Sign in Subscribe

News from Around the Travelverse

Book Now: Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Turks & Caicos Opening March 8th

Book Now: Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Turks & Caicos Opening March 8th

💡Tl;dr—A hotly anticipated property in Turks and Caicos is now open for reservations from March onwards. While researching some properties in the Caribbean today, I noticed that the long-awaited Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Turks and Caicos, is now accepting reservations for its March debut.

Hyatt Regency Johannesburg - Source: Hyatt

Hyatt's Regency Johannesburg Set to Reopen? Or Is Hyatt's Category Chart in Need of Some Updating?

💡tl;dr—While perusing the list of Hyatt properties, I noticed the Hyatt Regency Johannesburg as 'coming soon.' As this hotel has been through a rough ordeal, I'm surprised to see it still listed as a property on Hyatt. Hyatt shuffles its award chart each year,

Dreams Las Mareas - Source: hyattinclusivecollection.com

Dreams Las Mareas Leaving Hyatt: Some Guests Left High and Dry in the Process

💡Tl;dr—The Dreams Las Mareas will soon leave the Hyatt portfolio. This news comes abruptly, and the hotel's caginess leaves some guests scrambling for alternative accommodations. Last week, news broke that the Dreams Las Mareas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, would exit Hyatt's All-inclusive collection. While

Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas Goes Rogue: "Kids No Longer Welcome Overnight"

Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas Goes Rogue: "Kids No Longer Welcome Overnight"

💡Tl;dr - The Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas recently announced it's transitioning to an adults-only resort, citing the ability to 'provide a serene and tranquil environment." In early February, Alila Marea Beach published a banner on its landing page indicating that the resort would be

Patina Osaka - Source: Patina Hotels

Opening Soon: Patina Osaka, New Luxury Hotel in the "Nation's Kitchen"

💡Tl;dr—The Patina Osaka is scheduled to open on May 1, 2025, marking a significant addition to the Luxury Hotel Scene in Osaka. This week, I'll be starting the recap of a trip to Japan, Australia, and New Zealand I took last year, and as such, I

The Waterfront Hotel - Source: Booking.com

Bummer: The Waterfront Hotel Oakland, A Hyatt JDV Property, Abruptly Shutters After 34 Years

💡Tl;dr - The Waterfront Hotel in Jack London Square of Oakland, CA, shuttered in late January, citing financial issues. After 35 years of service and stewardship as an anchor tenant in Oakland's Jack London Square, the Waterfront Hotel has closed. Notably, the Waterfront Hotel became part of

Book Now: Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Turks & Caicos Opening March 8th

Book Now: Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Turks & Caicos Opening March 8th

💡Tl;dr—A hotly anticipated property in Turks and Caicos is now open for reservations from March onwards. While researching some properties in the Caribbean today, I noticed that the long-awaited Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Turks and Caicos, is now accepting reservations for its March debut.

Two new Marriott African safari properties coming soon - Source: Marriott

I Stand Corrected: TWO New Marriott Safari Properties to Open in Kenya - JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton

💡Tl;dr—Marriott's official press release included a surprise: Two new safari properties, a Ritz-Carlton and another JW Marriott, will come to Kenya. A few months ago, I compiled a comprehensive list of all the points-bookable safari properties in Africa. Since then, we've received news of

Hotel La Compañia del Valle - Source: Hyatt

Now Open: Two New Exciting Hyatt Hotels For Your Next Panama Adventure

💡Tl;dr - Hyatt recently opened two new properties in Panama - the Hyatt Regency Panama City and the Hotel La Compañia del Valle. If you're headed to Panama anytime soon, you'll have two new promising Hyatt hotels to consider for your accommodations, as Hyatt opened

New High-Speed Train to Take Travelers from Toronto to Montreal in 3 Hours

New High-Speed Train to Take Travelers from Toronto to Montreal in 3 Hours

💡Tl;dr—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans for Alto, a high-speed train service connecting several of Canada’s marquee cities. This past week, the Canadian government announced plans for ‘Alto’ - a new high-speed rail service that would connect Toronto with Québec City. Billed as ‘the largest infrastructure project

Another Marriott Safari Property? Yep, The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp is Coming This Summer

Another Marriott Safari Property? Yep, The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp is Coming This Summer

💡Tl;dr - Marriott continues to grow its footprint of safari properties in Africa, and this newest opening will be under the Ritz-Carlton brand. Scheduled for a debut in August 2025, The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp is the latest addition to Marriott's burgeoning safari footprint. If you&

The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique - Source: Hilton

The Brand New Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique Opens May 1st: Here's How to Book it 'On the Cheap'

💡Tl;dr - An exciting new Hilton property in Costa Rica - the Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacique - will soon open its doors. Did you hear that? That howling wind sound? That's the collective exhale of one million Hilton loyalists, letting out sighs of relief. They just finished

Dawn of a New Age: Southwest Launches Its First Redeye Flights

Dawn of a New Age: Southwest Launches Its First Redeye Flights

💡Tl;dr - Southwest Airlines has started flying redeye flights for the first time in its nearly 60-year history, and more routes are in the pipeline. Big changes keep coming at Southwest Airlines: The Dallas-based carrier now flies redeye flights, with its first few flights lifting off (and landing safely)

