All posts by Point A

Getting there is half the fun! Day Job during the -uhh Day- and Travel Blogging at Night. It's all about the journey …

Best Views in Florence – Is there room for another view?

August 3, 2014 Point A

As much as we’ve enjoyed our last couple of stays at the Hotel Brunelleschi, I have to admit that we’ve never had a classic “room with a view” in Florence. However, this never really bothered us since Firenze is a city that’s meant to be experienced by walking the streets and not by gazing out of a hotel room window.

A logical first place to catch the “view” that we were seeking was the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. Just around the corner from the hotel, this Florence Cathedral is popularly known simply as Il Duomo. Of course, once we arrived at the church, we were confronted with lines that seemed to go on forever. I’m sure the views from the top of the Duomo’s iconic dome would be great. However, we also didn’t want to spend half our day waiting in line.

As an alternative, we decided to head out across the Arno river to the Piazzale Michelangelo. This square features a bronze copy of its namesake sculptor’s statue of David. However, the true draw of this popular vantage point is the panoramic view of Florence.

Of course, a lot of other travelers will have the same idea, so be prepared for a bit of a carnival-like (at times honky-tonk) environment with numerous food, drink and souvenir vendors scattered about. In addition, make sure you bring a hat and some sunscreen since there aren’t a lot of shaded areas that offer relief from the sun.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere of the area is festive and offers some great people-watching opportunities. One place to take a break is VIP’s Bar which offers outdoor seating and a prime location for taking in the views.

This venue is best suited for a cold drink, ice cream or some coffee. Although I wouldn’t build my evening meal round the VIP Bar, I would try to time a pre-dinner visit so that you could enjoy the sunset over Florence.

You also discover views in some unexpected places. For example, last summer we attended a music concert at theOrsanmichele. This church was used as a chapel by the city’s powerful trade and craft guilds during the 13^th and 14^th centuries. The concert took place in the museum located on the church’s upper floors. During the intermission, we wandered about and enjoyed some wonderful nighttime views of Il Duomo.

Finally, after soaking in the atmosphere of the lively Piazza della Signoria, another copy of the Michelangelo’s David (the original was moved to the Accademia Gallery in 1873) caught our attention and drew us towards the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio.

This large fortress-turned-palace served as the city’s town hall and housed the Signoria, or ruling body, of the Republic of Florence during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.

We opted for an entrance ticket that provided us admission to both the palace museum as well as the building’s Tower. As we made our way up the structure’s stone steps, we caught some peaks of the view outside.

At the top, we were rewarded for our climb with a postcard-worthy view of Il Duomo.

Before, my vertigo kicked in, my Partner F and I took a moment to wave at our fellow travelers atop the Duomo’s dome. Although those folks probably had to wait significantly longer in line than we did, I’ll have to admit that we were ALL pretty fortunate to be able to enjoy the views of the beautiful city laid out at our feet.

How about you? Do you have any suggestions for places to take in the view while in Florence?

American Airlines, Credit Cards, Pointing, US Airways

Combining American and US Airways Miles – Taking AAdvantage of Reaping Dividend Miles

July 26, 2014 Point A 5 Comments

I’ve never flown on a US Airways flight. It has been two years since I’ve stepped foot on American Airlines metal. Why, then, am I collecting miles on airlines that I never fly?

Well, a good Pointer, umm, makes it a point, to diversify their balances across multiple loyalty programs. I’m already directing my daily spending towards accumulation of the major points currencies. However, another element of my Pointing strategy is to participate in selected frequent flyer programs that align with my broader award redemption goals. For example, I’m a member of Lufthansa’s Miles & More program because I’ve developed a somewhat unhealthy fascination with the airline’s First Class service (oh, and the Rubber Duckies that are available in its First Class Terminal). Similarly, amassing American and US Airways miles provides me a way to access awards available through another one of the major airline alliances.

Most of my awards to date have been redeemed on such major Star Alliance carriers as United, Lufthansa and Thai Airways. However, both American and US Airways belong to the OneWorld alliance whose fellow members include such airlines as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Qantas. In addition, the ongoing merger between American and US Airways has provided a window of opportunity to collect (and eventually combine) a lot of frequent flyer miles pretty quickly.

Citi Platinum Select / AAdvantage World MasterCard 50,000 Bonus Miles Offer

Currently, an offer for 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles (after making $1,000 in purchases within three months) is available through both the American Airlines and Citi websites for the Citi Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard. However, a better bonus offer is out there! For example, my Partner F recently received a targeted credit card promotion in the mail from Citi that offers 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $3,000 within the first three months of cardmembership. The same offer (along with the full terms and conditions) is available online at this link and a summary is listed below.

Both offers waive the $95 annual fee for the first year. You’ll just have to decide which of the spending requirements you’ll need to meet in order to receive the mileage bonus best aligns with your budget and purchasing patterns.

US Airways Premier World MasterCard 40,000 Bonus Miles Offer

Another Pointing opportunity is available by applying for the US Airways Premier World MasterCard issued by BarclayCard. This offer (along with full terms and conditions) may be found at this link and a summary is listed below.

