Before a recent trip to Las Vegas, Will received an e-mail with a great offer to stay at the Aria hotel in the brand new City Center complex. Although we all know that staying at a new hotel can be dicey, we figured a luxury property would have to be running relatively smoothly.

Date: December 2009

Parking: Since construction continues on City Center, parking was a mess. There was no back entrance to the self parking lot and we missed the entrance twice forcing us to circle back around the strip. Eventually we used the valet which we stumbled upon by accident. We figured this would make life easier, but the pickup is in a different location so getting our car back was as much a hassle as dropping it off had been.

Check-in/Check-out: We had no wait at the front desk and the woman who helped us was very nice. Although she didn’t have a record of the promotion we had booked, she called a manager over who was able to correct our account. Although it took longer than average, we were satisfied and were given a room on a high floor as requested. Check-out went smoothly and our bill was accurate.

Room: We stayed in a standard room and since we were the first or second guest to stay there it was very clean. Our view was not of the strip, but it was still nice from the floor to ceiling windows. Everything in the room was controlled via a small computer screen on the night table which was somewhat tricky to figure out. I knocked it over during the night causing the curtains to fly open and all the lights to turn on. Overall the room was decent and the bed was comfortable but it seemed unfinished. Wires dangled from the TV, our heat didn’t work, a handle fell off a bathroom drawer and one of the lights above the bed was dangerously loose. I was not impressed at all with the bathroom. The connected shower and bath were strange, the water pressure was horrible, and the sinks had little counter space and splashed water everywhere when used.

Overall Impression: It seemed like a lot of things were thrown together to get the Aria open ASAP even though it’s not really ready. Although all of the employees were very nice, many of them didn’t yet know how things work at the hotel. Hopefully, it will improve with time but I don’t think there should be such a steep learning curve at a 5 star accommodation.

Grade: D+

A lot of people will be flying over the holidays and many of us will be carry gifts which means more luggage. It’s hard to keep up with which airlines charge for bags and how much it costs but luggagelimits.com is a great resource to keep you well informed. Just type in your airline, departure and arrival airports and the site will list the baggage rules for your flight and any applicable fees.

Date: November 2009

Route: Newark-Lisbon Round-trip

Check-in: Although we were able to select our seats in advance by phone, there was no online check-in so we had to get to the airport early and do it in person. Since we were flying business class, we had a dedicated line and there was no wait but the coach lines weren’t crowded either. In Lisbon, we had access to a special security line and the TAP lounge which had a nice food spread but was crowded and noisy. TAP has no lounge in Newark, but we were given passes to the Virgin Atlantic lounge which was quiet but sparse with no food offered other than bags of pretzels and chips.

Plane: Boarding was fast and easy, even in Lisbon where we had to board by bus. Executive class was given a separate bus and entrance onto the plane which was very efficient as it allowed economy to board simultaneously on another staircase. The business class seats were comfortable to sit in but hard to sleep in. They are cradle-style seats that don’t lean back but slide forward and are angled flat so your head is up and your feet down. It was like sleeping on a hard seesaw with no back support. The cabin temperature was all over the map, sweltering one minute and freezing the next. Although I love being up front, I’ve definitely slept better in a coach seat. We had two bathrooms set aside for business class which meant we rarely had to wait for a turn.

Service: The attendants on both flights were cheerful and attentive. We were given great vanity kits that could hang from the seat back in front of you and were filled with lots of useful things to use during the flight like eye shades, socks and lotion. We were given plenty of drinks, bottled water and a meal service consisting of an appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert. The food was bland and only slightly better than you would expect in coach.

Verdict: Although the TAP employees try hard, top executive class feels more like premium economy than first.

Grade: C

JetBlue has announced some improvements to their TrueBlue frequent flyer program that make it more rewarding and competitive with those of other airlines. The changes include:

-Ability to use points for any seat on any JetBlue operated flight

-No blackout dates for JetBlue award tickets

-Points that don’t expire as long as you fly or use your JetBlue American Express card at least once a year

-Bonus points the more you travel

-Oneway Award Flights starting at just 5,000 points

-Six (6) points for every dollar spent when you purchase a flight at jetblue.com

-Up to eight (8) points for every eligible dollar spent when you purchase a flight at jetblue.com using your JetBlue Card from American Express

JetBlue is vague about a start date for these new benefits saying only that they will go into effect this coming fall.

TrueBlue Relaunch

A lot of people have been talking about JetBlue’s All You Can Jet Pass promotion. For $599, you can travel on as many JetBlue flights as you want from September 8 – October 8th. Passes are on sale while supplies last up until August 21st. Domestic taxes are included, but flights to Puerto Rico and international destinations are subject to additional fees. Flights must be booked 3 days in advance and only one flight per day is allowed. A $100 fee will be imposed for no-shows. If you already bought a Jetblue ticket for use during that time period, you can pay the difference and upgrade to the pass.

So, is it worth it? JetBlue flights are mostly domestic and generally inexpensive so if you are only taking one or two short flights it may not be. If you are going to fly 2 flights or more and at least one is a long haul, this might be a great deal for you. If you have the time and a bit of money, this would be a great chance to hop around the country visiting friends and family or just exploring for a month.

