Key Largo, Feb 2023! Wedding! Coconut Palm Inn

 TAVERNIER KEY, FLORIDA (KEY LARGO)

COCONUT PALMS INN, FEBRUARY 2023

I traveled here from DC for a wedding.  It was gorgeous.  All there is to do here is relax.  No major amenities, but for a quick mini vacation, it was nice.  Prices were through the roof for rooms, but as it was for a wedding, it was to be expected as they rented out the entire property.

I would not necessarily stay here again, but it was worth seeing once.  More like a motel - they don't service rooms daily.  Without a car it's kind of tough out here so I suggest pre-booking Uber.

All in all, gorgeous, relaxing location.

Elite 8 in Vegas, finally. NYNY was not scary.

 NEW YORK NEW YORK

VEGAS, MARCH 2023

So, I was totally hesitant to stay here as I consider it a lower end property, but it was right next to T-Mobile Arena and happened to be cheaper than Park MGM that day.  I booked banking on the hopes that Gonzaga would make it to the Elite 8 (which they did!).

I got a new Soho room, and it was nice. It even had a fridge, which you don't see at most MGM properties.  It was pretty basic, like a dorm, but was sufficient.  I'd stay there again for the location. Piano bar was cool, and pizza cheap and good.  Don't eat at the wing place on way to Excalibur, ugh.  Other than that, food was good and location stellar.  Do not fear NYNY!

Normal Kuer MGM Amenities. Nothing to write home about, but better than that new Almond lotion stuff at Delano.

Soho Premier room, here I come!  Skeptical...

View from the room of Roller Coaster and T-Mobile Arena

Dumplings at Chin Chin by elevators.  They were ok, not spicy enough for me but good.  People will like it.

My Alaska Air rage is over for now.

 

ALASKA AIR is the way.

I'm over my rage at Alaska.  Things are ok again post-Covid, although points aren't double anymore so I doubt I'll make my 75K again this year.  I was able to keep the status during the pandemic, but lost it early this year.  I did the challenge to get back as I think it's worth it for the free upgrades (higher up the list) and things like that.  I still pay for the lounge, although I'm questioning it as the food lately hasn't been great.

That said, I am still Alaska loyal.  I had to fly Southwest earlier this year as someone else was paying and booking.  I didn't die, but I also wouldn't ever choose it again.  I paid for early boarding, and despite measuring my bag, the GEG Employee said he thought it might be too big. Of course he asked another guy and he said no, it's fine, but by then a zillion others had boarded.  Trauma, stress.

In any event, I still love the Alaska program and for now I've decided to stay.

Protein plate in AM First Class has a weird maybe yogurt type dip, but the afternoon one was way better like a red garlic hummus or something. 

Nomad Atelier Suite was lovely! April 2023

 

 NOMAD!

Atelier Suite  April 4-7

The tub is key.  Get some bubble bath at Lush though, there isn't any provided.  Argan oil amenities. @ comp bottled small water in room.  I'd stay here again.  Way better than Park MGM basic rooms!

Alaska Airlines, the rage I feel. Tales of an angry MVP 75K

*draft due to me not being able to move nightmare pics from phone to computer during flight

ORD-SEA-GEG Nightmare Sept 27-28.

So my last few flights have been dismal at best.  The first nightmare- when you get a weather delay and you miss the last connecting flight home, there is NO compensation,  Zero, Zip.  The incompetent CS agent who rebooked me on an earlier flight booked the connection for before I was supposed to land in SEA.  Then I noticed I was also not on upgrade list, so I called back CS, and that's when I realized she had booked me on the wrong flight.  So, I went from First Class on my delayed flight to Row 22 or some shit middle seat just to get home that night.  Well, lo and behold, we sat on the tarmac for 2 hours at least and didn't take off.... so... I missed the last 11pmish flight from SEA to GEG.  NO COMPENSATION FOR WEATHER DELAYS.  So, I fucking camped on a bench across from McDonalds in B gate, as by the time I landed it was 1, by the tine I got off 1:30 due to being in the back of the bus, and you can't book Hilton online for day prior so I would have had to call or walk there making it 2AM just to leave at 4:30 AM for my 6AM flight, not to mention walking in the rain to get there.  So no,  I camped at SEA TAC.

After swearing off never getting on a plane again,

PDX-OGG Oct 14.
My next horror flight was to Maui on Oct 14.  I was next on upgrade list but did not get an upgrade.  That's totally fine. Not an issue.  HOWEVER... this fucking baby in the seat behind me (8C) was kicking the seat, whining, yelling, crying, going ape shit, and the parent did nothing.  I turned around the third time after a kicking episode and gave it the look of death like I would kill it.  At that point, the parent (dad)  gave the kid to the mom in seat 8A (window).  Fine.  Let it kick the shit out of 7A, not my problem.  I should have known as when I boarded, because the parents had all their shit staged on my seat 7C while they got situated in row 8.  I was like, uh, this is my seat, is this your stuff?  Can I sit here?  Totally oblivious parents.

