Thursday, June 27, 2013

Photo of the Week: Nyhaven, Copenhagen, Denmark

Nyhaven means new harbor in English, is a very lively and colorful spot in Copenhagen.  The buildings along the water house numerous restaurants and bars.  Its a great spot to people watch and there are generally some street performers to keep you entertained. 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

50% off Hilton hotels in Japan

To celebrate 50 years in Japan, Hilton is having a 50 hour 50% off sale.  Hilton has some very nice properties in Japan and this is your chance to book at very nice rates.  For example, rooms at the Conrad Tokyo start at just 157$.  This offer is only valid for a limited time.  More information can be found here



Terms:
Offer is subject to availability at participating hotels within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio in Japan. Book between June 25, 8pm, 2013 and June 27, 10pm, 2013 and stay between June 26, 2013 and 31 March, 2014. Full non-refundable prepayment required at time of booking. Your credit card will be charged immediately for the total amount quoted for the entire stay as reserved and refunds or credits will not be issued. Charges cannot be applied to other stays, services or merchandise. Booking cannot be changed. Blackout dates may apply and vary by property. Additional restrictions apply. This offer may not be combined with other select promotions, offers or discounts and is not valid for existing reservations or groups.

Wimbledon - Getting tickets is easier than you might think

A few summers ago while doing research in Cambridge I had the opportunity to visit The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club during the Wimbledon Finals.  Furthermore, I was able to cross this off my bucket list of sports without breaking the bank.  Few people realize that tickets for the event can be obtained by standing in "The Queue".  While you generally have to arrive very early to score tickets to the center court, you can easily obtain general admissions tickets for only 8 pounds for the championship day.  The year I went, I got to see Rodger Federer beat Andy Roddick in 5 sets in the longest men's final (in terms of number of games played) in Grand Slam history.  After the match I saw Federer in person with the trophy which was an amazing experience.

General admission gets you into the grounds, and although you wont actually be able to see the center court action in person, there is still more than enough to keep your senses tingling.  On the day of the championship match there were several other smaller matches on side courts.  One of the more intriguing was the men's doubles wheelchair finals.  There is a festive atmosphere throughout and a large screen broadcasting the action inside the center court.  Many people just plop themselves down in the grass and make themselves at home.  If you go, make sure you pick up a Pimms Cup and strawberries and cream.

More information about tickets can be found here

Rodger Federer after his win

The Champ



The Day's matches

Center Court

The Bracket

Monday, June 24, 2013

Gettysburg - 150th Anniversary

In a few weeks, the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the battle that changed the course of the Civil War.  Planning for this event has been in the works for the past several years and there are 10 days of special events to commemorate the anniversary.  Hotels around the area have been booked solid for the first week in July for at least the past 6 months with many of the areas hotels selling out long before that.  According to the Gettysburg Times, 3-4 million visitors are expected.  For a town of 16,000 residents that is about 250 tourists for every resident.  While visiting the battlefield during 150th celebration may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for some, I cant begin to imagine the traffic and commotion that the event will bring upon this small town.  For those interested in attending during the 150th anniversary celebration, a full list of events can be found on the official Gettysburg 150 website

Gettysburg is a worthwhile destination year round for those of you who would rather visit during a more subdued time.  Aside from the Civil War history and battlefield, the town of Gettysburg is very charming in its own right.  I would recommend a spring or fall visit to try to avoid the summer crowds inflated hotel prices.  While i live close enough to visit during a day trip, there are several very nice hotels for those who chose to stay the night.  The James Gettys Hotel is an historic inn in the center of town.  It consistently gets rave reviews. Federal Pointe Inn is another older historic inn, providing nice accommodations.  For those who prefer more modern amenities most of the main hotel chains are represented. 

As for dining options, I would recommend The Dobbin House Tavern.  This is a historic building built in 1776 which offers authentic period cuisine all in a very charming setting.  The upstairs features a formal dining room while the basement has a more casual atmosphere and offers pub food and drinks.  If you plan on sitting upstairs i would highly recommend making reservations.    



