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Shanghai Residency: The QSuites Return Via Bogota

I have flown QSuites too many times to recall. Flying this product again is not why I am excited about this booking. The reason I am excited is that it is almost impossible to find a flight to or from China using points. It is even more difficult to find one that puts me somewhat close to Puerto Rico. And it is next to impossible to find one that satisfies all these requirements and is available for two passengers. TPOL, being the Houdini that he is, defied all odds and found this: TPOL, being the Houdini that he is, is not paying this: For 100k Avios and $64, I will be one of the first to fly this new route, which launches in July 2026. The only bad news is I have to fly Avianca back home (see Surviving Avianca’s ‘Business Class’: Medellin to Buenos Aires). Luckily, that flight is only 2 hours and 55 minutes.
Hello friend

Kimpton Grand Roatan: One of the Best

Kimpton is my favorite hotel brand. It’s the points man’s Four Seasons. This time, I stayed at the Kimpton Grand Roatan Resort and Spa. Booking Booking a hotel with a stay cert is complicated. IHG did not allow consecutive bookings for two nights. To overcome this, I booked one night using my start cert, the next using Ms. TPOL’s, and the next in mine.a sign on a stone wall Getting There I paid $15 to reach the hotel. The taxi bandits wanted $35 (see “Taxi my friend?” The Worst Places to Hail a Cab). The trick is to leave the airport and go across the street. Someone will stop and take you. TPOL’s Tip: Arrange your own taxi on the way back. The hotel charges an obscene rate. I used this number +504 9750-5403 and paid $35. Welcome Drink There is a benefit to having three separate reservations. Each day, I received a rum-infused welcome drink. Each day, my key would reset, so I deserved it. I also had a $20 per diem which was also spent on rum. a glass with a drink and a wooden stick Resort Fee What do I hate more than tipping (see I Don’t Tip at Lounges Either)? Resort fees. The Kimpton charges a $69 resort fee. When redeeming a stay cert, you must factor in the resort fee and the $99 Chase annual fee to determine whether you’re getting full value for the cert (see Bus-Ted: Central America Trip Report Points & Cash Summary). The retail price of the hotel was $375. The average cost per points night was 54,000. IHG points are worth .5 points. That comes out to $434. Even after subtracting the $20 per diem, I still did not receive full value. Can I rationalize that $117 difference would have been the cost of renting snorkeling gear twice (see Shaqtin’ a Fool: How I Almost Drown in Roatan)? Shuttle The hotel does provide a free shuttle to West End. Perhaps I can include the cost of a taxi in my equation.  a van parked in a parking lot at night Suite While the room did not have a view, I had no complaints. a living room with a couch and stairs a room with a bed and a television a room with a bed and a fan a room with a tv and a bed a living room with a couch and a coffee table a room with a couch and a painting Bathroom There was a bathroom both inside and outside. a shower with a shower head and a shower head a group of white bottles on a metal shelfa white wall with a bench and a tree View The aforementioned lack of a view. The $99 Chase card gives you status, but obviously not enough. a view of a fence and trees from a balcony a couch on a deck Welcome Amenity Should I count the wine and cheese spread in my points valuation? a plate of food and wine glasses on a table Coffee I was very happy that there was a proper Nespresso machine and not instant coffee. I also found the water filter to be quite clever. a coffee machine and cups on a tray a water cooler in a wood cabinet Pool I’ll let the pictures do the typing. a pool with trees and a swimming poola pool with palm trees and a beach in the backgrounda pool with chairs and trees in the backgrounda pool with chairs and trees in the backgrounda pool with trees and hammocks a pool with chairs and umbrellas in front of a building a pool with chairs and trees in front of a buildinga pool with trees around ita pool with palm trees and people on it Property The place is gorgeous. a wooden stairs leading to a buildinga pool with umbrellas and chairs and trees a dirt path with trees and bushes The Beach The beach is public. The nuisance is from cruise goers (see Cruises Kill: Just Say No). a sign on a beach a group of people swimming in the water a beach with trees and a blue sky Gym I bring my own workout equipment everywhere I go (follow my fitness channel, The Nomadic Athlete, on YouTube). a chandelier from a railing in a rooma gym with equipment in the background a man standing in a gym Ping Pong What would a hotel be without a ping pong table? a ping pong table in a room Happy Hour And who isn’t happy at happy hour? a glass of wine and a bowl of food on a table a bowl of pink dip with a potato chip on top Bar I attempted to do some work at the bar and it ended up as you would expect. a bar with many glasses and bottles a pool table in a room with a couch and chairs Service Perfect. Overall While I was checking out, they asked how I enjoyed my stay. I said that I’m not complaining and that is a big deal. a sign on the ground

