For the past 3 years, we’ve been taking the kids down to Aruba for Halloween weekend, and it’s always a blast. We just returned back from a great stay at the Hyatt Regency Aruba. We’ve previously stayed at the Radisson Aruba (which is now the Hilton Aruba, undergoing major renovations) and the Marriott Stellaris. All of … [Read More…]

First- hello to all, and a special hello to all the people I met at the MegaDo; thanks for all the fun and laughs! Angelina is whipping me again to write a “Dad Post”. For regular readers of my previous posts, you may remember that I usually use the “Big Mac Index” to plan some … [Read More…]

One of my favorite things about JetBlue is their Mint Class. I consider Mint to be the best US first class product out there – hands down. Back in April, I flew Mint for the first time from Los Angles to New York, and I really enjoyed it! The Mint Experience For those unfamiliar with JetBlue’s Mint Class, the … [Read More…]

The beauty of miles and points is being able to experience and stay at some of most aspirational luxury properties around the world that we probably wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. Thanks to points and miles, I am grateful for opportunities to stay at some incredible properties over the last few years, such as an … [Read More…]

Over the summer, I booked a flight to Paris to experience Austrian Airline’s Business Class product and built in an overnight layover in Vienna. I love the Park Hyatt brand, and I’ve always heard spectacular things about the Vienna property, so I was really excited to spend a night there. The Park Hyatt Vienna is a … [Read More…]

Back in the spring I blogged about a sweet-spot redemption using British Airways Avios to fly on Alaska Airlines from Los Angeles to Loreto, Mexico. I enjoyed a pre-birthday yoga/wellness solo getaway on Mexico’s west coast. It was my first time on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico, and the Villa Del Palmar at the Islands … [Read More…]

We just got back from a short family trip to Boston with a cheap $103 roundtrip JetBlue flight so that we could earn 75,000 points during the recent Points Match promotion ($1200+ value!!). For some reason, rooms were pricey in Boston during the time of our visit, so we redeemed our free night certificate from the … [Read More…]

I just returned from 5-days in Sweden for my first TBEX conference in Stockholm. Before the conference weekend kicked off, a few travel writers and I were invited on a 24-hour “Pre-Bex Tour†of Vaxholm to experience Sweden outside of what “the capital of Scandinavia†had to offer. A ferry ride of just an hour from … [Read More…]

I recently experienced Austrian Airlines’ Business Class product for the first time from Newark to Vienna. I’ve heard great things about the airline (especially from a catering standpoint) from other frequent flyer friends, so I was really looking forward to the flight. Leaving from Newark is also a very convenient way for me to get to … [Read More…]

A few weeks ago, my family and I spent a week in Sardinia. Since we were bringing our two toddlers on their first long-haul European flight (which was horrible to say the least – blog post to follow), we decided that treating ourselves to a night in Milan in a “nice” hotel would help everyone adjust … [Read More…]