Back in August, I jumped on the ~$500 Hong Kong Airlines business class mistake fare. Since the fare was in business class, there was no thinking about it: I sent out a group text and gave everyone exactly two minutes to respond. My sister wanted to go, so I booked the […]
review
Review: Hera Cave Suites Cappadocia
Our stay at the Hera Cave Suites Cappadocia was a last minute decision. We weren’t sure where we were going after my cousin’s wedding in Istanbul, so we picked Cappadocia. I booked the Hera Cave Suites in the lobby right after we checked out, while simultaneously booking our flights to […]
Review: Nusret Istanbul (aka the Salt Bae Restaurant)
When my cousin suggested fifteen of us go to Nusret Istanbul (i.e. home of Salt Bae) at 11:30 PM, my first thought was, “Ugh. Why?” Convinced it was a tourist trap, I did not want to go there 30 minutes before closing. Or even worse – actually sit down and […]
Breakfast at Namli Gurme Istanbul
Since the food at the Grand Hyatt Istanbul was subpar, we decided to venture out for breakfast at Namli Gurme on our last morning. A family friend who lived in the city recommended it. She proclaimed it to be the best place for a traditional Turkish breakfast. Situated in Karakoy, Namli was mostly […]
Revisiting the Grand Hyatt Istanbul
I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Istanbul for the first time in 2012 and absolutely loved it. I don’t know what it is about this hotel, but it has such a homey vibe. When I was still staying at the Hilton Bomonti on my most recent trip (the whole family […]
An unbiased review of the 200,000 Mile Capital One Spark MilesBusiness card offer
The Capital One Spark Miles Business Card has been making waves lately with a 200,000 mile sign-up bonus. This is hands down the biggest sign-up bonus I’ve ever seen for any credit card. Sure, there was a 200,000 mile Amex Platinum sign-up bonus floating around but that was targeted – […]
Review: Doubletree Istanbul Sirkeci
When planning our trip to Istanbul, the Doubletree Istanbul Sirkeci came up as the best option near the Sultanahmed area. While my cousin’s wedding took place at the Kempinski Ciragan Palace and everyone was staying at the Hilton Bomonti, we decided to spend our first two nights sightseeing in Sultanahmed. […]
Review: Turkish Airlines Business Class Vienna to Istanbul
After a great flight on Austrian business class from LAX to Vienna, we flew Turkish Airlines business class from Vienna to Istanbul. Our layover in Vienna was short, so we skipped the lounge. The plane arrived late and we were ushered through the jet bridge a little prematurely: They were […]
Review: Xiaomi 90FUN Passport Carry-on Bag
A couple of months ago I was looking for luggage and the Xiaomi 90FUN Passport piqued my interest. I wanted a hardside international carry-on bag with a front pocket and there weren’t many reasonable options out there. Away Travel had a hardshell carry-on with a front pocket, but it cost $275. […]
Review: Austrian Airlines Business Class Los Angeles to Vienna
I was excited to fly Austrian Airlines business class between Los Angeles and Vienna this past summer. My family was traveling to Istanbul for my cousin’s wedding and I was able to redeem a combination of 70,000 United miles and 57,500 Aeroplan miles per person for me, my sister and […]