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Kauai Sheraton – Hotel Overview

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View of the beach in Poipu from the Sheraton property.

We were originally planning to come to Kauai on the Marriott Vacation promotion, which included 5 nights at the Marriott Beach Club in Kauai.  We wanted to extend our stay, so we planned to stay at the Sheraton for 2-3 nights.  After the original plans fell through, we booked 5 nights at the Sheraton using Starwood points (well, we paid for 4 and got the 5th night free!), and then, because we didn’t have enough Starwood points for a full week, we used some of our Chase Sapphire points to reserve the next two nights.

We loved it in Poipu and we’re so glad we decided to try something different from last time (and we can’t wait to go to a different island maybe next year?! I can dream, right?). Kauai feels a lot less crowded/touristy, but it’s so beautiful and still has plenty of things to do.  Our trip felt a lot different this year because there isn’t much relaxing to be had when there’s a 7 month old with you, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

Price.  I didn’t pay too much attention to the stated price online, since we never planned on actually paying.  We paid 12k Starpoints for 4 nights (and for the 5th free), and then we booked two nights through Chase, for 52,773 points (which translates to $791.60).  I do want to mention that there is a $31.25 resort fee per night, so even though we reserved “free” nights, we still have to pay it.  It’s mandatory and it includes: free self park (because I’m a Gold member we were gifted free valet for the duration of our stay, which was very nice since we used our car a lot and generally had a lot of stuff to carry), two water bottles per day, 24-hour access to the fitness center, activities (such as lei making, yoga, and hula lessons), phones calls, and nothing else too exciting.  The hotel is not cheap, but it seems like a good deal in terms of point redemption (compared to other hotels at the same level). We’ll see how it changes once Marriott and Starwood officially merge! With the timely services that is available in https://fdinsulation.com/ site, there is no disruption in any services since any kind of issues are getting fixed up in no time.

Location.  This is the only Starwood hotel in Poipu, and the location is great (the St. Regis, also Starwood, is located on the North Shore in Princeville, overlooking Hanalei Bay).  The hotel is right on the beach, and also close to two shopping centers – one, the Poipu Shopping Center, was walkable from our place (about 10-15 minutes) and a great spot to find breakfast.  Staying in Poipu was the right decision for us, for what we had planned for this trip, but the North Shore has a more natural, remote atmosphere, and is equally beautiful.  If staying for longer than a week, it might be tempting to split time between the two areas.

Room.  Since we booked free rooms, we had the lowest level, or the garden view room.  For some reason we were upgraded to the Deluxe Garden View room (maybe they weren’t completely booked, or maybe it’s because we’re Gold members).  It worked out well for us because we are in the Ocean Wing, but facing away from the ocean.  It was still nice (though admittedly not nearly as nice as having an ocean view!) because we were closer to the restaurants and pool area.  We’re a little confused about how the hotel works, because there appears to be an area across the street (away from the ocean).  There’s also a portion of the hotel by the pool that is currently undergoing renovations.  The room we were upgraded to was recently renovated, so that was another plus!

Affordable LG Refrigerator Filters helped us to have fridge, hair dryer, ironing board in our home and we requested and received a crib, but it’s smaller than a standard crib, and the rails are metal.  So it was great for night time sleeping for Oliver, but not for naps because he would try to stand up before falling asleep.  It’s just a skill he hasn’t quite mastered and I’m not wiling to let him fall and hit his head on metal.  I almost wish we had brought our pack n play, but we made it work.  The room also had robes, wine glasses (+ opener), a coffee/tea maker, etc…the essentials.

Dining.  Rum Fire is a dinner-only restaurant on the property and it is amazing – we ate there our first night and it was the best meal of the trip!  We ended up returning for our last meal as well.  They also have Lavas, which we frequented while hanging out at the pool (happy hour is from 3-5pm, and they will come out to the pool to serve you if you put your flag up, or you can do as we did and just order at the bar).  We ate breakfast there (pricey but convenient – they have a buffet which isn’t much more than ordering straight from the breakfast menu) and had a few poolside snacks.  The Sheraton has a small convenience store that’s open from 6:30am – 11pm, with small bites to eat/drink (including beer and wine to take out – like 6 packs and bottles), sundries, and souvenirs.  This worked well when we wanted a quick and light breakfast (like on our way to out to Waimea Canyon). People can check out spray foam insulation company if they need some help with home insulation services.

