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My YouTube Channel is forging ahead!
If you missed it, earlier this year my family went on an EPIC!!!!!!! trip to celebrate my Mom’s Birthday. It wasn’t just any birthday, it was her 75th, and that meant we couldn’t just take any old trip. My dad and I schemed around and decided we would take her a crazy trip around the world hitting up the places she’s always wanted to go. Check out the video highlights, and below for the collection of reviews I published earlier in the year. IT WAS AMAZING!!!
Flights:
- Boston to Beijing
- Beijing to Singapore
- Singapore to Bali Roundtrip
- Singapore to Dubai
- Abu Dhabi to Cannes, France
- Cannes, France to Dallas
Hotels:
- Boston
- Beijing
- JW Marriott Beijing, 1 Bedroom Suite ($450 for 5 nights)
- Club King ($250)
- Singapore
- Bali
- Singapore
- Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
- Cannes, France
- Dallas
- JW Marriott Beijing, 1 Bedroom Suite ($450 for 5 nights)
Lounges
- Boston
- Hong Kong
- Beijing
- Singapore
- Bali
- Singapore
- Abu Dhabi
- London
- Nice
- Frankfurt
Afternoon Tea
TIPS:
- When to look for Cathay award space
- How we booked 3 Singapore Suites
- 5 things we loved doing in Singapore that avoided the heat
- Never trust the concierge
Total value: $125-130k+ Paid: $4500-$5000 +/-
Total value of Flights = Roughly $110-115k
- Mom and Dad
- $42,500k each
- Paid $1000 +/-
- Zach + Miles
- $27-30k
- $1000
Total value of hotels: Roughly $13-14k
- Paid – roughly $2700
Points used ( for everyone):
In total:
- IHG = 670K
- Marriott Rewards: 310K
- Alaska = 190k
- Singapore Air = 278k
- Hilton = 60k
- AA = 160k
The Flights:
- Cathay Pacific First Class from Boston to Hong Kong and on to Beijing
- 70k Alaska + $50
- Cathay Pacific Business Class from Boston to Hong Kong and on to Beijing
- 50k Alaska Mileage Plan +$50
- Singapore Suites from Beijing to Singapore + Singapore First Class from Singapore to Dubai
- 97,500 + $19 ( My mom’s was 15% off the points as it was booked pre-deval)
- $100 stopover fee in Singapore
- KLM Businesss Class from Singapore to Bali roundtrip
- $400
- Abu Dhabi To London in Etihad First Class Apartments + BA Club world from London to Nice, France
- 62,000 American Airlines + $93
- Abu Dhabi to London in Etihad Business Studio + BA Club World from London to Nice
- 40k AA + $93
- Lufthansa First Class from Frankfurt to Dallas + Nice to Frankfurt in Business
- 80k Singapore + $300
The Hotels
- Boston
- Intercontinental Boston
- 50k IHG
- Intercontinental Boston
- Beijing
- JW Marriott Beijing – Used Marriott Rewards
- Room 1
- 5 nights for 60k points
- Room 2
- 5 nights for 60k, 3 nights with suite upgrade of $70
- Room 1
- JW Marriott Beijing – Used Marriott Rewards
- Singapore
- Crowne Plaza Singapore
- 40k IHG per room
- Crowne Plaza Singapore
- Bali
- Mandapa,
- paid rate with Virtuoso and Ritz STARS benefits
- Conrad Bali
- 60k HHonors + $135
- Mandapa,
- Singapore
- Intercontinental Singapore
- 60k per night, per room
- Intercontinental Singapore
- Dubai
- JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
- 35k + $70 per night
- JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
- Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi
- 30k per night, per room
- Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi
- Cannes, France
- Intercontinental Carlton
- 2 free credit cards nights
- 5 nights at 50k points
- 1 night at 60k points
- Intercontinental Carlton
We were gone a total of 24 days and stayed in luxury hotels all the way through. We flew the best the world has to offer, and all it took was planning and understanding exactly how to utilize points to their potential.
Bonus Reviews:
Did you know that there was a lounge inside a lounge inside a lounge reserved exclusively for First Class passengers departing Singapore called THE PRIVATE ROOM? It was a great surprise for both of my parents that I wanted to make sure we visited. It features a la carte dining options like lobster and champagne and has a fine dining feel to it. Yes, this is in an airport. This is one of the amazing BONUS treats you get when you max your points out. MORE LUX, LESS BUCKS. Take look at all of the luxurious lounges we were able to visit because we were flying in such great cabins.
Lounges
- Boston
- Hong Kong
- Beijing
- Singapore
- Bali
- Singapore
- Abu Dhabi
- London
- Nice
- Frankfurt
I don’t believe I’ve ever made a comment on your blog before but this is an outrageously fun post /video – what an awesome son you are! I’m taking my mom to Rome next year (she’ll be 66) but no where near this level. 🙂
Carolyn – Thanks so much! It was a truly special trip to take with my folks, and one that was SOOOOO fun =) You’ll have a blast with your mom in Rome too. DO you know where you’re going to stay yet? We loved the Boscolo Roma
This will be my 7th trip to Rome so for the last four trips I’ve generally stayed in the Centro for proximity to certain friends and favorite spots (plus it’s just so easy to go in any direction from the Pantheon and arrive in 10-20 minutes).
I have stayed in 2 hostels, a hotel south of St. Peter’s, an apartment in S. Maria Maggiore (for FREE. For two weeks :D), and three different apartments. Overall I love staying in an apartment because of the value compared to the cost of a hotel in that area. It’s nice to be able to have friends over (who live in Rome) and you just can’t get the same feeling in a hotel. Unless one is staying in a massive suite…which I am not 😉
Nice video! One correction I noticed at 0:59 that is Singapore, not Atlantis Dubai.
Rob – Thanks man! Yeah…there is another error where it’s labeled Burj Khalifa First Class lounge, but it was for an afternoon tea. I worked with an editor and couple of labels just got slightly eschewed.