Yeah, I never get upgraded in the US, but have read it’s easier in Europe/other countries. Just wondering if I should be proactive and request one or wait and see.
I’m a Marriott guy but if you really want an upgrade I’ve found asking via email or message through their app can help
Made it to Iceland. Flight wasn’t terrible but no comfortable. Got to our hotel The Edition at 7am and our room was available. 5star service
Got invited to a wedding at Lake Maggiore in Varese, Italy next September. I’m pumped. Never heard of it but am excited. Anyone been there? The lake straddles the border of Italy and Switzerland. Not far from Milan.
Take Hemmingway’s A Fairwell to Arms with you and read it on the plane ride over. Hemmingway was in Stressa during WWI and uses the lake for an escape scene.
just showing up at 5 when it opens and asking for a table is easier than getting a resy and the way to go if you really want to eat there
My food itinerary for Asia is absurd. Cannot wait Spoiler Hong Kong Dec 20: "Secret" Street food tour - https://www.secretfoodtours.com/hong-kong/ Dec 21: "Old Town" food tour - https://hongkongfreetours.com/product?slug=tasting-hong-kong-in-old-town-central Dec 23: Rez at Yardbird for a bar space, one Michelin star Japanese spot, supposed to be great to sit at the bar and watch them work - https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/hong-kong-region/hong-kong/restaurant/yardbird Bar Leone - 2025's #1 bar in the world - https://www.theworlds50best.com/bars/the-list/bar-leone.html Chongqing Dec 25: 12-hour city and food tour with a delightful dude named Hugh: Leshan, Dec 27 Day trip from Chongqing to Leshan, then train to Chengdu that evening. Has a 230' tall giant Buddha carved into a mountain, and supposed to be a street food paradise: http://www.hi-leshan.com/index.php?m=home&c=View&a=index&aid=692 Chengdu Dec 28: Lost Plate food and beer tour: https://lostplate.com/chengdu-evening-food-tour/ Bangkok NYE: meeting two buddies from Seattle and doing this again Jan 1: Nusara, one Michelin star and the #35 restaurant in the world for 2025 - https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/bangkok-region/bangkok/restaurant/nusara-1192382 https://www.nusarabkk.com/tasting-menu Redeye on Wednesday night, land Friday morning. LFG
Finally secured house sitters today so I concentrate on packing. Who knew it would be so hard to get people around the holidays Christmas markets here we come
Anyone have any good recommendations for what neighborhood to stay in Paris? Taking my wife for this first time this Spring. We are late 30's. Definitely would like to be walking distance from good restaurants and bars and will be doing the typical tourist stuff.
Can probably get several opinions here but look at le marais and the Latin quarter. Plenty of good bars and restaurants within walking distance
Hotel relais des halles is where I always stay and recommend. Not crazy expensive but Metro so close you can get anywhere easy and most tourist stuff walkable
We’ve stayed in Trocadero and Pigalle. The metro is elite so as long as you’re near it, you’ll be able to get most places
Those would be my recommendations. Last time we stayed literally across the street from Notre Dame and it was a short walk to either Marais or Latin, and there are a few good places to eat on the Ile too
We stayed at a Holiday Inn near Gare de Lyon which got us everywhere. Hotel was nice from what I remember.
Will also say Pigalle was a great area. Lots of great coffee shops and restaurants and like GFA said if you're near a metro stop, the whole city is easily traversable - nothing is too far away.
At some point we really need to update the OP with all the little suggestions and points made throughout this thread.
I have a good bit of miles, where should I go? I've been to Lisbon twice in the past couple years for about 3 weeks in total and absolutely love it.
This thread is stop #1 for me when I am planning a trip. I search a few terms and see what comes up. The search function is pretty solid, especially when on desktop. But just thinking it might be time to update the OP so there isn't a need to do so much searching.
I never get sick. Don't think I've even had a cold all year Woke up this morning and cannot breathe. Fever. Sick as shit. Redeye to Hong Kong tomorrow at midnight. Fuck me.
Thanks. Just any food recommendations. Going for mother's 80th so not a ton of adventure stuff will be done. Staying at La Fonda.
I went to Nusara a few weeks ago. Enjoyed it. The first few bites were exciting. They take you into the kitchen for two. Then upstairs for some caviar and optional champagne while viewing the temples. And one more bite before finally taking you downstairs to begin the seated portion of your meal. My favorite meal in Bangkok was at Cóte. Two star spot. I had the limited forest menu. Unmatched. Top meal of my life. View attachment upload_2025-12-17_9-31-45.jpeg
Also went to this nearby cocktail bar. BKK Social Club. Within the four seasons. Recently named a top 50 bar in the world. https://maps.app.goo.gl/e7Mhz7ut1Atdh9ME9?g_st=ipc
Iceland was the best View attachment upload_2025-12-17_19-37-30.jpeg View attachment upload_2025-12-17_19-37-30.jpeg View attachment upload_2025-12-17_19-37-30.jpeg
Just booked this for 4 nights in late February. Obviously been googling a million things but if you have any food or other recommendations near by I'd love them.