JetBlue All You Can Jet Pass

Members of the Hilton HHonors program can earn a complimentary ticket to a concert when with every stay at a Hilton hotel through September 30, 2009. Participants who enroll in the promotion will receive the ticket as a promo code redeemable on Live Nation after they complete their stay. If you are not yet an HHonors member, you can sign up online for free. For more information and a list of participating concerts please visit:

Hilton HHonors Rock n’ Roll Summer

Have you ever loved something you used at a hotel? Many actually have online stores so you can buy products you enjoyed during your stay from the toiletries all the way up to the beds. Here are a few from popular chains:

W Hotels

Ritz Carlton

Westin Hotels

Hilton Hotels

Hyatt Hotels

Radisson Hotels and Resorts

Sofitel

Recently, Will and I visited Passport Health to make sure our vaccinations were in order for an upcoming trip. We had assumed that all the shots we got for Peru two years ago would be sufficient but, as it turns out, some need to be repeated fairly often while others are good for life. Here is a list of common travel vaccinations for adults and how long they protect you from the CDC Website:

Japanese Encephalitis: Full duration of protection unknown. Neutralizing antibodies may persist at least 2 years after primary immunization.

Hepatitis A (HAV): Booster not recommended for adults and children who have completed the primary series (2 doses) according to the routine schedule.

Hepatitis B (HBV): Booster doses of vaccine are not recommended for adults and children who have completed the primary series (3 doses) according to the routine schedule.

Influenza: 1 annual dose (children 6 months to 9 years of age should receive 2 doses separated by at least 4 weeks the first time that influenza vaccine is administered). Live attenuated influenza vaccine is approved only for healthy non-pregnant persons 5 through 49 years of age (2).

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): 2 doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 4 weeks or other evidence of immunity (such as serologic testing) is recommended for persons born after 1956 who travel outside the United States (3). Re-vaccination is not recommended.

Meningococcal Quadrivalent A,C,Y, W-135: Re-vaccination after 5 years is recommended for persons who received meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine and who remain at increased risk for meningococcal disease (including some international travelers). Re-vaccination is not recommended after receipt of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (4).

Pneumococcal (polysaccharide): One-time re-vaccination 5 years after original dose for persons with certain underlying medical conditions (such as asplenia), or persons who were first vaccinated at younger than 65 years of age.

Rotavirus: No booster dose recommended. Maximum age for any dose of rotavirus vaccine is 32 weeks.

Polio (IPV): A single lifetime booster dose is recommended for adults who have written documentation of having completed a primary series.

Rabies: Preexposure vaccine No serologic testing or boosters recommended for travelers. For persons in higher risk groups, such as rabies laboratory workers, serologic testing and booster doses are recommended.

Tetanus/diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap): Tetanus and diphtheria booster dose is recommended every 10 years. A single dose of adolescent/adult formulation Td that includes acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) is recommended to replace one Td booster dose for persons 11-64 years of age.

Typhoid Oral: Repeat series every 5 years.

Typhoid IM: Booster dose every 2 years.

Varicella: Re-vaccination is not recommended.

Yellow Fever: Repeat vaccination every 10 years.

Of course, you should always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about vaccinations, especially if you have other health issues or are travelling with a child. You can also find more information about what shots are recommended for the area you intend to travel on the CDC travel website or by visiting a travel doctor or Passport Health location near you.

Date: June 2009

Price from New York to Boston: $358/person including taxes. This is $140 more than a regular seat on the Acela, but after taking this trip for years and dreading it, I decided to find out if it was worth it.

Check-in: Check-in is a breeze at an Amtrak kiosk. Just scan the bar code on a printout of your confirmation e-mail and your tickets pop out. You can also go to an agent if necessary. With the First Class ticket, you have access to the Club Acela lounges located in both places. I didn’t arrive early enough at the stations to take advantage of this so I can’t rate the lounges. When I boarded in Boston, it seemed that the other first class passengers were already on the train so I believe an agent brought them directly from the lounge before the other passengers were allowed to board.

Train: The train was worn, but the seats seemed newer and clean. They were all leather, big and comfortable. There were single, double and quad seat configurations. Not all of the tray tables worked properly and some seats reclined more than others so I had to test a couple before I found one I liked. Overall, I liked the setup and felt it allowed for a decent amount of privacy and peace. The bathroom was standard, but clean and less crowded since it was reserved for the First Class car. Although the car wasn’t empty on either trip, unlike the main part of the train it wasn’t packed full so I felt I had room to spread out and a good choice of seats both ways.

Service: Amtrak is not known for being on time and, in fact, I arrived in Boston an hour and a half late on my departure. Luckily, I planned for this and took an earlier train. There are one or two attendants assigned to the First Class car that provide at seat drink and meal service during the ride. At boarding, you are immediately offered a drink and a menu with a limited selection of food items. I found the lunch service more complete and better than breakfast. The food itself was not quite as good as what you would be served on a first class flight, but it wasn’t bad. For the remainder of the ride, the attendants came down the aisle frequently to offer more drinks and bottled water to the passengers.

Verdict: I really enjoyed the Acela First Class car. Was it amazing? No, but it definitely made the trip more comfortable and it felt faster. I absolutely think it was worth the extra money and I would do it again on my next visit to Boston.

Grade: B-

Now that summer is approaching and many of you are planning sunny vacations, I hope I don’t have to tell you to stock up on sunscreen. If you have any doubt about the dangers of UV rays, head to a Coppertone DermaPhoto Booth for a free UV photo which will assess the sun damage your skin has sustained to date. The booths will be popping up at participating Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, CVS and Walgreen’s stores across the U.S. through August. Check out Coppertone’s website to find one close to you.

Coppertone DermaPhoto Booth on Tour