tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11005981451852370142011-11-27T15:20:47.179-08:00The Value of Loyalty: Traveler strategies for the world of high cost hotels.Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.comBlogger1061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-48344160012979201102008-07-21T12:28:00.001-07:002008-08-04T07:23:44.589-07:00

You can keep reading Loyalty Traveler posts by linking here:BoardingArea.com Loyalty Traveler blogRic Garrido

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-69897166264884216002008-07-11T10:27:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:41.244-08:00

Online Hotel ReviewsTravelers place a lot of faith in consumer-generated hotel reviews. I trust FlyerTalk.com content because there is a large community of travelers who provide opinions and feedback on each other’s comments. Most major upscale hotels around the world have user comments and reviews from the 100,000+ members of the FlyerTalk.com community. I believe the self-monitoring independent

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-54283041646007493342008-07-07T14:30:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:41.308-08:00

Le Meridien San Francisco, Corner Room Business SuiteRate Paid: $139Best Available Rate for this room $650Complimentary upgrade as SPG Platinum = $500 added valueAfter a wonderful weekend in San Francisco I returned to the very unhealthy air quality in Monterey. Weeks of fire has had its impact.Currently I am working on a couple of different research projects. One has been to evaluate hotel

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-9448491199343908652008-07-02T23:32:00.000-07:002008-07-03T09:02:23.171-07:00

On Monday this week I came across two hotels with significant rate differences on their hotel websites compared to rates returned through a Travelocity search for downtown San Francisco hotels for July stays.Hotel Triton, a Kimpton Hotel, San Francisco - $189 best available rate on Kimpton site ($161 AAA rate);$99 to $104 on Travelocity and Expedia. This rate was gone as of today. Kimpton Hotels

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-29795421747471102102008-07-01T16:01:00.000-07:002008-07-01T16:26:21.225-07:00

Loyalty Traveler Original Research –Diners Club Comparison of Redemption Value Across Hotel Points ProgramsHotel Points can be earned through credit card points exchanges with Diners Club/MasterCard Club Rewards points. Club Rewards points can be a valuable asset when planning the hotel component of a trip.Loyalty Traveler is always seeking good hotel value. An analysis of Diners Club shows value

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-39107664033614963672008-07-01T07:46:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:41.483-08:00

Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii “Far Away is Closer than You Think” The picture of the white sand beach and palm tree caught my eye. 1,000 bonus Starpoints definitely captured my attention. “From the beaches of the Caribbean to the Maldives, Starpoints take you farther. Earn 1,000 bonus Starpoints for Sunday through Thursday stays at participating Starwood Hotels and Resorts now through September 30

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-63877284763655325302008-06-29T14:36:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:41.619-08:00

Pebble Beach, California Lightning StrikesJune 22, 2008No Woman No Cry"gonna make the fire lighta-log-a-wood burning through the night"A week ago in Monterey it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit and a lightning storm crossed the Central Coast. This is a photo of the lightning over Pebble Beach area. A storm front with lightning strikes lasting less than 30 minutes only dropped about five minutes of heavy

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-82874873165369233132008-06-22T10:08:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:41.768-08:00

Amsterdam Hilton, canal viewSmith Travel Research provides weekly room rate data for the US, monthly US room rate reports, and Global Room Rate data in different currencies for US Dollars, Euros, and British Pounds. An interesting feature of the Smith Travel research room rate data is room rates are displayed in different currencies. Year-to-year changes in room rates allows a comparison of the

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-17663818636095565082008-06-20T09:09:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:41.955-08:00

Choice Privileges has a special offer, “AGOLD” for new members to earn low level Gold elite membership with a nights count double promotion.Join Choice Privileges by September 30, 2008 and all qualifying nights will count double through the end of the year. Gold elite normally requires 10 nights in a calendar year and with the “AGOLD” promotion will take only 5 nights. The primary benefit of Gold

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-55942950005807087532008-06-19T14:36:00.000-07:002008-06-19T14:43:36.942-07:00

”Rediscover the best of Britain this Summer” is an InterContinental Hotels Group special offer for summer travel in the British Isles available at over 125 IHG Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express hotels.Terms of two special offers for United Kingdom hotels this summer:Special Rates Offer 1: Room & Breakfast for two at IHG Hotels in the UK with rates as low as 39GBP (about $78USD)

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-69659228956602189832008-06-18T08:51:00.000-07:002008-06-18T08:56:07.182-07:00

Kimpton Stay 3, Get 1 Night Free Summer PromotionKimpton InTouch members have a valuable incentive to hotel stay this summer. Kimpton’s InTouch hotel frequent guest program will give members staying 3 times at any of the 42 Kimpton Hotels in the USA and Canada by August 31, 2008 a free night at any Kimpton Hotel.Free Night Summer Promotion Terms:- Promotional Period: June 15 – August 31,

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-53209948775111773642008-06-16T23:29:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:42.140-08:00

Castle District, Prague, Czech RepublicI periodically see travel industry claims for hotel prospects staying bright with all the international visitors to the USA taking advantage of the great exchange rate for US Dollars.The Global Insight report for AAA from February 2008, along with government statistics for Jan-Feb 2008 indicates more Americans are traveling to Europe for 2008.I have my

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-44294697749518982292008-06-14T08:42:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:42.263-08:00

