On a recent flight from New York City to London, we had the chance to check out the new Capital One Lounge at JFK International Airport. It’s located in Terminal 4 near the B gates and is open 24 hours a day—making it a great spot to relax, no matter how early or late your flight is.
Access is complimentary for Capital One Venture X personal and business cardholders. Currently, through February 1, 2026, cardholders can bring two guests for free. However, starting after that date, only primary cardholders who spend $75,000 or more in a calendar year will continue to receive complimentary access, which could limit the lounge’s appeal for many travelers and significantly reduce the card’s value proposition. If cardholders want to pay for guest access, they can do so at a discounted rate of $45 per person ($90 per person is the rate for non-cardholders).
When we visited, the lounge had only been open for a few days, so it was still working through a few minor growing pains.
Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the front desk staff, who welcomed us into the lounge. They scanned our boarding passes, verified our credit cards, and gave us a quick overview of the amenities—including directions around the space and instructions for ordering from the dine-in menu. The lounge has all the usual Capital One perks—grab-and-go snacks and drinks, dine-in menu, shower suites, dedicated password-protected Wi-Fi, and a parents’ room. The parents’ room is stocked with diapers, wipes, bibs, bottle warmers, and comfortable seating for feeding your child. No other lounge network accommodates parents with young children to this extent. Capital One gets high marks here.
The lounge offers a bodega-style espresso bar, giving the lounge an NYC feel, with hand-rolled bagels from Ess-a-Bagel, espresso from Bean & Bean Coffee Roasters, and La Colombe cold brew.
Capital One offers its dishes in small plate portions, and I had the Mac & Cheese, Roasted Heirloom Tomato Crostini, Wild Arugula Panzella Salad, and the Rustic White Bean & Spinach Soup. Everything was so flavorful and delicious, and having the small plate portions allowed me to comfortably try multiple items. They frequently replenish their items, and I never had to wait more than a few minutes if something was out.
Although it wasn’t open during our visit, the lounge also features a cheesemonger station where guests can sample a variety of gourmet cheeses. There’s plenty of space to relax, and during our time there, the lounge was only about 60% full.
Cheesemonger
For families, there are two private rooms available by reservation. You simply scan a QR code to join the waitlist and receive a text when your room is ready. Unfortunately, both rooms were occupied for the duration of our stay, so we didn’t get a chance to check them out.
Bar Area
Unlike most other lounge networks, Capital One offers a convenient “grab-and-go” option, letting guests take food with them for the flight. The selection can vary, but typically includes pre-made sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, fruit cups, salads, bottled water, and more.
The lounge offers nice views of the tarmac, and if you’re an AvGeek, you will consistently spot larger widebody aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747. The Wifi speed wasn’t terrible, but I think Capital One can improve upon the 16.7 Mbps download speed when other lounges around the country are surpassing 100 Mbps. This lounge also has shower suites, and they can be reserved in advance.
Conclusion
Overall, this is an excellent addition to JFK, giving travelers in Terminal 4 another strong option alongside the Centurion Lounge, Chase Sapphire Lounge, and others. For those traveling with an infant, the family-friendly amenities show that Capital One has gone the extra mile to make life easier for parents of very young children. The downside is that Capital One Venture X personal and business cardholders only have until February 1, 2026, before a $75,000 annual spend requirement kicks in for complimentary guest access.
For those of you who have a stash of credit card points but are unsure how to utilize them, this post serves as an introduction to one of my favorite free tools for booking award travel. The website, PointsYeah.com, features a search function that allows you to find award tickets on various airlines, as well as a pathway for transferring them. If you hold a premium credit card that enables you to transfer points directly to airlines (Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, Capital One Venture or Venture X, AMEX Platinum, Gold, or Green, to name a few), PointsYeah becomes even more valuable.
The search is easy to use and offers twenty different filters to narrow your search. If you have a specific date and location in mind, the process is straightforward: simply input the departure and arrival cities along with the planned travel date. If you have some flexibility, you can input a range of four days that you’re willing to travel (eight days if you pay for the premium membership). The search results will populate the cheapest redemption available on those days. You can also filter the search results to show only business class and first class award availability. If you’re looking for premium cabin redemptions on long-haul flights, I recommend being flexible with your departure date. You also set up email alerts, which will notify you when seats become available or when the price of an award booking drops.
