Podcasts about Hotel Indigo

In this episode, we're diving deep into IHG One Rewards—a hotel program that often flies under the radar but has serious potential. From practical Holiday Inns to luxury Kimptons and InterContinentals, we're sharing our experiences using IHG points and free-night awards, how we earn them, and why buying IHG points (yes, buying!) can actually be a smart move. What Even Is IHG? Before diving into points and miles, most of us didn't even know IHG was the brand behind properties like Holiday Inn, Candlewood Suites, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, and InterContinental. Jess shares how she earned free IHG stays back in the day by mailing in 90 index cards, and Pam tells how she thought Crowne Plazas were the height of luxury before she knew the full IHG lineup. IHG Credit Cards: What to Know Alex breaks down the three different IHG credit card options and how their benefits stack up so you can decide which one might work best for you.  She also outlines two of the unique benefits that make two of these cards a great deal: getting a fourth night free on award stays and earning free-night certificates you can top up. Buying IHG Points Can Actually Make Sense Pam shares why she regularly buys IHG points—especially during 100% bonus sales—for heavily discounted stays at high-end IHG properties. She calls it a “no-brainer,” and Jess agrees—IHG is one of the only programs where buying points often makes sense. Where We've Used IHG Points and Awards From a Kimpton in Barcelona, to airport Holiday Inns, to a Crowne Plaza in Bruges, we share how we've stretched our points and free-night certificates. Jess highlights how easy it is to top off a 40k free-night certificate online, and Alex reminds everyone about the best ways to book longer stays for couples. We also discuss: IHG status levels Using certificates online (a breeze!) The IHG brands we love most Our dream stays: Six Senses, Kimpton in Sydney, and Hotel Indigo Galápagos Links: All About IHG Credit Cards: All About IHG Credit Cards - Travel Mom Squad - https://travelmomsquad.com/ihg-revamps-credit-cards Purchasing IHG Points: Does It Make Sense? Purchasing IHG Points: Does It Make Sense? - Travel Mom Squad - https://travelmomsquad.com/purchasing-ihg-points-does-it-make-sense/ Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Our intro to IHG 03:00 – What cards we've had and what we recommend 06:45 – The best perks and status levels with IHG cards 09:30 – Why we buy IHG points (and how it saves $$$) 13:30 – Free-night certificates and how to use them wisely 18:00 – Where we've stayed using IHG points and awards 21:00 – The brands we love: Kimpton, Indigo, InterContinental 26:00 – Favorite past stays + the IHG hotels we want to try next If you've been sleeping on IHG, take another look. Whether you're after practical one-night stays or a luxury resort getaway, there's more value here than you think.

In this episode, we sit down with Cody Morgan and Jamie Muñoz, the powerhouse duo behind Octo Hospitality and Blue Oak BBQ in Huntsville's MidCity District. Originally from New Orleans, Cody and Jamie share how their early roots in the restaurant industry shaped their approach to hospitality, community, and culture.We dive into their journey from Bourbon Street to North Alabama, their first impressions of Huntsville, and the serendipitous meeting that led to their now-signature events at The Camp. From the explosive success of their first Mardi Gras Day celebration to Crawfish Fest and the WhistleStop BBQ Festival, they talk about building experiences that go beyond food—and the “gumbo effect” that makes it all feel special.You'll also hear about the launch of Blue Oak in MidCity, their plans for the restaurant inside the new Hotel Indigo, and how they've built teams that live and breathe hospitality. Plus, they reflect on how a single book—Unreasonable Hospitality—helped shape their leadership style and guest philosophy.Whether you're in the restaurant industry or just love good food and great stories, this episode is packed with insights on growth, grit, and giving people more than they expect.SponsorYellowhammer is a local craft brewery serving Huntsville for the past 14 years. They are known for their premium craft beers like T-Minus and Rebellion, but what you might not know is they also offer spirits, wine, seltzers, and non-alcoholic drinks. Next time you stop by their location try one of their seasonal cocktails made with Gemini Bourbon or Yellowhammer Vodka. Or try this year's big hit, Pineapple Punch seltzer. You can find out more information about Yellowhammer Brewing by visiting their website ⁠⁠⁠https://www.yellowhammerbrewery.com⁠⁠⁠ or visiting their taproom located at Campus 805.MusicAny Day by Them Damn Dogs⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/3HrncTSw4a7J9YiyMIxHdu?si=qw6Df7J6SwKm6-WOEc7U7w

A man wills tand trial later in the year fro the robbery of the Rubis on Walkers Road. The Youth Services teams speaks at Youth Conference held at Hotel Indigo- and more on the WADA conference on keeping sports clean. All that and more in the news.

"I have a voice and it can be loud, so for me I have this responsibility to use that voice for to pave the way for other people" - Rebecca Thorn, General Manager at Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya. Rebecca, a hospitality industry expert & general manager at Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya, joins us on Tall Poppy Talk to share her journey from New Zealand to Fiji to Australia and now Japan, discussing the cultural nuances of hospitality, her leadership style, and the importance of creating unique guest experiences that reflect local culture. She emphasizes the significance of teamwork, diversity, and the emotional connections formed through hospitality. Emphasizing the importance of empowerment, mentorship, and diversity - Rebecca discusses the challenges of building a hotel from scratch, navigating tall poppy syndrome, and the significance of supporting others in their careers. Lots of really cool industry insights & inspiring moments, a big thank you to Rebecca! Listen to the full interview on Spotify, iHeart Radio, or Apple Podcasts. #hospitality #tokyo #shibuya #general #manager #industry #expert #hotel #newzealand #aotearoa #podcast #mentalperformance #tallpoppytalk #mentalhealthmatters #quote #fyp

Scott Quigley is a hospitality professional with 20+ years experience in hotel operations, sales, revenue and specializes in brand management, strategy and design. He has been part of the transformation of iconic brands including the re-launch of Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, InterContinental Hotels, and lead guest experience and innovation for Choice Hotels' upscale brands.

Surely, he has no worries. Just look at Cesar Wurm. He has a loving family, the appearance of an international model, the stride of a professional athlete, and the perceived confidence of a rockstar. He is a senior leader within an incredible hospitality company. He is a published author. He exudes confidence. However, 10 years ago, his "inside story" was much different. Today's podcast guest is now not only helping to create service and sales excellence for Premium hotels within the IHG Brand (Crowne Plaza, VOCO, EVEN, HOTEL INDIGO), but also aiding those that are facing addiction problems. In this podcast episode, recorded live from the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport and Expo Center during the Greatness Conference, the host interviews Cesar Wurm, Vice President of Commercial for Premium Brands at IHG and author of 'The Powers of Addiction: Finding Freedom and Acceptance in Recovery.' Cesar shares his inspiring life story, from a challenging childhood in Brazil where he lost his mother and dealt with his father's alcoholism, to his rebellious teen years involving early alcohol use, and his eventual journey towards sobriety. Facing his addiction profoundly changed Cesar's life, enhancing his leadership skills and aligning his values with his role at IHG. Cesar emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, empathy, and understanding that addiction is not a fault but something one can overcome with support. The conversation also explores how these personal growth experiences have enriched his career and deepened his connection with family and colleagues. More about Cesar Wurm: As the VP of Commercial, Premium Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts in the US, Cesar Wurm combines his deep expertise in sales and marketing with a passion for personal growth and community involvement. With a background that includes leadership roles at IHG, Starwood, Trust Hospitality, and Hotel Equities, Cesar has a rich history in the hospitality industry. Outside of work, Cesar cherishes time with his family, his wife Laura and daughter Gabby, and enjoys Formula One racing. He is deeply committed to supporting addiction recovery, reflecting his own journey to sobriety. This commitment is showcased in his book, "The Powers of Addiction: Finding Freedom in Acceptance and Recovery," which shares his personal story and offers hope to others. Cesar's professional and personal contributions have been recognized widely, earning him spots on the Marquis Who's Who 2023 and the Empower Role Model List- 2022 Top 100 Executives. He holds degrees from Washington State University and Cesar Ritz College, Switzerland, and is actively involved in various boards including IHG's Americas Regional DE&I and HOPE Atlanta. Through his life's work and book, Cesar aspires to inspire and assist others on their recovery journey, promoting a message of resilience, acceptance, and empowerment. Connect with him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cesar-wurm-5aa855b/ Find his book here: https://a.co/d/dQHicIZ More about IHG here: https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/reservation Most People Don't | Resources Learn additional key take-aways by listening to more of Bart Berkey's conversations with successful leaders on his weekly podcast. Please subscribe, like & share to help others find these words of wisdom. Find all Podcast episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for the Newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Schedule Bart to Speak ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠ ⁠www.mostpeopledont.com⁠ Any KEYNOTE SPEAKING OR LEADERSHIP TRAINING REQUESTS can be directed to bart@mostpeopledont.com

We explore the Brooklyn end of Spencer St up Flinders Lane to the Paris end of Spring St, staying at Hotel Indigo & taste testing Luke Mangan's latest Bistro Bisou.

The ladies are back together as Kristen and unpacks all of her travel stories from her trip to France to lighten Sharon's mood. They recap Discover Long Island and HIA LI's event at the beautiful Hotel Indigo and get ready for a sunny staff outing on Tiki Boat Long Island out of Oakdale. Today's Taste of Long Island and giveaway is all about the Hamptons= with a gift bag from Southampton Inn and the limited edition Hamptons Monopoly. For #LongIalndLife, exciting news out of MacArthur Airport- JetBlue is coming with flights to Florida. And to celebrate National Fishing Day, the ladies share some of their favorite spots to get out on the water. Plus, it wouldn't be summer without concerts at Jones Beach! Share your concert pics with us - DM @longislandteapodcast on Instagram or Facebook. #TasteofLongIslandSouthampton Innhttps://southamptoninn.com/Want to be featured on Taste of Long Island and be featured on our social channels and website? Email us at Spillthetea@discoverlongisland.com#LongIslandLifeMacArthur Airporthttps://www.flymacarthur.com/Get out “on the Wawtah”Tiki Boat LI (Oakdale)https://tikiboatlongisland.com/Silly Lily Fishing Station (East Moriches)https://www.sillylily.com/Stony Brook Harbor Kayak and Paddleboard Rentals (Stony Brook)https://www.sbharborrentals.com/Paddle Diva (East Hampton)https://paddlediva.com/Onda Bella Cruises (Northport)https://www.ondabellacruises.com/Easy Breezy Cruises (Montauk)https://www.easybreezecruises.com/ASK US ANYTHING!DM us on Instagram or email us at spillthetea@discoverlongisland.com. Tell us what you want to hear! Whether it is Long Island related or not, the ladies are here to spill some tea with you!FOLLOW US:Follow The Long Island Tea podcast on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LongIslandTeaPodcastWRITE TO US:Email spillthetea@discoverlongisland.com if you are interested in collaborating with us, need some "uncorked advice” or if you just want to say “How you doin?”RATE AND REVIEW US:Be sure to leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you're listening, and screenshot your review for $5 off our Merch!WEAR US:Shop Long Island merch at shop.discoverlongisland.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MDJ Script/ Top Stories for June 11th                   Publish Date:  June 11th    Commercial: From the Ingles Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Tuesday, June 11th and Happy heavenly Birthday to NFL coach Vince Lombardi. ***06.11.24 – BIRTHDAY – VINCE LOMBARDI*** I'm Dan Radcliffe and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Credit Union of Georgia.  Human Skeletal Remains Found in Kennesaw Marietta Man Drowns in Lake Allatoona After Tubing Incident Rhonda Jacobson Named Cobb Chamber's Woman of Distinction   All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!    BREAK: CUofGA STORY 1: Human Skeletal Remains Found in Kennesaw Human skeletal remains were discovered in Kennesaw on Monday by a Cobb Electric Membership Corporation employee near the EMC power station at 4043 George Busbee Parkway. Reported at 12 p.m., the remains were in an advanced state of decomposition. Kennesaw Police, currently lacking details on the victim's gender, age, or cause of death, noted no open cases matching the discovery. The remains were collected by the Cobb Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. The location, on the city limits, leaves many possibilities about the origin of the remains, said police spokesman David Buchanan. STORY 2: Marietta Man Drowns in Lake Allatoona After Tubing Incident A Marietta man, Robbie Cornelius, drowned in Lake Allatoona on Sunday after falling off a boat-pulled tube. Responding to a 2:25 p.m. call near Little River Marina, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) game wardens, along with Cherokee Fire and EMS and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, learned Cornelius wasn't wearing a life jacket and complained of leg pain upon falling. Rescue attempts by others failed as he began pulling them under. Using SONAR, game wardens and firefighters found Cornelius's body around 5 p.m. in 16 feet of water. The Cherokee County coroner now has his body. STORY 3: Rhonda Jacobson Named Cobb Chamber's Woman of Distinction Rhonda Jacobson, co-founder and co-owner of Cumberland Diamond Exchange, was named the Cobb Chamber of Commerce's Cobb Executive Women 2024 Woman of Distinction. Jacobson, also the VP of human resources and a gemologist, has been a key figure at Cumberland Diamond Exchange for over 40 years, driving the company to numerous accolades. The award recognizes exceptional leadership, community involvement, and social responsibility. Jacobson actively supports various causes and organizations, including the Wellstar Foundation and SafePath Children's Advocacy Center. Her mentorship and dedication to her profession and community set a sterling example for women in business.     We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.    We'll be right back.   Break: DRAKE STORY 4: Marietta School Board to Hear Cell Phone Policy Proposal The Marietta Board of Education will review a new cell policy for middle-grade students on Tuesday. Superintendent Grant Rivera proposes locking students' cellphones and smartwatches in pouches throughout the school day, which can only be opened by staff. The policy aims to address mental health concerns and social media usage. The initial purchase of pouches will not exceed $100,000. Exceptions will be made for medical conditions, and families can purchase their own pouches if desired. Stakeholder feedback has been incorporated into the policy. A vote on the purchase will occur on June 18 after further public discussion. STORY 5: GOP congressional candidate walks off debate stage During a debate for Georgia's 2nd Congressional District runoff, Republican candidate Chuck Hand walked off the stage, leaving opponent Wayne Johnson to debate alone. Hand objected to debating someone outside the district, as Johnson lives in Macon. Johnson then highlighted Hand's misdemeanor from the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Johnson addressed illegal immigration, asylum policies, and opposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). He also suggested replacing federal student loans with grants and defended in vitro fertilization without federal funding. The district covers Southwest Georgia, from Columbus to the Florida line. We'll be back in a moment.   Break: INGLES 2 STORY 6: Lower Roswell Road Upgrades Back on Cobb Commission Agenda The Cobb Board of Commissioners will consider three items related to the $11.2 million road improvement project on Lower Roswell Road. The project includes resurfacing, adding a raised median and turn lanes, extending sidewalks, and creating a multi-use trail. Aimed at reducing crashes, it has raised concerns among local business owners about potential traffic and economic impacts during the two-year construction period. Commissioner Jerica Richardson delayed the project to address these concerns, developing a fact sheet and appointing a construction ambassador to work with businesses. Key decisions on land acquisition and construction contracts will be discussed at the meeting. STORY 7: 'God's Amen': Marker for Famed Vinings Folk Artist Unveiled The Georgia Historical Society, in partnership with local organizations, has unveiled a historical marker honoring self-taught African-American artist Nellie Mae Rowe. Located at the Hotel Indigo in Vinings, the marker commemorates Rowe's life and her “Playhouse,” where she created art after her husband's death. Rowe's home, known for its vibrant decorations and sculptures, was demolished after her death in 1982. The dedication event, attended by about 100 people, highlighted Rowe's influence on American folk art. Her works are displayed globally, including at the High Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Break: MARIETTA THEATRE HANDS ON HARDBODY   Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today's Marietta Daily Journal Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.mdjonline.com/ Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network   Show Sponsors: ingles-markets.com cuofga.org drakerealty.com mariettatheatre.com   #NewsPodcast #CurrentEvents #TopHeadlines #BreakingNews #PodcastDiscussion #PodcastNews #InDepthAnalysis #NewsAnalysis #PodcastTrending #WorldNews #LocalNews #GlobalNews #PodcastInsights #NewsBrief #PodcastUpdate #NewsRoundup #WeeklyNews #DailyNews #PodcastInterviews #HotTopics #PodcastOpinions #InvestigativeJournalism #BehindTheHeadlines #PodcastMedia #NewsStories #PodcastReports #JournalismMatters #PodcastPerspectives #NewsCommentary #PodcastListeners #NewsPodcastCommunity #NewsSource #PodcastCuration #WorldAffairs #PodcastUpdates #AudioNews #PodcastJournalism #EmergingStories #NewsFlash #PodcastConversationsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harvey Weinstein's 2020 conviction for sexual assault and rape overturned by New York's highest court. In Asia, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is among individuals being investigated in connection with a graft probe involving his sons. And in Singapore, a new 255-room hotel under the boutique Hotel Indigo brand will open at Changi Airport's T2 by 2028. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Lee Kim Siang (kimsiang@sph.com.sg) / Claressa Monteiro (claremb@sph.com.sg) Recording engineer: Joann Chai Pei Chieh Produced and edited by: Lee Kim Siang & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media --- Follow Lens On Daily and rate us on: Channel: bt.sg/btlenson Amazon: bt.sg/lensam Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/lensap Spotify: bt.sg/lenssp YouTube Music: bt.sg/lensyt Google Podcasts: bt.sg/lensgo Website: bt.sg/lenson Feedback to: btpodcasts@sph.com.sg Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party's products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice.  Discover more BT podcast series: BT Mark To Market at: bt.sg/btmark2mkt  WealthBT at: bt.sg/btpropertybt PropertyBT at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Money Hacks at: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/podcasts BT Branded Podcasts at: bt.sg/brpod BT Lens On: bt.sg/btlensonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get ready for a fun and informative conversation about the hotel industry! This week on the latest episode of Ted's Hospitality Minute, host Ted Kelly welcomes Derek Rowe, GM of the stylish Hotel Indigo Atlanta. Derek shares his journey, industry secrets, and what makes their hotel truly unique. Tune in for his inspiring story right here https://youtu.be/LkBAATWVbTc! #HospitalityIndustry #Atlanta #HotelInsights #LeadershipChallenges