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey RanchScottsdale, Arizona Hyatt Gold Passport members can receive a 25% discount on the prevailing rate for hotel stays this summer in North America at participating Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt Hotels. Reservation must be prepaid, made by June 26, 2008 for stays between June 26 and Aug 3, 2008.Park Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Summerfield Suites, and Andaz hotels

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-71306553592347540852008-06-13T08:20:00.001-07:002008-06-13T08:30:09.406-07:00

Priority Club increased the purchase limit for Priority Club points from 20,000 in a 12-month period to 40,000 points in a rolling 12-month period. Unfortunately, the price also increased from $10/1,000 points to $11.50 per 1,000 points, a 15% increase.This still means a Priority Club member can just buy points for a PointsBreak room for about $57.50 per night. On the flip side, an

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-61753357851739373082008-06-13T07:41:00.000-07:002008-06-13T08:06:50.602-07:00

InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club PointBreaks are one of the best deals available in hotel lodging discounts. 5,000 Priority Club points will redeem a free room for a hotel on the PointBreaks list. Availability is limited and a hotel on the list today may not be there tomorrow if its room allocation is used up. Since this list was just updated this week there should be best

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-84486882785275838492008-06-13T06:35:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:42.378-08:00

Hotel Monaco, Denver, Colorado Kimpton Hotels is marketing two hotel summer promotions to provide frustrated airline flyers a bit of cash relief for additional baggage fees and hospitable hospitality treatment for stranded passengers. And registration is not necessary for these Kimpton Hotels offers.WE GOT YOUR BAG"We Got Your Bag" is an offer to provide the guest up to a $25 room credit if you

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-7580758037378576752008-06-10T19:14:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:43.627-08:00

Fisherman's Wharf hotel district, San FranciscoThe Bay is two blocks away and Alcatraz can be seen in backgroundI came across the Radisson online advertisement when reading Gary Leff's View from the Wing blog today. Last Friday, I mentioned in my post I was searching for this Radisson ad claiming its free nights earning advantages over the other major loyalty programs.I made screenshots of the

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-55385074599065586572008-06-10T13:21:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:43.780-08:00

Hilton Auckland, New ZealandStephen Colbert might ask, "Hilton HHonors hotel loyalty program - Great or Greatest?I have loads of respect for the crew at Inside Flyer. Without Randy Petersen and FlyerTalk, I’d probably still be a fully employed school teacher taking lots of vacations and getting less value out of my travel expenditures . But now it is time for this loyalty program graduate to

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-65069714488906813642008-06-06T15:02:00.000-07:002008-06-06T15:14:53.736-07:00

Ric’s Note: The past week I have posted overviews of Wyndham Rewards, Choice Privileges, and Best Western Gold Crown Club (Randy Petersen reports the rumor that a name change to Best Western Rewards is in the works). I was actually writing these in the spirit of budget travel. Then, I come across a FlyerTalk thread mentioning hotels in Europe are available at 50% off standard redemption rates

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-86908937541073136632008-06-06T11:09:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:43.995-08:00

Sheraton Libertador Presidential Suite, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThe good life as a low-spender traveler in hotel loyalty programs.$163/night paid rate and complimentary upgrade to this $500/night room in June 2007.InsideFlyer has a free cover story report on a comparison of hotel loyalty programs.The content of this first section of the hotel loyalty program comparisons is a simple analysis of the

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-48846671431342291572008-06-05T07:20:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:44.395-08:00

Conrad BangkokConrad Hotels, the luxury brand in the Hilton HHonors family, has a special offer of 5,000 HHonors bonus points for a 2-night or more stay at 6 Asia region locations:Conrad BaliConrad BangkokConrad Centennial SingaporeConrad Hong KongConrad Maldives Rangali IslandConrad TokyoPromotion Dates for stays from April 15, 2008 to September 29, 2008.Booking Plan Code = H5Offer based on Best

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-66407835903216229032008-06-04T08:19:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:44.775-08:00

Best Western Carmel Bay View, Carmel, California36,000 points for a free night using points (the highest hotel award category)Best Western Carmel Bay View HotelBest Western Hotels: Brand OverviewBest Western Hotels are a franchise operation organizing 4,200+ hotels in the USA and international make Best Western the largest single hotel brand in the world. (Hotel brand geography: USA 2,200 hotels,

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-3461511952169572902008-06-03T10:11:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:44.930-08:00

In the spirit of budget travel planning for summer 2008, I have written an overview of the Choice Privileges hotel loyalty program.Choice Hotels - OverviewMore than 5,500 hotel members and more than 450,000 rooms in Choice Privileges makes this program a benefit for travelers in smaller towns and cities across the USA. The program even offers international hotel properties in 40 countries and

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-14035076545562172922008-06-02T09:04:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:45.088-08:00

related story to yesterday's post: Marriott CEO Says International Markets Still Strong but U.S. Weaker than Expected

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-21122950497949030142008-06-01T09:53:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:45.299-08:00

A staycation in Carmel isn't necessarily an adverse ideaBack in January I blogged about the impact of the economy on travel "Money for Nothing (but my MTV)" from a personal point of view as a consumer. The stock markets were shuddering from the finance markets liquidity crisis. And this was all before the huge spike in gasoline prices for the American consumer. Times are generally looking harder

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-64185161706359068462008-05-31T08:48:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:45.404-08:00

Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites Offer Free Hertz Car Rentalhttp://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/sb/1/en/c/2/content/dec/teaser/sb/1/en/lp/hertz.htmlSome hotels are enticing guests with free gas. IHG Priority Club Rewards is offering members who complete a 3 nights or more stay at a Staybridge Suites hotel or Candlewood Suites hotel in the USA or Canada a free weekend day car rental with Hertz

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-33400329075557854382008-05-30T12:05:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:47.425-08:00

Ramada Amsterdam and watching Tour de France 2006It was a bed-in experienceAmsterdam Centraal view from RamadaAmsterdam city center view from Ramada HotelThe plaza across from Ramada, AmsterdamSink, Ramada AmsterdamI thought I could dash off a quick review of Wyndham Rewards.The hotel brand members of Wyndham Rewards followed by 2008 average room rate:1. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, $116.612.