Although the $89 annual fee is not waived for the first year, what makes this offer stand out is that you’ll receive your 40,000 bonus miles after only your first purchase.

Why Apply For Both Cards?

American Airlines and US Airways are in the process of merging. Both carriers have started to align the various elements of their frequent flyer programs. Although American’s AAdvantage program and US Airways’ Dividend Miles program are currently operating as separate entities, it’s now possible for you to redeem awards for travel across both carriers. In addition, the airlines are also members of the OneWorld alliance which further widens the award redemption possibilities. However, things start to get even more interesting once the two programs combine.

Given that you only need to make a single purchase on the US Airways MasterCard to receive your bonus miles, this allows you to direct the rest of your spending to meeting the bonus mile requirements on your AAdvantage MasterCard. It’s anticipated that the Dividend Miles program will merge with the AAdvantage program in 2015. Although an exact date has not been announced, many sources anticipate that the consolidation of both frequent flyer programs will occur during the first quarter of 2015. Once this happens, you’ll have a nice balance of 90,000 miles in your account.

What Can You Do With Those Miles?

Well, if all those miles are burning a hole in your virtual wallet (and you don’t wish to wait for the merger of the programs), you can start redeeming them for round-trip domestic Economy awards for as low as 25,000 miles per person. Getting to Hawaii on American in Economy is possible for as low as 35,000 miles round-trip per person while on US Airways it will cost you 40,000 miles. In addition, holders of the AAdvantage MasterCard earn 10% of their redeemed miles back while US Airways MasterCard holders receive a 5,000 mile discount on awards flown on US Airways metal.

If you do wait for the combination of both programs, you’ll have a great head start toward having enough miles for an international premium cabin award. In addition, both American and US Airways are Starwood American Express transfer partners. Therefore, you’ll be able to turn your Starpoints earned on that card into airline miles should you need to “top off” your AAdvantage and/or Dividend Mile accounts.

For more information on the different award possibilities, check out each of the airlines award charts found in the links below:

American Airlines Award Chart

American Airlines OneWorld Partner Award Chart

US Airways Award Chart

US Airways OneWorld Partner Award Chart

However, a major caveat to waiting for the program merger is that CHANGE WILL BE INEVITABLE. Although, I’m not expecting a major bloodbath like the United Devaluation earlier this year, it’s certain that there will be changes to the various award charts once the programs are combined.

Where Do We Go From Here?

However, it’s just this type of uncertainty in the Pointing world that reinforces the need to hedge my bets. The diversification that I exercise in my various miles & points accumulation strategies not only protects me from future devaluations but also creates options for some really exciting award possibilities. In fact, in an upcoming post, I’ll talk about how this type of “mixing and matching” of award programs allowed me to craft a pretty awesome First Class Round-the World award. Stay tuned and be prepared!

How about you? Have you given any thought to simultaneously applying for multiple credit cards in order to earn the extra bonus miles?

Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that I am NOT a professional financial advisor by any means. My discussion of credit card strategies or other financial matters are based on my own personal experiences and financial situation. In addition, I am not an employee of any of the financial institutions that issue the cards discussed nor do I receive any compensation for discussing these products. The reader is solely responsible for any financial actions that he/she may choose to undertake. Make sure you read of the “fine print” in the Terms & Conditions for all of the offers mentioned.

Food, Italy, Trip Reports

Five Firenze Fooderies – Places to Eat in Florence, Italy

July 19, 2014 Point A

Okay, I know my use of alliteration for the title of this blog post really massacred the English language. But hey, I hope I caught your attention! After a heavy day in search of “Rooms with a View” and partaking of Florence’s various cultural offerings, a guy’s gotta eat. So, if you’re famished in Florence and foraging for food (sorry, I just can’t stop), here are a few ideas:

Trattoria Le Antiche Carrozze

Address: Piazza di Santa Trinita – 50123 Florence
Tel: +39 055 2658156
Website: http://www.leantichecarrozze.it/en-index.php
TripAdvisor Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d812542-Reviews-Le_Antiche_Carrozze-Florence_Tuscany.html

This centrally located trattoria has been around since 1875. During our last two trips to Florence our daily activities seemed to regularly bring us within close proximity to this restaurant. We’ve eaten here several times and this place has become a favorite “go to” option for a reasonably priced, no-fuss, quality meal. The menu offers a wide variety of classic Italian, Tuscan and pizza options in a traditional and rustic setting.

After you’re done carbo-loading, you can stroll across the Piazza to the nearby Salvatore Ferragamo Shoe Museum where you can burn off some calories by wandering through the displays that take you on a journey through the history of footwear.

Alternatively, you can take a quick air-conditioned Disco Nap while watching the surreal, Tim Burton-esque animated short film White Shoe which was inspired by the life and work of the famous designer.

Ristorante Il Latini

Address: via dei Palchetti 6/r (Palazzo Rucellai) – 50123 Florence
Tel: +39 055 210916
Website: http://www.illatini.com/?lang=en
TripAdvisor Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d1088252-Reviews-Da_il_Latini-Florence_Tuscany.html#REVIEWS

Il Latini is another restaurant that we’ve visited on each of our recent trips to Florence. The key to enjoying this place is to view it as a fun, albeit somewhat touristy, “food experience.”