Special Episode: Hotels in Del Mar, CA   Welcome to Dr. Mary Travelbest's 5 Steps to Solo Travel Guide, for women like you who need extra support traveling (slowly) one woman at a time. Please share this podcast with your mom, aunts, and friends. I appreciate your feedback.   I've returned from a 90-day trip around the globe to every time zone on the planet. My mission is world peace through cultural exchange. I was sustainable when I could by using local transportation, buses, and trains. I was solo, carrying a small backpack, called a “personal item” that fit under the seat in front of me on a plane.   In this episode, FAQ is: Where was your next favorite place on your 90-day trip? . Today's Destination is: Special Episode: Hotels in Del Mar Today's Mistake- I booked a hotel that was really a hostel in Manila Travel Advice: Book at the source when you can and pay less plus control more.   FAQ: Where was your next favorite place on your 90-day trip?   Answer: For Iceland, the favorite place was Akureri, in the deep north of the country. It was a town of 20,000 residents, nestled in beautiful mountain areas. During my stay, there was an event for long-distance runners. The town came out to cheer them across the finish line after 100 miles of running, all the way from Godafoss. They had 43, 28 and 19 kilometer races, too. That was a powerful message to residents about getting and staying in shape. I'll do a podcast about this town soon, but for now, just say A-Ku-Rare-E, accent on the first syllable. That's how they speak in Iceland.   https://adventures.com/iceland/attractions/cities-towns/akureyri/#:~:text=Akureyri%20is%20by%20far%20the,Eyjafj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur%20Fjord%20in%20Northern%20Iceland.   https://www.visitakureyri.is/en/see-and-do/events-festivals/sulur-vertical   Today's destination: Hotels in Del Mar, CA   Suppose you've been to San Diego, California, a small beach town north of the city called Del Mar. “In Spanish, Of the Sea” literally. The town's size is small, less than 4000 people. You know that the tourists take up a big portion of the traffic in summer and during the horse racing seasons at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, 6 weeks in summer and 4 weeks in November.   L'Auberge, part of the Noble House Hotel Chain, is the highest-priced and most luxurious property of those near the beach. I met Taylor Webber, the Guest Experience Coordinator. Hotel Indigo, Del Mar, and next door to… Premiere Best Western, also called Hotel Del Mar Del Mar Hotel upgraded from being the Del Mar Motel for many years. I met with the GM, Leslie Chavez. Del Mar Hilton, near the Racetrack, is the lowest-priced one listed. the Yelp Reviews are less than favorable here.   You can google this and find hotels priced at $2500 a night at resorts like La Valencia. The price is not listed here for the Fairmont, Del Mar, which is in a different zip code several miles away. If you really want to stay IN Del Mar, you should consider one of these hotels, and I've been to each of them recently. If you have visitors this fall or winter, you may be in luck to score a room for them.   One of the best things I like to do in Del Mar is walk on the beach. You can also bring your dog to the beach during certain seasons on a leash. Tomorrow, I am going to a dog surfing contest in Del Mar. Seriously fun. The link is in the show notes if you want in next year. https://www.visitdelmarvillage.com/all-events/18th-annual-surf-dog-surf-a-thon   https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/19/bill-gates-mansion-bachelor-pad-completed-complaints-neighbors-noise/ One famous local resident is Bill Gates. He has a bachelor pad, recently upgraded, although purchased in 2020 for $43 million.   Today's Mistake- I booked a hotel that was really a hostel. It was called the White Banana but changed its name. It was The Connector. The ad said, “kitchenette, deluxe new room,” It was old, broken, and dirty, and cash payment was due upon arrival—no money back for no-shows. Reviews were 7/10. I was stuck to pay for my stay or lose my reservation while I tried to find somewhere else. Loud street noise. Blocked out windows. Not a good part of town. The repairman entered my room without even knocking. He apologized, but that should NEVER happen. The kitchenette had a refrigerator and a sink. There is no electrical outlet or even any silverware or dish. All was dirty. AC was broken. I caution if it seems too good online.   Today's Travel Advice-Book at the source when you can and pay less plus control more.   Search out listings on websites like Expedia and Booking.com, and check reviews on reputable websites. THEN book directly with the properties and airlines when you can. That will give you more control as the middleman is removed, and the transaction should be less expensive, usually.       I want to bring meaning to your travels. Send a question or travel tip to info@drmarytravelbest.com. Sign up for the mailing list here. We can connect on my website, Facebook page, group, or Instagram. Subscribe to YouTube, Twitter, or other social channels. Find the 5 Steps to Solo Travel series on Amazon. The show notes have more details for you to connect. Support this podcast with a review, please.   Connect with Dr. Travelbest Drmarytravelbest.com Dr. Mary Travelbest Twitter Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram email: info@drmarytravelbest.com Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast Dr. Travelbest on TikTok Dr.Travelbest onYouTube

On our recent episode, we had the pleasure of highlighting the latest addition to the IHG Hotels & Resorts' portfolio – the Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina. Part of their luxury segment, this splendid five-story, 124-room hotel is a proud new presence in Florida's historic waterfront district of Panama City.  Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPPKR6pT9GM Samantha Spain is an asset to the property and was a great guest.Located within walking distance from a wide range of local restaurants, bars, and town fixtures, Hotel Indigo also offers guests easy access to cultural hubs like the Martin Theatre and the Panama City Center for the Arts. It's truly nestled in the heart of a thriving artistic community, making it an exciting focal point of our discussion.Adding to its charm, the hotel stands as a hidden jewel along St. Andrews Bay, a rich haven for marine life that spans over 20 miles. We also discussed the stark beauty of the saltwater flats, seagrass beds, and deep channels – marking it as one of the most diverse fishing grounds in the Florida Panhandle. We think our listeners who love outdoor activities will find the idea of exploring this place by boat and kayak quite appealing.A distinguishing factor about the Hotel Indigo brand, which we discussed, is that no two properties are alike. In keeping with this spirit, the Panama City property offers a distinct experience compared to the more familiar Panama City Beach, creating a quieter, yet equally vibrant ambiance.The hotel's design, heavily inspired by its seaside location and the history of the town, particularly captured our interest. The nautical-themed fixtures and installations, derived from the indigo plants that once populated the shorelines, reflect the locality's unique identity. Moreover, the hotel also pays homage to Panama City's original residents like Harry Felix, whose artistic influence shaped the local community.As we touched on the hotel's strategic location near the marina, we noted its two fresh restaurant and bar concepts, Tarpons and Steam on 5, sure to become neighborhood favorites. Offering a Southern twist on coastal cuisine and handcrafted cocktails, these are spots we believe our listeners would enjoy.We couldn't overlook the range of amenities the hotel provides, such as a fitness center, outdoor pool, and a firepit overlooking the bay, among others. Plus, it's in close proximity to major local attractions including Panama City Beach and educational institutions like Florida State University's Panama City campus, Gulf Coast State College, and more.Wrapping up the episode, we shared insightful comments from Carol Hoeller, Vice President of Hotel Indigo, and Jean Capps, General Manager, Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina. Both expressed their enthusiasm about the hotel's potential to reenergize the neighborhood and create a gathering spot for guests and locals to immerse themselves in the community's vibrant past. Their passion left us eagerly anticipating what Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina has in store.Website www.luxelifediscovered.com Youtube Roku Amazon Fire TV

This week's Eye on Travel Podcast with Peter Greenberg -- from The Hotel Indigo in Everett, Washington. We look deep into everything that might get you kicked off of an airplane -- from dress codes to bodily odor, bad behavior, obesity , and more with Christopher Elliott, Founder of Elliot.org. Then, Gary Leff, Founder of ViewFromtheWing.com on skiplagging and how that airline ticket practice got one young passenger in trouble at the airport. Then, speaking of airports, we check in with Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports, on the little known Payne Field, a very interesting (and historic) alternative airport to Sea-tac in Seattle.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week's Eye on Travel Podcast with Peter Greenberg -- from The Hotel Indigo in Everett, Washington. We look deep into everything that might get you kicked off of an airplane -- from dress codes to bodily odor, bad behavior, obesity , and more with Christopher Elliott, Founder of Elliot.org. Then, Gary Leff, Founder of ViewFromtheWing.com on skiplagging and how that airline ticket practice got one young passenger in trouble at the airport. Then, speaking of airports, we check in with Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports, on the little known Payne Field, a very interesting (and historic) alternative airport to Sea-tac in Seattle.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

WELCOME TO THE BRAVES COUNTRY PODCAST LIVE AT HOTEL INDIGO'S RIALTO ROOM - PRESENTED BY LIVE AT THE PRINT SHOP! THANK YOU ALL FOR CHECKING OUT OUR 2023 OPENING DAY ATLANTA BRAVES CELEBRATION! LIVE MUSIC FROM COREY SMITH, LEVI LOWREY, AND SPECIAL GUEST KEVN KINNEY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WELCOME TO THE BRAVES COUNTRY PODCAST LIVE AT HOTEL INDIGO'S RIALTO ROOM - PRESENTED BY LIVE AT THE PRINT SHOP! THANK YOU ALL FOR CHECKING OUT OUR 2023 OPENING DAY ATLANTA BRAVES CELEBRATION! LIVE MUSIC FROM COREY SMITH, LEVI LOWREY, AND SPECIAL GUEST KEVN KINNEY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WELCOME TO THE BRAVES COUNTRY PODCAST LIVE AT HOTEL INDIGO'S RIALTO ROOM - PRESENTED BY LIVE AT THE PRINT SHOP! THANK YOU ALL FOR CHECKING OUT OUR 2023 OPENING DAY ATLANTA BRAVES CELEBRATION! LIVE MUSIC FROM COREY SMITH, LEVI LOWREY, AND SPECIAL GUEST KEVN KINNEY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Blank has done it AGAIN! The creator and host of "Live At At The Print Shop", Atlanta's Internet Live Music Show is BACK to talk about two BIG nights of Braves Chat and Live Music that he's presenting; Wednesday March 22nd Braves Country LIVE with Ryan Klesko, Lauren Morrow, and Dave Franklin at Smith's Olde Bar *and* Opening Day, Thursday March 30th Braves Country LIVE with Ryan Klesko, Corey Smith, and Levi Lowrey at The Rialto Room at Hotel Indigo in Athens! Both shows benefit The Warrior Alliance and The Shepherd's Men - two important Georgia-based Veteran's support organizations! Tickets are just 10 bucks - so rally your friends and get advance tickets before they sell out! AND: Adam has a brilliant new batch of "Live At The Print Shop" Episodes to tell us about; including The Steel Woods, Blues Traveler, and Colin Hay of Men At Work! So we're excited to have Adam join us in the Braves Radio Network Studios to discuss our two favorite subjects: Live Music and the Atlanta Braves! Adam Blank, welcome back to the Braves Country Podcast!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Blank has done it AGAIN! The creator and host of "Live At At The Print Shop", Atlanta's Internet Live Music Show is BACK to talk about two BIG nights of Braves Chat and Live Music that he's presenting; Wednesday March 22nd Braves Country LIVE with Ryan Klesko, Lauren Morrow, and Dave Franklin at Smith's Olde Bar *and* Opening Day, Thursday March 30th Braves Country LIVE with Ryan Klesko, Corey Smith, and Levi Lowrey at The Rialto Room at Hotel Indigo in Athens! Both shows benefit The Warrior Alliance and The Shepherd's Men - two important Georgia-based Veteran's support organizations! Tickets are just 10 bucks - so rally your friends and get advance tickets before they sell out! AND: Adam has a brilliant new batch of "Live At The Print Shop" Episodes to tell us about; including The Steel Woods, Blues Traveler, and Colin Hay of Men At Work! So we're excited to have Adam join us in the Braves Radio Network Studios to discuss our two favorite subjects: Live Music and the Atlanta Braves! Adam Blank, welcome back to the Braves Country Podcast!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

拎拎傳情 斗內讓我們在節目中「傳情」： https://open.firstory.me/user/ckiqqvbdmmcut0801sbs5yep8 這次我們機器壞了 好多朋友力馬挺身而出 說要略盡棉薄之力 其實對我們來說都是「理重情意更重」 這集我們聊了彼此不愉快的經驗 聊聊餐飲業不用酒就能令人微醺感動的「款待」之心 (plus 不愉快的經驗談) Grace也用聲音為大家開箱阿里山英迪格酒店 的「星空酒吧」 新的機器到手 感謝好多聽眾朋友的心意 讓Vince&Grace得以繼續用聲音陪伴大家 未來我們也一起品味生活、在生活中一起微醺！ ＃阿里山 ＃INDIGO #阿里山INDIGO #英迪格 ＃阿里山英迪格 Powered by Firstory Hosting

Brooke Pelczynski's life with Multiple Sclerosis is an inspiring example of someone taking their diagnosis and turning it into something great. Most recently, her varied career has led to her working for Marvel Comics!Brooke was undertaking her BFA in Illustration in New York when the fatigue and clumsiness that resulted in a number of ruined artworks was diagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis - at the age of only 21. Although she now feels that MS had crippled her career, Brooke has since used her disease to build a career as an artist, illustrator, and comic-creating multiple sclerosis fighter! As well as her full-time role providing illustrations for MultipleSclerosis.net, her work - in a variety of forms - has been featured by a variety of clients and publications including Yahoo, Momentum Magazine, Hotel Indigo, Lifewire, and many more. Brooke also worked as a story consultant for Marvel's Darkhawk comic series, using her experiences to inform the title character's own journey toward an MS diagnosis. Topics covered in this episode include:Brooke's life before her diagnosis with MS aged only 21How, after feeling like MS had crippled her life as an artist, Brooke was able to use comic art to build her careerThe way that Brooke's work for MultipleSclerosis.net fits around her "Perfect, shitty situation" - and how she always strives to remain creative, even on her worst MS days (MSiest?)How she got involved as a story advisor for Marvel's Darkhawk comics Full show notes and resources at https://fumsnow.com/fums118/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hotel Indigo is collaborating with the talented artist Keerthana Kumar. Her exciting bold artworks are the reflection of the current societal trends and culture. The art exhibition titled Keeping It Real is currently on display in the hotel. Keerthana shares how she started into art and her inspiration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode No. 1 of the Florida High School Football Podcast as we talk Memories & Legends as we talk to new Santa Fe (Alachua) head coach Joe Szymanski and then later on the show we talk to an FHSAA Hall of Fame legend in Robby Pruitt who is back in Florida after spending 22 years in Georgia as he takes over as head coach at Williston. These segments were recorded as part of the North Central Florida High School Football Media Day on July 18, 2022, at Hotel Indigo at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville, Fla. TIMELINE Episode Intro - 0:58 Joe Szymanski, Santa Fe HC - 6:05 Robby Pruitt, Williston HC - 20:31 Episode Closing - 40:16 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/floridahsfootball-podcast/message

July 4, 2022 ~ Margaret Morse, Director of Hotel Indigo, sits down with Kevin at the 2022 National Cherry Festival.

