Note: TBB is on vacation. Until his return, this blog site will likely not have any of the usually legendary Buzz posts:-)
If a huge development happens please shoot me an email and I may get to it eventually. Priority is focusing on enhancing memories with my wife and two kids!
The TBB family vacation in the Canadian Rockies is going well. You can keep up with us if you want on Twitter where I post some updates as they happen when wifi cooperates. Some general impression so far quickly:
Flying on a tiny jet from Detroit to Chicago is fine. Flying on a CRJ from Chicago to Calgary is not so fine. But we made it fine. I want to say I missed my Delta Platinum days but I won’t:-)
Calgary Airport is super nice. Spread out and spotless. Major construction going on all around outside it. Actually, I have seen many cranes. Canadians are doing very well it appears!
The Hilton Garden Inn in the Calgary Airport is outstanding! Nice courteous shuttle, super modern building, super rooms, breakfast coupons given to all four of us and four water bottles, nice touch with an extra peanuts snack for the Golds, excellent service by every staff member we interacted with, great breakfast and we slept like babies.
Hertz gave me a Jeep Compass when I was expecting a Ford Edge like size SUV. At least I got a free GPS. I never liked Hertz. But somehow they had the best rate. I still paid too much for a car rental, I can do better next time:-)
Driving to Banff is blah until you enter Banff National Park. Then the scenery is just, well, amazing!
I forgot to bring the cable to transfer my digital camera pics to my laptop, I am such an idiot!
Fairmont Banff Springs is just a remarkable piece of architecture. It celebrates 125 years of existence this year! Stay was booked under Mrs. TBB (Premier Executive Club member) and it was for the 2 complimentary Visa nights. We used her Suite upgrade to get a Stanley Thompson Wing Suite (500 sq. ft). We walked in and we all went…blah. Room 1430 was at the corner of the busiest part of the whole wing with doors and traffic just outside it. View consisted of the traffic and two trees blocking the next two windows. Daughter “I wished we were in our Hilton Buenos Aires suite!” (yeah, I have raised a spoiled monster!). So, I pick up the phone and kindly ask if they can do better hoping to score the one bedroom suite (Dan of Dans Deals is checking in a few days and he got the one bedroom suite on the Visa nights…not fair lol!). Long story short…we were allowed to see another room. Same type of suite but better layout (with fireplace), much much quieter, two beds, bigger bathroom, much better view and did I say much quieter. Moral of the story: If you do not like the room, you have nothing to lose by letting them know how much you will appreciate it if you can get a better room! Do it politely and not act like an entitled elite:-)
Banff is a little town overrun by tourists.
Did I say the nature up here is so stunning and there are so many things to see and do is just totally…overwhelming!
Look forward to the TR!
Well, I am still not done yet with my trip report from my Norway trip back in…April so I anticipate this one to be done sometime in 2014:-)
Always second…. Sigh
At least you are consistent!
Just make to the top five … Thanks
You are definitely moving up in the world;-)
Glad you are enjoying the scenery. It is glorious there. We were upgraded gratis at the Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf, getting a view room which was better than the standard room I booked. From our balcony we saw one of the catamarans getting into position for a qualifying race for the Americas Cup. The hotel had pros and cons but the price sure was right!
I think it is quite common that Club Carlson family hotels have several cons…in general. General quality still has a long way to go to be up to par to the other chains. At least that has been my experience so far.
Visa nights? Nah. Just enough lifetime Plat accounts 😉
I may have 15 active Chase cards but none of them say Fairmont.
Like I told ya George, always arrange these things beforehand….a quick call could’ve had you confirmed into the far superior 1BR suite.
Whenever I interact with Dan I feel like a newbie:-)
Did not have Plat nights to work with on the Banff Springs stay, only the Visa nights. And believe me I tried. We are happy with the new room. I like to push some things but not so much;-)
Bring bug spray, mosquitoes are on the loose up here!
ABC:Dan is in a league of his own. Some things he does are not for us mortals lol.
Dan, so what’s your special trick getting 15 Chase cards?
Limit’s supposed to be 4.
See previous comment about Dan:-)
There is no limit for cards with Chase. Only limit is the amount of credit allowed. I had up to 7 open at one time I believe.
Are you required to write the trip report in the year you deduct the travel expenses? If so, good luck!
Actually, good point! I can show that it was written mostly in the year expenses were deducted but just not published in the same year. I should just get it together and publish it in 2013 though, never wanted to be an IRS Tax Court case;-)
Limit of 4 cards from Chase? Lol.
Just got approved for my 5th and 6th active Ink cards today.
Dan is from Mars and gets special attention by Chase…and Amex and heck, every bank:-)
So I’m reading your blog feed and the first line of my reader says:
“If a huge development happens please shoot me”
BANG!
So, what was development was it then? Please:-)
By the way, do you get access to the Fairmont Gold Lounge up there with your suite upgrade?
This stay now at Banff Springs is on Mrs. TBB who is only Premier due to the Visa. I believe as Platinum I do get a Gold Floor upgrade but, from what I have been told, no way I can use the Gold Floor upgrade on my Visa nights and my Platinum complimentary night…only on paid stays. I am content with what I get and I do not push things like some other lifetime Plats;-)
Actually, to tell you the truth, if it was not for the Lifetime Plat deal I would have never likely stayed at a Fairmont (pre-Visa)…way too grand style for my taste and my family. I am not complaining….worked out great with 2 complimentary nights per Visa & my Plat complimentary night. I am actually now aiming to go 12 for 12 for free hotel nights on this trip as I have made a 5k Pointbreaks backup reservation for the paid night I am currently booked for…#developing
Wait – no more buzz? Say it isn’t so? Or say it is and I’ll start ramping up my pimpage right away!
Come on, many bloggers have theirs up and scoring big time cha chings! GET WITH IT, Matt! It’s a free for all, TBB is out in the Rockies wilderness and not around to police you bloggers lol.
Your being on vacation makes it super easy for me to catch up on your blog – fewer comments to read 😉 !!
We are back from a super CA road trip to Santa Cruz and the Bay area. Very little sightseeing although we loved the redwoods in Santa Cruz, the Grateful Dead exhibit at UCSC, the Computer History museum in Mountain View, Chinatown in SF and some long walks along the water there. Not our first visit (except to Santa Cruz) so the emphasis was on people, not places.
We leave for about a month in Israel and Istanbul in less than 3 weeks – gotta start getting organized for that!
Hope you all are feeling better and having fun.
Cheers!
I liked Santa Cruz too. Chinatown in SF is great, so authentic. Almost got a job right after college in SF. In retrospect, I am glad I didn’t!
I have a trip report somewhere on Istanbul. If it is your first time there u may want to read it. Email me and I can send you a link (to private personal blog). When I get around to it