Grand Hyatt Barcelona: Good, Bad, & Annoying

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Grand Hyatt Barcelona: Good, Bad, & Annoying
Grand Hyatt Barcelona Hotel Review is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
There are hotels that I expect will disappoint. There are also hotels that I expect to exceed expectations. Grand Hyatt BCN was one of those that I expected to be great. In the end, there was good, there was bad, and there was annoying. a building with a pool and umbrellas Good: Room Great king-size bed, good shower. a room with a bed and a rug a bed in a room a room with a bed and a tv on the wall a bed in a room
a remote control on a table
I love when the controls are next to the bed.
a bathroom with a large mirror a shower head in a bathroom a group of white bottles on a black marble surface Bad: Elevator Room I hate rooms next to the elevator. Worse than the elevator was being next to the service entrance. All morning it sounded like someone was coming into my room. I would hear dishes and glasses tossed around and people talking. It was impossible to sleep. Annoying: Coffee  I found it funny that they gave 4 decaf to 2 normal espressos (see Why So Much Decaf?). a tray with coffee capsules and condimentsa coffee machine next to a white mug a tray of coffee cups and teacups
two bottles on a tray
Extra water was welcome
Good: Happy Hour Who doesn’t love a great happy hour? Excellent Cava and a diversity of snacks were offered during the two days I went to the bar on the ground floor. My personal favorite is the tortilla de patata. meat on a rack in a restaurant a food counter in a restaurant a trays of food on a counter a plate of food on a table a pizza on a tray a plate of food on a table a plate of pasta and vegetables a group of bottles of wine in a bucket of ice a glass of champagne on a table Bad: Lounge This was one boring lounge with no atmosphere. It didn’t even have music. It did have plenty of normal coffee. a room with a bar and chairsa counter with food on it a room with a round table and chairs a room with a fireplace and chairs a coffee machine on a counter a box of tea yogurt Annoying: Location While the location of this hotel was not as remote as the Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower, which was in the middle of nowhere, the Grand Hyatt Barcelona is not in the heart of the city. I wasted too much money on taxis instead of being able to walk out my door. a sign on a wall Good: Spa The spa was incredible. After my experience in Colombia (see Frozen: Ice Bath Medellin), I easily handled the cold pool and spent the rest of the time dipping here and dipping there.a sign on a wall a indoor pool with a large windowa pool inside a buildinga large indoor pool with a fireplace and a large window a pool inside a building a waterfall in a pool a sign on a wall a rectangular metal pool with purple lightsa sign on a stone surfacea metal square pool with a handle a sign on a wall a blue light in a room a red wall with lights Bad: Pool I am exaggerating when I say the pool was bad, but I need to keep the theme going. It was adequate. people in a pool Annoying: People People who put their hands in the chip jar (see Etiquette of Things: Keep Your Dirty Hands to Yourself). a can of potato chips on a plate Overall The hotel was good, bad, and annoying. The only reason I would not stay here again is because of the location.

Why So Much Decaf in My Hotel Room?

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Why So Much Decaf in My Hotel Room?
Why So Much Decaf? is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
I complain about everything (see Have You Ever Not Complained?). And I don’t apologize for it. I had legitimate complaints while staying at the Grand Hyatt BCN (see Grant Hyatt Barcelona: Good, Bad, & Annoying). I also had one that was just for laughs. Nespresso Let it be known to all, that the best pod espresso machine is Nespresso. The rest fall short. I will settle for an impostor machine over instant coffee. It is a devastating disappointment to check into a hotel and discover no espresso machine. Typically this happens in the US. At the Grand Hyatt Barcelona, there was not a Nespresso machine but something that looked like it. Ready to attack the town (see Guns & Butter: Barcelona Travel Guide), I proceeded to make myself an espresso. To my amazement, I discovered 4 decaf pods and 2 normal. At home, I have decaf pods for the rare occasion when I want that espresso taste without the espresso bolt. It makes sense that hotels provide the decaf option, though I have to wonder how many people use it. What does not make sense is the ratio of 4 decafs to 2. I could have let it go, but I decided to ask the front desk. Ever the smart ass, I showed the man the picture and asked him what he saw. He said cream and espresso. Like Rafiki, I told him to look closer. He said, “Ah ha! There are 4 decafs and 2 normal.” I queried in Spanish if in a city like Barcelona if this made sense. Unlike my last joke in Spanish that almost got me removed from an airplane (see Iberia Business ORD-MAD: Mask Jokes Literally Don’t Fly), he laughed and said no. He then sent someone to my room with enough espresso for Rick James and me. a tray with coffee capsules and condiments

