Podcasts about hyatt place

*Our apologies for the occasional connection issues with Nick's audio*What the heck does "Mattress Cycling the Hyatt Numbers" mean? We'll find out in today's episode. We'll also talk about using online chat with Hyatt to get your way, and we'll predict the details of the new Chase Sapphire Business card.(01:25) - Did we just beat a Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast?Listen to Tim's origin story episode here.(02:51) - You can now move your Chase credit lines between cards online(05:26) - Capital One Spark Cash: $1500 after $15K in 3 months. $95 annual fee waived 1st year. 2% on all spend(07:52) - Rakuten closing accounts for too many "ineligible" orders.Read more about Rakuten account shutdown here.(11:28) - New Hyatt promo is offering up to 16k bonus points on stays at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House & Hyatt StudiosRead more about the Hyatt promo here.(16:01) - How to turn this mattress run into a mattress cycle...(19:07) - Hyatt buys some all-inclusive group that included properties in a number of other ecosystems (Hilton, IHG, Wyndham). But all award reservations were cancelled with no notice -- not honoring awards booked through other programs. Some people really got a raw deal here, being cancelled on a few days' notice with no alternative accommodation offered(23:37) - JetBlue restricting access to Mint for partner programs(26:17) - Updated RRV process(29:55) - Highlights from Nick's 2.5-week trip to Europe...Main Event: Predicting the Sapphire Business Card(39:28) - What we know for certain: nothing beyond "coming this Summer"(41:33) - What we think we know about the refreshed consumer Sapphire ReserveRead more about our predictions for the new consumer card here.(51:23) - Questions about the business card...(1:06:43) - If our predictions are correct...would this card still be worth it?(1:09:55) - We've heard you talk about Capital One miles and Major League Baseball tickets. Can you use cash to get the same tickets?Read more about this opportunity here.Subscribe and FollowVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “Ocean Deep” by Annie Yoder

Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description This week Capital One announced some big changes to lounge access for Venture X cardholders. Like before the new rules are a bit different for the personal and business cards, however everything is getting cutback. Bye bye free guest access for most. Are these cards still worth it?   Shawn also details some of the most interesting hotels of his trip including the Park Hyatt Zurich and Hyatt Place Zurich. Is the Hyatt Place a better hotel than the Park Hyatt? He also discusses a lovely Hyatt that feels like an old German grandmother's house, one of the coolest castles in the world and how knowing your travel limits is easier said than done. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 1:01 How European hotels are just different than America - Are we idiots? 4:40 How a Best Western delivered a huge surprise 11:10 Capital One's huge upcoming changes to lounge access 18:36 European rental car debacle update & how to protect yourself 24:01 Visiting Zurich - The best Hyatt Place in the world? 29:00 Park Hyatt Zurich - Is it really worth $1600 or 45K points? 34:21 The quirkiest Hyatt hotel in Europe? 39:31 How much travel is enough? You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

Dan Hansen, head of Americas development and global head of Hyatt Studios, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the growing new Hyatt Studio brand and what it offers guests. Hyatt Studios is part of Hyatt Essentials Collection, which includes Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House. Hansen explains the differences between those brands as well as where Hyatt is expanding in other areas. For more information, visit www.hyatt.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel  (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.  

In this episode, Jess takes us step-by-step through her family's spring break trip to Japan—a points and miles masterpiece that cost just $200 total out of pocket for four round-trip flights and multiple hotel stays. From first class flights to washer/dryers in hotel rooms, this trip had it all. Whether you're dreaming of cherry blossoms, bullet trains, or Hello Kitty cafés, this episode is packed with tips for making Japan happen—without breaking the bank. Flying to Japan in Style with AA Miles Jess booked her family's flights using American Airlines miles, flying on Japan Airlines from Chicago to Tokyo, and shares her tips for snagging first-class saver award seats, business-class seats, and also premium-economy seats.  Staying in Tokyo, Family Style For the Tokyo leg, Jess chose the Hyatt House Shibuya, a new property that has quickly become her top recommendation for families.  Kyoto on a Budget with Hyatt Place After Tokyo, the family took the bullet train to Kyoto and stayed at the Hyatt Place Kyoto, a Category 2 gem offering amazing value.  Activities included exploring Fushimi Inari Shrine, tasting local snacks at Nishiki Market, and spending several hours with deer at Nara Park—Molly's favorite part of the trip! Luxury Final Night at the Conrad Tokyo For their final night, Jess used Hilton free-night certificates to stay at the Conrad Tokyo, a luxury property with top-tier service. From Hello Kitty water bottles at checkout to executive-lounge cocktails, it was the perfect way to end the trip. Jess doesn't recommend it for the location alone, but if you've got free night certificates, she says it's 100% worth it. A trip to Japan for a family of four with flights and hotels for $200? This is the power of points and miles. Hit play now and hear how Jess pulled it off—and how you can too. Links: Points Talk Premium: https://pointstalk.supercast.com How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free: How to Get Your Next Vacation for Nearly Free - https://travelmomsquad.lpages.co/freevacation/ Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya: https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-house/en-US/tyoxs-hyatt-house-tokyo-shibuya Hyatt Place Kyoto Review: Hyatt Place Kyoto Review - Travel Mom Squad - https://travelmomsquad.com/hyatt-place-kyoto-review/ SmartEx App (for Shinkansen tickets): Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Internet - https://smart-ex.jp/en/app/download/index.html Reservation Service | Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Internet Reservation Service - https://smart-ex.jp/en/app/download/index.html Voice Map app: Walking Tour App » VoiceMap - https://voicemap.me/walking-tour-app Cat rescue cafe: Home | 宿木カフェ＆レストラン - https://www.yadorigicafe.com Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Flights to Japan: AA miles, upgrades, and flight tricks 07:00 – Booking first class seats and handling premium economy changes 12:00 – Transportation in Tokyo and using transit cards for kids 16:00 – Hyatt House Shibuya: why it's perfect for families 23:00 – Favorite Tokyo experiences: TeamLab, shopping streets, latte art & cat cafés 29:00 – Kyoto stay at Hyatt Place + must-dos like Nara Park and local markets 36:00 – Final night at Conrad Tokyo with Hilton free-night certificates 42:00 – Recap of highlights, family takeaways, and why Jess is ready to go back

Минулої суботи у Мельбурні, у Hyatt Place, у днях роботи ХХІХ-го зїзду Союзу Українських Організацій Австралії, відбувся вечір-вшанування св. пам. Стефана Романіва, доголітнього провідника Союзу Українських Організацій Австралії (СУОА), Генерального Секретаря Світового Конґресу Українців (СКУ), а потім Віцепрезидента СКУ.

We all love talking about luxurious, over-the-top award redemptions—think first-class flights, overwater villas, and five-star resorts. But let's be real—some of the best uses of points and miles are not Instagram-worthy. In this episode, we break down the difference between sexy and unsexy redemptions, why both are important, and how they each play a role in maximizing your points strategy. What Makes a Redemption “Sexy”? Pam kicks things off with her signature philosophy: “A sexy redemption is a Pam redemption.” For her, that means business-class flights on international routes and stays at luxury hotels. But she also reminds us that sexy is subjective—a Southwest flight to Hawaii can absolutely be a dream-worthy redemption for a family! Jess adds that she aspires to make every redemption as “Pam-level” as possible, but admits that her first year of points and miles was entirely unsexy. Unsexy Redemptions: The Unsung Heroes of Travel Not every redemption is flashy, but that doesn't mean it's not valuable. Alex shares how some of her best redemptions have been for things like: Flying last-minute for a wedding, funeral, or family emergency Booking budget-friendly Hyatt Place stays for soccer tournaments Using airport hotels for positioning flights to avoid travel disruptions Staying in hotels during home renovations or natural disasters While they may not be glamorous, these redemptions save real money and make everyday travel easier. As Pam puts it, “If you can cover an ‘unsexy' expense with points and it costs you nothing, that's actually pretty sexy.” Our Favorite Sexy and Unsexy Redemptions Each of us shares a mix of redemptions that stand out: Jess: Emirates first class with an onboard shower and champagne (sexy!) vs. Hyatt stays during a Houston freeze and power outage (unsexy but a lifesaver). Alex: A Maldives overwater villa + Qatar Qsuite flights (sexy!) vs. a last-minute flight to care for her sister after surgery (not glamorous, but necessary). Pam: Business class Singapore Airlines flights to Thailand + Ritz-Carlton stays (sexy!) vs. booking a flight to London during COVID for a hospitalized grandchild (priceless). Why Every Redemption Has Value At the end of the day, points and miles are a tool for travel freedom—whether that means luxury vacations, practical family trips, or unexpected emergencies. As Jess reminds us, “No redemption is a bad redemption if it saves you money and makes your life easier.” Whether you're dreaming of first-class flights or just want to avoid paying cash for a last-minute family trip, this episode will help you make the most of your points—sexy or not!  Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Jess's Emirates first class reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtPGqi2gKvI/?igsh=dzZrOXp2NnA1djhw Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – What is a “sexy” vs. “unsexy” award redemption? 01:40 – Pam's philosophy: Why luxury redemptions are her go-to 07:00 – Alex's take: Why family travel means balancing both 15:30 – Unsexy redemptions: Why they're just as valuable 22:45 – Our best (and worst) redemption stories 30:00 – Why no redemption is a bad redemption

Join Andrea and Celia as they speak with Sabrina Camacho, Senior Sales Manager and Samira Machado The Property General Manager of the HyattPlace Fort Lee/George Washington Bridge.   Hyatt Place Fort Lee / George Washington Bridge offers four flexible spaces to suit your needs. If you're tying the knot in Fort Lee, two of their venues are ideal for small receptions and wedding events, including luncheons, rehearsal dinners and bridal showers. Their beautiful hotel also offers room blocks to keep your wedding party together. Join the conversation. We love your questions, comments, and requests! We also love guests! Past brides, grooms, vendors, and venues contact us!  We offer host read advertisement as well. Contact us for more information! Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠andrea@thisjoyous.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Contact us through social media: Facebook, Instagram or website all are titled: New Jersey Wedding Podcast   Listen for free wherever you get your Podcasts.   Links to this week's vendors: Our intro music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jonathanrusso_guitarist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Andrea Purtell ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.forthisjoyousoccasion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@weddingofficiant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Celia Milton: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.njvowsnow.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @njvowsnow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hyatt Place Fort Lee/George Washington Bridge Hyatt.com/Hyatt Place @hyattplace

