Hotels

While some travelers look for aspirational and luxurious hotel redemptions, others seek out more affordable and practical options. Hyatt Place, one of Hyatt’s many brands, stands out in this regard. Although not known for the luxuries boasted of by other…

While there’s no such thing as a free lunch, there is a way to stretch the value of your hard-earned points at thousands of hotels worldwide. Several major hotel loyalty programs will offer the fifth night free (or even the…

In the lead-up to a recent European vacation, my wife and I learned there would be increased chances of seeing the northern lights. My wife had been 0 for 3 on trying to see them, so we decided to add…

Where you stay at Walt Disney World Resort matters. A great Disney World hotel can offer convenience and save time and money getting to the parks while enhancing your stay with amenities such as resort pools, dining, and spa or…

We’ve all had those moments where an 11 a.m. hotel checkout feels impossible. Maybe it’s the day after a destination wedding where you overindulged and got in late. Or maybe you’re on vacation and simply want a little extra time…

My wife and I recently spent 3 nights on the southern coast of Spain. When you hear that we paid just €55 (~$59) per night for our hotel, your expectations for what we got probably aren’t very high. We weren’t…

Moxy Hotels is one of the most exciting and eclectic hotel brands. A member of the Marriott International portfolio, Moxy Hotels is known to be stylish, playful, and relaxed.  Today, the Moxy Hotels brand has more than 100 properties in…

The Maldives is a bucket list dream destination for many travelers. I’ve wanted to visit for years and finally did in early 2024 once I convinced my husband that it would be worth all the travel it takes to get…

I visited the brand-new Thompson Houston with my husband in March 2024, and we fell in love with this fabulous hotel. Thompson Houston is the brand’s fourth property in Texas, following locations in Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. Houston is…

At the end of February 2024, my wife and I spent 3 nights at the Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel, a Marriott property in northern Portugal’s largest city. The hotel opened less than a year before our visit, and everything still…

My wife and I spent 4 nights at the Hyatt Regency Lisbon in late February 2024, and we honestly considered rearranging our trip to stay longer. The hotel was that great. The Hyatt Regency Lisbon is the first (and still…

Albany! If the mere mention of the state capital of New York doesn’t send a shiver of excitement down your spine, then, well, congratulations, you’re a perfectly normal human being. Despite its storied history, central location, and obvious political importance…

I had 2 expiring free nights in my World of Hyatt account and wanted to get a new tattoo to commemorate finishing my goal of visiting every country in the world. Looking around online, I found an artist I liked…

There are numerous hotels you can choose from in New York City. In fact, there are so many that it can feel overwhelming. Let me help you out by winnowing down your choices by 1. I’d like to let you…

The author traveled as an invited guest of Hawks Cay Resort. All opinions are the author’s own, and the hotel had no input in any part of this review. Hawks Cay Resort, located in Duck Key, Florida, is a family-friendly waterfront…

I recently went on a trip with other members of the Upgraded Points team to check out Walt Disney World and all the many amenities it offers (who am I kidding, I go to Disney World even when it’s not…

The author stayed as an invited guest of Walt Disney World Resort. All opinions are the author’s own, and Walt Disney World Resort had no input in any part of this review. The experience of staying in a Disney Deluxe…

If you’re not ready to commit to a Disney Vacation Club membership or simply want to stay in a Disney Vacation Club villa for cheaper than usual, renting Disney Vacation Club points from a current owner can save you a…

Choosing where to stay in New York City is always a tough decision, as there are hundreds of hotels. Of course, there are the major hotel chains, including Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt. However, there are also tons of individual…

If you’re headed to New York City and going to Times Square to see top-notch shows, there’s no better location for a hotel than The Chatwal, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. Just steps from every major Broadway theater,…

Fabulous Las Vegas. We recently visited as a group of 7 people while 5 relatives visited my wife and me from Brazil. My wife’s brother-in-law was dying to see Las Vegas as an easy hop from our Orange County, California,…