Saturday, February 26 Hair Peace Charities is bringing New Orleans to Pittsburgh to the Hotel Indigo in Oakland! Bonnie Diver joined the Y'd Awake Morning Show Wednesday morning to talk about the event and how you can get involved. For more information on the event, you can go to their website.

the 18 Social team at Hotel Indigo Los Angeles celebrating with El Bandido Yankee

the 18 Social team at Hotel Indigo Los Angeles celebrating with El Bandido Yankee

EP 163: Aaron recorded a live show with Photographer E. Brady Robinson at the Hotel Indigo discussing her new Photo Exhibit SK8R GRLS. We discuss her inspiration behind the project, her love for roller skating, how she chose the Women for this and what is the soundtrack to this Exhibition.  IG:@ebradyrobinson   IG: MarylandArtPlace IG: Acutevisions  SK8R GRLS is a photo series by E. Brady Robinson celebrating the freedom and joy of roller skating. The  exhibition is on view at Hotel Indigo Baltimore, located at 24 West Franklin St. from Jan 25th - March 18th. A  public reception will take place on March 8th from 5 to 7 pm in celebration of International Women's Day.     In spring of 2021, Robinson took up skating as a way to stay active and reconnect with friends outdoors  during COVID-19. During these skate dates, she photographed friends and eventually, a wider network of  Baltimore-based female-identifying skaters. This work combines her love of athleticism, fitness, and fashion  photography. These images, made at a moment where it felt like the world was reopening after over a year  of closure and isolation during the pandemic, evoke a feeling of release and freedom.      Robinson completed her BFA in photography at MICA and MFA in photography at the Cranbrook Academy of  Art. Her background is in documentary photography and portraiture. The nine archival metal prints on  display at the Hotel Indigo depict strong women amidst a backdrop of Baltimore monuments and sites.  Locations such as Lake Montebello, Patterson Park, the Druid Hill Tennis Courts, and the Ravens parking lot,  signal the public landscape of Baltimore for those that know it well, in contrast to photographs made in the  artist's Maryland Art Place studio which utilize strobe and gel lighting to simulate the vibes of the 80's  roller skating rinks reminiscent of Robinson's childhood.      The skaters photographed include artists, musicians, and female entrepreneurs; women in the creative scene  in Baltimore, including Amy Cavanaugh, Caitlin Gill, Jade Davis, Tina Thompson, Brittany Wight, Les Gray,  Hayley Furman, Jessica Lauryn, Sophie Kluckhuhn, and Wildège François.   Brady Robinson is a photographer based in Baltimore and a current resident artist at Maryland Art Place.  She divides her time between personal art projects and commissioned work. Her documentary Art Desks was  published by Daylight Books with an essay by Andy Grundberg and distributed by ARTBOOK D.A.P. Her  photographs have been featured in The Washington Post, Channel One Russia TV, The Bund Shanghai,  Hyperallergic, BmoreArt, Featureshoot, Slate among others. Robinson leads photography workshops  throughout the United States. Select exhibitions include Lishui Photography Festival China, Orlando Museum  of Art, Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Katzen Art Center at American University, AIPAD NYC, and Art Miami. Select  collections include American University, Orlando Museum of Art and Spanish Cultural Center, Santo Domingo,  DR.      Robinson is a University Instructor of Photography at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, and faculty at  ICP in New York. She received her BFA in photography from The Maryland Institute, College of Art, and MFA  in photography from Cranbrook Art Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Robinson is represented by  Addison/Ripley Fine Art in Washington, DC.    Maryland Art Place (MAP) inspires, supports, and encourages artistic expression through innovative programming, exhibitions,  and educational opportunities while recognizing the powerful impact art can have on our community. MAP creates a dynamic  environment for artists of our time to engage the public by nurturing and promoting new ideas. MAP has served as a critical resource  for contemporary art in the Mid-Atlantic since 1981. mdartplace.org. MAP is supported by the Maryland State Arts Council and The  Citizens of Baltimore County.   Thank you to my sponsors:                 Zeke's Coffee        www.zekescoffee.com                           Maggies Farm  www.maggiesfarm.com                                 FoundStudio Shop  www.foundstudioshop.com                                 Charm Craft City Mafia  www.charmcitycraftmafia.com               Siena Leigh https://www.sienaleigh.com                     Open Works https://www.openworksbmore.org Baltimore Fiscal https://www.baltimorefiscal.com

Austin Herlihy, executive vice president of Radius Commercial Real Estate, talks the sale of the Hotel Indigo and boom in the hotel industry in Santa Barbara and State Street. Herlihy talks about the attraction of the Funk Zone and how it is luring hotel investors and owners to help revitalize State Street. He also talks about the state of retail on State Street, commercial vacancies, and the challenges that homelessness creates in the city. And then he shares his story of growing up, coming to Santa Barbara for UCSB and falling in love with commercial real estate. Steve Brown gave him his start, but it was Herlihy's incredible persistence that helped launch is successful career. Hear how Herlihy convinced Brown to give him a chance in the industry. Please subscribe to this podcast and write a positive review! Santa Barbara Talks.com

Welcome to Episode 82 of Autism Parenting Secrets. This week on Autism Parenting Secrets, we welcome Emily Abbott.She's the host of The Brain Possible Podcast and the founder and CEO of The Brain Possible, an online resource for parents of a child who has suffered brain injury.  If you're committed to finding ways to better support your unique child, the key is openness.The secret this week is… The UNCONVENTIONAL Unlocks PossibilitiesYou'll Discover:The Therapy That Helped The Most: ABM (3:34)What You Won't Hear From Mainstream Practitioners (20:19)The Benefits Of Different Perspectives/Approaches (25:17)Why It's All About “Best Fit” (30:11)How To Avoid Crash and Burn (34:51)The ONE Thing To Do If You Do Nothing Else (39:49)The Hidden Gift (43:37)About Our Guest:As Founder and CEO of The Brain Possible, Emily Abbott's inspiration to create the website came from her family's difficult journey to find treatment and support for their son Carter, who suffered a brain injury in infancy. She's also the host and voice of The Brain Possible Podcast and YouTube Channel where knowledge and inspiration are shared with listeners through her discussions with experts in various fields.In addition to her role at The Brain Possible, Emily is the Director of Creative Design for Abbott Properties, where she oversees all interior and exterior design projects, including boutique properties like The Bardot event space and The Hotel Indigo in Kansas City. A native of central New Jersey, Emily studied art at Hollins College and Pace University, and is currently raising four wonderfully energetic children with her husband Matthew in Kansas City.References in This Episode:The Brain Possible PodcastThe Brian Possible ResourcesThe Brain Possible Practitioner Directorywhoiscarter.orgWho Is Carter? An Unexpected Journey of Tragedy and Miracles by Matt AbbottCarter's StoryAutism Parenting Secrets Episode 23 - Autism Is NOT HardwiredWhat To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child by Glenn DomanFamily Hope Center Parent Training CourseFinally Focused by James GreenblattNourishing Traditions by Sally FallonAdditional Resources:Free Resource: 33 Mistakes Most Autism Parents Make and How To Avoid ThemTo learn more about Cass & Len's All-In Warrior Parent Tribe, click hereGot a Picky Eater? - this can helpTo learn more about Cass & Len, visit us at www.autismparentingsecrets.comBe sure to follow Cass & Len on InstagramIf you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.Don't forget to subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts to get automatic episode updates for our "Autism Parenting Secrets!"And, finally, please take a minute to leave us an honest review and rating on Apple Podcasts. They really help us out when it comes to the ranking of the show and we read every single one of the reviews we get. Thanks for listening!

Elliot Conrad pops by  Hotel Indigo to weigh in on Kanye West, Christ, religion, spiritual conflicts, abortion, reparations, slave built universities, Quentin Crisp, Rome, the most controversial figure, openness to possibility, homosexuality and the Bible, the thorn in Paul's side, tradition, Azealia Banks, his relationship to gay men, procreation, and the possession of spirit. 

­­­The new Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets is the first hotel under IHG's boutique lifestyle brand to open anywhere in Australia. The hotel delivers a vibrant environment where local culture, produce and history is married with contemporary flair and style. Find out about little surprises hidden throughout the hotel as Marketing Manager Adam Warren shares why you should treat yourself to a staycation in the city.

Hotel Indigo Durrat Al Arus in Jeddah will be amongst IHG's new generation of lifestyle hotels introduced to the Kingdom, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 #HotelIndigo #DurratAlArus #IHGhotels #DallahRealEstate #hotelsinJeddah #RedSeaCoast #NeighbourhoodStory #HaithamMattar #AbdulazizYamani #management #agreement #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/ihghotels/read-article/ihg-announces-the-second-hotel-indigo-property-in-saudi-arabia-6354.html

03 October 2021: We spoke about the latest Bond movie, discussed TV shows you watched with the family growing up, found out all we need to know about the Irish Pavilion at Expo and Paris Norriss came on our show to talk about how the UAE is developing eco-tourism in the country. We also spoke to Maxime about a piano concert he'll be participating in and Sacha Jafri told us how he'll be contributing to a humanitarian initiative.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  E. Brady Robinson is a photographer based in Baltimore, MD. She divides her time between personal art projects and commissioned work. She is the founder of BMORECULINARY. Robinson specializes in shooting food, fashion, fitness, and portraits. Her fine art work is represented by Addison/Ripley Fine Art. Robinson is Instructor of Photography at Goucher College and International Center for Photography in NYC. She also teaches vinyasa yoga. Baltimore is her art home. Robinson received her BFA in photography from he Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and her MFA in photography from Cranbrook Art Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Her current series Sk8r GRLS will be on exhibit in January with Maryland Art Place at Hotel Indigo in Baltimore and featured in the next issue of BMOREART. Twitter + IG: @ebradyrobinson