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-24041638785980073392008-05-29T11:13:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:47.745-08:00

San Francisco InterContinental as seen from Howard and Sixth InterContinental is the California rage with two new hotels in the past few months. The San Francisco InterContinental is the largest new hotel to open in San Francisco in 20 years and The Clement in Monterey is the city's only newly built hotel in nearly 20 years.The New York Times published a review of the San Francisco

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-68771661973859606772008-05-28T08:46:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:47.917-08:00

pool area of Doubletree Sonoma, Rohnert Park, CAMy computer suddenly opened up a weblink to the PointStretcher Dates Calendar for May and June 2008. It was unintentional on my part so I take it as a sign to post about Hilton.PointStretchers are great when you can use them for a reservation and the 40% savings really does stretch your points for awards.I see the Hilton Budapest is available for

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-44575186415870327522008-05-28T08:14:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:48.014-08:00

View of San Francisco Ferry Building from Hyatt Regency EmbarcaderoIf you're going to San Francisco...Hyatt Gold Passport has a 5,000 points bonus special offer for 2-night (or longer) stays through the summer months.The promotion runs from today, May 28, 2008 through August 31, 2008.Gold Passport Offer Code = SFO5K which needs to be inserted in the reservation booking page. All the Bay area

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-26412100401820762622008-05-24T20:30:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:48.295-08:00

Starwood Preferred Guest has released their Summer 2008 promotional offer for eligible Starwood hotel stays.Starwood Preferred Guest has their summer promotion online as of this week. Registration for the quarterly promo must be completed by July 15, 2008. The SPG Summer 2008 promotion offer is for stays between June 1 and August 31, 2008. The promotion offer is targeted by whatever criteria

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-75361097504296730672008-05-22T09:28:00.000-07:002008-05-24T19:40:31.041-07:00

Our record heat of last week tops off one of the driest winter/spring rain seasons in years. The high winds moved in the last two days after the heatwave high pressure system moved out.The fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains around Mt. Madonna Road and Loma Prieta Road is actually in the mountain area between Gilroy and Watsonville/Santa Cruz northeast of Monterey Bay. The fire has spread from 500

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-4948485404895154672008-05-21T16:03:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:48.535-08:00

She got a TV eye on me - Iggy PopCouple of things caught my attention on the web the past couple days.1. TripKick Hotel Rooms websiteThe basic idea is the website tells you the difference in rooms in a hotel by factors such as view, noise, size, corner room, great bathroom.Great concept and these are the primary features in hotel room detail that I consider when staying some place. These are the

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-79006980558825165192008-05-19T13:44:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:51.802-08:00

The Clement, Cannery Row, Monterey, InterContinental HotelBay View Courtyard, InterContinental The Clement, Cannery Row, Montereylobby, InterContinental The Clement, Monterey, CAlobby - InterContinental The Clement, MontereyInterContinental The Clement, Monterey, Lobby entranceInterContinental - The Clement, Cannery Row, MontereyThe Clement, InterContinental Hotel opened Friday afternoon on a

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-30519663043369932782008-05-15T12:22:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:51.912-08:00

JW Marriott, Camelback Inn, Phoenix, ArizonaMarriott Rewards Hotel and Air Vacation Packages favored by Freddies travelers.I wrote a blog post March 13, 2008, Diners Club, American Express or Hotel Corporate Affinity Credit Card?I discounted the benefits of the Marriott Rewards Visa card when compared to Diners Club and American Express Membership Rewards travel points.Marriott won big at the

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-79753341505636157862008-05-15T09:17:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:52.118-08:00

Hilton Auckland, New Zealand, an HHonors Category 6 HotelA feature of the Hilton HHonors co-branded American Express Platinum card is the ability to redeem 125,000 points for an AXON 4-night hotel award in a HHonors Category 5 or Category 6 hotel. Normally, a category 6 hotel will cost 40,000 points per night. HHonors VIP members can get a 6 night or longer award at 175,000 points/6-nights. A VIP

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-57271041873478859312008-05-12T14:32:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:53.186-08:00

I like TripAdvisor. Where else can I find hundreds of reviews of a hotel in one place with a popularity ranking system? The more I use TripAdvisor, the more frequently I notice some limitations of the service. Two issues have arisen over the past couple of weeks as I have spent several hours working with TripAdvisor hotel review webpages.Firstly, I have issue with the geographical specificity of

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-12348292475623492852008-05-10T09:34:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:55.454-08:00

Starwood Luxury Collection Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa, Litchfield Park, Arizona (western suburb of Phoenix). Starwood hotel page. Adobe style casitas The Wigwam Resort, main pool area The Wigwam lobby entrance hallway to Red's Steakhouse lobby seating loungeAAA 4 diamondTripAdvisor Rank #1 of 1 hotel in Litchfield ParkSPG Category 4 hotel = 10,000 points for a free night or$60 and 4,000 points on