Reservations are recommended. However, this place is pretty big and it seems that even if you don’t book in advance, most patrons are accommodated in a reasonable amount of time.

The “experience” begins when you see the big crowd milling about the entrance to the restaurant. Even arriving with reservations, you’ll need to navigate your way to the front in order to provide your name and the number of people in your party. Although the scene may initially seem quite chaotic, the staff does a pretty efficient job of getting their guests checked in and seated.

Unless you’re part of a group of four people or more, you should expect to be seated at a large communal table with other guests. The meal is served “family style” and the interesting conversations you strike up with your fellow international patrons contributes to the festive atmosphere in the restaurant.

There’s really not a formal “menu” at Il Latini. Rather, the waiter comes out and starts talking through some options of what’s available in terms of appetizers, pasta and a main course. Your server will question you in a friendly and informal way about your food likes and dislikes and come up with some suggestions for your table. That said, vegetarians may be out of luck as the selections tend to be a bit “meat heavy” …

The meal wraps up with some dessert options, biscotti and a round of liqueurs. Portions are extremely generous and you will definitely NOT leave hungry! We stuck with the house wine and the meal was priced in an “all-inclusive” fashion. The waiter kind of “eyeballed” our jug of wine to see how much we consumed. However, my sense was that at the end of the day we were each charged a fixed price of about 50+ Euros per person. Upon request, it should be possible to order from a traditional menu and upgrade your wine selections for an additional charge.

Ristorante Caffe Pitti

Address: Piazza Pitti, 9, Florence (across the street from the Palazzo Pitti)
Tel: +39 055 2399863
Website: http://www.caffepitti.it/index-en.php
TripAdvisor Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d1518916-Reviews-Ristorante_Caffe_Pitti-Florence_Tuscany.html

We discovered the Caffe Pitti when were looking for a quick place to grab a bite to eat prior to a concert that we were attending just across the street at the Palazzo Pitti.

The restaurant’s food was well-prepared and high quality – a real surprise given that it’s located so close to a major tourist attraction.

However, what distinguished this venue is that it specializes in truffle dishes and even operates a store where the restaurant’s products may be purchased.

We didn’t have time to linger on this particular visit. However, you can be sure we’ll make it a point to work our way through the entire truffle menu the next time we’re in Florence!

Golden View Open Bar

Address: Via de Bardi, 64/58, 50125 Florence (within view of the Ponte Vecchio)
Tel: +39 055 214502
Website: http://www.goldenviewopenbar.com
TripAdvisor Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d798550-Reviews-Golden_View_Open_Bar-Florence_Tuscany.html

The very un-Italian sounding name of this establishment actually perfectly describes the views that are the focal point the restaurant. The Golden View Open Bar is located in the shadow of the Ponte Vecchio with the famous bridge framed dramatically by the dining’s room large picture windows.

The restaurant’s interior is ultramodern and its stark white interior serves as a neutral backdrop for the views outside. Of course, I did feel a bit worried that my deliciously prepared spaghetti pomodoro might cause some serious “splatter damage” during our meal.

Adding to the ambiance are the jazz performances that are held nightly (except on Tuesdays and Thursdays) starting at 9:00 pm.

Grom

Address: Via del Campanile angolo via delle Oche – 50012 Florence
Tel: +39 055 216158
Website: http://www.grom.it/eng/
TripAdvisor Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d783320-Reviews-Grom-Florence_Tuscany.html

What’s a trip to Italy without gelato?

In order for us stay to true to our “gelato-a-day” program we were pleased that this branch of the high-end ice cream chain was located just down the street from the Hotel Brunelleschi which was our base of operations during our stay in Florence.

Although the gelato at Grom isn’t cheap, the variety of flavors and the quality of the ingredients justify the higher prices and waiting in the ever present long lines snaking out of the store.

Fortunately, you won’t have to go too long without a Grom fix as you continue your travels since the chain maintains branches in all of the major Italian cities as well as in New York, Malibu, Paris, Tokyo and Osaka.

Do you have a favorite dining spot in Florence? I’d love to hear about it!

Awards, Pointing

Triple Dipping – Using the Big Three Points Currencies for Awards on British Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic

June 1, 2014 Point A

I’ve written in an earlier post about the use of the Big Three Points Currencies as a hedge against future loyalty program devaluations. You can use one or a combination of various cards to amass Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards and/or Starwood Preferred Guest points through your daily spending. In addition, you can pool your Pointing efforts across multiple programs to accelerate progress toward airline award redemptions. In particular, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines allow for 1-to-1 transfers from all of the Big Three Points Currencies.

