Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

The Hyatt Regency Mexico City Review

thepointsoflife

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September 23, 2015

The Hyatt Regency Mexico City Review is part of the Trip Report: The Greatest Diamond Challenge of All Time. Check out how I planned my Hyatt Diamond Challenge and how it cost next to nothing here.

In this report, I will cover:

Getting There: Check out the Mexico City Metro or take a $12 Uber.

hyatt regency mexico city review — The Outside

“Are you here on business?” my friend asked when he met me at the Regency Club at the Hyatt Mexico City. If business means the Hyatt Diamond Challenge then yes I was.

The Hyatt Regency is known as the business hotel in Mexico City’s Polanco neighborhood though it is also great for vacationers as well.

The Location

The Hyatt is perfectly located in upscale Polanco, one of the richest neighborhoods in Mexico City. The Rolls Royce dealership and other fashionable boutiques are next door. Great restaurants, street food, and trendy bars are all within walking distance and the Bosque de Chapultepec city park is only a few minutes away on foot.

The Lobby

Though the exterior of the hotel is showing its age, the lobby is spectacular. There are restaurants, bars, and plenty places to sit.

The Room

Trying for a suite upgrade, I invoked the same line used at the Andaz San Diego to no avail. Diamond Challenge or not, I ended up with a standard room on a high floor. I did manage to negotiate Regency Club access which made having a suite superfluous.

The Regency Club Lounge

There a few lounge left in this world that deliver. Most hotel lounges now have instant coffee, no wait staff, and maybe some light snacks. This was not the case at the Hyatt Regency Mexico City which like the Hilton Istanbul and the Le Royal Meridien Shanghai are among the best in the world.

The lounge opens early for breakfast though TPOL couldn’t be bothered to wake up for a Western breakfast when tasty street food is available at any time. My apologies for not having pics but at least I didn’t have to weird out the business travelers wondering who the creepy stranger is taking a photo of the salmon.

The lounge shows its utility on rainy afternoons and as a pre-party spot before a night out in Mexico City. Red wine, Corona, Herradura tequila are all available at no cost along with delicious snacks including the hotel’s own al pastor.

The lounge remains open until 11pM and the helpful staff is in no hurry to push you out.

The Cost

I did cash n points for $75 + 6000 GoldPassport points. This became a great deal with the inclusion of the Regency Club.

Overall

I would definitely return to the Hyatt Regency Mexico City whether it be for business or leisure.

*The pics in this Trip Report seem to be a bit off. I switched to the HTC M9 and am disappointed with the quality.

<==Back to Mexico City Metro – Onto Mexico City Travel Guide==>

Is iPhone Showing Pics Upside Down?

The Deal Ticker

thepointsoflife

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September 23, 2015

3

I’ve received some pings that some of my pics aren’t being displayed properly. They shows up vertically on my devices, Android and Blackberry but for some reason not on Apple.

Here’s a test to see if I have fixed it. Apologies for reaching out to you for technical support.

The Mexico City Metro

thepointsoflife

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September 23, 2015

0

This is part of the Trip Report: The Greatest Diamond Challenge of All Time. Check out how I planned my Hyatt Diamond Challenge and how it cost next to nothing here.

In this report, I will cover:

Avoiding getting ripped off by the airport taxi is my number one objective when arriving in a new city. The hassle of getting from the airport for the right price is not something I’m equipped to deal with following a long journey. This isn’t as pressing a concern as it was once was with the emergence of Uber but a pain nonetheless.

Landing in Mexico City, I had yet to configure my Blackberry for m.uber.com. Blackberry doesn’t support the Uber app which is more hilarious than my insistence on keeping this great device. I had read about the terrible traffic in Mexico City and thought it would be more convenient, more cultural to take the scenic route via the Mexico City Metro.

