Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
What would be better Fabulous Friday topic than interesting minibar presentation? The 11 Mirrors (Design Hotel) had interesting set up and content in Kiev. Many hotels are moving away from minibars that is a mistake in my opinion. If the uptake is not high, they are simply not doing it right and with wrong contents! […]
Category: Fabulous Fridays
Fabulous Fridays: Successful Travel Insurance Reimbursements For Emergencies On The Road
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
Our Fabulous Friday this week is about a topic that should be on every travelers mind but is often neglected: Having a proper travel insurance that covers emergencies and mishaps during the trip. Travel insurance comes in all shapes and can either be acquired as a single trip policy, an annual plan covering all trips […]
Fabulous Fridays: Hotel Rooms & Suites Featuring Local Design Elements – Example: Grand Intercontinental Seoul
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
This weeks Fabulous Friday is about hotel room designs and the ability of some properties to make you feel like you’re indeed in another country rather than emitting the typical chain hotel feeling. I stayed at a couple properties recently where I was once again impressed by how easy it is to make a difference […]
Fabulous Firdays: Bidding for a Business Class Upgrade on Iberia (and succeeding!)
Written by Freddo Zabaleta @ LoyaltyLobby
Bidding for upgrades is nowadays one of the cheapest ways to ride in front of the plane if played correctly. It is also a source of additional revenue, as airlines are able to monetize empty business class seats. Recently I booked a cheap IB one way fare MAD-BOS (for about 300€). When I logged into […]
Fabulous Friday: Reasonably Price Short-haul Awards CGH-SDU Using Avios, LifeMiles And Perhaps Smiles
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
This week Fabulous Fridays deals with short-haul awards that can sometimes be good value when paid tickets are expensive that is usually the case when you need to travel on short notice and on weekdays. The other week, I was in Brazil and I decided to hop from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro on […]
Fabulous Fridays: Free Complimentary Drink For Oneworld Emerald Members + One Companion In Finnair Economy!
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Yesterday, I found myself flying using the Finland’s flag carrier Finnair from Helsinki to Riga. The flight was actually operated by Norra (Nordic Regional Airlines) that is in essence Finnair express carrier. Finnair has very basic complimentary service in short-haul economy that consists of complimentary coffee, tea, water, and blueberry juice. Oneworld Emerald members + […]
Fabulous Fridays: La Gomme à Mâcher, or How to Pop Your Ears the French Way!
Written by Freddo Zabaleta @ LoyaltyLobby
For many travelers, the pressure changes experienced on an airplane cabin can cause an uncomfortable popping feeling in their ears, especially during take-off and landing. Air France, as it could not be any other way, has decided to try to solve this problem in the best French fashion, by offering its new (and super stylish) chewing […]
Fabulous Fridays: Gifts From Hotels Case Hilton Northolme (Seychelles)
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Couple of weeks back, Freddo wrote (access here) about stuffed and other animal figures that are quite popular gifts that some hotels give to their guests. I remember getting few shirts (often didn’t take) in the early 2000’s but not in the recent past. Was surprised that got one at the Hilton Northolme last week […]
Fabulous Fridays: Choice Of Elite Breakfast Benefit At The Club Lounge Or Hotel Restaurant
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
It’s another Fabulous Friday and this time our topic is Hotels that allow their Elite/Club guests to have breakfast by choice either at the club lounge or full restaurant buffet. The usual benefit for hotel loyalty program elite members is ‘continental breakfast’ at the club lounge but often hotels are very generous and give the […]
Fabulous Fridays: Upgrading Cheap Economy Tickets To Business Class Via Bidding Process – Royal Jordanian Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
This weeks Fabulous Friday is about the ability to upgrade super low fares on certain airlines (here: Royal Jordanian) to Business Class via online bidding. I just completed a one way flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok and decided to upgrade the cheap ticket to Business, just to see if the airline would accept the […]
Fabulous Fridays: International First Class Cabin Sold As Business Class – Flying Thai Airways From Bangkok To Bali!
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
Every now and then you come across a very good deal for flights and so it happened it our Fabulous Fridays topic this week when I discovered that Thai Airways now flies with a Boeing 747 to Bali again. As I already knew from searching the fares that Thai doesn’t sell First Class on this[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Fantastic Creatures (and Where to Find Them!)
Written by Freddo Zabaleta @ LoyaltyLobby
Airlines and hotels like to wow their most valuable customers with the amenities they offer (well, some airlines and hotels more than others, at least). Amenity kits including premium cosmetic products, fruit platters, cheese, wine and fine chocolates are usually gifted as a welcome present all over the travel/hospitality industry when you travel on a[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Madrid Barajas Airport Takes “Airport Showers” To A Whole New Level!
Written by Freddo Zabaleta @ LoyaltyLobby
Taking a shower either in the lounge or at an airport for-pay outlet feels great right after a long-haul flight, or before boarding a red-eye mid/long-haul flight when you go to the airport straight from a long work day. Today, Madrid Barajas Airport decided to offer free showers to all passengers on gates H, no[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Low Priced Fifth Freedom Flights With Long Haul Equipment – Royal Jordanian Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
This weeks Fabulous Friday covers the option to fly on the many Fifth Freedom routes (continuation segments) flown by foreign carriers between third party international destinations. These flights can be an extremely good deal between international destinations, often considerably lower priced than they local competitors such as the national airline of the country they are[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Small Business Class Cabin Sections For Extra Privacy – ANA Flight Vancouver to Tokyo
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
It’s another Fabulous Friday and this week it’s about the small 2-3 Row Business Class sections some aircraft offer which make Business often have the privacy of First Class. Yesterday I flew ANA Business Class from Vancouver to Tokyo which is operated by a Dreamliner B787-900 which is not my favorite aircraft but the ANA[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Great Elite Upgrades At Hotels!
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
This week Fabulous Fridays deals with hotel loyalty programs that grant their elite members great upgrades. Earlier in the week, I was about to write a rant about the current state of the InterContinental Royal Ambassador program after few less than stellar stays (walked our from the hotels) and will write more general piece sometime[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Lounge Improvements At The Sheraton Great Wall Beijing – From Worst To First?
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
This weeks Fabulous Friday covers the Sheraton Great Wall Beijing, one of the oldest Sheraton hotels in the chain that has recently started to invest money to bring the property up to date – with success. The hotel for many years had a certain reputation for being absolutely dismal but in the past 18 months[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Empty Flights!
Written by Kevin John @ LoyaltyLobby
This week’s Fabulous Fridays is about something we rarely see in the airline industry these days, practically empty flights! I flew last night from Providence to Orlando on a Southwest Airlines 737-800 with 175 seats, but there were only 48 total passengers on board, leaving over 120 seats empty. I knew the flight was going[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Complimentary A La Carte & Buffet Elite Tier Breakfast At The Hotel Restaurant
Written by Sebastian Powell @ LoyaltyLobby
This week our Fabulous Friday is about hotels who offer their Elite Tier Guests the complimentary breakfast at the hotel restaurant rather than at a Club Lounge which isn’t available at many properties. All major hotel loyalty programs offer their top tier members a complimentary breakfast option that is usually limited to the executive club[…]
Fabulous Fridays: Japan Rail Pass!
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Last year, I had the Shinkansen trains in Japan as the Fabulous Fridays once and decided to follow this time with buying the Rail Pass! Although the trains are very convenient and fast way to get around in Japan, using them certainly comes at a price. Luckily, non-residents are eligible to buy unlimited passes that[…]