Hotels Archives - Benjamin J Travel

Hotel Review: Residence Inn New York Manhattan | Midtown East

Hotel Review: Residence Inn New York Manhattan | Midtown East

16 April, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Spending a quick weekend in New York City, we wanted a comfortable place to stay without busting the bank. New York City hotels are generally quite expensive and after a bit of scouring, I found the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Midtown East on Hotels.com. After double-checking rates and the TripAdvisor reviews, it seemed to be a solid option in a great location. Overall Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars Location: 5 of 5 Stars Service: 4 of 5 Stars Comfort: 5 of 5 Stars…

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Hotel Review: Citadines Kurfürstendamm Berlin Aparthotel

Hotel Review: Citadines Kurfürstendamm Berlin

8 April, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Spending a long (and pleasantly warm) weekend in Berlin, we made the Citadines Kurfürstendamm Berlin our home for a couple of nights. Located in the Kurfürstendamm neighborhood of Berlin, this apartment-style hotel or “Aparthotel” offers amenities well-suited for a longer stay in Berlin. Located in a posh neighborhood along The Kurfürstendamm, there’s not shortage of high-end shopping nearby. Overall Rating: 4 of 5 Stars Location: 5 of 5 Stars Service: 3.5 of 5 Stars Comfort: 3.5 of 5 Stars Cleanliness: 5 of…

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Hotel Review: The Nadler Kensington | London

Hotel Review: The Nadler Kensington | London

29 January, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Listed in the top 100 hotels in London out of over 3,000 hotels on TripAdvisor, you can bet that I had some pretty high exceptions for The Nadler Kensington. The west end of London is one of my favorite locations to stay in the city so it influenced my decision to book The Nadler Kensington. The rooms at the The Nadler Kensington are more like an apartment-style room than a traditional hotel room. I had booked the room on Hotels.com…

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NH Collection Barcelona Constanza

Hotel Review: NH Collection Barcelona Constanza

24 October, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Located just north of Central Barcelona in the Les Corts neighborhood, the NH Collection Barcelona Constanza is a hip 4-start hotel. Part of the NH Collection portfolio, the location offers relative convenience yet the peace and quiet of a residential neighborhood. We had booked the NH Collection Barcelona Constanza through Hotels.com and secured a great rate of $117 USD per night during a very busy weekend in Barcelona. The weekend we visited Barcelona happened to be during La Mercè Festival so hotel rates…

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Vancouver Studios London

Hotel Review: Vancouver Studios London

26 September, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Almost hidden in the quiet Bayswater neighborhood of Westminster in Greater London, the Vancouver Studios London is a cozy hotel that makes one feel at home. In contrast to a traditional full-service hotel, the Vancouver Studios is more of an apartment-style hotel. Overall Rating: 4 of 5 Stars Service: 3.5 of 5 Stars Location: 4 of 5 Stars Comfort: 4 of 5 Stars Cleanliness: 5 of 5 Stars I was spending a short 3 days in London with plans…

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Casa Sotgiu Guest House

Review: Casa Sotgiu Guest House | Rome

21 September, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

After having a surprisingly hard time selecting accomodations for our four days in Rome, I came across Casa Sotgiu. We were seeking comfort in a quiet, yet convenient neighborhood with Metro access. After reviewing the solid reviews of Casa Sotgiu, I was sold. Overall Rating: 5 of 5 Stars Service: 5 of 5 Stars Location: 5 of 5 Stars Comfort: 5 of 5 Stars Cleanliness: 5 of 5 Stars It’s a bed and breakfast property located on the 4th floor…

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NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding

Accommodation Review: NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding

31 July, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Hopping into Madrid for a quick 24-hour visit, I booked a night at the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding, located in the Financial District of Central Madrid. I snagged the room using a Hotels.com reward night. Had I paid out of picket, I would have paid ~$180 USD for the one night stay. Overall Rating: 4 of 5 Stars Service: 4 of 5 Stars Location: 4 of 5 Stars Comfort: 5 of 5 Stars Cleanliness: 5 of 5 Stars The hotel is located…

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Cuzama Cenotes Merida Day Trip - Destination Spotlight: Mérida, Mexico | Part 3 | Exploring Cuzama and Los 3 Cenotes

Destination Spotlight: Mérida, Mexico | Part 3 | Exploring Cuzama and Los 3 Cenotes

18 July, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

This is part one of a three part series highlighting Mérida, Mexico and the surrounding Yucatan region. In part two, I’ll focus on the nearby villages of Cuzama, Chunkanán, and the well known “Los 3” Cenotes. Part One: Exploring Centro Mérida Part Two: Exploring Kabah. Uxmal, & Santa Elena Part Three: Exploring Cuzama and Los 3 Cenotes In the third and final post in this series, I’ll cover exploring Cuzama and “Los 3” cenotes, a fantastic day trip from Mérida. On our third day staying in Mérida,…

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Destination Spotlight: Mérida, Mexico | Part 2 | Exploring Uxmal, Kabah, and Santa Elena

Destination Spotlight: Mérida, Mexico | Part 2 | Exploring Uxmal, Kabah, and Santa Elena

17 July, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

This is part two of a three part series highlighting Mérida, Mexico and the surrounding Yucatan region. In part two, I’ll focus on the nearby ruins of Uxmal and Kabah, and the small village of Santa Elena. Part One: Exploring Centro Mérida Part Two: Exploring Kabah. Uxmal, & Santa Elena Part Three: Exploring Cuzama and Los 3 Cenotes As we were planning our trip to Mérida, we knew we wanted to spend a fair amount of time outside the city and visit the nearby ruins….

