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Sitting in the copilot seat helped me with my queasiness. It feels better somehow when you're at the front seeing everything, including what the captain is doing.
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Jan 18, 2017 05:10
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There's also travel medicine but that might be a bit extreme and more for lovely bumpy bus rides along developing countries. So I'm super duper late into the Hotel rewards game. Most of my airmiles is credited from my credit card spend and I barely upgrade my trans-continental flights. I just fly enough for poo poo status tier which is basically useless in this age and day because of airline credit card affiliates. Since I barely fly, I'm seeing if I should just focus my credit card points into a hotel program. On the face of things, it seems like my family/gilrfriend can claim hotel room/upgrades a lot easier than getting flights. Most of of travel is 4 hours anyways and we never go too far. I'm super duper impressed by the JW Marriott. Rooms are moderately priced for their amenities like separate bathroom tub, nice beds, and amazing breakfast - unlimited egg white omelettes gives you the most satisfying protein poops  It's a chain where I don't mind paying out of pocket for my mini vacations/trips with my girlfriend for a few days. Do you guys recommend any alternate chain/level? I know hotels are hit and miss across the world but what is the competition for JW?I normally travel around China for work and opt for a no-nonsense business brand similar to an upgraded best western. There's free wifi/basic breakfast and rooms are all over the country so booking is easy. The company doesn't mind paying for more.
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Jan 18, 2017 05:35
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I might. I was considering popping over to Pavia to check out the Mirabello, and have also heard that Parma is a nice example of Italian renaissance architecture. I really want to go to Parma. If you've really got some juice, get booked into Osteria Francescana in Modena. But yeah. I loved Bologna and had a couple great meals but I think that may have been more "Italy, gently caress yeah" than truly remarkable examples? I also really loved how the size of the city felt manageable as I was traveling alone and wanted to walk everywhere. So if you go I can dig up the names but I can't recommend you change your trip to go there as it seems like you've got a good handle on what you want. KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Your advice wasn't very useful, anyway. Pretty much everyone in this thread knows how to ask questions of people and that it is a Good Practice for finding things on the road. I'm specifically asking people in this thread if they have any particular recommendations, which you don't. After a long day at work, this is killing me. God bless you, you little angel. sellouts fucked around with this message at 05:50 on Jan 18, 2017 |
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Jan 18, 2017 05:47
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Italy is super fun but beware driving on those mountain roads by Bologna. Italian drivers are crazy enough and the truckers tail gate like crazy. Walking around Bologna is super beautiful but you can easily get lost. Well I guess that's just Italy in general
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Jan 18, 2017 05:52
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In bologna just figure out where you need to be in reference to the tall tower and go from there!
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Jan 18, 2017 05:57
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If you're American it's easy to get mid tier hotel status with IHG, Hyatt, or SPG with their respective credit cards. Personally I'm sticking to SPG Plat, but that's just because things worked out with the hotel chain last year. To be honest, I don't find status to be that valuable compared to the amount of money dumped into achieving that status. But hey, if your company's paying.. PS if you're HK based, maybe the Amex Plat will give you something. The US one gives SPG gold.
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Jan 18, 2017 08:30
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caberham posted:Italy is super fun but beware driving on those mountain roads by Bologna. Italian drivers are crazy enough and the truckers tail gate like crazy. Walking around Bologna is super beautiful but you can easily get lost. Well I guess that's just Italy in general Half the fun of going to Italy is seeing exactly how fast a 103 hp Fiat Punto 1.3 MultiJet diesel can go. Thanks guys, I have to head that way quite a bit this year so one of the trips I'll check out Bologna.
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Jan 18, 2017 13:52
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Half the fun of going to Italy is seeing exactly how fast a 103 hp Fiat Punto 1.3 MultiJet diesel can go. If you're driving, the Ferrari museum is near Modena. Worth a visit if you're into cars. Sebastian Vettel drove by us and waved at us in his Ferrari, which was a cool thing. There's a pasta restaurant nearby called Montana with a lot of memorabilia on the walls too.
