Weekend in Beijing – Part 1: Getting to China

Weekend in Beijing A few months back I got in on the sub-$500 round trip ticket to Beijing from Washington DC in American Airlines Business Class.  I purchased the tickets; and then purchased my positioning flight to DC from Seattle which ended up costing (slightly) more than the ticket to … Read more

Hyatt Regency Crystal City DCA Review

Hyatt Regency Crystal City

After spending only 7 hours at the hotel, it seems a bit presumptuous to write a review about the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan International (technically in Virginia).  However I think I slept a total of 2 hours, giving me 5 hours to experience the hotel.  I think that qualifies me as an expert.

I booked the spectacular mistake fare to Beijing but needed to position myself at DCA to begin the run.  As my flight out of DCA was at 7:15am, and I was coming from Seattle, I knew I would need to spend the night in DC.  My flight arrived at 10:00pm and they Hyatt Regency Crystal City was a good option as it had a free shuttle every 20 minutes to/from the airport.  Apart from the driver leaving the airport with the shuttle door still open, it was a painless experience to get to the hotel.

Read more

Hyatt Flash Sale – SE Asia Summer 2015

Bali Hyatt

For two days, you can book a room at Hyatt South East Asia properties during the Hyatt Flash Sale at up to 40% off.  Full payment is due at booking and reservations are non-refundable per the Terms and Conditions.  Deal ends May 21 at 11:00pm Singapore Time (11:00am EST/8:00am PST).  Good for travel through August 31, 2015.  Use offer code SEAF when booking.

It seems that most (all?) of the prices for the Hyatt Flash Sale include breakfast.  Although I haven’t stayed at the Hyatt, Siem Reap is a great city to visit if you want to see the temples of Angkor Watt.  For $174 a night (with availability for most of the summer) this is a good deal for this high end property, however you can find rooms for much cheaper if you avoid chains in Cambodia.

Make sure you compare it to other offers when booking: you may be able to find a cheaper rate (although it may not include breakfast, but if you are a Diamond member you already get free breakfast).  For example, at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok I found a night in July that was cheaper with the “Special Escape” rate than the “Sea Flash Sale”.  This is definitely a case of “Your Mileage May Vary”.

More info at hyatt.com

Properties included in the sale:

Read more

Hyatt Regency Vancouver Review

I purchased tickets to U2’s tour opener in Vancouver late last year and knew I would want to spend a couple days in Canada.  There is only one Hyatt option in Vancouver; the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, so I booked it.  I am a Hyatt loyalist after all.  This would be my first stay at a Hyatt property as a Diamond member after completing my Elite Tier Offer.

Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Location: Hyatt Regency Vancouver is located in the heart of downtown next to the Burrard SkyTrain station that you can access via the Expo or Millennium lines.  It is no more than a 15 minute walk to anywhere in downtown.  The hotel lobby is connected to a small mall that has a drug store and fast food restaurants.  A few blocks away is the shopping area of downtown in one direction and the waterfront in other.  Vancouver is a very cosmopolitan city and you can easily find anything you are looking for.

Read more