Here’s a quick summary of what you can get for your points:

British Airways

British Airways (BA) doesn’t publish an actual “award chart” but rather provides an Avios Calculator to determine the number of points required for award redemptions. British Airways employs a “distance-based” formula that requires more points the farther you fly. In addition, BA is notorious for charging very high fuel surcharges on it’s own flights. For example, here’s how much it would cost to fly round-trip from my hometown of Chicago to London:

Economy:       40,000 Avios Points plus $507
Business:        80,000 Avios Points plus $877
First:               120,000 Avios Points plus $877

However, because British Airways is part of the Oneworld airline alliance, by flying on one of its partner airlines you can take advantage of a number of “sweet spots” on the award chart. Specifically, British Airways Avios points can be a good value when flying on American Airlines / US Airways, Aer Lingus or Air Berlin. Here are a selection of round-trip itineraries on these carriers that are pretty reasonable from a points / fee perspective:

Chicago to New York (Economy): 15,000 Avios Points plus $2.50
Chicago to Dublin (Business): 80,000 Avios Points plus $0.00
Chicago to Berlin (Business): 100,000 Avios Points plus $0.00

Virgin Atlantic

Richard Branson’s airline follows a similar distance-based formula as BA and socks you with fuel surcharges as well. Virgin’s Spending Calculator prices out Chicago-London fares as follows:

Economy: 35,000 points plus $645.10 to $774.12
Business: 90,000 points plus $1,120 to $1,344

Although BA’s fuel surcharges are high, Virgin Atlantic’s fee are even higher. At these rates, what you’re basically getting for your points is the opportunity to buy a discounted economy class transatlantic ticket (e.g., prices on American and United tend to average around $1000-$1200 round-trip) or a business class ticket for the price of economy (note: Virgin’s Business or “Upper Class” costs approximately $5,600 round-trip).

Is it worth all the points and fees for a Virgin Atlantic award redemption? Well, I guess you’ll have to judge for yourself how much you value access to an in-flight bar in Upper Class.

Source: Virgin Atlantic

Singapore Airlines

This past week, the Chase Ultimate Rewards program introduced Singapore Airlines as its newest point transfer travel partner.

This makes the carrier the third airline to which you can transfer all three of the major flexible points currencies.

Singapore Airline’s KrisFlyer Star Alliance Award Chart employs a zone-based system and imposes fuel surcharges on its award tickets. However, the fees are slightly lower than those charged by British Airways. Although you do receive a 15% points discount by booking your award online, any itinerary that requires the use of a partner airline (e.g., United, etc.) must be booked with an agent through Singapore Airline’s U.S. call center. Sample redemption rates for a round-trip award ticket from Chicago to Singapore are as follows:

Economy:       110,000 points
Business:        195,000 points
First:               225,000 points

Singapore Airlines charges a hefty premium for travel through its program that rivals the new “Partner Award” rates charged by United following its major devaluation earlier this year. That said, Singapore Airlines is known for its exemplary in-flight service. In addition, the airline’s Suites Class offered on it A380 service out of Los Angeles takes the meaning of First Class to a new level.

Source: Singapore Airlines

I have to admit that I have weak spot for any airline that offers a bed in the sky.

Lufthansa First Class Bed

As a result, a Singapore Airlines Suites Class seat / bed clearly falls into my aspirational “bucket list” award redemption category. It’s important to note that Singapore Airlines very rarely releases award space in its premium cabins to its Star Alliance partners. Therefore, being able to transfer points from three different points currencies into the carrier’s KrisFlyer program makes a Suites Class redemption so much more achievable.

The ability to “triple dip” from the Big Three Points Currencies into these airlines adds some great options for your Pointing efforts. Have you ever used multiple loyalty programs to redeem a travel award? What has been your experience?

Italy, Trip Reports

Music in the Air – Culture Al Fresco in Florence

May 25, 2014 Point A 1 Comment

Florence is an incredibly cultural city. Great works of art are around every corner and there literally is music in the air. Our visit to Florence last July coincided with the annual Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Maggio Arts Festival).

Along with the festival’s official programming, numerous options for opportunistic music and dance performances abound. What makes things even better is that many of these events take place outdoors where you’re able to capitalize on the gorgeous Tuscan weather.

One venue that provides atmosphere fit for royalty is the courtyard of the Pitti Palace where we enjoyed a Verdi concert.

As the sun went down and the lights came on, even the swarms of gnats and the rumble of distant thunder couldn’t dampen our enthusiasm.

On another night we headed over to the Bargello Museum, a former medieval prison that during the day houses one of my favorite sculpture collections including works by Michelangelo, Donatello and Giambologna.

At night the museum’s courtyard was transformed into a stage for a ballet performance set to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by the Florence Dance Company.

The great thing about Florence’s cultural life is that there are always opportunities for unexpected surprises. For example, we bought on impulse a couple of concert tickets for a performance at the Museo di Orsanmichele that featured a more contemporary music program. In addition to enjoying some beautiful nighttime views over the city …

… the Pietro Adragana Ensemble treated us to a pretty rocking accordion concert that included some great tango music, a medley of movie music tunes and a rendition of Figaro from Rossini’s Barber of Seville.

