Starwood’s Fall 2017 Promotion Is Out – SPG Explore More
Now that Marriott owns Starwood the two are coordinating their promotions a lot more closely (to the extent that both released their fall promotions at the same time) so, after having seen the disappointing Marriott MegaBonus promotion, I was a little concerned at what Starwood would offer.
New Marriott MegaBonus Promotion – Stay Twice. Get A Free Night
Both Marriott at Starwood have released their fall promotions concurrently (not that surprising considering Marriott now owns Starwood) but both are quite different from one another. I'll discuss the Starwood promotion in another post so, for now, I'll focus on what Marriott's latest MegaBonus promotion is all about.
Accor Hotels “Private Sale” Is Now On – Up To 40% Off Worldwide
Accor, the hotel chain that includes up-market brands like Raffles, Fairmont and Sofitel as well as the more moderately priced brands like Ibis, Mercure & Novotel, has launched its latest sale in which it's offering up to 40% off regular rates.
Hyatt Regency Tokyo – King Room In Pictures
In an earlier post I explained the thinking behind my decision to give up a reservation at the Park Hyatt Tokyo in favor of the Hyatt Regency Tokyo so this was the hotel Joanna and I stayed at on our recent trip.
I reviewed this Hyatt Regency earlier in the year so another full review seems a little pointless...instead I thought I'd share a little more info and some pictures of our room as it was slightly different to the room I had earlier in the year.
PROMOTION: Get Hyatt Top-Tier Status In 20 Nights (if you have/get the Hyatt credit...
Holders of the Chase Hyatt Visa card have been receiving emails offering them a chance to fast-track their way to Hyatt mid- and top-tier status by the end of the year. There doesn't appear to be anything stopping people applying for the Chase credit card just to have access to this promotion (in fact that's probably what Chase and Hyatt want to see happen) but just be aware that not all is as it appears.
Marriott Opens A New Residence Inn in London…And This One Could Be Useful
Marriott’s Residence Inn properties don’t often get a lot of press because they’re not particularly exciting, they’re not high-end and they’re not glitzy…but they can be very useful.
Residence Inns are one of Marriott’s longer-term stay properties so they come with a lot of features that you won’t get with an ordinary hotel room....and now Marriott has opened one in London.
Why I Gave Up A Park Hyatt Reservation For A Hyatt Regency
As soon as I knew that Joanna and I were going to be heading to Tokyo I immediately thought of booking the Park Hyatt as our base in Japan’s capital.
The Park Hyatt Tokyo along with the Park Hyatts in Sydney and the Maldives must be three of the most blogger-referenced properties on the planet – you’ll be hard pushed to find a blogger discussing Tokyo accommodation and not gushing over the Park Hyatt.
How I Select Which Hotels I Use On My Trips
I’ve had a few emails recently asking for some specifics on how I search for the flights and hotels I book, what my thought processes are and what I look for when booking my various trips….so I thought I’d address these in a couple of blog posts – the first one posted yesterday and covered flights so, today, I'll concentrate on hotels.
Review: Courtyard Seoul Namdaemun
I had picked the Courtyard Seoul Namdaemun as my base in the South Korean capital for its convenience in the centre of the city (10 minutes walk to Seoul Station and even closer to a number of subway stations) and because it was reasonably priced compared to my other options. On top of all this I had never visited a Courtyard property outside of the US so I was interested to see how an Asian Courtyard would compare to, for example, the Courtyard Chelsea in New York.
NOW LIVE: IHG PointBreaks List Summer/Fall 2017
IHG's PointBreaks are one of the better and more popular hotel promotions that you’ll find, with IHG selling award nights a sizeable number of its properties for just 5,000 points per night.
The latest full PointBreaks list is live but, although we can now see all the participating properties, booking will not open until Monday for reservations through 31 October 2017.
When Buying Hyatt Points At 1.71 Cents Makes A Lot Of Sense
Hyatt is currently offering to sell us points at around 1.71 cents each and, while most of the time I'm more than a little sceptical of points purchases, there is a specific instance where buying Hyatt points at this level could be a pretty nice money saver.
It’s Amazing What Hotels Will Sell You….And For How Much!