The Dobbin House Tavern


Downtown Gettysburg


View down on Devil's Den from Little Round Top


Top of Little Round Top


Confederate Sniper hide out in Devil's Den with Little Round Top in the distance

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Photo of the Week: Miraflores, Lima, Peru

Miraflores is a very modern and well-to-do district in Lima, Peru.  This area is home to several upscale hotels including the J.W. Marriott, numerous shops, restaurant and beautiful flower filled gardens.  There is often dense fog in the area coming off the ocean.  A great way to spend an afternoon in Lima is simply to stroll up and down the cliff side walkway and watch the sunset over the Pacific. 


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Hotel Review: Novotel Brussels off Grand Place

I ended up booking this hotel because Accor was having a 50% off sale for most of their properties in Europe.  Accor has sales such of this fairly frequently, see post here.  Because I was traveling from Paris to Brussels via bus (with a large amount of luggage in tow) and because we were only staying in Brussels for 2 days I wanted a hotel that was close to both the bus station and to all the main sights.  This hotel fit both those criteria.  For those not familiar with the brand, Novotels are generally well maintained, clean and modern midscale hotels (along the lines of Sheraton, Hilton, etc).

Price:
54euro/night

Location:
I had been to Brussels twice before so I was somewhat familiar with the area.  The hotel is located in a busy area about 2 blocks from the Grand Place.  It is also about a block away from the central train station and the bus station.  Additionally there are numerous shops and eateries in easy walking distance and a bike share station right outside the front door.  Our room had minimal if any street noise. 

Room:
As an accor platinum member we were upgraded to a "newly renovated room" on the top floor.  Accor platinum status doesn't guarantee you any upgrades at Novotel so this was nice.  The room was fairly spacious and the decor was simple and modern.  Bathroom had a shower but no tub.  The bed was large and fairly comfy.  We had a very nice view across the rooftops all the way to the grand place. 

Overall Impression:
Nice midscale hotel with very good location for walking around Brussels.  Check in/out was efficient and the front desk staff were friendly.  All in all, was great for the price, which was not much more than what a hostel would cost for 2 people.  I would probably consider staying here again even if I had to pay full price given the convenience of the location.  For more on Brussels see my post here.


View towards the Grand Place from our room


Exterior




Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Free Regus Gold Membership

Many thanks to my friend Brian over on his site for pointing this out for me, With virgin Atlantic silver status that you can obtain for free here, you can get a year of Regus Gold for free.  Regus is a company that offers short term office space rentals and business lounges all over the world.  I was really surprised to see how many lounges they have.  With a Gold membership you are able to access all of the lounges and get complementary refreshments and Wifi.  This looks like it could be a good option for getting some work done on the road. 
Sign up link
More information on regus can be found here

Monday, June 17, 2013

Chase Ink - 60,000 points for 1 week only

In honor of small business week, Chase is offering 60,000 Ultimate Reward points on their Ink cards after a $5,000 spend in 3 months.  The usual offer is for 50,000 points (which is already one of the best sign up bonuses out there), so this is a really good deal.  As mentioned in my post here, Chase Ultimate Reward points can transfer directly to several hotel or airline programs.  This gives you great flexibility when it comes time to redeem them.  The Ink cards are small business cards and the Ink Plus and Ink Bold are the ones that offer the new sign up bonus.  You can apply for these cards with a "business" of any size - even a sole proprietorship that sells things on ebay.  Just use your SSN as the tax number and your name as the name of the buisness.

The link to these offers can be found here

Friday, June 14, 2013

Is there a Doctor on Board - Medical Emergencies in the Air

A little while ago I was on a flight from the East Coast to the Caribbean.  We were about halfway through our journey somewhere over the Atlantic; I had my seat reclined, a good book in hand, and daydreams of a sunny beach in my head.  All of a sudden the flight attendant announced: "Is there a Doctor on board?, attention everyone we need a doctor".  I sheepishly looked around to see if anyone else was going to the back of the plane.  Having just graduated from medical school last year, I sometimes forget that I'm actually a doctor.  Another passenger got up and made her way to the back.  Phew, my moment of glory (and anxiety) would wait for another flight....Or so I thought.  I few minutes later the same message came on overhead.  This time I walked to the back of the plane where the commotion was.  It turns out the other passenger who had responded was a podiatrist - a foot specialist - and this was not a foot emergency. 