You know how you always hear people talking about getting free stays at hotels or status perks? How do they do that? Find out! This week on the podcast we talk road warrior Ed Pizza from the Miles to Go podcast about the best hotel loyalty programs for families and ways to earn status and free hotel stays. About Our Sponsor: Room Steals Today's episode is sponsored by Room Steals.  Listeners may remember Room Steals from our discussion on finding hotel deals in Episode 185, but Room Steals is a Chrome browser extension that works alongside existing booking sites to show you what the wholesale price is for that room. Just install the browser extension and search for a hotel as you usually would on Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia, or Google. Once you've done your initial search, Room Steals will show you in a pop-up if that same room is available for less. If it is, you can click on that pop-up and book it directly through Room Steals. Downloading and using Room Steals is free; however, if you want to book a discounted room you have to pay an annual membership fee. Listeners can save 20% off the annual membership fee with promo code vacationmavens.  If you travel multiple times in a year, the subscription will quickly pay for itself. One listener already saved $400 using Room Steals on her first booking!  To learn more, visit roomsteals.com. That's roomsteals.com and use promo code vacationmavens to save 20% off your membership to Room Steals, and we thank them for their support. About Ed Pizza Ed Pizza is a road warrior and family traveler.  When we're not in the middle of a pandemic he travels 100,000 miles a year for work.  His family loves luxury travel, all things Disney and even bought an RV during the pandemic.  You can check out his podcast, Miles to Go, the same places you catch Vacation Mavens and you can find him writing about travel at pizzainmotion.com. Best Hotel Loyalty Programs for Families Hyatt offers the best loyalty program for families as it is easier to earn and use points (you need fewer points to redeem for a free night than other programs) and they offer great family-friendly perks like free breakfast, guaranteed late check out, and, if you have status with them, the concierge is good at guaranteeing connecting rooms or confirming suite upgrades in advance. The only challenge with Hyatt is that they don't have as large of a footprint as Hilton or Marriott, especially if you are traveling to smaller destinations. Hyatt does have a number of family-friendly brands including Hyatt Place on the lower end and Hyatt House for suites. A few terrific Hyatt properties in popular family travel destinations include: Hyatt Grand Cypress (outside of Disney), Ziva Resorts in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean, the Hyatt Regency Sydney in Australia (which is more affordable than the Park Hyatt Sydney but still has amazing views), Grand Hyatt Bahia Mar in the Bahamas, and the Driscoll in Austin. Wyndham also is an excellent choice for families. In addition to the hotels, you can use points at many of their vacation rental or timeshare properties, which offer so much more room for families. Wyndham also has a partnership with Vacasa for vacation home rentals. Some great Wyndham properties include the Magic Villages in Orlando, ski lodges and log cabins in Montana, and great properties overseas. Wyndham now has a credit card through Barclay's that helps you earn points and they have bonus points on things like utility bills, which you don't find elsewhere. Hilton has some pros and cons for their loyalty programs. Hilton values treating folks well on award stays and they don't add resort fees, unlike some other programs that still charge fees on free stays. Hilton also gives away a lot of points for stays and through their credit card. The footprint isn't as big as Marriott but larger than Hyatt. Hilton Honors Gold members also receive little perks like free bottles of water at check in and free WiFi. However, Hilton recently rolled back their free breakfast offer for members (at least temporarily). Instead there will be a credit per day to use as you want (drinks from the bar, meals, etc), however it wouldn't typically cover everything that you would get at a free breakfast. Marriott has the largest footprint, but they do charge fees like resort fees and parking on award stays. IHG (which includes Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Hotel Indigo, etc) doesn't offer as much as the other brands but can be good if you do a lot of road tripping and then redeeming points for stays overseas at classic, boutique hotels. Unless you are a road warrior traveling frequently on business, the best way to earn points is through a credit card. Instead of using the brand specific credit card, it is better to use a credit card with programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards that you can transfer points to hotels to book award stays. Chase offers a bit more flexibility and value over Amex. When you transfer points, it is often 1:1 transfer so you will get more bang for your points if you transfer to a program like Hyatt where your points go further. If you are going to stay with a specific brand often, a hotel credit card can get you to the next status tier (and related perks) faster and you will often get one free hotel stay certificate per year. You need to make sure you are using the value of the cost of the annual fee. Generally it makes sense to pay for your hotel stays with that card but you will get more points per dollar for other types of stays from other types of cards.   Full Episode Transcript [00:00:00.000] - Kim Tate Which hotels deserve your loyalty? Stay tuned to find out. [00:00:15.290] - Announcer Welcome to Vacation Mavens, a family travel podcast with ideas for your next vacation and tips to get you out the door. Here are your hosts, Kim from Stuffed Suitcase and Tamara from We3Travel. [00:00:29.940] - Kim Tate Today's episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Room Steals. You guys may have already heard of it. Room Steals is a browser extension that you add to Chrome, so that when you're shopping for the next hotel for your vacation, you can see if you are really getting the best rate. You plug in your destination on one of the major booking engines, whether it's Expedia or Travelocity or booking.com or hotels.com, and a window will pop up, letting you know if they found a better deal for you. [00:00:55.810] - Kim Tate The program is free to use, so you can always see and shop and figure out if the there is a better deal out there. And if you do spot a better deal, you can book it through the Room Steals site where there is an annual membership fee. But our listeners get to save on their annual membership fee with the code vacationmavens, they can save 20%. [00:01:14.110] - Tamara Gruber So I was just researching some potential hotels in Dublin in Ireland because we're still trying to figure out where to take Hannah for her graduation trip. And that's one option. And I was going through some of these options because I really want it to be like, nice hotels, like special hotel in for this trip. But obviously I would always like to save some money. So I found one on Room Steals where I could save $142 and then another one where I could save $60. So it's like all these things could add up over the course of a big trip. [00:01:46.570] - Tamara Gruber So it's like even just that one hotel stay would be saving more than the cost of the membership. So I definitely encourage everyone to go check out Room Steals. Like Kim said, it is a browser extension that you can download add to Chrome. And then when you're searching for hotels, you're able to see whether or not there's a deal that you'd like to take advantage of. And just remember, check out Room steals. Com. You can sign up using Code vacationmavens all one word, all lowercase and save 20%, and we thank them for their support. [00:02:15.280] - Kim Tate So Tamara talking about hotels and getting deals through Room Steals. Today we are going to talk with a guest that we've had on before, and he's one of my favorite savvy travel guys. And that's Ed Pizza. [00:02:27.960] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. So he travels so so much every year, he knows all the hotels, all the programs, what the best deals are, what the best credit cards are, and he's going to share all of his knowledge. So I can't wait to jump into that interview. [00:02:40.540] - Kim Tate Let's chat with him. [00:02:49.470] - Tamara Gruber So today we're here with Ed Pizza. He's a road warrior, and family traveler. And when we're not in the middle of a pandemic, he travels 100,000 miles a year for work. His family loves luxury travel, all things Disney, and even bought an RV during the pandemic. You can check out his podcast Miles to go at the same places you can catch vacation, mavens. And you can also find him writing about traveling a pizza in motion dot com. So Ed, welcome back to the podcast. [00:03:15.640] - Ed Pizza Hey, thanks for having me back, guys. It's been a while and I'm excited to be back on talking stuff. [00:03:20.110] - Tamara Gruber I know you're back traveling a little bit for work, but how long did you go without being on an airplane? [00:03:25.780] - Ed Pizza So I was actually in New Zealand helping a friend on the Tarmac when the US announced that they were closing arrivals to Europeans. And that was me coming back into the country. So that was called like, March 14 ish. And I didn't get back on a plane. That was March 14, 2020. Sorry, I didn't get back on a plane until early June 2021, but I have been ramping things up, and I think it's interesting that if you guys hadn't reached doubt to have me come podcast, I was almost going to reach out to you guys because we're following this parallel track and that I spent a couple of weeks in Maine, I think right before you did, Sarah and I just finished coming back across the Canadian border on the east side, Kim to your west. [00:04:11.260] - Kim Tate Nice. [00:04:13.150] - Ed Pizza So a little bit of family travel, mostly road warrior stuff. [00:04:18.470] - Kim Tate Especially now that you have an RV that you were one of the many that jumped into that lifestyle. I've seen some of your things that's kind of funny how you're like, I'm embracing this for my family, but I am not embracing this. This is what I want to do with my life. [00:04:33.000] - Ed Pizza Yeah. I mean, as I've said jokingly a number of times if it happened to burn to the ground and I got an insurance settlement, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But the kids and you guys know that your kids are older than mine. And so I think you probably have a better grasp of this than I do. You wake up at some point and you realize that they're going to College and you're like, Well, did I fill up the bucket enough? And our kids still love both of us. [00:04:59.150] - Ed Pizza My wife and I, and they like being with us. And they really love the camping thing. And so as much as I grumble and say bad words, sometimes when things break, which is pretty much every time we roll it anywhere, the memories that they're creating with us, I hope, will be things that when they get to College, it's, wow. That's in the bucket of things that I love doing as a kid. [00:05:21.850] - Tamara Gruber That's good. You speaking to my heart there. [00:05:24.870] - Kim Tate I was going to say Tamara and I are both right there because we both have girls going off to College. As you've probably heard, we're definitely in that wondering how we can keep scraping some more trips in there and then hoping that the College schedules will allow us to keep traveling and that our kids will keep traveling with us through those four years as well, at least for me. [00:05:47.390] - Ed Pizza And I know it's not what we're talking about today, but I think a really good point to make that I've obviously seen with the way that both of you guys travel with your family is that we all make memories in a variety of different ways. But we've all chosen travel as one of those primary ways to create those memories. And just like you, I'm hoping that the work that we put in for travel up until our daughter is a sophomore in high school. Now I'm hopeful that when she gets into College, it'll be, hey, I'd love to go take a Disney trip. [00:06:18.940] - Ed Pizza Hey, dad, mom, do you want to go or, hey, I love Lisbon. Or can we go visit Peggy's Cove in Canada? Whatever that there's a powerful enough connection to a place that they've been. They're like, I want to go and I want to go with mom and dad. [00:06:32.830] - Tamara Gruber I was just thinking mine is talking about the road trip that she wants to do with her friends post graduation, but I know she'll come back to our trips as well. [00:06:41.510] - Kim Tate Definitely. I think we're in that same boat, Tamara. So if you're listening to this and like, do you have a few more years? Definitely. Don't worry about I spent so many summers not planning and stuff because I hated crowds and also because we have such nice summers here in Seattle. But I now kind of regret not using that summertime more efficiently. Although we did take a lot of family trips and visited family and had family here. So I guess it was well used, but definitely maximize your time off with your kids. [00:07:13.940] - Tamara Gruber Well, speaking of traveling with kids and planning and thinking ahead and all of that, one of the ways that we've gotten to travel a little bit more or structure our budget a little bit more is using hotel loyalty programs and trying to maximize some free nights here and there. And I was thinking about which programs are really best for families. And I know a lot of programs have changed recently. And Ed, you came to mind because I know on your Miles to Go, you talk about this a lot, and I think I might know the answer. [00:07:47.180] - Tamara Gruber But when it comes to hotel loyalty programs, what one do you really like for families? So not business travelers, but really for families. [00:07:56.600] - Ed Pizza I'm going to give you my favorite. And then if we have time later, I'm going to give you my sleeper because I think there's someone coming up on the outside turn that maybe doesn't become my favorite, but it started to earn their keep above some of the other chains. But for me, it's it. And for many years it was starwood preferred guest before Marriott bought them because they understood that road warriors have husbands, wives, significant others, in a lot of cases, kids. And they want to take care of those other people because that makes that means the business traveler want to patronize them and high. [00:08:29.570] - Ed Pizza It just where they really get this right, and they get it right in a number of different ways. But I think primarily it's in reducing friction for family travel. So when we think about a family of three or four, we don't all live in one room at home. We certainly don't share one bathroom, especially with a teenage daughter. So being able to have space when we travel, it is huge. And it has benefits like being able to request and confirm a suite upgrade at the time of booking, which is unique amongst the major hotel chains. [00:09:00.780] - Ed Pizza And you say, well, if I know ahead of time where I can get that extra space for my family, that helps drive where we might choose to go on vacation. And there are a lot of other benefits to the world Hyatt program that I think make things easier for families, things like free breakfast, guaranteed late checkout, just things that make it easier for when family travel goes sideways, which the younger your kids are, the more frequently that happens. [00:09:23.820] - Tamara Gruber 100% agree. My husband was ambassador level with Marriott for a while, and he had these five suite upgrades of a year or something to use. And we were looking to book a suite in Amsterdam. I think it was and we like you we want the space. It's all about having a little extra space, not being crammed into those two double beds in particular. And we wanted to book this week, but we're like, do we actually pay for it, or do we take the risk that we can use one of these upgrades and not being able to confirm that, you know, you have that upgrade. [00:09:58.620] - Tamara Gruber It makes such a difference because you're making a totally different choice. And of course, we ended up just doing an Airbnb instead. [00:10:03.840] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And especially when you talk about families in Europe in that the restrictions on the number of people in a room are very different from the US. There are plenty of rooms in Europe where two is the Max Occupancy and a flu or three same in Asia. So that's a complication. And I think one of the things you mentioned, Marriott Ambassador, and I had a Marriott ambassador for a long time. In the beginning, they were great at communicating with the properties and they could advocate on your behalf. [00:10:31.470] - Ed Pizza But I'll be honest with you. For me, at least one of the biggest benefits that world of Hyatt provides for me. I have their equivalent. It's called my Hyatt concierge as part of their globalist status. It isn't even necessarily the suite upgrades. Those are great. And who doesn't love a big plus room with an awesome view and all that stuff? But for me, it can really be as simple as can you just guarantee me connecting rooms? My kids are younger, like we just want connecting rooms. [00:10:56.420] - Ed Pizza I don't need something fancy, and my Hyatt concierge would always contact the property early on my behalf, and they would work with the property to block rooms. And I can say, honest to God, I very rarely use the words always or never. In the ten or so years I've been top tier status with Hyatt, I've never shown up at a property that promised me connecting rooms ahead of time and not gotten them. And as a family traveler, that's huge. I need just a few times a year, but when I need it, I need it and they always say yes, we're going to take care of you. [00:11:29.720] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, Hyatt is not a property or a brand that I get to stay at a lot. There aren't quite as many. I think that's one of the problems that people run into. But when I've had an opportunity to stay at a Hyatt place just in terms of the lower tier, I was kind of amazed. I love this setup where it has kind of a partial dividing wall between the bed and the sitting area with the pullout couch. So when you have a younger child, you have that little bit of that separation of space without going for the larger suite or two rooms. [00:11:59.390] - Tamara Gruber So another benefit to me are some of the Hyatt brands that people may not be familiar with. [00:12:04.310] - Ed Pizza Yeah, no, I agree. And I think Hyatt House is another brand of there where they have multiple room suites. And I've had a reasonable amount of luck in contacting a property ahead of time through the concierge and asking even though it wasn't, isn't a published benefit to say, hey, can I use a suite upgrade certificate to just get a two bedroom unit instead of a one bedroom? And very rarely I've been told no for things like that. So I think it's the flexibility that they work with folks on. [00:12:30.320] - Ed Pizza It's not that Marriott or Hilton or anything to change doesn't have fabulous, unbelievable properties. I think it's for family travelers and for specific needs. We just need a little bit more flexibility at times. And Hyatt works hard to give that that's nice. [00:12:46.630] - Kim Tate I've heard a few other people that are kind of in the point space. They just love Hyatt. I'll admit, one of the things that's kept me from just going all in on them. I find I have a harder time finding properties where if you're doing like a road tripping type family or something like that, those Marriott properties, it seems like everywhere you go there's a Fairfield Inn. So that is one thing that I have noticed. Do you think there's any limitations on property availability with Hyatts? And then do you have any favorite property within that program that you think are great for families to check out if they're looking for a kind of hotel destination? [00:13:23.000] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And I think that's a fair criticism of Hyatt. If there is one is that they don't have the third tier city when you're going to visit friends and family when you're going to visit Grandma, if you're road tripping in the US, that's certainly an area where they're weaker than the other chains. They've expanded their footprint through really interesting partnerships. They have a big partnership with small luxury hotels of the world, which means that they now have over a dozen properties in Italy where they used to have one, and they things of that nature. [00:13:54.090] - Ed Pizza But as you say, I always use Williamsburg, Virginia, sort of my textbook example of the comparison between Marriott Hyatt, and each person will choose what's most important to them. Williamsburg, Virginia, Colonial, Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, all that stuff. It's a family destination. Not far from my house. There are zero Hyatts. There are no limited service properties. There are five Marriotts. They're all kind of dingy, but there are five properties there. And so the choice I make when my family goes to Williamsburg is do we drive 45 minutes from a very new Hyatt place, or do we stay right there at one of the Marriotts? [00:14:28.410] - Ed Pizza That's convenient, but not as nice as property, and I don't know that there's a right answer for that. I think every family makes that decision. But if you're going to make a compromise at times, that's the compromise you'd make with a road tripping in the US where I think they have some really specific fits, though, that work well for families. As you mentioned, what are some of my favorite properties? First and foremost, I think Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, just outside the gates at Disney World, is a big plus, and it didn't use to be as big a plus. [00:14:57.680] - Ed Pizza But as Disney has reduced the benefits you get from staying on site, the Grand Cypress, it hasn't taken anything away. And beautiful property, tons of space, lots of pools, all that stuff right outside the gates of Disney, so it's easy to get to. I think again, when we think about family travel, Hyatt has a brand called Ziva, which is a family geared, all inclusive brand with properties mostly focused in Mexico and the Caribbean, which on points can be a really great way to go on vacation without spending money, because you could generally redeem points for extra guests in your room as well as the two base guests that are normally included in a reservation. [00:15:36.710] - Ed Pizza So you can actually use points to pay for your meals at an all inclusive with Hyatt, which I think is interesting, and it might not be the best value for everyone. But again, if it's hey, how do we take an extra family vacation every year being able to use points to cover meals? It might mean that your family gets to go rent a catamaran for the day or swim with Dolphins or do some other activity that maybe you didn't have the cash for something like that. [00:16:00.530] - Ed Pizza It's a great choice. And then we were really surprised to go further afield. Everybody, all the bloggers talk about the Park Hyatt Sydney is this unbelievably beautiful property that overlooks the opera house, and it's under the Harbor Bridge in Sydney. And I agree with all those things. I stayed there a few times. It's a wonderful hotel, but right down the road from it is the Hyatt Regency Sydney, which opened up a few years ago. And it's kind of a rooftop lounge up on one of the really high floors. [00:16:26.870] - Ed Pizza And so we were there for a week right before the pandemic in 2019. And by the second day of our stay, everybody in the lounge had memorized not only our kids names but the drinks that they liked in the morning, in the evening and what they like for breakfast. And so my kids were doted on by the lounge grew all included with my room as part of our stay, and they never had to ask for anything. They were doted on. They loved it. And my wife and I could enjoy a cup of coffee or out on the terrace on our own and watch our kids through the glass and watch the staff take care of them. [00:16:59.420] - Ed Pizza And it was a really great way to sort of sneak away for a few minutes as a husband wife while our kids were still with us on this epic trip. [00:17:06.460] - Kim Tate That's important. I think that when you can find a good hotel, they kind of recognize your kids as guests as well. Kids love that. And they remember that for sure. [00:17:15.240] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And I might not get this exactly right because I didn't look it up on the charts before we hopped on to record. But I think it's half the points of the Park Hyatt, which again is a delightful hotel, but it's pricey. And then I think there's other fun things. Grand Hyatt Bahamas is a really huge resort property in the Bahamas. So if you're looking for a way to do something like in Atlantis style property, but using points, I think that's a great choice. And then I'm a sucker for old historical properties. [00:17:43.390] - Ed Pizza So the Driscoll in Austin, Texas, is the Yellow Rose, as they call it, is one of my favorite old historic hotels. That's part of it as well. [00:17:51.240] - Tamara Gruber Does it have a collection like that the way the autograph collection for Marriott or gosh, what's the Hilton one. [00:17:58.350] - Ed Pizza There's so many of those different brand like the Marriott Hilton has spawned all these names for different things of all the brands. And the short answer is not only is the answer yes, but there's a ton of them, and some. Some of my fellow travel bloggers have almost criticized the hits and the merits of the world for having you have too many brands. Those things don't necessarily matter as much to me per se. I guess I understand it to some degree, but at the end the day, I think as travelers and especially family drivers, we're just looking for interesting, unique properties. [00:18:29.110] - Ed Pizza And as long as they come up on the website, I'm all years yet they have their unbound collection. And that was where it started with some recent acquisitions. They sort of added a bunch of other brands, so they fall under a bunch of different names, and I won't list all of them out. But like unbound one destination hotels, Thompson Hotels, a bunch of collections that they've absorbed over the past few years and acquisitions. But I think one of the fun things that hit does is they have what's called a Brand Explorer program. [00:18:57.870] - Ed Pizza I don't quote me on this, but I think there are 15 brands right now across the portfolio and in the boundless portfolio and the independent collections. For every five different brands you visit with it, you earn a free night, and so you can earn up to three free nights by staying at all the different brands. So it's a pretty cool unpublished benefit of it is that every time you chalk up one of these, you're closer to a free night at a high in the world. [00:19:22.760] - Tamara Gruber That's interesting. So they really want you to explore the breath of those brands. I mean, I like those kind of collections because then, you know, you're having something that's maybe historic or at least has character and personality versus your standard Hyatt. Hilton, whatever the generic kind of business hotel cool. That's good to know. Well, I am very intrigued by your hinting at a dark horse. So before we jump into our other questions, what would be your number two? [00:19:51.760] - Ed Pizza Yeah. So I'm not sure if this is my number two, but certainly they're right there in line with Hilton, because I think Hilton's maybe just a smidge ahead of them. But Wyndham redid their credit card portfolio late last year. And honestly, it was one of the things I wasn't paying a ton of attention to and through a mutual friend they had asked about sponsoring the podcast, and I'm generally not somebody who does that sort of thing unless it's a brand that I really support a lot of like, I really want to be into something. [00:20:18.520] - Ed Pizza I was like, Wyndham, it's not my favorite. Could there are a lot of lower to your properties that weren't really my fit. The credit card is really geared up being able to maximize points for earning for families, which I think is a hard thing to do if you're not a road warrior. And where I think they really fit for family travel is they have a huge chunk of vacation rentals. So they have some of their own, quote, unquote vacation rental properties. And they have partnerships with brands like Vacasa. [00:20:47.480] - Ed Pizza I never know if I say that correctly, but because of that, that we think of again, when we think of families, or at least for me, I think of space. And so there's a property in Orlando called Magic Villages, which is a Wyndham property, and you can use your points to redeem for up to a four bedroom luxury condo with pools and all that other stuff that are beautifully appointed, big barbecue grills outside at Zero fridges, all that stuff. And you can do that with points. [00:21:18.200] - Ed Pizza And it's equidistant between Disney World and Universal. And then you've got ski lodges and log cabins in Montana and properties overseas. And so I think when I think about family travel and I think about space and Airbnb and the role it plays and how our family travel world has changed. Wyndham sort of forging this middle ground where they say like, yeah, sure. If you want a Wyndham hotel or one of our other limited service brands like, we got you covered. But if you need more space, you can turn those points into Airbnb ish type rental in hundreds of cities around the world. [00:21:56.270] - Ed Pizza And I think that adds a lot of value for family travelers. Not as much for people who like to travel in a traditional way. But I think family Traveler specifically Wyndhams carving at a niche to say you could earn a bunch of points on our credit cards and you can use them for Airbnb ish type stays around the world. [00:22:12.740] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, that's good. I think about Smugglers Notch in Vermont, which is an amazing family ski resort. I used to be part of Wyndham Vacation Rentals, and I have to double check that it is. And I know I have a friends awesome that really love the property in Orlando and love that space option. Like you mentioned. [00:22:33.490] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And the Smugglers Notch is still a Club Wyndham property. And again, people think of timeshares like, oh, I don't want to buy a Timeshare, and that's a whole other podcast for some other day. But I think Wyndham gives you the ability to stay at those properties and not be a timeshare owner. So I think that's what's unique about the them in Hyatt has a very small collection of those properties time shersh sort of residence club properties. In fact, one of my favorites is in Sedona. It's called the Hyatt Residence Club Pinon Point, not that far from the Grand Canyon, but they only have 15 or 20 of those where Wyndham literally has over 1000 with the Club Wyndham stuff, vacation rentals and the Vacasa partnership. [00:23:14.530] - Ed Pizza So if you like that sort of travel where you're not staying in a hotel and you want a little bit more space, Wyndham is really carved that niche. And before when they didn't have a really robust credit card platform, it was harder to earn a lot of points with them. And now, especially if I'm a small business owner, and I understand that not everybody is that. But if you are a small business owner, some of the stuff that they have bonus categories on are very unique, like utility bills and stuff like that, that definitely aren't for everyone. [00:23:47.230] - Ed Pizza But if you happen to be somebody who as a small business owner and you've got all that stuff, it's a great way. Wait a pile on a ton of points that you're not going to find somewhere else. [00:23:54.620] - Kim Tate And do you know, if Wyndham is a transfer partner of either Chase or Amex it's one of the downsides is