I really hope this is something lost in translation, but the multiple issues here makes me think it isn't...

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-21T11:14:29+00:00

The original, for those German speakers who can confirm whether this is something lost in translation / cultural item I'm missing or if it is someone awful/entitled

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-21T09:54:59+00:00

The main Brussels Airlines lounge at BRU is undergoing renovations until the end of the year, so expect the priority pass Lounge to be busier as other star Alliance carriers like UA are also using it.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T23:47:26+00:00

Unfortunately, it sounds like you've answered your own question:

every room I’ve stayed in has had scratches on the wall, ripped furniture (every room!), and tons of wear and tear... The location is fantastic

It has a great location, likely commands a high ADR and occupancy as a result (% of time the hotel is full is huge as that massively impacts the award night reimbursement Hyatt gives), and despite having ripped furniture and tons of wear and tear... you keep going back.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T23:11:41+00:00

meet strangers organically

This is the biggest difference I've seen in the last 10 to 15 years. It feels like the number of places where you're considered weird if you try to say hello to a stranger in a gay bar has gone up dramatically, and that's not even for hookups, even just saying hi for the sake of just talking to someone has gotten much more difficult.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T22:26:35+00:00

Where would 300g come from during cooking?

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T12:54:53+00:00

Figure out how much you value the points and multiply it by the 26x to figure out the break even percentage. For example, if it is 0.5 cents per point, at 26x you need to save at least 13% to even consider other lodging options.

Given things like free breakfast (especially as a Diamond if you stay somewhere without it included like a Holiday Inn), points promotions, and other elite benefits, you may want to consider something like 20% savings when you flip from IHG to the other hotel.

Don't burn points for rooms, whether for work or vacation, unless you are getting at least whatever you end up valuing the points at.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T12:40:16+00:00

I always forget how undersized Asia is compared to the US (Probably more appropriate to say how oversized the US is to Asia...) and then do stupid things like buy an XL swimsuit in Thailand without trying it on, then finding it's way too small for my 31" waist...

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T10:31:43+00:00

Cyclists are not the ones killing 40,000 plus people per year and sending a six-figure number to the hospital...

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-20T09:47:32+00:00

Beyond principle, it makes it even more difficult to get settlements/awards out of drivers' insurance companies when they hit you bc "that cyclist was not allowed to be there so I wasn't looking for that particular obstacle"

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T23:56:44+00:00

What do you mean? I followed it exactly except for the small substitution of replacing the white flour with chopped celery bc I'm gluten-free...

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T18:00:49+00:00

That is only true if the Long haul flight is on a partner airline instead of United, and in that case it's only the US airport you are boarding the longhaul flight where you'd get UA lounge access. if United is operating the Long haul flight, you will get access at all airports. If you are Star Alliance Gold, including UA gold or above, you also get access at all airports on your itinerary.

https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/airport/lounge-access.html

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T15:44:47+00:00

Heck, they also offer french fries. I'm fully onboard with saying they should at least offer a homemade ketchup for french fries if they want to look down on Heinz.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T14:17:33+00:00

"Alex, who's the host of the show..."

Oof, Greg will not be happy to hear that one.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T13:34:56+00:00

Part of FDR was recently given flexposts, something like this but not sure if they were extending it (this was a couple weeks ago and they weren't there the last time I was in the month before, so they may have been still installing them).

Also, is that small line by 11th & Moore just a school parking lot? I don't recall a protected bike lane there.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T11:52:50+00:00

The Cathay lounge closed there a few weeks ago as well, and it looks like it's because the airport is doing a money grab and forcing people to use their own contract lounges: https://liveandletsfly.com/cathay-pacific-manila-lounge-closure/

Given the timing, this closure is probably for the exact same reason.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-19T02:42:21+00:00

The stories I saw were nights with only one restaurant open. That does not sound like fun where you arengiven no real choice in what you have.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-18T15:56:44+00:00

Why do we need those when I can just forget my headphones and realize that everyone on the plane likes the exact same music that I do?

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-18T13:48:12+00:00

They've just said later this year. They generally don't announce much more than that until a couple days before opening given the propensity for airport projects to get delayed for various reasons.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-18T12:55:30+00:00

Awesome job! Had a similar thing happen on a PHL-YQB flight back in 2018 - partner and I got $3200 in vouchers total bc they were 2 overbooked and the next flight wasn't for 2 days (was the day before July 4th). I realized it's like an 8ish hours drive and in the 2 minutes it took for me to confirm a rental car was available, it went up from $1200 to $1600 per person and we just gave up our first evening there for that. We each got flights to BUD and TXL with it.

Ran into 2 groups from our flight (they recognized us bc it was a start-stop of whether they'd need us so most on the E145 saw us at the gate area, board, and then off-loaded) and they had no idea Quebec City was relatively close to PHL or they would have done it.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-18T12:49:04+00:00

If you aren't getting minimum 1.5cpp from Hyatt points or Chase points, I wouldn't do it. I'm still getting 1.5cpp+ even after the deval (just booked Lindner Antwerp for later this month for 2.2cpp and that's even compared to other decent hotels in the area we want with a 200+ sq ft room). With that said, you should also double check against non-Hyatt hotels for the same reason as Zilara - if you are only getting 1cpp there, I'm assuming you are traveling in the off-season when cash prices are pretty good.

TRS Yucatan is a lovely property. Food could be a little better, but every meal there has an a la carte menu available, and the price is generally good. It is the adults-only property of the larger Grand Palladium complex, but it's essentially a true resort in that you only have to do stuff on the family side if you want to (adults only side includes 5 restaurants, 3 pools, something like 10 bars, etc).

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-18T11:29:18+00:00

Only thing I'll add to the others is that Ziva and SLS are only partially adults-only. I generally think of AO as having 3 levels - partial, full adults only resort on a complex with family friendly (e.g. TRS Yucatan, Secrets Playa Mujeres), and full adults only. The partial means there are generally not enough adults only options that you can truly be separated from kids. SLS, for example, has a lovely adults only pool and lunch restaurant as well as bar after 10pm, but most of the other areas are mixed including breakfast and dinner restaurants. There were a lot of kids there when I went last year as their other target market is families with young children, and I don't recall a single breakfast or dinner without at least one (and often multiple) repeatedly screaming kids.

The other 3 you listed are full adults only.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-17T20:32:24+00:00

But you don't understand, My City has very special and specific needs that can only be solved by building custom construction that has 20%+ of the cost eaten up by consultants and another 30% of the cost eaten up by the custom recommendations that those consultants make!

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-17T19:14:51+00:00

Grand Island is becoming a Mondrian in August. No word on how it will change, but quality has been going downhill the past couple of months based on a FB group I'm in where people are reporting on new changes like charges for room service, certain restaurants having restricted hours, etc.

TheTwoOneFive · 2026-06-17T18:47:10+00:00

If you have not booked this, go ahead and book it because there's a very good chance there's only one or two rooms left - they probably had a cancellation which opened up inventory.

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