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Jan 18, 2017 18:40
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Mandalay posted:If you're driving, the Ferrari museum is near Modena. Worth a visit if you're into cars. Sebastian Vettel drove by us and waved at us in his Ferrari, which was a cool thing. There's a pasta restaurant nearby called Montana with a lot of memorabilia on the walls too. Not a bad idea. To be honest, the Centro Storico Alfa Romeo is much higher on my list as far as car museums go, but it would be neat to see the track at least. Thanks!
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Jan 18, 2017 19:38
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caberham posted:There's also travel medicine but that might be a bit extreme and more for lovely bumpy bus rides along developing countries. I prefer the Renaissance over the JW Marriott. In my experience with many JW properties, the building/facilities can be quite old. The Renaissance tries to brand itself as "modern business" whereas the JW Marriott tries to go for the "traditional luxury". They are trying to be an affordable version of the Ritz-Carlton, but I have not seen them pull it off too well. Generally speaking, the service/amenities is really good at JW's, but I'm constantly annoyed by having to find an electrical outlet near the bed, a thermostat that works, or a pool that's not just for show.
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Jan 19, 2017 01:28
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I stayed at Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong and Osaka, and found the beds to be less comfortable than an Aloft. Bizarre. Also weird that their toiletries were made in China.
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Jan 19, 2017 02:19
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I thought all hotel pools were just for show.
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Jan 19, 2017 03:25
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I would be like a bajillion times happier traveling if they had actual indoor lap pools instead of what they usually have. I guess that means people would actually use them though
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Jan 19, 2017 03:37
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Mandalay posted:I stayed at Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong and Osaka, and found the beds to be less comfortable than an Aloft. Bizarre. Also weird that their toiletries were made in China. Like most cheap products in the globalized economy, things are produced enmasse in China and shipped out. Most hotel chains have their toiletries from China. Rex-Goliath posted:I would be like a bajillion times happier traveling if they had actual indoor lap pools instead of what they usually have. I guess that means people would actually use them though I really like outdoor pools in places where it's really hot outside. I think the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore sets a good standard for hotel pools to aspire to!!!
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Jan 19, 2017 07:05
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Hey guys thanks for the tips. I looked into SPG rewards and it seems that Marriott/SPG merger hasn't really affected the programs yet. I do like the no blackout dates check in options. So can I cheap out on SPG stays by staying at the courtyard or some baseline properties for work and then splurge on free upgrades when I travel on vacation?i fly airplanes posted:I prefer the Renaissance over the JW Marriott. In my experience with many JW properties, the building/facilities can be quite old. The Renaissance tries to brand itself as "modern business" whereas the JW Marriott tries to go for the "traditional luxury". They are trying to be an affordable version of the Ritz-Carlton, but I have not seen them pull it off too well. Generally speaking, the service/amenities is really good at JW's, but I'm constantly annoyed by having to find an electrical outlet near the bed, a thermostat that works, or a pool that's not just for show. Man I guess I lucked out because I have only stayed at a few newer JW's in China and everything was in order whereas the Renaissance in Vancouver and Europe were more average. Maybe it's just that nicer properties in developing countries like China and South East Asian tend to be newer, food better, arguably better service whereas the hotels in North America and Europe tend to be older. I guess there's the 4 seaons or Fairmont but even then it's more historical prestige and location than being a great modern luxurious hotel. Come to think of it, I feel the griffon in JW is a bit tacky catering to 1950's idea of nouveau riche. Which is actually fine considering they are "affordable luxury" I have never been razzle dazzled by any higher end hotel chains in Europe/America. I think The Marriott Champs Elyesses was awesome but that was over 15 years ago and probably not so relevant nowadays. Anyways, I just like the big separate tub and breakfast. caberham fucked around with this message at 07:25 on Jan 19, 2017 |
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Jan 19, 2017 07:22
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Hotels in Asia are generally nicer. You're not comparing apples. Also, courtyard in not part of SPG.
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Jan 19, 2017 09:00
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I meant the courtyard tier or whatever it's called in spg
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Jan 19, 2017 09:08
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China is amazing for hotels. The JW is like, Category 2 even in big cities like Shanghai. Even the lower-end brands will give you upgrades and full-service breakfast for being Gold/Platinum, maybe because there's so few elites there.
