Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Hilton Cabo Verde: Perfect, Peaceful Stay

thepointsoflife

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October 2, 2023

Hilton Cabo Verde Hotel Review is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Would you pay 70,000 Hilton points a night or $150 a night? In the old days, the top-end Hiltons went for 50k points a night (see The Conrad Maldives: Heaven Can Wait). Stuck in the past and wanting to save my points for a better booking, I did the unthinkable and paid cash for my 4-night stay at the Hilton Sal.

All-Inclusive? There are many all-inclusive hotels in Sal including the Riu and Melia brand. Having learned my lesson from the Doubletree Zanzibar (see DoubleTree Zanzibar-Nungwi: Miss You Miss You Baby), I decided to pay for everything a la carte. That was a sound idea as I enjoyed eating and drinking in Santa Maria instead of the hotel (see Guns & Butter: Sal, Cabo Verde Travel Guide).

Hilton Gold Initially, I was given a room with no view. The next day I mentioned that I was Hilton gold and was given a room with a partial view.

a view of a resort with palm trees and a pool

Breakfast I only went to breakfast once. There’s a good selection of food including local flavor.

Beach As I wrote, Puerto Rico is fraternal twins with Cabo Verde (see Cabo Verde: Puerto Rico’s Fraternal Twin). The beach reminded me of my beach in Rio Mar, Puerto Rico.

rope on a beach with a boat in the distance

Pool I prefer the pool to the ocean both at home and away.

Happy Hour From 5-6pm was happy hour. All drinks were half off. That’s how happy hour is supposed to be.

a glass with a drink in it — PR coming into focus

Restaurant I ate at the hotel on the first day. I was impressed by the tuna steak.

Entertainment There is a bar at the hotel with live music. The football game was in stoppage time forcing the singer to wait.

a man playing guitar in a room with a red sign

Room This hotel is brand new.

No Espresso The room only had instant coffee. That is unacceptable. That was my one complaint. Bath After a night of too much rum, I did something else unthinkable: I used the tub to recover.

a bathroom with a large mirror and a bathtub

Shower There’s a rain shower for normal days.

a shower with a light coming from the ceiling

Overall The Hilton CV is a good value but only if you’re not using points.

Stuck on a Deserted Island? TPOL’s Trouble in Cabo Verde

thepointsoflife

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September 29, 2023

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Stuck on a Deserted Island? TPOL’s Trouble in Cabo Verde

Stuck is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Do you recall my Still The Best itinerary (see How to Book the Best Itinerary: AA, Avios, Aeroplan, Miles & Smiles, Flying Blue, LifeMiles, Capital One)? Here were the tentative flights.

