Paris Trip Report – Arrival and Eiffel Tower

Paris Trip Report – Arrival and Eiffel Tower

Paris Trip Report – Notre-Dame de Paris, Catacombs

Paris Trip Report – Louvre & Musée d’Orsay

Paris Trip Report – Versailles

Paris Trip Report – Departure

As I wrote about earlier, I managed to score a couple of inexpensive (relatively speaking, of course) tickets to Paris that I managed to confirm upgrades on from Economy to Delta One by using my Global Upgrade Certificates. Out of curiosity, I looked at what Economy vs. Delta One tickets would go for across another holiday — the 4th of July. Two tickets in Economy cost almost as much as one ticket in Delta One; not a bad savings, eh?

Business Class over 4th of July (1 pax)
Economy over Fourth of July (2 pax)

A few days before it was time to depart, my girlfriend and I received an email to pick our meals prior to departure. I opted for the bass while my girlfriend opted for the beef.

Meal Selection

JFK SkyClub and SkyDeck

Since we were flying on an international flight, my girlfriend and I were able to visit the JFK SkyClub in Terminal 4 on status alone (my Diamond and her Gold). This offered us a chance to get a quick bite to eat and see the planes come and go from the SkyDeck.

Whenever I route through JFK or ATL and weather permits, I make sure to take a detour to the SkyDeck. As an AvGeek, it is a wonderful experience!

JFK-CDG

Finally, it was time to make our way out of the club and to our gate. Thankfully it wasn’t a long walk (B38, with the club being at B32), and we grabbed another snack before boarding.

The Delta One cabin on the Airbus 330-300 is configured in a reverse herringbone configuration. I prefer this to the Boeing 767-300 configuration – not only are the seats more comfortable, you have much easier access to personal temperature control and a more user-friendly tray table.

Though the LSTN headphones are not active noise-cancelling, keep in mind that you need to use an adapter if you want to use your own headphones with these seats.

Once we were situated, the purser greeted us and distributed menus. Not all passengers pre-selected their meals so she collected orders and double-checked that nobody wanted to change their minds. Thanks to a helpful tailwind, we made the flight in just over 7 hours.

Icing on the cake: the flight was equipped with GoGo’s Ku (not 2Ku) WiFi.

The food was excellent, as I’ve come to expect from Delta, and the flight itself was smooth and we arrived without any issues at CDG. Though there are a variety of mass-transit options available from CDG to the hotel we were staying at, we opted to grab an Uber because of the number of bags we were traveling with. The route took us right by the Concorde, though!

Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile

Hyatt reached out to me a few months ago to inform me that the hotel that I was planning to stay at would be undergoing renovations and wouldn’t be ready for my stay. They were kind enough to rebook us at the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, however, and I was able to modify the booking to a club-level room.

The hotel is attached to the Le Palais des Congrès de Paris, a major exhibition center, and also had easy access to the mall there. It also offered ready access to both the Metro (line 1) and RER (line C). One of the first things we did was pick up a pair of Navigo cards for easy access to all public transport in Paris – since we were staying through Sunday morning, it worked out perfectly.

We knew we would be taking a chance since our flight was arriving at 7 AM and check-in time was 3 PM, but we were very pleasantly surprised that not only was a room available, but it had a view of the Eiffel Tower!

Not a bad view, right?

The Regency has two restaurants: Mayo and Windo, as well as a Regency Club. Thanks to the Club access upgrade I purchased, we were able to visit it for snacks in the evening as well as breakfast.

The Room

The room we got was on the 33rd floor of the building, with the Regency Club and Windo located on the 34th floor. Given the height of the building, the Hyatt Regency has an innovative elevator solution. The elevator alcove on each floor has a series of touchscreens where you enter your floor number before you get on an elevator. The screen will then tell you which elevator will take you there. This way, the work is more evenly distributed between the elevators and riders get to their destinations in a more timely manner. I hope more buildings take a page from their book and implement similar systems!

A word to the wise: these rooms are fairly tight fits for two for an extended period (particularly for storing clothes), and the bed might be a little firmer than what travelers are used to at American hotels. Overall quite a nice room, though!

The Regency Club

The Regency Club offers breakfast, snacks, and Aperitifs throughout the day, so once we were functional, we knew a visit was in order. Needless to say, we were thoroughly spoiled by the convenient access to excellent meat and cheese.

The Fitness Center

The fitness center at the hotel was more comprehensive than any I have seen. Not only were there treadmills and bicycles, there were also rowing machines, weight machines, free weights (dumbells as well as kettlebells), and a cable cross machine!

Arc de Triomphe

Though not visible from our room, the Arc de Triomphe is a short one mile walk from the hotel. We passed it on our way to the Eiffel Tower, though we never ascended to the summit.