To the point of convenience, it was not. To the point of cultural, it was worth the hour-long commute. The journey begins by walking the endless terminal of Mexico City Airport towards Terminal A. From there go under the white roof path to the metro entrance. Pay the incomparably cheap 3 pesos, or 17 cents, for a ticket. Stare at the incomprehensible metro map for a long time until you figure out that you are supposed to take Line 5 to Pantitlan. Change to Line 1, the pink line, towards Observatorio. Exit on Tacubaya. Switch to Line 7. Exit Auditorio. You have arrived in Polanco with much more than a discounted fare. You have arrived with a story.

First, I wouldn’t suggest taking the metro from the airport to Polanco not because it is unsafe but because it takes way too long and is way too hot. A few stops on the metro is enough to get the metro experience. This includes:

Hawkers calling out deals for discounted Doritos.
Preachers spreading the good word.
Young punks screaming and laughing hysterically much to the chagrin of all passengers.
Commuters enduring the long ride.

Basically it’s what you would find in the New York Subway but with much more personality and even more characters to observe.

Within the metro station, there was a Dominos ‘para llevar’ which was awesome and a McDonalds desert only shop which was strange. More noteworthy are the murals painted on the walls of the station that added to the experience.

But for street food, I would've stopped. — But for street food, I would’ve stopped.

While there is plenty to see and do in Mexico City, the trip would be incomplete without a ride on the metro.

Here’s the journey in pictures:

Keep walking, you're only at Terminal 2 — Keep walking, you’re only at Terminal 2

<==Back to Phoenician Scottsdale Golf Review – Onto Hyatt Regency Mexico City==>

Phoenician Scottsdale Golf Course Review

thepointsoflife

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September 23, 2015

2

Phoenician Scottsdale Golf Course Review

This is part of the Trip Report: The Greatest Diamond Challenge of All Time. Check out how I planned my Hyatt Diamond Challenge and how it cost next to nothing here.

In this report, I will cover:

The Clubhouse

The Phoenician is an SPG Luxury Collection Hotel located in Scottsdale, Arizona right off of Camelback Mountain. Like a room at the Phoenician, a round of golf can get pricey. Summertime does provide guests with the opportunity to stay and play at a significant discount, a decision that I highly recommend.

The Course

The beauty of this golf club is second to none. It is divided into three 9 hole courses: Canyon Course, Oasis Course, and Desert Course. The Oasis Course is where I began and it’s more of a traditional golf course with houses along the side. The Canyon Course which I played as the sun was setting was breathtaking. I spent so much time taking pictures I struggled to complete the last two holes.

The Oasis Course

2015-09-02 17.37.05 (Copy) — Tricky hole with water hazards on both sides

2015-09-02 17.08.27 (Copy) — Beauty on the green

2015-09-02 16.50.59 (Copy) — Now teeing off

2015-09-02 16.45.54 (Copy) — Barking dogs interfering with my chipping

2015-09-02 16.32.03 (Copy) — A perfect day

The Canyon Course

2015-09-02 16.34.47 (Copy) — Right along the mountain

2015-09-02 18.10.06 (Copy) — Villas of the Phoenician

2015-09-02 18.37.57 (Copy) — As the sun goes down

2015-09-02 18.38.00 (Copy) — Huge greens

2015-09-02 19.00.58 (Copy) — View of Phoenix

The Breakdown

phoenician golf course review — The Phoenician

Cost: $40 for 18 & cart for Arizona residents. $200 in the winter.

Beer: $7 for foreign and domestic.

Cart: The cart had GPS and also provided warnings if you were entering restricted areas.

Ball Loss: I lost a few to the desert and the water.

Score: Happy day.

Favorite Hole: Canyon #7: Par 3: 188 Yards

Worst Hole: Canyon #8 and #9. It got too dark and that’s my excuse for losing the ball.

What makes it unique: It provides some of the best views of Phoenix in a tranquil, scenic setting. The course is so nice that those who do not golf go for walks on the grounds.