a green and yellow table with black text

Following my Punxsutawney TPOL Trip, I no longer book open-ended itineraries (see Punxsutawney TPOL: Travel Lessons “Don’t Book Open-Ended Itineraries: It is too stressful and too time-consuming to figure out where I am going next and how I am getting home.”). I also book all flights between countries in advance. Here, you may have noticed the open jaw segment between SID and RAI. The flight time from Sal, Cabo Verde (SID) and Praia, Cabo Verde (RAI) is 45 minutes. I didn’t book it in advance because 1) There wasn’t a points option. 2) I figured it would be easy to jump on an island hopper to catch my Royal Air Maroc flight to Nice by way of Casablanca. I was wrong. Lounging at the pool at the Ritz Carlton Tenerife (see Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around) on the day of my flight to Cabo Verde, I started looking for a flight to Praia. I kept receiving errors. Unconcerned, I decided to wait until I arrived in Sal to sort out this minor logistical challenge. I thought, worst case, I could take a ferry from Sal to Praia. I arrived at the Hilton Cabo Verde late Friday night, August 18th, 2023 (see Hilton Cabo Verde: Perfect, Peaceful Stay). Upon checking in, I was told that inter-island flights fill up quickly and are unreliable when they are available. I was also told that the ferry is a nightmare, is unpredictable, uncomfortable, and can take a whole day. My heart sank. Googling Bestfly Cabo Verde, the local airline, I found this: Due to operational limitations, one of our aircraft is currently inoperative. In this context, we are still completing flights scheduled for 18AUG , which suffered significant delays. These delays stem from the need to operate primarily at airports without lighting before sunset and the unforeseen event of an emergency evacuation that took place last night. As for the flights planned for 19AUG , they haven’t started yet and, unfortunately, we will have to cancel some connections to islands with restrictions related to sunset, such as Fogo and Maio. We ask that you check the exact time of your flight on our website before heading to the airport. Times for 19AUG are being updated. Checking the flight schedule, there were no flights available that would arrive in time to make my connection which was departing RAI at 3:55 AM on August 22nd. Instead of enjoying a festive Friday night, I went to sleep wondering what I would do next. The whole night I had dreams about ferries and flight connections. At 7 AM, I woke up restless and agitated. I went back to the front desk to see if they could give me more information. Their best recommendation was to go to the airport and see if I could fly on standby either on the 21st or the 22nd. I was annoyed that this inconvenience was interfering with my vacation. The next half of the day was not spent lounging on the beautiful Sal beach (see Cabo Verde: Puerto Rico’s Fraternal Twin). It was spent refreshing Bestfly Cabo Verde’s website, hoping for a flight to open. While eating lunch, I refreshed once again on my mobile phone. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a flight for Monday. Frantic, I loaded my saved cc info, put in my 3-digit security pin, and hit ‘submit.’ It said ‘processing’ and it continued to say ‘processing.’ Then it timed out. Shortly thereafter, I received a notification that the transaction was declined. I hit refresh and, of course, all the flights were sold out. TPOL’s Tip: Critical transactions should be done on a laptop, not on a phone. TPOL’s Tip: Even on US carriers, I have noticed that saved cc numbers tend to be declined. It is a best practice to input the digits manually. I was in Cabo Verde for 18 hours and was not having a good time. Instead of being held hostage by Bestfly Cabo Verde, I decided to take a different approach. I canceled my business class ticket on Royal Air Maroc and booked a flight direct from Sal to Lisbon, Portugal on Cabo Verde Airlines (see Rescued! Cabo Verde Airlines: Sal to Lisbon). Sure it was a four-hour flight in coach, but knowing I had a way off this beautiful island and only paying $260 provided me priceless peace of mind. I was finally able to enjoy wonderful Cabo Verbe (see Guns & Butter: Sal, Cabo Verde Travel Guide). On paper, my itinerary did not change drastically. Instead of two nights in Nice, I would spend one in Lisbon and one in Nice. My plan was to spend one night in Lisbon and see my friend from Shanghai whom I had not seen in 13 years. Then I would fly to Nice on Lufthansa business bright and early to meet my other friend for a day of champagne beach debauchery. All of this was possible thanks to 20,000 Lifemiles and $67. If everything went according to plan, I would be back on schedule with minimal financial impact and a de minimis schedule disruption. What could go wrong?

Binter Canarias: The Official Tenerife to Cabo Verde Flight Review

thepointsoflife

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September 28, 2023

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Binter Canarias Flight Review is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Have you flown Binter Canarias? I am going to guess no. Trying to get from Tenerife, Canary Islands to Sal, Cabo Verde, this was the most convenient way (see Can You Tell Me How to Get to Cabo Verde?).

a map of the ocean — Consider the alternative: Flying to Lisbon and then to SID.

Given the choice, I would prefer not to fly a prop plane (see TPOL’s Worst Flight Experiences). But the chances of something happening on this short flight from Tenerife to Gran Canaria were low.

an airplane with rows of seats — Welcome Aboard Binter, bwahahahah

After surviving that flight, I looked forward to the international Binter service from Gran Canaria to Sal. This flight was 2 hours and 35 minutes on a proper Embraer 195-E2.

a large airplane with a group of people standing around — Binter baby!