Eiffel Tower

Before arriving, I noticed that virtually every visitor to Paris recommended buying skip-the-line tickets to attractions. I cannot emphasize the importance of this. Though not as long at the Eiffel Tower, lines at other attractions (like the Louvre and Versailles) can easily eat up hours of your day. Don’t make that mistake – buy tickets in advance and walk right in!

From the summit, we were treated to expansive views of the Paris skyline. They also offered champagne! Warning: they only take cash.

Back at the room, we managed to see the Tower lit up – truly a marvelous sight.

Vacation Report, San Diego, CA: Arrival // #KeepClimbing @Delta!

Vacation Report, San Diego – Arrival, Centurion Lounge, and Hyatt Regency Mission Bay

Vacation Report, San Diego – Balboa Park

Vacation Report, San Diego – San Diego Zoo

Vacation Report, San Diego – La Jolla Cove

Vacation Report, San Diego – SeaWorld

Vacation Report, San Diego – Departure

Flight Plan

To rack up some segments and miles to make sure I hit status, I planned a nice round-about route to explore San Diego! By planning for a nice long layover in Dallas-Fort Worth, I managed to take advantage of the Centurion Lounge there. Thanks to Delta’s recent upgrade rule changes, we flew first class on all four flights!

Courtesy of the Great Circle Mapper
Courtesy of the Great Circle Mapper

The icing on the cake? We got to experience the new blankets provided by Westin. Though they aren’t as heavenly as the bedding at Westin properties, it is many levels above the red blankets we know and… …love? Keep climbing, Delta!

Westin in-flight!
Westin in-flight!

Centurion Lounge, DFW

The Centurion Lounge is an airport oasis for American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders. Though it is located in Terminal D, you can access it from any terminal thanks to the Skylink that joins all Terminals.

From AmEx's Centurion Lounge Page
From AmEx’s Centurion Lounge Page

In addition to gourmet food, there is a complimentary 15-minute spa massage available, which is heavenly between long flights! There are also shower suites and a lot of seating. Though Delta operates out of Terminal E, the SkyLink lets you get to Terminal D quickly.

SkyLink Map
SkyLink Map
The Centurion!
The Centurion!
No trip is complete without second breakfasts...
No trip is complete without second breakfasts…
A nice cup of tea after a massage!
A nice cup of tea after a massage!
6 hour layover? Put your legs up!
6 hour layover? Put your legs up!

Hyatt Mission Bay

From Hyatt.com
From Hyatt.com

I opted to use one of my Hyatt Suite certificates from my Diamond status to upgrade from a standard room to a king-size suite. This hotel features water slides, waterfront dining, a full spa, and spectacular views. Also offered are kayak and jet ski rentals as well as sport fishing and whale tour excursions – ideal for those who need to be on the water!

Map of the buildings
Map of the buildings
Entering the living room...
Entering the living room…
Extremely comfortable couch!
Extremely comfortable couch!
Closet and dresser
Closet and dresser
Roomy bathroom
Roomy bathroom
Bedroom!
Bedroom!
Wonderful waterfront view!
Wonderful waterfront view!

Trip Review: Hyatt Place, Lansing, MI // @HyattTweets @HyattConcierge

Recently I had the opportunity to stay at the Hyatt Place in Lansing, MI. Located behind the Eastwood Towne Center, it is has excellent accessibility to nearby restaurants as well as US-127. Though it lacks a lot of parking immediately in front or behind of the hotel, there is a large parking structure adjacent, and it has no additional fees.

Each room has a massive 42” TV, compared to the 30-40” TV in most comparable hotel rooms, as well as outlets at the desk that have USB ports! There is the standard complimentary breakfast, WiFi, and either a sofa-sleeper or “Cozy Corner”. I was lucky enough to get the latter.

First glimpse: roomy!
First glimpse: roomy!
Huge bathroom
Huge bathroom
Lots of counter-space, too!
Lots of counter-space, too!

As you can see, the bathroom is very spacious with ample counter-space as well as a reminder that if you forget anything, the hotel staff is happy to provide you with replacements.

Extremely comfortable sectional, to boot
Extremely comfortable sectional, to boot

The Cozy Corner, pictured above, consisted of a firm yet giving microfiber L-shaped couch and ample lighting from the hanging lamp. Hyatt goes out of their way to ensure that the color scheme of the room aligns with the coloring of the Hyatt Place logo.

Not a lot of lighting, but outlets with USB
Not a lot of lighting, but outlets with USB

The wall-mounted TV is capable of tilting (offering a good viewing angle from both beds), and the outlets behind the coffee-maker has two USB outlets. Though not having the highest current output, they are sufficient to charge your phones! Just be sure to use an actual adapter when charging any tablets.

