Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Omni La Costa: Legends Golf Course Review

thepointsoflife

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September 21, 2015

Omni La Costa: Legends 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:

Getting There: Getting from San Diego to Carlsbad then to the golf course wasn’t as simple as I thought it would be. I took the COASTER from downtown to Carslbad. The cost was $5. From the course I took Uber to the airport for $45.

This was the first time that I was that guy at the airport dragging his golf clubs to the taxi stand. I never understood why anyone would deal with the hassle of lugging clubs for the silly game of golf. Times have changed: I still don’t care for the inconvenience of checking in a bag but I feel naked without my trusty clubs.

As a card-carrying member of Citi Prestige, I have 3 rounds of free golf all over the world. Like an uninformed wine enthusiast, I chose the course based on price not on practicality. The Legends Course goes for $175 on a Monday afternoon. This must mean it is the greatest ever right? Perhaps my golf palette has not reached the sophistication necessary to appreciate such a course, but I’m dumbfounded as to whom would shell out this much money for a basic, suburban course.

The Clubhouse

Golf in Carlsbad is what I imagine life to be like as a prince in Bel Air. From the Rolls Royce in the valet to the gossiping groups in the clubhouse, reality is different for this caste of society. It may be Monday in the office for most of us but it’s mimosas for these merry folk.

The Course

Living on a golf course must have been a status symbol in the 80’s. That’s the only way I can explain why these dated houses are situated literally right on the golf course. If teeing off didn’t create enough stress, imagine teeing off knowing that a shank right or left would land your Callaway through someone’s window. To that point, I hit a terrible shot off the fairway and from a distance heard a nice man yell, “Don’t worry, nobody saw that besides me and you.”

Apart from the housing nuisance, there was the strange sight of employees tending to the course in the middle of the round. I’m teeing off on a par 3 and there’s a guy manicuring the green with his headphones on. I’m not trying to sound like an old man, ‘get off my lawn’, but how am I supposed to swing when an unsuspecting man’s life is in danger.

And finally to add to the complaints, when the grass was cut, the trimmings were not discarded. I lost a ball on the fairway because it sunk into a pile of freshly cut grass. Try as I may I could not find it.

The Breakdown

Cost: $175 for 18, cart included. $0 using Citi Prestige

Cart: Completely electric. On board GPS included.

Beer: Affordable at $6 a can. Buy 5 get one free.

Ball Loss: None hit the houses, one fell into the water. Overall, pretty tame.

Score: Sad Smiley Face: TPOL came ready to keep score but it fell apart quickly. This was the first time I had played an elite course and it got the best of me.

Favorite Hole: Hole #9, Par 5

Long drives and a nice stream to get over on the green. I ended an abysmal day having only played 9 of 18 since I was running late for the airport.

Worst Hole: The first hole. The golf course marshal is stationed on the first hole. Then the beer cart person was watching me chip. No bueno.

What makes it unique: It’s high society.

TPOL Grade: 2/5 Tees

I wouldn’t pay $175 for this course even if I was Uncle Phil rich. I will return to play the Park Hyatt Aviara course and stay there now that I am diamond.

2015-08-31 12.09.47 (Copy) — I think I shot a 108, on 9

2015-08-31 12.17.38 (Copy) — Watch out for the houses

2015-08-31 12.20.00 (Copy) — A lot of man hours to put this together

2015-08-31 12.48.50 (Copy) — I was once out strolling one very hot summer’s day When I thought I’d lay myself down to rest In a big field of tall grass

2015-08-31 12.48.54 (Copy) — Good prices given the locale

2015-08-31 13.11.23 (Copy) — The spectators

2015-08-31 13.21.56 (Copy) — Up on the green

2015-08-31 12.51.39 (Copy) — Back to the clubhouse

<==Back to Andaz San Diego – Onto Hyatt Place Scottsdale=>>

Simply the Best: August 2015

TPOL's Best

thepointsoflife

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September 21, 2015

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September is almost gone and I just realized that I did not publish the best posts from August 2015. So here they are:

[Manufactured] Spending $44,000 in 3 Months
Get this offer, grab that offer. Maybe I bit off a bit more than I could chew in the last app-o-rama last round of applications
The Greatest Hyatt Diamond Challenge Ever
I would say that my $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World was my crowning achievement as a points player. While that’s probably still true, the impeccable orchestration for meeting the Hyatt Diamond Challenge for next to nothing comes in a close second.
Shanghai+NZ+Tahiti+Bangkok in Business RT= 60,000 United Miles!
Did I read that correctly, all this for 60,000 United Miles? I thought there was a devaluation.
100k Amex Platinum Too!
When it rains, it pours Membership Rewards.
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Booked to LHR
I’m all set to go to Europe in business class, the way nature intended.
Wells Fargo Is the Worst Bank
“Although we see the payment, we cannot free up your credit until August 21st when the funds are cleared. Alternatively, you could fax (that’s right they said fax) proof from the institution that they released the funds.”
Points in Front, Peasants in Back
TPOL: When business class is no longer good enough

