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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.