In the back of the plane by the lavatories I saw an elderly woman sitting on the ground looking pale and nauseated.  I introduced myself, got some basic history and then dug into the medical supply kit for a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.  The kit contained the most basic equipment and I could hardly hear heart sounds over the noise of the engine.  While I was doing this the patient explained to me that she was getting motion sick, was making her way to the bathroom, got lightheaded and sat down in the isle.  Now, in a well stocked emergency room, an older woman with nausea, lightheadedness and weakness might warrant an extensive workup.  In the air however, i felt as if my job was done after collecting the vital signs and a bit of history and providing reassurance.  The lady was escorted to a seat near the bathroom and started to feel better within minutes.  I got a thank you from the flight attendant and later that day I was sitting on the beach.


As a freshly minted ER doctor, this situation got me thinking about in flight emergencies so I decided to do some research.  I had a lot of questions and very few answers.  How many doctors actually respond? Are all medical kits the same?  How often do emergencies occur?  What happens if there is no one on the plane to help? 

Deciding to respond to a medical emergency is a complicated decision for many doctors.  The benefit of responding is clear: potentially saving a life.  The drawbacks however, are less obvious.  Imagine for example you are on a late night long-haul flight across 3 time zones and had a few drinks before boarding.  Would you respond?  Imagine you are a psychiatrist or a pediatrician, would you respond to an elderly man with chest pain?  Imagine you just got done working a 80hr week and are finally on vacation.  Would you really want to "go back to work"?  Consider working in an unfamiliar, noisy and chaotic environment with countless eyes watching and scrutinizing your every move.  These are the decisions that medical professionals must make when deciding to press the call button or not.

Virtually everyone has heard of the "good samaritan law" but there are lots of misconceptions on what it actially means.  Laws vary from state to state and country to country.  Generally the law will protect the medical professional from legal liability except in cases of "gross negligence".  This law however does not make you immune from all legal issues.   If a bad outcome were to occur, you would likely need to still go through the legal process to prove that your actions were justified under the good samaritan law and that you did not commit gross negligence.  Gross negligence is a difficult term to understand and is open interpretation.  It essentially means any action which varies greatly from the standard of practice weather intentional or not.  Take for example that podiatrist mentioned above.  They most likely have never seen a heart attack patient.  Even if they had the best of intentions, if they deviated from the standart ACLS guidelines they may be held liable.  For some physicians, legal considerations are enough for them to turn a death ear towards calls for medical assistance.

With regards to on board medical kits there are basic requirements but there does seem to be great variance between the actual contents of kits.  The required medications include: a non-narcotic pain killer, IV fluids, an antihistamine, an inhaler for asthma, aspirin and nitroglycerin for a heart attack, IV dextrose for low blood sugar, epinephrine for allergic reactions or asthma, and epinephrine, atropine, and lidocaine as an adjunct to CPR. The kits must also contain a stethoscope, manual blood pressure cuff, and an AED.

The exact frequency of medical emergencies on planes has been difficult to estimate.  This is due in part to a lack of reporting.  Airlines are only required to report deaths or medical diversions.  All other emergencies are reported voluntarily. 

There are a few ground based aviation emergency call centers which are staffed by emergency physicians which offer advice to flight crews during in-air emergencies.  These call centers help flight crews manage medical situations when there is not a qualified medical professional on the plane.  The data from these centers was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine in an article titled Outcomes of medical emergencies on commercial airline flights.  During the study period, medical emergencies occurred at a rate of 16 per 1 million passengers or about 1 per every 604 flights.  Obviously, probability dictates that the longer the flight and the more passengers are on a plane, the more likely a medical emergency is to occur. 

A break down of the outcomes of emergencies in this study were as follows:

Emergency resolved before landing: 31%
EMS requested at landing: 69%
Transported to Hospital 26%
Admitted to hospital 8.3%
Aircraft diversion: 7.3%
Death: 0.029%

For me personally, I will respond to emergencies if i am in the right mind to do so (no alcohol and not overly sleep deprived).  Afterall, I am trained in emergency medicine.  I think this is a decision that every medical practitioner must make on their own, and I do not find any fault in those who do decide not to respond.

Accor hotels 50% off sale

Accor Hotels (Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis) is currently running a sale on select hotels.  The list of participating hotels can be found here, it does not include any Sofitel locations.  Accor has a very strong presence in Continental Europe so if you are planing a trip this summer or fall, check it out.  Bookings can be made here, and you must be an Accor member (free to sign up) to access the sale prices.



