Travel
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Travel Tuesday: Hotel Vandivort Explorer Suite Review
No, your memory does not deceive you: I have reviewed Hotel Vandivort before — twice, in fact. However, with my wife and I recently celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, we saw it fit to pay a visit to our local luxury hotel. This time around, however, we opted to try the King Explorer Suite. Additionally,…
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Travel Tuesday: Alaska Airlines is Offering a Status Match Challenge to Delta Elites
A few weeks back, Delta announced numerous changes impacting their most loyal customers. While I personally focused on the SkyClub entry rules and restrictions that are on the way, the adjustments made to the SkyMiles program were arguably even more disruptive. Not only did the airline move to a model that’s based purely on Medallion…
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Travel Tuesday: Amex Centurion Lounge Coming to EWR in 2026
When I was a kid, my family would travel between Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey at least once per year. Because of this, I have plenty of distinct memories from both hubs — but especially EWR. I still think about the signs at baggage claim warning travelers about…
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Travel Tuesday: Google Flights is a Adding Money-Saving Feature
Travelers who are looking at flight options and fares have often found Google Flights to be a useful tool. Now, thanks to some updates, the service could further help flyers save some money on bookings. This week, Google Flights announced that it would be upgrading the insights it provides to users. This includes giving flyers…
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Travel Tuesday: Conrad Indianapolis Hotel Review
Last week, after years and dozens of times driving through it, I finally had the chance to spend some time in Indianapolis, Indiana. What brought me to town was Gen Con — a gaming convention that I was covering for my other work. But, of course, this also gave me an opportunity to stay at…
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Travel Tuesday: Hyatt and MGM are Ending Their Partnership
One of the great ironies of travel loyalty programs is that, in many cases, you can actually leverage your loyalty status across other brands as well. Thanks to status matching, I’ve been able to enjoy a number of travel perks I certainly didn’t earn on my own. Unfortunately, some previous opportunities have been going away…
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Travel Tuesday: The Increasingly Complicated World of Disney Parks Bookings
Once upon a time, visiting Disneyland or Walt Disney World was pretty straightforward: you’d buy tickets for the parks (or paid an entry fee and bought a ticket book if you’re really old school), show up, and wait in line for the rides you wanted to experience. Well, those days are long gone. First, there…
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Travel Tuesday: Even More Extended Stay Hotel Brands Are Coming
A couple of months ago, I wrote about Hyatt’s plans to launch a new imprint called Hyatt Studios. This brand — which the company bills as its first “upper-midscale” concept — is meant to appeal to extended-stay travelers and, in turn, will include such features as a full-sized fridge, multi-function convection microwaves, stovetop burners, and…
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Travel Tuesday: I Kickstarted a New Travel Product
Over the years, Kickstarter has had an interesting trajectory. While it was originally associated with art projects such as independent films (including some that were criticized for using the site to raise money when the creators were perceived as having the ability to self-finance… whether or not that was actually true) and musical albums, it…
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Travel Tuesday: Understanding Chase’s New Sapphire Lounge
When Chase announced that it was opening a number of airport lounges in partnership with The Club, there were several questions I and others had. At the top of the list, with The Club being a staple of Priority Pass membership, it seemed fair to assume that those with Priority Pass — including those who gained…
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Travel Tuesday: Home2 Suites Chicago McCormick Place Hotel Review
Last month, for the fourth year in a row, my wife and I headed up to the Windy City to attend C2E2. As you may recall, after previously staying downtown and shuttling or driving in to the convention center, we decided to try staying at McCormick Place itself. Having tried the Hyatt Regency last time,…
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Travel Tuesday: Hyatt Introduces Hyatt Studios Brand for Extended Stay
When you’re traveling and looking for a place to stay, you’ll likely see several different brand names pop up in your searches. Yet, in reality, many of these brands really fall under the banner of a few key companies such as Marriott, Hilton, IHG, or Wyndham. The idea is that each of these sub-brands is…
