Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

New Turkish Airlines Lounge Review: I Miss Chuck E. Cheese

thepointsoflife

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October 16, 2019

New Turkish Airlines Lounge Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Getting There: I have to put Getting There instructions as I do in Hotel Reviews because like taxiing to the gate (see Turkish Business Barcelona to Istanbul: Glad to Lie Flat), it takes a long, long time to get to the lounge, if you can find it at all.

The lounge is located near gate E1. There are no signs of its existence until you get closer.

Do you recall my old Turkish Lounge Review where I described the place as Chuck E. Cheese meets Costco? With Turkish Airlines moving to the new airport, that lounge closed and this one opened. But is it better?

The Business Class Version of Emirates First

The best way to describe this lounge is to say that it is a stripped down version of Emirates First in Dubai. And what does a limited edition of first feel like either in the sky or on the ground? It feels like business class (see Cathay A350 HKG-BKK: I Miss First Already).

Instead of a la carte, there are food stalls. Instead of a bartender, it’s do it yourself. Instead of high end champagne, there’s, well I couldn’t find the bubbles. While the selection of food is still there, the seating is still there, and the over-the-top size is still there, it’s not first. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy my seven hour experience. Here’s what I did:

Sleep

The sleeping rooms have a quirky rule whereby they are reserved for transcontinental flights only. My flight from BCN to BEY didn’t qualify. No sleep room for me. Showers are available to all.

Nap

Without a private room, I needed a place to take a nap. It was midnight and the place was packed. People were sleeping all over the place. That’s not a good look for a lounge, but soon I was going to be a part of the opium den of transients.

a lounge chairs in a room — Could sleep here under the bright lights.

a couch and table with a projector screen — Glad I found here.

Sit

Plenty of places to sit. I always enjoy lounges that are above the terminal.

Costco Food

The place is divided into food stalls. Each making its own variety of food. I stopped at each and had a sample. Instead of a huge plate stuffed with more food than I could eat (see Are You the Fat Guy in the Lounge?), I received a small portion that I would consume and move on. In that way, the lounge preserved its Costco charm.

Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. is dead. The lounge is more serious. It still has a video game section, a remote car racing circuit, and a golf simulator, which like the old lounge wasn’t working. Entertainment is now an afterthought.

Art Gallery

This was a waste of space. Besides sophisticated bloggers, who would stop in and admire the art?

Chai And Dessert

There were chai stations all over the lounge. Beneath the chai was a hot water station. It was used by passengers looking to heat their packaged noodles as well.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi is awful. To get the password, passengers scan their boarding passes at the mobile stations. That’s a clever idea but useless given the connection speed.

Shift Change

The food is changed from dinner to breakfast. This is done all at once, meaning there was nothing to eat in the interim. That’s not well thought out.

Taxiing

Leave yourself time to reach your gate. I was departing out of terminal A. I was told it would take 15 to 20 minutes. Walking at a brisk pace, it took at least that amount. I was tempted to flag down a golf cart. It’s one thing to build a huge state of the art airport, it’s another to make it functional. This one is not.

Overall

I liked the old Turkish Lounge better. This one is grown up and boring. From where a kid can be a kid to this. The magic is gone. Forget Costco, this is more like Sam’s Club. And nobody likes Sam’s.

If you enjoyed the New Turkish Airlines Lounge Review, read the entire ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Turkish Business Barcelona to Istanbul: Glad to Lie Flat

thepointsoflife

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October 15, 2019

4

Turkish Business Class Barcelona Istanbul Flight Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

I checked SeatGuru before I booked this flight to make sure it had lie flat seats. When I went on the mobile site, I didn’t see the description that confirmed this to be true. Could this be another equipment change like Lufthansa (see Lufthansa Equipment Change: BRU-MUC)? I waited in angst to see if, post a night in Barcelona (see For One Night Only: Barcelona Party Guide), it would linger on.

a man and woman at a desk in a airport — Waiting…

a plane parked at an airport — For lie flat?

My anxiety was for nothing. I quickly saw the beautiful sight of pod seats. While the upholstery could use some work, I paid it no attention as I prepared for my slumber.

a screen on a plane — Let’s take off so I can sleep.

a seat on an airplane — Privacy even though I was facing out.

a window of an airplane — Kills the view

Welcome Champagne

None

a glass of orange juice next to a glass of water — OJ though

Amenities Kit

None

a seat belt with a seatbelt buckle — Seat belt included

Pillow

One tiny one.

Blanket

I was freezing but was too tired to ask for a blanket. Graciously, the flight attendant wrapped me in one as I slept.

Chef

The chef walked by and greeted everyone. The hat is silly.

Mezze

The mezze wasn’t as good as I recalled it to be on a previous Turkish flight (see Turkish Airlines Business Class: IST-ICN). It was nothing compared to Emirates (see Emirates Shower Class JFK-DXB: One More Time).