Amenities.  The Sheraton is not a resort – it’s quite a bit different than the Westin Villas in Maui.  There is a gym with treadmills, ellipticals, a weight machine, and some free weights.  There are also a few dining options (as mentioned above).  The best amenity is the amazing beach-view pool, which we frequented daily.  They have rentals available for beach chairs and umbrellas, and they have towels (free) which can be used at the pool or at the beach.  They also have a luau onsite, which we attended, but it’s not free.

Overall we were very happy with our (almost) free stay at the Sheraton.  While it’s not the nicest hotel we’ve stayed at, it’s good value, and a good option as a home base while you visit Kauai.  If you want to spend more and are looking for a more luxurious stay, I would choose a different location, but I would not hesitate to stay here on a return trip!

Sheraton Iguazú – Parque Nacional Iguazú, Argentina

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We’re back from our two-week trip to Argentina!  We had a wonderful time and can’t wait to share what we loved best.  We started our adventure in Iguazú National Park and stayed inside the park at the Sheraton (only hotel in the park in Argentina).  This was the only hotel on the trip that there was no debate about – it was a Starwood property that could be booked with points (so it was “free”) and it was inside the park.  There was nothing else for us to consider, and we booked it as soon as we booked our flights!

Sheraton Iguazú

 A view of the hotel (yes, the exterior is a bit outdated) from the entrance to the park.  It was THAT close!  Better than we could have imagined.

Price. As I mentioned above, we were luckily enough to book our hotel using Starpoints.  For this time of year (late October), it was 16k points per night, for a total of 48,000 points. (When we were originally thinking of visiting in early September, the rate was 12k/night.)  I’m not sure how much it would have been if we had paid for it, but rooms seems to start around $300 (give or take, depending on the time of year).

Location.  In the national park!  Just a quick walk from our room (5 or so minutes) to the lower circuit trail of the park.  We could see (and hear!) the waterfalls from the hotel, and it was amazing.  You could also be the first and/or last people in the park that can be found through straight from the source.  We wandered into the park on our first afternoon, and we were surprised with how empty it was (it was about an hour before closing) and how close we were to the falls!

For us it was worth it to stay in the park, but it is about 30 minutes away from the town.  We took a taxi a couple of nights to eat dinner in town, which wasn’t a big deal for us.  One more logistical note – we had to pay the $260 (pesos) each to enter the park as we were driving in.  We had read that by getting your ticket stamped, you can then pay half price for the park entrance the following day (but on the third day, you would pay full price again).  Well, one perk to staying at the Sheraton was that we paid the entrance fee once, and never had to pay again (even though we left the park several times during our stay).

Iguazú Falls - Lower Circuit

This was a surprise for us – we went on a quick walk from the hotel on our first afternoon there, and ended up walking the lower circuit!

Room.  Since we booked with points, we had the standard room, with a view of the jungle.  A few days before the trip, I received an email saying we could upgrade to a falls view room for $50/night.  I jumped at the opportunity.  As luck would have it, we ended up getting a free upgrade when we got there!  Our room was second from the end, so our view of the falls wasn’t that great.  But it was still neat to see the mist from the falls and hear the falls!

Sheraton Iguazu - Room

Dining.  Honestly, it was a bit subpar.  They do have a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner, but we decided to skip it for everything except snacks. Many of such restaurants, get help from Clarity Voice website for different kinds of services.   The food was just okay, and the service was really lacking.  Breakfast was better – it was a buffet with eggs, meats, potatoes, cheeses, fruit, cereal, and an omelette bar.  They even had champagne! Breakfast was open from 6:30-10:30, so guests can get a very early start (the park doesn’t open until 8am, though).