Creeper Cam Is Back: Alexander Bachuwa Launches the Vlog

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Creeper Cam Is Back: Alexander Bachuwa Launches the Vlog
Creeper Cam is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
There was a time in my life that I walked around with a video camera. It was known as the creeper cam by virtue of its ability to capture stealth moments in HD. In total I had 3 of these Sanyo-made devices. As phones took over, the desire to carry an extra device faded as did my creepiness. Incidentally, this was around the same time I started my blog in 2014 (see TPOL Is Ten And #MasterOfWon). Although TPOL loves writing about travel, there’s more to Alexander Bachuwa than points. Accordingly, I have started a YouTube channel appropriately named Master of Won. This is not an amateur operation. I have a film producer who takes my content and produces magic that should generate fractions of hundreds of pennies (see TPOL’s Way Out of Poverty Is Not Vlogging). The inaugural clip is coming soon. For now, answer this question: do you find this guy creepy?a man holding a camera

Direct Bus from Andorra: I Made It

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Direct Bus from Andorra: I Made It
Direct Bus from Andorra is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
I booked a roundtrip journey with Direct Bus from Barcelona to Andorra. Because I ‘missed’ the bus from Barcelona to Andorra (see I Missed My Ride: Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra), I made sure to get to the bus station early and to ask what time and exactly where the bus would come. The monitor in the bus terminal pointed to where the bus would be. I took no chances and sat right under it. a screen on a pole
a bus parked at a station
Not my bus
a silver van parked in front of a building
Not my bus
When the bus that said DirectBus arrived, I attempted to board it. The driver said that my electronic ticket was no good and that I needed to go into the office and obtain a paper ticket. Anxiety set in as I became worried that as soon as I turned my back, the bus would poof! Disappear.
a white bus parked under a bridge
My bus
Luckily, that didn’t happen. The journey was smooth minus the cursory inspection at the Spanish border. TPOL’s TIP: DirectBus picks up from BCN airport but drops off at the main train station.

Guns & Butter: Andorra Travel Guide (Country Count Edition)

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Guns & Butter: Andorra Travel Guide (Country Count Edition)
Andorra Travel Guide is part of the Gold Medal 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.
Getting There: A bus costs 60 euros to and from Andorra but make sure you don’t miss it (see I Missed My Ride: Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra & Andbus to Andorra: ‘And’ It Showed Up).
a building next to a river
Return to this bus station.
Why do people come to Andorra? Most come to the home of the Pyrenesse to ski. TPOL doesn’t ski. Some come to hike. This was a day trip and TPOL had no interest in physical exertion. Others come for the Country Count novelty. This applied to me (see Where I’ve Been). a river running through a city a river with a bridge over it a river running through a citya river running through a bridgea river running through a park Tax-Free Shopping One interesting fact about Andorra is that it is a tax-free zone. While that is true, I did not find the prices to be especially competitive for my interests (see TPOL Knows Cologne, Just Don’t Buy It on a Plane )
a display case with perfumes on it
Versace is the best.
a room with a large group of boxes and a tripod
Why are golf balls so expensive everywhere?
TPOL’s Tip: There is a 9-hole golf course in Andorra. The prices were great for alcohol. a group of bottles of liquor a group of bottles of liquor
a store front with a sign
Not sure about the prices but the sign was clever.
Nobility of Time  The point of interest that fascinated me was Dali’s Noblesse du temps or nobility of time. As a sophomore at the University of Michigan, I had the Persistence of Memory poster hung on my wall.a sign on the grass a statue of a clock on a tree in a city Old Town Although I did not go hiking, I spent hours walking through the city. It certainly has the old town charm (see Astray in Old Town: Great Places to Get Lost). a street with buildings and people walking on it a street with tables and chairs a building with a stone wall and a stone staircase a flag on a pole with trees and a fence Satisfied with my cultural experience, I stopped at Barri Antic for a beer. a building with signs on the fronta room with tables and chairs and a fridge with beer bottlesa glass of beer on a table From there, it was on to the old parliament. When I learned of the cover charge, I declined to enter. a stone building with flags on the roof a flag on a stand in a room a building with a stone courtyard and a mountain in the background The next objective was to take photos of the curious gold men sitting down. Since returning I have researched said men. They are called the 7 Poets and were created by Jaume Plensa. Regarding the moments, Plensa said, “Poets are a key part of society. They are doomed to failure because they know they won’t sell even three books, but they are a source of fertility, like a very fine rain that penetrates the earth.” He might as well be talking about TPOL.a yellow statue on top of a building with mountains in the backgrounda building with a bridge over a road a street with flags on the side of a building TPOL’s Tip: Buy Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine. Before making my way to the bus station promptly, I went for another beer and a bowl of gazpacho, a must on a terribly hot day. a glass of beer with a star on it a bowl of soup on a table Overall Am I the cultural attaché to Andorra? Hardly. Is it worth going? Of course.