What Makes PointsYeah Unique From Other Search Tools
The feature that really sets PointsYeah apart from other award booking search sites is the Day Dream Explorer function. You can use this function to broaden your search and see how far your points will take you. For example, if you’re open to traveling to any part of the world, input “anywhere” in the destination tab. This will populate a lengthy list of award redemptions from your departure city to cities worldwide. If you have multiple cities within a region on your bucket list, type your departure city and the area of interest (Europe, for example) in the search bar. The Day Dream Explorer function will provide the best redemption options for flights from your departure city to multiple destinations within Europe. Here is an example of a Day Dream Explorer Search from Chicago to Europe:
If you are interested in a particular type of destination (beach, mountains, golf, city, etc), the Day Dream Explorer Function can help you find award seats to those types of destinations as well.
You also have the option to broaden your search if you are willing to take a positioning flight (for example, flying from Chicago to Seattle to position yourself for a business class award redemption to Tokyo via Seattle). In that case, you can use Dream Explorer and input USA to Asia in the search bar. This will populate the best available award redemptions that pair two cities between the two continents. From my experience, if you input USA under departure and Europe as the arrival, the cheapest redemption options will mostly be from East Coast cities such as New York City, Boston, Washington D.C., Miami, and Atlanta as well as Midwest cities that are hubs to one or more of the legacy carriers (Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit). You may see Los Angeles and Seattle, but the number of flights and dates will be limited.
Alternatively, the best redemption options to Eastern Asia will mostly be from U.S. West Coast cities, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and San Diego. You can filter your results by specific departure or arrival times, number of seats, non-stop flights, and more.
You can also search for award redemptions for major hotel programs such as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott. As a general rule, the only hotel program worth transferring points into is Hyatt, which can be done via Chase Ultimate Rewards or BILT. I do not recommend transferring Chase points to IHG or Marriott unless you are topping off your loyalty account to make a booking (you have 97,000 Hilton points and you need 100,000 points to get an extra night. It’s worth it in this scenario). AMEX also offers the option to transfer Membership Rewards points to hotel chains such as Choice, Hilton, and Marriott, and occasionally provides a transfer bonus to both. Even with the bonus, it’s usually not the best use of points if you are trying to extract maximum value. Although it may not be for everyone, I have found significant value on multiple occasions when transferring from American Express to Choice Hotels. If the ultimate goal is to conserve cash, and that is the priority above all else, then redeem the points for cash or a statement credit.
Our Portugal adventure began with a smooth business class flight on Lufthansa, complete with Polaris lounge access in Chicago and Lufthansa Business Class Lounge access in Frankfurt. After arriving late in Lisbon, we picked up our rental car and headed south to Lagos, where we checked into the stunning Cascade Wellness Resort near dramatic cliffs and ocean views. The town’s vibrant summer energy, artistic tilework, and seaside charm quickly made it one of our favorite European destinations. A kayaking tour along the Algarve coast and visits to Camilo Beach and Ponta da Piedade were unforgettable highlights. We explored historic neighborhoods in Lisbon, sampled famous custard pastries at Pasteis de Belem, and took a day trip to the colorful Palace of Pena in Sintra. Our trip wrapped up just as Portugal’s World Cup run ended.
During the summer of 2021, my wife and I decided to take the kids (ages 34 months and 17 months when we traveled) on an adventurous trip to Alaska. Many of you know our affinity for wildlife, nature, and the natural beauty in every corner of our planet. With restrictions or logistical challenges for international travel still in place, we decided that visiting a destination such as Alaska was the best option to experience a pristine environment without worrying about testing positive for COVID-19 and quarantining on the way there or back. I simply could not afford to be in a place beyond my allotted vacation time for work purposes. Having been there in 2015, I fell in love with Alaska and longed to return. Fast forward to 2021, and I had the opportunity to visit again. Rather than opt for the 6.5-hour non-stop flight from Chicago to Anchorage, we decided to stop in Seattle for 2 nights (a fantastic city in and of itself) and explore a little before continuing. The kids tend to hit a wall on flights over 5 hours (the non-stop flight back was rough), and the 3-hour flight from Seattle to Anchorage was perfect for keeping them fresh on our arrival in Anchorage.