I recently stayed at the JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur and I have to admit that, on my first night, I had pretty bad jet-lag. It wasn't the kind of jet-lag that allows you get on a do things (like work) albeit at some cray hour of the night - this was the kind of jet-lag that makes you lethargic and really not much use to anybody.
I couldn't sleep, there wasn't much on TV and I was bored with the media I'd loaded on to my MacBook.
As I was debating the merits of getting dressed and finding out what Kuala Lumpur is like at 3:23am I noticed the mini-bar menu - these are always good for a laugh - so picked it up and took a look.
Review: Hyatt Regency Tokyo
The Hyatt Regency Tokyo, in partnership with a few other central Tokyo hotels, offers a paid bus service from both Narita and Haneda airports but, as I wasn't in the mood to be driven around Tokyo as others were being dropped off art their hotels, I chose to take the train into Shinjuku station and walk the 1,000 yards to the hotel.
Review: JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur
For my trip to Kuala Lumpur with Qatar airways I booked the JW Marriott as my base in the Malaysian capital. I was looking forward to seeing what this 5 star property would offer and, thanks to ongoing renovations, I was looking forward to seeing what the new rooms at the property look like.
Review: Courtyard By Marriott New York Chelsea/Manhattan
New York is one of the more expensive major cities in the world when it comes to hotel accommodation so I often find that even the more rudimentary properties in the city cost quite a bit. If I'm traveling with Joanna I don't mind spending a bit more on accommodation but when I'm traveling solo, as I was on this occasion, I resent paying anymore than I have to for a reasonable quality room.
IHG Flash Sale – 100% Bonus On Points Purchased Through 17 February!
IHG Rewards (the loyalty program for the likes of InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn) has announced a flash sale in which it is selling points with a 100% bonus....and that's as good as it gets when it comes to IHG points sales.
The current offer allows IHG Rewards members (free to join here) can purchase points from as little as 0.575 cents each with no restrictions on who can get the bonus - it doesn't matter when you became a member even if it was just seconds before you decided to buy some points.
I’ve Learned Something New About Marriott Rewards….And I Don’t Like It
Although I hold top-tier status with Marriott I don't book that many award stays with the hotel chain so what I learned may be something which has been around for a while and is quite common...or perhaps it's a rarity. I don't know. Either way I can't say I was too impressed by what I discovered.
50% Discount On Hilton HHonors Points – Should You Buy?
Hilton HHonors is currently selling points with a 50% discount and, as the promotion isn't targeted, this means that all Hilton HHonors members can buy points for just 0.5 cents each. The promotion runs through 5 December 2016 and, while a lot of points promotions can be a 50-50 proposition , this one definitely has the potential to save most Hilton fans some money.
IHG Offering 30% Off In The Winter Europe Sale
Hot on the heels of the Hilton Winter sale for Europe, the Middle East and Africa comes IHG's response with an offer of up to 30% off at its various European properties. While the IHG winter sale may not cover as many destinations as the Hilton sale there definitely isn't a shortage of properties on offer. I can't say I've counted but if you take a look at the participating hotels listing you'll see what I mean - you can't say there isn't a good choice!
Hilton Launches Winter Sale (Europe, Middle East & Africa)
Hilton has launched its winter sale for properties in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the booking window is so large it should be virtually impossible for you not to find dates that work for you. Better still, if you stay before 31 December you can earn up to triple Hilton HHonors points if you book through the Hilton app and you can earn 5,000 bonus points per stay for all stays made before 31 January 2017.
Hyatt Opening A New Hyatt Place At Heathrow
Hyatt opened its first Hyatt Place at Heathrow back in May of this year but to call it a Heathrow hotel is more than a little stretch. The property is a 20 minute drive from the closest terminal and, according to the concierge I once spoke to, isn't on any direct bus route to the airport. Essentially this is a hotel that happens to be in the vicinity of Heathrow, no more.
Starwood Offers Preview Of Cyber Monday Sale
Marriott & Starwood (now the same company) have both announced the dates for their Cyber Monday sales event and both have also offered up a sneak peek into what travelers can expect in their respective sales. I'll post Marriott's preview in a separate post which will be live at the same time as this one.