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Jan 19, 2017 09:25
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i fly airplanes posted:China is amazing for hotels. The JW is like, Category 2 even in big cities like Shanghai. Even the lower-end brands will give you upgrades and full-service breakfast for being Gold/Platinum, maybe because there's so few elites there. Usually it's not a function of how many elites there are (and there are plenty in the big cities); it's a service standard. Outside the US, and especially in Asia and Europe, the standard is much higher and loyalty at hotels is rewarded commensurately. But they're starting to catch on and with the rising middle class in China, prices are going up as well. And the Courtyard equivalent for SPG is Four Points which is nice as long as you can find one that is new construction. Properties where they refurbished an existing building are rear end.
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Jan 19, 2017 12:19
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caberham posted:So can I cheap out on SPG stays by staying at the courtyard or some baseline properties for work and then splurge on free upgrades when I travel on vacation? This is what I do now. Plenty of Marriott branded hotels available where there aren't any SPG, or the SPG hotels are above my corp max rate. Points are transferable between them (3:1 SPG:marriott). The only issue is not making top tier status if I split between them too much. For some weird reason, I was getting like 10k+ Marriott points at the end of last year per stay, equivalent to 3k+ SPG points for ~2 nights, when I'd only get ~1k SPG points at the SPG hotels. More Marriotts for me, I guess.
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Jan 19, 2017 14:40
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Basic economy on AA means gently caress them, I am gonna make sure to fly anything but them from now on. I can't believe I'd rather fly Southwest in 2017. http://news.aa.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2017/American-Airlines-Introduces-New-Basic-Economy-Fare/default.aspx
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Jan 19, 2017 20:45
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air- posted:Basic economy on AA means gently caress them, I am gonna make sure to fly anything but them from now on. I can't believe I'd rather fly Southwest in 2017. loving hell gently caress poo poo they're going to make us book these loving things on the routes AA has the GSA contracts on.
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Jan 19, 2017 20:54
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air- posted:Basic economy on AA means gently caress them, I am gonna make sure to fly anything but them from now on. I can't believe I'd rather fly Southwest in 2017. There's been absolutely no meaningful impact since Basic Economy was introduced on Delta. It's not available on that many flights and it's offered as a clearly marked option in addition to standard economy fares.
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Jan 19, 2017 21:20
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air- posted:Basic economy on AA means gently caress them, I am gonna make sure to fly anything but them from now on. I can't believe I'd rather fly Southwest in 2017. Just don't buy basic economy fares? Delta has had E fares for a while. These fares exist for people who just go to aggregator sites and buy solely on price and nothing else. I hate the direction of the industry they represent but their existence is just a reflection of the reality of how a lot of people buy their tickets.
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Jan 19, 2017 21:24
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Midjack posted:loving hell gently caress poo poo they're going to make us book these loving things on the routes AA has the GSA contracts on. FWIW my company is a gov't contractor and they make us buy class Y tickets for domestic and international travel
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Jan 19, 2017 21:38
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curried lamb of God posted:FWIW my company is a gov't contractor and they make us buy class Y tickets for domestic and international travel Y isn't the same as basic economy.
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Jan 19, 2017 22:00
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curried lamb of God posted:FWIW my company is a gov't contractor and they make us buy class Y tickets for domestic and international travel Y fare tickets are full fare economy, literally the exact opposite end of the spectrum from these E fare tickets. The whole idea behind these tickets is that there is a large market for people who buy tickets based 100% on price, they just go to an aggregator site, punch in a destination, and buy whichever option is cheapest. Delta and now American are saying "fine, we'll let you buy the RyanAir experience from us" and selling a limited number of tickets on a limited number of routes that strip out everything but a promise of a place to sit. It's not a good thing because it's just another step in the race to the bottom for US airlines. But the world isn't ending and it is unlikely to impact anybody but leisure travelers who only buy on price. Thoguh fucked around with this message at 23:33 on Jan 19, 2017 |
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Jan 19, 2017 23:29
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Or people with really, really, really lovely expense policies.
