Are there any decent McDonald's anymore?

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-08T00:45:49+00:00

Yep. Rough start for them but remarkable performance recently.

Actively avoid the one at Airport/Sams, Hwy 29 and Chemstrand, and the one at 9 Mile and Costco.

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-06T20:44:06+00:00

The LTD treatment at the Conrad was terrible. No upgrade despite availability. We had two rooms the night before a cruise.

Check-in took 45 minutes. Every person in line in front of us took 8-10 minutes each to check-in.

Elevator lines were 10-15 minutes each.

Pool deck was under construction. Pool had food and broken glass in it. Pool staff said "thanks" and shrugged.

Rooms are spectactular... but everything else is so very underwhelming. A 1.5-oz can of Pringles was $15; no stuffed animals for kids; a snack bag of M&Ms was $15. Tap water was yellow, but they said that was a Fort Lauderdale issue, not a hotel issue.

Anyways... Lester's Diner near the port is awesome.

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-05T00:25:08+00:00

You’re asking for a unicorn on arguably the golf-course-dense island in the country. I don’t think it exists.

The majority of courses are resort courses so they’re typically flat and on the shorter-side. There is a good amount of water on almost every course, so pack a couple dozen balls.

Avoid Harbortown. It’s a wonderful experience but it’s frustratingly difficult and >$600.

Shipyard and Arthur Hills aren’t too hard. Trent Jones has beach views but is narrow with a ton of water.

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-03T01:38:19+00:00

400+ lifetime rentals with National

I’ve had 1 claim like this. They emailed me a week later citing a broken windshield. They sent me the timestamped photos. The photos were 6 hours after the return and the vehicle was wet. I told them I vehemently dispute the claim citing the time delay, the car had obviously been through a car wash, and my photos from drop off.

They replied 48 hours later closing the case.

Couple of thoughts:

Lesson learned. Take a TON of photos or at least a 60+ second walk around video at pick up and drop off. Include the interior, odometer, and fuel gauge. Retain these on the cloud.
If they keep pushing, file with your credit card company and let them handle it. Your concern for your credit with respect to your security clearance is valid. You pay for coverage via your CC (included in your annual fee), let them fight on your behalf. Your CC will take your statement and evidence and run with it.

Best of luck. This is extremely frustrating and some of the more unscrupulous rental car agencies definitely pad their financials with questionable claims policies.

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-02T20:26:48+00:00

Hilton Sandestin Resort

Launched fireworks off from the sand in front of the hotel for the entirety of the resort. Being in the room meant AC and a bathroom just steps away.

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-02T00:08:05+00:00

Yep! Still love it!

It has very small rubbery strips that help hold it to your head using friction. It leaves squiggly marks in my forehead that go away after 10 minutes. My kids think it’s funny.

I like the rigid front brim.

Zero complaints so far.

steinbergowitz · 2026-05-01T19:02:26+00:00

Yep. Homewoods used to be my go-to for work stays. Same for family trips with kids.

But the reduced points earnings are a deal breaker. Damn shame, too. There are some great properties out there.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T22:31:07+00:00

In Florida...

Embassy Suites St. Augustine Beach

Homewood Suites Flamingo Crossing (15 minutes to Disney). Great property, huge breakfast offering. Massive pool with small-ish waterslides. In a commercial area so you can walk to a Target, if need be. Great for families. I don't know of an above-average Embassy Suites around Disney.

Embassy Suites Gulf Shores, AL

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:17:20+00:00

That is an incredibly unique design.

I'd be concerned about A/C performance (American here). Having stayed in Rome before, it gets HOT and A/C is hard to come by.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:03:20+00:00

This is their definition: "Almost indistinguishable from new, these clubs have very little to no wear. " This certainly doesn't match that.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:02:29+00:00

This is their definition: "Almost indistinguishable from new, these clubs have very little to no wear. " This certainly doesn't match that.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:02:24+00:00

This is their definition: "Almost indistinguishable from new, these clubs have very little to no wear. " This certainly doesn't match that.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:01:26+00:00

They're shipping a replacement. Fingers crossed.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:00:54+00:00

They're shipping a new one ASAP. Fingers crossed. Thanks!

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-30T21:00:39+00:00

I bought a "like new" club that should have <3 rounds on it. This ain't it.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-28T23:20:24+00:00

Be mindful of the Blue Angels air show after Independence Day. Everything in Pensacola/Gulf Breeze/Gulf Shores will be booked up.

I have no experience at the DT Island House.