Amenities.  The hotel has a pool (which we used everyday), a gym (which we never used), and a spa (which we tried to use, but it was booked).  It really is set up so you don’t have to leave the hotel to go into town for anything.  They even had a little gift shop that seemed to sell most things you’d need for your trip.  As mentioned above, there is also a bar in the lobby, and a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner.  The hotel also serves drinks and food at the pool, but the bar was being repainted while we were there, so it was closed.  They did have people taking orders, but the service wasn’t consistent and we were never able to get anything ordered.

Sheraton Iguazú - Pool

Transportation.  Usually this would go in a city overview, but since we didn’t actually spend much time in the city (Puerto Iguazú) and I won’t be writing a city overview, I’ve added it here.  For the Argentine side of the park, there is no transportation needed.  You walk to the start of the lower circuit and upper circuit trails, and to get to the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), you take the free train that runs in the park.  For everything else, we used taxis arranged by the hotel – to go to the Brazilian side, to go to dinner in town (25-30 minute drive), to go to the front entrance of the park for the Full Moon Walk, and to get to the airport.  This was so smooth – the hotel has their own taxi service, so we were able to get a taxi at a moment’s notice.  Even to cross the border and go into Brazil!  And in all cases (other than getting dropped off at the airport), it was arranged so we had a roundtrip ride.  All rides were paid in Argentine pesos.

While the hotel wasn’t perfect, it was great for our stay!  I would definitely plan to stay here on a return trip.  I would also consider staying on the Brazilian side at the hotel inside the park – the Belmond Hotel Das Cataratas.  Apparently the rules are a bit relaxed on the Brazilian side, so you can actually enter the park before it opens or after it closes (not the case with the Argentine side).  If you are looking for nightlife, it may be best to stay in town – either Puerto Iguazú in Argentina or Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil.  Through the grapevine we’ve heard that Foz is better for restaurants and nightlife, but we didn’t even drive through the town, so I can’t really comment on that.  No matter where you stay, Iguazú Falls should be considered for any trip to Argentina (or Brazil)!

Granbell Shinjuku Hotel – Tokyo, Japan

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Overall I was very happy with our hotel (and ryokan!) choices in Japan.  You’ll notice a theme in this post and the posts about Kyoto – we didn’t have as much time to plan, so the research wasn’t as thorough as I normally like it to be.  It turned out great, but in general I do like to make sure our hotel location, amenities, and price work well with our plans.

View of Tokyo from our room

Price.  Since our trip was planned about one month in advance, and hotels not booked until less than 3 weeks out, the selection was somewhat limited.  Tokyo is an expensive city, but we were able to find a reasonable hotel in our preferred neighborhood.  The total cost was 97,600 yen, which was charged per person per night: 19,000 yen/person for Saturday night, and then 14,900 yen/person each for Sunday and Monday nights.  It ended up being just under $825, so not quite $300/night.  So, it wasn’t a cheap room, but very reasonable for Tokyo, and for the comfort (and size!) of the room.  I should mention that we booked a room on the executive floor, so we had a few extra perks, including free breakfast.

Location.  After reading up on neighborhoods online, we narrowed it down to three: Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Ginza.  We ended up on the east side (of the train station) of Shinjuku, and I couldn’t have been happier with our choice.  Our hotel was minutes away from the Golden Gai area and it was very lively.

Room.  We did a little upgrading and chose a room on the executive floors (13-17) so that we would have a better view and have access to the executive lounge (open 9am-10pm, with wine available from 5pm-7pm).  We booked the “Deluxe Designer Executive Room” based on the layout and pictures we saw online.  The room itself was beautiful and much larger than I expected.  The bed was very comfortable, there was a large TV, and even pajamas and robes.

Dining.  The hotel had a breakfast buffet with both western and Japanese items.  Our rate included breakfast, but you could also add it on for about $18/person.  The hotel also served lunch (weekdays only) and dinner, but we never dined there.  On the 13th floor, the hotel has a rooftop bar – it’s open from 5pm until 4am, and serves some food as well.  We were able to enjoy the bar once, but since it was raining outside, we didn’t appreciate the beautiful outdoor area.