It's not Westin, but very comfortable!
It’s not Westin, but very comfortable!

As someone who spends (conservatively) two thirds of a year on the road, comfort in a hotel room is crucial to me, and the little things matter. Hyatt doesn’t pull any punches with these beds, and my back is grateful! My favorite beds are still those at Westin locations, but these are a close second – even beating out the ones at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento!

Shoe-space under the bag rack!
Shoe-space under the bag rack!

Speaking of details, the entire closet is resting above the floor, and is further raised within the exterior shell. This allows a space for shoes to fit comfortably (though not boots). Rooms also come with luggage stands, full size ironing boards and irons.

2016-10-16-hyattplace08

2016-10-16-hyattplace09

The added perk to all of this is that I was able to take advantage of Hyatt’s current promotion: Stay More, Play More. Shortly after my stay completed, I received my 5,000 bonus points! Score! Be sure to sign up and stay!

Yay, points!
Yay, points!

I’m really looking forward to upcoming stays at the Hyatt Regency in Mission Bay, as well as the Hyatt House in Sorrento Mesa!

San Diego Update

A few days ago, I posted about my upcoming vacation plan to San Diego. Since then, I went ahead and booked the flights and hotel.

The Flight

I followed through my plan to maximize my segments by flying through Dallas-Fort Worth, allowing me to snag 8 segments on a single trip. Though it requires some early morning flights, it does allow for visiting the Centurion Lounge at the airport, which will make the whole process a more pleasant experience.

Courtesy of Great Circle Mapper
Courtesy of Great Circle Mapper

The Hotel

For the stay, I made the reservation at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina. This allows me to take advantage of the current Hyatt promotion and work on my Hyatt status at the same time.

Current Hyatt Promotion
Current Hyatt Promotion

Because of the hotel’s location, it seemed an excellent choice for a base of operations to explore what San Diego had to offer – SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, downtown, and more.

Vacation Plan: San Diego, CA

Ever on the quest for status, I am taking my girlfriend to San Diego for a week later this year. With some creative routing we will be taking four flights each way, so it’ll go a decent way in making sure I maintain my Diamond Medallion Status with Delta.

I also plan to take advantage of Citi Prestige’s 4th Night Free benefit to book my stay at the Hyatt Regency near Sea World. This will help me maintain my status with Hyatt as well as help me take advantage of their current promotion! Since all five nights are paid for, I’ll get points both from the initial stay as well as from the promotion.

I will also be routing us through DFW to take advantage of the Centurion Lounge there! Nothing like a free gourmet meal! 😀

Does anyone else have any similar runs planned?

Hyatt Regency, Sacramento, CA

I’m visiting Sacramento, CA for work this week and thought it would be a good opportunity to work on my Hyatt status. I noticed that the Hyatt Regency was located a short distance from both the customer site and the airport, so I went with that.

Location

Located downtown on L-street, the Hyatt Regency is directly across from the California State Capitol Museum. In fact, I have a great view from my room!

View from L-Street
View from L-Street
L-Street from the room
L-Street from the room
Great view of the Capitol Museum
Great view of the Capitol Museum

Restaurants

In addition to room service (and a smaller late-night dining menu), the Hyatt Regency has three full restaurants: Vines Cafe, Amourath 1819, and Dawson’s Steakhouse. In addition, there’s a Starbucks located on the premises. As you can see from the map below, there is a variety of hotels available in the vicinity as well – one of the perks of being located downtown!

Room Information

My room was located on the 10th floor, which has card-restricted access for added security. It was also positioned on the Southern face, overlooking L-street and offering a wonderful view of the Capitol Museum.

It isn't Hyatt without a robe!
It isn’t Hyatt without a robe!
Mini-bar under the TV
Mini-bar under the TV
Dermatologist developed lotions!
Dermatologist developed lotions!

Hotel Amenities

Though the hotel has a gym, it isn’t actually located within the hotel itself. To access it, you have to leave the hotel through the parking structure, and walk a few dozen feet to the gym entrance. It is available 24 hours a day, though, which is quite nice. The parking facility that you navigate through offers both valet and self park options at a rate of $20/night for hotel guests.

My personal feature at Hyatt properties is the concierge lounge. At this property it is known as the Regency Club, and it is located on the 12th floor. In addition to a spacious interior, it has a gorgeous open-air area as well.

Extremely comfortable seating!
Extremely comfortable seating!
The lounge balcony
The lounge balcony

One thing that really took me by surprise was that upon landing in Sacramento, I received a text from the hotel concierge informing me that if I needed anything, I could text them! I have never had that happen at any hotel property – Hyatt or otherwise. Kudos!

Concierge texting!
Concierge texting!