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Paseo de Montejo Homes

Destination Spotlight: Exploring Mérida, Mexico | Part 1 | Centro Mérida

16 July, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 3 comments

This is part one of a three part series highlighting Mérida, Mexico and the surrounding Yucatan region. In part one, I’ll focus on the sights, flavors, and sounds of Centro Mérida. Part One: Exploring Centro Mérida Part Two: Exploring Kabah. Uxmal, & Santa Elena Part Three: Exploring Cuzama and Los 3 Cenotes When I told most of my friends that we were headed to Mérida for a long weekend, most of them had no clue where that even is. The vast majority of Americans will…

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Hotel Merida Santiago Sunset Pool

Accommodation Review: Hotel Santiago Mérida | Mérida, Mexico

10 July, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 8 comments

Inconspicuously tucked along Calle 74A, sits the Hotel Santiago Mérida near the heart of Centro Mérida. In advance of our trip to Mérida, we had browsed several boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts. The reviews were solid and it was rated as the number two bed and breakfast in Mérida at the time of booking. Overall Rating: 5 of 5 Stars Service: 5 of 5 Stars Location: 5 of 5 Stars Comfort: 5 of 5 Stars Cleanliness: 5 of 5…

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Business Lounge Krakow Airport

Lounge Review: Business Lounge Krakow Airport

20 June, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

Krakow’s airport is currently undergoing a massive renovation that includes a new terminal building. While the building is beautiful and modern, I fear that growing passenger traffic will cause the new airport to be overcrowded very quickly. On our day of travel, most of the terminal was complete except the check-in desks. The old check-in desks are very small and the crowds don’t have much room to move. The new security area is spacious, roomy, and efficient. However, post-security, you…

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Hotel Review: Apartamenty Parkside Kraków

18 June, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 3 comments

As part of our 9-day trek through Central and Eastern Europe, we spent 3 days in Krakow, Poland, taking in the sights and scenery of the city and the surrounding towns. We booked a unique “hotel” property, the Apartamenty Parkside Kraków. Located just outside the city center, this property was unique in the sense that it was somewhere between a hotel and an Airbnb type property. Overall Rating: 4 of 5 Stars Service: 4 of 5 Stars Location: 4 of 5…

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Causeway Bay Hotel Review

Hotel Review: Somerset Victoria Park Hong Kong

24 April, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

I’ve just returned from a quick trip to Hong Kong earlier this week which involved a stay at the Somerset Victoria Park Hong Kong, located in Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island. As you may pick up, the major hotel rewards programs are not my cup of tea and I tend to focus on two main booking tools: Airbnb and Hotels.com. I like Hotels.com as the rates are competitive and the rewards program is straightforward which is the site I used for…

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Radisson Blu Plaza Helsinki

Hotel Review: Radisson Blu Plaza Helsinki

29 March, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

I’ve just returned from a 36 hour visit to Helsinki which included some express sightseeing, a few great lounge visits, a new airline for me, and a stay at the Radisson Blu Plaza Helsinki. Location: The central location of the Radisson Blu Plaza Helsinki is hard to beat. It’s just about 2 blocks from the Central Railway station in Helsinki. And if you’re coming directly from the Airport train platforms, there’s a side street that’s a nice direct shortcut to the…

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Hotel Review: Dorsett Mongkok | Hong Kong

Hotel Review: Dorsett Mongkok | Hong Kong

24 March, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

TripAdvisor is my gold standard for hotel reviews and I use it heavily when selecting hotels. It rarely lets me down but unfortunately, this was one of those occasions. I’m still scratching my head on how the Dorsett Mongkok won a Traveler’s Choice award! We arrived in Hong Kong in the late evening, checking into the Dorsett Mongkok around 9:30 PM. The location was claimed to be incredibly convenient to the Olympic MTR station which I must disagree with. The…

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Hotel Review: Shangri-La Jakarta

24 March, 2016 Benjamin J Travel Comments 6 comments

On my recent trip to Indonesia, I had the opportunity to stay at the Shangri-La Jakarta for 7 nights. Our company hosted a multi-day event at the Shangri-La and my colleagues and myself stayed at the Shangri-La for a full week. I expected good service from a Shangri-La but I was absolutely thrilled with the service I received.Everyone in Jakarta loves to smiles and the Shangri-La is no exception. Everyone: bellhops, wait staff, chefs, front desk, management….all were incredibly warm…

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