TPOL Grade: 5/5 Tees

<==Back to Talking Stick Golf Review – Onto Mexico City Metro==>

US Bank & Club Carlson: Giveith & Takeith Away

Points

thepointsoflife

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September 22, 2015

3

US Bank & Club Carlson: Giveith & Takeith Away

Oh Club Carlson, oh US Bank, oh sometimes I get a feeling that they are messing with us for their own entertainment much like a boy shining a magnifying glass on an insect crossing the sidewalk. It’s a waste of time to retell the story of the devaluation, the lack of the e-certs, and the eventual jubilation of receiving them. There are two new, more pressing issues regarding these institutions.

Minimum night requirements:

I was casually browsing hotels around the world for New Years Eve and came across a few decent redemptions for Club Carlson with rooms available. As is my rule from the Vacationer’s Guide to Vacations, I planned on staying 3-4 nights in one city to see and do everything required to stay true to the Guns & Butter Travel Philosophy. The majority of hotels have minimum night requirements for peak season travel but nothing longer than 4 nights. Since that worked with my plan, I thought I could speculatively book some reward nights and cancel later if I found a hotel or city that was more appealing.

This could not be done because the e-certs can only be booked for one night and there is no way to override the computer to say e-cert for night one, cash and points for night two, points for night three etc. Contacting the hotel directly also proved fruitless. The only way to meet the minimum stay requirement is to book a room for the same rate for 4 consecutive nights. I burned my Club Carlson on a 2016 trip to Iceland so that wasn’t an option.

Where is my e-cert?

Had I convinced customer care or the local hotel that I was meeting the minimum stay requirement by using a mixture of cash, points, e-certs, and cash n points, it would all be for naught. While on hold for an hour, I thought it wise to have the certificate numbers handy in case the voice of reason interceded in my favor. Instead, here is what I found:

That’s right, no E-Cert. Speechless, angry, dumbfounded, all of the above, I hung up the phone and can’t be bothered to deal with either US Bank or Club Carlson.

[INSERT EXPLETIVE]

Talking Stick Golf Course Review: Golf in the Desert

thepointsoflife

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September 22, 2015

0

Talking Stick Golf Course Review: Golf in the Desert

This is part of the Trip Report: The Greatest Diamond Challenge of All Time. Check out how I planned my Hyatt Diamond Challenge and how it cost next to nothing here.

In this report, I will cover:

Las Vegas, Nevada
San Diego, California
Carlsbad, California
Scottsdale, Arizona
Mexico City, Mexico

Talking Stick is a casino, resort, and golf club in Scottsdale, Arizona. I never won there gambling and didn’t do so well at golf either.

The Clubhouse

Rude! Like a Yelp review, I will start off exclaiming how rude some of the employees at this course were. I’m guessing it’s because the temperature outside read 100 degrees and they were over the sweltering heat but seriously it won’t make it any cooler to be impolite. From tossing the pen to sign the receipt on the counter to the failure to make meaningful eye contact, the guy running the clubhouse had no manners.

The Course

As a budding golfer, I have learned much about the game. In talking to the greenskeeper I learned that the golf courses in the desert use different grass depending on the season. In Arizona, if I’m not mistaken, they use Bermuda grass in the summer and then rye grass in the winter. As a result, the course plays differently depending on the season. For example, the greens are quicker in the winter as the grass doesn’t have to endure the harsh elements. Overall, the grass is greener in the winter and that’s one of the reasons why it’s cheaper to play in the summer.

This concludes my meek attempt to get schooled in the science of Turf Management, a degree offered at Rutgers.

talking stick golf course review — Beautiful (hot) day

The Breakdown

Cost: $30 for 18 & cart for Arizona residents. $175 in the winter.

Beer: It was too damn hot in the desert to consider drinking.

Ball Loss: This is a golf course in the middle of the desert. There are no natural water traps, no houses to hit, and nothing from mother nature to interfere with your drive. Thus, ball loss is next to nonexistent.

Score: Bleh Face: Following this Trip Report, I pledge to put real scores regardless of how terrible they are.

Favorite Hole: Killer Bees

Wandering off the cart path is not advisable as there are snakes, scorpions, and bees waiting for you to slip up. In all my time living in Arizona I thankfully never saw a snake and only saw a couple of scorpions but the danger seems real in a golf course in the middle of nowhere.