I decided to give Turo a shot during my recent trip to The Big Island of Hawaii since car rental prices for a five-day trip were ridiculously expensive. When I entered my travel dates on Kayak, the cheapest rate I found was $568 for a Ford Fiesta. Having a car on The Big Island is almost necessary if you don’t plan on spending your entire time on a resort because the island is bigger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined. If you’re staying near one of their two major towns, Kona or Hilo, on opposite sides of the island, the driving time to get from one to another is about two hours. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is closer to Hilo and a two-hour drive from Kona without stopping. The time will increase significantly if you stop at viewpoints and other points of interest along the way (you really should). You can also take the mass transit bus, but it’s more than 3 hours each way, and you’ll regret not being able to stop at places along the way. But man, $568 for a Ford Fiesta. I was looking for a compact car with great gas mileage and comfortably fit an infant car seat, such as a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Those types of cars were going for $615 for five days, and since my goal was not to offset my savings on my flight (I redeemed AA miles) by splurging on a car rental, I turned to Turo and saw what they offered.
Booking Process
Turo markets itself as the Airbnb for cars. Regular people make their cars available to rent, and you can often get luxury cars or convertibles for the price of a standard car at a rental company like Hertz. I found a compact car (Dodge Dart) going for $280 for 5 days on Turo, and the car owner had a near-perfect rating with over 30 reviews. I booked the Dodge Dart, which included 500 miles (an extra 45 cents/mile if I went over), and bought their standard insurance coverage for $10 daily. Even after adding that to the rental cost, it was still significantly cheaper than the standard car rental agencies offered. It is important to note that credit card companies will not cover damage on car rentals from Turo. If you decide not to purchase any of Turo’s three tiers of collision coverage, you will be liable for any damages.
Picking Up The Car
Before departing DFW for our flight to Kona, I gave the car owner our flight info, and he responded immediately with directions on how to get the car. Once we landed, he sent me a video that showed me where the car was parked in the airport parking lot and how to walk over to the parking lot. It was right across the street from the baggage claim with the keys in the glove compartment. No lines, no waiting, no hassle. Since he took a ticket to get the car into the parking lot, he told me to pay the total amount upon exiting and keep the receipt. That fee would be reimbursed. He also gave me his cellphone number and told me to give him a call in case any issues would arise.
The Dodge Dart I rented was big enough to fit two suitcases in the trunk and had plenty of space to install the base of the car seat and the car seat itself. Gas was $3.62/gallon for regular, so having a fuel-efficient car was optimal since I knew I’d be driving at least 450 miles in the 5 days we were there. I drove 494 miles, most of that being the round-trip from Waikoloa to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Everything worked as it should, and the AC was very cool and needed for the mid-80s temperatures.
Returning The Car
We were set to return our car to the airport parking lot by 8 p.m., but our flight was closer to midnight. Our car owner (Anthony) said it wouldn’t be a problem if we returned the car at 10:15 pm so we would not have to spend close to four hours at the airport. I got to the airport parking lot, pulled out a ticket, and parked near the same area where I picked it up. I took a picture of the car and texted it to show him where it was parked. This was basically the “checkout” process. The picking up and dropping off process may differ with every car owner. I was very happy with my experience renting from Turo as it saved me both time and money. Turo can be a great alternative to a traditional car rental, especially if you’re going to a destination with high demand.
Big Island was the fourth Hawaiian Island my wife and I visited. This trip was also our first long-distance trip with our 5-month-old son, so there was a bit of uncertainty on how he would handle being in a plane for 8+ hours. Fortunately, he was well-behaved, which gave us a ton of confidence in making future trips with him. During this trip to Hawaii, we encountered a day of heavy rain and another day when the eastern half of the island had rain, so we could not see specific points of interest. This forced us to cancel several sights we planned to visit. However, there was a positive trade-off of being “stuck” at the resort, and you will see why as you keep reading.
Day One: Arrival
We arrived at Kona International Airport on the Big Island around 3pm. We rented a car from Turo (you can read my review on Turo and our experience here), collected our luggage, and walked to the airport parking lot, where our car was already waiting for us with the keys inside. The distance to Hilton Waikoloa Village from the airport was about 20 miles and a 30-minute drive. On the way to the resort, we stopped at a lookout point to take in the scenery. If you see a lookout point anywhere, just stop your car and enjoy the views.
Vegetation growth on volcanic rock at a lookout point. The Big Island is home to multiple volcanoes, some of which are still active.
Since sunset was around 6:15 p.m., and by the time we got situated, it was already close to 5 p.m., we spent the rest of the time at the resort enjoying the sunset views.
I’ll have a separate review on the Hilton Waikoloa Village, but this was a wonderful, kid-friendly property.
Day Two: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Stops Along the Way
On the second day, I drove from Waikoloa to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park while making a few stops in between. I downloaded the Gypsy App specifically for the Big Island, and it guided me on where to make stops between Waikoloa and Volcanoes National Park. It costs $9.99, and you do not need to have data to work with it. The most appealing aspect of this app is that the narrator gives you historical context concerning culture and geology at various stopping points and why it might be worth stopping or skipping. The app is a knowledgeable tour guide, and I highly recommend using it for Big Island.