Twenty Minute Travel has now joined the MtM Podcast feed! You can catch this show each week right here in addition to the regular MtM Podcast or watch it on Youtube!  Episode Description This week Chase was in the news a lot for a number of different reasons. To start, they added Air Canada lounge access for Sapphire Reserve cardholders. This is a good perk, but it has a huge downside. Chase also released their Q4 spending offers on cards with targeted deals giving 5-7X back on grocery and more. Finally, Chase also has newly increased offers on Sapphire Preferred and the World of Hyatt credit card. The latter is giving 5 free nights as a welcome offer. Is this better than points?   In other news after 5 years of ownership, American Express has announced they are killing off LoungeBuddy. RIP. We also discuss: a fire at Newark airport, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, 2025 trending travel destinations, Virgin Atlantic going revenue based, the search for Ramada's "CEO" and the new show we are launching on this channel.   Episode Guide 0:00 Newark can't have nice things 0:36 You can be Ramada's new “CEO” 3:15 Amex's 2025 trending travel destinations 5:07 Hyatt Place paid breakfast spreading? 8:17 Sapphire Preferred's new 60K offer with a twist 9:47 Hyatt's new 5 free night welcome offer 11:37 Sapphire Reserve adds Air Canada lounge access 13:10 Amex shutting down LoungeBuddy 14:49 Lucrative targeted Chase spending offers for Q4 16:23 Virgin Atlantic revenue based redemptions - Good or bad? 17:58 Mark visiting the Albuquerque Balloon Festival 19:14 Our new show coming to this channel Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

Episode Description: As a reminder you can watch this show as well at: https://www.youtube.com/@20minutetravel - You can also find the show along with our sister show MTM Travel in the combined MTM Travel feed. More info here. This week Chase was in the news a lot for a number of different reasons. To start, they added Air Canada lounge access for Sapphire Reserve cardholders. This is a good perk, but it has a huge downside. Chase also released their Q4 spending offers on cards with targeted deals giving 5-7X back on grocery and more. Finally, Chase also has newly increased offers on Sapphire Preferred and the World of Hyatt credit card. The latter is giving 5 free nights as a welcome offer. Is this better than points? In other news after 5 years of ownership, American Express has announced they are killing off LoungeBuddy. RIP. We also discuss: a fire at Newark airport, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, 2025 trending travel destinations, Virgin Atlantic going revenue based, the search for Ramada's "CEO" and the new show we are launching on this channel. Episode Guide: 0:00 Newark can't have nice things 0:36 You can be Ramada's new “CEO” 3:15 Amex's 2025 trending travel destinations 5:07 Hyatt Place paid breakfast spreading? 8:17 Sapphire Preferred's new 60K offer with a twist 9:47 Hyatt's new 5 free night welcome offer 11:37 Sapphire Reserve adds Air Canada lounge access 13:10 Amex shutting down LoungeBuddy 14:49 Lucrative targeted Chase spending offers for Q4 16:23 Virgin Atlantic revenue based redemptions - Good or bad? 17:58 Mark visiting the Albuquerque Balloon Festival 19:14 Our new show coming to this channel About the Show: We love to travel and love to laugh! 20 Minute Travel is designed to get you all of the info you need to supercharge your travel by utilizing credit cards, travel rewards and other tricks to pay pennies on the dollar.  Shawn Coomer is the founder of Miles to Memories and has traveled all over the world with his family utilizing miles & points. He has been writing and podcasting about miles, points and travel since 2013 and has earned and spent millions of points & miles across dozens of programs. Mark Ostermann is the former Managing Editor of Miles to Memories and is the Managing Editor at Travel on Points. He has been writing about his travel experiences since 2017 and loves to dive into the weeds so you don't have to. He also enjoys a good beer and a laugh or fifty. Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. If you like this show check it out! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at 20minutetravel@gmail.com.

Thanks for finding our podcast! We are a family of 5 who does most of our travel using points and miles and we share how we leverage credit card welcome offers to earn a ton of points/miles so we can afford travel as a larger familyFollow us on Instagram @TravelPartyof5Click here to apply for the Chase Sapphire Cards  - we use these points to book all our Hyatt hotels. And if you've already got one of the Chase Sapphire cards, you'll want to apply for these business cards, linked here. _____________________This episode is the first episode in a series all around visiting the great state of Arizona!!! First up - we explore everything you need to know when you visit Arizona, with a focus on where to stay in Scottsdale and where to stay in Phoenix and Tempe. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, we'll help you find the perfect place to stay while sharing tips on how to make the most of your trip using points and miles.We start by discussing why Arizona is a top travel destination, especially for those interested in experiencing the beauty of the desert landscape. From the best time of year to visit Arizona to how to handle the summer heat and cooler winter months, we break down the key points to consider before booking your trip. Whether you want to explore the outdoors or just relax by the pool, this episode will give you all the essential details for planning your visit to Arizona.Next, we dive into where to stay in Scottsdale, covering a range of hotels and resorts that cater to different travel styles. If you're using points, we highlight some excellent options for Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, and IHG members. For those wondering where to stay in Scottsdale, we recommend the Hyatt House and Hyatt Place in Old Town for convenient access to shopping, dining, and nightlife. For a more luxurious experience, we suggest the Andaz Scottsdale and the Royal Palms, which offer unique, upscale settings perfect for couples or special occasions. If you're traveling with family, we also explore the soon-to-be Grand Hyatt Scottsdale, a fantastic choice for family-friendly accommodations.For Marriott points users, we discuss where to stay in Scottsdale, such as the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa and the Phoenician. Both properties offer luxury and comfort with beautiful views and top-notch service, making them ideal for romantic getaways or family vacations. If you're looking for where to stay in Scottsdale using IHG or Hilton points, we mention options like the Holiday Inn Express and the Hilton Garden Inn, both centrally located in Old Town Scottsdale. For a more extravagant stay, the Fairmont Princess is a top pick, especially during the holiday season when the property transforms into a winter wonderland perfect for families.Beyond Scottsdale, we also guide you through where to stay in Phoenix if your trip includes events, concerts, or sports games. We suggest properties like the Hyatt Regency Downtown Phoenix and the Kimpton Palomar, both of which are great choices if you're looking for where to stay in Phoenix and want to be close to Chase Field or Talking Stick Resort Arena. These hotels offer convenience for those wanting to stay near the heart of the action while enjoying top-tier amenities.So, if you're planning to visit Arizona, tune in to this episode for the full rundown on where to stay in Scottsdale, where to stay in Phoenix, and how to make your trip unforgettable. Whether you're traveling for relaxation, adventure, or a special event, we've got you covered with all the tips and tricks you need to make your Arizona trip a success!

Did you know you can buy Universal Orlando amusement park tickets using points?!In this episode of Trip Tales, host Kelsey sits down with Joanna from the Wonderland on Points podcast to uncover the secrets behind her incredible budget-friendly besties trip with her daughter in June 2024. Tune in as Joanna shares how they enjoyed a 5-night stay at the Hyatt Place across from Universal Orlando, all while booking flights, park tickets, and their hotel completely on points! Get ready to discover tips, tricks, and insider knowledge that can help you plan an epic getaway without breaking the bank.Mentioned in this episode:Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card - The BEST beginner points & miles credit cardBuying Universal Orlando tickets on points through the Chase Travel PortalHyatt Place Across from Universal Orlando ResortsFabletics bike shorts with pockets & Teva walking sandalsUniversal Studios Orlando & Islands of Adventure parksThe Wizarding World of Harry PotterFavorite rides including:Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike AdventureThe Hogwarts ExpressHarry Potter and the Escape from GringottsJurassic Park River AdventureJurassic World VelociCoasterHollywood Rip Ride Rockit ( + My Chemical Romance "Welcome to the Black Parade" song)Tips for managing motion sickness at Universal OrlandoFavorite Universal Orlando food including:Buffalo Chicken Tots from Green Eggs and Ham in Seuss LandingHarry Potter World Chicken & Beef PastiesDisney SpringsYou can find Joanna at @pointstowonderland on Instagram!PARTNER DISCOUNT CODESSPANX.COM - Use code KGRAVESXSPANX for 15% OFF full-price items and FREE SHIPPING. My current fav travel outfit is the Air Essentials Jumpsuit. CHASE SAPPHIRE CREDIT CARD - My preferred points earning credit card and a great card for newbies entering the points & miles space to get started. Open a Chase Sapphire Preferred with my link and earn 60,000 BONUS POINTS after you spend $4,000 in the first three months your account is open.SHOP Kelsey's Travel Favorites from her Amazon storefront. Share about your trip on the Trip Tales podcast: triptalespodcast@gmail.comBuy me a coffee to show your support for the Trip Tales podcast! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/kelseygravesFollow Kelsey on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!

Curious about the latest innovations in the towing and recovery industry? We've got you covered! Join co-hosts DJ Harrington and Darian Weaver alongside our special guest Carrie Fogg, VP of Operations at Fred's Towing and president of the Towing Recovery Professionals of North Carolina, as we discuss the newly renamed Mid-Atlantic Tow Expo. Happening from September 5th through the 7th, the event expands its reach to include towers and vendors from neighboring states like South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia. Tune in for exclusive details about the new indoor venue at the Jim Graham building and the host hotel, Hyatt Place in Raleigh, where exciting meet-and-greet events await!Get ready for some groundbreaking changes at the Mid-Atlantic Tow Show! Carrie shares insights into the revamped raffle process designed to maximize exhibitors' FaceTime with attendees. Learn about the expanded training classes offering crucial knowledge on TEMS training, EV seminars, and level one inspection awareness. Plus, hear the thrilling announcement that PWOF's raffle truck will make its North Carolina debut, giving local towers an exciting chance to win big. Don't miss out on the details about the highly anticipated Drive Shack event and how you can register for it and other activities through the Tow and Recovery Professionals of North Carolina's Facebook page.We also delve into the myriad opportunities available within the towing and recovery industry. From selling vehicles through Copart and utilizing Towbook for efficient vehicle management to the short and long-term solutions offered by Wrecker Rentals, we cover essential resources to keep your business running smoothly. Additionally, don't miss the upcoming reverse raffle with major prizes and the annual beauty contest for trucks—early registration is key! Finally, we wrap up with a heartfelt prayer, expressing gratitude for the dedication and safety of first responders in the industry, and look forward with excitement to the Mid-Atlantic Tow Expo.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Jill Crocker, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis, who highlights the nonprofit organization's mission and efforts to keep children near the care they need with the family they love. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis offers children with pediatric cancer and other catastrophic illnesses undergoing treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and their families a nurturing, family-centered residential community. The House fosters an environment of hope through support services and child-centered activities that encourage children to be children and keep families together near the care they need, always free of charge.During the interview, Jill provides an overview of the House and facilities, and talks about the impact on the children and families served. She discusses the importance of keeping families together and how that helps provide hope to the children and allows them to focus on healing. Jill then shares the exciting news of expansion into Jackson, Tennessee, where they soon will be serving families of children receiving medical care at Le Bonheur Children's, located on the third floor of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. The Ronald McDonald House is currently under construction and will be part of the new Hyatt Place hotel on the campus of West Tennessee Healthcare's Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. It will feature 20 rooms, a community kitchen, a living area and a laundry area for families who need a "home-away-from-home" while their children receive medical care. Jill wraps up with some of the many ways the community can support their efforts and get involved with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis.Visit www.rmhc-memphis.org to learn more and get involved.https://rmhc-memphis.org/give/https://rmhc-memphis.org/donatehttps://rmhc-memphis.org/events/