Simply The Best: May 2026

TPOL’s birthday is in May. That’s why May is the best month. And these are the best posts from that month.
  1. Birthday Bash Adventures
    I’ve had some wonderful birthday celebrations. As an old man, I have to document what I’ve done historically.
  2. Churning Addiction? Min Spends = Maximum Spent
    What does a pasta maker and spiral mixer have to do with points travel?
  3. Bus-Ted: Michigan Basketball National Championship Trip Report Points & Cash Summary
    The actual retail price of this showcase showdown was $8,503.70. Out of pocket, I paid $22.40.
  4. Fun Facts: Anguilla
    TPOL has contributed to the local economy of Anguilla (pronounced ang·gwi·lu) both by visiting this beautiful island and by amassing a couple of .ai domains to ensure his humble rise to global dominance.
  5. MIA-AXA: Almost Bumped on My Birthday
    When I went to the gate, I was told the flight was sold out and that I would have to wait for everyone to board before they could tell me whether there were two seats for Ms. TPOL and me.
  6. Travel Lesson: Don’t Forget Your Duty Free
    Developing travel habits and creating checklists is a great way to avoid travel disasters.
  7. Streaming Kills Sports & Travel
    Duren is worthless and should not be signed to a new contract. He’s still a better person than Jeff Bezos.

Birthday Bash Adventures

I’ve had some wonderful birthday celebrations. As an old man, I have to document what I’ve done historically. As a traveler, I need an excuse to go on an adventure, though staying in Puerto Rico or Scottsdale weren’t bad alternatives. 2026
Dominica
2025
Guatemala City
2024
Anguilla
2023
a sandwich on a towel on a beach
A sandwich in Las Picuas, Puerto Rico is an adventure in itself.
2022
a man standing in front of two large buildings
Impossible to beat Iraqi Homecoming for my 40th.
2021
a man from a window
Riding high in Culebra, Puerto Rico
2020
a golf cart on a golf course with palm trees
Covid Celebration in Rio Mar
2019
a view of a forest and mountains from a hill
El Yunque, Rio Grande
2018
a man in a suit giving a presentation
Professor Bachuwa teaches a CLE in NYC on his birthday
2017
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Intercontinental Marseille
2016
a group of people taking a selfie
Visa blunder in Shanghai. Struck midnight on my birthday detained in Shanghai, went to Hong Kong, and returned to party in Shanghai.
2015
a man holding balloons in the shape of three
Broke after Mongolia, TPOL retreated to the mountains of Montana for one year.
2014
a man and woman sitting at a bar
The Pho King in Scottsdale
2013
a man holding a drink
When friends used to visit Scottsdale.
2012
a man standing in front of a pool
Super Model at the W Hollywood for my 30th.
2011
glasses of beer on a table
While I was not fired from General Motors on my birthday, it was shortly thereafter.
2010
a man standing next to a statue
I moved to Shanghai on my birthday.
2009
a man drinking from a glass
I failed to get my internship in Dubai and ended up back in Scottsdale.
2008
a man drinking from a glass
Sambuca, Scottsdale, post 2007 law school graduation.
2007
Sahara Las Vegas

Streaming Kills Sports & Travel

Disclaimer: I am currently in Dominica, country 160 on TCC and 120 on the UN list (see TPOL’s Out of the Office: Where Could I Be? & see Where I’ve Been), but had to return to the virtual cubicle to write this angry post. 
I travel to watch sports (see Michigan National Basketball Championship). But sometimes, I travel to travel and would still like to watch my favorite teams battle from the comfort of the hotel bar. This dream is on life support with the advent of streaming services like Amazon Prime and Peacock. Yesterday, my Pistons, in name only (see Wide World of Sports: The Best of Where I’ve Been), looked to close out the series against the shitty Cavs in Detroit in game 7. I went to the hotel bar with low expectations that the hotel would be showing the game. Of course, the hotel is not an Amazon Prime member. I also checked to see if ESPN Caribbean may be showing the game. It was not. It was showing UCLA softball. After finishing my welcome drink, which may or may not be complimentary (a post for another time), I went back to my room and watched this shell of a team play uninspired basketball. Duren is worthless and should not be signed to a new contract. He’s still a better person than Jeff Bezos.
The beautiful bar.
The ‘welcome’ drink.
The hopeless search.
The literal and figurative retreat.

TPOL’s Out of the Office: Where Could I Be?

Believe it or not, I’m not home. Hitting UN Country #120. Any guesses? I’ll give you a clue. It’s part of this Trip Report: Visiting Every Island in the Caribbean: TPOL’s Latest Trip Report.
It’s not Trinidad.

Update: IHG Stay Cert Must Be Used Before Expiration Date

Last year, my IHG certificate was set to expire. I called IHG, who told me that I could redeem it in the future beyond the expiration date (see Motivational Or Irritating? Expiring Stay Certificates). Fast forward to 2026 and I found out that I was given incorrect information. The website clearly states this is the case, so I cannot complain. My gripe is that my anniversary date for my Chase IHG card is on 5/14 and my birthday is on 5/19. Why can’t Chase push it back a week? My traditional birthday trip begins next week (see Birthday Bash Trips for where I’ve celebrated). Today, I will be burning my cert at a hotel in Condado. I hope it’s better than the Holiday Inn Express (see Holiday Inn Express San Juan Condado: Turrible).

