@jsu what's a "full service" JW Marriott?
Thanks
Thanks
@Open123 wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@taxi818 wrote:
That's what I was looking at. If I needed s visa for that hotel. I could not get response. And the price for expedited visa is $239. So to hell with that. I got my points back just that fast. Looked my reward points just a second ago. They are back. Now I want to cancel the portion of my ticket to Hong Kong altogether. And just go to Japan and the Philippines.Hong Kong is a cool city worth visiting for a cuple of days, but it is expensive. How long are you going to be travelling for?
Having conducted business and travel there for most of my professional life, HK is far and away my favorite SE Asian destination. It's an ideal and comfortable destination (expecially Central) for expatriots. Anyone one with a Mileage card pass should use it at HKG.
People should experience the HK hotels and compare them to the US/European ones. For the price, the likes of the Pen, Mandarin and Ritz are leaps and bounds better than any North American/European equivalents. Also, I like the fast pace of life, lack of anything PC and almost pure capitalist system (though this has been somewhat reduced during the SAR PRC years). In HK, you always know where you stand with the local Cantonese, which is a nice change from the system we have here in America.
Hong Kong is like capitalism on steroids. That was something I was not ready for when I arrived there.
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@Open123 wrote:
red259 wrote:Hong Kong is like capitalism on steroids. That was something I was not ready for when I arrived there.LOL...These days, I live a much less "laissez faire" professional life, but my early days in HK were the ones I cherish the most during my professional career. While I'd rather not live or retire in such an environment, it's far and away the most ideal for a person starting out in life seeking his fame and fortune.
I hope everyone will take a trip to Hong Kong at lease once in his/her life. I've developed great admiration for HK's culture, richness of cuisine, poetry of their language, and the sheer ingenuity and boldness of the local Cantonese. In my experience, on average, the HK local population are the most street smart of any place on Earth. It's impossible to con/ripoff any of these folks; and, I love their adage, "if you're stupid enough to get ripped off, then you deserve it."
It's a really great system based on a meritocracy, flat tax and intolerant of complainers/whiners. For a business person, it's like heaven on Earth, literally.
The sentiment behind that statement is very asian and you will see that in business practices with other asian companies and clients as well.
@sillykitty1 wrote:
@nitrov wrote:
I think I would use the airline credit, I use Prestige my USAA member coverage for rental cars, I don't have platinum concierge anymore so I'd like to try and use premium concierge. I like staying in nice hotels occasionally, and if I have a free certificate for it I would definitely use it. When I do travel personally, I probably stay 65% in just logical, affordable places (I always find a deal), and the other 35% I sometimes splurge (usually a combination of points and cash, certificates, etc.).Well primary coverage for rental cars is superior to the Prestige's secondary coverage. You won't have to involve your personal auto insurance if you have a rental car claim, and risk your insurance rates. I rent all the time, so this is valuable to me, but may not be to you.
We are probably on the same page with hotels for personal stays. I like something nice usually, but don't need it to be the height of luxury. The Renaissance is my favorite of the Marriott brands for example. The Ritz certs aren't free nights, they are upgrades to the Club Level. So you'd have to book a Ritz room at a nondiscounted rate (no corporate codes, or AA discounts etc.) and then use the Upgrade Certs to get to the Club Level, which gives access to the Club Lounge, and perhaps an upgraded room (?). Without the cert the Club lounge is usually a $100+ per night upgrade. But for me, I'm more likely to choose a Ren or JW and use points or $200/nightish or even a well located Courtyard, vs. a Ritz which is usually $300+ per night, at least when and where I'm looking. But if you'd be willing to pay the Ritz price anyway, then the Club certs are a big benefit.
I just got approved for the Ritz card. Wondering about the primary rental coverage you mentioned. I'm going to be renting a car in Canada next month and currently have the reservation booked under my Citi Prestige. Do I need to change it to Ritz card or do I need to book directly through Ritz in order to get that primary rental coverage on the card? I can't believe how heavy the card is! It's so puuuuurdy 