Ever wonder how to tackle a family trip to Korea and Japan without breaking the bank? Buckle up because today's episode is a real treat! Our very own Digital Business Manager, Megan, joins us to share her savvy strategies for a dream family vacation on a budget. Imagine flying your family halfway across the world and navigating foreign cities, all made significantly more affordable through the magic of points and miles. Megan and her husband, parents to three adorable kids (including seven-year-old twins!), took the plunge and orchestrated a memorable adventure to Korea and Japan. From finding flights from small airports with surprising connections to making strategic decisions about where to splurge and save, Megan's approach is a masterclass in points and miles. Starting in Seoul and journeying through Japan, Megan's story is filled with fun, food, and family. Her tips on using points for different aspects of the trip will inspire you to consider how you can leverage your travel rewards for unforgettable family experiences. Whether you're dreaming of neon-lit nights in Tokyo or serene mornings in Seoul, this episode will show you that such a grand adventure is within reach. Ready to learn how you can give your family the world without emptying your wallet? Hit play and join us for a journey through Korea and Japan with Megan's travel savvy insights. Remember, this is just the sneak peek, so listen to the full episode for all the gems Megan has to offer!   Links: Free Gifts and Resources To Start Your Points and Miles Journey: How to Get Your Next Vacation For Nearly Free:  https://travelmomsquad.lpages.co/freevacation/ Award Travel Academy: https://travelmomsquad.teachable.com/p/thmata?coupon_code=TMSWEB150 Current Best Credit Card Offers:  https://travelfreely.com/travelmomsquad/   Our Website: https://travelmomsquad.com   Connect With Us: Newsletter signup: https://travelmomsquad.com/newsletter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelmomsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@travelmomsquad Travel Mom Squad: Travel on Points | Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelmomsquad   Links For This Episode:  Grand Hyatt Seoul: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/south-korea/grand-hyatt-seoul/selrs Mimaru Osaka Shinsaibashi West: https://tidd.ly/4dbzgqj (affiliate link) Hyatt Place Kyoto: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/japan/hyatt-place-kyoto/kyozk Hyatt Regency Tokyo: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/japan/hyatt-regency-tokyo/tyoty Hilton Tokyo Bay: https://tidd.ly/49Hw02G (affiliate link) Hyatt Regency DFW: https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/dfwap-hyatt-regency-dfw-international-airport   Episode Minute By Minute: 2:30 Details on booking Delta flights through Air France from Rochester, NY to Seoul 4:16 Arrival in Seoul and first impressions; navigating from the airport 5:52 Staying in Seoul at the Grand Hyatt: How Megan managed hotel bookings on points and the unexpected benefits they enjoyed. 7:34 Moving from Korea to Japan, including flight details and using points for a short regional hop. 8:48 Experiencing Osaka and Universal Studios Japan, discussing both the logistics and the highlights of their visit. 10:27 Kyoto adventures: Staying at Hyatt Place and how Megan made the most of hotel points and category changes. 12:15 Cultural experiences and navigating with kids in Kyoto, including a day trip to Nara. 14:03 Final leg in Tokyo: Navigating the city, enjoying local attractions, and managing accommodations at the Hyatt Regency. 16:22 Discussing the unique offerings at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, including how they used park tickets and what set DisneySea apart. 18:40 Wrapping up the trip: Megan's reflections on what worked, what didn't, and how the trip impacted their family. 20:15 Final thoughts and takeaways on using points for large family travel and a teaser for what's next for Megan and her family!  

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Recent finds include:Business Class to Paris for 40KPremium Economy to Taipei for $1,994 R/TBusiness class to Seoul on Korean (Rare find) for 75KYou can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/PremiumPost of the weekAndrew “Bacon” Goodman - Disney for $375 INCLUDING PARK TICKETS!?NewsHilton/Small Luxury Hotels (Updates)Choice Sweet Spots New Citi AAdvantage Business offerTrip updatesJoeGirl's night & Boy's night without spending $675!What bonuses did we get?AngieTwo Free Hilton NightsJoe20K Referral14X spend Amex Business GoldAlmost done with wife's Citi AAdvantage CardHighlight Feature: 20 Largest Hotel Chains & the Six We're Focusing OnWe came across an interesting diagram ranking the top 20 hotel programs throughout the world.  Do you know which is largest?Some are less familiar, so we ranked the six we most frequently discuss in the Award Travel 101 Facebook community:#2 Wyndham - 9,280 Properties from Days Inn all the way up to Wyndham Grand. #3 Marriott- One of the largest footprints with 8,484 properties a wide range of price points from Springhill Suites up to Ritz Carlton and St. Regis luxury hotels. #6 Choice - with 7,500 properties domestically, Choice is not known for being great. They start with low level properties like Comfort Inn's and Quality Inn's but  their Ascend and Cambria properties look great.#7 Hilton - counting 7,165 properties in their portfolio, Hilton is similar to Marriott with a fairly sizable footprint with a wide range of price points from Hampton Inn to Waldorf Astoria.#8 IHG - With 1,000 less (6,164) properties, another one that families on a budget may opt for is Holiday Inn Express and their tasty cinnamon rolls. IHG starts with Holiday Inn's and has upper level Kimptons.#16 Hyatt - With 1,200 properties (Hyatt says 1,300+ today), World of Hyatt is markedly smaller. They start at Hyatt Place and their flagship properties fall under Park Hyatt. TIP OF THE WEEK:Have a good backup plan for using your credit cards. Tune in to hear Angie's fail.Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Our next meetup is located in San Antonio, TX on April 26–28, 2024. If you want a waitlisted ticket, see this post in AT101. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Our name changed! We are still the same podcast, same brand, just NEW NAME. Subscribe today so you never miss an episode! Today, I'll be recapping our trip out west and how we travel hacked to get there. I'll be offering up plenty of tips that I learned about all the sites we visited plus any other recommendations I can think of. Let me know on social or in a voice message on spotify if you plan on taking a trip with your family to Arizona anytime soon :) Links from Episode: Southwest Offer - One card, meet the spend and then COMPANION PASS until February 2025! Apply Here Travel Freely: My favorite way to keep track of all things travel hacking. And, it's free. Download Here. Do you have a 4th Grader? If so, you can visit the Grand Canyon and much more FREE. Sign up here for your paper voucher. Great way to rack up points for Hyatt Stays all over the world! World of Hyatt Credit Card Here's the Hyatt Place we stayed at in Page, Arizona. Make sure to follow us over at: @unexpectedhomeschoolerspod --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unexpectedhomeschoolers/message

We've got one of our most popular guests, Kelly Kyle from the firm of Kyle Wynn, on to discuss our most popular topic – wills and estate planning. He's firm has some upcoming estate planning seminars: https://www.kyle-wynn.com/seminars-blog#SeminarsPearl - Tuesday, February 20, 2:30 p.m. • Fairfield Inn, 407 Riverwind DrivePearl - Tuesday, February 20, 6:00 p.m. • Fairfield Inn, 407 Riverwind DriveRidgeland - Wednesday, February 21, 10:00 a.m. • Hyatt Place, 1016 Highland Colony Pkwy. (at Renaissance)Ridgeland - Wednesday, February 21 at 2:30 p.m. • Hyatt Place, 1016 Highland Colony Pkwy. (at Renaissance)Vicksburg - Thursday, February 22 at 10:00 a.m. • Courtyard by Marriott, 1 Underwood Drive (off Clay Street)Clinton - Thursday, February 22 at 2:30 p.m. • Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 495 Springridge RoadMadison - Saturday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. • Courtyard by Marriott, 601 Baptist DriveYour rights are being determined right now. Find out what's going on. The next season of the MPB News program @Issue will be starting Friday, February 9th at 6:30pm on MPB Think Radio. There will be additional content on our YouTube channel. Michael Guidrey from MPB News will be joined by Republican Austin Barbour and Democrat Brandon Jones for weekly recaps and roundtable discussions about current issues. Will Stribling is at the state capitol as MPB News' Legislative reporter.February 12th is the Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline: Applicants who register in-person in the Circuit Clerk's office on that day and those who mail registration applications postmarked no later than February 12th are eligible to vote in the March 12, 2024 Primary Elections. If you want to have a say in who is nominated by ONE party or THE OTHER for president, or the 4 House of Representatives seats or Senator Rodger Wicker's Senate seat you have less than a week to get registered. https://www.sos.ms.gov/index.php/elections-voting/voter-registration-informationOn Thursday, February 8, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Trump vs. Anderson. Former President Trump and his attorneys are challenging a Colorado Supreme Court ruling that prevents his name from appearing on the ballot in that state.The arguments themselves are expected to be one-hour in length. Attorneys for each side receive 30 minutes to make their case and answer questions from the Justices. We do not how exactly how long the Special Coverage will last - it depends on the precise start and end time of the court session itself, followed by analysis.Podcasts discussed:http://inlegalterms.mpbonline.org/episodes/in-legal-terms-flowers-v-mississippihttp://inlegalterms.mpbonline.org/episodes/in-legal-terms-hippa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You could say that Brian Correa was born into the San Antonio Bar business. His great grandfather started Bar America which has been a popular downtown spot for since 1942. Last year, Brian decided to sell his stake in Bar America and head North and open Texas Dog Co. Texas Dog Co is a dog-friendly beer garden that offers a unique experience for both dogs and their owners. It is located at 4302 Hyatt Place. The beer garden is open Monday - Friday from 4:00 pm to midnight, Saturday from 3:00 pm to midnight, and Sunday from 12:00 pm to midnight. The beer garden features a dog park, sand volleyball courts and local food trucks! Very family friendly spot!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there, it's the Travel Hacking Moms—Alex, Jess, and Pam! Everyone has different preferences when it comes to travel. Some prefer the efficiency and speed of flights, while others enjoy the adventure and unpredictability of a road trip. Today is all about leveraging the art of travel hacking for road trips! Jess's recent journey is a perfect example. She and her family decided to drive from Houston to Chicago.  More impressive is how Jess made the most of her points. She used them to stay at unique places like the Caption Hotel in Memphis, and didn't stop there. In Chicago, she managed to stay at the upscale Thompson, right in the heart of the city, again using her points. Chicago itself is a delight. Apart from its many attractions, what stands out is how easy it is to get around. The city's efficient public transportation means that even those who drive into the city (like Jess) can park their cars and move around without them. However, traveling, especially by road, comes with its set of challenges. For those with kids, keeping them entertained and comfortable is crucial. Alex offers some practical tips in this area.  Hit play to learn about how your next roadtrip can be affordable and memorable! Whether you're up in the air or on the road, the adventure awaits. Happy hacking! :)    Links:  Free Gifts and Resources To Start Your Travel Hacking Journey: Free Webinar: How to Start Traveling for Nearly Free Best Current Credit Card Offers: Best Rewards Card Offers | Travel Hacking Mom Award Travel Academy: Award Travel Academy Our Website: https://travelhackingmom.com Connect With Us: Newsletter signup: https://travelhackingmom.com/newsletter Instagram: Alex + Pam + Jess | Points & Miles (@travelhackingmom) TikTok: travelhackingmom's Creator Profile Facebook group: Travel Hacking Mom Group | Facebook   Links For This Episode:  How I Earned Two Free Nights by Paying My Taxes: https://travelhackingmom.com/how-i-earned-2-free-hyatt-nights-by-paying-my-taxes/ Caption Memphis Thompson Chicago Hyatt Centric Magnificent Mile Hyatt Place Chicago Downtown Spot The State   Episode Minute By Minute: 0:02 What's inside today's episode! 02:38 Jess shares about her latest trip to Chicago! 05:22 Jess dishes on the Caption Hotel in Memphis 07:49 Jess stayed in downtown Chicago for the first four nights  09:08 Jess shares how to consolidate earned free night stays into one reservation  11:15 Jess breaks down how her and her husband earned free nights with Hyatt  14:15 Hyatt Place downtown is another great option for larger families  17:41 Jess and Alex breakdown all the great options for Hyatts in Chicago  22:22 Jess shares some family friendly things to do while in Chicago  28:12 Public parking is expensive downtown so utilize public transportation  30:59 Alex shares some road trip tips for large families with kids  32:36 Jess shares an app called Spot The State  34:47 Using points and miles on a family road trip can save you hundreds of dollars!  