There’s no need to book in advance for many of these performances. Our approach is to just keep any eye out for any posters or flyers that might be of interest as we do our daily sightseeing. During the summer season many churches, museums or cultural attractions host evening music or dance performances. You can then either purchase your tickets on the spot or swing back later if you want to give it some thought.

Have you ever enjoyed a spur-of-the moment cultural performance on any of your travels?

Credit Cards, Lufthansa, Pointing

Earning Lufthansa Miles & More – Chasing the First Class Duck

May 17, 2014 Point A 1 Comment

Over the last twelve months I’ve had the experience of flying with Lufthansa in Economy, Business and First Class. Although last year was the first time I had ever flown with the airline, my experience has turned me into quite the Lufthansa Fanboy. Check out a few of my previous blog posts for my various “Love Letters to Lufthansa:”

All of my travel on Lufthansa so far has been on award tickets I claimed through United Airlines’ MileagePlus program. One of the great advantages of MileagePlus is that miles earned in the program can be redeemed for travel on any of the carrier’s Star Alliance partners, including Lufthansa. In addition, points earned using my Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa can also be transferred on a 1:1 basis into MileagePlus thereby increasing my Points Kitty. However, my Pointing world came crashing down around me on February 1 when United implemented a massive devaluation of its award chart.

Not only did United increase the number of miles required to fly on it’s own flights, but it also created a new redemption tier specifically for it’s Star Alliance partners. Under the new United Award Chart, my past Lufthansa award flights would be priced as follows:

1 Lufthansa First Class ticket from London to Chicago; connecting in Frankfurt

Old Award Price: 67,500 MileagePlus miles
New Award Price: 110,000 MileagePlus miles
63% increase!

1 Lufthansa Business Class ticket from Paris to Chicago; Connecting in Munich

Old Award Price: 50,000 MileagePlus miles
New Award Price: 70,000 MileagePlus miles
40% increase!

As disappointing as major points devaluations can be, I have taken steps to hedge against such inevitable occurrences. In fact, I have several “Plan B’s” that should keep me flying in Lufthansa’s premium cabins.

The most direct route to the front (or upper deck) of the Lufthansa cabin is through Lufthansa’s Miles and More frequent flyer program. Although the airline does hit you with fuel surcharges that might total several hundred dollars when redeeming an award, the advantage of the Miles and More Award Chart is better advance availability for First Class award seats and seasonal 50% off Business Class award sales.

As with other programs, one of the best ways to get a “quick hit” of a large number of points is to sign up for that airline’s affiliated credit card. Currently, Barclaycard is offering a 50,000 mile bonus for signing up for its Lufthansa Premier Miles & More MasterCard. Normally the bonus offer hovers between 20,000 and 30,000 miles.

The basics of this offer are as follows:

Earn 20,000 miles after your first purchase
Earn an additional 30,000 miles after spending $5,000 or more on purchases made within the first 90 days of card approval
$79 Annual Fee
Offer valid until June 30, 2014 (this offer has returned and is now available again until November 30, 2014)

Although it’s hard to predict when this offer will be made available again, the increased sign up bonus seems to appear at least once a year. For example, I was approved for my card late last year.

You can also accumulate Lufthansa Miles by transferring Starpoints from the Starwood Preferred Guest Program.

Plus, for every 20,000 Starpoints you transfer you receive a Bonus of an additional 5,000 points. For more information on the benefits of the Starwood Preferred Guest program, check out my earlier post Starwood Starpoints Starstruck.

Finally, another “work around” is to use the American Express Membership Rewards Points program to transfer points into the frequent flyer programs of one of Lufthansa’s other Star Alliance Partners such as Air Canada, ANA or Singapore Airlines.

However, you should bear in mind that each of these programs, just like Lufthansa, charges fuel surcharges that can range from several hundred to a thousand dollars or more for each ticket. In addition, the award charts of these airlines are also distance or zone-based so it’s important to compare and contrast the mileage award and surcharge levels of each option prior to transferring your Membership Rewards points. Of these airlines, Air Canada’s Aeroplan program seems to be the “least bad” of the options from a points requirement / surcharge / ease-of-booking perspective.

So is it worth all this effort to fly Lufthansa? Well, after years of flying with various American carriers I’ve come to manage my expectations downward when it comes to efficiency and service. Although Lufthansa isn’t perfect, what the airline does well is to make the travel experience at least civilized. In addition, First Class and the Frankfurt First Class Terminal is truly one of the great aspirational airline experiences. Plus, I’ve developed a bit of an unhealthy obsession with building a collection of First Class Ducks just like fellow blogger Lufthansa Flyer.

How about you? Have you ever flown with Lufthansa and what was your experience with the airline?

Hotel Reviews, Italy, Trip Reports

Hotel Brunelleschi Florence Review – Tuscan Elegance Meets Old Hollywood Glam

May 4, 2014 Point A 4 Comments

After a wonderful stay on the Amalfi Coast last summer, we boarded the high-speed Frecciarossa train, which whisked us from Naples to Florence in just under three hours. For our lodging in this beautiful city, we returned to the Hotel Brunelleschi which combines Tuscan elegance, Old Hollywood Glam and a location just down the street from the Duomo. The hotel served as our base of operations on our last visit here two years ago and we were eager to return.