Week 10: Marathon Update

thepointsoflife

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September 20, 2015

2

Ten weeks of ‘training’ is done for the Athens marathon and in order to keep myself honest and motivated, here’s my weekly diary of all things marathon.

Here’s what happened this week:

It is officially time to panic.
I ran for the first time in weeks. The first mile was completed in 7:35, the second in 8 minutes. The third…didn’t happen.
I ran 3.83 miles today and didn’t come close to finishing the 10k.
I did book my flight from Athens to Egypt for after the race! That trip is supposed to be my reward for a job well done. Uh oh.

6 more weeks to go. Like last week I ask, “Did you see those shitty Lions lose?”

OK this is getting serious. 6 weeks. 6 weeks. 6 weeks.

Andaz San Diego Review: The Right Way to Lounge

thepointsoflife

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September 20, 2015

8

Andaz San Diego Review: The Right Way to Lounge

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:

Getting There: Uber is authorized to pickup at the airport. I Ubered the two block walk from the US Grant.

After the white glove service of the US Grant, it was time to return to the chic lifestyle. In San Diego, this means staying at one of two hotels: The W or the Andaz. Even though I love SPG, I’m not a big fan of the W brand. Stays at the W Hollywood and W Scottsdale were memorable for the wrong reasons.

The Andaz, on the other hand, has the same cool factor as the W without the pompous arrogance. I booked a standard room at the Andaz and informed the front desk that I was participating in the Hyatt Diamond Challenge. Unlike challenges of old (see Diamond Challenge Argentina) participants aren’t given temporary diamond status, making suite upgrades a thing of the past, or so I thought.

To my surprise, I was upgraded to a suite on the sixth floor, the top floor. During check-in I was offered red wine and told of the open wine bar happy hour during the evenings. Since my room was not ready, I was also given two free drink tickets to be used at the rooftop pool bar.

The Pool

The pool had a DJ spinning chillout tracks and a good man grilling delicious tacos, 3 tacos for $5. The clientele that day featured a popular member of the adult entertainment industry among other interesting characters. Maybe because it was San Diego not Scottsdale or West Hollywood or maybe because it wasn’t the W but the people were a lot more friendly.

After finishing a locally brewed, commendably made saison, I went back to the lobby to get my room key.

The Lobby

The lobby is cool, man. It has great ambiance, funky art, and interesting decorations. The mobile front desk featured in the Andaz where laptops are all over the place is a silly idea as I was paraded from one computer to the next until we found one that worked.

The Room

The Andaz Suite is a perfect room most notably comparable to the suite at Le Parker Meridien NYC. There is a great king size bed, large TVs, and plenty of space to make a mess.

The Bath

The only necessities in life are a great bed and shower. This has now come to include reliable Wi-Fi. Still, the original two features are why it is worthwhile to graduate from hostels to the points good life. The Andaz Suite had an infinity shower and bathtub for unwinding.

The Treats

Nothing is worse than hotels that don’t include a free bottle of water. I will never pay for the Evian no matter how thirsty I am. The Andaz takes it a step further and offers free refreshments and snacks including Coke, Diet Coke, orange juice, and candy. After a day at the pool and a night out on the town, these treats come in handy.

The Price

Paying cash instead of points is advisable for this hotel. I paid the full rate of $180 for a Sunday night because spending 20,000 GoldPassport points is better saved for the Park Hyatt Shanghai. Even there, I’d use the cash n points option.

andaz san diego review — With a better camera, hopefully.

<==Back to US Grant San Diego – Onto Omni La Costa: Legends Golf Course==>

The US Grant Hotel San Diego: So Nice, But Not the Price

thepointsoflife

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September 20, 2015

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The US Grant Hotel San Diego: So Nice, But Not the Price

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:

Getting There: Uber is authorized to pickup at the airport.

It’s the small, some may say trivial things, that transcend a hotel from good to great. Does the bellman ride in the elevator or allow the guest to go on his own? Does the staff greet the guest with a genuine, warm smile as he passes by or do they carry on about their business?