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-47977527750134270922008-05-08T08:38:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:56.926-08:00

This Desert Life – JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm DesertResort lagoon flows directly into hotel lobby and gondola boat rides are available.The JW Marriott Desert Springs was the one loyalty program chain hotel in the Coachella Valley that had the WOW factor. What I mean is that upon entering the lobby doors my first impression was wow! This looks like a resort. The place resonates

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-41434826332717622732008-05-07T16:06:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:08:58.224-08:00

I have to admit that Monterey hotels are generally a rip-off. I am working on a guide to help visitors sort through the crap choices. Sure, we have some of the most highly rated hotels in the USA in the vicinity of Monterey, however, most of us can't even consider a $500-1,000 per night room in a posh hotel. And those are the starting rates for places like Post Ranch Inn at Big Sur, Bernardus

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-37945202336548903862008-05-06T07:18:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:59.585-08:00

Westin San Francisco Market Street (on right); Four Seasons (left) and floors 30-36 of the Grand Hyatt hotel near Union Square can be seen in the center of this photo.Starwood Preferred Guest is giving travelers a great deal for a weekend stay in San Francisco at the Westin San Francisco Market Street.SPG Promotion Offer for weekend stays Thursday - Sunday through August 31, 2008:2,500 points for

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-78506883011813077642008-05-04T09:17:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:08:59.758-08:00

San Francisco, California, view of Golden Gate Bridge I have noticed the abundance of travel articles in the past few weeks touting the simplicity of domestic travel this summer right here in the good ole USof A.Personally, my travel plans are on hold as I work through my Loyalty Traveler business plans, the prospect of teaching school kids this summer, and awaiting a great airfare opportunity

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-52329443195875672642008-05-04T08:37:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:01.049-08:00

Hyatt Regency Suites Palm SpringsPalm Springs Hyatt Regency Suites lobbyThis hotel’s main attribute is location. The Hyatt Regency is a 6-story hotel located directly in the center of Palm Springs nightlife on Highway 111, where Palm Canyon Drive slows to a mini-strip in the section of downtown Palm Springs with high end tourist shops, bars, and restaurants.Lobby Atrium ArtworkHyatt Regency Palm

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-59156249956257911012008-05-04T06:53:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:02.526-08:00

Hyatt Grand Champions and Renaissance Esmeralda share same road entrance off Highway 111, Indian Wells, CaliforniaLobby of Hyatt Grand Champions, Indian WellsHyatt Grand Champions Resort - Indian Wells, CaliforniaThis hotel is located about 16 miles east of the Palm Springs Hyatt Regency Suites. The property shares the same road entrance with the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort which is to the east

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-70717031919820253532008-05-02T10:16:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:02.675-08:00

Holiday Inn Park View, SingaporeNew Card Members OnlyPriority Club VISA Signature Card25,000 points after 1st purchase25th Anniversary Priority Club Visa Signature Bonus: 15 points per $1 spending at IHG hotels through July 31, 2008 (12 points Bonus + 3 points regularly earned with IHG hotel spending).Promotion: InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club Visa Signature BonusDates: May 1, 2008

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-70742717960231829982008-05-01T08:15:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:04.606-08:00

Hotel loyalty elite status has the primary benefit of a “room with a view”. Last week I stayed two nights at Westin Hotel resorts and one night at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. A day in Palm Springs and two days in Phoenix gave me time to see about 14 other hotel resort properties in these two winter havens.The Palm Springs area of Coachella Valley is a string of resort towns built on the valley

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-47399578908044510822008-04-29T08:14:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:06.211-08:00

On the Road to the Phoenix 2008 Freddies Awards Ceremony“I mean everyone has got to take a road trip, at least once in their lives.Just you and some music.”Claire Colburn in the Cameron Crowe movie ElizabethtownThe absence of posting to my blog this past week was a 1,700 mile desert road trip journey to hotel resorts in Palm Springs, Phoenix and Scottsdale, and Las Vegas. The last time I road

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-53873311339030041002008-04-21T08:53:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:06.362-08:00

Holiday Inn Express, Cannery Row, MontereyIHG 20, 000 bonus points promotionOffer: Earn up to 20,000 Priority Club Rewards points or 5,000 airline miles.Details: 2,000 bonus points or 500 airline miles after every 2nd eligible night.Promotional period: eligible paid stays between May 12 and August 31, 2008 at any IHG hotel worldwide. Registration is required and no retroactive credit will be

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-84506705796101462162008-04-21T07:34:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:06.524-08:00

View of urban Buenos Aires, ArgentinaPoints Concierge Hilton HHonors10,000 points bonus for Hilton brand stays in Caribbean, Central America, and South America.2-night minimum stay required.1 stay = 2,000 HHonors points bonus2 stays = 3,000 HHonors points bonus3 stays = 5,000 HHonors points bonusRegistration is required. Bonus is not valid for retroactive credit.Eligible stays between May 1 –

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-43778048166834176792008-04-19T08:15:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:06.695-08:00

Park Hyatt, Carmel Highlands InnHyatt Gold Passport Category 5 hotel18,000 points/free nightMy Hyatt Gold Passport account reads Diamond membership as of today.Getting my Gold Passport stamped required a little prodding from this loyalty traveler. Six hotel stays at full-service Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt hotels posted to my account within two to four days after checking out of the hotel.