My Partner F and I tend to travel like Cher on tour. Given the amount of luggage we had with us, we thought it would be best to have a car pick us up at the train station. When booking our reservation on the hotel’s website, we arranged for a car transfer and were pleased to see the driver with a sign waiting for us at the end of the platform at Santa Maria Novella. After a short drive, we pulled into a narrow street and the courtyard of the Hotel Brunelleschi.

Source: Hotel Brunelleschi

The hotel incorporates the Pagliazza Tower which is the oldest building still standing in the center of Florence. Tour groups regularly stop in front of the hotel to make of note of this fact but keep a respectful distance. The Torre della Pagliazza, which in English means the Straw Tower, was used as a women’s prison during the Middle Ages. Its name derives from the straw used to stuff the prison mattresses. Interestingly, most of the women in the prison were not criminals but rather individuals who refused to marry the men their parents had arranged as future husbands.

Source: Hotel Brunelleschi

The Hotel Brunelleschi renovated its rooms and public spaces a couple of years ago. The feel is modern and lux with just the right amount of bling that gives it a bit of an Old Hollywood Glam feel. However, you still get a great sense of place as the design deftly incorporates the building’s historical architectural features. Exposed beams and brickwork complement the lobby’s rich clay and earth-toned terrazzo floors. The detail and craftsmanship of the furniture along with leather accents and artwork provide an appropriately Tuscan medieval feel.

For our stay we booked a Superior Executive Room which featured a comfortable queen sized bed.

The room also included two chairs, a small table, writing desk, flat screen television and a luggage rack / bench at the foot of the bed. Hardwood floors in a herringbone pattern and vintage moldings served as a softening counterpoint to the room’s contemporary furnishings.

Although the room wasn’t exceptionally large, I did find that it provided “just enough” space for two people to move around comfortably. In addition, high ceilings contributed to a general feeling of spaciousness.

The bathroom was generously sized and sported marble finishes, updated bath and shower as well as modern fixtures.

Although the room lacked dressers, the closet area provided several shelving areas for storage as well as a mini-fridge and safe. We had no problem finding space to stow our luggage and to put away our clothes for our four-night stay. A quirky, yet very practical, feature of the room was the little pictograms on the light switches that informed you exactly which lamps you were turning on and off.

The hotel provides free Wi-Fi. I found the signal strength and speed to be adequate in our room. However, there were a couple of nights when Internet service went offline but resumed by the following morning.

Rooms were promptly made up as soon as we left. In the evening, we enjoyed a turndown service which included a slippers laid out at our bedside along with candy and a small card with the following day’s weather forecast left on the nightstand.

Also included in our rate was an expansive morning buffet offering a variety of breads and pastries, cold cuts and fruit juice, milk, coffee and tea. Hot items such as eggs, potatoes, sausage and bacon were also offered.

Breakfast is served in the bright and airy Salone Liberty and in the Sala del Pozzo everyday from 7:00 to 10:30. Although the hotel was quite full during our stay, we never had a problem securing our preferred table every morning. The servers at breakfast were polite, cheery and attentive.

This service standard extended beyond breakfast and was displayed by each member of the hotel’s staff we encountered. We were regularly greeted with a friendly buongiorno every time we passed hotel personnel in the hallways or in the lobby area. In particular, the hotel’s concierge staff was very helpful in suggesting restaurants or things to. We were particularly impressed that one of the concierges, Sergio, remembered us from our previous visit two years ago.

The Hotel Brunelleschi is very centrally located. The Duomo is only a 3-minute walk away and other major attractions such as the Uffizi, Piazza dell Signoria and Ponte Vecchio are all within a 5-10 minute radius of the hotel. Most importantly, a branch of Grom, our favorite gelato place, is just around the corner.

We would definitely stay at the Hotel Brunelleschi again. The elements of location, service, style and comfort all come together at this establishment. What about you? Do you have a favorite place to stay whenever you’re in Florence?

Deals, Pointing, Starwood

Going Green by Forgoing Clean … and Earning 500 Easy Starwood Starpoints

April 12, 2014 Point A 1 Comment

Playing the points “game” often means being opportunistic … and a bit obsessive … about picking up points whenever and wherever you can get them (check out my earlier post on using the “right cards” to maximize you Pointing opportunities on your daily spending). I often lecture my Partner F on this topic. Therefore, it really warmed my heart when he came back from a recent business trip and told me how he picked up 500 Easy Starwood Preferred Guest Starpoints.

Starwood Preferred Guest Starpoints are a “currency” you can use not only for hotel stays but also for travel on a variety of different airlines (check out my earlier post Starwood, Starpoints, Starstuck on the great value of this loyalty program). In addition, banking your points in a transferable currency like Starpoints can help manage the risk of such (inevitable) events as a major frequent flyer program devaluation (e.g., like the recent United Airlines bloodbath).

However, opportunities for earning Starpoints are generally limited to traditional hotel stays and by spending on the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card (which doesn’t offer the great category bonuses your receive on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa or the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card). As a result, Starwood’s Make a Green Choice program is a very welcome Pointing opportunity.

