Free Breakfast – The Most Overrated Hotel Loyalty Benefit by Travel Codex. One of the biggest reasons I try to ignore hotel status and status in general is that I know it’s going to lead to me making irrational choices. The biggest issue I have with most non chain hotel is that a lot of them don’t have desk/chair in room, but typically I can just work elsewhere anyway. One thing I’d love is for hotels to offer an additional free standing monitor in room, I hate trying to work with just my single laptop monitor and honestly if a brand offered this I’d probably be brand loyal.
I can’t get enough of these timeshare stories. I haven’t gone to a presentation myself but I’m definitely going to try it sometime. The Timeshare Guru post a few weeks back was great, especially with all the helpful comments.
Seriously, how come some hotels in the Bay Area/Puget Sound area haven’t tried that monitor idea? Couple hundred 1080p monitors with VGA, DP, and HDMI would easily pay for themselves, especially if they were in lieu of a TV (could be used as a TV).
All hotels I’ve been to lately had a TV with a HDMI connector in the room.. Granted it’s a bit hard to use as a monitor when the TV is on the other side of the room from the desk.
AirVpn costs $3 a month or less and you can choose Ip’s from many different countries and dozens of US cities…I’ve sugned up for many bank accounts using asian ip’s even tethering from my cell phone in a local cellular network when I didnt have a vpn or internet. All depends in the bank, the smaller the more picky imo.
NinjaX (@guest_413863)
June 2, 2017 20:07
#413863
RE: Hotels to offer an additional free standing monitor in room
Dont wish this. Your shit will get hacked. When I stay at hotels offering in-room desktops or laptops or USB connection to anything, I unplug all of it and remove all batteries or AC cords and flip monitors around to face the wall.
Don’t see how it’s a bigger risk than using the hotel’s WiFi personally.
MSer (@guest_413783)
June 2, 2017 16:16
#413783
Please, no timeshare posts!
iahphx (@guest_413630)
June 2, 2017 10:43
#413630
The TravelCodex premise about “free breakfast” being an overrated perk is wrong. What IS stupid is paying substantial money to get this benefit. Like I’ve never understood the supposed travel experts dropping money at the chain hotels to earn status. What you obviously want to do is get the best status you can without much money or effort — and that usually involves having the chain’s credit card. Hilton Honors is definitely a better program because when I redeem points to stay at their full service properties, I get free breakfast and lounge access. I find myself “more interested” in this program than, say, IHG or Starwood where I can stay for free in fancy hotels, but get no useful perks. And I always compare independent hotel options with chain hotel options. I guess many of the bloggers don’t say as much about independent hotels because there are fewer commission opportunities.
I agree with you about the breakfast. I’m able to maximize that benefit because I travel with at least one other person (max 2) so it’s a savings of $30 conservatively, but probably more like $50+ because then we don’t end up eating lunch. We’re also able to further stretch that because we go back to the lounge for “cocktails” (aka dinner).
Re: Not Applying For Bank Accounts When Travelling
1. Notice the article is actually about a “local” Credit Union. Most credit unions are very picky about who they let in, many are a hard pull, and most are very concerned with where you live, work, go to school, or worship.
2. Most people who “travel” and apply at a “bank” will do so in the branch. (It sometimes CAN get you around the normal residency restrictions that are in place at most banks) There is no IP address for that.
3. With so many people using phone and tablets on their cellular plan while out of the home, or using a VPN, I am sure many IP addresses are showing out of state/area from the home address. I wouldn’t think this is an totally unusual thing. Besides, the article is not clear, but to me it sounds like the CU had to call to verify why the IP address wasn’t at home, and ended up opened the account anyway. Not a big deal, other than having to pick up the phone and answer some simple questions.
4. To me, that article is a reminder that even if you get the welcome and confirmation e-mails, account number, and online access, even snail mail letters, sometimes banks/CU’s do shutdown or terminate an account for whatever reason within the first 30 days. They have that right, so I’d suggest being careful about setting up DD’s – ACH’s if you think there could be issues. I’ve had it happen. (Thanks Sandy Spring Bank)
I can’t get enough of these timeshare stories. I haven’t gone to a presentation myself but I’m definitely going to try it sometime. The Timeshare Guru post a few weeks back was great, especially with all the helpful comments.
We will have more from them soon!
Seriously, how come some hotels in the Bay Area/Puget Sound area haven’t tried that monitor idea? Couple hundred 1080p monitors with VGA, DP, and HDMI would easily pay for themselves, especially if they were in lieu of a TV (could be used as a TV).
All hotels I’ve been to lately had a TV with a HDMI connector in the room.. Granted it’s a bit hard to use as a monitor when the TV is on the other side of the room from the desk.
Using a TV as a monitor is horrific.
AirVpn costs $3 a month or less and you can choose Ip’s from many different countries and dozens of US cities…I’ve sugned up for many bank accounts using asian ip’s even tethering from my cell phone in a local cellular network when I didnt have a vpn or internet. All depends in the bank, the smaller the more picky imo.
RE: Hotels to offer an additional free standing monitor in room
Dont wish this. Your shit will get hacked. When I stay at hotels offering in-room desktops or laptops or USB connection to anything, I unplug all of it and remove all batteries or AC cords and flip monitors around to face the wall.
A simple VGA connection ain’t hacking anyone’s shit.
Don’t see how it’s a bigger risk than using the hotel’s WiFi personally.
Please, no timeshare posts!
The TravelCodex premise about “free breakfast” being an overrated perk is wrong. What IS stupid is paying substantial money to get this benefit. Like I’ve never understood the supposed travel experts dropping money at the chain hotels to earn status. What you obviously want to do is get the best status you can without much money or effort — and that usually involves having the chain’s credit card. Hilton Honors is definitely a better program because when I redeem points to stay at their full service properties, I get free breakfast and lounge access. I find myself “more interested” in this program than, say, IHG or Starwood where I can stay for free in fancy hotels, but get no useful perks. And I always compare independent hotel options with chain hotel options. I guess many of the bloggers don’t say as much about independent hotels because there are fewer commission opportunities.
I agree with you about the breakfast. I’m able to maximize that benefit because I travel with at least one other person (max 2) so it’s a savings of $30 conservatively, but probably more like $50+ because then we don’t end up eating lunch. We’re also able to further stretch that because we go back to the lounge for “cocktails” (aka dinner).
+1
Re: Not Applying For Bank Accounts When Travelling
1. Notice the article is actually about a “local” Credit Union. Most credit unions are very picky about who they let in, many are a hard pull, and most are very concerned with where you live, work, go to school, or worship.
2. Most people who “travel” and apply at a “bank” will do so in the branch. (It sometimes CAN get you around the normal residency restrictions that are in place at most banks) There is no IP address for that.
3. With so many people using phone and tablets on their cellular plan while out of the home, or using a VPN, I am sure many IP addresses are showing out of state/area from the home address. I wouldn’t think this is an totally unusual thing. Besides, the article is not clear, but to me it sounds like the CU had to call to verify why the IP address wasn’t at home, and ended up opened the account anyway. Not a big deal, other than having to pick up the phone and answer some simple questions.
4. To me, that article is a reminder that even if you get the welcome and confirmation e-mails, account number, and online access, even snail mail letters, sometimes banks/CU’s do shutdown or terminate an account for whatever reason within the first 30 days. They have that right, so I’d suggest being careful about setting up DD’s – ACH’s if you think there could be issues. I’ve had it happen. (Thanks Sandy Spring Bank)