Andbus to Andorra: ‘And’ It Showed Up

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Andbus to Andorra: ‘And’ It Showed Up
Andbus to Andorra is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
I still needed to get to Andorra after the first bus did not show up (see I Missed My Ride: Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra). To do so, I had to take another bus to Terminal 1, which confirmed that I was indeed in the right place when I was waiting for Direct Bus. What is nice about Andbus is how the website shows clearly where the bus stop is.
a screenshot of a phone
No confusion here.
a woman in a large building with signs and columns
Terminal 1
a bus parked under a roof
Look who it is
a group of buses parked in a parking lot
Where I wait
a bus parked in a station
Look who arrived
a group of people in a bus
On my way
After boarding the bus, the driver made his way through the airport. I, once again, passed Terminal 2. And I, once again, wondered how it was possible that my bus did not come.
a person walking through a window
Hello Terminal 2
I spent the next three hours blogging and beginning my quest to be a YouTube sensation (see Creeper Cam Is Back: Alexander Bachuwa Launches the Vlog).
a laptop and phone on a seat
The gear
a remote control for a camera
The Vlog
When we arrived in Andorra, there was no passport check. We rolled right through.
people standing next to a bus
Welcome to Andorra

I Missed My Ride: Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra

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I Missed My Ride: Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra
Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
I have been forever paranoid about missing a flight (see Boarding Announcement Paranoia). I am terrified of being caught on a train without a ticket (see “Tickets, Please, Tickets”: Train Anxiety). And I am scared that I will take the wrong bus or, worse still, miss the bus completely. To prevent Travel Lesson posts from accumulating, I purposefully and strategically researched the bus from Barcelona to Andorra. I came across Direct Bus. For 60 euros, I could easily and without hassle reach another country on my list (see Where I’ve Been). I took note that the bus picks up at Terminal 2 and scheduled my Bolt to make sure I arrived with plenty of time to spare. Upon arrival, I went to the information desk to double-check the location of the bus stop. She confirmed that it was out the doors to the right. Unfortunately, there were no signs that said Direct Bus. As the minutes ticked along, I became concerned. Not wanting to be idle, I asked multiple bus drivers. Both said I was in the right spot.
a group of people walking under a covered walkway
Is this the right spot?
a bus parked at a bus stop
Right spot, wrong bus
With the pickup time moments away, I made use of the Direct Bus WhatsApp contact. Here’s what I was told.a screenshot of a phone a screenshot of a phone Assured that I was in the right place and that the bus was there, I waited past the pick-up time and assumed that maybe the bus was running late. A few minutes later, a Direct Bus arrived. I thought this was it. When I went to board, the driver said that he was not going to Andorra and that my bus had already left. I tried to explain that I had been here the entire time but he said ‘se fue’ and that was the end.
a bus parked on the side of a road
Right bus, wrong bus.
Outraged, I called Direct Bus and the agent tried to convince me that I missed the bus and that I would have to wait two hours for another one. I could have gone home but decided to book with another company, Andbus, hoping it would show up.
a group of people standing in a line in a terminal
Confirmed: I was in Terminal 2
a man standing at a bus stop
Transport to Terminal 1
a view from the bus window
Going to Terminal 1 to catch Andbus
Overall There is no Travel Lesson to be learned. The bus did not show up. I am not crazy.