The Gypsy App is available for each Hawaiian Island. I highly recommend it.
Places of Interest En Route To Volcanoes National Park
A lava field lookout point on the way to Volcanoes National Park.This viewpoint is right off the side of the road.This is one of the places you should stop by on the way to Volcanoes National Park.Punalu’u Black Sand BeachSea turtles basking in the sun at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach.
Punalu’u Black Sand Beach Park was the last place I stopped before entering Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. After this one, there are a few other points of interest, such as South Point (the southernmost point out of all the 50 states) and Papakolea Beach, a green sand beach. Getting to the beach does require over two hours of hiking, and I did not want to run out of daylight where I’d be hurrying at Volcanoes National Park. I skipped these two, but if you leave Kona before sunrise or stay in Hilo, you’ll have plenty of time to see both places.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
I’ve been asked if I brought my 5-month-old to this park, and the answer is no. Since the steam vents emit sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gas, I did not want to expose my son to potential lung irritants. If you’re pregnant, have heart problems, asthma, or COPD, it’s probably best to avoid the steam vents at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
One of the many steam vents that are found in the park.The Kilauea Caldera. You can either park at the visitors center and take a half-mile hike to get here or park on the road and walk a few hundred feet. I chose to do the hike so I could see most of the steam vents along the path.
Some parts of the park were still closed due to the eruptions from 2018, and the lava tubes were also not accessible during this time. As you continue your drive through the park, I highly recommend taking Chain of Craters Road down to the coast. It’s about 20 miles from the caldera, and the drive is among the best in any of the 50 states. Pictures don’t do it justice, so I took a short video to give you a better idea.
You will also find plenty of fantastic photo opportunities and other points of interest.
One of the scenic viewpoints on Chain of Craters Road.Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Field
You will find a sign for the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Field closer to the shore. This area is considered sacred to the people of Hawaii, and you will find many symbols and images carved into the hardened lava. It’s a 1.4-mile round-trip hike, and I highly recommend it. Further down the road, you will see cliffs made from lava. This is the newest land on the Big Island, and it’s made when lava hits the water and solidifies into rock.
Chain of Craters Road on the way back also has stunning views.
Day Three: Pololu Valley and Stops Along the Way
On this day, there was rain in the forecast after 2 p.m., so I made it a point to get this hike done as early as possible. The mornings also have cooler temperatures, making a much more comfortable hike. Pololu Valley is about a 45-minute drive from Waikoloa and about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Kona. You can just park your car on the road and enjoy the views from the lookout, but if you want to get the splendid views of the valley, you should go on a hike. The hike down isn’t challenging, but it can be slippery due to the frequent rainfall in the area. Returning up the hike is moderately difficult, and you will need plenty of water and some granola bars.
Pololu Lookout. You can still enjoy these views even if you decide not to hike.Pololu Valley from the parking areaThe Black Sand Beach once you hike your way to the bottom.
This is the view you hike down for.
Waimea Valley is nearby and also offers spectacular views. However, hiking there requires entering private property, which would be considered trespassing. You can also drive down there but need an AWD or 4WD vehicle with some clearance.
Day Four: Whale Watching From Hilton Waikoloa Village (due to rain)
On this day, the plan was to go to Akaka Falls. If you are on the Big Island, visit Akaka Falls because it is beautiful from the many pictures and videos I have seen. Unfortunately, a lot of rain moved in and spanned the entire island. But there was a silver lining. As I’ve mentioned before, winter is humpback whale season in Hawaii. Mothers and calves are near the coasts of every Hawaiian island, and this is when mothers teach their young how to be whales. Since our resort was right on the shore, I took my camera and started filming when someone pointed out the whales in the distance. Then they started coming closer and closer.
Out of nowhere, the mother whale breached the water, and I was lucky enough to have my camera recording. I’m sorry for the grainy quality.
Two humpback whales right off the shore of Hilton Waikoloa Village
Whales were seen four out of the five days we stayed at Hilton Waikoloa Village, and it really made it fun and exciting for the kids who were also whale watching.
Day Five: Snorkeling in the Hilton Waikoloa Village Lagoon and visit to Kona
Day five was supposed to visit either Akaka Falls or the green sand beach. Both places had rain in the forecast, while our side of the island was bright and sunny. I used this time to go snorkeling.