The US Grant Hotel San Diego is the model of greatness. No detail is overlooked. Like the living room in an Arab house with white furniture that is scotch-guarded, the decor of the US Grant is too nice to touch. The lobby is grand. The chandeliers are majestic. The artwork is some other superlative.

While I didn’t receive a suite upgrade thanks to Taylor Swift in town the same weekend as TPOL, I have no reason to complain aside from the fact that I could not afford to stay at this hotel on a daily basis. Rooms go for well over $500/night on the weekends and 16,000 SPG points. If you valet a car, add in another $40. These cost-prohibitive rates, much like the strict rules in my aunt’s house, are enough to keep out the points churning riffraff. That may be a reason why the US Grant stays as nice as it does.

2015-08-30 11.49.14 (Copy) — The US Grant

2015-08-30 11.48.44 (Copy) — From the street

2015-08-30 11.48.01 (Copy) — The building

2015-08-30 11.44.35 (Copy) — Across from my alma mater sports bar, Umich and ASU

2015-08-29 15.47.44 (Copy) — Elevator to my floor

2015-08-29 15.53.18 (Copy) — Great light

2015-08-30 10.17.29 (Copy) — View from the room

2015-08-29 15.51.28 (Copy) — The bathroom

2015-08-29 15.52.06 (Copy) — Great soaps

2015-08-29 16.31.25 (Copy) — The exterior

Cheers to the US Grant San Diego: Champagne not included

<==Back to Hyatt Place Vegas – Onto Andaz San Diego==>

Booking EgyptAir: The No Points Problem

thepointsoflife

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September 19, 2015

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After running 26.2 miles in the Athens Marathon, I’ll still be a ways away from my next destination, Egypt. Pre United devaluation, I would’ve flown EgyptAir on Star Alliance but that option is no longer viable. I’m talking to you CEO Munoz. I scoured the Internet and consulted with fellow experts as to the best way to travel to the following places:

Cairo
Luxor
Sharm el Sheikh

In the end, cash was king. The problem with cash is that it means spending money. Not everything can be free obviously but how do I know I’m booking the right flight on the right date to get the best price. Points alleviates the stress of the fluctuating ticket market since the saver award is or isn’t available. In cash bookings, there isn’t a sure-fire way of ascertaining whether the fare you are booking is great or terrible apart from hitting refresh for weeks on end and seeing the fare rise. “I should’ve booked it two weeks ago!”

But, there are ways to improve your chances of getting a better fare that I will outline below:

Step 1: Use ITA Matrix for searching for fares even though the flight can’t be booked there. Create a handy Excel chart with routing options to track all the fares. Be sure to price each leg separately.
The beautiful colors are optional.

Doing it as one trip yields a much higher price.
Step 2: Head to the carrier’s website and select the company’s home country. In this case, I went to EgyptAir.com and chose Egypt, not the United States as my country in order to receive the best fare.
Step 3: Input the flights from above. Take note of the total. 6,974.00 EGP or $890=$450/pax is cheaper than my Excel price of $470.
Step 4: Book the flight with the right credit card. I used the Citi Prestige card which gives me $250 off the fare and no foreign transaction fees.
Step 5: Take note that you don’t have to put your domestic carrier as your preferred mileage program. United miles may not be as desirable as Singapore.
Put your first name in the right spot.
Step 6: Enjoy dealing with the fraud alert.

Overall, no one likes to pay for tickets but what’s worse than paying is spending more than you should. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to confirming ‘my favorite food’ with this helpful agent.

The Hyatt Place Las Vegas Review: No Dice

thepointsoflife

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September 18, 2015

10

The Hyatt Place Las Vegas Review: No Dice

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

Getting There: From McCarran International Airport as of writing this post your best bet is to hope for an honest taxi since Uber is frowned upon in Vegas. The fare varies on the integrity of the driver but getting from LAS to the Hyatt Place should not cost more than $10. On the way back to the airport, I took the free hotel shuttle.

The Hyatt Place Las Vegas Review: No Dice but why?

The Casino

The title is applicable because there is no casino at the Hyatt Place. This is to be expected but the absence of gambling does not mean that the hotel can’t be nice. (see THEhotel at Mandalay Bay.)

The Location

The Hyatt Place is located next to the Hard Rock which would be convenient if it was a decade ago and the Rehab pool party was still cool.

The Quiet

If you’re looking for quiet and isolation then you shouldn’t go to Vegas in the first place. The isolation and quiet of this hotel in particular made an energetic city seem depressing.