that they're not really have that kind of the credit card of their own to their credit cards are issued by Barkley's. [00:24:08.960] - Ed Pizza And I think you guys know some of the Barclay cards they've had over time, but they don't really have a flexible currency. Okay, as you say, with Chase and American Express, and even sort of coming around the bend with City adding like, I a partner like American Airlines to their fold, that in doing the and the Capital One is really up their game. This is the area where I think Barclay's as weakest is that they just don't have that robust transfer network. So you'd have to invest in holding a Wyndham card to earn a bunch of Wyndham points. [00:24:41.800] - Ed Pizza And I might be forgetting some other Wyndham transfer partner out there. And if they're out there, I apologize. I'm definitely not a credit card expert, like some other folks are in the space. I my interest has been peaked in a way that I wasn't expecting. [00:24:55.860] - Kim Tate Well, definitely for families. I can see why that might be appealing. So let's quickly just finish up this little bit of a category and touch base about maybe Hilton, of course, Marriott. Maybe even if we have time, you could mention IHG do you see, what are the pros and cons for any of those three type brands for to show up on their loyalty train. [00:25:20.870] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And I'll try to cover all three quickly. I think they all represent slightly different things. One of the things that I think Hilton has in common with Hyatt is that they value treating folks well on award stays. So things like no resort fees on award stays is a really cool benefit of Hilton that it has as well. I think the benefit for Hilton is massive footprint, easy to earn lots of points. And so you sort of got this world where Marriott has really expensive properties that cost a ton of points, but they don't issue a lot of points you've hired as a smaller footprint, and their properties cost less points. [00:25:57.480] - Ed Pizza And Hilton somewhere in the middle, and that they do have an award chart where the resort property can get pricey, but they give away a lot of points for hotel stays, they give away a lot of points for folks who happen to hold their credit cards. And as you mentioned earlier about road tripping, you can find a Hilton anywhere. Marriott is the same way in terms of footprint size, but they do charge things like resort fees and parking and stuff like that on awards stays, so they're not completely quote, unquote free. [00:26:23.030] - Tamara Gruber Can you explain for our listeners what award stays are? [00:26:26.040] - Ed Pizza Yeah. So if you spend on a credit card or you stay on a paid stay, you earn points in the loyalty program. So if you have a Hilton credit card, you're in Hilton points. If you have a Marriott credit card earning Marriott points, and then there's all the transferable partners, which maybe we find time to talk about today. But as Kim alluded to Chase and American Express, so you build up these points. And those points help get you a free room. And not all points are created equally. [00:26:54.150] - Ed Pizza So we like to say that top tier property at Marriott is 100,000 points and a top tier property that is 30,000 points per night. And so it's a lot easier, cheaper in points to get a free room with it. But they don't quite give the same amount of points per dollar. That's where it gets a little bit like funny money math. But Hilton, like I said, sits in the middle where they give a lot of points for folks who stay on paid nights. And you can also earn a lot of points with bonus categories on their credit cards. [00:27:25.740] - Ed Pizza So you you can build up a pretty big balance of Hilton points quickly if your goal is to save up for a family vacation. [00:27:32.140] - Tamara Gruber Now, some of these programs have changed some things recently. Do you want to touch on that? [00:27:37.280] - Ed Pizza Yeah. So again, we talk about family travel. Things like free breakfast is important, and Hilton rolled out some changes that they say are temporary. And I'm actually supposed to be recording with an executive from Hilton on my podcast in October. So hoping to get a more final answer on this. But they've temporarily removed to a benefit where instead of getting free breakfast, you get a credit per day that you can use for breakfast. If you wanted to use it for breakfast, which you can also use it for a drink in the bar in the evening, et cetera. [00:28:08.660] - Ed Pizza It doesn't cover traditionally what a free breakfast used to cover. And sort of where this came from was during the pandemic. A lot of hotels eliminated free breakfast completely in the beginning. It was because we didn't really know how COVID was bread is now sort of become this thing of, well, gosh, we lost a lot of money during COVID, so we don't want to have breakfast out anymore. And I think it's a big question Mark right now on what the future will look like. I think hotel owners don't really want to give free breakfast. [00:28:32.760] - Ed Pizza They've never really wanted to, but it's always been a benefit that's been there. And so there's this unique most moment where a chain like Hilton is trying to move away. It seems from that free breakfast benefit, and I'm going to be really interested to see how this rolls for, because as of right now, it is only listed as a temporary benefit. You guys have been in this business long enough to know that lots of things that are temporary become permanent. So that might be where we end up with us. [00:28:57.450] - Ed Pizza But right now, the breakfast benefit, Hilton is nowhere near as good as it used to be in a vacuum. That being said in my travels, I've seen very few hotels that really have have a free breakfast out, as opposed to a Brown paper bag with a Nutri grain bar, an Apple and a bottle of water [00:29:14.620] - Kim Tate for a while there when we took our spring break road trip, they weren't even stocked with that stuff because they couldn't get supply chains as like we have one almond milk and an Orange going to the first customer down. [00:29:27.910] - Ed Pizza Yeah, it has been crazy and I didn't touch on IHG I think is sort of falls behind those others. I think at this point Wyndham has passed them in my mind and that it doesn't really have the vacation rental part of their platform. And for those that might not know IHG or brands like Holiday Inn, Holiday and Express Intercontinental, they have beautiful properties overseas, Europe and Asia, much more so than I'd say in the US where the I think they can play a role is definitely road tripping. [00:30:00.260] - Ed Pizza And then also, if you happen to be somebody who has some travel for work in the US, I think earning points stand staying at US based IHG properties and then using them for some of the really cool properties overseas. They have some really eclectic older style properties in Europe that I think are a lot of fun. So that would be how I think about trying to use is it would be saying if your traveler road warrior staying at the Holiday Express throughout the year so you can redeem for a really cool Intercontental stay in Europe or Asia. [00:30:34.620] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, they have cool. The Hotel Indigo brand properties are pretty cool too for those boutique type of stays. [00:30:43.570] - Ed Pizza And they are expanding. The Hotel Indigo brand obviously has a lot of change during the pandemic, but I do expect there to be more Hotel Indigo being built over the next handful of years. [00:30:57.260] - Kim Tate A brand I always like the decor and stuff. It's very clean and modern feel and a little bit of the local vibe with local artists and some of that stuff. So that's cool. [00:31:07.960] - Ed Pizza Yeah. Last I checked and don't quote me on this. There's probably about 100 or so Hotel Indigo in the pipeline and there's probably about 100 open right now, so they'll probably double the size of that brand over the next call, four or five years. [00:31:23.220] - Kim Tate So now that you've given us a good layout of all the great programs, and maybe people are thinking of which property or which brand might work best for them. Do you have any tips or suggestions for how to build up points with some of these programs beyond just hotel stays? So you mentioned a little bit about the Wyndham credit cards, so I know credit cards are a huge part of it. So any other tips or what info do they need to know about earning and transferring hotel points? [00:31:49.700] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And I think you keyed right there on the last two words that you said are the two ways that we're thinking about this. Are we earning points or are we transferring them? And so I think there's two separate paths, and I'm going to take them backwards because I think the transferring path is the one that's going to work for more people. Then the best example I like to use for folks is for anybody out there that has a retirement account. I hope you don't have everything all in one individual stock or mutual fund. [00:32:14.850] - Ed Pizza You're diversified. So Kim kind of alluded to this before where Chase and American Express both have their own flexible currencies. Chases is called Ultimate Rewards, and American Express is called membership rewards. And so you can spend on a credit card, a certain Chase branded credit cards and certain American Express branded credit cards. And you can then transfer those points to hotels. And for this, I specifically like Chase better than I like American Express, and that Chase has multiple hotel partners you can transfer to IG. But you can also transfer to Marriott and to High. [00:32:49.820] - Ed Pizza So lots of flexibility there. And if you ultimately decide you didn't want to transfer hotels because you got a really super deal, like you found a super cheap hotel and you want to use your money on your hotels and then use your points for airline tickets. You'd have that flexibility. But this also goes back to what the value of points are. And if you transfer points from Chase Ultimate Reward, so let's say you had, like, a Chase Sapphire preferred card, and you earn points for dining out and groceries and all that stuff. [00:33:17.670] - Ed Pizza And then you transfer those points. They're going to go a lot further with Hyatt, where the most expensive property costs 30,000 points a night versus Marriott, where the most expensive property will set you back about 100,000 points a night because you're still transferring on a one to one basis from Chase Ultimate Rewards to these different hotel programs. So for most folks, I think those sorts of cards offer great flexibility, which I think is what we want in travel, especially for family travelers. If hotels is really the thing that you're most focused on, then yes, absolutely. [00:33:49.470] - Ed Pizza They're or hotel credit cards. And not just because of my bias towards Hyatt, but I also think they have a pretty strong offering for credit cards in that they offer bonus points for dining out airline tickets, gym memberships, which is a fairly unique category. Mass transit,  tolls, taxis, just a whole bunch of different categories where you can earn points for the things that you do on an everyday basis and use those to turn into vacation points further down the road. [00:34:19.360] - Tamara Gruber So would you ever recommend having a brand specific card as well? [00:34:24.720] - Ed Pizza You know, I think if your main goal is that you're going to be a free agent from an air travel standpoint where you're never going to use points for that, then I think a hotel branded credit card can make more sense. I think the other thing, too, that's a really solid reason to pick up a hotel credit card is that some of the cards do offer some level of status along with holding the card. That's a benefit of some cards, and it's very different amongst the different cards people use Hyatt  as an example is that you do get discovered status with them, which earns you a free late checkout and a bonus on points that you earn. But it also gives you sort of a head start to the next level of status as well. So those can be great ways to sort of bridge across. Marriott has a lot more credit cards than hit us, so you have the ability to sort of maximize that if you're willing to hold multiple credit cards, they also have credit cards from both Chase and American Express. [00:35:23.520] - Ed Pizza But you really do have to sit down and think about as you start to get into multiple credit cards. Are you really getting the value for the annual fees for all these cards? Because some of them have gotten quite expensive for annual fees for five $600 a fee. And we just want to make sure that we're getting that value if we're going to keep that card in our wallet year in, year out. Whereas something like Chase Sapphire preferred annual fee is $95, and it's not hard to get $95 in value on a yearly basis. [00:35:48.640] - Kim Tate Yeah, I was going to say one of the things I have the Marriott, and it is kind of nice when I choose that knowing that I'm earning six points or ten points or whatever it is now on those hotel stays, and I don't even have to think about that. And then it's kind of funny, though, because I get gold with them, which doesn't do anything with Marriott now and then I get gold with my Amex as well. So I'm paying all the stupid fees to get overlap that still doesn't do anything. [00:36:13.730] - Kim Tate But I've been really looking at my Amex Platinum lately to see if I'm really getting my $700 worth or whatever they raise the annual fee to this year. [00:36:23.030] - Ed Pizza Yeah, not to dig too deeply into the numbers of it but again, depending on which Marriott card you have, we talked about the one to one transfer from Chase to Marriott. And so for every day spend, you could still either category where you can earn three, four, five chase points per dollar and then transfer those to Marriott in a one to one basis. So you can definitely make an argument why a Marriott card might be really good for you to pay for your Marriott stays. [00:36:53.350] - Ed Pizza The other bonus categories on those cards generally aren't as generous as some of these, like middle of the road flexible currency cards where you can come out of head. [00:37:02.330] - Kim Tate Overall, I've been trying to figure that with dining. That's been my biggest dilemma lately is when I'm eating out because I don't have, like, a freedom or any of those things. So I feel like the Marriott actually recently looked like it was more. But then when you look at the points value, my Chase ink is probably the best way to go. So I was really torn about that one. [00:37:21.960] - Ed Pizza Yeah, and dining is one of those things. It isn't necessarily a big strength of the Marriott card. The chase cards are pretty weak on those categories, and I don't remember all the American Express benefits off the top of my head. But when you think about the fact that you take a car like the American Express gold card that are in four points per one dollars on dining, that's a pretty sizable bonuses compared to the other cards. And don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure that annual fee is 250 where you're obviously a lot higher with some of the premium cards. [00:37:56.360] - Ed Pizza So you get three points per dollar on the Bonvoy brilliant. I was tell the names are confused. [00:38:01.250] - Kim Tate I know they make it. Yeah, I have their business one. I don't know which one that is. I don't have a really expensive one. [00:38:06.490] - Ed Pizza They all have B names, but that one only earns three points per dollar on dining where you're getting four on American Express gold. So again, it's a mixed bag of things. I think if you're going to have a lot of Marriott stays, those can be solid cards for you, but I think at the end of the day it's hey, sit down and make sure you're doing the math on what you're paying for annual fee to make sure you really are getting the value. Because on that one, like a big part of why that card should be in your wallet is because you're going to use that $300 credit that it comes with at a Marriott property, because if not, then you're paying $450 for a credit card on a yearly basis. [00:38:44.060] - Ed Pizza And that's a pretty big chunk of change. [00:38:45.950] - Kim Tate I have the size down one on that one. I don't have that expensive one. The other one boundless or busy. I don't know why they chose to make the full you'll never know makes them hard to say. [00:38:58.580] - Ed Pizza Yes. [00:38:59.470] - Tamara Gruber I will say that one time I got Marriott card for a while. And if anybody has an event coming up, it's a good thing to do. Right. So I hosted my daughter's, bat mitzvah party at a Marriott, and you basically got, I think, like, three times the points. If you're hosting an event there, there was some kind of calculation that I did where I was getting points for the rooms that were booked as part of my group as well as the event itself by putting it all on that Marriott card. [00:39:29.840] - Tamara Gruber So that's how I tried to maximize that for a while. [00:39:33.200] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And you can even triple up and that they have a meeting planner program. So when you're planning larger events like that, you can earn points on top of those points. [00:39:41.940] - Tamara Gruber I think that's what I did. Yeah. [00:39:45.020] - Ed Pizza That's a great way to triple up with you, as you say, when you have things like special family events that can really maximize your earnings. [00:39:51.480] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Well, as you said, we can dive into credit cards for a very long time. And I suggest anyone that really wants to get into this should definitely be subscribed to Miles to go, because sometimes you guys get into conversations on there where I'm like, Whoa, too much vernacular, too much jargon going on here because you definitely have guests that really know what they're talking about. So I would definitely recommend that. But I'm just curious. As a road warrior in so many hotels, sometimes you always want to write a post about biggest hotel pet peeves. [00:40:22.900] - Tamara Gruber But of course, who would care? But I want to hear what are your biggest pet peeves when it comes to hotels? And are they brand specific? [00:40:29.860] - Ed Pizza Well, and first off, I would care. So if you ever do write that, so let me know what I'll read it for me. Honestly, the biggest pet peeve that's developed over the past couple of years, and I hate to think of just the pandemic, but I think that this was lasting effects after we're done is what I've started to affectionately refer to as what I call no notice. No housekeeping. A lot of chains made changes to their housekeeping rules during the pandemic. In some cases, they weren't coming into rooms at all. [00:40:56.890] - Ed Pizza In other cases, like Hilton, they sort of moved away from the the standard of daily housekeeping. Two rules that make it sound like can't have housekeeping on a daily basis where in most cases, you could still ask for it. But I think the notice is the big part. We're all adults here. Let us make adult choices if you're not going to offer me housekeeping, which for the 40 plus years I've been on this planet has been a standard of pretty much every hotel in the country, minus some very limited narrow set of brands. [00:41:26.170] - Ed Pizza Housekeeping is a thing. We expect it. And so if you if you don't have enough staff or there's not enough money to do it. All those things. Just be honest about it and tell me upfront that. Hey, you're going to be here for six days and we're never going to clean your room. As with anybody in the pandemic, I can understand that hotels have gone through a real tough time not to sound sarcastic. I'm in the restaurant industry. We serve burgers and fries. If a customer pays me the same price they paid for a burger last year, I can't tell them I'm not giving them a hamburger bun today. [00:41:56.150] - Ed Pizza I still need to give them everything that they paid for. And housekeeping. I still just one of those things that I expect as part of hotel stay unless you tell me a time. And if you tell me out of time, hey, we're not going to here are the rules. At least I know the rules going into it. It's the changing of things and not telling customers clearly hear that we're not offering just like we talked about the free breakfast thing. Like, look, it's the published benefit than I expected. [00:42:17.600] - Ed Pizza And if you tell me you're not going to deliver it because of XYZ, at least I can make the choice as to whether or not I come stay at your exactly. [00:42:24.460] - Kim Tate I totally agree. They've been really lazy at notifying everyone even along on booking. I understand they can't always control third party booking sites, but on their own sites, they need to be saying if the breakfast is going to be a grab and grow bag, it should be right there on your reservation page. Or if they're not offering daily housekeeping or daily housekeeping can be added on to your even if they start saying, okay, you can get a prepay rate, you can get a regular refundable rate, or you can also book a rate that includes housekeeping. [00:42:55.990] - Kim Tate Fine, start doing that. But I think the lack of, like, housekeepers has been a big impact, and but I'm with you. Just let us know in advance. [00:43:06.360] - Ed Pizza Yeah, just be intellectually honest with your customers. We're smart enough to figure out that nobody came in and cleaned the room, and we're smart enough to remember we weren't told. So just get it out there ahead of time. [00:43:15.100] - Kim Tate That's the most annoying thing to me is just not knowing and then coming home expecting, especially when you're a family. [00:43:20.740] - Tamara Gruber Right. [00:43:20.950] - Kim Tate And you've got all of your towels are all mixed up and the kids would put theirs all over the floor, beds or carpet. And you're like, who's that never happens. You. Well, your kids are perfect. [00:43:31.790] - Tamara Gruber And not to mention there's that one tiny garbage can that fills up within a minute of arriving. [00:43:37.800] - Kim Tate And then for a while, when you were eating all your meals, like in your room, that worked really well. [00:43:43.740] - Ed Pizza Yeah, I think again, like, we're all adults, we can all cope with a new reality. If you tell me. I've got to put my trash can out by 08:00 at night, and sombody's going to pick it up. [00:43:52.060] - Kim Tate Great. [00:43:52.600] - Ed Pizza Then I know what the standard is. If we're never going to dump your trash can for five days, that's going to get ugly. [00:43:57.390] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Well, and also back in the day, you were at least given the incentive of you get some points if you bypass housekeeping with kind of I always did not trust the greenness of that. I thought it was more of a way of getting out of housekeeping, but at least you got something for for it, right? Whereas now it's like, oh, no, you have to request it like you're being a diva to request it. It's like, no, if I'm going to say that, I'm not kidding it then give me something for that. [00:44:25.090] - Ed Pizza And the height of the pandemic when hotel rates were like, 50 or $60 a night because nobody was staying, I think it was an understandable quid pro quo. As a business traveler, I paid $300 to stay in a regular old Marriott property a handful of weeks ago and was told that I couldn't get daily housekeeping. It's like I'm paying three hundred dollars a night. That rate should have enough baked into it that you can get somebody clean the room. And if you can't understand, staffing is a big issue, but you need to communicate that. [00:44:51.910] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. I told this story recently on the podcast where I paid 250 a night to stay at a really crappy town place suites that was dirty and they didn't even have a pillow for my daughter to use on the pull out bed. It's like those kinds of things, like, no, sorry, it's taking it too far. Yeah, I agree. [00:45:09.430] - Kim Tate So now that we've talked about pet peeves and things that are driving us all nuts, what about some of the amenities or perks that you look for when you're debating between what hotel to choose? Yeah. [00:45:20.830] - Ed Pizza Well, we obviously talked about one of my favorites before, which were those confirmable suite upgrades at time of booking for Hyatt. So I think that's a really big one, just because I can lay that shit down when I need to for that one or two vacations a year and say, here's my ticket. I want that special room and tell me now. So I think that's a big one for me and for our family. I also think we're Hyatt and Hilton have really focused on reducing fees for folks who are on award stays. [00:45:50.310] - Ed Pizza So resort fees for Hyatt Hilton Hyatt went so far as to say we're not going to charge for parking on award stays. And it's not that parking costs a lot of money, but it's more like the nickeling and diming of stuff when you're on vacation, like, here's another fee and here's another fee and here's another fee. So I really like that those two who chains are really focusing on removing those fees when you have a, quote, unquote free room, it's actually closer to free. And that sounds funny for folks who maybe don't redeem points a lot. [00:46:17.830] - Ed Pizza But at some brands, there are lots and lots of fees. I know there are a lot of people that love club lounges. As our kids have gotten a little bit older, we probably use them just a little bit less because we like to get out and sort of explore local cities, if you will. And eating breakfast at a small cafe, Paris or Amsterdam or Lisbon is more appealing than hitting the lounge. But I still think lounges have a tremendous amount of value for families with younger children. [00:46:48.040] - Ed Pizza And so as our kids have gotten older, maybe that one's a little bit less important. But, boy, did we save a lot of money on properties that had free breakfast. And actually, I think the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress was a great example of that pre pandemic. Their lounge has been closed during the pandemic, but before going to Disney World every morning, we'd have breakfast in the lounge. And I would say that's probably worth at least 30 or $40 a day for a family of four to eat breakfast somewhere. [00:47:12.660] - Tamara Gruber Well, I'm with you on the lounges, but also one of my things that I love is free water. So it's like the Hilton will give you the bottles of water. I remember checking in with my husband to a Courtyard Marriott in Portland, Maine, and he's Ambassador level. They didn't have us an upgrade available. And I was like, Can we get a couple of waters? And they're like, oh, we don't do that here. And I'm like, Seriously, you won't give us two bottles of water and the lounges. [00:47:39.520] - Tamara Gruber I stayed recently at a Marriott in Buffalo and had access to the lounge. And I think I was wiping them out on the water because the stuff from the tap just wasn't doing it. And they didn't have any refill stations open. So those little things Kim, knows how much I need my water. So it saves me a lot. [00:47:57.040] - Kim Tate It seems like they've gotten rid of those communal water fill, you know, for, like, some hotels have the little jug in the lobby, but because a COVID they got rid of that. And I have a feeling that's going to be another thing we never see see return. [00:48:10.580] - Ed Pizza Yeah, it's a good point. And I think you're the same way I am Tamara that I drink a ton of water when I'm on the road, just trying to stay hydrated wherever I am. And so that's a huge benefit for us. And you're right, Hilton is very good about offering that every time I check in like, hey, do you need a couple of bottles of water? It's also something that IoT is very good at and not to pile on Marriott. Put your comment about we don't do that there. [00:48:35.510] - Ed Pizza It's kind of sort of like an unwritten model of Marriott. That the property sort of do what they feel comfortable with. And some properties are really good about taking care of their guests. And a lot of the other ones are like, well, there's no financial justification for us to give you two bottles of water so you can buy them. [00:48:50.330] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, they're like, there's a little shop, little. I don't know what to call it, but it's like the main marketplace. Thank you. [00:48:57.540] - Ed Pizza Where you can pay $4 for a bottle  of Aquafina. [00:49:01.840] - Tamara Gruber well, you've been on the program before, so you know that we always ask a question about what you wear. But since we've heard that, I thought maybe we would mix it up and ask if you have a favorite type of luggage or brand for a carry on bag or a rolling bag. [00:49:16.240] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And I'm among the minority here. So my favorite brand is Briggs and Riley. They're not the prettiest suitcases. Sometimes my wife kind of looks sideways at them because not all the bags are like the sexiest and sleekest suitcases. But my main Briggs and Riley bag is now almost 20 years old. They've prepared at a time or two. A true lifetime warranty. It's got over a million miles rolled on it. They're just really, really durable, functional bags again, not as pretty as to me, but never had a zipper break on a Brigand rally bag in almost 20 years. [00:49:51.190] - Tamara Gruber That's amazing. [00:49:52.420] - Ed Pizza Yeah. [00:49:52.760] - Kim Tate There's somebody else who really loves those that I'm trying to think of. [00:49:56.000] - Tamara Gruber Is it Eric? Yeah. Okay. [00:49:58.130] - Kim Tate Maybe I couldn't remember. I was like, who else do I know that's a real Briggs and Riley fan. [00:50:02.340] - Ed Pizza Yeah. I mean, I've had really good luck with them. I think the brand stands behind their bags. And I've had so many people tell me about how they tried to send there to me, a bag away to get it repaired. And it was gone for weeks and weeks, and they had to pay for shipping and all this stuff. And I'm just a no nonsense guy. And the bags just work. [00:50:24.330] - Kim Tate Well, you have given us so much great information, but as we've already shared before, you have a lot more out there. So why don't you tell our listeners where they can find you on the line and follow along with all your great travel tips? [00:50:34.900] - Ed Pizza Yeah. And thanks again, guys, for having me on this was a lot of fun for me. I live vicariously through some of the travel that you guys have done over the summer, and I can't wait to get back to some of those fun places. So it's always great to be on the show with you. We do publish a podcast on a weekly basis, just like you guys find me at Miles to go on all the popular podcasting platform where you can find vacation mavens. And you can find me writing at PizzainMotion.com and all the Twitter, Facebook Instagram stuff is all @pizzainmotion as well. [00:51:06.880] - Tamara Gruber Thanks so much, Ed. [00:51:08.100] - Kim Tate Yeah, thanks. We love having you, and we will look forward to chatting with you again sometime soon. [00:51:12.940] - Ed Pizza Thanks, guys. [00:51:17.060] - Tamara Gruber And we forgot to mention at the beginning of the episode, but Kim and I do have an announcement to make, and that is something that we talked about a little bit on the last episode, but is now official. We're going to Portugal, although I'm totally knocking wood as I say that because, oh, my God, things can totally come up last minute. Now, I'm like, scared. Did I just drink this? Kim? [00:51:37.290] - Kim Tate No, no, it's all good. We're good. [00:51:39.300] - Tamara Gruber But we're going to be in Portugal. We're going to be exploring so much of this country. Kim and I have actually gone there together in the past, but now we're going to get to Do Porto and the Duoro and Alentejo hopefully that's how you pronounce it the Algarve. We're going to the Azores. It's going to be an amazing trip. I hope that you will follow us both on social media. So Tam