Bulgar

The Turkish meatballs were decent. Still, business class food seems to be going down hill.

The Seat

Even with no mattress pad, I slept like a hungover baby.

Service

Besides the kind woman bringing me a blanket, the service was impersonal. It could be the language gap but, “You? Drink?” is too brash.

Taxiing

We landed on time but we taxiied for an eternity. I took two mini naps and we still hadn’t reached the gate. It was at least twenty minutes of taxiing. Good thing I had hours to go in the Turkish Business Class Lounge.

Overall

I came for sleep. I got it. That’s all I wanted.

Turkish Business Barcelona Istanbul Flight Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Priority Pass Barcelona: Check Lounge Reviews Before Travel Plans

thepointsoflife

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October 14, 2019

6

Priority Pass Lounge Barcelona Lounge Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

I had two choices: stay in Sardinia for an extra night or go to Barcelona for one night before going to Beirut the next day. Upon arriving, I decided that it was a bad idea to have a one night layover in a city. The cost of going, of transport, the amount spent on a hotel which I would not use (see W Hotel Barcelona: Don’t Miss the Day), the energy of the process, to and fro, of immigration, and checking in were not worth the potential fun (see For One Night Only: Barcelona Party Guide).

The alternative was to arrive in BCN the same day as my flight and spend my time at the lounge. The only safe flight arrived late morning to BCN which would mean another lounge marathon session (see Amex LAS Centurion Lounge: The Full Day Freeloader Review). If this were the Emirates First Class Lounge, that would have been fine. Instead, it was, as I would discover, the second worst Priority Pass Lounge in the collection (see Priority Pass Jakarta Lounge Review: Yuck). Hangover or not, the dentist lights were a strain on my eyes. Since it is the only lounge in the terminal in addition to being a Priority Pass Lounge, it was predictably packed.

a group of people sitting at tables and chairs in a room with lights — What is this lighting?

Luckily, my poor planning of coming to Barcelona for one night spared me the agony of having to sit in this lounge all day. The cost of doing so was exhaustion from the night before and the hundreds I spent on drinks, transport and lodging.

Overall

Even if there is a time restriction at a lounge, I would rather plan for my punishment than endure the logistics of going to another city for what will most certainly be a reckless experience.

What say you?

If you didn’t enjoy the Priority Pass Lounge Barcelona Lounge Review, then don’t read the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

For One Night Only: Barcelona Party Guide

thepointsoflife

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October 11, 2019

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Barcelona Party Guide is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

In my life, I have not been in Barcelona for more than 48 hours. Thus, I will not tell you what you must see or do if you only have a few days there i.e., there will be no Guns & Butter Travel Guide. Contrast this to Madrid where I did it all. What I can tell you is what I did if you’re looking for a party and to challenge you to keep up.

Land

11PM.

Hotel

W Barcelona.

Bar

Barcelona doesn’t have a shortage of bars. The W recommended going to Passeig del Born, an area packed with bars. I concur.

barcelona party guide — Passeig del Born

My advice is to wander around until you find a small bar that tickles your fancy. I went to Stereo 18 which had great cocktails for only 10 euros each. Be sure to check out the bathroom.

TPOL’s TIP: Stereo 18 is located at Passeig del Born, 18, 08003 Barcelona.

Last Call?

3AM came quickly. I could have or probably should have gone home so I could’ve enjoyed the beach the next day. Guess what I did instead…

Club District

There is a corner of clubs in Barcelona which feature familiar names like Pacha. I went to Shoko because I heard hip-hop. Overwhelmed by the crowds, I made the foolish mistake of ordering a bottle of Moet. First, Moet is not great champagne (see Get Ready to Takeoff: The World’s Best Champagne). Second, it is not worth 300 euros. Third, who orders a bottle for himself? Fourth, who orders a bottle for himself after bar hopping? TPOL does.

a crowd of people in a room with red lights — TPOL can’t be in that crowd. #vip

TPOL’s TIP: Shoko is located at Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 36, 08005 Barcelona.

Getting Home

I thought I could walk down the boardwalk as I saw the W in the horizon. I blew off the rickshaw drivers who wanted 10 euros. Nowhere close to home, I relented and paid the full fare.

a blurry image of a ferris wheel at night — Don’t drink and walk.

Overall

If I were staying for a week, I could rationalize the club experience. Since I was there for one night, I foolishly mortgaged my chiringuito experience for short term fun. This had short term consequences. #hangover

a hand holding a glass of champagne on a beach — Champagne for the day would’ve been better

If you enjoyed the Barcelona Party Guide, read the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

W Hotel Barcelona: Don’t Miss the Day

thepointsoflife

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October 10, 2019

4

W Barcelona Hotel Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Getting There: There’s no Uber in Barcelona. I went in a taxi and was at the mercy of the driver. Fortunately, the cabbie took a credit card.