Nightfood CEO Sean Folkson provides updates on hotel distribution, recently initiated hotel and airline tests of Nightfood cookies as amenities, and answer investor questions. Nightfood is pioneering the category of sleep-friendly nighttime snacks. Over 80% of Americans snack regularly at night, resulting in an estimated 700 million nighttime snack occasions weekly, and an annual spend on night snacks of over $50 billion. The most popular choices are ice cream, cookies, chips, and candy. Recent research confirms such snacks, in addition to being generally unhealthy, can impair sleep, partly due to excess fat, sugar, and calories consumed before bed. Nightfood's sleep-friendly snacks are formulated by sleep and nutrition experts to contain less of those sleep-disruptive ingredients, along with a focus on ingredients and nutrients that research suggests can support nighttime relaxation and better sleep quality. The brand is focused on establishing widespread national distribution of Nightfood ice cream, cookies, and other snack formats in the high-margin hotel vertical. In March, 2023, Nightfood announced Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, the 8th largest hotel company in the United States, launched Nightfood ice cream into multiple Sonesta chains. Also in March, the Company announced its status as a Qualified Vendor of Choice Hotels, one of the world's largest lodging franchisors. Nightfood ice cream pints can be found in select locations of chains such as Sonesta, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express, Springhill Suites, Hyatt Place, Fairfield Inn & Suites and many more. Hotels are increasingly focused on supporting guest wellness, and one way to do that is by offering healthier and sleep-friendly snacks in their grab-and-go lobby shops. With an estimated 56,000 hotels across the United States, expanding distribution into a significant number of those hotels is expected to lead to profitability, consumer adoption of the nighttime snack category, and a strategically defensible position from which category leadership can be maintained. Questions can be directed to investors@Nightfood.com By signing up at ir.nightfood.com, investors can receive updates of filings and news releases in their inbox.

In today's podcast I talk about: Book distribution at Hyatt Place. Cleaning Ammus room. Connects and reviews with my trainees. Keeping negativity at bay.

Episode Description In this episode Jasmine Coomer returns to talk with Shawn about their recent travels, how she was stranded in Memphis and why Graceland is worth the hefty admission fee. Plus is the new Hyatt Caption brand any good? They also discuss their recent adventures in Japan and flying in Japan Airlines business class in their unique coffin suite. Other topics discussed include: how traveling in Japan is so much easier than it used to be, which points hotel is best for Tokyo Disney, the best Hyatt Place in the world, whether the Park Hyatt Kyoto is worth 40K points per night, why the Hyatt Regency Osaka isn't worthy of being a Hyatt and how the G7 summit presented challenges in Hiroshima. Episode Notes Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Sticher, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

In this episode, Luigi and Ravi explore the power of scent as a design tool. Smell has the ability to recall memories, spark emotions, influence mating decisions, and even impact brand perception. They delve into the science behind smell and the brain, how aroma can enhance a brand's image, and the process of physically designing scents. Additionally, they discuss examples such as Hyatt Place, which has been using a signature scent to enhance brand perceptions and increase brand memorability for guests. Finally, they jump into the steps involved, including selecting ingredients, creating a scent profile, experimenting with notes, and evaluating the performance and impact of the scent in our everyday lives. Support Design By Us: Follow designbyus on Twitter: https://twitter.com/designbyus_fm Find more content and support us on Patreon: https:/www.patreon.com/designbyus Where to find Luigi and Ravi: Check out: byus.design Follow Luigi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/luigi_dintrono Follow Ravi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/raviisoccupied Referenced: Smell in Transportation Design: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF198JITjF0 Smell and the brain: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-smells-trigger-memories1/ Scent and branding: https://hbr.org/2018/04/inside-the-invisible-but-influential-world-of-scent-branding Smell and sales: https://www.inc.com/james-archer/let-them-sniff-customers-will-buy-more.html Fragrance Notes: https://www.fragrancex.com/blog/fragrance-notes/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/designbyus/message

Mariah from @pointsforthememories is passionate about showcasing how to budget for travel and save using points and miles. She grew up in a family that could not afford to travel, and in her adult life, used a detailed trip budget to give her confidence to travel without overspending. Now, she shares her Points for the Memories Trip Budget spreadsheet for free so that others can plan their travel expenses and track their points and miles savings. Mariah enjoys her work in healthcare but loves taking every opportunity to visit new destinations with her husband, Eric. They've been to 16 US national parks and counting. Their favorite trips feature beautiful hikes and amazing food, especially artisanal ice cream. In this episode, Mariah and I discuss how to plan vacations to national and state parks using points and miles. Everything from finding a Hyatt Place near Moab to Marriott hotels in Glacier to the luxurious Alila Ventana Big Sur.  If you like using points for miscellaneous excursions, one of the most popular ways to use points for excursions is to use Capital One miles. With cards like the Capital One Venture and Venture X, you will earn at least 2 points per dollar on all purchases and can cash them out for purchases like passes to different national parks.  If you are interested in supporting this show when you apply for your next card, check out geobreezetravel.com/cards and if you're not sure what card is right for you, I offer free credit card consultations at geobreezetravel.com/consultations ! Venture: https://milevalue.com/creditcards/venture-rewards/?aff=gbt Venture X: https://milevalue.com/creditcards/venture-x/?aff=gbt You can find Mariah at:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pointsforthememories You can find Julia at: Free Course: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/starthere Waiting List for The Points Accelerator: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/waitlist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravel Award travel coaching call: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/calendly Sign up for the newsletter and get exclusive access to sign up for free coaching calls: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/free-coaching Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as milevalue .com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress .com to learn more. 

Dust off your mouse ears and get ready for a Family Trip to Disney! Hey, it's Alex and Jess here, your favorite travel-hacking moms! (Just kidding, Pam! We miss you! Pam is our traveling the world, so it's just us two today.) In this show we're going to share some tips on how you can turn your dream trip to Disneyland into reality without breaking the bank. We'll be covering how to save on flights, hotels, and park tickets, all with the help of points and miles. Plus, our own hacks we have picked up after a few Disney trips! So, let's dive right in! First things first, let's talk about flights. We both prefer to fly Southwest, and our favorite airport to fly into is John Wayne, which is around 20-30 minutes away from Disneyland. It's smaller and easier to navigate than LAX. (Which is a nightmare we try to avoid at all costs) Another good option if you can't find direct flights to John Wayne is Long Beach, another smaller airport that's easy to navigate. One of the biggest differences between Disney World and Disneyland is that Disneyland has a ton of hotel options within walking distance, making it much easier to redeem points and miles. It's also a great place to use your free night certificates from co-branded hotel credit cards like Hyatt, Marriott, or IHG. We both had great experiences using our free night certificates at the Hyatt Place, which is perfect for families, as it can accommodate more than four people. It also offers a complimentary breakfast and is just a short walk from Disneyland. Other hotel options we've tried and loved include the Courtyard by Marriott and the Hilton Garden Inn, both of which are also within walking distance of the park. As for park tickets, it's not always easy to find discounts, but it's definitely possible. In this show we share our #1 website which often has discounted park tickets! Additionally, keep an eye out for promotions from Disneyland and credit card rewards programs, as they may offer discounted or even free tickets from time to time. Disneyland is a fantastic destination for a family vacation, and with the help of points and miles, it doesn't have to cost a fortune. We hope our tips help you save money on your next trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.  Don't forget to share your own tips and experiences in the comments below. Until next time, happy travels! If you wanna learn more about how to travel nearly free with your family, register for our free masterclass via the link below!    Links:  Free Gifts and Resources To Start Your Travel Hacking Journey: Free Webinar: How to Start Traveling for Nearly Free Best Current Credit Card Offers: Best Rewards Card Offers | Travel Hacking Mom Award Travel Academy: Award Travel Academy Our Website: https://travelhackingmom.com Connect With Us: Newsletter signup: https://travelhackingmom.com/newsletter Instagram: Alex + Pam + Jess | Points & Miles (@travelhackingmom) TikTok: travelhackingmom's Creator Profile Facebook group: Travel Hacking Mom Group | Facebook Links For This Episode:  THM Get Away Today Affiliate Link: Get Away Today - Discount DISNEYLAND® Vacations & Beyond Episode Minute By Minute: 1:17 Unpopular Opinion: We like Disneyland over Disney World 4:12 Our hacks for options for flying to Disneyland 7:12 The best hotel options for Dinseyland 8:45 Alex's favorite part about staying Hyatt Dinsey 14:38 Deals that still blow our minds  24:17 The best ways to go about getting your park tickets 26:14 Tips on how to earn Disney points quick  30:00 Budgeting tips for your next Disney trip  