Thursday, June 13, 2013

Free Virgin Atlantic Silver Status

Virgin Atlantic is offering free Flying Club Silver elite status by signing up through this link.  While Silver status doesn't get you a whole heck of a lot, free is always good when it comes to elite status.  Virgin Atlantic offers award flights from New York to London for 13,000 miles each way, which is one of the lowest redemptions for a trans Atlantic flight.  Virgin Atlantic is a transfer partner of both Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, so this deal may come in handy.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Photo of the Week: In Bruges, Belgium

This photo is of the Belfry in the main square of Bruges, the capital city of the province of West Flanders. The city is a world heritage site because of its well preserved medieval center and is sometimes called the "Venice of the north" because of its canals

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Southwest Airlines 72 Hour Sale

Southwest is currently running a 72hr sale which offers distance based fares on select routes.  routes under 500 miles start at just 49$ each way.  Book by Thursday, June 13 for travel from August 26 - December 18, 2013.  Details can be found here.



Monday, June 10, 2013

Hotel Review: Sheraton Annapolis

A few weekends ago my girlfriend and I took a weekend trip to Annapolis Maryland.  We stayed at the Sheraton Annapolis using Starwood Points.  This hotel is a SPG category 2 and as such a weekend night is only 3,000 points.

The hotel its self was your standard Sheraton, nothing too fancy but generally nice rooms.   Decor was nautical themed with Annapolis being the self proclaimed sailing capital of the US.  Rooms were nice and well appointed.  Our King room also had a couch and coffee table.  We were initially placed on a room facing the highway which runs behind the hotel.  There was quite a bit of noise coming in from the road so we asked to be moved.  They moved us to a room on the other side of the building and it was much quieter.

The hotel is located in a suburban retail area a few miles outside of the city.  There are lots of chain stores and restaurants near by.  The hotel does provide a shuttle which runs until 10pm to downtown.  We utilized this twice and the shuttle came within 30mins of us calling both times. 

All in all this was a nice hotel and a good value on points.  The only downsides would be the noise from the highway if your room is on the back of the hotel and the need to take a shuttle to reach the main sights downtown.












Priority Club Last Minute Discount Reward Nights

In addition to Priority Club Point Breaks, another good option to use priority club points is the last minute reward nights.  These offer 50% off the standard number of points, if you book for the following weekend. 

A link to the list of hotels can be found here



Thursday, June 6, 2013

Hyatt and MGM Partnership

Hyatt Gold Passport and MGM M Life will be partnering up starting June 20th.  You will be able to earn points with both programs and you will receive reciprocal elite benefits.  Users will be able to book MGM stays directly through Hyatt.com.  In order to take full advantage of this offer you must be a member of both Hyatt Gold Passport and MGM M life. 

The participating MGM locations in Las Vegas are: Bellagio, ARIA, Vdara, MGM Grand, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor and Excalibur.

More information can be found on Hyatt's website here

Hyatt Gold Passport Benefits
  • Hyatt Gold Passport members will receive Hyatt Gold Passport points on every eligible dollar spent at the 12 participating MGM Resorts destinations in Las Vegas. Members will also have the opportunity to earn M life Tier Credits simultaneously at these locations on eligible spend.
  • All eligible stays at any of the participating MGM Resorts destinations in Las Vegas will count toward Hyatt Gold Passport tier status.
  • Hyatt Gold Passport members will be able to redeem their Hyatt Gold Passport points for award nights at participating MGM Resorts destinations in Las Vegas.
  • Coming in August, Hyatt Gold Passport members will be eligible to opt-in to a reciprocal tier status in MGM Resorts’ M life, providing benefits at participating MGM Resorts destinations. Depending on the matched Tier Level, members may receive special room offers and upgrades, pre-sale access to premier concert, show and fight tickets, invitations to members-only events, access to M life Moments – exclusive experiences, and much more.
M life Benefits
  • M life members will receive M life Tier Credits for eligible spend when traveling beyond       MGM Resorts destinations, in Las Vegas, Detroit and Mississippi, when they stay at Hyatt hotels and resorts worldwide.
  • M life members will have the opportunity to experience destinations and cultures across the globe with the authentic hospitality that Hyatt offers while earning M life Tier Credits.
  • Coming in August, M life members will be eligible to opt-in to a reciprocal tier status in Hyatt Gold Passport, providing benefits at Hyatt hotels and resorts worldwide. Depending on the matched Tier Level, members may receive complimentary in-room Internet access, guaranteed room availability, late check-out and more during their Hyatt stay.


