The only SPG hotel that is actually at Denver Airport is the Westin. Most ‘airport hotels’ are a fifteen minute drive away. The Aloft is one of those hotels. After an interminable wait at the airport, I arrived at the Aloft dead tired. In spite of my exhaustion, I still took the time to capture the simplicity of my favorite airport hotel brand.
Why I Love Aloft Rooms
Aloft is a spinoff of W Hotels. Like W’s, the Aloft has an amazingly comfortable bed. It also has a powerful A/C and a piping hot shower. Turn down the blinds, turn up the television, turn off your phone, and get ready for a peaceful night.
Aloft Denver by Day
Waking up at noon, it was time to do nothing before my late flight. The first task was caffeine. Though I’m an espresso drinker, I enjoy Aloft coffee. From there, I headed across the street. Near the hotel is a pizza spot, a Thai restaurant, Jimmy Johns and a taco cantina. I went with tacos but probably should’ve had Jimmy Johns delivered to the room.
Leaving
I took a few more pictures to remind myself never to route through Denver from NYC regardless of how much cheaper it is to fly a discount carrier. But i decided to stay an extra night instead of my usual Delta which had obscene rates due to the holiday weekend.
This time, the airport shuttle came on time.
Aloft Denver Airport: The Cure For Exhaustion
Complaint Of The Day: Airport to Hotel Shuttles
This has been a rough trip. Flights on Frontier, long layovers, and the daily grind of NYC have taken their toll. I’m happy to return to Montana to golf. Of course, returning to the most inaccessible place in America meant that I had another layover in Denver. I booked the Aloft Denver Airport and promptly called the hotel at 12:45am. The last shuttle from the airport leaves at 1am so I wanted to be sure I secured a spot. Previously, I complained about shuttles from the hotel to the airport. This time, it was the other way around.
1am came and left as did 1:15 and 1:30. I called the hotel multiple times. They assured me that help was on the way. While I waited for the shuttle, I memorized the names of the car rental companies, parking lots, and other hotels whose shuttle service operated like clockwork. Finally, our shuttle arrived, and I learned that the driver who was supposed to come left early for the night without telling anyone.
Too exhausted to complain, I arrived at the Aloft, turned off my phone, and passed out. I promptly woke up at noon, powered on my phone, and found an email from the hotel manager. He credited my account 3k for the inconvenience, a gesture that turned an annoying experience into a praiseworthy incident.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge LGA: Sad!
The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Review LaGuardia is part of the ongoing series TPOL in NYC.
The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, despite its dignified name is a sad lounge. After closing out the Centurion Lounge LaGuardia, I still had two more hours before my flight to Denver. Thanks to the Priority Pass network, I was granted access to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. To get to the lounge, take a left out of the Centurion Lounge and go down the hospital hallway.
The highlight of the lounge is my favorite every day beer, Molson. The rest of the lounge like LaGuardia was depressing. There were seats here and there, a small bar, and a view of construction. The melancholy of the lounge extended to its employees who did not welcome me to the lounge and coldly told all of us that the lounge was closed. You don’t got to go home, but you got to get the hell out of here.
Seating
Refreshing Technology
Construction Spotting
Drinking
The gloom continued after I went through security and waited in the terminal. Seriously, LaGuardia is a joke of an airport.
Pho Jersey City! Better Than New York City
From Long Island City to Jersey City, I was all over the place on this trip. A new city means a new opportunity to try pho. New York City is by far the worst place in the world for pho. This was my second bowl in the Garden State. I had a bowl in Hoboken which was pretty good minus the name of the restaurant and service.
The name of this place was Saigon Cafe, and is it is located walking distance to the Grove Street Station of the dreaded PATH train.
As usual, I had to start with the summer rolls. Puffy shrimp and fresh ingredients made it quite enjoyable. I did not like that the peanut sauce was served warm.
Now for the main course: The bowl came out, and it was aesthetically pleasing. The meat was the right color pink and the broth was not oily. I sampled the broth and can confidently say that New Jersey is better than New York.*
I added the extras and proceeding to savor each spoonful. Soon thereafter, the bowl was empty.
Though I enjoyed the bowl, I found the restaurant to be expensive. Lunch for two was $40. That’s too expensive for pho and to warrant a return.
