Let’s say you’re at Tokyo Station, and you’ve got some time to tour around. You’re either coming from, or eventually heading to Narita Airport. There’s not quite enough time to snatch a hotel room, but too much to haul around your luggage in one of the world’s biggest cities. Maybe this Tokyo luggage storage hack […]
Raffles Sentosa Singapore, an All-Villa Resort
What do you do when your country’s best tourist attraction is its airport? For starters, try to tempt visitors to leave it. To wit, Singapore’s first all-villa resort, Raffles Sentosa Singapore, is opening soon. Even though its opening date is slated for 1 March, bookings have already opened for Raffles’ second property in its home […]
Gifting Airline Status
Gifting airline status isn’t unique to Italy’s ITA Airways. Just ask the US3 (i.e. American Airlines, Delta, and United). For the past 15 years (save for maybe 2020 or 2021), I’ve had varying levels of airline status. Back then, the US3 rolled hard with distance-based mileage accruals, as did most of the world. You also […]
My Top Five Eats of 2024
As I review my top five foods lists of 2022 and 2023, there’s too much of a pattern. The same countries pop up. Guess I can’t get enough Georgian/Mexican/Turkish/Japanese food, hey? Think it’s status quo for my top five eats of 2024? Probably. Worse yet, I can’t recall much of what I ate between January […]
Hotel Review: Kimpton Virgilio, Mexico City
Disclaimer: In exchange for a hosted stay, I am writing this review of Kimpton Virgilio. After a nice stay that was coincidentally almost across the street, it was time for my first Kimpton experience. As the newest hotel in Polanco — it will be celebrating its 1st anniversary this February — the Kimpton Virgilio, an […]
Hotel Review: Las Alcobas, Mexico City
Disclaimer: In exchange for a hosted stay at Las Alcobas, I am writing this review. In the heart of the leafy and eminently walkable Polanco district, Mexico City’s Las Alcobas, a member of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection, is a gem of a boutique hotel. And I do mean boutique; at only 35 total rooms and […]
JR EAST PASS Nagano Niigata area
Late last month in Japan, I was able to test out the last of the major JR East rail passes, the JR EAST PASS Nagano Niigata area. Outside of the Tokyo metro area, this particular pass could be a hit for outdoorsy visitors, including hikers and skiers. However, there were a couple of bureaucratic hiccups […]
Hotel Review: The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai
Disclaimer: In exchange for a hosted stay on the Club Lounge level of The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, I am writing this review. In a recent hotel review, I briefly mentioned an appreciation for the late U.S. architect John Portman. Coincidentally, I can now finally say that I’ve stayed at one of his firm’s works. Located […]