The Make a Green Choice program is available through select Sheraton and Westin hotels.

For each night of your stay that you decline housekeeping services, you receive your choice of either 500 Starwood Preferred Guest Starpoints or a $5 voucher that can be used at participating hotel food and beverage outlets. Specific Terms & Conditions are as follows:

Given that Starpoints can be valued at 2.2 cents / point (one of my favorite bloggers Ben at One Mile at A Time provides a great overview of Hotel Point Valuations), “taking the points” yields a much greater value. For the extra points, I wouldn’t mind making the bed and rinsing out my own champagne glasses …

How about you? Would you be willing to take a pass on some hotel services in order to earn extra points?

Italy, Lounges, Trains, Trip Reports

Trenitalia Frecciarossa Executive Class Review – Microwave Pasta on the Italian High-Speed Express

April 6, 2014 Point A 8 Comments

I love the romance of train travel in Europe. There’s something magical about the concept of seeing the countryside glide by as you listen to the clickety-clack of the wheels on the rails. Hoping to catch a whiff of the nostalgia associated with rail days gone by, I booked my Partner F and I two tickets in Executive Class on Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa express train service between Naples and Florence.

However, in the 21^st Century the high-speed train networks knitting the Continent together result in a travel experience that’s more Star Wars than Orient Express. Although our journey was fast and comfortable, I wouldn’t necessarily put our experience in the “luxury” category. That said, we did get some fun “Facebook shots” out of the deal. Oh yeah, and there was that nice plate of microwave pasta …

Last summer we spent a relaxing week on the Amalfi Coast. After a wonderful stay at the Hotel Marincanto (see my review Hercule Poirot Should Have Slept Here for more details), we reluctantly bid Positano good-bye. Our driver Salvatore Jr. (see my earlier post on Driving Mr. Daisy for the highlights of the day we spent with him) dropped us off at Napoli Centrale where we were due to catch our train to Florence.

Our Executive Class ticket included access to the station’s FrecciaClub lounge. However, getting into the lounge required jumping through a few hoops. The club was located a level above the station’s main floor. I sent my Partner F upstairs to get the lay of the land. After ringing the doorbell several times, it seemed that “no one was home.” I then spotted an elevator entrance that required a key card or PIN code to use. I tried punching in the various Ticket Codes and other numbers on the printout of my reservation but to no avail. Finally, two business guys exited the elevator lobby so we just ducked inside. Of course, once inside I couldn’t figure out how to work the lift! Finally, a friendly station attendant informed me that I had to press and hold the elevator button to get it work. Things just got even more comical from there since the elevator cab literally crawled its way up to the second level. Now realistically, most people would have given up much earlier. However, I love a good business class lounge and … well dammit … I was going to get in! Was it worth it? Well, here’s what awaited us …

The room was bright and airy and featured some funky oversized modern furniture. An espresso machine, cookies and crackers as well as complimentary cold drinks were available.

After relaxing a bit, we decided to make our way out to the train since we didn’t want to risk any elevator snafus that might occur as we tried to exit the lounge which frankly left me feeling a bit … well, you fill in the blank …

Trenitalia, Italy’s national railway company, operates the premier ETR500 Frecciarossa (meaning Red Arrow in Italian) high-speed trains on its main Naples-Rome-Florence-Bologna-Milan-Turin route. The train can reach speeds of 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) and the journey between Naples and Florence only took 2 hours and 51 minutes.

The train features a restaurant car as well as free Wi-Fi. The Frecciarossa offers Standard Class (Second Class), Premium Class (Second Class but with leather seats and a “Welcome Drink”) and Business Class (First Class – like Premium Class but with a little more leg room). However, on this journey we decided to splurge and traveled in Executive Class. What do you get for the extra money? Well, for starters there is that “Welcome Drink” along with a few nibbles …

After we passed Rome, a hot meal was served …

Sigh, believe it or not even the folks at Lean Cuisine could probably teach these guys a lesson or two. Thankfully, Trenitalia was pretty generous with their prosecco pours.

A special feature of our car was a private conference room …

After I was done pretending to address the Board of PepsiCo, the cabin attendant promptly locked up the room … and later used it to take a nap. With nothing left to amuse ourselves, we settled into our seats which admittedly were very comfortable …

… and offered a ridiculous amount of leg room.

At this Point I asked F to leave the train car so that I could enjoy the exclusivity of the space all to myself.

All in all, our journey in Frecciarossa Executive Class was comfortable. The train staff was polite and the cabin clean, modern and quiet. That said, while Executive Class was a fun novelty, I don’t think I’d pay the premium to experience it again and would likely just opt for “regular” Business Class on my next trip. In fact, the quality of most European trains is so high that riding in Second Class isn’t second rate at all.

How about you? What has been your experience with European train travel?