Marriott Offers Sneak Peek Of Cyber Monday Sale
Cyber Monday is the Monday following Thanksgiving (this year it falls on 28 November) and was originally introduced as an online alternative to the mad crush that is Black Friday. Things are a bit different now and Cyber Monday has expanded way beyond its original remit to encompass dates from the third week in November through the first week in December - actual sale dates vary from vendor to vendor.
Why SPG Members Should Be Pushing For Lifetime Status
Marriott's takeover of Starwood has resulted in quite a few changes for members of both Marriott Rewards and Starwood's Preferred Guest program but, while we already know what the next 14-18 months are going to look like for both programs, there's not much that we know about what the final combined rewards program will look like.
Club Carlson Promotion: Double Points or Double Nights – Which To Choose
Club Carlson is the last of the major hotel chains to reveal its year end global promotion which will run through to 31 December 2016.
As will most major hotel promotions registration is required before the end of your first qualifying stay and you'll have to decide which bonus you want to receive (double points or double elite nights) at the time of registration.
Bonus Starpoints With Starwood Promotions
Starwood is running a couple of promotions right now that offer SPG members the chance to earn some bonus Starpoints. The "Suite Temptations" promotion offers discounted rates for anyone looking to book a suite at one of Starwood's worldwide properties as well as bonus Starpoints per stay and the "5,000 More Reasons to Stay" could be a nice promotion for those with a lot of hotel nights to book between now and the end of the year.
One To Consider: Buy Club Carlson Points & Get A 75% Bonus
Club Carlson (the rewards program for the likes of Radisson Bu and Park Plaza) has launched a new promotion that gives members until 30 October to buy Club Carlson points with a 75% bonus thrown in. In essence Club Carlson members are being sold Gold Points for 0.4 cents each and this could be a promotion worth considering.
Two Accor Promotions: Up To 40% Off…..But Most Will Only Get A 30% Discount
As part of the hotel group's "Super Sale" Accor is offering up to 40% off rates at over 3,500 hotels in 92 countries but, when you read the small print, you'll discover that the headline discount is only applicable to members of Accor's premium loyalty program - Accor Plus. The rest of us mere mortals have to make do with a discount of 30%.
W Dubai – Al Habtoor City Opens Its Doors
Starwood (or should I now call it Marriott?) has announced the opening of the first W Hotel in the UAE with the official launch of the W Dubai - Al Habtoor City. The property is located around 20 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport and 35 minute away from the Dubai Marina. The Burj Khalifa is only around 2 miles away as the crow flies but, thanks to the convoluted road system in the area, it's still around 15 minutes drive away.
Starwood Adds 10 More Design Hotels To SPG & Some Look Fantastic!
In the past week Starwood has added 10 more Design Hotels to its Starwood Preferred Guest rewards network. 8 of the properties are found in Asia, one in Europe and one in the Middle East.
It was around this time last year that Starwood announced a plan to incorporate the Design Hotels brand into its hotel portfolio.....but with a slight twist thrown in. Unlike Starwood's other brands (W Hotels, Westin etc…) the Design Hotels continue to operate independently of Starwood and continue to be managed by their leadership team in Berlin.
Hyatt Is Opening Another Property In Seattle But I Can’t Say I’m Excited
Hyatt has recently announced that it plans to expand its presence in Seattle by adding a Hyatt Regency to the city but, as great as it always is to have more Hyatt options, it would have been nicer had the option been somewhere where us Hyatt fans aren't already reasonably well served.
Round Up: Bonus Hyatt Points In Las Vegas, Air New Zealand Adding WiFi &...
A round up of some of the smaller bits of travel news I've noticed over the past week that don't warrant a blog post of their own but that could be useful nonetheless. Included Air New Zealand announcing the introduction of WiFi onboard, Hyatt offering bonus points in Las Vegas, JAL partnering with Priority Pass and more.
Hyatt Finally Rebrands Its LAX Property As A Hyatt Regency
Way back in the summer of 2014 Hyatt took control of the Radisson LAX (the closest hotel to the airport) and began a slow (very!) makeover of the property. Because it wasn't up to Hyatt's standards the one-time Radisson LAX became the Concourse Hotel and wasn't branded with the Hyatt name.
Now, even though the renovation project still isn't completed (estimates have it competing in January 2017) Hyatt clearly feels comfortable with what the property has to offer and so has rebranded it the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles Airport.