This property does not have an oceanfront beach due to the powerful waves and riptide currents common along the Big Island. However, it has a sand lagoon that functions as a beach, which is excellent for swimming and snorkeling. I saw plenty of colorful fish and several sea turtles, one of which I could follow for almost two minutes.
Kona
The owner of the vehicle we rented from Turo recommended Umekes Fishmarket Bar and Grill in Kona for dinner. We ordered Tempura-Battered Fish and chips and Cajun-Style Ahi Fish Tacos, both of which were perfect.
This concluded our trip to the Big Island in Hawaii. A popular question I get asked is, among the four islands I have visited, which is my favorite? I really can’t say I have one. Each island has its own unique charm and offers something different for everyone. The Big Island has a volcanic landscape that’s so vast it can’t be seen anywhere else in Hawaii. It also has stunning valleys, excellent beaches, and a green sand beach that can’t be found on any other Hawaiian island. Since it is not as heavily trafficked by tourists, you get a better flavor of Hawaiian culture throughout the island. Big Island is also known for its coffee and macadamia nuts. If you have the time, you should visit a coffee or a macadamia nut farm. But just like the other Hawaiian islands my wife and I have been fortunate to see, the locals are wonderful. They are some of the nicest and friendliest people in the world. The physical beauty of the islands is undoubtedly attractive and makes for great pictures, but the Hawaiian people and their hospitality keep us coming back. We look forward to coming back. As always, thanks for reading.
This was my second time staying at the Langham in NYC, but my first time staying at the Langham as an AMEX Platinum cardholder—a whole new experience! Don’t get me wrong, I had a great first stay; it was what I expected for a 5-star hotel; however, as an AMEX Platinum cardholder, I felt like the experience was so much better. One of the card’s benefits is a $200 credit for booking hotels that are part of Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection. When I checked in, the staff immediately upgraded me to an executive suite with a kitchen on the 21st floor. Along with the upgrade, I was informed that I had a $100 credit for any of the following: spa, room service, or breakfast for two at their Michelin-star restaurant, Ai Fiori. I was also informed that I could check out at 4pm, which was very convenient since our flight was at 5:30pm on Sunday.
When we went to our room, my cousin and I first noticed the view through the large windows—we could see down 5th Avenue and the beautiful Chrysler building.
View of Bank of America Tower and the Conde Naste Building (with H&M sign)
Beautiful view of the Chrysler building and looking down on Fifth Avenue
The second thing we noticed was that we had a powder room—when does that ever happen? Needless to say, we had more than enough room. We even had some of our friends and cousins come up to hang out with us in the room; six adults and a baby were hanging out comfortably. All the cafes around us were closed, so we ordered lattes from room service (using my $100 credit), and they were excellent!
Full kitchen via AMEX Platinum upgrade
Views of Manhattan from the bathroom
Soap, shampoo, and conditioner were all Chuan, a holistic proprietary brand owned by Langham.
Another huge selling point for the Langham is its location. The hotel is centrally located in Manhattan, so we could walk to most of our destinations on Saturday. We walked to Washington Square Park, Times Square, and the Highline. The next day, we had to check out by 4pm and catch our flight at 5:30pm, so we didn’t have much time to waste. We woke up at 8am and called the doorman to arrange a ride to Central Park at 11am using the hotel car service (which is free!).
Pro Tip: The hotel has a Jaguar that will drop you off wherever you want to up until 59th Street. They start taking appointments at 8 a.m., and they are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Jaguar that’s provided for guests of The Langham
After our ride set up, we got ready and cashed in on our complimentary breakfast at Ai Fiori—which was phenomenal! My cousin and I decided to order a couple of things and share. We ordered the buttermilk pancakes, uova in Purgatorio, and the house potatoes—everything was phenomenal. You can see the picture below.
If you asked me what the stay was like after my first time, I would’ve said it was great—all the basics of a 5-star hotel. But staying here as an AMEX Platinum cardholder made this experience next-level amazing, to say the least! It is rare to have a travel experience where you don’t compromise on something, whether it be the room, service, or location. But I can genuinely say there was no compromising at the Langham NYC; everything was at the top of its game—the room, the service, the amenities, the location, and the (free) food were all a 5 out of 5.