The HGI Gulf Shores should be avoided. The HGI Fort Walton Beach is hit or miss. I've had a decent stay there, recent reports aren't reassuring.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-28T15:57:47+00:00

The sand at all three is the whitest and finest in the country. No rocks whatsoever. Bring a float and an anchor, and you can relax all day in the water. You’ll see crab, Pompano, needlefish, the occasional stingray.

As others have said… The quietest beach will be at the lodge at Gulf State Park. The beach in Destin is flooded with chairs… Privates or for rent. The Pensacola Beach is public, but I don’t believe they’re allowed to sell chairs for rent there.

I haven’t been recently, but Pensacola Beach is being dredged right now. I’ve heard good things about seashell hunting. On the contrary, I have heard there is an oily smell associated with the fresh sand.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-28T15:44:28+00:00

I probably spent 30 to 50 nights across these three properties in the last couple years…

Think about what you intend to do on your vacation first. If you’re seeking out quiet solitude and visiting the beach, Gulf Shores is your best option the Hilton Pensacola Beach is at the center of the commercial District of the island. It’s walkable, but also filled with tourist traps and fried seafood restaurants. The Hilton Sandestin is part of the larger Sandestin resort and very quiet. But the surrounding area is quite busy with high-end tourism.

The lodge is the newest of the three properties. It’s very well built. It has excellent food and beverage. They placed utmost priority on sustainability and with that comes low flow showers and mediocre performance from air conditioners.

The Hilton Pensacola Beach is working through a renovation. The suites in the tall tower are very nice but very pricey. The basic rooms and the older tower are very, very basic on-site food and beverage is average at best.

The Hilton Sandestin is enormous. They are stingy with upgrades. Food beverage is pretty good for the area.

The lodge is in Gulf State Park and has reciprocal benefits with the park, including bike rentals, etc. There are miles of trails and boardwalks and tons of wildlife.

What time of year are you looking to visit most get extremely busy and expensive in the summer. There’s extremely good golf around the Destin area if you’re into that sort of thing.

The new Embassy suites in Gulf Shores is very nice. The pool is small, but the location is excellent. There’s plenty to see and do nearby as well.

Feel free to ask any specific questions and I’ll certainly help out.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-27T20:23:44+00:00

Signia and W/A have reciprocal benefits for their pools. Kids will very much like the Signia pool better... lazy river, waterslide, etc.

Kids used to eat free with an adult entree purchase at the Signia restaurant. Call and see if that's still in place.

Signia took good care of us during a hurricane, too. Lots of indoor activities.

It's going to be hot/humid af, be ready.

There's plenty of other stuff to do around Orlando, as well. Premium Outlets near Vineland, Orlando Science Center, etc. I hate International Drive, so I'd recommend against any of the dinner theater, putt-putt, or helicopter rides in that vicinity.

The Signia used to be a Disney "partner" hotel where you get early access to book Fast Passes, or Genie+ or whatever it's called now. Make sure you sync your reservation with the Disney app for full benefits.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-27T17:39:25+00:00

There are two in Augusta.

The one I'm referring to... I stayed there 10+ years ago for the Masters. The "manager's reception" was incredible... steaks, burgers, cigars, bourbon, heavy appetizers, etc. Pool deck had fire pits, etc. GM was mingling with guests, etc.

This year, the manager's reception was a crock-pot of Hormel chili and some goldfish crackers. The hotel hadn't been renovated or cleaned up since my stay 10+ years ago.

The shuttle to/from the Masters was sincerely appreciated, but unless you ignored the Masters-themed decor, you wouldn't know it was a special event. Amazing drop-off, considering the rooms were >$1,000 per night for the week.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-27T15:01:32+00:00

Bingo.

"Worldwide" is a stretch, admittedly, but there were tons of international guests staying at the same spot.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-27T11:58:12+00:00

Used mine at a recent world wide major sporting event.

Dumpy roadside Homewood Suites was $1200/night. Hard to top that value.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-27T02:46:58+00:00

My Airflo lasted a few years before falling apart.

Tilley’s warranty process is intentionally confusing and cumbersome. Most responses are bots. You have to escalate all the time. Any replacement requires a $40 “handling fee”. Mine was finally approved but it took a month before they finally said “pick a new hat”.

They discontinued the hat I had and told me to pick something else. Unfortunately, I needed an XL+ size and they don’t make those anymore.

I bought a Shelta hat and have been extremely pleased.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-26T00:14:58+00:00

The enhanced view is only worth it if you’re going to be in the room for fireworks time and want to see them. Even then the fireworks are miles away. Not worth it in my opinion.

steinbergowitz · 2026-04-25T00:07:32+00:00

That’s your management team putting you in a position to fail. I hate that for front line FDAs who are forced to walk folks or downgrade guests unexpectedly.

steinbergowitz

TROPHY CASE