Hotel Reviews

Real stays, real numbers, and real tradeoffs across hotels, points bookings, upgrades, and paid rates.

Hotel Reviews

Oct 28, 2026

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4 min read

Avani Palazzo Moscova Milan Review

A 4:30 a.m. arrival after a canceled flight, an unexpected mezzanine room upgrade, and a $100 Amex credit.

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New York City

Wingate by Wyndham New York Midtown South: Review

Oct 14, 2026

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5 min read

Wingate by Wyndham New York Midtown South: Review

A $591 Manhattan hotel room for 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points. Our stay illustrates when buying points can beat paying cash.

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Amex Platinum

Oct 12, 2026

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7 min read

The Bellevue Hotel Philadelphia Review

A grand Philadelphia hotel, an enormous Sporting Club and $175 in Amex FHR dining benefits with some specific rules.

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New York City

Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel: An 85K Certificate Against a $1264 Room

Oct 9, 2026

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4 min read

Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel: An 85K Certificate Against a $1264 Room

An 85K Marriott Free Night Award plus 5000 points replaced a $1264 Manhattan hotel rate. This time, the hotel was actually pretty good.

ExpatVista

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District: Great Location & Price, Not-Great Hotel

Oct 3, 2026

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4 min read

Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District: Great Location & Price, Not-Great Hotel

30,000 Wyndham points replaced a $378.72 cash rate in an excellent location. The hotel itself was disappointing.

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Hotel Reviews

Sep 28, 2026

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4 min read

Moxy Washington, D.C. Downtown Review

A $165.92 room completed a $150 Amex Offer. What followed involved a few more moving parts.

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Baltimore

Sep 27, 2026

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5 min read

Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Review

A rejected Nightly Upgrade Award, a harbor-view room anyway, and an unexpected All Blacks connection.

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Amex Platinum

Sep 24, 2026

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5 min read

Park Hyatt Washington D.C. Review

Amex FHR benefits changed the economics of a $405.94 Park Hyatt stay.

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IHG

Holiday Inn Express Baltimore at the Stadiums Review: Location Does the Heavy Lifting

Sep 19, 2026

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6 min read

Holiday Inn Express Baltimore at the Stadiums Review: Location Does the Heavy Lifting

For an event at M&T Bank Stadium, this Holiday Inn Express solves the most obvious post-game problem. Our stay also showed us another way to handle it.

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Amex Platinum

Sep 15, 2026

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9 min read

Magma Resort Santorini Review

Our final Santorini stop traded the caldera for a private pool, a quieter setting and a resort we were happy to keep coming back to.

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Netherlands

Element Amsterdam Review: Better Connected Than It Looks

Sep 15, 2026

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6 min read

Element Amsterdam Review: Better Connected Than It Looks

A two-night Marriott Platinum stay in a suite near Amsterdam Zuid, and a location that worked better than I expected

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Amex Platinum

Katikies Garden Santorini Review: A Monastery in the Heart of Fira

Sep 11, 2026

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9 min read

Katikies Garden Santorini Review: A Monastery in the Heart of Fira

One night at Katikies Garden, with Selene downstairs, Fira just outside and more to do than we could fit in.

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Netherlands

citizenM Amsterdam Amstel Review: I Get It Now

Sep 2, 2026

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7 min read

citizenM Amsterdam Amstel Review: I Get It Now

The room was tiny, the location was excellent, and after one night I understood why citizenM’s unusual hotel formula works.

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Amex Platinum

The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore Review

Sep 1, 2026

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8 min read

The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore Review

One night, a room upgrade, dinner and breakfast at 15 Stamford, and a very useful set of Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits before an early flight to Fiji.

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Fiji

Aug 24, 2026

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7 min read

Review: Wyndham Resort Denarau Island, Fiji

Why this is the resort my family keeps coming back to

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Santorini

Aug 24, 2026

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10 min read

Vedema Resort Santorini: A Luxury Hotel Built Into a Village

Marriott Platinum, Fine Hotels + Resorts and a Different Side of Santorini

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Timeshare

Wyndham Melbourne: A Very Easy Place to Stay in the CBD

Aug 23, 2026

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6 min read

Wyndham Melbourne: A Very Easy Place to Stay in the CBD

After a week at a Fijian resort, Wyndham Melbourne showed us the other side of timeshare travel.

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IHG

Aug 7, 2026

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3 min read

Holiday Inn Express Poole Review

Included breakfast, helpful staff, and a straightforward two-night stay in Poole.

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Hotel Reviews

Aug 7, 2026

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4 min read

Roomzzz Nottingham City Review

A serviced apartment alternative in central Nottingham.

ExpatVista

IHG

Aug 7, 2026

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5 min read

Holiday Inn Nottingham Review

A Practical Stop Before the England Hockey Talent Academy Cup

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Hyatt

Aug 1, 2026

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6 min read

Beyond the Hyatt

A chance visit to Hyatt Regency London Olympia led to Idalia, historic Pillar Hall and the hidden Pepperbird speakeasy as London’s Olympia district continues its transformation.

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IHG

voco Reading Review: Was the Overnight Worth It?

Jul 26, 2026

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5 min read

voco Reading Review: Was the Overnight Worth It?

I booked a one-night stay before a hockey event. The hotel exceeded expectations, and the rewards turned out to be an unexpected bonus.

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MGM

Jul 11, 2026

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6 min read

ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas Review

A Four-Night MGM Rewards Comp Stay

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Amex Platinum

Jun 24, 2026

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4 min read

THE THIEF Oslo Review

An Oslo luxury hotel chosen for the math, but remembered for the experience.

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IHG

Jun 19, 2026

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5 min read

Crowne Plaza Managua Review

A former InterContinental overlooking Lake Managua, and our base for exploring Managua after Calala Island.

ExpatVista

Hotel Reviews

Avani Palazzo Moscova Milan Review

Wingate by Wyndham New York Midtown South: Review

The Bellevue Hotel Philadelphia Review

Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel: An 85K Certificate Against a $1264 Room

Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District: Great Location & Price, Not-Great Hotel

Moxy Washington, D.C. Downtown Review

Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Review

Park Hyatt Washington D.C. Review

Holiday Inn Express Baltimore at the Stadiums Review: Location Does the Heavy Lifting

Magma Resort Santorini Review

Element Amsterdam Review: Better Connected Than It Looks

Katikies Garden Santorini Review: A Monastery in the Heart of Fira

citizenM Amsterdam Amstel Review: I Get It Now

The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore Review

Review: Wyndham Resort Denarau Island, Fiji

Vedema Resort Santorini: A Luxury Hotel Built Into a Village

Wyndham Melbourne: A Very Easy Place to Stay in the CBD

Holiday Inn Express Poole Review

Roomzzz Nottingham City Review

Holiday Inn Nottingham Review

Beyond the Hyatt

voco Reading Review: Was the Overnight Worth It?

ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas Review

THE THIEF Oslo Review

Crowne Plaza Managua Review

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