Costa Rica is a beautiful, affordable destination with a relatively short flight time for most Americans. It has such a diverse landscape that you can be on the beach, taking in the sun one day, while trekking the trails near Arenal Volcano the next day. There is something for everyone in this beautiful country; you’ll see wildlife, landscapes, and other sites you might have never seen before. My wife and I took a flight from Albany, NY, to Liberia, Costa Rica, and rented a small SUV to get around. We started on the northwest side of Costa Rica and made our way southeast. We returned the car to San Jose International Airport. It’s not really far in terms of distance, but there are roads where you will have to drive slowly, either due to the speed limit or the poor conditions of the streets. If you are going to rent a car, I highly recommend an SUV. It doesn’t have to be huge; anything with decent ground clearance will suffice. You can see the distance between the two airports below.
Maldives is a magical place, and the hotel we stayed at, Conrad, did a fantastic job making us feel comfortable. The Maldives is one of the world’s premier beach destinations, and there isn’t any place like it. Crystal clear waters, abundant marine wildlife, and unparalleled hospitality, regardless of your chosen hotel. This particular Conrad is located on Rangali Island, an island that is part of the Alif Dhaal Atoll. The Maldives have 26 different atolls, some subdivided into two or three.
The atolls of The Maldives.
Getting There
The only way to get to Rangali Island is via a 45-minute seaplane flight on Trans Maldivian Airways from the capital city of Male. The distance between the two islands is about 59 miles or 95 km. Since my wife and I booked with Conrad, our experience started upon landing at Velana International Airport in Male. The Conrad staff guided us to an exclusive Conrad Lounge as we waited for our seaplane to arrive. It’s rare for a hotel to have a branded airport lounge; this was our first time experiencing one. The lounge was spacious, had a decent selection of food and drinks, and was clean and well-maintained. It also offered free Wi-Fi and couches that could be used as beds. It was much better than most airport lounges we’ve visited.
About 45 minutes later, our seaplane arrived, and it was time to take the much-anticipated flight to Rangali Island.
I apologize for taking this video vertically. The plane seats around 15 people and flies at about 5,000 feet. You get some fantastic views of the other atolls and islands on your way. It was a loud flight due to the propellers, but it was much smoother than I had anticipated. Once we arrived, we boarded a golf cart that took us to our villa. The staff gave us a tour of the villa and the amenities and explained their services to us in detail. We also found a complimentary bottle of sparkling grape juice and a fruit basket left for us. You can see the video of our villa below.
Retreat Water Villa (Overwater Villa)
Thestairs lead you straight into the water. I’d say the depth is around seven feet.
The path to the beach areaJacuzzi with a viewShower areaPrivate spa roomThe various colors of the jacuzzi at night.Majestic sunsets are the norm in the Maldives.
Conrad upgraded us from a water villa to a retreat water villa as a Hilton Gold member. The retreat water villa came with our own jacuzzi and had a more private feel since the neighboring villas were several hundred feet away. The villa itself was incredible. This property has won numerous awards, including the best luxury resort in the world. Each villa also included a private spa room with two massage tables. We didn’t use this service since we wanted to be outside and soak in the sun. Each villa also has stairs that take you right into the water. I would estimate the depth to be around seven feet at the villas, so if you don’t know how to swim, you might want to keep that in mind. It gets much shallower once you’re near the beach.
Dining
As Hilton Gold members, we were entitled to complimentary breakfast, free afternoon tea at Mandhoo Spa Restaurant, and complimentary cocktails/mocktails between 5-6pm. The breakfast had many options, and I had something different every day. The afternoon tea at Mandhoo was more like a lunch since they also had sandwiches. Purchasing meals at this property was quite pricey. I mean, it is a Conrad Hotel, after all. To minimize meal costs, we would have breakfast at the latest possible time, around 10:30 a.m., and then have the complimentary tea and lunch at Mandhoo Spa Restaurant at 4:30. Since this was pretty darn close to dinner time, we only utilized the Atoll Market for dinner once. Dinner can quickly run past $120 a person, so if that matters, it is something to beware of. Conrad Maldives is also home to the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. Unfortunately, all the daytime slots were reserved during our visit there, and there was no point in making a reservation during the evening hours since you couldn’t see the marine wildlife.
Mandhoo Restaurant
Pastries, cookies, and tarts
The roast beef sandwich and the fruit tart were delicious.A wide variety of teasYou can help yourself to as many sandwiches as you want
Other Areas of Conrad Maldives
This property actually has a total of three islands. Two of them (Rangali and Rangalifinolhu) are used for guests, and a third is used only for employees. To get from one island to another, we just called the front desk, and they sent a golf cart, which brought us from place to place. You can certainly walk the distance if you want to, but it would take 25-30 minutes. You will save a ton of time by using the gold cart below.