Odd: Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower Hotel Review

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Odd: Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower Hotel Review
Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
Getting There: Take a standard taxi from BCN airport (see Transport From BCN: Forget Uber, Take a Taxi).
My first stop on this crazy trip was Barcelona. Typically, I land at a destination and the craziness starts. This time, I took a different approach. This time I decided to ease my way into the trip. The Hyatt BCN is the perfect place to implement this strategy. Why? 1. It is very close to the airport. Had I not messed with Uber and Bolt, I could have been in my comfy Hyatt bed in minutes. 2. It is in the middle of nowhere. I don’t appreciate that this place is called the Hyatt Regency Barcelona. While technically it is in Barcelona, there’s nothing that resembles Barcelona for kilometers. If I had hurriedly booked this hotel with the expectation that I would be somewhere in the vicinity, I would have been quite disappointed. Fortunately, I have learned the lesson that Hotel Name + City Name does not equal prime real estate (see Four Points Ljubljana: Not Near the Centre). This time the less-than-ideal location was to my advantage. The goal was not to do anything. Temptation was far from my door making this mission easy to accomplish.
a city with many buildings and trees
Fun is not right outside your door.
3. Points Cheap What will we do when Hyatt has a serious devaluation like Hilton? This would end my ability to pad stays at properties without worrying about points (see Bus-Ted: Gold Medal Trip Report Points & Cash Summary). For 9k a night, I received a great room and a hot shower.a room with a bed and a table a bed with a large headboarda bed with white sheets and a large headboard in a rooma light fixture from a ceiling
a bathroom with mirrors and sinks
Where’s TPOL?
a bathroom with black tile floor and black countertops
Where’s TPOL?
a shower head in a bathroom a group of bottles of soap 4. Close to Andorra As stated above, the Hyatt is close to the airport. The airport is where I attempted to catch the bus to Andorra. This is convenient if logistics go as planned (see I Missed My Ride: Not So ‘Direct Bus’ Andorra). 5. It’s a Funky Hotela tall building with glass walls and a red and orange structure a tall building with a glass facade a glass building with plants in pots a large glass building with a glass ceiling and a plant in a pot a glass wall with green leaves on it a tree with leaves on it a room with a large window and a large building with plants
a water bottle and a kettle on a table
No espresso machine is bad.
a glass tray with food and snacks on it
But olives in the mini bar? Good.
Overall If you’re looking to ease your way into your Euro trip, stay at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona. Olives I would pay for.

Transport From BCN: Forget Uber, Take a Taxi

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Transport From BCN: Forget Uber, Take a Taxi
Transport From BCN is part of the Gold Medal Trip Report.
Take it from me, I hate taxis at the airport. However, there is a time and place for them. And that time and place is Barcelona airport, especially if you happen to be staying at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower. Here’s why: I saw there was a metro in the airport. Starting my trip frugally and with no rush, I thought it made sense to pay the 5.50 euros for the metro. After doing so, I turned to my Moovit app to chart my route. I should have done this before paying for the ticket.
a screenshot of a phone
Should’ve looked at this first.
Bolt & Uber Timers Striking out on the metro, I checked the rideshare apps. I learned that new arrivals to Barcelona have to wait 15 minutes for a ride-share app to request a driver. And when it does, it is no easy mission to find the Uber driver.
a screenshot of a phone
I hate this guy.
Taxi I do not have time to waste for the sake of wasting it. After trekking all over BCN airport, I concluded that I was better off taking a taxi to the hotel from the outset. I discovered that I was only a few minutes away.a sign on a wall with elevator doors
a parking garage with many cars
It’s not here.
people with luggage in a parking lot
Everyone thought it was here.
a bench in a parking garage
It was here.
a man driving a car
1 hour later, on my way.
Overall I have no issue paying a premium for expedient taxis. The problem is not knowing whether I will be ripped off. In Barcelona, this was not an issue, but how was I to know this in advance?  

Simply The Best: August 2024

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Simply The Best: August 2024
I’m back home and back to blogging (see TPOL Is Back! and read Renee’s Festivus comment). Here are the best posts from August. 1. Bus-Ted: Gold Medal Trip Report Points & Cash SummaryTPOL does it again. 2. Repeat Business: Iberia San Juan to Madrid
a person's feet on a plane with a screen
I’ve been reprimanded about my shoes on the cushion.
3. Iberia MAD-BCN: Some Funny Business
a bottle of wine next to a glass of wine
Comment: “Jeez TPOL, I never had you pegged as a n00b”
   
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