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-83208277200810557832008-04-17T08:19:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:06.854-08:00

Hotel Monaco, Denver lobby ceilingKimpton InTouch Loyalty ProgramKimpton Hotels is a boutique hotel chain with over 40 hotels in the USA and Canada. San Francisco (9 hotels) and Washington D.C. (7 hotels) are the best covered cities. The Hotel Monaco, Denver (Kimpton has 8 Hotel Monaco’s in the USA) was mentioned in a February blog post as the #1 rated hotel on TripAdvisor for Denver, Colorado (

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-24405087498168187072008-04-15T08:13:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:07.004-08:00

street artist work in Victoria, British Columbia (August 2007)"Now me I play for fortunesAnd those velvet curtain callsI've got a black limousineAnd two gentlemenEscorting me to the hallsAnd I play if you have the moneyOr if you're a friend to meBut the one man bandBy the quick lunch standHe was playing real good, for free"Joni Mitchell, "For Free" 1970http://www.lyricsdepot.com/joni-mitchell/

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-2920536249311234902008-04-14T09:52:00.000-07:002008-04-14T10:04:13.792-07:00

Most websites do not allow you to check for 50% off rack rate deals. Priority Club Rewards website has a reservations page allowing the user t check for Entertainment Card rates online. This is a valued feature since most hotels do not offer an Entertainment Card rate and the user is able to browse quickly through the IHG hotels offering an Entertainment Card rate and quickly compare to the AAA

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-91391880461242730422008-04-13T09:01:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:07.209-08:00

Swiftwater Cafe, Hyatt Regency SFOSan Francisco Airport, Burlingame, CAThe Entertainment.com discount books are available at significant discounts these days. The membership year started November 1, 2008 and the Entertainment’08 edition has less than six months validity left. I picked up books for the San Francisco, San Jose, and Monterey/Santa Cruz regions for $15 each with free shipping last

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-26832335794119110992008-04-11T18:16:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:08.397-08:00

Hotel Valencia, A Preferred Hotels and Resorts "I Prefer" loyalty program member hotelSantana Row shopping districtI first became aware of the Santana Row high end shopping district of San Jose when the original buildings burned down in a huge fire just as the shopping street was soon to open in 2002. The street Santana Row reminds me of the shopping centers of the fashionable shopping centers of

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-88931356265235901512008-04-09T10:40:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:08.552-08:00

Embassy Suites, LAX North, Los AngelesMy conversation with the Hilton HHonors service center this morning made me think of the movie "The Interpreter" and a scene with Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn."Tobin Keller: How do you feel about him?Silvia Broome: I don't care for him.Tobin Keller: Wouldn't mind if he were dead?Silvia Broome: I wouldn't mind if he were gone.Tobin Keller: Same thing.Silvia

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-42432476920031533552008-04-08T09:30:00.000-07:002008-04-08T09:43:56.115-07:00

Priority Club has one of the best promotions available for travel in Europe with the Stay 2 nights for the Price of 1 Night. This promotion takes rates down to as low as $50/night for some locations and even 5-star properties like the InterContinental Carlton in Cannes can be under $200/night using this promotion.There is a discussion on FlyerTalk on whether these rates earn points or not. It

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-30525737713463726552008-04-08T08:17:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:09:08.805-08:00

Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaI am a fan of Diners Club for using Club Rewards points to keep airline and hotel accounts active. Case in point is my wife's Air Canada Aeroplan account. The Aeroplan website had a notification warning my wife that her miles would be deleted on April 13 if there was no account activity. She also received an email warning. This is good customer service to give

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-10298312322424311372008-04-07T17:01:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:08.968-08:00

St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort,a Starwood Family Fun Rate participating property.Starwood has made a concerted effort to provide a kids-oriented resort package for vacationing families with the introduction of Family Fun Rates. The program is starting in 29 Starwood Resorts in the US, Canada, and Caribbean, and anticipated to expand to other properties globally. The centerpiece of the program is

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-15354482857355163592008-04-07T09:24:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:09.130-08:00

Club Regency, Hyatt Regency on the EmbarcaderoSan FranciscoI have qualified for Hyatt Diamond StatusThis past weekend I completed my 25th eligible stay for Diamond elite Hyatt Gold Passport status. Plus, I saw Bruce Springsteen put on another high energy show Saturday night in San Jose (tickets I won from KFOG 104.5 driving home from my first Hyatt stay of 2008 on March 14th.) With the luck of

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-49849591884343682412008-04-05T08:34:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:09.530-08:00

Sheraton Libertador, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaPresidential Suite stay, June 2007An article I read earlier this week keeps coming back to my thoughts. “Travel Editors Gather to Rap about the issues du jour.” appeared on http://www.travelweekly.com/ April 1, 2008.The editors were asked about how the economy will impact travel. Erik Torkells, editor, Budget Travel stated something I keep remembering:“

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-86505838174731238332008-04-03T17:24:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:09:09.692-08:00

Marriott San FranciscoThe Marriott Megabonus is now entering the last half of the three month promotional opportunity to earn 5,000 bonus Marriott Rewards points after every other stay, beginning with the second stay.Members can earn 25,000 Marriott Rewards points with 10 stays between February 15 and May 15. Registration for this promotion is required and can be linked from the Marriott Rewards

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-29369483069199219222008-04-02T11:50:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:09.834-08:00

