Hyatt Regency Bellevue Review The West Coast of the US has been hit hard this month by forest fires. Currently there is hazardous levels of smoke in the air. I decided it would be nice to get out of my stuffy apartment so I booked a night at the Hyatt … Read more
Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Review It is very rare for me to stay at a Best Western. Last summer I stayed at the NOFO Hotel in Stockholm which is part of the Best Western brand. The last time I stayed at an actual Best Western property was ten years … Read more
DoubleTree Durango Review Durango, Colorado is touristy western town at the southern end of the Million Dollar Highway 550. I was planning on taking the drive up through Silverton and Ouray to Montrose before cutting back to Utah to visit the parks. I spent one night at the DoubleTree Durango, … Read more
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa Review While I didn’t have a great first impression of the Regency Tamaya, it ended up being an over all good stay; all things considered. I booked my stay using a Hyatt Privé agent. During COVID, the property was running a 3rd night free … Read more
Hyatt Regency Sacramento Governors Suite Review In looking for a hotel in Sacramento, I noticed that all room types at the Hyatt Regency were being offered at the same price. I decided to book the top category of room, the Governor’s Suite. These rooms are recently updated and are Premium … Read more
Hyatt Promotions 2020 Hyatt currently has three very generous promotions. Below I break down each promotion and help you navigate whether a paid stay or a points stay makes more sense. Paid Stays A Warm Welcome Awaits The first promotion is for paid stays when you book by September 8, … Read more
Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland Review The Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland opened in February 2020, just a few weeks before COVID shifted the landscape of travel. I booked one night in July at a rate of $128 +tax. Location The Hyatt Centric is located centrally. I had no problem finding on-street … Read more
Excalibur Las Vegas Room Review Excalibur is now the lowest tier property in the Las Vegas portfolio of MGM. When Excalibur opened in 1990, it was the largest hotel in the world (around 4,000 rooms). Rooms can often be found under $100. As a disclaimer to this review, I didn’t … Read more
Las Vegas Reopened Too Soon This weekend I visited Las Vegas. The state of Nevada allowed casinos to reopen on June 4th and many did. The decision was likely made based on economics and not health considerations. I don’t know the figures regarding visitors to the Strip. I would guess … Read more
Flamingo Las Vegas Flamingo Room Review Flamingo Las Vegas is an historic casino hotel on the strip. Opened in 1946, the property was owned by Bugsy Siegel (and his many mob ties) and had a total of 105 rooms. It is the oldest resort still in operation on the strip. … Read more
The Talbott Hotel Chicago Review UPDATE: The Talbott Hotel is no longer part of Hyatt. The Talbott Hotel in Chicago is part of the Joie de Vivre brand recently acquired by Hyatt. This means, in theory, guests receive the same benefits for Hyatt elite status as they would at any … Read more
Kimpton Buchanan Hotel San Francisco Review The Kimpton Buchanan Hotel is one of two (soon to be three) Kimpton properties in San Francisco. The building was originally a 4-story office building before they added on an additional 4 floors and converted it to a 131 room hotel. It reopened as … Read more
Andaz Napa Review The Andaz Napa was originally built in 2009 and opened under the Avia brand before Hyatt purchased the chain in 2011. The property reopened as a Hyatt Andaz in Fall 2012. Not much was changed about the property; which means the rooms are now 11 years old … Read more
Caesars Palace Octavius Room Review Caesars Palace is a huge property. The rooms are spread across various towers: Julius, Augustus, Octavius, Palace and Forum. Additionally there is the Nobu hotel within a hotel. The Octavius Tower, which opened in 2012, is the most recently built of the hotel towers. The … Read more
How to Status Match Hotel Loyalty to Caesars Rewards Diamond If you have elite status with a hotel chain, it is very easy to get free Caesars Rewards Diamond status. If you are going to Las Vegas, this can get you free/discounted rooms, no resort fees, $100 dining credit, free … Read more