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Jan 19, 2017 23:35
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At least you can earn EQDs and half EQMs on AA BE. Delta gives you jack poo poo. But if you don't care about elite status, then Delta is prob a better option. Really, people should vote with their dollars to a Good Carrier like Jetblue or Alaska. But more people fly Spirit so..
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Jan 19, 2017 23:41
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the vast majority of people don't fly nearly enough to be able to make an informed decision on who the good carriers are.
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Jan 19, 2017 23:45
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What I meant is that y'all probably won't have to buy E fare tickets on a government contract, not that Y and E are the same 
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Jan 19, 2017 23:57
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curried lamb of God posted:What I meant is that y'all probably won't have to buy E fare tickets on a government contract, not that Y and E are the same I'm government staff and Thoguh posted:Or people with really, really, really lovely expense policies. Hi.
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Jan 20, 2017 02:21
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So either brush up your resume and move somewhere that understands how dollars and cents work or overwhelm your travel claim department with carry on bag fees, checked bag fees, seat selection fees, last minute fares when plans change with non-changeable basic economy fares, etc. American's basic economy is worse than Delta's and better than United, but all three of them are targeting lowest price Orbitz or Kayak once a year shoppers. I just shrug my shoulders and think "sucks for the family if 6 going to Disney that thinks they'll be able to sit together"
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Jan 20, 2017 02:49
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I'm almost certain that all those three carriers are going to be looking at introducing those fares eventually for international travel, to compete with Norwegian and WOW Air. Right now they're just using them on JetBlue, Allegiant, and Spirit competitive routes.
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Jan 20, 2017 03:37
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I'm totally fine with the introduction of basic economy fares on full service carriers. In fact, I'd prefer to be able to get a better differentiated experience vs having RyanAir or Spirit take over the route entirely and forcing you in to a bad experience with lousy customer support. People want low fares - the fact that they want lovely service doesn't matter to me unless it changes the availability of my preferred service level, and the way Delta and AA are doing it maintains my service level while offering more option to other people. JetBlue rolled back in to a basic economy type product last year, they'll go further with it in the coming years I'm sure.
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Jan 20, 2017 14:30
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Mandalay posted:If you're driving, the Ferrari museum is near Modena. Worth a visit if you're into cars. Sebastian Vettel drove by us and waved at us in his Ferrari, which was a cool thing. There's a pasta restaurant nearby called Montana with a lot of memorabilia on the walls too. There is one in Modena, which is the Enzo Ferrari museum, and there is one in Maranello which is the Ferrari museum. I went to the one in Maranello last year and it was a great way to kill 3 hours. Plus, Pagani is just down the road as well! Edit: Driving in Bologna was hell. It's a ways away, but Lake Como was pretty drat awesome and I'd love to go back there someday. The Umbrail and Stelvio passes from Italy into Switzerland were both terrifying and exciting at the same time. DJCobol fucked around with this message at 18:01 on Jan 20, 2017 |
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Jan 20, 2017 17:56
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I'm totally fine with the introduction of basic economy fares on full service carriers. In fact, I'd prefer to be able to get a better differentiated experience vs having RyanAir or Spirit take over the route entirely and forcing you in to a bad experience with lousy customer support. People want low fares - the fact that they want lovely service doesn't matter to me unless it changes the availability of my preferred service level, and the way Delta and AA are doing it maintains my service level while offering more option to other people. Do you know if concur lists basic fare routes for the major carriers? If they do, I'm gonna get screwed, I'm sure.
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Jan 20, 2017 18:16
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KillHour posted:Do you know if concur lists basic fare routes for the major carriers? If they do, I'm gonna get screwed, I'm sure. It doesn't for me. I've double checked a few Delta itineraries that Concur priced for me and I didn't see any E fares.
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Jan 20, 2017 18:42
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I just applied for Global Entry because my credit card pays for it and I fly a bit. The nearest interview location is like 90 minutes away. I'm flying out of Vegas on 3/6, you think I will have any luck booking an appointment for right before I fly out?
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Jan 20, 2017 20:21
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Can't really say and availability at each location is purely down to luck of the draw. You might even be able to do a walk in, just keep an eye on the calendar.
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Jan 20, 2017 20:58
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