Wife wants to do an early spring beach vacation. Something like our prior Aruba trip. I don’t love resorts. I like a beach vacation in a place where I can still do worthwhile stuff away from the beach. with that said, I did enjoy our Aruba trip. any recs for us? we’ve never been to Hawaii but that seems like a longer trip for another time. This would be like 4 or 5 days.
I've never been disappointed by west Maui but its less than a five hour flight from SJC for us My feet are sore from strolling Christmas markets in Freiburg Day drinking with my kids is a new thing
I flew emirates business class on the A380 a few weeks ago. Was super pumped because my experience in first class on the A380 in 2022 was unparalleled. Well it was a disappointment. Somehow the aircraft I was on had still not been updated. The one I flew in March 2022 was updated. Going on four years hard product rollout? The biz class seats were dated and felt dirty. The onboard lounge was missing the large booth. Food was average. Oh well. It was cheap and one of the shortest A380 flights in existence (BKK to HKG). It also didn’t help that I was comparing it to my other flights on that trip. Starlux which was top notch outside of lounge experience in SEA. And the new Aria suite on Cathay Pacific. The Pier Business Class lounge is the GOAT.
Going to give you the non-obvious stuff and that is very close to your hotel otherwise this will get REALLY unwieldy. POULETTE - good dinner spot for classic french Pied de Cochon - old school brasserie. classic french fare. Robert et Louise - probably the closest you can get to eating at a 19th century steakhouse, open hearth, etc. great time and reasonably priced. Boulangerie Bo+Mi - small chain but probably the best coffee shop/bakery right by the hotel Los Brothers - Kebab shop very close to room. If you drink and wander like we do a "before we go back to the room" snack is needed, either this or a random cookie butter crepe. Glace Bachir - fantastic Turkish ice cream, will get very busy Passage du Grand Cerf - I believe the oldest indoor shopping space in France, fun to walk through Breizh Cafe - local chain but the most consistent crepes, scattered all over the city. especially good for savory. The French Bastards- the best pastry shop imo. Pierre Herme is another local chain that is legendary and is a little fancier, also incredible, famous for unique macaron flavors. E. Dillehirn - niche store for kitchen ware, famous because Julia Child used to buy all her shit here, fun to go in if you cook. Slightly further from hotel but near tourist spots. Berthillon- extremely famous old ice cream shop, I was skeptical but the wild strawberry sorbet was absurd. L'avant Comptoir de la Mer - wine bar by a famous chef that focuses on seafood, like 2 tables. for how I like to eat it's the best place in town and one I always recommend. just show up early and the menu is on the ceiling in pictures. they have a couple other wine bar spots focused on earth, pig, etc including the main restaurant that just does classic french.
La Petite France is really cute and charming but holy fuck is it crowded in a Saturday afternoon before Christmas. Looking forward to walking it tomorrow morning when everyone is in church
Going to Tuscany for a wedding in may. Going to spend a few nights in bologna afterwards. Any recommendations? Hotels, restaurants, must do, etc missing bologna/inter match by 2 days :(
For Bologna, Ducati factory, Margherita Gardens, take the little “train” from the center to the Santuario Madonna. Eats: https://www.instagram.com/explore/l...07/gil-bert-bologna?igsh=MXRweTY3dmpvc2k5bg== https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/239069148/osteria-dellorsa?igsh=eDR0Z3JucHVubW03 Stay: we stayed here. https://www.booking.com/Share-amDiq7
Really liked this hotel/apartment: https://www.booking.com/Share-gLF7fOT Gelato: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EnjmBcc5tXKvbyUB7?g_st=ipc Cool window/door thing that looks out to a canal (after it’s rained: https://maps.app.goo.gl/UFXjQCjHJ9HrQo6s5?g_st=ipc
Do you and your wife dive? If so, check out Belize online and see if you like it. One of my professors (now deceased) retired, then her husband threw in with their son and his wife to start this dive resort in the late 90’s. https://www.hamanasi.com/belize-diving/?utm_campaign=***Search: Belize - US - GAds - JF&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Resort: Best&utm_term=best resort in belize&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=9875715563&gbraid=0AAAAAD_g3tMSNB71m6FzabK1OmfaHIR5z
I second Belize, or Ambergris Caye & San Pedro specifically… we’re headed back for the 5th time next week. Plenty of activities/options if you love the water. Area has a ton of amazing local, non-touristy restaurants... rent golf cart & travel the island, hit up secret beach, day at Caye Caulker bars/beach. 2nd largest barrier reef so snorkeling & diving are amazing just off shore & Great Blue Hole is hugely popular for scuba Highly recommend Victoria House Resort, but plenty of options https://www.victoria-house.com