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Saturday, January 30, 2016

Introducing (drum roll) TRU by Hilton !

Hilton has introduced a  TRU has their new  foray into the "midscale" brand.  Mid Scale hotels usually range from $80-$120 per night.

I believe this is aimed at a trendy / posh millennial crowd. It's a neat concept hotel and I will definitely try it out, even though I am not a millennial. SPG has had the aLoft brand for awhile so it only makes sense that Hilton tries to get it's share of the market.

Per their press release the hotel will include:

* The Hive, a first floor experience that's more than a lobby - 2,770 square-feet of open space with unique ways for guests to engage with others or spend time alone - in one of four distinct zones for lounging, working, eating or playing.

* The Play Zone, filled with table games, a large-screen TV (featuring DIRECTV), and tiered, stadium-inspired seating.

* A centrally located Command Center - a re-envisioned front desk - featuring a social media wall with real-time content to foster engagement among guests, and a 24/7 market offering fun snacks and refreshments, single-serve wine and beer*, healthy light meal options and sundries for purchase.

* A complimentary "Build Your Own" breakfast consisting of a toppings bar with 30 sweet and savory items allowing guests to customize bagels, donuts, Greek yogurt and oatmeal to satisfy their taste buds and cravings.

* Smart and efficiently designed guest rooms full of the things that matter most - all-white comfortable platform beds, 55" TVs, eight-foot wide windows, access to power everywhere, and surprisingly spacious bathrooms.

* A fitness center that defines wellness trends, rather than follows them, with a concept focused on cardio, strength and flexibility.

* A technology-forward mentality featuring segment-leading complimentary Wi-Fi bandwidth allowing guests to download and stream content on their devices, plentiful power sources, and mobile check-in, room selection and Digital Key available through the Hilton HHonors mobile app.

* A collaboration with DIRECTV, offering guests more than 150 channels, like they have at home.

* Rooms and linens cleaned by P&G Professional's (NYSE: PG) top hospitality brands, including Tide® ProfessionalTM, Swiffer® ProfessionalTM and Febreze® ProfessionalTM to help enhance the guest experience and drive operational efficiencies.

* A brand personality that's full of life with a spirited culture grounded in a thoughtful, reliable and unflappable approach to guest service.


You can see their announcement here


Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Say What? A Parthenon in Nashville!

I've had the pleasure of exploring Nashville a few times over the years. I've flown into their airport quite a bit, little did I know there was a hidden surprise.

Right smack dab in the middle of the metropolis is a full scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon.

It was originally built in 1897, it was the centerpiece of the Centennial Exposition. Today is serves as the city's art museum. Inside they have a 42 foot statue of Athena.

If you have a few hours to kill while in Nashville, it's worth a gander. There is free parking and it's a short walk through the park. It's a beautiful place to wander if you have the time.

Your Trivia question for the day:

What is the largest city in Tennessee named after a former Egyptian capital?

Answer: Memphis

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Google Flights - Discover Destinations - New Feature!

I have been using Google flights for quite some time now. See my post here on how to easy it is to use the site.

Google flights was far and way my favorite search engine for flights and Google just made it better.

They already had an option  which I use all the time, it's a map where you can plug in dates and see where the cheapest flights are for that time period. Now they are suggesting locations based upon what you like to do on vacation.



Have a particular place in mind? Try the map! They have enhanced it a bit.






Sunday, January 10, 2016

TSA will stop accepting Drivers Licenses

If you're in one of these 9 states and territories:

Alaska
California
Illinois
Minnesota
Missouri
New Jersey
New Mexico
South Carolina
Washington State

Gaum
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands

Why is this happening? In 2005 as a response to the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the Real ID Act to make it harder to create a fake ID. These states and territories have not made sufficient changes to satisfy the law.

The TSA was set to stop accepting Drivers Licenses from these locations on January 10th , 2016. The Department of Homeland Security issued an extension of sorts on 1-8-16. They stated TSA will continue to accept drivers licenses from these locations  but the states / territories have until January 22, 2018 to issue better licenses. As of October 2020, everyone will need a compliant ID or Passport.