Getting There Boardwalk: Post club, there are rickshaws to bring drunkards back to the hotel (see Barcelona Party Guide). I thought I could walk it because it’s so prominent in the horizon. I tried to negotiate, but they knew their services were worth the price. After walking tirelessly, I gave in to the 10 euros I was originally quoted.

a building with lights at night — What W looks like.

Checking In

I was thanked for my Bonvoy double platinum (titanium status) and was told I would be upgraded to a room with a view of the ocean. Check in took longer than expected because there was a printer malfunction. To apologize for the ten minutes of waiting, the front desk upgraded my upgrade to a suite.

The Suite

W has the worst sense of style. It looks like a crackhead that did a line of gun powder before designing the room was put in charge of design to make sure everything clashed.

The suite is huge but it looks like someone’s nightmare.

Soaps

Westin, W, and Waldorf’s Ferragamo are my favorite.

Bathroom

At this point, I should mention I checked in at 11PM and would be leaving late the next day. That’s a dangerous combination in Barcelona. While the Bliss Spa would have been comforting, the shower was my revival retreat.

Breakfast

Nothing like a good breakfast on the way in, 7AM, instead of the way out. W Barcelona gets high marks for breakfast.

Service

The next day, I had to call for extra water. When they, “whenever, whatever”, the W means it. It took 30 minutes and an extra call to bring two bottles of water.

Pool, Beach?

Seeing as I woke up at 4PM, I did not make use of the pool or the beach. That’s definitely a waste but these things happen. Post being fired from GM in 2012 (buy my book to read the whole story: Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine), here’s what the hotel looked like in the day: a tall building with palm trees a pool with people sitting on it a large group of people on a beach

View

Now for the question of the day: would you take a bigger room or an ocean view? On the one hand, the design of the room was terrible, so having more of it wasn’t something I needed. On the other, I didn’t see the ocean or the sun until I was going to the airport. Still, I think if I had an ocean view, I could have used the auto curtain openers to help with my detox and inspire me not to get over my hurt state.

Overall

I could stay at the W Barcelona for a week and make a mess of my life both during the day and at night. Like the W Scottsdale, the rooms are hideous. Like the W Scottsdale, trashy or not, it feels like home.

If you enjoyed W Barcelona Hotel Review read the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Lounge Review: There’s a Priority Pass in Olbia, Sardinia!

thepointsoflife

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October 9, 2019

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Priority Pass Olbia, Sardinia is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Did you think there would be a Priority Pass Lounge in Olbia, Sardinia? I didn’t. Sticking to my new Lounge Review plan (see Lufthansa Business Class Lounge Munich: Pretzel & Nap), I’m including this for the novel reason of saying that you can rest easy after partying in Porto Cervo (see Guns & Butter: Porto Cervo Travel Guide (Party Edition)) in knowing you have a place to sit and have a free drink. The lounge itself is nothing special. It’s a big rectangular room. Thus, only three photos are needed.

an elevator with a sign and a poster — Wanted the sexy underwear in the photo

Delta Amex: First Bag Free, Second Is a Scam

thepointsoflife

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October 7, 2019

22

Delta Amex: First Bag Free, Second Is a Scam

Checked bag fees are a scam. I usually don’t check bags because I travel light (see What to Pack: “Take 1/2 the Clothes, Twice the Money”). Sometimes I have to check bags and pick the airline that gets them there for free. This is usually based on what co-brand credit card I have. On her way back from Asia, Ms TPOL had to check two bags. The first bag was free because she has the AmEx Delta SkyMiles card. I thought that the second bag would be $30 which would be how much a first bag would be for someone without the card. I was wrong. Cheap Delta charges $40 for the second bag, the same price it would charge someone who paid for the first.

Without the card, it would have been $70. That’s astonishing. With the card, I saved $30 but believe I should’ve saved $40.

What say you? And you if you agree with Delta, then send me $10 because you must enjoy being conned.

Disputing A Credit Card Charge? You Have 118 Days

thepointsoflife

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October 4, 2019

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Disputing A Credit Card Charge? You Have 118 Days

I once wrote a post called “Complaints: How Long Till You Let It Go?”. I wrote, “What about times when nobody responds? Do I just let those go simply because time has passed? Absolutely not. I actually keep a list of offenders and the status of the complaints. Some have been on there for over a year.”

Today, I found out that if it’s a with a Visa credit card purchase, that is not a sound strategy. Chase told me that I can only dispute a charge if it has been less than 118 calendar days after the transaction is posted. That timeline is not an issue with Amex or Citi because I can dispute charges online (see Boarding Pass Scam Resolved! Thanks Amex). It should not come as a shock that the bank that does not allow business card disputes online is Chase, another deficiency in an otherwise great card (see Why Do Pending Transactions Only Disappear from Chase Ink? and Why Do Chase Ink Points Take Longer to Post?). Luckily, I had enough cold brew today to call up Chase regarding a list of charges that had yet to be resolved by the merchant and made the claim just in time.

