miles and points – TORsAdventures

This trip was so fun for so many reasons! The Sky Club to start …… then I was able to connect with an old friend who lives in another state and we met for some food and drinks on Friday night. I spent 2 nights there total. I used a free night certificate for the first night and 110,000 points for the second night at the Waldorf Astoria.

This is where I should be so excited about the hotel but this was the worst Waldorf I have ever stayed at and I would never return. I also was in town for a travel hacking meet up and got to see a suite at the Grand Hyatt and the Conrad in DC. Since I have stayed at other WA properties I had a certain level of expectation leading up to the stay. I contacted the concierge just like I have for my other stays to request something for my birthday. I don’t usually complain about my stays but this was so bad that something needs to be said. I tried contacting Hilton customer service but just got the generic “We are sorry.” response. They were so sweet in New Orleans and I ended up with 2 Happy Birthday treats!

If you are familiar with Hilton you know that they have the option for digital keys in the app and you can check in without going to the desk. Well it was showing this option but that was apparently not the case. As the manager said … “we don’t use digital keys here”. Um …. ok so why not? And why does the app ask me if I want to use one? I am getting a little ahead of myself. After I landed I chose to take an Uber from the airport vs taking the train because I thought my room would be ready for me to check in at about 1:30pm. I got to the desk and they said that my room was not ready and that I needed to wait 2 to 3 hours for said room. When I inquired about an upgrade they told me it would cost $600 a night. I declined and watched that room stay empty for my whole visit while they shoved me into a room that was in desperate need of a facelift. Just look at the stains on the carpet … This is what they consider an upgrade for a Diamond member?

While waiting for my room I decided to take a walk with a hotel provided umbrella and I was able to see the White House and even caught a glimpse of the President of the United States leaving in his motorcade. Saturday was a fun day with sightseeing and the points and miles meet up! We met up at a Luna Hall DC, a high end food court with a full bar. Then we made our way to Allegory, a speak easy for a night cap.

This is a glimpse into what a suite at the Grand Hyatt looks like! Sooooooooo much nicer than my carpet stained room at the Waldorf Astoria! I was so jealous of my friends and the amazing treatment they received.

Overall I would recommend the Conrad or the Grand Hyatt vs. the Waldorf Astoria if you are in DC. Some words of wisdom … not all Waldorf’s are the same. But in the end I got 50,000 points back and made some amazing memories with my amazing friends!

Travel has and always will be a passion of mine. I would like to share that passion here with you on TRAVEL like a BILLIONAIRE and show you how to travel like a billionaire for FREE or close to it. My goal is to show you how to travel the world like a billionaire but with points and miles. Yes you read that right points and miles. I have been traveling like this since 2008 starting with Kris-crossing the United States then I set my sights on foreign lands.

Did you know that by signing up for a specific credit card timed with your normal charge of your car insurance you can be already over the minimum spend amount needed for a 100,000 point bonus? Check out my How to page here and if you are ready to get started answer my 5 questions and email me your answers.

So here is the big question …. How to TRAVEL like a BILLIONAIRE? In less than a year I was able to earn Medallion Status with Delta Airlines. I want others to know how simple it is to achieve this and so much more!. This is not an ad. This is not a commercial. It’s my real life. By using specific cards in conjunction with your planned trips for 2021, 2022 or even 2023 and beyond you can rack up a slew of miles and use them for free flights, upgrades and even Dom Perignon! < – – – YES! That happened at the Delta Sky Club in LAX. I was able to have my first sip of Dom thanks to a few miles that I had in my account!

This is the part where some will shame you for what you do with those points and miles once you earn them. I think as long as it brings you joy and maybe to a new place that works for me! This is also the part where people will disagree with what card or cards you should be using. This brings me back to my first 2 points. As long as it brings you joy and maybe to a new place that works for me! There are a few things I think you might want to know before you go off and apply this but that’s just me. The Chase 5/24 rule, what is a referral link and thinking that annual fees are not worth it just to name a few. I started my travel hacking journey back in 2008 when I had an American Airlines Citi Advantage card. I used those points to fly from Chicago to Los Angeles in May 2009 when my grandfather was admitted into hospice. I originally booked the flight to come home 4 days later but after talking to the airline I was able to keep an open ended ticket and come back after my grandfather passed. This allowed me to spend almost 2 months with my family and the flexibility to come home when it was time. I have booked so many flights with points and miles since then I have lost count. I have also used them to get my favorite magazine subscriptions sent to my house. The best advice I can give to someone just starting this journey is research, research, research! I can not say it enough, I have learned some mistakes the hard way myself but I have also seen the mistakes others have made and then shared with the community.

So join me at TravelLikeaBillionaire.com or on any of the fun social channels!

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