Worst Hole: Sand traps were everywhere. If there was a bunker then my ball was naturally attracted to it.

What makes it unique: Take a step back and realize that you are playing golf in the desert. Look beyond the golf course and there’s nothing for miles.

TPOL Grade: 1/5 Tees

I’m sure this course is better in the winter but the miserable sun and the miserable man at the clubhouse means TPOL will not be returning.

Beautiful at night when the heat dissipates

<==Back to Hyatt Place Scottsdale – Onto Phoenician Golf Club Scottsdale==>

Free Award Wallet Codes to Save Your Points

The Deal Ticker

thepointsoflife

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September 22, 2015

2

Free Award Wallet Codes to Save Your Points

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Election 2016: Where Have All the MS Jobs Gone?

thepointsoflife

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September 22, 2015

0

Election 2016: Where Have All the MS Jobs Gone?

Hungry for Points wrote a comical piece on MS where he used a handy graphic to demonstrate the decrease in MS jobs in an industry that once thrived on such a practice. Inspired, I revisited my post, I’m in Manufacturing, Spending and updated it to reflect the same. Simultaneously, I saw firsthand and read on Miles to Memories that giftcards.com is imposing more fees on its cards. It certainly seems like the walls are closing in.

Nostalgic for the days of the Bird of Red, I am growing a bit frustrated that the latest golden goose has been taken away. As a result, during this election season, I have no choice but to run a negative campaign and blame others for the lack of MS jobs. We all know that bloggers are ‘great people, excellent people,’ but sometimes we do more harm than we intend. If TPOL is elected points president, I promise to build a wall, a great wall, the greatest firewall the world has ever seen to prevent these secrets from being shared to a million people.

My name is TPOL and I approve this message.

Delta Amex Investigation: No Bonus But Fee Refund

Points

thepointsoflife

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September 21, 2015

6

Delta Amex Investigation: No Bonus But Fee Refund

The results are in for my Delta Amex misapplication. I applied for the second time for this card hoping I would get the bonus. I did not. I meekly protested. Amex reviewed the claim and upheld the ruling. They kindly refunded me the entire $200 annual fee for my troubles even though the prorated amount should have been $162.

Before you criticize me for applying for card twice, I would like to reiterate that I did receive the Surpass bonus twice even after the new rule went into effect. That strategy did not work here.

Ah well, I’m not down with Delta anyway.

Hyatt Place Scottsdale Review: Great Service, Bleh Property

thepointsoflife

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September 21, 2015

0

Hyatt Place Scottsdale Review: Great Service, Bleh Property

The Hyatt Place Scottsdale Review is part of the Trip Report: The Greatest Diamond Challenge of All Time. Check out how I planned my Hyatt Diamond Challenge and how it cost next to nothing here.

In this report, I will cover:

Getting There: As a former resident of Scottsdale, I can say that Phoenix Sky Harbor is the most convenient airport in the world. After claiming your golf clubs, go up the escalator and take the train to the 44th Street exit. Uber will pick you up from there. Yellow Cab is the worst!

hyatt place scottsdale review — The Hyatt Place Scottsdale

I’m happy to say that this is the last review of a boring property in this otherwise eventful Diamond Challenge.

The Hyatt Place Vegas and the Hyatt Place Scottsdale are exactly the same: nothing bad, nothing great. The property like the one in Vegas is a converted AmeriSuites. They are so much alike I am reusing the pics of the Vegas room as part of this review:

The Room

The Hotel

The bar in the lobby has decently priced drinks and the location, 3rd Avenue & Drinkwater, is ideal for exploring Old Town. The room rate of $80 in the summer, makes this hotel an exceptional bargain. But besides the friendly and helpful staff, there is absolutely no reason to stay at this hotel when the Hyatt House is directly across the street.

Any questions?

<==Back to Legends Golf Course Review – Onto Talking Stick Golf Course Review==>