Trip Reports

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Review: Skyteam Lounge Sydney Airport

by Gary Leff on July 4, 2015

Jul 04 2015

Right beside the American Express lounge is the Skyteam lounge, and as a Delta business class passenger I had access. So that became my second stop on the day’s lounge tour of the Sydney airport before my flight back to Los Angeles. Hence I have the opportunity to offer this Skyteam Lounge Sydney review.

The lounge features internet, showers and power at each seat. The lounge is about 8000 square feet and advertised to support either 140 or 150 passengers.

There’s ample seating and tarmac views to be sure, though I found the ceilings a bit low and the overall feel of the lounge to be less uplifting than the windows and bright furnishings would have you expect.

How Well Do Starwood’s New Keyless Rooms Work? Review of the W Times Square

by Gary Leff on July 2, 2015

Jul 02 2015

I needed to be in New York on Monday for meetings, so I flew up Sunday night. I spent less than 20 hours in the city.

My plan was a hotel near my first meeting of the day. And the W Times Square was both reasonably close and priced ~ $180 on a ‘AAA Hot Deal’. I hadn’t ever stayed there, so figured I’d give it a go.

I used Starwood’s app and was happy to see the hotel come up as ready for their new ‘keyless’ option — you check-in with your phone, your phone acts as a room key, and you can bypass the front desk entirely. At about 10pm, wanting to get sleep before morning meetings, that appealed to me.

Leaving from New York JFK or Have a 3 Hour Layover There? Do This.

by Gary Leff on June 30, 2015

Jun 30 2015

Good Sri Lankan food is always a great option. Spicy Lanka is just 5 miles from New York’s JFK airport.

I was in New York for about 20 hours, flying into LaGuardia and out of JFK. I was on a 5:30pm flight out yesterday. The lunch event I attended in Manhattan yesterday was more useful for talking with folks and I decided not to eat anything, I got out of there around 2:30pm, so I decided to stop here on the way to the airport. Good call.

Review: American Express Lounge Sydney Airport

by Gary Leff on June 29, 2015

After checking in with Delta and obtaining my boarding pass, I decided to lounge hop since I had access to at least three different lounges in the international terminal.. My first stop would be the American Express lounge.

My Biggest Travel Mistake and Most Embarrassing Moment, Plus a Review of the Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel

by Gary Leff on June 28, 2015

Jun 28 2015

I’ve always said if you’ve never missed a flight you spend too much time in airports. Usually the cost to miss a flight is relatively low but if you’re showing up early, each and every trip, you need to add up all that time… it’s a lot.

There are times when the cost of missing a flight can be much greater — like when you’re trying to fly from Australia to the U.S. and there just aren’t a lot of flights. And when you’re doing it on an award ticket in business class. You really do want to show up on time.

Review: Park Hyatt Sydney Opera Deluxe Room

by Gary Leff on June 27, 2015

Jun 27 2015

I stayed at the Park Hyatt Sydney back over Thanksgiving, having reserved the hotel before it went up to category 7. I had a decidedly mixed stay, largely colored by an insistence that if I wanted an Opera View room upgrade (not even an Opera Deluxe, let alone a suite) I would have to pay a $100 per night upcharge as a Gold Passport Diamond member.

That was all sorted at the end of the stay, and I was happy to return and give the hotel another shot. I was in Sydney for my cousin’s wedding, and the location of the hotel is actually perfect for me since it’s right by the ferries that take me out to the suburbs where they live.

Review: Virgin Australia Cairns Lounge and Business Class, Cairns – Sydney

by Gary Leff on June 16, 2015

Jun 16 2015

I love North Queensland, Australia but after just 3 nights I had to leave. That meant a stop at the Virgin Australia lounge in the Cairns airport and a business class flight (thanks to my Delta miles) Cairns – Sydney.

An Upgrade Meant for Someone Else.. Gets Me the Biggest Room I’ve Ever Seen at the Westin Stonebriar

by Gary Leff on June 7, 2015

Jun 07 2015

I needed to be in Dallas over the weekend, and more specifically I happened to need to be in Plano and I flipped a coin between the Hyatt House Plan and the Westin Stonebriar — which is to say I actually picked the Westin because it was cheaper.

Throughout the stay they seemed to think I was someone else. And that, apparently, got me an upgrade to the largest room I’ve ever seen.

Review: Virgin Australia Brisbane Lounge and Business Class, Brisbane – Cairns

by Gary Leff on June 6, 2015

Jun 06 2015

After arriving in Brisbane from Los Angeles, transferring to a domestic flight means proceeding through immigration, picking up baggage and walking it through customs, and then rechecking bags. It also means taking a bus to transfer to the domestic terminal and re-clearing security.

I had the chance to visit Virgin Australia’s domestic lounge in Brisbane, and take a short 862 mile flight from Brisbane to Cairns in business class. All in all, for what it is, I was impressed.

Sneak Preview: Inside the American Express Centurion Lounge Miami

by Gary Leff on June 3, 2015

Jun 03 2015

I had an opportunity to see American Express Centurion lounge Miami last night and try the food since I was invited to the pre-opening party there.

The food was outstanding, especially the beef short rib and the fried chicken. There’s a spa, a kids room, and shower room. And gorgeous floor to ceiling windows spanning much of the lounge that overlook airport operations.

For sheer contrast with the rest of the Miami airport, this lounge is an amazing respite and a real win now that it’s opened.

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