Jetsetter and Tasting Table - "Dine Deliciously Across America" giveaway

I discovered Jetsetter a few years ago. They offer discounted luxury hotel stays throughout the world. They have partnered with Tasting Table to offer the chance to win a trip to one of 8 locations within the U.S.

Take a look - register now, the giveaway ends on January 15th.

The prize includes:

  •  Two night stay at your location
  •  Two round trip tickets via #airfarewatchdog
  •  An adventure specific to the location. I chose San Francisco, which includes wine tastings, spa treatments and gourmet meals
  • $1,000 towards dining out

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Marriott and SPG - A Match made in Heaven?

In November Marriott International purchased SPG. Making Marriott the largest hotel chain in the world.

I achieved gold status with Marriott a few years ago, however I switched over to Hilton. I've been diamond with them for 5 years. Hilton had better properties in most of the islands I visited in the Caribbean. They also had better locations in most of the places I visited. I did not make the threshold to qualify for diamond this past year. I don't travel as much for work as I had in previous years.

Last summer I applied for the Marriott rewards card. They provide 5 times the points on stays at their properties. My wife and I were traveling to Okinawa and Marriott had the best locations there.

With the Marriott rewards card it provides 15 nights towards elite status and you can warn more nights with threshold purchases throughout the year.

This move by Marriott increases the number of luxury locations around the world. Which I had thought was missing from Marriotts portfolio. I am seriously considering moving my allegiance to Marriott in the upcoming year. Hilton did not provide me a way to keep my status after years of loyalty, which was a bit disappointing. I had 48 nights in Hilton's, 12 short needed to maintain gold status.

Never heard of SPG? Some of their more notable brand hotels  include Westin, aloft, W Hotels, and St.Regis. Here are some of the more notable location I want to visit:

Bali:

St. Regis

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Bora Bora

St. Regis















Another item that Marriott added in it's favor was the new inclusion of rewards stays counting toward elite status. This had been an omission from the brand and had steered me towards Hilton. It's just another reason why Marriott is becoming more likely to get my business.

I'll always stay at the brand that has the best location for the best price.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Puerto Rico - Amazing!

Puerto Rico

This was our second visit to Puerto Rico. First things first, our flight left on Saturday December 19th and returned on December 24th. Prices we roughly $800 per person. We flew in San Juan International, however we stayed in Fajardo.

Let me give you a few tidbits on why we chose to stay in Fajardo. For one, San Juan is on the Atlantic ocean. December is the rainy season the seas can be a little less forgiving than the Caribbean.

Secondly I have been a Hilton Hotels guy since traveling for work got me Diamond status a few years ago. Just can't beat the perks and upgrades! None of the Hilton hotels in San Juan have a great beach with crystal clear blue waters. So we chose to stay at the El Conquistador , a Waldorf Astoria resort in Fajardo.

Here is a view  of the outdoor entry way


Pool area views from the lobby



The hotel provides a shuttle service from the airport for $39 per person each way. It's about an hours drive from Fajardo. On our first visit we didn't leave the resort so it made since not to rent a car. We did venture out this time, more on that later.

So about the digs! Upon entering the resort there are sweeping views of the meticulous golf course. There is a long drive up to the circular entrance. The hotel property includes buildings in multiple locations. There is Las Brisas which are larger rooms for families located high up on the cliffs. The main hotel is where the lobby, pools and restaurants are located. (they have a Starbucks on site) The main hotels hotel rooms are located on the point of the cliffs and offer sweeping views of the ocean.

A view from the top of the cliffs

You can see  private Palomino island off to the left in the distance
  
Las Olas and La Vista rooms below



Since the hotel itself is located at the top of the cliff the hotel has twin gondolas that transport guests from the upper cliff side to the marina. About halfway down there is another pool surrounding another pool. At the bottom there are multiple buildings with rooms offering a close up view of the ocean. There are also suites (La Olas) located in smaller buildings adjacent to the marina and ocean.

A view of our suites and the ocean