I didn’t measure the Wi-Fi speed in the villa, but it was pretty fast, and I had no issues with connectivity. They also have a fantastic business center within a lounge on the second floor if you need one. I only used it for a few minutes to print documents, but it had everything you needed. If you’re a Mac person, they had those as well. Great job, Conrad!
Lounge on the second floorBusiness center within the lounge
People have often asked what we did after sunset. We made it a point to sleep by 8 p.m. every day. Sunset was at 6:20 p.m., so we woke up at sunrise, around 6 a.m., and made the most of our day. If you’re in a place like the Maldives, I’d strongly recommend waking up early and not sleeping in. Regarding activities, you can go on excursions such as swimming with whale sharks or scuba diving and jet skiing. If you’re used to paying a specific price for those activities, you will pay double and triple that here. Seeing the exorbitant costs, I just preferred to snorkel at the reef right off the island and swim in the waters right near my villa. If only they were allowed to book excursions with miles. This Conrad also has two infinity pools, one on each island, which all guests can use. I took full advantage of that as well.
The beach area at Rangali Island. Both islands have beachesInfinity Pool Two. The Dhoni ferry in the background is another way to get from one island to another.The seaplane platform which is also used to connect Rangali Island to Rangalifinolhu Island. It’s beautifully lit in the evening.
When I made this reservation, I informed them that my wife’s birthday would be on the second day of our stay there. They remembered that housekeeping made a nice gesture when we entered our room after breakfast on the second day.
They also surprised her with a delicious cake during dinnerNighttime was perfect for the jacuzzi
Final Thoughts
To sum it all up, it is a fantastic resort with pristine beaches, excellent food, excellent service, super friendly and helpful staff, and an experience I hope to be a part of again. If you do decide to book at Conrad Rangali Island, having the AMEX Hilton Surpass card or the AMEX Platinum card and the Gold status that comes along with it will take you a long way. I estimated I got over $700 in value just by having the card.
View of the Conrad Rangali Island from the seaplane
Some of you have asked if you could take a speedboat rather than a seaplane to Rangali Island. From my understanding, the only way to get there is by seaplane. It’s way overpriced for what amounts to a 30-minute plane ride, and unfortunately, if you don’t have miles that can be redeemed for cash (Chase Ultimate Rewards or AMEX Membership points), there really is no way around it. Trans Maldivian Airways monopolizes this route, so it probably won’t change soon. If the seaplane cost is a turnoff, remember that plenty of excellent hotels only require a seaboat transfer from Male. That cost isn’t cheap, but it’ll save you about $500 for two people.
During the second week of July, my wife, 9-month-old son, and I took a trip to Grand Cayman Island. Rather than do a separate hotel review, I will combine everything into one post since there are a few relevant details that many of you may benefit from. We chose Grand Cayman Island for a few reasons. First of all, it’s about a 3.5-hour flight from Chicago, and that’s approximately the maximum time my son will be confined to an airline cabin before he really starts getting restless. When he was five months old, we took him on an 8-hour flight to Hawaii, and he was perfectly fine. Once he hit the 7-month mark, even a 2-hour flight wasn’t easy. So, with those considerations in mind, Europe, Asia, and Hawaii were out of the question. The second reason we chose Grand Cayman is that its beaches have been spared from the seaweed problem (sargassum) that has plagued destinations such as Cancun, Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Florida. Most of these destinations do their best to remove it every morning, but despite their efforts, it’s still noticeable. The third reason we chose Grand Cayman is that it is infant/toddler/kid-friendly.
Booking
For this trip, I found saver-level award tickets (tickets that require the least number of miles for a given route) on American Airlines for 30k miles per person round trip. Since my son is a lap infant, his ticket was free. The cash price for a round-trip flight from Chicago to Grand Cayman was $455 per person. Redeeming 60k miles for $910 worth of airfare was a decent redemption.
Owen Roberts International Airport does not have jet bridges, so you must walk down the stairs and onto the tarmac before entering the terminal. The minute you land, you’re greeted by a musical band playing local music. It’s a perfect way to get the vacation vibes going.