After more than two weeks of living, breathing, staying, and eating Hyatt, I was wanting to write about something else for a change. But I feel compelled to write another post about Hyatt. The most interesting hotel stay cost-cutting strategy on my mind today is the Hyatt Stay Certificate program.The United e-fares weekly email yesterday had an advertisement for the Mileage Plus VISA card with an

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-20498031708007385002008-03-31T21:39:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:10.020-08:00

Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel and SpaMarch is my favorite month for California travel. March is typically when the weather starts hitting the 70s on a regular basis and the hills are still green from the winter California rains. Coastal California receives the vast majority of its rainfall between the months of October and March. The hills start turning brown a few weeks after the last rains and by

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-46846388836082647522008-03-31T21:26:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:10.184-08:00

The loyalty race moves to the airlines with an offer from Delta for a fast-track to elite status promotion. We have seen the hotel chains trying to grab a loyal customer base with Starwood and Hyatt offering elite fast-track promotions already in 2008. I expect at least one other airline to follow pace in this competition for capturing 2008 market share for the traveling public. Delta SkyMiles

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-16773010535213270282008-03-29T22:38:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:09:10.557-08:00

Hyatt Regency on the Embarcadero, San Francisco12th floor room view day, view at nightHyatt Regency San Francisco RevisitedAs it happened, my room last week at the Hyatt Regency on the Embarcadero, San Francisco was the newly remodeled interior. The restaurant that used to be on top of the hotel has been remodeled and just opened Wednesday, March 26 as the new Regency Club. I was offered an

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-26303698735873176692008-03-26T06:59:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:09:10.738-08:00

All the major hotel chains have a "Best Rates Guarantee" advertised on their websites. Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott, and Starwood all run ads on their websites stating the hotel guest need look no further than the corporate branded websites for the lowest online hotel rates. And they are almost always correct in stating lower rates will not be found elsewhere (group

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-8899578667724526322008-03-24T13:35:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:11.080-08:00

Grand Hyatt San Francisco at Union SquareI exited BART at Montgomery Street and it was a four block walk to the Grand Hyatt. Powell might be a block closer. I don’t know. Guest services counter was busy so I went to the e-check-in machine. The process was simple. I was given #2321 which is an upgrade from my reservation. I also received a corner room which is a slightly nicer layout than regular

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-82733780147985125292008-03-24T06:51:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:11.541-08:00

I stopped by the new InterContinental San Francisco on Friday, March 21. The neighborhood coming from Market down Sixth Street was an interesting site at 10am with the homeless in doorways, the groups of men drinking on the sidewalk and concealing their brown bagged bottles when the street cop rounded the corner. Reminded me of North Dublin in 1997. Reminded me of 1979 and looking for punk rock

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-60604887950145529822008-03-22T05:57:00.001-07:002008-11-13T07:09:11.945-08:00

San Francisco days, San Francisco nights.Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero.Hyatt March Madness or How I Spent my Economic Stimulus Checks for AmericaThe President and Congress decided it would be great if we spent some money to help the economy.So what to do? Should I put it in savings as the dollar continues to decline? Investing in Euros seems a financially smart move to make rather than a

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-75102892923966205072008-03-18T13:29:00.001-07:002008-03-18T14:03:10.302-07:00

I usually refrain from talking about credit cards, but this looks like a pretty good deal from British Airways for the Visa card new member offer. You can find the offer on the British Airways homepage. I think this is an especially attractive offer if you are planning to go to Europe this summer (if the currency exchange rates haven't scared you off the Grand Tour!)."As a new cardmember, you

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-86736838632086435132008-03-17T08:49:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:12.076-08:00

I want my, I want my, I want my HDTV.42" LG HDTV in Hyatt Place room, FremontHDTV image from Hyatt Place stay set the mood for what was to come that night.On my freeway drive home from Hyatt Place Fremont on Friday night I won two tickets from KFOG radio to Bruce Springsteen playing April 5, 2008 in San Jose. If it weren't for Hyatt's "Stays Count Double" I wouldn't have been listening to KFOG

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-86453407558002541942008-03-14T08:10:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:09:12.276-08:00

view of lighted sign atop Huntington Hotel and Nob Hill SpaSan Francisco, Californiamember of Small Luxury Hotels of the World(picture taken from corner room, Westin St. Francis)The Luxury Institute reported "High Net Worth Consumers Rank Small Luxury Hotels of the World as top luxury hotel group, followed by Ritz-Carlton, and Four Seasons."There are about 440 hotel members of the Small Luxury

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-54937539472181342352008-03-13T16:10:00.000-07:002008-03-13T18:28:32.608-07:00

Frequent travelers know that staying with your preferred hotel loyalty program is difficult at times. Hotels may be sold out, some chains are not present in an area (the nearest Starwood hotel to Monterey is 75 miles away while two Hyatts are within a few miles of my home), or the price is just too high.Over the past ten years I have earned somewhere around 4,000,000 airline frequent flier miles

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-52334292686659549412008-03-12T15:23:00.000-07:002008-03-12T15:41:27.845-07:00

I was looking back at an article I wrote in October and I used the JW Marriott Ihilani as my example hotel for saving cash by just buying marriott Rewards points. This is text from my article in Hotels-and-Points October 2007. The 12-page newsletter can be downloaded as an Adobe PDF file. It is about 3 MB size so takes a a little bit to download and open. The focus of my October report was

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-41660991760515890702008-03-12T09:55:00.001-07:002008-03-12T11:08:22.798-07:00