Glenn is at Raines Co's Hyatt Place outside Charelston, SC. He's joined by Brandon Graham, VP of development at Raines and industry PR superstar CJ Arlotta (he paid us to write that) while Craig and Dave are sad they are not part of the party

Today you are going to a little bit of real talk with Heidi. Maybe because I am on night 3 of a hotel to MYSELF while I'm at a conference or maybe I shouldn't have had that second cup of coffee (by the way if you like Real Talk with Heidi version, feel free to support this buying me a coffee) Either way, I wanted to give families a valuable way to use travel rewards to supplement their travel budget, traveling longer, farther - let's just say it's one of my favorite optimization strategies AND after 2 people it gets much more difficult - you even heard Chris Hutchins from All the Hacks say it on episode 092.  The game is harder to play with more people.       And I'll just say it, the content out there for families is eh.  I don't think you need to pay thousands of dollars to follow someone's system.  Once you learn the rules of the game you just need a reliable source to ask questions and find the answers you need. I also don't think everyone needs to take online courses to understand how points and systems work.  Many of those groups want you to use their links so that they get all the referral bonus points. Just for the record, I'm not opposed to any of those things, people can make money doing things they are good at and I know that many use the referral and affiliate links to fund their work.  I just think there is a better way to support YOU through this - what can I say, we are sherpas helping families adventure.  I think families need a fair shot at the travel rewards game.      Part of the challenge with travel hacking is that the rules change often.   It takes time to understand and let's be frank - we don't have time to scurry down the rabbit hole of travel rewards.  For this episode I am going to highlight some of the travel hacking resources I have and walk through three examples of how we recently used travel rewards.  I also am announcing a FREE Live Family Travel Hackers Q/A Session so stick around and make sure to register to get EVEN more tips.   First to highlight some of my previous content: On episode 018 | Travel Rewards tips with Melissa Lagerquist.  We talk about some of the basic terminology, approaches and ways she has used points to hack cruises.  Full disclosure - Melissa is connected to the Choose FI Travel Rewards course.  If you want to go down the rabbit hole that free course is where I started when it was launched probably close to 5 years ago.  On episode 019 | Our approach to travel rewards I walk through our strategy and I give you a free downloadable planning guide to help you through the process.  That is available at: https://ordinarysherpa.com/rewards/   Episode 032 | How to Fly a family of 5 to Hawaii for under $500 I dive deep into Southwest Companion Pass which we have had for 4 years straight.  We are not renewing next year because we will be traveling in the RV next year and as you will soon hear we have a different strategy.  Episode 070 | Hacks to Optimize Family Experiences without Sacrificing Value offers an updated approach to how I plan our summer vacations in particular.   We also reference travel hacking in episode 084 with Ed Tee adventuring near and far; Episode 040 Interim Expat with Scott Barrett, and Episode 077 | Funding the Fun with Jen of Investor Mama.     The DIY approach to learning travel hacking can seem like an uphill slog.  I may have said on more than one occasion “Can someone just tell me what to do?!” Stick around until the end to get the link to register for our Free Family Travel Hacker LIVE Q/A.  Tonight I wanted to share a few behind the curtain tips to help you travel more for less.     Hawaii flights for 5 for under $300 It's no secret here that we used 2 Southwest Companion Passes.  RIGHT NOW is the best time to start earning the Southwest Companion Pass to give you the maximum amount of time where one person flies free with you (-$5.50 per flight in taxes and fees). If you have ANY questions about earning the Companion Pass make sure to sign up for my Free Q/A!    Many people tell you to design your strategy based on a destination you want to travel to.  That is one approach, but I also like to think about the experience.  From Wisconsin to Hawaii is 8+ hours of flying, and direct flights don't exist.  Instead of designing this trip to be a long-haul with 3 kids, we broke it up into smaller segments which meant we also had so many more options on what that experience could look like and created a schedule that worked best for our family.  Instead of looking for fare sales from our home airport of Milwaukee, I look for routes to our destination and work backwards. Our route was Milwaukee-San Jose (staying a night in San Jose and making a mini-vacation of it), from San Jose to Kona (big island) for 5 nights, from Hilo (Big Island) to Honolulu (Oahu) for 4 nights, from Honolulu to Kahului (maui) for 5 nights, from Maui to Los Angeles for 2 nights, and from Los Angeles back to Milwaukee for 3 nights.  In many ways it felt like we had 5 different vacations.     Now that might seem much longer in terms of days and number of flights overall that you want to spend, but keep in mind we were on 3 islands and planes are really the easiest way to get between them.  Because we had utilized the best fares and designed an experience, the total number of points needed for this entire itinerary was 60,168.  Because we had 2 companion passes we only needed this number of points for 3 of our family members (which was 180,504).  Because both my husband and I had attained Companion Passes we earned over 240,000 points (at the time the requirement was only 120,000). Part of the reason I like Southwest is because they use a standard formula based on price/points as opposed to dynamic points systems that are difficult to figure out how many points you need to earn to redeem your family flights.  Harry Potter World (tickets and hotel) for $0.  This was a recent “can we do it challenge.” that we booked for 2023.  Universal Orlando (which is where Harry Potter World is Housed) often offers a 2-day+2 Day Promo (PS. It's still happening right now for travel before March 2, 2023 if you are interested). We used a travel eraser card like the Capital One Venture X card.  We bought the tickets through Undercover Tourist (which was just under $1,500 for a family of 5 for 4 days) and then were able to wipe that travel expense out with points.  There are general rules of thumb, often a point equals a $.01 so in this case would be 150,000 points.  I can go into much more detail on how we reach those minimum spends and when we apply for credit cards as a part of our regular family budget on the Q/A call.  I did some research into what hotel works best for our family in the area and I'll jump into that in a bit below.  Ultimately we landed on Cabana Bay Beach Resort and used the Chase Ultimate Rewards to pay for our hotel.  It doesn't always make sense for us to use reward points for hotels and car rentals. I can go into much more detail on what we look for and when it makes sense to pay for accommodations/transportation to earn bonus categories vs. when it makes sense to use rewards if you want to have insight into my brain and how we approach this. Best Hotel-hacking options for larger families.   Hotels in general can be tricky for families.  As your kids get older it's not as easy to coordinate sleeping arrangements.  We have found several specific hotels within the various hotel families.  As a family of 5 hotels in general are harder.  As I was finding the right formula for our family I would look at things like: was there free parking or free shuttle to the airport? Could we make a meal in the room?  Was there free breakfast or perks with hotel status that we could optimize?  Usually the selling factor for the kids, is there a pool?  Within the 3 major families of hotel Marriot, IHG, and Hilton there are several branches that offer options for families.  Three of our favorites are: Residence Inn or Springhill Suites by Marriott Embassy Suites by Hilton Hyatt House or Hyatt Place by IHG And if I am paying cash I appreciate Comfort Suites.   As I alluded to at the start of this episode, travel rewards can be overwhelming and the content out there is not always geared towards families of 3 or more.  Register for our LIVE EVENT to answer your Questions on Family Travel Hacking for those interested in becoming a (or improving your) Family Travel Hacker skills.  To register go to https://ordinarysherpa.com/LIVE Even if you are slightly interested I would strongly encourage you to sign up.  It will be recorded AND there is a surprise that will only be available to those who register - before the rest of the community and world knows about it. 

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Calling All Travel Writers! This episode of Big Blend Radio focuses on the upcoming Annual International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) Conference & Marketplace held Sept. 18-21, 2022 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Featured guests include Chris Cutler - Travel Writer and President of IFWTWA, and Wayne Atherholt, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of St. Petersburg. Welcoming members and non-members, this annual professional development and networking event will be held at Hyatt Place in Downtown St Petersburg, and will feature workshops, a culinary panel, the marketplace, FAM trips, and so much more! More about the Conference: https://www.ifwtwa.org/2022-ifwtwa-conference/  More about St. Petersburg: https://www.stpete.org/

Calling All Travel Writers! This episode of Big Blend Radio focuses on the upcoming Annual International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) Conference & Marketplace held Sept. 18-21, 2022 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Featured guests include Chris Cutler - Travel Writer and President of IFWTWA, and Wayne Atherholt, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of St. Petersburg.Welcoming members and non-members, this annual professional development and networking event will be held at Hyatt Place in Downtown St Petersburg, and will feature workshops, a culinary panel, the marketplace, FAM trips, and so much more! More about the Conference: https://www.ifwtwa.org/2022-ifwtwa-conference/More about St. Petersburg: https://www.stpete.org/

Calling All Travel Writers! This episode of Big Blend Radio focuses on the upcoming Annual International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) Conference & Marketplace held Sept. 18-21, 2022 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Featured guests include Chris Cutler - Travel Writer and President of IFWTWA, and Wayne Atherholt, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of St. Petersburg. Welcoming members and non-members, this annual professional development and networking event will be held at Hyatt Place in Downtown St Petersburg, and will feature workshops, a culinary panel, the marketplace, FAM trips, and so much more! More about the Conference: https://www.ifwtwa.org/2022-ifwtwa-conference/  More about St. Petersburg: https://www.stpete.org/

On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I welcome Kristine Goodwin, General Manager at Hyatt Place. Working in a hotel can involve a lot of hard work and long hours. It can be easy to let that amount of labor drag staff morale down. Kristine knows that as well as anyone because she started out on the front desk of a hotel. That's why she's so intentional about creating an uplifting and encouraging company culture. The kind of lighthearted joking and silly games that Kristine has developed with her team is not just a product of her personality. She has worked hard to carefully craft a work environment that keeps her team's spirits up, no matter the circumstances of their work. This culture cultivation starts at the very beginning, when Kristine brings on new hires. For Kristine, the most important characteristics of any potential employee are their people skills and their workplace compatibility. Her guests and her coworkers can tell when someone is faking enthusiasm, so she goes out of her way to hire people who exude friendliness and passion for hospitality. Because of her effort, Hyatt Place has maintained an optimistic and positive culture that develops naturally from the outstanding people that work there. Kristine Goodwin Kristine Goodwin Hyatt Place Hyatt Place Raines Co. Chris Cano Upshift If you enjoyed today's show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today's episode, visit HospitalityLeaderspodcast.com.