Review: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong – Harbour View King Room (Part 2)
I ended Part 1 of this review with a bit of a cliff-hanger saying that the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong offers the single best amenity I've ever seen offered by a hotel...and I really don't think I'm exaggerating.
If you don't happen to have access to a great roaming deal (like T-Mobile offers in the US) then you're likely to be at the mercy of wifi hotspots when you travel abroad...but not if you visit the Hyatt Regency in Hong Kong.
Review: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong – Harbour View King Room (Part 1)
The Hyatt Regency Hong Kong (full name: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui) is located on the mainland side of Hong Kong right in the middle of Kowloon and in a very good position to explore that area of Hong Kong. It's also within a short walk (10 - 15 minutes) to the harbour where you can catch a ferry to Hong Kong Island....which is useful if you plan to visit Victoria Peak.
Earn 10,000 Points Per Night With Club Carlson Mega Points
Club Carlson has brought back its Mega Points promotion where members can earn 10,000 Gold Points per night at participating Radisson and Radisson Blu properties in the US, Canada or Latin America. The offer runs through the end of the year so there's plenty of time to make the most of it...but is it any good in the first place?
Hilton Offering 100% Bonus On Points Purchases
The last Hilton promotion ended a few weeks ago and, as that promotion was targeted, different people had different offers made available to them. I was offered a 40% discount on the price of points while the more fortunate Hilton HHonors members were offered a 50%. Now Hilton has uploaded a new promotion to its site and this one looks a little bit better.
Starwood Adds Luxury Collection & Tribute Portfolio Properties In Singapore
With all my recent traveling I've had a bit of hotel news pile up on my desk so, now that I have a little bit more time, I though I sort through the latest hotel announcements and pick out the more interesting ones. The news that will probably be of most interest to travelers right now is the announcement from Starwood that it is adding two Singapore properties to its portfolio.
Hyatt Offering 40% Bonus On Points Purchases – Best Bonus This Year
Back in August Hyatt was offering a 30% bonus to anyone who wanted to purchase 5,000 or more Gold Passport points and that was about as good a non-targeted promotion as we've seen all year (Hyatt offered a targeted 40% bonus back in the summer). Hyatt is clearly feeling a bit more generous right now as the latest bonus is not targeted and offers 40% to all Hyatt Gold Passport members.
Hilton Flash Sale For Europe, Africa & The Middle East
Hilton has launched a flash sale for its properties in Europe, Africa and the Middle East with discounts of up to 30% available for weekend stays before 29 January 2017. The full 30% discount includes a 5% discount for being a Hilton HHonors member so, if you haven't already signed up, now may be a good time to do just that.
Hilton Improves Year End Promotion – Get Triple Points On All Stays
Since the beginning of September Hilton has been running a "Double Points" promotion which, for most casual travelers, is probably the best year end promotion on offer from any of the major hotel chains. The Hyatt promotion requires too many stays, the Marriott promotion is better than some of its other promotions but it's still not great, the Starwood SPG Fall promotion isn't exactly generous, and the IHG Accelerate promotion is good (if you got an easy offer) but can require quite a bit of work if you're to extract maximum value. The Hilton promotion is simple and rewarding...and it just got better.
Hilton Is Changing Its Best Price Guarantee
All of the big hotel chains offer some sort of a "best price guarantee" but, as the hotel chains have started to use any excuse to weasel out of their own guarantee, they have become more of a marketing gimmick than an actual benefit to customers. Hilton is the latest of the big-chain hotels to change its best price guarantee and, as long as you can get the chain to honor it, the change could be a positive one for a lot of travelers.
It’s Official! Starpoints Will Convert To Marriott Rewards At 1:3 Ratio (And A Lot...
The Marriott and Starwood merger is finally closing today and the merged entity is not wasting any time in getting information out to its customer base. Marriott has posted details of what Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and Marriott Rewards members can begin to expect and members of both programs are already being invited to link their accounts.
Marriott & Starwood Merger – Time For A Reality Check
Now that the Chinese authorities have given their blessing to the Marriott and Starwood merger the two entities are expected to become a single company by tomorrow (Friday 23 September). In the miles and points world this is causing a lot of teeth gnashing, wailing and discontent from some areas and what can only be described as serious denial from others. While I understand the reasons for all of those emotions I think a few people need a bit of a reality check when it comes to what the future holds.