New-build hotels to be developed with real-estate specialists Mountain View across four distinct neighborhoods in Cairo #IHGhotels #mountainviewegypt #HotelIndigo #MountainViewAinElSokhna #MountainViewiCity6thofOctoberCity #MountainViewiCityNewCairo #MountainViewNorthCoast #AssemelGazzar #HaithamMattar #AmrSoliman #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/ihghotels/read-article/5468_ihg-hotels-amp-resorts-debuts-hotel-indigo-with-a-four-hotel-agreement-in-egypt.html

Hotel Indigo Riyadh King Abdallah Road is the first IHG hotel to be signed under MDA with RIVA Development Co. #IHGHotels #boutiquehotel #HotelIndigoRiyadh #MasterDevelopmentAgreement #RIVADevelopment #HotelIndigo #HaithamMattar #MugbelAlThukair #hotelsinSaudiArabia #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/ihghotels/read-article/5278_ihg-to-bring-its-lifestyle-brand-hotel-indigo-to-the-saudi-capital.html

02 May 2021: What song would you like to wake you up instead of an alarm clock? Plus: Mark learns all about Hotel Indigo Downtown's artist residency programme. Guy in Dubai Paris Norriss explores a shipwreck off the coast of Umm Al Quwain. Mark tries the iftar over at the Ritz Carlton DIFC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claire Bennett is the Global Chief Customer Officer at IHG Hotels and Resorts, a hospitality company with almost 6,000 hotels across nearly 100 countries. IHG owns several brands, including Holiday Inn, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza and more. In this conversation, Claire shares how IHG has adapted over this past year in order to stay competitive, safe and relevant. Claire also dives into how this year shaped her as a leader and how she brings her team together.Support our sponsor Deloitte and experience their guidance on resilience for brands in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more at Deloitte.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We talk to Simon Burgess, a long-time real estate multihyphenate. He is currently the managing director for Hotel Indigo located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Listen to how one man was able to go from having no college education & working for others to having others work for him.

