For many years, Asian chains, Accor and InterContinental ruled the luxury hotel scene in Manila. But more recently the large US chains have “uncovered” the capital of one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and opened up hotels. The latest to the party is Hilton Worldwide with their upscale Conrad brand opening near Manila Bay. […]
AirAsia announced that they have received FAA approval to start flights to the United States. That makes them the second Asian low-cost carrier, after Cebu Pacific, based in Manila, Philippines, to get approval to fly. Low-cost carriers like Wow and Norwegian Air have brought increased competition and low fares to North-Atlantic routes – can these
I travel frequently to Bangkok, the City of Angels, and one of the best area to stay in Bangkok is around Asoke. That put the Park Plaza Sukhumvit, part of Carlon’s budget brand Park Plaza, on the top of my list for places to stay and I’m glad I did. A great location, nice rooms
My passion for points & miles has resulted in a lot of great-value hotel stays with the big chains, but that hasn’t stopped my love for stylish, boutique hotels. One of the first boutique hotels in Bangkok, the City of Angels, is the Dream Hotel in the Sukhumvit area. I stayed there years ago and
After living in San Francisco for almost twenty years, I now frequently visit the city I love. And when I stay at a hotel, the InterContinental San Francisco is my favorite place to stay – it’s modern room and great location, as well as the wonderful ISpa are the main reasons to come back over and
I have lived in San Francisco for almost 20 years and know the hotels in the city pretty well. When I saw a new Hampton Inn opening in downtown, I was eager to try it out and was not disappointed. It offers modern rooms with good service in a great location and is worth considering
Low cost carriers have been giving passengers what they want – low prices. And the legacy carriers have struggled to respond. The Big 3 US carriers have now all decided to offer a Basic Economy fare with even less features and amenities than before to compete with budget carriers on price. American Airlines is the
If you are looking for a hotel in Manila’s Ortigas business district or near the massive SM MegaMall, the Mercure Ortigas is one of the newest hotels in the area and the third to open for the Accor Group of hotels. I stayed to re-gain my platinum status in the LeClub rewards program and was
As part of my “Battle of the Budget Hotels”, I picked the Comfort Inn San Francisco Airport North for a short stay near the San Francisco airport. It’s an older style motel, but in good shape and good value in one of the most expensive areas of the country. Read my review to find out
We loved the sea plane transfer on our visit to the Conrad Rangali Maledives – the non-stop service created an end-to-end luxury experience that’s hard to match. The Philippines has many islands and beaches even more beautiful than the Maledives and there is a growing number of upscale resorts, but so far the commercial flights
If you are planning a getaway to the Northern California wine country, finding a reasonably priced hotel has become difficult. Even budget hotels frequently run over $200/night and the sky is the limit for luxury hotels. So, I was surprised to find the Comfort Inn Calistoga for $154/night mid-week and was looking forward to my
If you want to treat a loved one to a little luxury in Manila, visiting the Peninsula Hotel for afternoon tea is a great choice. You’ll spend time in one of the most opulent hotel lobbies in the city, experience great service and have a choice of wonderful food and of course tea for a