Club Carlson Launches A “Members Only Rate” – But Is It Any Good?
Club Carlson, the loyalty program for the Carlson Rezidor Hotel group which includes the likes of Radisson Blu and Park Plaza Hotels, has announced that it has launched a "Members Only" room rate across all of the brands under the Carlson umbrella.
Register Now For The SPG “More For You” Promotion
Starwood has opened up registration for its fall "More For You" promotion which gives SPG members the chance to earn double or triple Starpoints on their stays. It's been over a month since the last Starwood promotion ended (SPG Triple Up) and, while that promotion wasn't bad at all, I suspect that "More For You" will work for more people.
Get A Free Night At Waldorf Astoria, Conrad And Curio Hotels
Travelers who hold a Visa Signature or Visa Infinite Credit card can take advantage of a nice offer from Visa Signature's Luxury Hotel Collection which gives you a free night at one of 50 participating Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and Curio properties when you book a stay of 2 nights or more.
Marriott Fall MegaBonus Promotion – Your Bonus. Your Choice.
Marriott has announced details its fall 2016 promotion and, to no one's surprise, it's called MegaBonus....just like every other Marriott promotion in recent years (originality doesn't appear to be a big priority at Marriott Rewards). The promotion runs for stays between 15 September 2016 and 15 January 2017 and registration is open now.
There’s A 30% Bonus On Club Carlson Points Purchases…But Most Shouldn’t Bother!
Club Carlson (the loyalty program for, amongst others, Radisson and Radisson Blu) has launched a promotion which gives members the opportunity to buy Gold Points with a bonus of up to 30%. The promotion runs through 30 September 2016 and, in essence, allows Club Carlson members to buy points for 0.54 cents each.
Hyatt’s “More Points, More Play 2016” Promotion Now Live
Hyatt's final promotion of 2016 (which it's calling "More Points, More Play") is now live and it's a promotion that definitely more likely to be of use to the road warriors amongst us than to the casual traveler - I for one won't be getting much out of this promo.
Disappointingly Hyatt has opted to show absolutely no imagination whatsoever and has simply brought back its April through June 2016 promotion under a different name - what was once "Stay More, Play More" is now "More Points, More Play". As far as I can tell there is absolutely no difference between the two promotions.
Quick Look: Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel – Single Room
This is the second "quick look" post I've done of Holiday Inn properties at Heathrow (the first was the Holiday Inn Heathrow T5) and, once again, my visit was purely as a result of the IHG Summer Accelerate promotion I discussed earlier this week.
Just like with the Holiday Inn Heathrow T5 I spent enough time at the property to get a good look around (as hopefully the pictures will show) but I didn't stay the night so you should bear that in mind when forming any opinions from what I post here.
Did You Know? You Can Book Marriott Reward Nights Even If You’re Short Of...
One of the biggest issues that travelers can face when making plans to use their miles and points is that, quite often, they can see availability for the flight or hotel reservation they want to book but they don't yet have all the miles or points needed to make the reservation.
This issue can be avoided, to a degree, by transferring in points from other sources or by purchasing more miles or points from the airline/hotel....but what if you don't have points to transfer in and what if you don't want to pay for more points?
Marriott has the answer.
Quick Look: Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5
I visited the Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5 as part of my plan to earn some quick IHG rewards points before the summer Accelerate promotion ended. I spent a little bit of time at the property but I didn’t end up spending the night (that is something you need to bear in mind when drawing any of your own conclusions from this post).
I may not have spent the night but I knew I was going to be writing this post so I made sure to take a few pictures to show you what the property offers.
Grand Hyatt San Francisco – Grand Club Lounge Review
Our stay at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco was part of Joanna's mystery tip (introduction is here) and I posted my review of the suite and the hotel yesterday. Today I'm taking a look at the Club Lounge that the Grand Hyatt San Francisco offers.
Review: Grand Hyatt San Francisco – Executive Suite
There were two things that were never in much doubt about our visit to San Francisco - we would be staying at a Hyatt property and we'd be staying at least 4 nights. The reason I was keen for us to stay at a Hyatt was because I wanted to use one of my Diamond Suite upgrades that comes with my Hyatt status and the reason for staying at least 4 nights was because I wanted to make use of the "4th night free" benefit that comes with my Citi Prestige credit card.