Travel Lesson: Don’t Forget Your Duty Free

Yesterday I wrote about how much I learn from traveling (see Fun Facts: Anguilla). Cultural learning is separate from Travel Lessons, where I chronicle mistakes I make that can derail my trip. The latest lesson is remembering your duty-free purchases. At The Gate Some airports deliver your duty-free purchases to you at the gate. When the duty-free deliverer is on the jet bridge, it’s easy to remember your purchase. When the delivery is made outside the gate, it is possible to forget that you made a purchase. On The Plane Placing duty-free purchases in overhead bins can be a problem if another passenger moves your items or puts them behind his carry-on. If you’re someone who doesn’t typically buy duty-free, you might easily deplane and leave your duty-free on board. Anguilla Anecdote Since it was my birthday, I decided to splurge on a bottle of rum and picked up a bottle of Zacapa XO for $200 from Miami’s DFW. Waiting in line to enter Anguilla, I asked Ms. TPOL, “Where’s the rum?” She said, “I thought you had it.” Immediately, I was consumed with the sickening, nauseating feeling. In a mild panic, I skipped the line to see if I could find someone from the airline. My mind began to race as I wondered if my rum was gone forever. I knew that I would not be allowed back on the plane to see if it was still there, and I wondered if an opportunistic passenger might have taken it for his own consumption. Luckily, a flight attendant had it waiting for me at the immigration counter. Put Your Duty Free in Your Carry On The easiest way to make sure you don’t forget your rum is to put it in your carry-on as soon as possible. ABCDE Solution Whenever I’m traveling, you’ll see me do the following: Tap left pocket for phone, tap right pocket for camera, and top left back pocket for wallet. It’s a compulsive habit to ensure i have my most precious belongings. It has saved me many times from leaving something behind. I have a similar luggage checklist called ABCDE.
  • A stands for Alex’s carry-on.
  • B stands for backpack.
  • C stands for my coat.
  • D stands for Duty-Free.
  • E stands for everything, a reference to checked-in luggage, on the rare occasion that I bring more than my typical ABC.
Don’t Touch My Stuff As a general rule, each traveler should look after his stuff. I would rather leave my bag behind and go through my checklist than have my travel companion pick it up for me. This ensures that there would be no miscommunication about who is responsible for what (This same philosophy is applied on the golf course with clubs left on the green). Overall Developing travel habits and creating checklists is a great way to avoid travel disasters.
Don’t leave your Zacapa behind.

Fun Facts: Anguilla

A wise author once wrote, “International travel will teach you more about business, politics, and law than all the degrees combined” (Buy Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine). As I continue to travel, I continue to learn. I am constantly reminded that I do not know everything, and that smugness is not a good quality.
My latest example is when I went to board my flight to Anguilla (see MIA-AXA: Almost Bumped on My Birthday). The gate agent pronounced it ang·gwi·luh. As a resident of Puerto Rico (see Despacito! TPOL Is Moving to Puerto Rico! Effective Inmediatamente) and a tremendous Spanish speaker, I could not help but feel embarrassed. It’s pronounced ang-gee-yah, obviously.  When I landed in Anguilla, the local immigration agent said, “Welcome to ang·gwi·luh.”  The second fun fact about ang·gwi·luh is how much money it is making from its website addresses. Anguilla owns the rights to ‘ai’ web addresses and sells them for a pretty Eastern Caribbean penny. Indeed, the Anguillian government says that in 2024 it earned 105.5m East Caribbean dollars ($39m; £29m) from selling domain names. That was almost a quarter (23%) of its total revenues last year. Tourism accounts for some 37%, according to the IMF (read How sheer luck made this tiny Caribbean island millions from its web address). TPOL has contributed to the local economy of Anguilla both by visiting this beautiful island and by amassing a couple of .ai domains to ensure his humble rise to global dominance.
ang·gwi·luh.ai

MIA-AXA: Almost Bumped on My Birthday

I had planned to spend my 42nd birthday in Anguilla. American Airlines had other plans for me. Sitting in the AA Lounge D30, I tried to select seats for the 3-hour flight. I had no luck. When I went to the gate, I was told the flight was sold out and that I would have to wait for everyone to board before they could tell me whether there were two seats for Ms. TPOL and me. Thankfully, two Anguillians gave up their seats, allowing me to board. I don’t know what would have happened to my non-refundable points reservation at the Hilton Zemi Beach. I also do not know what would have happened to my Zacapa XO duty-free purchase.
Off to Anguilla.