Euro Trip 2019 Planning: Booking initial hotels (Part 1)

In the previous installments in this series, I wrote about having a blank slate for this year’s journey and selecting our transatlantic flights. I then discussed how I decided where we would actually go once we arrived in Europe. Today’s article is the first of two which will cover booking our initial hotel stays. I will describe my general strategy for making lodging reservations, along with the short-list of properties that I am considering and why they made the list. I will use Milan, Italy for this detailed discussion though I employed this approach for all bookings for this trip.

Fall 2017 hotel promotions: Hilton

Hilton's fall 2017 promotion, "Double Points," offers double points on stays through December 31, 2017.

Hotels, Loyalty Programs, Points and MilesDerek CookSeptember 19, 2017promotions, Hilton hotels, Hilton Honors

Review: DoubleTree Savannah Historic District

The DoubleTree Savannah Historic District has a great location as well as good customer service and amenities. It's a great option if you are looking for a property in the heart of charming downtown Savannah, Georgia.

American Express to become exclusive issuer of Hilton branded cards

Hilton is one one of a few hotel and airline companies that have agreements with multiple banks for affinity credit cards. Currently, both American Express and Citibank issue Hilton-branded cards, but that will soon change. Hilton announced this week that it would enter into an exclusive agreement with Amex.

Hilton Honor's new promotion: 2k Every Day

Hilton has revised its Honors loyalty program. The changes, for me, are fairly minor but generally positive. In conjunction, we are now able to register for the new bonus point promotion, 2K Every Day, and earn 2,000 bonus points per night for each eligible stay.

Hotels, Loyalty Programs, Points and MilesDerek CookFebruary 8, 2017Hilton hotels, points and miles, promotions, Hilton Honors

Winter hotel promotions

If you will be traveling in winter or early spring of 2017, you will want to be registered for the promotions of your preferred hotel chain. Get the details here for Starwood, Marriott, Hilton and IHG.

Shopping portals vs. triple HHonors points when booking via app

Hilton recently enhanced its fall double points promotion by offering an additional bonus point when booking via the Hilton mobile app. However, you can get more value by going through a shopping portal and booking on the Hilton website. I will show you how.

Review: DoubleTree Club Hotel Boston Bayside

My girlfriend and I recently stayed at the DoubleTree Club Hotel Boston Bayside. The location was more than suitable for us, check-in was a breeze, the staff was very friendly, and the rooms were comfortable. The biggest negative was the food, but, overall, a good stay and I will definitely consider another visit the next time my travels take me to Boston!

Tru by Hilton: a millennial brand?

Last week, Hilton announced Tru by Hilton, a new brand coming later in 2016 that will be "cost-conscious" but fun, a gap that Hilton feels is a "massive void." However, despite some nice design elements and amenities, the branding feels like a poorly executed appeal to millennials.

HotelsDerek CookFebruary 2, 2016Tru by Hilton, Hilton hotels, branding, millennials, Aloft Hotels, marketing

Hilton and IHG unveil first quarter promotions

Hilton and IHG unveiled their first quarter promotions for 2016. "Double Your HHonors" offers double points on stays at worldwide Hilton properties. IHG's "Accelerate" presents a list of offers that allows you to earn bonus points as you complete individual offers.