, Delta, and United. From American, I got the Platinum card and a handful of those little certificates to hand to an employee who does something good for you. United’s Premier Executive kit contained essentially the same thing. Delta’s kit is a little better….. as Gold Medallion, you get bag tags and 4 drink chits in addition to your membership card.
I appreciate the drink chits (which can be used to buy a snack item as well), and the bag tags. Although I find it interesting that Delta provides bag tags but no “ties” or whatever you want to call them to actually attach the tags to your luggage. All that said, I’d gladly give back the drink chits and bag tags in exchange for SkyMiles award availability that’s on par with United and American. 
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
February 26
Check In
I arrived at the W Atlanta – Midtown on Monday at 8pm, a little later than usual. The lobby was pretty quiet, and I was # 2 in line for the check-in desk. Once at the desk, I was pleasantly assisted by Tyson (have no idea if that’s how she spells her name, but I think that’s how it’s pronounced). My Starwood Platinum status was recognized and I was thanked for my loyalty. Interestingly, Tyson even apologized that no suites were available for my stay. (Note: as much as I love being upgraded to a suite, I’m very happy with my “Spectacular” room. I’m in town to work, and regular rooms have a desk with plenty of light and power outlets. The 2 suites I’ve been blessed to experience here had something like dining tables with chairs, and not a normal work desk. I know….cry for me.) One item of note: I was offered a card entitling me to one bottle of water from the mini-bar for each day of my stay. This is new, and certainly valued by me. According to the card, this benefit applies to all SPG Gold and Platinum members.
The Room
My “Spectacular” room, 2218, is a city view room with a King bed. It’s plenty spacious for a business traveler, comfortable, and typical W “trendy.” First thing I did when arriving at the room was turn on all the lights. I found the desk lamp to be non-functional, but a quick call to the Whatever/Whenever desk addressed that. Additionally, the laptop safe would not open. Security came up to check it out as soon as I called. There was some mechanical issue with the safe which could not be immediately resolved. They offered a new room, but I declined. I can lock my personal laptop away in my luggage. If someone wants to take that…well…. bummer.
There is plenty of storage space, and the closet is ample for a 4-night business trip. The bathroom is spacious, and the walk-in shower is very nice. All in all, other than the weird safe issue, a good start to the stay. I’ll update the post tomorrow as I continue my rolling review. For now, off to the W Living Room for a night cap. Here are a few more pictures for you.
Around the Hotel (Dining Out)
There are some really good restaurants very near the hotel, and Spice Market, located in the W is no slouch either. I’ve posted before about my 2 nearby favorites, Shout and TAP Gastropub. Shout is just around the corner from the W Midtown, and I’m a big fan. In addition to the restaurant, there’s a large patio and bar upstairs that makes for a great evening out in warmer months. Atlanta is experiencing some very nice weather this week, but traveling alone on business, I usually just belly up to the bar for dinner. I travel here enough that the bartenders recognize me. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Billy at Shout is a great bartender. Shout’s menu is varied. They have everything from Ribeye steaks (recommended) to sushi (also recommended). TAP Gastropub, on the other side of Peachtree, is a short walk from the W Midtown. TAP has a small but interesting menu that is worth checking out. I’ve never had a bad entree, but I think my favorite dish there are the fried chicken tacos. Tasty! By the way, TAP is a Rewards Network participant. Never leave miles on the table! There are so many restaurants in Midtown. Next trip I’ll try to venture out a little farther from the hotel and blog about some other restaurants. I’m really looking forward to trying the Oceanaire Seafood Room in Midtown!
If you’re working in downtown, you can’t go wrong with Dantanna’s at CNN Center. Great food, reasonable prices. I frequently lunch there, and if I’m hoteling nearby, usually do dinner there as well. Never had a bad meal here. And I have to admit, I’m an unapologetic fan of Ruth’s Chris, located in the Embassy Suites Centennial Park.
Random Observations
Wrap Up
All in all, an OK stay. It’s no secret that this is my favorite Atlanta area property. This was my 3rd stay since attaining Starwood Platinum status, so I’m 2 for 3 on suite upgrades. I think that’s an OK record so far. I like the great Midtown location, easy access to restaurants and nightlife, not to mention Atlanta’s MARTA rail (Arts Center station). I highly recommend the W Atlanta Midtown for your Atlanta area lodging needs.
February 25
I know some other airlines (Southwest, I’m certain) are pretty good about providing power at the gate. But I can’t think of any “legacy” airline that does…at least not off the top of my head. Comment to the blog if you are aware of any. I love the fact that Delta is now placing power (both 110 and USB) at gate areas in select airports. Here’s a picture of what I’m talking about. And yes, I got brave and took a picture in an airport!
You know what else I heart about Delta? The fact that I’m posting this from 27,000 feet.
Delta SkyMiles is offering double bonus miles on their JFK – Bogota (BOG) flights between February 23, 2011 and May 31, 2011. Registration is required by May 15, 2011.