Hilton Offering Points With A Discount Of Up To 50% (0.5 Cents/Point)
Hilton is offering to sell you HHonors points at a discount but you won't know what that discount is until you log in to your Hilton HHonors account. The offer runs through 16 September 2016 and, from what I've seen, sees the discount capped at 50%.
For what it's worth I was targeted for a 40% discount on any points purchase and I'm probably going to pass.
US Hotels Hacked & Credit Card Details Compromised – This Is Getting Pathetic
HEI Hotels & Resorts has confirmed that 20 properties that it manages, including some under the Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and Starwood brands, have seen some of their credit card processing systems compromised and infected with malware. The malware was designed to record payment information as it passed through the system and, presumably, pass it on to the originators of the hack.
Review: Aria Resort & Casino Las Vegas
I've been to Las Vegas more times than I can remember but I've never stayed at Aria before. I've walked through City Center (the complex within which you'll find Aria) on countless occasions and I've gambled in the Aria casino more times than I'd care to admit but, before this trip, I'd never seen inside one of the hotel's rooms.
Accor Hotels Worldwide Sale Is On – Up To 50% Off
Accor Hotels is the group that is best known for brands such as Sofitel and Grand Mercure at the more upscale end of the market, Novotel in the middle of the market and Ibis in the budget range but their reach is far greater than that. The group has recently completed acquisitions of the Fairmont and Raffles hotel groups, it purchased onefinestay in April and is building up a pretty impressive footprint across the globe (although it's still very "Europe heavy").
Review – Sofitel Heathrow Terminal 5
To get Joanna's mystery trip off to as relaxed a start as possible I decided to book the Sofitel at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 for the night before the first flight. Our flight wasn't a particularly early one (9:25 am) but anything that helps avoid an early wake-up call is a good idea to me. The Sofitel is linked to Terminal 5 by a foot bridge so, if you if you make a bit of an effort, you can get from your room to the British Airways check-in desks in under 10 minutes - great if you want a lie-in.
Review – The May Fair Hotel London
The May Fair is a hotel that falls under the umbrella of the Club Carlson loyalty program and is a property at which I've stayed a few times. In the Club Carlson point heyday (when the top Carlson hotels cost 50,000 points and when you would get the a second award night for free just for having the Club Carlson credit card) this property was fantastic value - you could have a weekend in London's Mayfair for just 50,000 points! Now the same weekend will set you back 140,000 points so things are a little different.
35% Off Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Properties
Marriott has launched a sale at 14 of its properties across Latin American & the Caribbean with discounts of up to 35% available. The hotelier is claiming that these are "the largest discounts ever offered across the collection of resorts" and, after having looked at some of the nightly rates, it looks like there may be some good deals out there.
Review: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa – Overwater Bungalow
Joanna and I recently visited the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort - one of the most aspirational properties you can book with IHG Rewards points - and this is part 2 of the review of the resort. In part 1 of the review I looked at the location of the resort, the arrivals process, our check-in and the first impressions we got as we explored the resort's grounds. In this part I'll take a look at the accommodation we booked.
Earn An Easy 500 Marriott Rewards Points
Marriott Rewards is offering 500 of their points to anyone who follows them on Instagram between now and 21 June 2016.
The 500 free Marriott Rewards promotion appears to be part of an effort to showcase the fact that you can now book Marriott properties through Instagram
New Hotel Opening: Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach
There have been a number of hotels opening their doors over the past week that will be of interest to miles & point collectors. I've already covered the new W Miami and the luxurious Park Hyatt Resort Mallorca and today it's the turn of the Marriott Resort and Spa on Nai Yang Beach in Thailand.
New Hotel Opening: Park Hyatt Mallorca, Spain
Mallorca is one of Spain's Balearic Islands and is a destination I've been looking to visit for quite some time but, up until reading the press release on this new property, I wasn't even aware that there was a Park Hyatt being constructed on the island.
Marriott Promotion: Earn 1,000 Frequent Flyer Miles Per Stay
It's hardly groundbreaking or likely to entice anyone into making a stay they weren't already planning on making but Marriott has opened up a new promotion. This promotion is targeted at guests who choose to collect frequent flyer miles on their Marriott stays rather than Marriott Rewards points.