The Palace Hotel - Madrid - Source: ciukes - Flickr

(Re)Opening Soon: Westin Palace Madrid Rebranded to The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel

💡Tl;dr - A popular and historic hotel in Madrid - the Westin Palace - will be rebranded to a Luxury Collection property next month. While researching an upcoming trip to Spain, I came across something interesting—there were two search results for the same property. The Westin Palace and

A 'Stockpile' of Sand - How fitting! - Source: Peter Craven - Sand stockpiles Uploaded by High Contrast

Hyatt Continues to Stockpile Arms With $2.6 Billion Playa Hotel Purchase - (And Other Thoughts)

tl;dr - After a few months of negotiations, Hyatt entered into an agreement to purchase all-inclusive resort specialist Playa Hotels for 2.6 Billion. Big news out of Hyatt today as it officially announced it's purchase agreement for Playa Hotels & Resorts at a cost of 2.

FYI: Cabana Suites Back in Action at The Concorde Room

FYI: Cabana Suites Back in Action at The Concorde Room

💡tl;dr - A lightning-quick update to inform you that British Airways reopened its Cabana Suites at The Concorde Room. Yesterday, I reviewed my experiences at the British Airways Concorde Room. While I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, I failed to mention a meaningful update to the lounge's amenities

Photo of the Capella Bangkok - Source: Capella Hotels

Coming Soon: 12 New Capella Hotels by 2028, Kyoto, Macau, Taipei and Osaka in 2025

💡Tl;dr - One of the premier luxury hotel brands in the World is set to double (and then some!) its footprint by 2028, including four significant additions this year. Capella Hotels is a chain that's made a lot of noise over the last few years. Travel and

Photo of a wine bottle in front of a window on a train

Paris to Milan by Rail: Train Service Restored Between These Two Iconic Cities and It’s a Good Deal

💡Tl;dr - TrenaItalia will resume service between Paris and Milan on April 1, 2025. If you’re planning a European adventure this summer (or late spring) with stops in France and Italy, you may consider taking the scenic route to get between the two countries. As first reported by

South Bank Ocean Villas - Source: Hilton.com

South Bank, Luxury Hotel in Turks and Caicos Now Open: Strong Reviews but Might Be Best for Large Groups

💡Tl;dr–A highly anticipated property in Turks and Caicos, South Bank Resort recently opened its doors. Early reviews are favorable, though I had different expectations for this property. South Bank, a Small Luxury Hotel of the World (SLH) property, opened on November 1, 2024, and the early reviews from

Photo of Hyatt and Bahia Principe executives - Source: jamaica.loopnews.com

Hyatt and Bahia Principe: Though Deal is Done, Integration Not Yet Fully Baked

💡Tl;dr–Searching for Bahia Principe Hotels on Hyatt’s website will take you away from the Hyatt website and take you to Bahia Principe’s site to view a hotel. While doing some research for another article, I noticed a small quirk on the Hyatt platform. While Bahia Principe

Coming Soon to the Dominican Republic: New Points Hotels Opening in 2025

Coming Soon to the Dominican Republic: New Points Hotels Opening in 2025

💡Tl;dr—2025 will be a big year for Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton in the Dominican Republic, as all three chains will significantly expand their portfolios. If you've ever planned a vacation for fun and sun, chances are you've come across some offers for a trip

Photo of Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar at Bourbon Street & St. Phillip - Source: Facebook

Let It Snow: Winter Storm Disrupts over 1000 MSY Flights, But Brings Out the Best Memes

💡Tl;dr—A major winter storm has ripped through the southern U.S., resulting in flight delays and cancellations at several major airports. It's also caused some pretty fantastic social media reactions, especially from New Orleans. In what feels very on-brand to this wild start to 2025, a

Photo of a bayou in City Park in New Orleans, Louisian

Remix in the Big Easy: Marriott Rebrands two Hotels in New Orleans

💡tl;dr - Keeping with our New Orleans theme this week, I'm highlighting two properties that are 'new' (sort of) to Marriott's portfolio of hotels in the Crescent City. Keeping with our New Orleans-themed week, I wanted to highlight some hotel developments that any

Rendering of the rooftop pool at the Fairmont New Orleans - Source: Accor

Opening Summer 2025: Fairmont New Orleans

💡Tl;dr: New Orleans has been in the news lately, with the recent traumatic attack in the early hours of New Year's Day and its role as host to a few sporting events to start the year. Keep the upcoming Fairmont New Orleans on your radar for those

Photo of Qatar Airways plane at Demascus International Airport

A Long Overdue Homecoming: Damascus Airport Resumes International Flights After 13 Years

💡tl;dr - For the first time in 13 years, Damascus International Airport in Syria is open for international flights. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad late last year, Syria's main airport has now resumed international service, allowing many Syrians to return home for the first time in

Coming 2026: JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge - More Bush Time on Points

Coming 2026: JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge - More Bush Time on Points

💡tl;dr - In 2026, Marriott will open its third high-end African safari lodge at Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. After the success of its properties at Masai Mara in Kenya and Kruger in South Africa, the JW Marriott Serengeti Lodge is likely to be one of 2026's