A snack was served along with dessert.

Overall If you are looking for a convenient flight from Tenerife to Sal, Cabo Verde, for $435 this is it.

Priority Pass Tenerife: A Lounge Is Better Than No Lounge

thepointsoflife

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September 28, 2023

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Tenerife Priority Pass Lounge Review is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Any Priority Pass Lounge is better than no lounge. While I would not rate this lounge as gross (see Priority Pass Jakarta Lounge Review: Yuck), it’s not that much better than the one in Jakarta. Here’s the food:

a trays of food on a counter — The rice was edible, but the rest was suspect.

Focusing on the positives, there is an outdoor smokers’ lounge.

a room with a view of the ocean and a beach

Off to Cabo Verde!

Guns & Butter: Tenerife Travel Guide (Disappointed Edition)

thepointsoflife

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September 27, 2023

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Tenerife Travel Guide is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works: A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.

TPOL’s rule is to stay a maximum of 3 nights but preferably two nights in any city. Four nights in Tenerife is an eternity. Here’s what I did and did not do. Tenerife North I didn’t go to the north and would recommend that you fly into the south as that is where the action is (see Not My Fault: Tenerife Airport, North Or South?).

Transport Take a local taxi over Uber. It’s cheaper (see Tenerife: Take a Taxi Over Uber).

a person using a phone to check the driver's information — 32 euros versus 60 in Uber.

Golf The Abama golf course at the Ritz Carlton was beautiful. Still, I had no interest in paying 200 euros for a round, not including rentals. My idea of fun isn’t to overspend on golf under the hot sun while shooting over 100 alone.

a glass of orange juice on a golf course — Drink or golf?

All Inclusive I am against all-inclusive resorts (see DoubleTree Zanzibar-Nungwi: Miss You Miss You Baby), but this is a popular option in Tenerife. Playa de Las Americas I guess this is the party area but I found it to be underwhelming and stale* (see Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife: Well That Sucked).

a group of people outside of a building with neon signs — Same damn setup in every tourist destination.

*Kebab: the kebab was not stale.

a man cooking in a kitchen — Same damn setup in every tourist destination. Worth repeating again.

Ritz Carlton Originally, I was supposed to stay at the Ritz for one night and then spend the rest of my time at Playa de Las Americas. After two nights with no AC and no quality of life, I returned to the Ritz. You should too (see Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around).

a large building with a pool and plants — The view would have been the same with a 35k.

Sushi Go to the Abama Kabuki, a Michelin restaurant adjacent to the Ritz (see Michelin Sushi Tenerife: $375 Worth Spent?).

Beach Neither the beach at the Ritz or Playa de Las Americas had impressive beaches. I assume the rest of the island does. Coming from Puerto Rico, I can’t be bothered to go chasing after clear waters.

a beach with palm trees and people on the beach — Playa de las Americas

a group of people on a beach — Ritz Beach: Come on guys! Enough of the IG shit.

Overall I came to the Canary Islands because they have a pretty name and to add another ‘country’ to my list (see Is Hawaii a Country?). It was a decent way to start my Still The Best Trip but I do not see myself returning

Michelin Sushi Tenerife: $375 Worth Spent?

thepointsoflife

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September 27, 2023

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Michelin Sushi Tenerife is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

The party scene in Tenerife was a flop (see Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife: Well That Sucked). Looking to return to luxury, I went back to the Ritz Carlton (see Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around). After a day of doing nothing at the pool, I had a decision to make: Go to sleep early and spend a few hundred on golf to play in the morning or find pleasure in food. Since it was too hot and since I do not find golfing alone particularly enjoyable, I went with option 2. At 8:57 PM, I called Abama Kabuki to see if they could still seat me for the tasting menu. They said yes so long as I could be ready in five minutes. At 9:02 PM I took the Mercedes shuttle bus to the restaurant.