New Hotel Opening: W Miami Downtown
There have been a number of hotel announcements already this year like the new Le Meridien in Rome, the new Andaz set for Vienna and a new Hyatt on Miami Beach but some of those are still a few years away from completion so it's hard to get too excited about them. Now, however, we have a slew of new hotels actually opening their doors and I'll be taking a look at a some of them over next few days. The first is the W Miami.
Marriott Double Elite Qualifying Nights (Non-US)
If your Marriott Rewards account is based outside of the US Marriott has a surprisingly good promotion for you at the moment. For all stays between 3 June and 31 December 2016 you'll earn double Elite Qualifying nights meaning you'll have very little reason not to requalify for status in 2017.
Review: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa – Arrival & The Resort
There is simply too much to say about the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa to fit into one blog post so I'm going to split this review up into more manageable sizes.
In this section of the review I'm going to focus on the transfer from the airport to the resort, the check-in process and our first look around the resort grounds and its amenities. Other blog posts will cover the accommodation, the dining and how we paid for the stay in the first place.
W Hotels Unveils A Pointless “Innovation”
I don't like W Hotels and I tend not to hide that feeling very well.
I find them to be all style (and not style that I like) and little to no substance whatsoever. Most of the W 's I've visited are trying too hard to be cool and remind me more of overpriced Vegas nightclubs than upscale hotels. I really don't get why some people seem to like them so much. It's all a bit Emperor's New Clothes.
Starwood News – New Aloft Properties For Mexico & A New “Sheraton Grand” Is...
Starwood may well be a long way down the road to being taken over by Marriott but the hotel company still appears to be forging ahead with existing expansion and renewal plans with new Aloft Hotels being announces and the Sheraton 2020 program still ongoing.
IHG Las Vegas Promotion – Stay 3 Nights & Get A Free Night Worldwide
IHG has launched an interesting promotion in conjunction with its "alliance resorts" in Las Vegas that's worth taking a look...but probably only if you were planning on visiting Vegas anyway.
The "Book 3, Stay Free" promotion offers members the chance to earn a free night at any IHG property worldwide in exchange for staying 3 consecutive nights at either the Venetian or Palazzo in Las Vegas.
Hilton Asia-Pacific Flash Sale – 40% Discount
As the headline says, Hilton has opened up a flash sale for its Asia-Pacific properties with the booking period closing on 4 April. I'm a little bit late with this news but then I'm on holiday so it's amazing I noticed in the first place! :)
Marriott’s Going To Buy Starwood – Anbang Withdraws Offer
It looks like the saga of who's going to buy Starwood is finally over and it has not ended the way most (all?) Starwood fans and elites wanted it to end. Starwood has announced that the Anbang led consortium that was challenging Marriott for the right to overpay for Starwood has withdrawn its offer leaving Marriott as the last bidder standing.
Hyatt Adds Miami Beach Property – The Confidante
Hyatt has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase a 380-room Miami Beach property that will operate as part of its new Unbound Collection brand. This will be Hyatt's second Miami Beach property following the opening of the Hyatt Centric South Beach in the middle of 2015.
Starwood Bidding Continues – Marriott’s Offer Trumped (Again)
The circus that is the on again, off again merger between Marriott and Starwood took another twist today as the consortium of companies, led by Anbang Insurance, upped its offer for Starwood to $82.75 per share in another all-cash offer.
Hotel Wrap: Andaz Coming To Vienna, St Regis Langkawi Opening & More
A quick round up of some of the hotel news I've noticed over the past few days with four of the big chains either announcing major new properties or, in the case of Starwood, opening new properties that should please their loyalty program members.
Review: Andaz West Hollywood – Suite King
Back in January I had my first stay at the Andaz West Hollywood and, on that occasion, I stayed in one of the View King...
Marriott Increases Offer For Starwood & Starwood Accepts (again!)
Marriott has submitted an increased offer for the outstanding shares in Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Starwood's Board of Directors has determined that the revised terms of the agreement "constitute a superior proposal compared to previously announced offer by Consortium led by Anbang Insurance Group".
Starwood Announces Expansion Into Cuba
It's been a busy few weeks for both Starwood and Cuba. First the US began lifting Cuban trade embargoes and US Airlines started to...