The St. Joe Company has announced the brand of its marina hotel in downtown Panama City. Boasting of no two-alike properties, Hotel Indigo will incorporate local culture and design into the five-story, 124-room bay-front hotel. St. Joe plans to break ground on the $20 million project in early to mid-2021. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The St. Joe Company has announced the brand of its marina hotel in downtown Panama City. Boasting of no two-alike properties, Hotel Indigo will incorporate local culture and design into the five-story, 124-room bay-front hotel. St. Joe plans to break ground on the $20 million project in early to mid-2021. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're going to western NC to visit Asheville, NC and get all the local approved places to stay, eat, drink and stay with @sarajanecase from @enneagramandcoffee! SHOW NOTES: Where to stay: Hotel Indigo, Grove Park Inn, The Windsor Where to eat: Cucina24, Chai Pani, Buxton Hall BBQ, All Souls Pizza, Sunny Point Cafe, Over Easy Cafe (only pop-up shops), Mayfel’s Where to drink: Little Jumbo, Antidote, Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge, Wicked Weed Funkatorium, Burial Beer, Highland Brewing Company The Montford Rooftop Bar, The Crow and Quill What to do: Grove Park Inn, Grove Park Inn Spa, Biltmore Estate, LaZoom tour Top 5 Coffee Shops: Farewell, High Five Coffee, Trade and Lore, Liberty House Coffee and Cafe, Summit Coffee Co. Rapid Fire: Instagrammable spot: Wall Street Pizza: All Souls Pizza Asheville Event: Bele Chere Festival Coffee Shop: Liberty House Coffee and Cafe Wine & Cheese: Sante Best Season: Fall Favorite rooftop: The Montford Rooftop Bar Hiking Spot: Craggy Gardens Local Business: High Five Coffee

Wel of niet lenen? Of zelfs beleggen? Hoe is het om in de schulden te komen tijdens je studie? En gaat een 'starterskapitaal' van 10.000 euro dat voorkomen? Lisa Westerveld (Tweede Kamerlid GroenLinks en woordvoerder voor o.a. onderwijs en jeugdhulp), Eline Schievink (moest stoppen met haar studie vanwege enorme schulden) en tafelstudent Jack gaan vanuit een oude bankkluis in gesprek. Opgenomen in Hotel Indigo in Den Haag, het pand waar vroeger de Nederlandse bank gevestigd was.

This episode has me at the Hotel Indigo with Walter Childs, an awesome guy that I picked up through Uber early one morning. We discussed anniversary plans, moving to Georgia from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Faye Childs Productions (Husband & Wife production company), music, and of course other random topics.

We conclude the 2020 year with an episode that straddles informatics education and social issues.  Oliver Bear Don’t Walk is a PhD candidate doing informatics research in the  Columbia University Department of Biomedical Informatics. He’s joined by Suzanne B. Bakken, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FACMI, one of the world’s most prominent figures in informatics, and Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University. In addition to her international acclaim as a nursing informaticist, Suzanne currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for JAMIA--arguably the premier journal in biomedical informatics. This episode features a sensitive and often private topic, and we all had a chance to bear our souls (present speaker included.)  I would summarize our discussion as being focused on one two-word phrase. Academic code-switching.   If you’ve never heard of code-switching, it's the process of “fitting in” by borrowing a phenotype, or a way of appearing, that hides your true identity.   We hear about it a lot in the corporate workplace, where women have to act like male counterparts, or even in communities, where phrases like “man up”  or “uncle Tom” reflect an inability to code-switch.  This may not sound like informatics, but let me assure you, it impacts the field in very insidious ways that we hear from all three of the speakers at different times.We also have the honor of being joined by Nolan Neal (https://nolanneal.com/) who is a phenomenal artist, with a very distinctive musical presence.   I met Nolan here in town at the Hotel Indigo with two of my dear friends after a concert. His performance in the hotel lounge was the best performance of the night!  We since chatted, and I discovered how much his story reminds us all of how much our journeys NEED to be reflected in our work.  Nolan ends the episode by playing a new song, called "The Man I Used to Be." It's a journey song if ever I've heard one, and it's powerful but also an anthem for all who are aware of straying from their path and trying to get back on it.  Thanks, my friend.Please hear about his journey on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WHNFIqh6V8Of course, he has music out there and more on the way, so feel free to visit his website and enjoy!

Niczym u Alfreda Hitchcocka 73. odcinek zaczynamy od trzęsienia ziemi! Alsecco planuje w najbliższym czasie inwestycje, które wyniosą aż 100 mln zł! Wśród nich zapowiadana jest nowa hala produkcyjna. To kolejna już rozbudowa zakładu produkcyjnego w ostatnich dwóch latach. W tym roku do użytku zostały oddane dwie hale produkcyjne i zatrudnionych zostało kolejnych 100 pracowników. Obecnie w nyskiej fabryce pracuje około 800 osób, a docelowo zatrudnienie ma sięgać ponoć nawet 3 tys. osób! To niemal tyle ile dzisiaj zatrudnia Drutex czy Fakro. Biorąc pod uwagę dużą automatyzację produkcji na nowych liniach produkcyjnych w naszej branży, można zatem przypuszczać, że produkcja w Alsecco mogłaby być na poziomie porównywalnym z największymi. Czy nyska firma wskoczy na podium topowych producentów stolarki w Polsce? Czas pokaże!Ponadto rozmawiamy o firmie Hensfort, która odnotowała w ostatnich miesiącach kilka sukcesów eksportowych, a z najnowsza linią okien Elegant zadebiutuje już wkrótce w Stanach Zjednoczonych. Skoro już o USA mowa, wspominamy również o Yawalu, który zatrudnia w swoim amerykańskim oddziale kolejnych specjalistów, a na swoim koncie ma coraz ciekawsze zamówienia – najnowszym jest Hotel Indigo w stanie Kolorado. Poruszamy również temat naszej jesiennej akcji informacyjnej, w której stawiamy na nasze rozwiązania multimedialne i zachęcamy firmy do współpracy z Forum Branżowym. Zapowiadamy też nowy raport Centrum Analiz Branżowych, dotyczący europejskiego rynku okien i drzwi. Opisujemy tez najświeższe doniesienia z firm ML System, Wiśniowski, Domel oraz W.Schmitz, jak i przedstawiamy aktualne informacje w ramach Krótkiego Przeglądu Ekonomicznego. Na koniec oczywiście suchar!

Review of Hotel Indigo Anaheim & Disneyland Hotel

The Georgia vs Missouri Preview show. Thanks to the Hotel Indigo for collaborating with us on this giveaway. Here are the ways to enter via Instagram: Follow WSLSpodcast & Indigo Athens on IG: https://instagram.com/wslspodcast https://instagram.com/indigoathens For the post on Instagram (linked here): Must be 18 years of age or older. Follow @WSLSpodcast & @IndigoAthens on Instagram (Qualifier) Like the photo. (+1 entry) Tag one to two friends in the comments of the official IG post. (+2 entry max) DM @WSLSpodcast the secret phrase heard in WSLS 206 episode (+1) A complete release of Instagram by each entrant or participant. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram (or whatever podcast player you're reading this on). Thanks for reading and Good Luck. Details: Contest ends Sunday 11/10/19 at 8pm EST. Winner announced via Instagram on Monday 11/11/19 at 4pm. Visit our Podcast Partners: Five Points Bottle Shop where the liquid you drink makes you feel different (whatever Will said in the podcast episode): https://www.fivepointsbottleshop.com SP2 Hospitality: https://www.elbarrioathens.com https://www.thepineathens.com https://www.11thpinathens.com https://www.therootathens.com https://www.pubonmainwatkinsville.com

Madison College, to me, truly has been life changing. Coming here has changed my life. It has given me the tools to build something.- Carolyn KosabuckiCarolyn Kosabucki is a returning adult Madison College Hospitality Management student who is completely amazing – a 4.0 student, she volunteers at the College, has received the Destination Madison Rising Student award, been nominated for the college’s Student Excellence awards, is working part time for Frank Production Company and CSC, completed her internship with Hotel Indigo and is taking part in the Sponsor a Student program with Food Fight Restaurant Group’s Lisa Loup.As a survivor of domestic abuse, she calls her then life "devastating like a hurricane" which she left with $54 in her pocket, starting over in Madison and at Madison College. She knows “I’m not alone. My story may be different, but my story is not unique. When it comes down to it, you have to want it for yourself.”She’s also inspiring grateful and humble and an amazing human being who believes wholeheartedly in the power of education. And her role in it. In this episode, Carolyn talks about her journey to this point in her life, how her bucket list has changed, how grateful she is for her mom and her team of people rooting for her now, and how she feels safe in her space. Carolyn is keeping options open for the journey and is an inspiration for anyone who’s wondering what the next step could look like. She offers amazing advice to others who are considering taking a leap and being a self-advocate through education.I’m a huge fan of CK. Enjoy!

This week on the Live in Everett Podcast we chat about the Everett Marina’s newest hotel, Hotel Indigo, how a Seattle boating festival is finding a new home in Everett, how to not run over pedestrians in downtown and have a chat with Sarah Molitch from Sharing Wheels.

TechBuzz China is going to China! As part of our inaugural invite-only TechBuzz China Investor Trip for public market investors taking place right after Golden Week, we will be hosting a live meetup in Beijing's Sanlitun at Taco Bar on Tuesday, October 8, and in Shanghai at Hotel Indigo on Thursday, October 10. Both will begin at 8:30 p.m. If you are in either of those cities, do come out and have a beer on us!Episode 53 of TechBuzz China is about NetEase. Listen to learn about the company's founder, William Ding, and how he built a $33 billion empire based on a unique business style as well as on his belief that a company doesn't need a direction or specific labels. Today, NetEase's offerings range from email to publishing and developing games, and from breeding pigs to educating people.You can find these stories and more at pandaily.com. If you enjoy our content, please do let us know by leaving us an iTunes review, liking our Facebook page, and tweeting at us! We do truly appreciate your feedback and support. Thank you also to our listeners over at our partner, dealstreetasia.com.We are grateful for our ever-talented producers, Shaw Wan and Kaiser Kuo, and for our intern, Wang Menglu.

TechBuzz China is going to China! As part of our inaugural invite-only TechBuzz China Investor Trip for public market investors taking place right after Golden Week, we will be hosting a live meetup in Beijing’s Sanlitun at Taco Bar on Tuesday, October 8, and in Shanghai at Hotel Indigo on Thursday, October 10. Both will begin at 8:30 p.m. If you are in either of those cities, do come out and have a beer on us! Episode 53 of TechBuzz China is about NetEase. Listen to learn about the company’s founder, William Ding, and how he built a $33 billion empire based on a unique business style as well as on his belief that a company doesn’t need a direction or specific labels. Today, NetEase’s offerings range from email to publishing and developing games, and from breeding pigs to educating people. You can find these stories and more at pandaily.com. If you enjoy our content, please do let us know by leaving us an iTunes review, liking our Facebook page, and tweeting at u...

Lauren Bosch ’12 SPS (Hotel & Tourism Management) was an RA in Third North. As an RA she had internships at Hotel Indigo, Gansevoort Hotel Group, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Her first full-time position upon graduation was with the Westin Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She worked in Sales and Business Travel & Group Sales. For the past six years, Lauren has five roles with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, all in the Metro DC area. She was promoted to the position of Area Director of Sales & Marketing, which is a remarkable trajectory for someone at this phase of their career.

TechBuzz China is going to China! As part of our inaugural invite-only TechBuzz China Investor Trip for public market investors taking place right after Golden Week, we will be hosting a live meetup in Beijing’s Sanlitun at Taco Bar on Tuesday, October 8, and in Shanghai at Hotel Indigo on Thursday, October 10. Both will begin at 8:30 p.m. If you are in either of those cities, do come out and have a beer on us! Episode 53 of TechBuzz China is about NetEase. Listen to learn about the company’s founder, William Ding, and how he built a $33 billion empire based on a unique business style as well as on his belief that a company doesn’t need a direction or specific labels. Today, NetEase’s offerings range from email to publishing and developing games, and from breeding pigs to educating people. You can find these stories and more at pandaily.com. If you enjoy our content, please do let us know by leaving us an iTunes review, liking our Facebook page, and tweeting at us! We do truly appreciate your feedback and support. Thank you also to our listeners over at our partner, dealstreetasia.com. We are grateful for our ever-talented producers, Shaw Wan and Kaiser Kuo, and for our intern, Wang Menglu.

We're visiting with David Swing, the executive chef of the new Sir Winston Wine Loft and Restaurant located inside the Hotel Indigo on 4th street in downtown Winston-Salem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What lessons can a graphic designer apply to painting? How can abstract and descriptive styles compliment each other? Artist Andrew Gray tells how he uses his grasp of design to create works that celebrate diversity and African-American history.Check out Gray's work at Hotel Indigo's library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats through September 7th. Hotel Indigo is located at 24 West Franklin Steet in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore city.

In this episode of Quah, sponsored by Organifi (organifi.com/mindpump, code "mindpump" for 20% off), Sal, Adam & Justin answer Pump Head questions about whether foam rolling actually helps or is a short-term solution, training and nutrition for combat sports such as boxing and MMA, whether people who want to lead other people must first develop themselves as a leader or learn to be a team player, and how they would train their co-hosts. The value of the OTHER cannabinoids of the cannabis planet + the reason why companies like NED are so beneficial. (5:03) Mind Pump Live event recap from Denver. (14:30) Vuori is CRUSHING! (23:25) Mind Pump Recommends Revolution Health Radio: A New Understanding of SIBO and IBS, with Mark Pimentel. (25:39) South Park, Crank Yankers, Jerky Boys and their importance to media. (29:57) Pampers gets into the ‘wearables' market. (34:48) Updates on the life of Baby Maximus. (36:57) How companies are CASHING IN on the viral trends. (40:43) 'Avengers: Endgame' passes 'Avatar' to become the highest-grossing film ever + how Disney is taking over the world! (42:40) #Quah question #1 – Does foam rolling actually help or is it more of a short-term solution? How about the vibrating foam roller? (45:31) #Quah question #2 – How would you approach your training and nutrition for combat sports such as boxing or MMA? (57:09) #Quah question #3 – Should an individual who wants to lead other people first develop themselves as a leader or learn to be a team player first? (1:07:18) #Quah question #4 – If one of the other guys put you in complete charge of their programming for 12 weeks, how would that look? You get to pick their goals. (1:18:30) People Mentioned Emily Morse (@sexwithemily)  Instagram Chris Kresser M.S., L.Ac. (@chriskresser)  Instagram Zach Bush, MD (@zachbushmd)  Instagram Steph Greunke, MS, RD, PMH-C (@stephgreunke)  Instagram Dr. Justin Brink (@premiere_spine_sport)  Instagram Related Links/Products Mentioned July Promotion: MAPS Anywhere ½ off!! **Code “ANYWHERE50” at checkout** Visit NED for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners!  The current state and future perspectives of cannabinoids in cancer biology The role of cannabinoids in adult neurogenesis Hotel Indigo by IHG | Boutique Hotels Worldwide - IHG.com Prime Bundle | MAPS Fitness Products - Mind Pump Check out Mind Pump Live to get tickets for their next live event! Visit Vuori Clothing for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! The best men's workout clothes in 2019 - Business Insider The best men's athleisure brands - Business Insider RHR: A New Understanding of SIBO and IBS, with Mark Pimentel South Park - Watch Full Episodes, Clips & More | South Park Studios Crank Yankers - Series | Comedy Central Official Site | CC.com The Jerky Boys Pampers gets into ‘wearables' in the only way Pampers knows how Mind Pump 1060: Stephanie Greunke of the Whole Mamas Podcast ‘Avengers: Endgame' Finally Conquers King Of The World James Cameron's ‘Avatar' To Become Highest-Grossing Film Of All Time Developing the Leader Within You - Book by John C. Maxwell Developing the Leaders Around You – Book by John C. Maxwell Mind Pump Free Resources