Credit Cards, Pointing, Starwood

Using the Best Miles and Points Credit Cards for Daily Spending – Playing Your Cards Right

March 23, 2014 Point A 8 Comments

We’re sitting in a cab. As we reach our destination, My Partner F breaks out into a cold sweat. Yes, it’s time to pay. But which credit card to use? He reaches for his Starwood Preferred Guest American Express …

… and I glare at him disapprovingly. Nope, wrong card. He then goes for the shiny blue metal glint of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa …

… and I nod solemnly. Crisis averted.

Okay, I’d like to say that this little scenario is presented purely for dramatic effect. However, I have to admit that I really am that obsessive. You see, when it comes to miles and points accumulation it really does matter which card you use.

In an earlier post, I wrote about the value of accumulating The Big Three Points Currencies as a Hedge Against Future Devaluations. In a subsequent post I went on identify the Three Beginner Cards you can use to earn those Points Currencies. Now that you have those cards in your wallet, what’s the best way to use them?

Well, I try to pay for everything I buy with a credit card that earns miles or points. By doing so I’m “monetizing” every purchase I make. In other words, I’m earning redeemable miles and points for transactions I normally would have made anyway. In addition, since certain cards offer bonuses based on spending category, if you “play your cards right” these category bonuses can boost your Pointing balances pretty significantly.

Using the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa, the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express and the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card as the foundation for your Pointing strategy …

… you should be able to reap bonuses across each of your daily spending categories. I don’t know why My Partner F gets so nervous about “which card to use” since the system I use breaks down simply as follows …

Travel and Dining (2X Points) – Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa

F and I eat out A LOT. As a result, we earn double points whether we’re dining in a white (or peach colored) tablecloth restaurant …

… or grabbing a quick sandwich for lunch from Pret-A-Manger.

I’ve also set up this card for auto payment of my monthly public transportation fare cards and Uber on demand car service. Just as with “Dining,” the definition of “Travel” expenses eligible for double points is pretty broad and includes spending in such categories as:

Airfare
Hotels / Lodging
Parking (Garages, Lots, Meters)
Public Transportation (Buses, Commuter Trains, Subways)
Taxis and Limousines
Time Shares
Tolls (Highways, Bridges)
Trains
Travel Agencies
Vehicle Rental (Cars, Trucks, RVs)

Gas & Groceries (2X Points) – American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card

Although we eat out a lot, we can’t spend ALL of our time in restaurants.

Single-Serving “Wine-to-Go” in a Paris Supermarket

So it’s nice to know that when we need to stock up the pantry we can turn to the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card and earn double points. This spending bonus can be earned both in traditional supermarkets and grocery stores as well by using online grocery delivery services such as Peapod. In addition, the double points should also help take some of the sting out of rising gas prices for you drivers out there.

Everything Else (1X or 1.25X Points) – Starwood Preferred Guest American Express

As I outlined in my earlier post, Starwood Starpoints Starstruck, there are tremendous redemption opportunities available through the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program.

Given the value of Starpoints, I’m more than happy to direct my “non-bonus” spending to this program. This includes setting up auto payments for such categories as my health club, cable and phone bills, newspaper subscriptions, etc. These recurring expenses allow you to rack up Starpoints pretty quickly. Of course, I’m also quick to whip out this card for any in-store or online purchase that falls outside of the dining / travel / groceries / gas categories.

Plus, the ability to transfer Starpoints into a wide variety of frequent flyer programs provides much of the same flexibility as Chase Sapphire Preferred’s Ultimate Rewards program. For every 20,000 Starpoints you transfer you receive an additional 5,000 points. This means that you are effectively earning a 25% bonus on everything you spend on the card if you intend to use your Starpoints for airline awards. You should note, though, that in order to maximize your bonus you need to transfer your Starpoints in 20,000 point increments. For example, if you transferred 100,000 Starpoints in a single transaction you would only receive a 5,000 point bonus. On the other hand, if you broke up the transaction into five 20,000 point transfers you would receive a total of 25,000 bonus points!

Is it all worth it?

So this seems like an awful lot of card shuffling that’s going on. At the end of the day is it all worth the hassle? Well, the miles and points can rack up pretty significantly when you direct your spending to the “right” cards. In our case, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa is pretty much our “go-to” card given the unhealthy amount of money we’re spending on taxis and eating out. Sigh, I guess this is a very clear signal that I should be packing a lunch and taking the bus more often. Then again, those points did get us three nights at the Park Hyatt Paris …

How about you? Are you using a miles or points earning card to charge your daily expenses?

Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that I am NOT a professional financial advisor by any means. My discussion of credit card strategies or other financial matters are based on my own personal experiences and financial situation. In addition, I am not an employee of any of the financial institutions that issue the cards discussed nor do I receive any compensation for discussing these products (note: I do get a referral credit if you sign up for Uber via the link mentioned earlier in this post). The reader is solely responsible for any financial actions that he/she may choose to undertake.

Attainable Luxury Travel for the Working Professional … Getting there is half the fun! Day Job during the -uhh Day- and Travel Blogging at Night. It's all about the journey …

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Attainable Luxury Travel for the Working Professional … Getting there is half the fun! Day Job during the -uhh Day- and Travel Blogging at Night. It's all about the journey …