GEG-SEA-LAS  Nov 1.
So the day before my flight, I call as I changed to an earlier flight to be by my friend who I was traveling with.  I noticed again that I was not on the upgrade list.  This wasn't the first time, but it was notable the last time on my Chicago flight that I couldn't seem to get on the upgrade list no matter what.  The first agent tried to tell me I had to wait 15 min to see it.  After waiting an hour, I checked again and called again.  This time, luckily I got someone willing to look further into it,  After spending hours on the phone with the agent, she said she knew what was wrong. When you change your flights when checking in (mind you they give you the option), the back end of the reservation doesn't match the front end. They have to rebook your flight and you have to check in again.  Ok, so I did.  Still not on list.  Luckily this agent gave me her name so when I called back CS, I was able to get a hold of her.  (after accidentally being hung up on once, told they can't patch us to a certain person, etc).  I finally got a hold of her again and told her, thanks and all but no, I'm still not on the list.  So she checked into it more and said you have to ask for PFA or something like that, and there's only a few CS reps who can make these changes etc.  After 2 hours of dicking around with this, she decided as a comp to put me in First anyway next to my friend as it was empty.  Thank god.

So, as fate would have it, we are boarding, and encountered the rudest gate agent on the planet.  Sorry ma'am that isn't your seat now, you're going to have to go to the desk.  (line at desk) as I'm boarding for Row 1.  So at desk: sorry, your seat is broken, we have to get you another seat.  Come to find out, yes my seat was allegedly "broken" although my friend tested it and says it's fine - and the seatbelt works as she is in 1A next to my empty 1C seat.  I feel worse for the guy in 4 something as the KID and mom in row 1D and F got moved to his row, and his new seat in 1D broke so he got booted too.  Never mind they didn't boot us to premium....  Here we sit in Row 28, D and E.  What the fuck.  They allegedly moved another First guy to premium and booted a premium lady back here who had a seat next to her hubby as 6C was also broken.  WTF is wrong with the seats on this plane?!??!  There is nothing visibly wrong with them.  Anyway, they handled this poorly as the plane arrived at the gate from Anchorage over an hour before boarding and we were not told until we tried to get on the plane that we got fucked/downgraded. Why did they not move us to premium and downgrade the folks there who just got upgraded?  This was a friggin disaster.  They almost had to kick the guy off who is now in 28E as his rage surpassed mine.  Yeah, I didn't pay for it, but 1) don't be rude, and 2) don't lie to us and 3) why not put us in premium... or say sorry.  No, just total rudeness from SEA agents.  The one agent was decent to me, probably because I looked like I was going to cry.  She took my rollerbag on so it would have a spot and let my friend keep in it 1st with her.  Thank god, I wasn't going to get on last and check my bag.  Anyway, this nightmare continues, I'm starving and was looking forward to the food in First but now I guess I will starve and be in a total rager for the next two hours due to the shitshow of this flight.

Sheraton Seattle

Seattle Sheraton and Loulay, Fountain Bar.  3 stars.

Sorry for the lack of pics:

I was there for a gala event so I stayed at the host hotel.  Nordstrom is a block away.  

The on-site nice restaurant, Loulay has awesome drinks, just don't have too many.  If you look closely, the nice crystal skull decor is kinda cute.  

I have no words for this other than I drank a lot.

The ballroom was nice and large for an over 300 person event.  Rooms here are standard.  The Fountain Bar is fine, but overpriced and service is spotty, so just go to Loulay for a drink as they cost about the same but the atmosphere is a lot nicer.

They have the "regular" amenities, I don't know what brand they are but they are separate bottles for shampoo etc. Nothing special.  They are adequate but you won't be sorry if you bring your own bathroom amenities.  This should all end soon as I hear Marriotts are going all to the bulk toiletries, but in the meantime, don't hope for anything special like the W Bliss toiletries. I would have stayed there but for fear of rain and having to walk all dressed up fancy.

Vdara peace.

VDARA-

So BF stayed in Vegas after his conference and booked a Vdara Penthouse Suite for a night to relax.  It was a good price.  There's no casino in Vdara, but it's right next to Aria, which has the Crystals Shops and the Tram to Bellagio/Park MGM.  Gorgeous room, I've seen them in person on another trip.

two bathrooms

Nice views.

The coolest part is where you can order coffee, and a robot brings it to you.  In short, Vdara is pretty cool and a great place to relax.