I was looking at Marriott's website today. The home page for reservations has an ad for Sand Dollar Hawaiian Vacation Packages. I decided to analyze the deal for hotel and car packages. Flight inclusive packages are also available and perhaps this research will help you assess the value of the package with a flight, if you so desire.Marriott has an offer on their home page for the Sand Dollar

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-63663992226363814862008-03-11T08:39:00.000-07:002008-03-11T08:52:24.963-07:00

Fuel surcharges on award tickets has been a common complaint this past year. Air France/KLM Flying Blue is the program about which I have heard most of the complaints. The taxes and fuel surcharges add up to make many award tickets nearly as pricey as paid tickets (which generally have the added value of earning miles).Here is my Aeroplan story. I have been writing about this Easter travel

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-40705841699941416832008-03-10T16:30:00.000-07:002008-03-24T06:22:15.969-07:00

The forecast for hotels in 2008 in the USA is a rise in rates (about 5% depending on location), along with a decline in occupany (1-4% depending on location).As personal income sees limited growth in 2008, the projections for travelers staying in hotels decline. PKF Hospitality Research projects 115,000 rooms to be added to USA hotel room supply in 2008. The projected trend is for new hotel

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-4455245886686265222008-03-08T07:09:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:12.598-08:00

A Starwood St. Regis suite, San FranciscoSPG Category 620,000 points/night low-season25,000 points/night peak seasonA sign of the times?St. Regis on LuxuryLink.com I would have anticipated, but luxury at a discount through SkyAuction was not a "For Sale" I envisioned.Wednesday, March 5 had a Skyauction listing for a per night bid, for up to a 7-night stay at the St. Regis San Francisco. This

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-77660350075603670802008-03-07T10:41:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:12.779-08:00

Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, California Available as a Marriott Rewards Partner Award1 night = 70,000 points; 3-nights = 150,000 points;5 nights = 200,000; 7-nights = 250,000 points Paradise with an Ocean View Some people have an image in their heads of California Pacific Ocean views. The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay has commanding views of the coastline and ocean. This resort, nestled between

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-81084926647024343572008-03-05T19:22:00.001-08:002008-03-05T19:43:19.746-08:00

I was checking out train schedules in Austria and thinking about Vienna. Made a search and came across EuroCheapo blog on Austrian rail train specials.The blog is an entertaining read as the bloggers are currently in Berlin. The blog led me to the EuroCheapo website which is a great niche resource for bargain travel planning in Europe.Their Cheap Flight Finder has low-fare airline links and

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-28366124273296700542008-03-05T09:18:00.000-08:002008-03-05T09:28:17.573-08:00

An article appeared today in PR Newswire for Journalists, Economy Foreclosing on Spring Break?, based on a survey by AccessAmerica, a travel insurance company. “Access America survey finds half of American families scaling back spring break plans...or forgoing their vacations altogether”The not-so-surprising conclusion of the data is poorer families are cutting back on vacation spending this

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-50009600176386384442008-03-04T12:55:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:12.986-08:00

Four Points, Newark AirportSPG Category 1(1 of only 7 Category-1 hotels left in the USA -- A dying breed)I stayed a Saturday night in June 2007 for 2,000 Starpoints at the Four Points EWR.The hotel had a washer and dryer which was a treat after a week in South America.The catch: I had to beg a housekeeper for laundry soap since the store in the hotel was two hours late for opening.Loyalty

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-75532806638553898992008-03-03T20:52:00.001-08:002008-03-04T16:40:48.469-08:00

I spent the weekend building a spreadsheet of the SPG Hotel Categories. I had a detailed SPG hotel spreadsheet I made in 2004 that made the work go much faster.BlondeBomber's SPG spreadsheet had about 700 hotel rows hidden in the spreadsheet I downloaded. Too bad because that would have made the work go much more quickly. Ultimately, it is a better tool to have my spreadsheet and then I can

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-43465105781449643872008-02-28T12:26:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:13.181-08:00

The Laguna Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua, Bali, IndonesiaDec 2003, SPG Category 2, free weekend night =3,000 StarpointsMarch 2008, SPG Category 4, free weekend night =10,000 Starpoints[Note from Ric Garrido Mar 3, 2008: I apparently misread the "SPG Hotel Category Changes for 2008" chart at the time I wrote this post. I do not see The Pulitzer, Amsterdam showing a Hotel Category Change in March 2008.

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-57744198590130072602008-02-28T10:28:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:13.441-08:00

SIN is Singapore, Changi Airport.Loyalty Travelers based in the United States learn that Singapore is the farthest destination in flight miles a person can easily fly to from the USA on a variety of carriers and have an easy and affordable experience.Singapore generally requires a US-Japan-Singapore routing and this is an 8,444 mile flight distance from San Francisco-Tokyo-Singapore (SFO-NRT-SIN)

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-66560830696762151022008-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:13.642-08:00

Ric and tour guide, Cuzco, Peru, May 2000Presidents Week Vacation - February 2000I was anxious and suffering a vacation hangover upon my return from Holland at the end of my two week trip for flying on five member airlines of the Oneworld Alliance for a 100,000 frequent flyer miles bonus. Travel euphoria withdrawal was a shock to my mind. The Christmas holidays 1999 were designed to celebrate my

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-59805958735781399782008-02-27T11:40:00.000-08:002008-02-28T18:08:34.483-08:00

I am not a real doctor (PhD). I only have a Master of Science. That is why I work for consumers instead of pocketing the lucrative research paycheck from the hotel industry.The doctor, Chris K. Anderson, Ph.D., at the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research has come out with a report advising hoteliers how to squeeze more pennies out of our consumer pockets. This time the research is aimed to