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Photo of the Week: Neuschwanstein Castle

The photo this week is of Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria in Southern Germany.  The castle was built by "Mad" King Ludwig from 1869-1892.  Ludwig died a mysterious death before construction was completed.  The castle was the inspiration for Walt Disney's fairytale castle.  I was lucky enough to see it after a fresh snow in early March.

35% off SPG hotels PLUS free breakfast

Link for this offer can be found here.  Note, that the RACK rate at hotels is generally much higher than the "best available rate".  In this case you will pay the lower of either 35% off the rack rate or the best available rate.  At the very least this deal gives you free breakfast and might even land you a cheaper rate.
*35% off rate will be applied to RACK rates. Best available rate will be given if lower than 35% off RACK.

$50 off $200 at Travelocity


American express is offering 50$ off of $200 on Travelocity for GoodBuy and Top Secret hotel bookings.  To get the offer, first log on to your American express account and look under "offers for you tab".  You should see the offer in the list below.  This may be a targeted offer so you might not see it listed for you.

OFFER DETAILS
Get a one-time $50 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to spend $200 or more on a GoodBuy or Top Secret Hotel booking online at travelocity.com by 7/31/13.
TERMS
To redeem, you must select the hotel only option at travelocity.com and select a GoodBuy or Top Secret Hotel. You will earn the statement credit only for GoodBuy or Top Secret hotel purchases of $200 or more made at travelocity.com by 7/31/13. You will not earn the statement credit if you book the hotel as part of a vacation package or if you pay for your hotel stay directly with the hotel property. Enrollment for the offer is limited. Limit 1 statement credit per American Express Card across all American Express offer channels. Statement credit will appear on your billing statement within 8 weeks after American Express receives information from the merchant about your qualifying purchase. Note that American Express may not receive information about your qualifying purchase from the merchant until all of the items from your qualifying purchase have been provided or shipped by the merchant. Statement credit may be reversed if qualifying purchase is returned/cancelled. If American Express does not receive information that identifies your transaction as qualifying for the offer, you will not receive the statement credit. For example, your transaction will not qualify if it is not made directly with the merchant. In addition, in most cases, you will not receive the statement credit if your transaction is made with an electronic wallet or through a third party or if the merchant uses a mobile or wireless card reader to process it. POID: ALQA:0001



Chase Small Buisness Week Bonus

Chase Ink is one of the best ways to earn points for travel. For small business owners, the Ink card offers a 50,000 point signup bonus.  These points are very flexible and can be transferred to several hotel and frequent flyer programs.  See my previous post on Chase Ultimate Rewards for the benefits of this program.  Special offers during small business week might be of interest to those who already have the card and those who are considering getting the card.  The full details on this offer can be found here.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Priority Club Point Breaks

I generally don't stay at too many priority club hotels (InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express,  Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Resorts, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites), but whenever I do I make sure to check out the list of Point Break hotels.  Priority Club Point breaks are a frequently changing list of hotels which have free night redemptions for only 5,000 points.  The list is frequently updated and award nights generally book up fairly fast.  Award bookings are refundable so if you think you might be in need of one of these hotels, book now and sort out your plans later.  Priority Club generally offers several stackable promotions so it is quite easy to get 5,000 points in your account.  The full list of point break hotels can be found here

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Dublin and Side Trips

First let me start off by saying that Ireland is my favorite country that I have had the opportunity to visit.  I spent a summer in Galway in 2007 and Have been back 5 times since then.  To really get a feel for Ireland I recommend that you get out of the city.  While Dublin is nice, it is not that much different from other big cities around the world.  Most of Ireland's charm lies in the countryside.  That being said, 1-2 days is enough to spend in the city before venturing out. 

I apologize for the lack of pictures in this post, but most of my Ireland pictures are on a hard drive which I don't have access to at this time.  Because this post was via request, I wanted to get the information out now and will update the pictures as time allows.