Welcome to the BT360 Podcast: What's Up in Business Travel for Week 13 of 2022.  This is a weekly podcast where we update you on what's up this week in the world of business travel.  This podcast is great for those who need to know what's happening all in less than 15 minutes.Topics covered during this podcast -Thousands of cancellations due to pilot shortage, computer crashes &  moreKLM names 1st Female CEOSabre:  Corporate bookings reach 2 year highAdvantage Global Network encouraged by future of business travelCDC ends covid warnings for cruisingCDC drops Bahamas to Level 2SWISS drops airplane face maskEurostar & Thalys merger approvedJyrney forges new partnershipTravelPerk &  Soldo partner to integrate card and travel dataAir Canada adds Aeromar as partnerAustralian TMC Connections Group joins GlobalStarAmadeus makes Cytric capabilities available in MicrosoftQantas boosts US flightsHyatt plans Hyatt Place& Hyatt House expansionDelta makes 2 changes to frequent flyersHawaiian Airlines delays $7 GDS surchargeAir France-KLM to levy surcharge on GDS bookingsRecord-Setting NASA Astronaut lands back on EarthTune in every Monday morning to get your weekly update.  We hope you will make this a regular part of your week and listen in while you on the move or sitting back and sipping your coffee.  You can subscribe to this podcast by searching BusinessTravel360 on Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, iHeart, Pandora or Spotify.   Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show (https://businesstravel360.com/podcast)

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

Thomas Maier and Will Thielen discuss the 35-31 defeat to #15 Indianapolis in their home opener. Volleyball, going 4-0 in Hyatt Place Tournament.

Marlena Karwowski General Manager of The Forester A Hyatt Place Hotel, stopped by to chat with Skoo Walker and Pete Jansons to give them an update on how things are going at The Forester. We had Bill Terranova the GM of the Oaken Bistro on the show back in April and he suggested that we give Marlena an invite and we are glad he did!! Book a room 200 N. Field Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois, United States, 60045 847-582-6400 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lakeforestil/message

Jay Zimmer reports.  A little damage and a minor injury from yesterday's storms, a judge rules in factor of Vectren -- now Centerpoint Energy -- over a 2017 house explosion. and Evansville's newest hotel, Hyatt Place, is in final preparation to open. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Terranova General Manager of the New Oaken Bistro and Bar stops by to have a Beer with Skoo Walker and Pete Jansons. Bill is also the Food and Beverage GM at the Forrester Hotel by Hyatt Place in Lake Forest. They opened up on April 7 and have been SLAMMED! Quotes: "Was built on the founding principal of Lake Forest where science and nature come together" "Filling up fast for Mothers Day Brunch" "Everyone can find something here" Notes: The Forrester Hotel opened in Lake Forest in 92 years Run by Jenko Hospitality, which is owner Gary Jenko a lifelong Lake Forest Resident Oaken 5 special 3-6 pm Mon thru Fri 5 drinks and 5 Apps that cost only $5 ask about the Oak Tail, and Forest Mule cocktails Extensive Bourbon, whiskey selection 15 countries are represented by the wine list The beer list is 100% local craft beers Has non-alcoholic bourbon, rum etc (Pete was stunned there was such a thing) Bill said to bring on GM Marlena Karwoski of the Forrester Hotel to get the 411 on the Hotel here is the Trib Article on the opening

This is a new series where we share the story of the making of Hyatt Place London City East which is a 280 key hotel with rooftop bar and city views opening soon. Join us in this episode where Paul Wells and Freya Jones at award-winning architects Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) share their insight and experience on the project.

  Show Notes Today’s Guest: Mark Ostermann Mark Ostermann left the corporate world several years ago to be a stay at home dad and quickly found his way into the world of miles and points. Today, he works as the Managing Editor at Miles to Memories, helping thousands of people every day, as they learn how to maximize loyalty programs and travel the world for less. Always happy to grab a beer (or three) and talk about travel, Mark fits in perfectly with Derrick and Jeff here at Miles & Pints.   Times of Note: 1:47 - Interview begins. 1:54 - Mark’s first complaint. 1:58 - Mark’s first laugh. 5:03 - What we’re drinking. 9:30 - Mark’s daily exercise plan. 11:53 - Jeff’s non-humble brag. 18:03 - Derrick just doesn’t understand. 25:08 - Mark buys a house while on vacation. 26:03 - Mark buys a car while on vacation. 32:32 - How Mark got into miles and points. 35:45 - Mark enjoys flying Spirit??? 39:15 - Derrick picks Airbnb places close to beer bars. 41:17 - Side Tangent - Mark likes screens on his windows. 47:36 - Hyatt Place hotels feature super slow elevators. 52:00 - Bro Love! 55:55 - BlaBlaCar experiences. 1:02:16 - Too much Amsterdam? 1:08:01 - Where to find Mark online. 1:10:07 - The Miles & Pints theme song.   Relevant Links: Bardo Brewing   Burlington Beer Company RaR Brewing Atwater Brewery Griffin Claw Brewing Company Arbor Brewing Company   Cafe Gollem - Amsterdam Epic Brewing - Denver Cantillon Brewery - Brussels   BlaBlaCar - European based rideshare with individuals. Rome2Rio.com - Find transport options between any two points.   Miles to Memories Miles to Memories on Facebook Miles to Memories Podcast Twitter: @detroitmark   Miles & Pints Swag Miles & Pints Facebook Page MilesandPints.com Twitter - @MILESandPINTS Instagram - @milesandpints TikTok - @milesandpints

Joining the conversation today on the [CLIC] Podcast is Nirav Shah, RVP Hyatt Hotels. What a pleasure it was talking with Nirav today and we discussed Hotels, Territories, Caption, by Hyatt, Hyatt House, Hyatt Place, Development Pipeline, Brand Conversions and more..... --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This is Vlog Episode #30: Part 1: Coronasummer Family Road Trip | Day 1 Utah to Colorado through the Rocky Mountains #coronasummer #familyroadtrip #minivanroadtripPlans change. Life changes. Family changes. Everything changes.In our last vlog we told you all about the crazy plans we had for the summer, building tree houses, visiting hot springs, touring our home state, baking in our hot kitchen, gardening, taking care of our backyard chickens, PVC zipline,... Yet, here we are on the road. Winging it. We'll go as far as we decide, and have fun along the way. Day 1 we traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah to Keystone, Colorado for this episode of our family babymoon! We can't miss the opportunity to celebrate our family of 6 before we become a family of 7! We made it a full 12 hours on Day 1. Who isn't impressed with that? We stopped at a little Daily Freeze in Utah for some milkshakes, took pictures on the state line, found peaches in Palisade, we climbed the Rocky Mountains to Keystone, found Ghost Towns and played trivia! Lessons We Need to Learn: What hotels can accommodate large families with little ones? We are pretty loyal to Hyatt House and Hyatt Place because they offer one king or two queens plus a fold out couch, but we need to find more so we don't have to drive out of our way to stop for the night! Please give us your suggestions and recommendations! Favorite activities: Population Trivia and Ghost Town Trivia. Along the way we looked up the population of cities and played 'The Price is Right' to see who could get closest to the correct population. We looked up state and city facts, we compared city names and found out how many states have the same city names and we found lots of ghost cities and learned why the people disappeared. The winners for each trivia question got a handful of M&M's, Skittles, or whatever we picked up at the gas stop. What are you doing this summer? Follow along with our Worldschooling Family Adventures at: http://diapersonaplane.com/ to see what we're learning next! Also check us out here:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiapersOnAPlanePinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diapersonaplaneInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/diapersonaplaneNew vlog episodes every week (usually Tuesday)! Next week we’ll chat about making it from Colorado to Kansas and a big fail that made Mom break down and cry.

Find our blog and more resources at http://heartsofgoldpodcast.com/ Carson shares her experience creating a tool to help women from the Dominican Republic create better quality paper. More from Carson: Carson Kosar is a second-year Ambassador Girl Scout from North Charleston, SC. She is a dual-enrolled twelfth grader at Palmetto Scholars Academy and Trident Technical College. Carson will graduate from Trident Technical College with an Associates of Applied Science, Hospitality and Tourism Management degree in early May of 2020 and then high school in late May of 2020. She has been an active Girl Scout for 11 years with the Girl Scouts of Eastern SC (GSESC). She has earned her Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.  Carson has served as a Program Aide and Counselor in Training Level 1. She represented her council as the only Youth Delegate to the GSUSA National Council Session in 2017 in Columbus, OH. She is also serving her fourth term as a council delegate for Girl Scouts of Eastern SC. Carson is a founding member of the Girl Global Action Committee for GSESC. She helps to plan and execute a council-wide World Thinking Day event for more than 150 girls each year. As a Girl Scout, Carson has traveled to Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and this summer will be traveling to the Galapagos Islands with fellow girl scouts. Carson says her greatest accomplishment as a girl scout is “being able to help the women of RePapel become more economically stable while earning my Gold Award at the same time.” Carson was honored to be selected as the only youth presenter at the inaugural TEDX Talk with White Point Gardens Women TEDx event. Her presentation “Sharing One Tool at a Time” she talks about how her Gold Award allowed her to step out of her comfort zone to something bigger than herself. You can view her talk here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-JFtrdiX08&feature=youtu.be Carson is also a varsity cheerleader, was a member of High School House Council, a member of the Hospitality and Culinary Student Association, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and is finishing a two year Hotel Operations Youth Apprenticeship program with Trident Technical College and works part-time with Hyatt Place.  https://www.facebook.com/sharedtoolsgoldawardproject/ Join our Facebook Community at Hearts of Gold Podcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/HeartsOfGoldPodcast/ Instagram @sherylmrobinson Please subscribe to Hearts of Gold on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/sherylmrobinson or on your favorite podcast app. Support future Hearts of Gold episodes at https://www.patreon.com/heartsofgold Editing by https://www.offthewalter.com/  Walter’s YouTube channel is  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt0wFZRVaOpUd_nXc_8-4yQ