Sunshine Suites Resort
We stayed in a boutique hotel called Sunshine Suites Resort. It’s a 3.5-star hotel that is clean, comfortable, and very reasonably priced (usually between $140-$180/night). I saw its 4.5-star rating on Trip Advisor, with over 2,000 reviews, which was good enough for me. If you need luxury accommodations with an ocean view, this hotel is not for you. The main reason I booked this hotel is we got to use all the amenities of the 5-star Westin Hotel, which is a 5-minute walk down the street. Their pool, beach, beach towels, lounge chairs, gym, and access to its restaurants and bars are all included in the mandatory $35/day resort fee. The nightly price of the Westin was 3x the price of the Sunshine Suites. Since we would be out at the beach for most of the day anyway, we needed a comfortable place to sleep, shower, and get dressed. Sunshine Suites provided all that and more, including complimentary breakfast. You can click on the video below to get an idea of the rooms and the property. FYI, if you don’t want to walk to the Westin, you can go to the front desk at Sunshine Suites and request a driver to drop you off in their golf cart. It works the same way if you want to return from the Westin. Just let the front desk at the Westin know in that case.
Sunshine Suites at night
The pool at Sunshine Suites at night
The breakfast offerings were decent. There was a nice variety of pastries, pancakes, cereal, parfait, boiled eggs, toast, oatmeal, bananas, muffins, coffee, tea, orange juice, and apple juice. Sunshine Suites also had a restaurant called Sunshine Grill, which served lunch and dinner. This is not complimentary and does not come as part of an “all-inclusive” package. The fish tacos they served were delicious. I would have fish tacos if I could return and have one meal in Grand Cayman.
The Westin Hotel
Since we had access to all the amenities of the Westin, we would have breakfast and make our way there for most of the day.
If you don’t want to walk here from Sunshine Suites, go to the front desk and request to be dropped off via a golf cart. This was a very convenient way to move around with our son.The pool and swim-up bar at the WestinThe Westin LobbyView of The Westin from the beach areaThe pool has a pedestrian bridge that crosses over to the beach. You can swim underneath to get to either side.
First pool experience for Zayn
Seven Mile Beach
Once you cross over the pool to the beach area, you will be greeted by Westin employees who direct you to lounge chairs and open the umbrellas if you choose to have them open. Towels are available to the right of the pool and must be checked out with your last name and room number of the property you’re staying at. Seven Mile Beach is simply amazing. I would rank it right behind the Maldives for water clarity among all the beaches I have visited. There is no seaweed or litter; it’s perfectly maintained, and the waves are calm for water activities.
The lounge chairs get occupied pretty quickly. The earlier you claim one in the morning the better.
Seven Mile Beach’s water clarity makes it perfect for snorkeling, so bring an underwater camera and snorkeling gear. You can also rent the gear from the hotel. Seven Mile Beach faces west, and if the horizon is clear, you will be treated to some spectacular sunsets. Even if the horizon isn’t 100% clear, the sun reflecting off the clouds will make for a beautiful and colorful sky.
If you’re reading this, a point of interest that might be worth visiting is Stingray City. It wasn’t age-appropriate for a 9-month-old, but if you have kids who are a bit older or you want to experience swimming with stingrays, it’s only a 10-minute drive away. Keep in mind that when driving in the Cayman Islands, you drive on the left side of the road as it is a British territory.
Some of you have asked if the food, water, and snacks are expensive, and for the most part, they are costly. If you purchase from the hotel or even convenience stores right next to the hotel, it will cost you three to four times what you are used to paying for bottled water. I asked a local where I could purchase a case of water, and he directed me to a large wholesale club called ‘Cost U Less,’ which was just a 7-minute walk away. If you’re familiar with BJ’s Wholesale Club on the East Coast, this was their sister store. It even had the Wellsley Farms brand, the store label for BJ’s. You don’t need a membership, and while the prices aren’t U.S. wholesale club prices, they are far cheaper than any other place you will find on the island. If you’re staying at an Airbnb and decide to cook rather than eat out, this is a perfect place to shop for your ingredients since they also carry fresh produce, seafood, and meat.
Concluding Thoughts
We had a great time at Grand Cayman Island, and the service and hospitality at the Sunshine Suites and Westin were top-notch. I’ve never seen two hotels so well coordinated when transporting passengers between the two properties and accommodating each other’s guests at their respective restaurants. If there is one other essential tip you take from this, BRING MOSQUITO REPELLANT and bathe yourself in it. They are relentless, and if any parts of your body don’t have the repellant touching it, they will find it, guaranteed. As always, thanks for reading.
Rum Point, Grand Cayman Island, as seen from the ascent on American Airlines.
I’ve been asked if I brought my 5-month-old to this park, and the answer is no. Since the steam vents emit sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gas, I did not want to expose my son to potential lung irritants. If you’re pregnant, have heart problems, asthma, or COPD, it’s probably best to avoid the steam vents at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Miles for places 