Visiting Australia
General Tips: Australia is a very expensive country. Be prepared to pay more for just about everything. Tipping – most Australians don’t tip. I felt very awkward about this, given that everyone expects a tip in the US, and I…
General Tips: Australia is a very expensive country. Be prepared to pay more for just about everything. Tipping – most Australians don’t tip. I felt very awkward about this, given that everyone expects a tip in the US, and I…
I went to Hawaii in February, the height of whale watching season, to spend 4 days whale watching. Each day we spent about 3-4 hours whale watching and each day we saw more and more spectacular whale sightings. Whale watching…
Did you know that Starwood has a program called Nights and Flights? With Nights and Flights, you can redeem Starwood points for 5 free nights and 50,000 frequent flyer miles. Redeem 60,000 points for category 3 hotel and you get 5 nights…
The most amazing meal I’ve had at the Phoenician Scottsdale came at celebrity Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s J&G Steakhouse (for those of your die-hard Starwood fans – you’ll recognize Chef Jean-Georges name from his collaboration with the Le Meridien hotels.) J&G sits…
The Phoenician Scottsdale Center for Well Being is located at the luxurious Phoenician Scottsdale hotel. I splurged on several treatments including a Thai Foot Massage and a neck, shoulder and back massage – the therapist, was great; a facial – not the…
The Phoenician Scottsdale is part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection of hotels. The Phoenician is tucked into the Sonoran Desert near the iconic Camelback Mountain. From the moment you arrive at the Phoenician, you’re greeted by exceptionally trained and hospitable staff….
Since I spent a lot of time in Asia over the past few years, I flew AirAsia many times to/from a variety of locations. I am a member of AirAsia’s frequent flyer program, BIG Points, and while it’s not the…
I don’t write a ton of flight reviews generally because there are just so many out there. I’ll write about a unique experience or when something really stands out on a flight. This was my first international business flight on…
If you’ve flown in premium economy, business class or first class on an international flight you probably remember getting an amenity kit that contained some socks, eye shade, ear plugs and a few other goodies. I love amenity kits,…
This year I spent New Year’s Eve in Peru. Peruvians take their traditions very seriously and New Year’s is no different. Here’s what I learned about the Peruvian traditions: 1. Wear Yellow Underpants Yellow means good luck in Peru and the best…
Updated April 21 2015 A few years ago I was introduced to The Founders Card. Self-described as “exclusive benefits and networking for entrepreneurial minds,” the card offers a variety of benefits and discounts to members – including paid and free…
by Rachel Brean Most make new year’s resolutions to be more organized, to read more, to get more sleep, etc. and this year my resolutions are around how I can plan keep in line with these things on the road….
by VGP contributor Rachel Brean JetBlue is one of the many airlines this holiday season that are investing in their social media presence through warm-hearted holiday campaigns. This week they launched a touching video that takes place in Washington Heights,…
In February of 2012, Intercontinental Hotel Group, IHG, announced a new brand called Even. According to its website, EVEN™ Hotels is the first hotel brand designed for business and leisure travellers who maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and are looking…
by Rachel I arrived at the Hilton Imperial in Dubrovnik, Croatia for a four night stay in late September. I read rave reviews online about the property being in a prime location, clean, and beautiful and they did not disappoint….
I visited Nashville last week for a conference and wanted to find a hotel within an easy drive of the Gaylord Opryland, where the conference was held, and would count towards my 2015 Starwood Preferred Guest qualification. With the Sheraton…