This weekend I was reading up about Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville company. It is a hotel, restaurant, and cruise brand that has been growing significantly. The chain has over 30 hotels already with many more in the pipeline. One major location that does not yet have a Margaritaville is Las Vegas. … Read more
Knowing I would be sailing out of Civitavecchia, the port nearest to Rome, for my Mediterranean cruise, I felt there were three options of where to stay the night prior to boarding the ship: near the Rome Airport, in Rome, or in Civitavecchia. Rome was the most interesting option. Being … Read more
I just finished three nights at the Artagonist Hotel in Old Town Vilnius. I booked using my Chase Sapphire Preferred card to use my annual $50 hotel credit prior to canceling the card. The total for three nights was $341.68 (plus a €2 per night city tax) before the $50 … 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
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
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
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
I spent Thanksgiving at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, a resort property in Orange County, California. The sprawling resort, built in 2003, has 517 rooms in a four story building with five wings. On the property are a number of restaurants, a spa, three pool areas (including … Read more
Harrah’s Las Vegas opened in 1972 as the Holiday Inn Center Strip. In 1992 it changed names to Harrah’s Las Vegas and is managed by Caesars. The property has undergone multiple renovations over the past 50 years; but it is clear it is not a modern resort property. The rooms … Read more
The Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin opened in fall 2019 with 234 rooms. It is not Hyatt managed, but instead managed by a third party – the Hodson Bay Group. It is a Category 4 property which means Category 1-4 Free Night Certificates can be used. I booked two nights … Read more
After sailing with Virgin Voyages, I flew from Athens to Nice, France for a two night visit before flying on to Dublin. The Hyatt properties near Nice were extremely expensive (August is peak season), so I decided to try the Crown Plaza near the Nice airport. The property is new … Read more
Story Hotels are a set of three hotels in Sweden that recently joined Hyatt as JdV properties. They are full integrated with Hyatt; meaning you can earn points, book reward nights, and are entitled to World of Hyatt elite benefits. I booked two nights after my Holland America cruise that … Read more
Comwell Copenhagen Portside Hotel Review My first stop for my summer 2023 trip to Europe was two nights in Copenhagen. I had previously spent 24 hours in Copenhagen in 2016, so I wasn’t feeling a huge need to see all the tourist sites. There are no Hyatts in Copenhagen so … Read more
New York New York Soho Premier King Review New York New York Las Vegas Hotel and Casino opened in 1997 and really hasn’t changed much in 25+ years. It still has the Manhattan theme in the casino, still has the roller coaster, still has the small pool, still has the … Read more