Join us on this deep conversation on "adulating" with Dennis Drummond (season 13 of The Voice on NBC). Dennis currently plays with Barrett Baber and Adam Wakefield (both Voice alum) and is a prolific studio session and live guitar player. Dennis was formally trained at Berkley College of Music, and is an active member of the vibrant musicians community in middle Tennessee. Dennis has an amazing voice, and an even better outlook on life. If you want to learn how to be a well rounded professional in the music industry, look no further. You can follow Dennis on all your favorite social media streams, and keep an eye on Barrett Baber and Adam Wakefield to stay in the loop. Dennis also hosts a weekly blues jam at Hotel Indigo downtown Nashville on Tuesday nights, so be sure to check that out if you're near the Nashville area.   www.thesoundmindpodcast.com & www.treehousemediaco.com for more. Leave us a 5 star review in iTunes, and follow "TheSoundMindPodcast" on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Hospitality is an industry! It is s specialty. You can get a four year degree in Hospitality, become an expert and make lots of money in your craft. I was on a business trip last week in Denver, meeting with the National Committee on Church Planting. I was staying in the Hotel Indigo and, as I was checking in, was told they had no reservation for me. I admit, I was a little miffed. The lady at the desk, however, took a lot of time to say, “Mr. Holland, we will do everything we can to make sure we find or make room for you.” She then got her boss, who checked her records and, sure enough, she had a room for everyone but me! However, she told me not to worry, she would handle the situation. At this point, another desk clerk got involved and within 20 minutes I had a room. For the next two days, everyone who was involved in this mess would greet me by my first name and ask me if everything was okay. Here, I thought, is the secret sauce of hospitality as an art and craft. This group of workers took a situation that could have given them a black eye and, by taking the time, calling me by name, made me feel welcome!While that is a great story about the hospitality industry (which we don't usually see), it does not really speak to real hospitality. It sort of gives us the impression, as I said earlier, that hospitality is a “specialty,” a “craft,” something only certain people in certain industries are to give themselves to. This Sunday, we will again try to deconstruct the prevailing beliefs about hospitality and see that, in the final analysis, hospitality is the way God does mission, the way he turns outsiders into insiders, puts the lonely in families, and gives people their humanity and a seat at the table. To do this, we have to talk about one of my favorite subjects—food! Why? Because Jesus, who had three years to change the world, didn't start any programs or ministry initiatives or give any grand schemes of ministry—He just ate meals with people. Sometimes he was guest, sometimes he was host––it didn't matter. Jesus took the most basic thing common to everyone's humanity and turned it into the focal point of his early ministry. And in this ordinary, simple, and yet subversive daily ritual, managed to change the world. He then says something like this: I want your parties to look like mine!

Get to know Aaron DeLoach, Global Projects Facilitator with Ambassadors Football, Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church, and former professional soccer player. Alex and Molly dig into Aaron's work in Haiti, Africa, and around the world sharing his faith through soccer and helping those most in need. Hear about the most fulfilling situations he's found himself in, as well as the most dangerous situations. As if that wasn't enough, tune in for Netflix recommendations from Alex and Molly, some insights into longevity and purpose in life, and a deep conversation about body hair. Learn more about Aaron's work with Ambassadors Football at ambassadorsfootball.comaaron-deloach or get in touch with Aaron on twitter/Facebook/Instagram @aarondeloach Watch videos on Aaron's work around the world with Ambassadors Football on his youtube channel at www.youtube.com/channel/UCLVLoWR5ZfQd8HlFaR7m1FA Visit Fellowship Bible Church online at www.fellowshipcleveland.com Find more information on the books mentioned episode: Blue Zones by Dan Buettner - www.bluezones.com The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren - purposedriven.com The Cleveland International Film Festival has passed, but you can visit the Grove Hill page of their website at www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/grove-hill-a-true-story SHOW NOTES * 1:30 Molly's staycation and panic in the Salt Cave * 5:07 Love for Hotel Indigo * 7:10 The Gertsburgs go to Columbus and Alex is a soccer star * 8:56 Less love for Splash Lagoon * 10:33 Alex shares his sauna and offers tension advice * 13:14 Netflix recommendations * 16:28 Aaron arrives * 19:20 Aaron's genes * 21:45 Soccer Life * 24:50 How Aaron came to Ambassadors Football - Where soccer and faith meet * 26:20 A tangent on the role of the bunny in Easter * 29:20 Back to Ambassadors - Aaron realizes his blessings * 32:27 Why Soccer is a tool for connecting people * 34:57 The universe brings Aaron to Ambassadors Football * 39:39 What they do in the United States * 42:36 The gang discusses their relationship to religion * 44:30 Discussing longevity and purpose in life * 51:36 Which countries Aaron has been to and when he felt his life was in danger * 1:00:28 Being a pastor in Chagrin Falls, and Molly's mind is blown by a coincidence

On the latest episode of The Business of Travel, GBTA dives into the traveler experience. First up, Jeanne Liu highlights GBTA research findings that show the connection between traveler satisfaction and travel policy compliance. Next, Jason Moskal, Global Vice President of Hotel Indigo and Even Hotels Brands for IHG, shares EVEN Hotels efforts and lessons learned in building a brand around creating the best possible travel experience. You can download and listen to The Business of Travel in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play and your other favorite podcast directories. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you don't miss out!

Jon makes his triumphant return to The Bunker with updates from vacation. The guys ponder a Rett vs Rhett battle to the death, and they wonder whether all cops are actually dirty. They talk about Mr. Belvedere, parallel parking, and Rosemary's Baby. Jon is fascinated with a Catholic television channel. Rett drinks cheap whiskey, and is fascinated with pegging. They discuss some horrible news stories. There are some Trump updates and talk of Hotel Indigo, goons, and Road House.

Exhale was doing it before mostly everyone. Combining fitness, spa and a healthy living ethos to transform the fitness business into the wellness industry. We talk about how she started the company, the move away from traditional gyms and spas into something that creates a more holistic approach to wellbeing. It's a lifestyle brand, not luxury living. Exhale facilities are located both in hotels and as standalone venues. Learn more at: www.exhalespa.com But first, Glenn and David Eisen talk about more lesson learned at ALIS, a major hotel industry conference, their hard hat tour at the under-construction InterContinental hotel and Hotel Indigo in Los Angeles and of course, more Trump talk. This time focused on how last week's travel ban could potentially crater one of our country's most important exports; foreigners vising the United States. Read David's column on the ban: http://www.hotelmanagement.net/guest-relations/course-president-trump-s-travel-ban-bad-for-hotel-industry Subscribe on iTunes: No Vacancy with Glenn Haussman Subscribe on Android: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ifu34iwhrh7fishlnhiuyv7xlsm Send your comments and questions to to Glenn@rouse.media.  Follow Glenn @TravelingGlenn Find Dave Eisen on Twitter at @DavidEisen3 Learn more at http://novacancy.libsyn.com Produced by Jeff Polly: http://www.endpointmultimedia.com/  

That's right, this week Glenn shares the mic with the leader of IHG here in the Americas. They discuss everything you need to know about what the company is up to, and how Elie Maalouf sees IHG fitting into the bigger hospitality business. Kimpton, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo are all touched on, and Glenn again shows his unyielding love for EVEN hotels. Glenn also shares his views regarding how hoteliers must reframe their understanding of hotel guests. Guess what? They aren't at your hotel because of your hotel. A critical insight that makes all the difference.  Subscribe on iTunes: No Vacancy with Glenn Haussman Subscribe on Android: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ifu34iwhrh7fishlnhiuyv7xlsm Send your comments and questions to to Glenn@rouse.media.  Follow Glenn @TravelingGlenn Learn more at http://novacancy.libsyn.com Produced by Jeff Polly: http://www.endpointmultimedia.com/  

Stefan has been able to strike a great balance between life and travel.  Stefan has a full time job and is married, yet still has managed to travel to 186 countries.      Stefan’s passion for the Chinese language in school led him to studying, working, and living in China for eight years.  He also managed to visit every province in the country.  With detailed planning and with an expertise in travel hacking, Stefan has managed to live a life of travel and exploration.  Despite working full time has has managed with business trips and his vacations to methodically travel the world.  Listen in as he shares amazing travel stories of exploring Djibouti, dealing with a missing baby in Saudi Arabia, and why Tunisia is his favorite country.   Please enjoy this episode of Counting Countries.          Subscribe on iTunes today! More about Stefan Krasowski:   Born in: Minneapolis, Minnesota Passports from: Two, valid US passports Favorite travel book: My first Lonely Planet China book Favorite travel film: I still have not seen Up in the Air. Favorite travel site: maps.me for offline navigation around he world.   Must carry: Small Chinese umbrella with UV liner for rain and sun, yes, a parasol. Favorite food: If I had to pick one dish to eat every day for the rest of my life, it is Korean bibimbap. Favorite drink: Fruit juices, my favorite is soursop. Favorite Airline: My wife’s favorite is Korean Airlines, when she flies happy, we are both happy Favorite Hotel: Shanghai Holiday Inn Pudong, I used to stay a lot for business, within a 5-minute walk there are a ton of restaurants where I can get all my Shanghai favorites, bubble tea, and even great Xinjiang food; for glamorous in Shanghai, by the way, Hotel Indigo on the Bund is that fantastic boutique style that is cool and fun, like 1920s art deco Shanghai with a colorful modern twist. Website: Rapid Travel Chai Facebook: Rapid Travel Chai Twitter: Rapid Travel Chai Instagram: Rapid Travel Chai Travel Map: Stefan’s Map with The Best Travelled. Travel Hacking Tips: Travel Hacks             Subscribe on iTunes today!! About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who’ve spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter’s Dance, written, performed, and provided by Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl.  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia.  Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 225 countries and territories. The Century Club states that there are 325 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 875 unique parts of the world. The Best Traveled states that there are 1281 unique places in the world. Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if you order from Amazon/Agoda.

John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman of MLive host a weekly radio show called "Behind the Mitten," which airs in several markets across the state.On this episode they travel to Hotel Indigo in Traverse City to cover the 90th annual National Cherry Festival.Segment 1:John and Amy welcome a new market (Saginaw), and they recap their recent search for Michigan's Best Fried Chicken. Also, Trevor Tkach, executive director of the National Cherry Festival, welcomes them to Traverse City.More on the Cherry Festival: http://cherryfestival.org/Segment 2 (Listen at 9:43)Trevor talks more about events and activities at this year's festival, which runs through July 9.Segment 3 (Listen at 18:49)Cherry farmer Nita Send, owner of Send Receiving in Suttons Bay, tells us more about this year's crop.More on Send Receiving: https://www.facebook.com/Send-Receiving-Station-LLC-127369777297328/Segment 4 (Listen at 28:08))John and Amy welcome Mary Winowiecki of the Traverse City Tourism Bureau, who talks about the impact these festivals have on the region. John and Amy run down more events, and do BEER of the Week from Rare Bird Brew Pub.More on TChttps://www.traversecity.com/More on Rare Birdhttps://www.facebook.com/rarebirdbrewpub/?fref=tsMore on Behind the Mittenhttps://www.facebook.com/behindthemitten/?fref=ts

10/13/15 - The team continues their walk down Katella Avenue (from Harbor Boulevard to the 5 Freeway) talking about shopping, restaurants and lodging along the way.

Join us this week as we welcome country pop music singer songwriter, Danika Portz. Hailing from Remsen, IA., and currently residing in Nashville, TN., Danika has caught the attention of several record labels and publishers around town. Her distinctive sound and style is what sets her apart from the typical country act as her music has been described as a mixture of Mumford and Sons, Kacey Musgraves, and Katy Perry with a voice on par with Norah Jones. Lyrically grounded in country music, yet unafraid to think outside the box melodically, Danika phrases things in such a way that grabs the listener and makes them want more. In Nashville, Danika performs at the Bluebird Café as well as the historic Hotel Indigo, Douglas Corner, and Antique Archaeology (History Channel's American Picker's antique shop). Danika's current album "Set The World On Fire" is available at all good digital retailers. In addition, Danika is currently preparing for a overseas tour with Armed Forces Entertainment this month to entertain the troops. We will talk to Danika about her upcoming schedule, get a behind the scenes look at her music, feature her latest songs, and ask her to share her message for the troops. Please be sure to visit Danika Portz at http://www.danikaportz.com/ and spread the word. Fans are welcome to call in and speak live with Danika during the show (718) 766-4193. If you would like to participate in the live chat during the show, you must sign up on the show site first and then log in during the show. And as always we will give shout outs to our deployed military listeners. Be sure to join us, Thursday 5/28/2015 at 8:30 PM EDT! Our message to the troops....WE do what we do, because YOU do what you do.

Charlotte View interview with National recording & touring artist, award winning singer/songwriter, and motion picture actress, Julie Gribble, who will be one of the featured singers during Charlotte's 2014 Speed Street Festival at the Nascar Hall of Fame (May 24 at 4:00 pm) The Speed Street 600 Festival (May 23-25), presented by Food Lion, takes place in Uptown Charlotte for three days prior to NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 (which takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway). 2014 will be the 20th edition of the festival, and it gets bigger each year.  Julie Gribble is a fresh face on the Americana/Country scene. Residing in Nashville, she has found her voice...a unique, powerful, and honest tone with one of a kind lyrical storytelling all wrapped up with hints of bluegrass, traditional country, with her main base in Americana. Join us, hear Julie sing and get familiar with her fantastic story of how she has managed to become a full time singer with a busy scheduled packed full of national TV guest appearances, constant touring, festivals, being the face of brands such as Hotel Indigo, numerous TV/film licensing on major network shows, an endorsement with Martin Guitars, and a large supporting role in a Sony Pictures film.  Contact information for Julie: juliegribble.com Reverbnation.com/juliegribble twitter.com/jgribblemusic facebook.com/juliegribblemusic 

Chas E checks out one of Nashville’s best singer/songwriter nights at the downtown Hotel Indigo on Union Street. He also meets up with the super talented Bobby Brinker, host of the Hotel Indigo show, and singer/songwriter in his own rite. Bobby gives us the scoop on his latest cd #Project 48 and a preview with the track “Gypsy Soul.” On the beer side, we check out the Recreation Ale from Terrapin Brewery in Athens, Georgia with a little help from our old friend Jack.

04/17/14 - The team helps Australian listener Chris plan his solo Disneyland vacation.

For this week’s show we dig deep into two of IHG’s brands. Glenn speaks with Mary Winslow, director, Brand Management for Hotel Indigo, Americas, where we get the inside scoop on the brand as it nears its 10th anniversary including how it found it’s footing, went more upscale, how it focuses on F&B and its future growth plans. Then Heather Balsley, SVP, Holiday Inn Brand Family, Americas, shares the state of Holiday Inns and its changes during the last few years and future plans. You won’t believe how many hotels cycled out of the system and how many newer ones have upped the ante with this classic brand’s offerings. We also learn how they will capture their iconic role in hotel history for a future generation of travelers.

Hints and tips for media appearances, speaking and socuial media. This week; Marketing the art of; Dixon Scott; Hit me!; Hotel Indigo; Vlad the Impaler; Time is on my Side; The Last Time; You can't always get what you want; An interview with Mr Taster; Music from Ainsley Diaz Stevens

Get ready to party with a purpose with your canine pal. Oh Behave show host Arden Moore has created National Dog Party Day. The first celebration takes place June 24 in New York City and San Diego. In this "super-sized" special episode, Arden chats with the key people and groups helping with National Dog Party Day. Tune in and hear actress Megan Blake, Dana Humphrey of WhitegatePR, Frosting Fran of K9Cakery.com, Pat McTigue of Hotel Indigo, Beth Stultz of Pet Sitters International, Karen Biehl with Eli of TV’s Doggie Moms show and Michael Baehr of the San Diego Humane Society. We also give shout outs to the Mayors Animal Alliance of New York City and Fetch Club. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Arden Moore Unleashes National Dog Party Day with Arden Moore