First up this week is a word to the wise. Live and Let’s Fly lets us know that things are rocky right now at Air Canada and Aeroplan. They attempted a systems integration last week that did not go well. It’s not only a good time to check your existing reservations. It’s also a good time to have a plan B if you were planning to use Aeroplan to book an upcoming trip. That’s why it pays not to procrastinate. I’m famous for waiting too long to book trips and getting tripped up by things like this. Another cautionary tale this week is via View From The Wing. Hyatt is losing the Ocean Resort and Casino in Atlantic City as part of the World of Hyatt program. This sort of thing happens from time to time. However, this one is a bit more painful. For starters, the change is happening at the start of 2020, less than a month from now. Second, Hyatt isn’t doing much to help those affected. Other than offering to move award reservations to a paid rate or transfer them to another hotel, people with award bookings are stuck. There are no similar properties nearby. In fact, the next closest hotels are a Hyatt Place and Hyatt House in Mt Laurel, over 40 miles away. I get that Hyatt’s in a bad spot here. But, part of why I continue to patronize Hyatt is because they have continued to stand behind their members where other chains take the easy way out. I could be wrong here, but I think most customers understand when something like this happens. However, since the matter is completely out of the customer’s control, a few extra Hyatt points in someone’s account seems a worthwhile value to let customers know Hyatt empathizes with them in the situation. Here’s hoping Hyatt finds a solid resolution for customers here. It’s holiday shopping time, and there’s a gift giving guide for business travelers written by yours truly. Road warriors have different needs than occasional travelers and leisure travelers. Gear has to justify its weight and space in a backpack or briefcase, and you better get solid value for money spent. If you’re hunting for the perfect gift for a business traveler, we’ve got plenty of suggestions they’re bound to love. God Save the Points shines some light on 5 Marriott Moments you might consider spending your points on. Experiences are becoming a bigger part of loyalty programs, but they’ve been around a while. Heck, it’s 7 years ago since I redeemed my SPG Starpoints to get my wife a tennis lesson with Andre Agassi. Still the single greatest redemption I’ve ever had. Anyway, take a look at these Marriott Moments. The Hotel Danieli in Venice is one of my favorite, which means once again I’m saying Gilbert from God Save the Points has good taste. Last up this week is a reminder about Kimpton Hotels’ secret social password. Make sure to have the password when you check-in for a Kimpton stay to earn a mystery prize, like free breakfast or a bottle of wine. The current password is “Stay Human”. Thanks to Ben at One Mile at a Time for reminding us of this fun benefit. That’s a full wrap on today’s travel news.  If you’ve got a piece of travel news that you think I should feature on NowBoarding, you can e-mail me at ed@pizzainmotion.com, or find me on social media, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And, you can find me blogging daily at pizzainmotion.com.

When one thinks of traveling by train, it's easy to overly romanticize with idea of beautiful sights, sleeping cabins and dining cars. Melanie Lieberman from The Points Guy shares her recent experience traveling from New York City to Montreal, Canada by train. Tune in to her her take on what its like to travel 13 hours by train with lackluster WiFi, limited cafe car selections and more. Jen Yellin from Deals We Like is back with yet another great deal from Hyatt - this time for those who hold one of their credit cards.LinksWhy didn’t I fly? 13 hours on Amtrak from New York to Montreal $50 Statement Credit at Hyatt Place and Hyatt House HotelsMelanie on TwitterNowBoarding: The Official BoardingArea PodcastDon’t forget to check out the NowBoarding Podcast – with a NEW show format! Tune in for a recap of the week’s latest news, deals and top posts on BoardingArea!

#173 - World of Hyatt hat eine neue Promotion veröffentlicht. Ab dem zweiten Stay profitieren Mitglieder von dreifachen Punkten bei Hyatt Place und doppelten Punkten bei allen anderen Marken. Für alle Statussammler die zur Requalifizierung noch einige Nächte benötigen, die ideale Möglichkeit sich diese durch doppelte/dreifache Punkte versüssen zu lassen. Weiterhin lässt sich die Promotion mit anderen Aktionen kombinieren. Hierdurch ergeben sich einige sehr spannende Möglichkeiten. Welche genau, verraten wir im Podcast.Hier geht es zur Hyatt Promotion.Abonniere uns, damit du keine Folge verpasst!Vereinbare noch heute Deine kostenlose Beratung. Verbinden Sie sich mit anderen Vielfliegern in unserer Facebook-Gruppe & folgen Sie uns auf Facebook.

This week: Epoch sees a new tenant to Delaware street plus an update to a project. A slew of office project news, and updates from downtown to Tower East. Two coffee, and booze spots open. And an update on the Hyatt Place hotel downtown. All this, and a bit more! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/streetwavve/support

We’ve been sharing travel tips and some of our great travel experiences with you. Today, we are doing something a bit different. We are sharing the actual four-day itinerary of our Southern California trip. In this trip, we had a great time and managed to see a lot in a very short amount of time. We spent some time in LA, a day in San Diego, and even made it South of the Border in Tijuana.  People often ask how we do so much in such a short amount of time. It really comes down to planning. We wanted to get the most out of our trip, so we were very mindful of the time we had. If you want to make a similar trip, we share what we did each and every day, If you don’t want to plan, you can just follow our itinerary to get the most out of your trip.  Show Notes [02:25] We took this trip from Indianapolis. We knew we would gain a little time, because we were going from Eastern Time to Pacific Time, so we left early.  [03:25] If your flight is longer than three hours, upgrade if you can. [03:58] We had our nephew LJ with us. We were a party of five.  [04:44] We had been to New York, Chicago, Florida, and we were trying to find somewhere in the US to go. We decided to go to California. [06:04] We arrived at LAX. We rented a Jeep Liberty. It was a little cozy in the back for the kids. You may want to make sure, you are able to get a larger car if you have multiple people.  [08:42] We knew San Diego was only a couple of hours away, so we decided to go there too. [09:25] We stayed at the Hampton Inn SeaWorld location. We had two double beds and a sleeper sofa. [10:02] We took the Pacific Coast Highway out of LA to San Diego, and made a stop at Manhattan Beach.  [11:43] We had lunch at In-N-Out Burger. We drove up in to the hills and took some amazing pictures. We left that day open to explore and not have to rush. [14:02] You have to give yourself flexibility when you have a plan.  [14:48] We got to San Diego in the afternoon and checked in at the desk. The clerk suggested we go to Tijuana. She gave Chris directions to a restaurant in Puerto Nuevo that had butter fried lobster. [16:56] We head over the border and lost cell phone service. We were in Mexico with no GPS or map. We sat outside overlooking the Pacific. A mariachi played and charged a fee.  [19:52] The fried lobster wasn't the best. The sun was setting as we left. There is a line to get back into the US.  [21:28] There's bumper to bumper traffic, but the line has people selling things and banging on your car windows. It was a great life lesson for the kids.  [24:29] We got back late, went to sleep, and our itinerary really starts now.  [24:39] We ate breakfast at the hotel and went to Sea World. They had roller coasters, and we saw the whales. There are touch tanks and shows.  [26:45] Sea World has an all-day dining deal that is a great deal. It was $29.99 for adults and $18.99 for the children.  [27:49] We spent a day at SeaWorld, then we headed over to the Hyatt Place in Anaheim. We had a main bedroom and then another room with a bunk bed and a pull-out couch.  [29:44] We used the Go City Los Angeles card. The Go Card can be a big money-saver. [31:19] We asked the kids what they wanted to do. We went over the list of things to do and bought the Go Card at home.  [33:06] It took us two hours to get to Hollywood. We went to the walk of fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, and a Hollywood movie star tour on a bus.  [37:14] That night they were filming the ESPYS at the Staple Center. We ate at a restaurant with outdoor seating that was right along the path where the athletes were walking, and we got to see everyone. Then we went back to the hotel.  [41:25] The next day was our Universal Studios Tour. It was a lot of fun. We were also able to fit in the Warner Brothers tour. We even went on the set of Friends.  [44:35] We also went into a sound effects room were they took a movie without sound and then layered in each sound until there was a cacophony of sounds. Each portion of sound is recorded separately.  [45:52] We then spent the afternoon in Venice Beach and rented bikes. We were able to layer this in before heading to the airport. We even saw a man levitating.  [48:35] Our flight wasn't until 10:00 pm, so we went to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.  [50:40] Quick recap: Pacific Coast, In-N-Out Burger, Tijuana, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. Studios, Hollywood Movie Star Tour, Dolby Theatre Tour, ESPYS outside the Staples Center, Venice Beach, and Roscoe's.  Links and Resources: Become a Fly Insider Hampton Inn StitchFix Get $25 off your first fix In-N-Out Burger Airbnb Get $40 off your first home booking of $75 or more and $15 off towards an experience of $50 or more SeaWorld Hyatt Place in Anaheim Go Los Angeles Card Hollywood Walk of Fame TCL Chinese Theatre Dolby Theatre Hollywood Celebrity & Star Homes Tour The ESPYS Universal Studios Warner Bros. Studio Tour Venice Beach Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles   For pictures, tips and more, be sure to check out our Fly with Chris and Di Facebook page and signup to download a copy of The Best City for You. Please take a moment and subscribe to our podcast and leave a review. Become a Fly Insider and get the inside scoop, behind the scenes photos, and exclusive travel deals.

#73-Hyatt Guest of Honor ist ein Benefit für die Mitglieder des höchsten Status bei Hyatt. Hyatt nennt das auf Deutsch Ehrengast. Wenn ein Globalist in Übereinstimmung mit diesen Bedingungen einer anderen Partei eine Gratis-Nacht schenkt, wird der Empfänger in dem jeweiligen Hotel oder Resort als „Ehrengast“ behandelt. Das bedeutet, dass der Empfänger alle Hotelleistungen erhält, die Globalists hätten beanspruchen können, wenn sie die Prämie in dem jeweiligen Hotel oder Resort selbst eingelöst hätten. Das Verschenken einer Prämie unterliegt den Einschränkungen, die im Abschnitt Verschenken einer Prämie in diesen AGB dargelegt sind. Ehrengast-Vorteile sind verfügbar für geschenkte Prämien, die in einem teilnehmenden Park Hyatt, Miraval, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Andaz, Hyatt Centric, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Thompson Hotels (nur bestimmte Standorte), Joie de Vivre (nur bestimmte Standorte und nur für Reservierungen mit einem Check-out Datum nach dem 15.5.19.), Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Zilara, Hyatt Ziva, oder Hyatt Residence Club eingelöst werden. Nicht verfügbar bei Hyatt Residence Club Resorts.Abonniere uns, damit du keine Folge verpasst!Vereinbare noch heute Deine kostenlose Beratung.https://FTCircle.as.me/Verbinden Sie sich mit anderen Vielfliegern in unserer Facebook-Gruppe (https://www.facebook.com/groups/vielfliegerstammtisch/) & folgen Sie uns auf Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FTCircle/).