This was my second time doing a full-course food and drink tasting at a Michelin restaurant. The first, as you will recall, was in Copenhagen, Denmark (see Punk Royale Copenhagen: Michelin Restaurant on Acid).

As far as the food goes, I will let the photos do the talking. As far as the experience, I have to say that it is a memorable experience that I cherish. It’s like flying first on Emirates without leaving the ground. For a few hours, I feel like the chef is personally cooking for me. No detail is overlooked and each moment is to be savored. Talking to the waiters and the sommelier is as much a part of the experience as the food itself. I give my feedback and my assessment and it seems like the staff actually cares about my opinion. If I am being duped in the same way an exotic dancer makes her clients feel special, I appreciate the show nonetheless.

a glass of wine next to a vase of flowers

a small wooden objects with different foods on them

Unfortunately, the sampling and savoring had to come to an end. Fortunately, the sampling and savoring had to come to an end. All that was left was the bill and the ride home.

The next morning I woke wondering if $375 for sushi was worth it. Putting it that way, the answer is no. But when someone asks what did you do in Tenerife, I will say Michelin sushi at Abama Kabuki. Retelling that story makes it worth it. TPOL’ Tip: Abama Kabuki is adjacent to the Ritz Carlton and is located at Calle María Zambrano, Carretera General, TF-47, 2, Km 9, 38687, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife: Well That Sucked

thepointsoflife

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September 27, 2023

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Playa de Las Americas is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Why would you get on a plane for 4 hours, drop your bag at the hotel and hunt down a UK pub and stay there the whole time? Eat the same garbage pub food you eat at home? And drink the same beer you get at home? Watch football on the TV in a pub in Spain? What’s the point? If the UK weather was good, they’d stay home and get smashed. Those are the words of a famous Scotsman when I told him I was going to Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife’s party spot. After two nights in Playa de Las Americas, I retreated back to the Ritz with those same questions (see Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around). While I can’t be bothered to question why people travel, I can say that my idea of a fun holiday is not to be surrounded by the same people from home, doing the same things I do at home. The lack of creativity or diversity made Playa de Las Americas bland. It was nothing but store after store of doner kebab followed by pub after pub. Between those were 24/7 supermarkets selling shot after shot. While it’s better than Corfu for the atmosphere, it’s not that much better (see Make Corfu Greek Again! How Tourism Ruined an Island). And despite my Iraqi heritage, I would take gyros over doner every time.

a building with a sign and people outside — Same damn setup in every tourist destination. Worth repeating.

Accommodations I have written many times about hostel vs. hotel (see Ayia Napa, Cyprus: Hotel vs. Hostel, Hostel v. Hotel v. Friend’s Home, Frontier Hotel Darwin: My Case for Hostels). Try as I might, I can’t bring myself to pay cash for non-brand hotels. $250 a night for a run-down hotel with no status is not appealing. Concurrently, paying $100 a night while I am gone for weeks on end isn’t a bargain. In Playa de las Americas, there weren’t any American brands i.e., no points options. Sorting by price and location, I booked a room for two nights at the Servatur Caribe for 85 euros a night. Imagine my shock when I checked in and found out there was no air conditioning. Imagine my annoyance when the 1 bedroom ‘suite’ only had Wi-Fi functioning in the living room. In fact, the Wi-Fi worked better at the pool than in the room.

a pool with people in the background — I’m here for the Wi-Fi.