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-89282010332558955632008-02-26T11:14:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:13.904-08:00

The Laguna Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua, Bali, IndonesiaStarwood Luxury Collection Hotel (12/2003)March Madness Triple PointerAnother Easter vacation break is coming up in March. When a spouse works in public schools in the USA, Easter week vacation is a given.The combination of points and miles I currently have at my disposal had me looking at flights to Japan. I have transited through Tokyo more

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-73782842791947300202008-02-26T07:13:00.000-08:002008-02-26T08:39:06.791-08:00

An integrated loyalty program travel plan provides numerous opportunities to use airline miles and hotel points for travel savings. The knowledge of equivalent exchange values for points and miles between loyalty programs allows the traveler to save money on travel. This loyalty traveler is always looking for a good exchange of hotel points and airline miles for an economical 5-star

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-49106009834781823022008-02-25T10:35:00.000-08:002008-02-25T16:03:45.219-08:00

Travel is the quickest way to earn elite status, loads of miles and points, and upgrades for flights and hotels.I was called up to the United First Class cabin, minutes before takeoff, on a crowded flight home from Denver last week. I had been sitting for 10 minutes in an economy class exit row seat. The bulkhead panel offered no visual distractions and I had some wine and cheese. There wasn't a

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-80116545515880525722008-02-23T04:30:00.000-08:002008-02-23T04:51:22.450-08:00

This SPG platinum-lite member (I requalified for platinum status through "Stays Count Double" promotion) returned home from a Colorado trip to find an invitation in my mailbox. "Sample the world. For half the Starpoints."The 50% off a Category 1-5 hotel stay is appreciated, but the timing is rather late.I have to make a confirmed reservation within the next 10 days by March 3, 2008 for a hotel

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-18970700195279892272008-02-22T11:06:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:14.522-08:00

Hyatt Regency, Denver - lobby“Now his life is full of wonderbut his heart still knows some fearOf a simple thing he cannot comprehendWhy they try to tear the mountains downto bring in a couple moreMore people,more scars upon the land”-John DenverPim and Colorado aligned for a wired less eclipse this past week. Pim is my 10-month old kitten. Colorado is the state. My computer died and the timing

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-55191054897732024472008-02-16T12:06:00.000-08:002008-02-16T12:15:34.853-08:00

Laurence Geller listed some interesting data points in a blog from Jan 18, 2008. His piece discusses the widening divide between Generations X and Y mass consumers and the truly “super-affluent”. In 2006, the affluent spent on average $2,400 on hotels and resorts, while the super-affluent spent $61,200. He argues new brands will proliferate as today’s luxury brands become commonplace.http://

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-42927560960790897052008-02-14T07:25:00.000-08:002008-02-14T10:00:55.745-08:00

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes(Turn and face the strain)Ch-ch-ChangesOh, look out you rock 'n rollers-david bowieMy post on Monday, Feb 11 with advice to a friend on getting an award ticket with US Airways is already outdated.US Airways has announced a couple of changes to the Dividend Miles program.1. Flight Segments will no longer earn 500 miles minimum, but actual miles.2. Award travel booked online

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-26810550393738194512008-02-13T16:35:00.000-08:002008-02-14T09:00:58.447-08:00

The Conde Nast Traveler Gold List describes itself as the "Best Places to Stay in the World, selected by readers of Conde Nast Traveler."Loyalty Traveler has examined a subgroup from this list to determine the hotels which also are part of major hotel loyalty programs. These hotels have the attribute of being available using hotel points. EuropeHilton Gold List Hotels with links to CN Traveler

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-49246308513023901642008-02-13T13:57:00.001-08:002008-02-13T14:13:59.391-08:00

Hotel Points Exchange Rate TheoryA common question is "How much are hotel points worth?"A frequent guest wants a variety of strategies for reducing the cost of a hotel stay. Your choices are dictated primarily by the investment of time you are willing to make to find the best deal. Traveling with a big picture view of your frequent hotel stay plan allows you to consider a variety of strategies

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-2286128692267172822008-02-12T17:23:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:15.490-08:00

Le Meridien San Francisco, center and to left of pyramid TransAmerica building. This hotel was formerly a Park Hyatt. I was looking back at the Le Meridien Journey for free nights promotion running from December 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008. I drafted a piece December 13th and from this draft developed a piece for the December Hotels-and-Points report. The Le Meridien promotion is a 5-star

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-20015420698987893012008-02-12T13:25:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:09:15.649-08:00

What do I think of Marriott?- There are 250 Marriott brand hotels in California. They are everywhere and I really liked the hotels I have visited and stayed in. Comfortable rooms and generally lots of seating in the lobby for people to hang out is a common feature. Having said that I like the hotels, I do not like their high level of nights for top-tier elite status. Courtyard by Marriott, San

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1100598145185237014.post-3068377738605494512008-02-12T09:33:00.000-08:002008-02-12T12:12:37.274-08:00

[originally published Feb 11, 2008 on www.loyaltytraveler.net/wordpress]The other night a discussion evolved around transferring airline miles. The issue of transferring frequent flier miles from one account to another is generally a poor value transaction in my opinion and I shared this comment.The argument for the transfer of 20,000 US Airways miles was the special offer currently available for

Ric Garridohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13286316615663439135noreply@blogger.com0