Starwood Accepts Counter Offer – Marriott Takeover Looks Unlikely
Back on Monday I posted about an "unsolicited acquisitions proposal" that Starwood had received for all the outstanding shares of Starwood stock from a consortium of...
Starwood Has A New Bidder – Marriott Takeover In Doubt
In news that's certain to give hope to Starwood's top-tier elites, the hotel group has announced that, on 10 March, it received an "unsolicited...
Buy Starpoints With Up To 25% Off
A lot of people, myself included, see Starwood's Starpoints as one of the more valuable points currencies around. And now Starwood is offering to...
Hyatt Introduces The Unbound Collection – Yet Another New Hotel Brand
Ok, I said this when Hilton introduced their ridiculous-looking "Tru Hotels" and I'm going to say it again: I really wish hotel chains would stop coming up with new hotel brands - it's gone beyond the point of being ridiculous and has now reached farcical levels.
IHG Intends To Keep Kimpton A Boutique Brand
There were a lot of disgruntled Kimpton fans on the internet message boards when IHG announced that it was going to be taking over...
Intercontinental London O2 In Pictures
Friends of mine stayed at the new Intercontinental London O2 over the weekend and, while I haven't yet had a chance to see the hotel,...
Hyatt.com Glitch or Something Else?
I was searching the Hyatt website the other day trying to find some good rates at the Andaz West Hollywood for a friend of...
Starwood Announces Le Méridien Visconti Rome
Starwood has put out a press release confirming that the Le Méridien band will be making a return to Italy by the end of...
Review: Hilton Los Angeles Airport
The last hotel I got to try out on my rather manic "8 Flights, 7 Lounges & 3 Hotels In 5 Days" trip was...
Review: Hilton Copenhagen Airport
Thanks to some very good Economy Class fares I found myself using Copenhagen as a jumping off point for yet another trip across the Atlantic. Last...
Marriott Caribbean & Latin America Promotion – Up to 30% Off
Marriott has brought back its "Time is Money" promotion which offers guests up to 30% off the regular leisure rates at participating properties. Book between 1 February and 29 February 2016 and stay between 1 April and 30 June at most properties (some extend out to 31 July) to get the discounts on offer.
Review: Los Angeles Airport Marriott
I had a very nice couple of nights at the Andaz West Hollywood and, if I'm being honest, I didn't really need to book...
Marriott Promotion – 3 Nights For The Price Of 2 In Paris
Marriott has teamed up with Visa to offer guests three nights for the price of two at their Paris properties for stays between January and 2 May 2016. What's good about this promotion is that it isn't only the city centre hotels that have been included but also Marriott's properties on the outskirts like Arcueil and Saint Denis.
One Good Thing From The Marriott Starwood Takeover?
There won't be too many regular Starwood guests that are looking forward to the Marriott take over that's in the works. As I explained...
Review: Andaz West Hollywood – “View King” Room
After having successfully matched my Marriott Platinum status to Hyatt Diamond status back in November, I was looking forward to seeing what top-tier status...
Hilton Announces Tru By Hilton – Yet Another New Hotel Brand
As hotel chains continue to strive to differentiate themselves from the competition I can't help but wonder if all they're really achieving is more...
Starwood Opening Two New W Hotels
The W Hotels are Starwood's "hip" brand of hotels and the hotel chain has been expanding the W brand in recent months. In the...
Review: Marriott AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen
Whenever I have an overnight layover, unless I'm arriving into a city in the morning or early afternoon, I will always look to book a hotel that's close to the airport. If I know I'm not going to have time to explore a city I always look for the path of least resistance and, as on this trip I would have a 7:00am flight to catch the next day, I definitely wanted to book something within easy reach of the check-in desks.
Hilton Opens New Doubletree London Excel
With 21 properties in London Hilton fans weren't exactly short on choice when it comes to saying in England's capital but, just in case that wasn't enough, Hilton has just opened a 22nd.
The Doubletree by Hilton London ExCel is taking reservations from 23 January onwards and is the latest addition to Hilton's London portfolio.
The property was once the "Ramada Hotel & Suites London Docklands" but has undergone a thorough refurbishment before being rebranded as a Doubletree.
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