The AC issue and party issue do not go hand in hand. After drinking Guinness with my Irish mates and singing folk songs with my UK friends, the last thing I wanted to do was come back to a room with no AC and no ceiling fan. Two nights of night sweats and alcohol withdrawals were enough for me.

a glass of beer on a bar — Oh goodness, no AC with Guinness

a group of people in a bar — Gaelic Corner

TPOL’s Tip: Gaelic Corner is actually worth visiting. It is located at Av. Rafael Puig Lluvina, 16, 38650 Arona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The Beach Playa de what? There’s no beach here. Only rocks. But for my beach gym, I would have never gone.

a cup of beer and a bottle of liquid on a table — Important to hydrate post gym

Hard Rock? Desperately trying to ‘make party,’ I considered booking a room at the Hard Rock for $300 for my last night in Tenerife. I thought there might be a good pool party during the day and nice air conditioning at night. I jumped in a taxi which is cheaper than Uber (see Tenerife: Take a Taxi Over Uber) to see for myself. The hotel was nice but the vibe felt manufactured. The 20 euro ride each way saved me from the disappointment of trying to find something that was not meant to be.

Tandoori Nights Tenerife might not have good nightlife, but it does have great Indian food. Since I gave up on the party scene, I did the next best thing. I feasted on Indian food. Vindaloo lamb, vegetable biryani, and a bottle of sauvignon blanc was better than any mix a DJ could put together.

a table with plates of food and glasses of wine

a bowl of soup with white liquid and green leaves

TPOL’s Tip: The location is Av. Adeje 300, 38678 Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.

Overall I came to the Canary Islands because the name itself is endearing. I also came for the vanity of adding another ‘country’ to my list (see Is Hawaii a Country?). I thought that Playa de Las Americas was going to be a unique party place. It was not. But for the Ritz Carlton, I would say that Tenerife was underwhelming.

Tenerife: Take a Taxi Over Uber

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thepointsoflife

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September 26, 2023

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Take a Taxi Over Uber is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Can you believe that hailing a taxi off the street is a better way to get around Tenerife than Uber? A taxi from the airport to the Ritz Carlton was 50 euros (see Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around). A taxi from the Ritz to Playa de las Americas was 32 euros (see Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife: Well That Sucked). That rate was more than double with Uber. This aberration will not have me second-guessing rideshares over taxis. I have been screwed enough times to believe they’ve grown an international conscience (see “Taxi my friend?” The Worst Places to Hail a Cab). But, if you happen to be in Tenerife, I suggest comparing prices before automatically opting for Uber.

Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around

thepointsoflife

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September 25, 2023

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Ritz Carlton Tenerife Hotel Review is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

Getting There I took a taxi from the Tenerife South airport (see Tenerife: Take a Taxi Over Uber). It cost 50 euros. I am glad I discovered I didn’t fly into Tenerife North as the taxi price would have been more than double (see Not My Fault: Tenerife Airport, North Or South?).

I like a soft landing after landing in a new country. What’s softer than the pillows at a Ritz? After being lazy in the Iberia domestic lounge (see En Route: Iberia’s Domestic Lounge Madrid) and a flight I do not recall to Tenerife South (see Iberia Business: Madrid to Tenerife), I arrived at the Ritz Carlton Tenerife, eager to get this Still The Best Trip rolling. Location The hotel is an isolated oasis, far from the hustle and bustle of Playa de Las Americas. But that’s the point (see Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife: Well That Sucked).

Golf The Abama golf course is beautiful. But a 200 euro solo round before rentals in the oppressive heat is not my idea of a good time.

a golf course with a pond and palm trees

Property It felt like I was in Morocco.

a pool with palm trees in the background

a pool with umbrellas and chairs in front of a building

a pool with umbrellas and chairs and palm trees

a view of a tropical area with palm trees and buildings

a palm trees and buildings with the sun in the background

Welcome Drink Cuidado! When the front desk told me I could have a welcome drink at the main bar, she only said it could be an alcoholic or nonalcoholic drink. I thought that I could pick any drink from the menu. For a 15-euro caipirinha, I realized I was wrong. The welcome drink is a premix of OJ and something.

a glass with ice and lime on a napkin — My welcome drink

Michelin Sushi My friend recommended trying the Michelin-starred sushi restaurant. He said it rivaled Japan. Since it was the beginning of my trip and since I didn’t come to the Canary Islands to eat sushi, I passed. Room I had a junior suite. Junior is an understatement. It was huge.

a living room with a couch and a television

a living room with a couch and a coffee table

Patio(s) There were two different entrances for the main patio.

a patio with chairs and a building in the background

There was a private entrance for the patio off the master.

a coffee machine and cups on a tray — An espresso and a balcony, what more do I need?

