2023 Best Of List – Hotels, Flights & More
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ALL OUR FAVORITES FROM 2023
Happy 2024!! Whew, that year FLEW by, right?!
My family & I just returned from our last trip of 2023. And during a car ride, we thought it would be fun to do a little “best of” for all our 2023 travels. As a reminder, these are the opinions of myself, my husband and our 12 year old son. It was interesting how the adults AND tween agreed on so much!
Best Hotel Pool:
Tween & Husband – Andaz Tokyo (35K points/night)
Me – Hyatt Grand Cypress (12K points/night)
How we booked it:
Both Hyatt stays were booked by transferring Chase Ultimate Reward points to Hyatt.
Andaz Tokyo required 35K points/night
Hyatt Grand Cypress required 12K points/night
The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando’s pool is amazing for families. Several sections, a slide, grottos, and absolutely gorgeous setting!
Best Hotel Breakfast:
All – Golden Mar Menuda (Tossa de Mar, Spain) for the views & amazing options
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach for the best beignets ever and incredible service!
How we booked it:
For Golden Mar Menuda did not use points here, paid with a credit card
For Hyatt Regency Clearwater we used 25K Chase points transferred to Hyatt (per night).
Best Hotel Customer Service:
All: Andaz Tokyo
How we booked it:
Transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Hyatt.
Required 35K points/night
The Andaz Tokyo provided free fruit, juice & muffins for all guests in their lobby each morning.
From the moment we stepped into this hotel the service was absolutely impeccable.
Best Hotel Bathroom:
Tween & Husband – Andaz Tokyo
Me – Park Hyatt Kyoto
How we booked it:
Both Hyatt stays were booked by transferring Chase Ultimate Reward points to Hyatt.
Andaz Tokyo required 35K points/night
Park Hyatt Kyoto required 45K points/night
Best Hotel Room:
All – Conrad Sardinia
View from our HUGE balcony at the Conrad Sardinia.
How we booked it:
We did not use points for this stay – Booked via my friend at Runway Travel – This is a Virtuoso travel agency which means on many luxury hotel stays, you’ll get free breakfast, room upgrades, late check out, $100 food/beverage credit. IF you ever are NOT using points at a high end/luxury property, I highly recommend you go via Runway Travel to ensure you are getting all the possible room benefits!
Best Hotel Gym:
Tween & Husband – Hyatt Regency Orlando
How we booked it:
Transferred Chase Ultimate Reward points to Hyatt.
Required 9K points/night
Best Room Upgrade:
All – Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport
How we booked it:
Used a free night certificate that comes with our The World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Not only did we receive a HUGE 2 bedroom suite upgrade for our stay in September, we also received the most thoughtful goodies to celebrate our birthdays – wine, cheese plate, cookies, happy birthday decor! We were so blown away by these gestures!
Best Free Spa Amenities:
Tween & Husband- Park Hyatt Kyoto
Me- Conrad Sardinia
If you have at least Gold status with the Hilton Honors program, you’ll have FREE access to the spa amenities at the Conrad Sardinia. They had 3 outdoor jacuzzis, a roof top jacuzzi, then more jacuzzis in the indoor spa area as well as saunas, steam rooms and relaxation rooms.
I have Hilton Gold status because it comes with The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Best Hotel Lounge:
All – Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay
How we booked it:
We did not use points as the nightly rate was so low ($150/night). We used our World of Hyatt card so that we could earn 10.5 points per dollar 5 base points/dollar, 4 points/dollar for using The World of Hyatt Credit Card, plus 1.5 extra points/dollar for our status (this is where having hotel credit cards really come in handy!)
After long days at Disney Tokyo, this lounge was wonderful to come back to. Comfortable seating, super clean, great drink choices.
Best Airport Lounge:
Tween – O’Hare Delta
Me: American Airlines Flagship Lounge O’Hare
How we accessed them:
We’ve been able to access the Delta O’Hare lounge when flying Air France business class to/from O’Hare.
We’ve accessed the American Flagship Lounge by flying Japan Airlines from O’Hare.
Left: When you walk into the American Airlines Flagship in O’Hare, you are greeted with a glass of champagne. While the seating layout isn’t my favorite in this lounge, the food & beverage choices are amazing.
Right: My son is OBSESSED with the hot dog cart in this lounge. They have it EVERY day. You get to pick from tons of toppings and even I thought they were delicious. The seating is gorgeous in this lounge, has fantastic views and is a great size!
Best Business Class Seat:
All: British Airways Club Suite
How we booked it:
We were able to take advantage of a 30% transfer bonus from Chase to British Airways which meant we got an incredible deal on these seats. The Club Suites are British Airways BEST business class, with each seat being incredibly private with a door and the seats are very comfortable.
We transferred Chase Ultimate Reward points to British Airways, 59,616 miles each + $375 taxes/fees per person (one way)
Best Business Class Service:
All – Tie between Japan Airlines & Asiana Airlines
How we booked them these business class seats:
Japan Airlines: Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (HND) booked on American Airlines for 60K miles per person + $5.60 taxes/fees (one way)
Asiana Airlines: Osaka (KIX) to LAX booked on Air Canada for 57,693 miles per person + $115 taxes/fees (one way)
Want more info on how we booked these and how we got the points to book them? I’ve laid out everything here.
The any time dining on Japan is definitely a treat! With a 13+ hour flight, it’s wonderful to be able to get a hot snack or a cold snack any time you’d like!
Best Business Class Food:
All – Tie between Japan Airlines & Asiana Airlines
Favorite Stay 2023: Andaz Tokyo
We ALL agree, Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills was our #1 favorite of 2023!
It is a luxury hotel without being pretentious.
The breakfast was incredible.
The bathroom was huge. And the view from the room was amazing.
IF you ever get a chance to stay here, I highly recommend it!
MORE:
Recap of 2023 travel
Cards I’ve opened in 2023
How we earn so many Chase Ultimate Reward points for free Hyatt stays
Day to day strategy for maximum point earning
