Amsterdam is one of those rare cities that is both historic and modern. It’s not defined by a single landmark, but by the atmosphere, beauty, and lifestyle you experience everywhere you go.  The canal system is unlike anywhere else in the world, and the city’s walkability, along with its famous bike culture, makes it a […]

A review of the Andaz Delhi is something that I’d never thought I’d be writing. Me in India? Preposterous! But sometimes you find yourself going places you never thought you’d see. And here is my review of the Andaz Delhi, if you want to head to India, too.   Redemption The Andaz Delhi is a […]

Marriott Bonvoy® members have a new way to stretch their free night certificates a little further. As of March 12, 2026, Marriott increased the maximum number of points members can add to a Free Night Award certificate from 15,000 points to 25,000 points. That extra flexibility could help travelers book hotels that previously fell just […]

Hotel credits have become a staple of premium travel credit cards. On paper, they can offset annual fees significantly—sometimes by hundreds of dollars per year. In practice, however, these credits aren’t always easy to use. Many require prepaid bookings through specific portals, minimum-stay requirements, or choosing luxury properties that cost far more than you’d normally […]

It’s no secret that I love certain hotel brands. The Park Hyatt. Kimpton Hotels. Another brand that I love is the Hyatt Thompson brand so when we changed our annual retreat to the Thompson Houston, I was excited to stay at another one. I was NOT disappointed.  Redemption The Thompson Houston is a Category 5 […]

There is no place on Earth quite like New York City. The famous concrete jungle is the epicenter of all things show business, food, art, history, shopping, and experiences. With so much to do and see, every visit can feel like your first. I love NYC because there are endless options for booking your stay […]

Booking travel with points is great, but booking comfortable travel with points is even better. And if you’re traveling with kids, friends, or extended family, standard rooms can start to feel cramped really fast. This is where suite upgrade awards come in. If you hold Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards, Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards, or have […]

Credit cards that offer points that can be redeemed for hotel stays are an important part of our points and miles journey.  Sometimes we have a card and don’t want to pay the annual fee after the first year, so we are always sure to evaluate whether it makes sense to keep each card. But […]

Flying to Japan can cost a lot of points, especially if you want to travel in a premium cabin for such a long journey. So you’ll probably want to save points on your lodging once you get there. Luckily, you can find great hotel deals with your points (or free-night certificates if you have them). […]

Ever since writing about The Chatwal hotel in New York City in a previous blog post, I’ve been wanting to stay at this high-end property with fascinating history and connections to Broadway. The problem: it’s a Category 8 property and costs a lot of Hyatt points. So I thought this aspirational property would always remain […]

I recently returned from another trip to French Polynesia. The main purpose was to return to the Hilton Conrad Bora Bora Nui and take my sister with me. I also wanted to try another hotel on the trip and decided to stay at the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa. Here’s what I thought about […]

Whether you’re booking an aspirational vacation or simply a night at the airport before your early morning flight, hotel free-night certificates are a useful part of any traveler’s points-and-miles toolkit. Read on to learn how to maximize value from hotel free-night certificates, wherever your travels take you.    Use Them Before They Expire  The most important […]

Your Hilton points can take you just about anywhere—from a dreamy beach escape in the Maldives to a luxury stay in one of Japan’s most popular cities. In this post, we’ll give you five aspirational Hilton properties to book on points or free-night certificates.  Hilton prices its hotels dynamically, making it a bit more challenging […]

On a recent trip to Iceland, my family of five decided to use Reykjavik as a home base (because hotel-hopping with a family for a four-night stay wasn’t ideal). We took a couple of day trips from Reykjavik and spent one day exploring the city itself. Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre proved to be […]

The Standard Hotels brand is Hyatt’s latest acquisition. Standard Hotels is a high-end boutique hotel brand known for its hip, artsy, and nightlife-oriented atmosphere. It’s not “standard” in the generic sense—the name is intentionally ironic, as their hotels are anything but standard. Hyatt’s acquisition of Standard International happened in late 2024 and many of these […]

I just completed staying at three well-known Maui hotels this year: the Hyatt Regency Maui, Andaz Maui, and the Marriott Wailea Beach Resort. Jess, Alex, and I have surprisingly different takes on each one. And you all know we love the Grand Hyatt Kauai, but maybe not exactly why we love it, so we added […]

Choice Hotels® are a more niche brand for points and miles travelers, but Choice Privileges® points can be very valuable, especially outside the U.S. If you’re willing to do some math to find a good deal, these points can be a great addition to your points wallet. So we’ll get you started learning all about […]

Trying to pick your favorite hotel stays is kind of like picking your favorite child. Each has their uniqueness and you love them for different reasons. And with hotel stays, getting to stay at them for pennies on the dollar anywhere you want makes you love more of them! Here are some of my favorite […]

I usually love every Kimpton Hotel I meet, but I finally met one that was underwhelming. Welcome to my Kimpton Vividora Barcelona review, a.k.a. staying in a dorm room. Quirky, cute, but still a dorm room. It is located on a small, pedestrian side street near La Rambla, and the lobby seemed promising and charming. […]

Did I just stay at a hotel that may be my new favorite? I am on a trip to Mallorca after visiting Madrid and Barcelona. I left Alex and Jess in Barcelona and flew to Mallorca to meet another of my daughters. First stop: Nobis Hotel Palma in Mallorca, Spain. It was love at first […]

​The Thompson Madrid is a luxurious hotel situated in the heart of Madrid, near the Gran Vía and the Puerta del Sol. It was also a quick walk to the Plaza Mayor, the largest square in Madrid. It’s smack in the center of Madrid, in fact, and close to tons of dining, shopping, and nightlife. […]