Alan 
The original Alaska Lounge in Seattle is located just past security check point 4. It was recently renovated to bring it up to par with the Alaska Lounges at C Gates and N Satellite. Access to the Alaska Lounge can be purchased by anyone for $60 for one visit or … Read more
The Amex Business Platinum card, with a $695 annual fee, is the most expensive credit card that I have ever applied for. When I signed up for the card, the sign up bonus was 190,000 Membership Rewards points after $15,000 spend in the first three months. So what are the … Read more
Rio Las Vegas is an off strip resort casino and hotel that opened in 1990. It was sold to Harrah’s (Caesars) in 1999 for $766 million. After 20 years of neglect by Caesars, the Rio was sold in 2019 for $516 million to Dreamscape Properties. As of 2024, the Rio … Read more
Today Virgin Voyages sent out a teaser email for their new ship, the Brilliant Lady. In the email was the animation above along with the following text: We’ve been keeping a secret, and it’s almost time to let you in on it. Something Brilliant is coming — trust us, you’ll … Read more
Holland America’s first Pinnacle Class ship, Koningsdam, set sail in 2016, followed by Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam. The three ships are nearly identical. I booked a six night cruise on the Koningsdam out of San Diego in a Guaranteed Verandah stateroom. I then added Club Orange to my booking which … Read more
The expanded American Express Centurion Lounge at Sea-Tac International Airport opened in February, 2023 in the Central Terminal. Despite its 14,000 square feet, during my Friday evening visit it was incredibly crowded. Still it is a much needed update from the previous Centurion Studio in SEA. The Central Terminal at … Read more
The Envoy Hotel in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood opened in 2015 and is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The six story building includes 136 guest rooms, restaurant off the lobby, and rooftop bar with views of downtown Boston. I received five free nights at Marriott properties through a Chase credit card … Read more
The Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor is an airport hotel located near Boston’s Logan International. While technically on airport property, it is not connected and requires a shuttle from the terminal. The waterfront property is a large hotel with views either of Boston Harbor and skyline of the city or of … Read more
Three of the big banking institutions now have their own airport lounges. Amex Centurion Lounges have been around the longest. Capital One has their lounge. And Chase has the Sapphire Lounges. If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve or The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card, you get unlimited visits to … Read more
The January 20 episode of Saturday Night Live took aim at Alaska Airlines. After a door plug blew out of the 737 Max 9 on Flight 1282 on January 5 over Oregon, the plane was able to safely land with minor injuries. In the satirical mock commercial, a new tag … Read more
My top posts of 2023 were dominated by Virgin Voyages — apparently a lot of people want to know what it is like to sail the newest cruise line. Vegas was, once again, well represented in my annual list. Below are the top 10 most viewed posts written in 2023. … Read more
This year I branched off into a new form of travel: cruises. After promising never to go on a cruise after COVID-19, I found myself trying out Virgin Voyages and fell in love. I took four total cruises this year and already have more planned for 2024. This meant less … Read more
The third Capital One Lounge is located at Denver International Airport (DEN). Located in the A Terminal, the airport terminals are connected by a train so no matter the terminal you are leaving from, you can access the lounge. Unlimited access to the lounge is free for Venture X cardholders … Read more
In my years of traveling, I’ve never stayed at a Thompson Hotel before. I tried once but was walked on Thanksgiving. I decided to give it another try; this time at the Thompson Denver. The rate for a standard room in December was $179.10 + tax for a total of … Read more
The Santa Fe based arts collective, Meow Wolf, opened their 60,000 square feet Convergence Station exhibit in 2021. This Denver location, the third permanent Meow Wolf immersive art installation, is located in a purpose built structure at the intersection of elevated highways near Mile High Stadium. Convergence Station is part … Read more