Glenn speaks with Julienne Smith, SVP, Development & Owner Relations for Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, North America and share the latest behind the scenes news on Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands in the U.S. and Canada, the next generation of Hyatt Place hotels and the importance of wellness in hospitality. First, Glenn and producer Jeff Polly examine the top 10 best cities to hold a conference. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Text hotel to 66866. Visit www.novacancynews.com Send us your thoughts and comments to Glenn@rouse.media, or via Twitter and Instagram @TravelingGlenn. Visit our sponsors: Duetto, Red Roof 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 Glenn@rouse.media.  Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/novacancy Follow Glenn @TravelingGlenn Learn more at www.novacancynews.com Produced by Jeff Polly: http://www.endpointmultimedia.com/

Host Christina Terwiesch speaks with Steven Dominguez, Vice President of Global Brands for Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, and Jeff Hurst, Chief Commercial Officer at HomeAway, about the future innovations of the hospitality industry on Work of Tomorrow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Steven Dominguez, VP of Global Brands for Hyatt Place and Hyatt House, explores the growth of smaller, select-service hotels as a sector within the hospitality industry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Endlich ist es so weit! Wir haben den Durchbruch geschafft und sind angekommen im Influencer Business – Ein bisschen zumindest, denn wir haben unseren ersten großen Auftrag an Land gezogen und erfolgreich umgesetzt. Das Team des Hyatt Place in Frankfurt am Main hat erkannt wer die coolen Kids sind und uns gebeten unserer geilen Community zu zeigen wie man standesgemäß reist. Ein Kinderspiel für uns - oder auch nicht?!

Endlich ist es so weit! Wir haben den Durchbruch geschafft und sind angekommen im Influencer Business – Ein bisschen zumindest, denn wir haben unseren ersten großen Auftrag an Land gezogen und erfolgreich umgesetzt. Das Team des Hyatt Place in Frankfurt am Main hat erkannt wer die coolen Kids sind und uns gebeten unserer geilen Community zu zeigen wie man standesgemäß reist. Ein Kinderspiel für uns - oder auch nicht?!

Gary Leff from View from the Wing is back for Ep. 005 chatting with Ed about travel news of the week: the first fatality caused by an accident involving an autonomous Uber and Hyatt Place quietly testing out eliminating free breakfast for most guests. Followed by, on a lighter note, his expert tips on how to book award tickets like a pro. Jen from Deals We Like spots a transfer bonus for Avios from various hotel programs. Lastly, Andy Luten from Andy’s Travel Blog shares his recommended photo gear and some tips for taking great photos. Thanks to our Sponsors Gogo In-Flight Internet Freddie Awards | Voice of the Frequent Flyer Timestamps: 0:00 - Gary Leff from View from the Wing is back this week for news and notes as well as with expert tips on award booking! For more info check out his other site, BookYourAward.com... 1:00 - First fatality due to an accident involving an Uber autonomous car 5:45 - Hyatt Place testing out eliminating free breakfast for most guests 12:40 - The first thing about Award Booking... 15:50 - Why the airlines really want you to use those miles 17:50 - The amount of time you need to plan a dream award booking 22:05 - What newbies need to know 24:10 - Which carrier sites to find the best awards for other carriers/alliance partners 30:00 - Jen from Deals We Like sharing the current transfer bonuses available between Marriott Rewards and British Airways Avios 36:55 - Travel Photography Tips from Andy Lutton of Andy’s Travel Blog 39:00 - Andy’s go to travel gear 42:30 - What you want your photo to say 47:15 - Top Two Tips 54:07 - The Final Two Pennies: Why you ALWAYS book those insanely cheap tickets & Gogo's Secret Phrase

Super Secret Super Special Episode! It's the Nancy Drew Drinkbook Episode Two! My guest for this week is my lovely wife, Kristen Hallstrom. Kristen is a huge mystery fan and is probably the funniest person I know. She combines these two talents with her upcoming web series "Murder She Joked." You can check out the preview for the series here: (https://youtu.be/NJe5tihyfF8) Brandon Johnson at the H Bar in the lobby of The Hyatt Place downtown made a fantastic drink with a great backstory. The drink is called "Purple Rain" and it has a theatrical touch that makes it stand out. (Recipe at www.hardyboysdrinkbook.com) Make sure to get your BINGO card ready to play along as you listen. (http://mfbc.us/m/ynmnc3) Dress in colonial clothes, handle a live owl, and find your dad in a dungeon in: "The Hidden Staircase." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Download Episode! Randy is a well-known radio personality who happens to be on a quest to travel to every country in the world. Randy became intrigued with travel while listening to his Spanish teacher’s travel stories.  At the age of 26, he ventured abroad for the first time, and immediately became smitten with Brazil.  He traveled there over 30 times, and lived there for two years.  While discovering Brazil he decided to visit every country in the Americas before the age of 40.  That goal transitioned to visiting all UN countries. Randy enjoys visiting those countries which are less visited.  He spent New Year Eve’s in Tripoli.  He also recently visited South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Venezuela, Nauru, and North Korea.  Yet, he has not been to Greece, Turkey or Egypt.  On the podcast Randy shares with us many travel tales.  Randy was stopped in the Tripoli airport when departing and had several items confiscated from his bag.  When crossing into Burundi, he picked up a police escort who did not leave his side, and encouraged Randy to buy many drinks for him and his friend in the bar.  Randy also shares why he hates the city of Clorinda, Argentina.  And he tells us where to find the best beach vendor in the world. Randy began his radio career as a teenager.  Today, his syndicated radio show, Sunday Night Slow Jams, is heard in over 130 cities and in nine different countries.  In fact, Randy visits radio stations when traveling and has made some sales of his show.  Randy was also featured on Shark Tank.  Check out the links below.  And please listen in and enjoy the show.      Subscribe on iTunes today! Check out our partner and sponsor: Chasing 193, Volume II: The Quest To Visit Every Country In The World. Explore the unique stories from 20 more world-class travelers from various backgrounds and nations and from all walks of life who have tirelessly pursued visiting every country in the world and have filled their lives with a virtually endless amount of adventure. And take a look at Large Minority.  They organize international rallies around the world including: Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines and the Amazon.   More about Randy Williams: Born in: IL, USA Passports from: USA Favorite travel book: Wild Coast Favorite travel film: The Madagascar Journals (WATCH THIS!!! AMAZING! Favorite travel site: Starting to love Million Mile Secrets.  I also like the simple “BEEN” app. Must carry: iPhone Favorite food: Sonoran Mexican food (BEST carne asada in the WORLD!) Favorite drink: Egg Nog Favorite Airline: Icelandair and Tam Favorite Hotel: For less expensive, I love the Hyatt Place brand, but have been rollin’ with SPG hard for the past two years. Specific hotel? I had the best room ever in Prague at The Paris Hotel (Tower Suite) Website: RamblinRandy Facebook: Ramblin’ Randy Shark Tank: Randy on Shark Tank His Syndicated Show: Slow Jams Map: Randy’s Map 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 226 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. Check out our partner and sponsor: Chasing 193, Volume II: The Quest To Visit Every Country In The World. Explore the unique stories from 20 more world-class travelers from various backgrounds and nations and from all walks of life who have tirelessly pursued visiting every country in the world and have filled their lives with a virtually endless amount of adventure. Disclaimer: I will earn a fee if you order from Amazon/Agoda.

Finale of travel logs - Part 2 of So-Cal trip. Before that my bi-annual rant on daylight savings and its myth and a theory (0:55), this week in Donald Trump: 2015 tax return and Republican plan to replace the Obamacare/ACA (6:00). K-Town lunch and True Detective Season 2 Train ride from LA to OC (9:47), Hyatt Place review and what weight I feel fat (19:47), Anaheim Ducks v. Toronto Maple Leafs from the Honda Center (23:53), Disneyland-California Adventure Review - going alone, parents, children, rides, people watching, so on (34:00). Intro: The Game - Cali Sunshine

Come along with Craig Zabransky of StayAdventurous.com as he discovers Marathon and the middle Florida Keys. In this episode Craig visits the lesser known middle keys and spends time highlighting the advantages and attractions that await visitors to Marathon, Florida. You'll visit the home of perhaps it's most famous resident Flipper the Dolphin at the Dolphin Research Center, tour the world's first Turtle Hospital, take meals and cocktails at the Tarpon Creek Bar and Grill along with the Lighthouse Grill, discuss the restoration of Faro Blanco Lighthouse and tour its world class marina, discuss places to stay such as the Holiday Inn Express and the Hyatt Place and learn news ways to appreciate the iconic Seven Mile Bridge. As always he leaves you with his top travel tips and the where to watch the sunset spot to assist you when planning your road trip to Marathon along with the Staying Adventurous Mindset Moment - your travel take away and souvenir from his time in the middle Florida Keys. Mr Stay Adventurous has often driven straight through Marathon en route to Key West, but this time he stopped and discovered a new destination. With his relocation to the upper Florida Keys, you can expect plenty of coverage and trips to Marathon in his future. Look for it at hashtag#StayMarathon on his social media channels. For more podcasts and the future Staying Adventurous schedule visit the podcast page > here.

06/30/15 - Tom Bell continues his walk south down the west side of Harbor Boulevard from Katella Avenue to Orangewood Avenue, discussing hotels, food and shopping along the way.

In our last episode, we heard Drew and Jeff talk about what PBS Kids will be debuting in the 2015-2106 television season. Today, the guys talk live from the Hyatt Place in Downtown Austin TX about some of the food, music, and sights they enjoyed while in the Texas capital and also dish on theRead More

I'm giving away $282 in free passes to Atlanta attractions through CityPass! Atlanta travel vacation podcast: Hyatt Place Downtown Atlanta Varsity restaurant CNN World Headquarters Tour Six Feet Under Restaurant 407-205-9250 podcast hotline. Show notes @ http://SavingsAngel.com/podcast

11/13/14 - Tom Bell takes a look at two new Disneyland area hotels, the Hyatt Place and the SpringHill Suites.

Cash and TJ talk about southern accents, lottery tickets, belly buttons, drug addled llamas, Heathcliff, Garfield. horse racing, front tents, gift cards and ask the question "Is Clifford the ultimate service dog?" Plug into this episode while wearing a bullet proof vest, the Eagle has landed.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our series on NC's community colleges with Caldwell Community College. We meet Special Olympian Zach Butler. We visit the "green" hotel Hyatt Place in Raleigh. And author Emily Colin talks about her new book.