Bathroom The shower was not a rain shower. It was retrofitted to be acceptable.

a hallway with a mirror and wooden cabinets

a bathroom with a large mirror and a tub

a shower with a faucet and a shelf — Shower meh

a group of tubes of cream on a metal shelf — Soaps great

Breakfast Following my welcome drink mishap, I called ahead to see if breakfast was included. It was. It was wise to ask because there was nothing impressive about the breakfast. The eggs were good but the spread was minimal.

Beach Living in Puerto Rico, I am spoiled by one of the world’s best beaches which is located right outside of my door. When you have such a nice beach at home, it’s hard to be impressed with other beaches.

a body of water with rocks and a fence on the side

While the beach was nothing special, I was impressed with the transport from the Ritz to the beach. At home, I have my golf cart. Here, there was a train.

a sign with a map and a car parked in the background

a rail going up a hill — I didn’t take the train back.

Vino “Oh, you have a water? That’s six euros,” was a comment an Italian tourist told me as I sat in the restaurant near the beach. As you can imagine, everything in the orbit of the Ritz is pricey. I lucked out by having free water in my room. My money was spent on a reasonably priced bottle of wine for 30 euros.

Overall I used a stay cert valued at 40k points to stay at the Ritz Carlton Tenerife. The room retails for 300 euros. While it isn’t the best redemption (see Marriott Stay Certs: Let Me Warn Or Remind You Again), it was the perfect soft landing. Round 2 After a terrible time in Playa de Las Americas, I sprinted back to the Ritz Carlton Tenerife. I burned another 35k stay-cert. The second time was much better. Here’s why: Alcohol Forget the welcome drink. I brought my own beer and wine.

Who needs a suite? I’ll take a view over a suite any day. The rain shower was also better in the standard room.

a building with palm trees and a body of water

Michelin Sushi On this stay, I decided to try the sushi. Read this post to find out if a $375 dinner for one was worth it.

Overall Again I will not be returning to Tenerife (see Guns & Butter: Tenerife Travel Guide). If you do go, go to the Ritz Carlton and stay put.

Marriott Stay Certs: Let Me Warn Or Remind You Again

thepointsoflife

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September 21, 2023

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Marriott Stay Certs is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.

This mistake is going on the Travel Lessons page. When planning my spectacular Still The Best Trip (see How to Book the Best Itinerary: AA, Avios, Aeroplan, Miles & Smiles, Flying Blue, LifeMiles, Capital One), I did not book many hotels in advance. One hotel that I did book ahead of time was the Ritz Carlton Tenerife (see Ritz Carlton Tenerife: We’ll Make It Better, The Second Time Around). The hotel retails at $354 a night. On the day I arrived, the price in points was 44k. While I would not use my precious Marriott Bonvoy points on such a redemption, I have no issue burning expiring stay certs. The mistake is that I used my 40k Titanium Elite stay cert instead of my 35k Amex stay cert to make the reservation. Why was this a mistake? Because Marriott now allows reservations that combine a stay cert with up to 15k Bonvoy points. The best use would have been for a hotel that goes for 55k points a night. Although I knew that Marriott would, ‘for my convenience’ at checkout show the 40k stay cert first, I didn’t X out of the transaction and switch my method of payment to a 35k cert. I was reminded of the error of my ways when later on in my trip I tried to book the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh. Cheeky Marriott required 52k points for that stay, rendering my 35k stay cert useless. TPOL’s TIP: Let me warn or remind you again, don’t use your high-value stay cert when a low-value one will do.