Exploring Dublin:

Dublin is an easily walkable city (as long as its not raining), and you can see most of the main sights in 2 days. 
Ha'penny bridge - picturesque pedestrian bridge crossing the Liffey.  Originally people had to pay a tool of 1/2 a penny to cross.
General Post office - This was the epicenter of Ireland's struggle for Independence from Britain.  Served as headquarters for the leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916
Millennium spire - Former site of a monument to Lord Nelson.  Nelson's column was bombed during the struggle for independence and it is now the location of a large metallic spire.  Situated across from the post office.
Dublin castle - Once the site of British rule in Ireland.  Now houses the Irish government. 
St. Stephens green - very picturesque park in the center of town
Trinity College - Oldest university in Ireland.  Formally catholics were not permitted to attend.  The college houses the book of kells.  The old library is also worth a visit.
temple bar - a section of town just to the south of the liffey.  Lots of pubs.  This area can become overwhelmed with tourists at times and if you are seeking an authentic Irish pub atmosphere I would recommend going elsewhere.
national museum of Ireland - very much underrated museum that houses a fantastic collection of both pre-Christian and early christian gold artifacts.  Admission is free so its worth stopping in even if you don't plan on staying long.
Guinness Brewery - A bit out of the way.  The Guinness brewery is very much geared towards tourists but there are some interesting displays.  Tour concludes with a pint at the top of the brewery where you have excellent views of all of Dublin. 

As a side note, if you enjoy beer the Porterhouse Brewery is very much worth a visit.  They are located close to the center of town and brew several good stouts as well as seasonal offerings.

Side trips:

Glendalough:

If time is short, i would recommend a visit here over all others.  A very picturesque monastery situated in the wicklow mountains just to the south of dublin.  The monastery was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century.  There are some excellent ruins including a round tower and several monastic buildings. 
There are several bus companies that operate tours from dublin:
http://glendaloughbus.com/
http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=278
 

The Round Tower at Glendalough

Newgrange:

This is an ancient burial site that is older than the pyramids.  There are several tombs in the area but the highlight is the main burial mound which has several well preserved examples of ancient Celtic abstract art.  A pathway leads into the center of the tomb.  The mound was constructed so that on the winter solstice, the suns rays enter the burial chamber.  Its really an impressive structure considering it was built about 5,200 years ago.

Hill of Tara:
This is a site more of historical importance than of "scenic" importance.  This area was once the seat of the high Kings of ireland.  All that remains now are some mounds and the Lia Fáil which translates to "stone of destiny", which is where the Kings of ireland were crowned prior to british occupation.


Powerscourt: 

I can't speak from experience as I have never been here.  Powerscourt is a English manor house and gardens.  The house its self was partially destroyed by fire but the gardens are supposedly some of the best maintained in all of ireland.

Hotel Review: Clarion Hotel Temperance, Malmo Sweden

With my recent post on the stay twice get 8,000 choice privileges promotion, Ive gotten a few questions about which hotels would be good reward redemptions.  In my opinion most of the Choice hotels in the US are mediocre at best and require a relatively high number of points for a free night when considering the standard cash rate.  Choice hotels in Europe on the other hand occupies a more upscale niche.  I will have a series of 3 posts, the other 2 detailing my experiences with Clarion Hotel Sign in Stockholm, and Clarion Royal Christiana in Oslo.


Clarion Hotel Temperance, Malmo Sweden
Choice Privileges Points: 8,000 for superior room
Average Peak season price: $220

Location:
I came across this hotel when looking for a place to stay in Copenhagen.  Copenhagen is a very poor value for hotels and Malmo is right across the water, so i figured id give it a shot.  Turned out to be a good idea, as in retrospect I would much stay in a nice hotel and have a short commute than to stay in a cramped room in Copenhagen.  Malmo is located in the very southern tip of Sweden just across the oresund bridge from Copenhagen.  The bridge itself is pretty impressive, it cost 5.7 billion dollars to build and includes a 5 mile long bridge and a 2.5 mile long tunnel.  Hotel is located near the center of town within easy walk of the train station. 

Room:
The room I ended up with a very nice deluxe corner room.  The only issue I had with the room was the ancient TV (as you can see from the pictures), otherwise the rooms were modern and tastefully designed.  Very nice hardwood floors and the corner room had 3 large windows looking out onto the street.  I had no issues with noise from the street despite being on the on the 2nd floor.

Hotel:
One of the best features of the hotel is a free breakfast and dinner buffet daily.  The dinner buffet included a rotating menu of Scandinavian dishes as well a cheese and bread.  Breakfast was continental with a very good selection of fruit, bread and pastries.