*The comparison only relates to pho.
BBQ in Long Island City @JohnBrown’s
With a view of the Manhattan skyline from my hotel, you would think that I would be inspired to head to the city for dinner and drinks. On the contrary, seeing the city from a distance made me appreciate how peaceful it is to be in Long Island City. I did not have to deal with the masses of people on the subway, the garbage, the rats, and the hot sun.
After legal fights in Manhattan, the slow life in Long Island was more my speed. Within a few blocks of the Four Points Long Island City is John Brown BBQ, a chill spot that probably belongs in hipster Brooklyn. Customers come in and order at the counter and head to the back to order craft brews before going to the courtyard to feast.
The BBQ was pretty good but does not compare to the ribs in Barbados. The unfiltered beer was an appropriate beverage following a long week in New York Long Island City.
Four Points Long Island City: Best Place to Stay NYC
The Four Points Long Island City Hotel Review is part of the ongoing series of TPOL in NYC.
Getting there: One of the top reasons to stay at the Four Points Long Island City is because it is close to LaGuardia, despite the inconvenience of Uber at LGA during construction.
Long Island City baby! I’ve lived all over NY and surrounding areas. First, I was in Brooklyn, specifically Greenpoint. That was very boring. Then I was in Hoboken. That’s in New Jersey. Then I moved to Bushwick, specifically Gates & Broadway, an area that was a bit dodgy. After those experiences, I thought enough is enough and decided the best way to work in New York was not to live in New York. Instead, I fly in and fly out as necessary. Searching for the best hotel that’s also the most convenient and most reasonably priced is a challenge each trip. I’ve had success at Four Points in Manhattan, the Hyatt at Herald Square, and the Sheraton Brooklyn. And who can forget when the St. Regis New York was a bargain? This time the cheapest option was in Long Island City, a city in Queens. Although there really was nothing to do in LIC, the location can’t be beat. The hotel is only two stops from Midtown Manhattan and has multiple lines to get you to wherever you want to go in the city without changing lines.
The Room
The room was a standard Four Points room. I only include these redundant photos for readers who specifically click on this post and have not read others.
The View
The difference between this Four Points and the others is the view. Instead of a view of a brick wall, the Four Points LIC has rooms with a view of the Manhattan skyline.
Flyertalk Readers Don’t Get My Humor
Flyertalk readers don’t get my humor. And, judging by the comments I receive on other posts, many others do not either. Those of you who are down with TPOL know that I write with a degree of cynicism and sarcasm. It takes the right type of individual to appreciate my humor and, dare I say, intellect. Yearly, I put out my Festivus Airing of Blog Grievances (see 2015, 2016) which is an opportunity for me to strike back at those that have wronged me throughout the year. Like Christmas in July, Festivus 2017 has come a bit early. Given the uproar in this Flyertalk thread, I have to reply to the silly comments in response to my Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome post and my Olive Garden post. Mind you, I’m not responding because I care what people think. I am responding because it is funny how people take things literally. Let’s begin: lwildernorva writes: Is this guy for real? Yes, there are rich people who really do pay 29 euro for drinks. And no, most who stay in the Park Hyatt Vendome don’t search the streets of Paris for the nearest McDonald’s so they can bring food back to their rooms: http://thepointsoflife.boardingarea….sine-birthday/. And you rarely see the rich gushing over eating Olive Garden in Manhattan: http://thepointsoflife.boardingarea….-italian-food/. I know it’s a complete (and I mean, a complete) waste of my time to read this mess, but it’s the train wreck I seem to want to watch right now. TPOL’s response:
- You’re defending paying 29 euros for a drink? You don’t stay rich being dumb. (reference MC Hammer)
- McDonald’s: Searching the streets? I’m looking for late night food and McDonald’s was open. I don’t even like McDonald’s (BK is better), but how did you miss the humor of staying at a 5-star hotel and eating McDonald’s in the room?
- Olive Garden: Now I know you don’t get my comedy. The whole post was 100% satirical.
- Complete waste of your time? Thank you for reading. I appreciate the clicks.
Speaking of McDonald’s, be sure to read my Ugly Hungry American post where I ate 4 Big Macs in Prague in a matter of minutes.