February 21
Later today, I depart for a 4-night business trip to Atlanta. I’m flying Delta Air Lines and staying at the W Atlanta – Midtown, my favorite Atlanta area hotel. It’s been over a year since my last review of this Midtown Atlanta property, so I intend to write a full review of my stay there. I’m also going to try something a little different for this review…something I’m calling a rolling review. I will inaugurate the hotel review post after check in, cover that experience, and then update the post each day of my stay. Finally, I’ll wrap up the post with closing thoughts after my stay is completed. Anxious to see how that works out.
Just wanted to update you on the status of my missing miles and MQMs through the Delta and American Express Membership Rewards “Go Farther” promotion. You might remember this pretty lucrative promo where in exchange for transferring 50,000 Membership Rewards points, you received a 50 percent SkyMiles bonus and 25,000 MQMs for a total of 75,000 SkyMiles.
While the first 50,000 SkyMiles posted instantly, the bonus miles and MQMs did not. I emailed Delta about this a couple of times, and in both instances was asked to wait as the terms and conditions of the offer were that the bonus miles and MQMs would be awarded 4 to 6 weeks after the promotion ending date of December 15, 2010. Numerous reports on FlyerTalk indicated that many members were receiving their bonuses instantly, but not me. However, I waited patiently, and finally emailed Delta again when the 6 week mark came and went without any bonuses being posted. They asked for confirmation of my registration (I kept a copy the day I registered) and sure enough, last night I received an email that the 25,000 bonus SkyMiles and 25,000 MQMs had been posted to my account. All’s well that ends well. But this is a testament to keeping a copy of any bonus or promotion registration confirmations that you sign up for. This might have had a different outcome if I had not bothered to print a copy of the registration confirmation back in November.
February 19
I know, what kind of self-professed traveler needs a checklist to remind himself what to pack? This one does, but it’s probably not what you’re thinking. No, I don’t have a checklist with items on it like toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, etc., but you better believe I have one for the various medications and supplies I need to treat my diabetes. As many of you know, I have Type 1 Diabetes, the kind that used to be known as “juvenile” or “insulin dependent.” I manage my diabetes through the use of an insulin pump.
Insulin pumps require a handful of supplies to keep them functional like infusion sets (the tube and needle through which the insulin flows from the pump to the body), reservoirs (where the insulin is stored while in the pump), and spare AAA batteries (to power the pump). Of course, there are vials of insulin, and even spare syringes in case the pump should fail and I need to go back on injections (has never occurred). As you might imagine, I’m a walking magnet for questions from TSA. Incidentally, my pump, which certainly has some metal in it, rarely sets off the walk through metal detector. That doesn’t stop TSA from accosting me from time to time and wasting security resources on ensuring I’m not a threat.
Menacing Looking, Isn't It?
After 15 years of diabetes, I’ve only forgotten something I needed twice, and each time I was able to resolve things pretty easily. The second instance was enough to inspire me to create a traveling checklist for my diabetes. What’s on my travel checklist? Here ya’ go:
Pretty simple and to the point, but I refer to it each time I travel, whether for 2 nights away or 15. Seriously, there is no feeling quite so sinking as arriving somewhere away from home only to realize that you left your vial of insulin on the credenza at home! I carry most all of that in 2 Biz Class amenity kits from past trips on American Airlines. They are modular, fit nicely in my briefcase, and can cover a 4-night business trip pretty easily.
A J-Class Amenity Kit I Use for Carrying Diabetic Supplies
Same Kit Open
These work really well for carrying supplies, and there are any number of other options you can use to accomplish the same. If traveling for a long period of time, I obviously have to make other arrangements, and pack more supplies in various places. I find that having a checklist helps ensure that I have the medical “stuff” I need to travel successfully and enjoy life in spite of having diabetes. I recommend a similar checklist for my fellow diabetic travelers, and I suppose the same advice applies to other medical conditions as well. Of course, if you need a checklist to remind you to bring your toothbrush, make one! Travel well!
February 18
The news that the new United is keeping Economy Plus and expanding it to the former Continental fleet comes as a welcome relief to United fliers, including this one. While one can never be certain what’s in the mind of an airline lately, for some reason, I felt that the new United would maintain Economy Plus all along. It appears to me that United did a good job of monetizing the Economy Plus section of its aircraft, and I cannot fathom that E+ would’ve survived United’s multi-year bankruptcy if the accountants hadn’t bought into the idea that Economy Plus must be revenue (and profit) positive overall. I’m a little surprised that the financials work on the regional jet platform, but I’m no finance guy.
Make no mistake, this is a real differentiator for the new United product. As an elite, the ability to confirm a seat in Economy Plus is a big deal. If your upgrade doesn’t clear, you’ve still got a seat with extra legroom, which can make all the difference in the world for inflight comfort. As a non-elite, the ability to upgrade yourself to a more comfortable seat for a reasonable fee is attractive for many. I know the couple of times I’ve flown Frontier, I’ve gladly paid extra for access to their “Stretch” seating.
I’m anxiously waiting to see what else the new United has in store for us. It will be interesting to see if others in the industry respond in some way.
February 16
Delta SkyMiles Gold Medallion members will soon receive Sky Team Elite Plus benefits more on par with similar level elites at other airlines. Effective March 1, 2011, Gold Medallion members will receive:
Good move. Wonder why it took this long?
Would you pay extra for a real Chip & PIN credit card?
Total Voters: 159
Loading ...