Just Another Hyatt Place

The Hyatt Place Las Vegas is just another Hyatt Place, a chain that pales in comparison to the Hyatt House. There’s nothing wrong with the brand but there’s nothing impressive either. It’s basically an upscale Hampton Inn. The room is large, the couch is welcoming, and the bed is comfortable. If I was a business traveler in Omaha, Nebraska then I’d appreciate the amenities of the Hyatt Place. As for a location in Vegas, I find it to be pointless (aside from the Diamond Challenge).

Here are the pictures of the hotel of which I was a resident for a mere two hours thanks to Vegas being Vegas.

<==Back to Allegiant Airlines – Onto US Grant San Diego==>

Churn Answers Via Chase’s Secure Message Center

thepointsoflife

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September 18, 2015

4

Churn Answers Via Chase’s Secure Message Center

The best bank for online support is Chase via their Secure Message Center. They will quickly change due dates for cards even if the online system doesn’t allow it because the card is too new. They will confirm the meeting of the min spend on the card when tracking a dozen .csv file becomes overwhelming. They will also advise about which cards have been in the portfolio for the last 24 months.

This was sort of useful for me. I knew I had the United Business Card before but no clue as to when I had it. A quick message to Chase and a day later I heard the good news that Chase had no records of me having the card. This tool avoids the unfortunate result I had with Delta Amex because it puts their decision in writing. The reason it was sort of useful was because I still got rejected for the card despite calling recon. Barclays and Chase Business not lovin TPOL lately.

Another great enhancement of the Secure Message Center is the ability of the agent to match offers. Chase upped the 50k British offer to 100k and despite my skepticism, the good folks at the Message Center were able to match the offer without screenshots, back stories, and typical yelling.

Mad Chase Raised British Card to 100k Avios!

thepointsoflife

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September 17, 2015

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Mad Chase Raised British Card to 100k Avios!

The luck comes and goes with the points game. One day you’re patting yourself on the back because you managed to get Amex Platinum, Gold, and Green, oh my, on the same day. The next day you’re asking the points gods why they didn’t tell you to hold out for the better offer.

Usually, when there is an offer within the 90 day period of approval, banks have no problem matching your offer with the new one. However, there’s still the hassle of sending a secure message, getting rejected, and realizing that the only way to do real work is to call it in yourself. From there it’s anyone’s guess how many agents you have to speak to before someone reasonable honors your request.

I recently wrote about Amex devaluing its Avios transfer ratio on October 1st and how my application for the British card which came with 50k miles after 2k spend negated an immediate need to move over a substantial amount of MRs from those great Amex approvals. Then today Deals We Like has revealed the following offer from creditcards.com.

50,000 bonus Avios after you spend $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Plus earn an additional 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend $10,000 on purchases for a total of 75,000 bonus Avios.

Plus earn another 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend a total of $20,000 on purchases within your first year for a total of 100,000 bonus Avios.

I sent a message to Chase and hope they match this offer as I haven’t even received my card yet. The spend requirement would pile on to the current mins that are keeping me up at night but it will be well worth it in the long run.

The churns never end. The calls never end. The spends never end.

The adventure continues.

Insomnia from Minimum Spends

thepointsoflife

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September 16, 2015

4

Deep in the bosom of the gentle night
Is when I search for the light
Pick up my pen and start to write
I struggle, fight dark forces
In the clear moon light
Without fear… insomnia
I can’t get no sleep

The rush of applying for one card, then another, then another culminates when the postal worker drops off those thick Christmas envelopes from Omaha, Nebraska. Rip open the envelopes, discard the T’s & C’s and get right down to the plastic. Rip off the stickers, go to www.xxx/activate and admire the curation of the new cards in the portfolio.

From there the stress begins as I question what I’ve done. Why did I apply for all of these at once? Besides paying for the compensatory minimum fees that some cards have, there is the more pressing concern- how am I going to hit all these minimums?

Well, Santa came to TPOL’s house yesterday and it brought a hefty list of mins. Though not as severe as the 44k requirement last time around, it still is still large enough to prevent me from getting a good night’s sleep. The stupid amount that I have to spend is not the biggest issue. Life bills, my crushin IT digital marketing agency, and job in manufacturing should take care of that provided that no one takes out the target. For me, the anxiety comes from knowing I have work to do and I want it done now. Late into the night, I stare at Excel plotting how I’m going to execute my spends. My strategy is to take care of the big-ticket items first- the Amex Gold, the SPGs, then focus on the multiple cards that pay homage to the 49th state in order to recover the annual fees.

This time around I have 13 cards in the collection and 90 days to hit 35k.

I can’t get no sleep.