With yesterday’s announcement of the new merged loyalty program for Marriott and Starwood the reviews are in and they are mostly positive. But I remain suspicious… Suspicious Yesterday’s well-covered SPG/Marriott loyalty program announcement seemed nearly all positive. Stefan from...
Review: Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong – Suite
As part of my United 1K Challenge I headed to Shanghai for a quick status run. I wanted to stay in some new properties as I had previously stuck to Hyatt and hadn’t spread my wings beyond the brand....
Important Note on Marriott’s Unpublished Platinum Status Challenge
I wrote a few weeks ago regarding Marriott’s unpublished Platinum elite status challenge. I referred a contact to the process and he didn’t have the same luck. I assumed it was a case of a misinformed phone rep (as...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: September 3, 2017
A pleasant Sunday evening to you from Germany. I’m wrapping up a trip and looking forward to spending the next few weeks in California. The big news last week, at least in my mind, was Hyatt’s new status fast...
Marriott’s Unpublished Platinum Elite Status Challenge
I am in a year of limbo. While I watched friends lose hope in their faithful travel partners over the years, mine were the last to go: American Airlines and Hyatt Hotels. Hyatt practically begged their customers to look...
Review: JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
On my last of several trips to Bangkok recently, I had a long layover in the city and have wanted to try new properties in the city. I have already secured top-tier status with IHG, Hilton, and Hyatt for...
Starwood Bidding War Begins
Breaking news this morning — Starwood has accepted a bid of $78 cash per share by Chinese investor group Anbang, throwing a wrench into the Marriott – Starwood merger. How could this be? Wasn’t a contract with Marriott already signed?...
RewardsPlus: United MileagePlus Partners with Marriott Rewards
When United Airlines tweeted about a “new rewards experience” coming to MileagePlus last Friday, I was very afraid. The news at United has not been good lately, but even with minor fee increases and a minimum-spend requirement that effectively...
A Recap of the 2012 Freddie Awards
I had a wonderful time at the Freddie Awards in New York City last night, mingling with a number of bloggers, journalists, industry folk, and even some of my readers! A big thanks to Gary Leff for the invite and...