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome: Finally A TPOL Review
The Park Hyatt Paris Vendome Hotel Review is part of the Round The Atlantic Trip Report.
Getting There: Take Uber to avoid the price gouging taxis. From ORY airport, follow the sign to Parking Pro.
You ready for another review of the Park Hyatt Paris? Of course you are. The Park Hyatt Paris Vendome is a great hotel that will make you feel happy when you check in but leave you depressed when you check out. The depression comes from the reality of knowing that you won’t be able to return to the hotel for a lengthy vacation because the price is beyond your budget, and the points are a bit steep at 30k a night.
Checking In
Our room was not ready so we were asked if we wanted to have a drink while we waited. We were seated and presented with a menu of cocktails. The price was no less than 20 euros. Poor people pretending to be rich might rationalize paying for the drink. (See Naples Tour Guide.) Rich people would not pay that much for a drink. And TPOL just asks if the drink is free or if he has to pay. (TPOL being TPOL.) The waitress said we could order whatever. Obviously, we went with the most expensive drink on the menu, the Touched Harmony. (Again, TPOL being TPOL.) It was a champagne something for 29 euros. It was actually awful and I’d be livid if I’d paid anything for it.
After drinking this terrible concoction, we were told that our room was ready.
The Room
The room was not a suite, but who cares? It had huge windows that opened to the courtyard and a big bed to do romantic work.
The Bathroom
Emirates could learn something from the Park Hyatt. The bathroom was accented with gold but wasn’t gaudy like the A380.
Amenities
Good hotels have an espresso machine. Great hotels have one that is 1)plugged in 2) filled with water. The Park Hyatt met both requirements and came with six pods of coffee. (I kept the extras.)
The Creepy Guy
The hotel featured an abundance of this guy:
The Spa
On the ground floor, there is a haven away from the hustle and bustle of life. It has a hot tub that is piping hot, a steam room, and a sauna. It also has all the Evian water you could drink. Many times I neglect to use the facilities of the hotel because I’m running around doing too much. If you go to the Park Hyatt, make time for the spa.
The Breakfast
It’s overrated. (see full review here.) If you are a Diamondalist then opt for room service.
McDonald’s
Nothing says classy Park Hyatt than late night McDonald’s, especially on your birthday. Unfortunately, they don’t deliver.
Overall
I am sorry that you had to read another review of the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, but there’s a reason the hotel has great reviews, and there’s a reason that many people burn their points or Chase certificate here. It has everything you want in a hotel and a bit more than that. I would love to return for a few more nights, if only I could.
Uber LaGuardia: The Dysfunctional Uber Setup
I finally arrived in New York after a helter-skelter day (and night) of travel (see United Club Denver, Frontier=Allegiant). Before heading to my hotel, I had to stop at my favorite Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in food and drink. While checking in, the receptionist told me that I have to take a bus to catch the Uber since Uber is no longer allowed to pick people up at arrivals. In theory, this could be more efficient. In reality, it was a disaster.
First, you have to wait for the bus. Then you have to wait for the bus to get full. Then you have to drive to the Uber pickup. Then you have to order the Uber and wait. And wait. And wait. (I had no idea how far the Uber pickup was so I didn’t order my Uber ahead of time.) It took so long that I was tempted to take a taxi, something that I swore I would never do again.
Get it together LaGuardia. Fix the airport and fix the Uber situation!
Frontier: Rivaling Allegiant For Worst Airline
Did I mention that this was horrible trip from Montana to New York. Sucked in by a cheap price, I tricked myself into believing that flying Frontier would be tolerable. The journey began from Montana to Denver with a twelve-hour layover. I’m happy I was able to break up the trip before hopping back on the bus after a stint at the United Club. Here’s why:
- The seats do not recline, at all.
- The tray table, an impromptu pillow, is tiny. This makes sense because everything, including a Diet Coke is a charge.
- The armrest is wobbly. Every few seconds, some passenger was flipping it up or down. I can’t figure out where else I have heard that annoying rattling sound.
- The flight attendants feel the need to make an announcement at the top of their lungs. They really pushed the 40k Frontier Barclays card.
- Is it worth repeating that the seats are horribly uncomfortable?
