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
Alaska Airlines today announced plans to acquire Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion. According to the company, the two brands will remain (at least for now). The corporate headquarters will remain in Seattle. HawaiianMiles will likely be folded into Alaska’s Mileage Plan, with Hawaiian become part of the oneworld alliance. A … 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
Las Vegas’ $2.3 Billion music venue, Sphere, opened in September 2023 with a series of U2 shows. Instantly [the] Sphere has become an icon of Las Vegas as it glows with art (and ads) that can be seen from miles away. Getting to Sphere from the Las Vegas strip isn’t … Read more
The “Zoo Station – A U2:UV Experience” is located in The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. The pop-up “experience” is a glorified gift shop temporarily opened in a storefront on the ground level of the Grand Canal Shoppes. Currently it is scheduled to shut down December 16, 2023 however there … 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
Amex Offers are promotions that you can add to your card so that when a purchase is made, you receive either a statement credit or Membership Rewards points. Recently there was an offer for Hyatt’s Independent Collection Brands, including JdV, Unbound, and Destinations. The offer was “Spend $400 or more, … Read more
After my Virgin Voyage, I needed to get back to Seattle. I was able to us Alaska Airlines miles to book a one way ticket from Nice, France to Dublin and then Dublin on to Seattle. The Nice to Dublin flight was in Economy (no Business Class offered) and the … 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
