The house byline
We plan and book our own trips around jobs and PTO. These pieces are the field notes: the cards, the points, the cash, and what we would change. About is who we are. This page is everything published under the house name.
Villa Copenhagen occupies a converted 1912 post office one block from Tivoli Gardens and steps from Central Station, making it one of the most convenient bases in the city. The Danish design runs through every part of the property, from the glass-domed lobby to the room details, and the heated outdoor pool is more than most city hotels bother with. The rooms are small, and the bathroom is where the property visibly falls short.
Kimpton Clocktower sits inside one of Manchester’s most recognizable Victorian landmarks, blending grand architecture with a warm, design-forward interior. Two nights on Amex FHR included a room upgrade, free breakfast, and $125 dining credit, making this one of the stronger value plays in the UK.
Why Liverpool as a Day Trip? There’s a moment just before kickoff at Anfield when more than 50,000 voices rise together for You’ll Never Walk Alone, scarves lifted, and the whole ground swells into one sound. That was the moment we built an entire trip around, and standing […]
Why Manchester? Manchester turned out to be the biggest pleasant surprise of our recent UK trip. We came for a Liverpool home game at Anfield and chose Manchester as our base, expecting little more than a convenient stopover. Two full days later, we left genuinely impressed and already […]
Alila Napa Valley sits tucked against the Beringer estate in St. Helena, offering some of the most spacious and well-considered rooms in Napa wine country. We stayed twice in two months across two different room types and left with a clear picture of what the property gets right. This is a property that earns a return visit.
Thompson Central Park sits at one of the best addresses in Manhattan, with a well-designed Studio Suite, polished amenities, and a casual luxury aesthetic that works on paper. Service inconsistencies, however, keep it a step behind where the price point suggests it should be.
Hotel 50 Bowery isn’t your typical Manhattan Hyatt. No grand lobby, no sprawling restaurant — just sharp Chinatown-inspired design, warm service, and a location that puts you in the middle of one of the city’s most interesting neighborhoods. We stayed one night, woke up to snowfall over the Manhattan Bridge, and left wondering why more people aren’t booking this property.
Andaz 5th Avenue delivers a spacious, well-designed suite in one of Midtown Manhattan’s best locations. The hard product holds up, but inconsistent service across check-in and breakfast keeps it from being a standout stay.
The Mandarin Oriental Taipei sets the gold standard for old-school luxury in Taiwan, with exceptional private service, a standout breakfast buffet, and an FHR value proposition that makes it one of the best high-end hotel stays in the city.
Japanese airlines are legendary for their flagship hardware and hospitality. We finally scored the new A350-1000 Business Class for a 13-hour journey from Tokyo (HND) to New York (JFK). While the architectural suite and Michelin-star dining lived up to the massive expectations, the more reserved service left our experience feeling a bit more nuanced. Here is our unfiltered breakdown of the new JAL flagship.
Want the trip, not just the list?
The brief is free. If we take the trip, you will see the quote before any work starts.
Send a free brief