I support a limit on the number of days I can file a dispute because it forces me to seek closure. I don’t support not being able to do so online, something that the representative said should be possible in the near future. Hopefully “near future” means less than 118 days.

What is the minimum amount that motivates you to call and dispute a charge?

Travel Anxiety Sucks: Can It Be Prevented?

thepointsoflife

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October 3, 2019

7

Travel Anxiety Sucks is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

TPOL lives a reckless life. I don’t plan anything in advance (see How to Book Trinidad’s Carnival Last Second for Free*), and I live to blog about it. This comes at a cost to my mental health and makes travel unnecessarily stressful. The first problem is not booking hotels if there aren’t points options available (see Travel Planning: Check Prices Or Just Go?). The second is when I change my travel plans midstream (see TPOL’s Best Travel Advice: Stick to the Plan!). The third is overdoing my Travel Philosophy by going to ten different cities for 3 to 4 nights each and thinking I will be able to live to blog about it (see #NoCollusion, No Albania for TPOL Trip Report). The fourth is my compulsion with documenting every part of my trip even though some posts receive little or no attention (see Haircuts Abroad: Marseille Edition or Albania Edition as examples). Add in alcohol, a lack of proper sustenance, no exercise, and you have the perfect formula for travel anxiety, a debilitating ailment that can disrupt any trip.

You would think that work would be stressful and traveling would be relaxing. It’s the exact opposite. I take comfort in dealing with the drama of being a consumer lawyer (visit Bachuwa Law). I find no comfort in sitting on a beach looking at yachts while realizing that travel may be a contributing factor as to why I’m not on one (see Porto Cervo, Sardinia: My Yacht Is Bigger).

But laziness is not the cause of travel anxiety. If I could diagnose myself, I would guess that extreme imbalance of going from a somewhat regimented, relaxed routine of golf, beach, work (see Despacito! TPOL Is Moving to Puerto Rico! Effective Inmediatamente) to a disruptive and destructive routine of bar, club, new hotel, sightseeing, airport, lounge, bar, club, beach, hangover, sightseeing, airport, hangover, new hotel, taxi, sightseeing, language barrier, SSSS boarding pass, no sleep, and repeat in no particular order is as reckless as playing Russian roulette.

Once the anxiety sets in, it’s next to impossible to make it go away. I start to think of how many more cities I have to go to and how many more photos I will have to take to chronicle the adventure. It is not a great feeling.

Curiously, the only solace from travel anxiety is to do work or to workout. These normal activities bring calm while the “fun” activities bring stress. Lately, the stress has become so overwhelming that I contemplate whether it is even worth traveling anymore or – heaven forbid – pay for someone to put my itinerary together so I don’t have to do anything. Crazier than that is thinking that I should scale back the blog posts to cover just the essentials. I quickly dismiss that idea because even if nobody reads a a trip report cover to cover, I do. And anytime I decide to shirk my blogging responsibilities (see Hangover = Blogger Malpractice?), inevitably someone asks me for a Travel Guide and I kick myself for not having one ready to go.

Overall, I don’t think there’s a cure for my travel anxiety as long as I travel the way I do, blog the way I do, and live it up the way I do. My hope is that I can read this post in the future and remind myself that sometimes it’s fine to take a break, even when I’m on vacation. That’s why it’s vacation. Oh, and eating may also be helpful.

Do you get travel anxiety? What do you do to fight it?

a glass of beer and a cup of coffee on a table — Riga, Latvia

TPOL’s TIP: A beer and double espresso first thing in the morning is not the cure for travel anxiety.

“It Is a Complete Scam.”: TPOL Is Quoted in the NYT

thepointsoflife

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October 2, 2019

5

“It Is a Complete Scam.”: TPOL Is Quoted in the NYT

I’m hitting all the big news outlets that a certain someone loves to hate. Who can forget my appearance on CNN? I’ll never let that fifteen minutes of fame or infamy go (see TPOL Replay on CNN Business Traveller!). The latest is my quote in the NYT in an article called, “How to Avoid Being Fleeced When Using a Credit Card Overseas“. The journalist, Vindu Goel, reached out to me after reading my Frequent Miler article, “The Fine Print: Dynamic Currency Conversion – A Euphemism for Highway Robbery“. While I expected more than a single line to be quoted, as my friend said, “That one sentence sums up the angry Alex we all know and love”:

Lawyer Blog “It’s a scam.”

Ego aside, give the article a read. It’s a nice piece. And remember to always ask to be charged in local currency!