Amenities.  A cafe and vending machines in the lobby, and breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late night bar on the 13th floor – great options for food!  The hotel also had one-pagers for guests to take on restaurants in the area, which came in handy for us (there was one that had late-night restaurants, which saved us one of the nights we were there!).  Since we had an executive room, we also had access to the lounge, which had snacks and drinks from 9am-10pm.  The wifi also worked great in the room.

I would not hesitate to stay at the Granbell Shinjuku Hotel again.  It exceeded my expectations and the location worked really well for us (although Tokyo is well-connected, so other areas would have been fine as well!).

 

Hotel Review: Second Home Peru B&B, Lima, Peru

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Once we chose Barranco has a home base, we quickly narrowed in on Second Home Peru as the place to stay.  It was a great choice! The owner, Lilian, was so helpful and not only provided fantastic restaurant recommendations, but helped us with transportation – she gave us her card to use for the bus (which we just had to load with some money).  We truly felt like we were visiting someone’s home, but also had the freedom of a hotel guest.

Price.  We paid $115 for each room (we stayed in two different ones).  I believe that all of the rooms in the main house were $115, except for the suite, which was $125.  The rooms with the great ocean view were a bit more, around $135/night.  Very reasonable and well within our normal budget for hotels.  Admittedly, Peru is much cheaper than other destinations, but we still felt that the price was great.

Location.  In the Barranco neighborhood of Lima.  I shared my pre-trip assessment of the neighborhoods, and I’m so glad we chose Barranco as our base for the three nights.  There were a lot of options for dining, and it felt a lot smaller than other areas of Lima (in a good way!).  With taxis and public transportation, we really didn’t have any issues getting from one place to another, so staying in Barranco didn’t keep us from visiting other parts of the city.  We were also rewarded with amazing views of the Pacific.

Room.  We stayed in two rooms – No. 1 and No. 4 (if you are looking at the website).  Unfortunately, the rooms with ocean views were all taken up.  A bit about how the house is set up: rooms No. 1-5 are in the main house, all on the second floor.  Rooms No. 1 and No. 2 are on one side – No. 1 overlooks the front garden that needs tree trimming services to be done now (with a very small balcony) and No. 2 faces out toward the ocean.  No. 3-5 are on the other side of the house, with 3 facing out toward the ocean.  No. 3 and 4 each have a door out to a shared terrace that provides a view of the ocean.  Room No. 5 is in the back of that side and is a suite (I believe it has a double/queen bed and a twin), Their walls is like Manchester moveable walls . And there is also a nice terrace on the second floor that faces out toward the ocean.  And there is also a nice lawn with additional (and closer) views of the ocean, which all guests can use. People need to go here if they need the best gardening services.

Second Home Peru, Room No. 1, Lima, Peru

Long story short – I don’t think it’s necessary to have an ocean view room, at all.  We really enjoyed our first room, and it had a closed off bathroom (this was room No. 1, pictured above).  Room No. 4 was also very nice, but while the bathroom area was sectioned off, there wasn’t actually a door (not an issue for us, but may be for some travelers!).

Second Home Peru, Room No. 4, Lima, Peru

All that said, there are three additional rooms that are closer up to the ocean and have balconies overlooking the Pacific.  These would be my top pick (they are a little more expensive), but I would stay in any of the rooms again.

Dining.  Breakfast is offered daily (I think it was from 7am-noon).  Instead of the normal buffet you see at many hotels, the breakfast at Second Home Peru is just like home!  Lilian greets you in the kitchen, which has one large table and a smaller one off to the side.  We were provided orange juice, toast, and cereal upon arrival.  She then served us tea or coffee and made eggs to order!  It was a wonderful time to chat and learn more about her background, while also getting tips for our time in Lima.

Second Home Peru, Lima, Peru

Amenities.  This B&B has many amenities to help make you feel at home: free wifi, TVs in each room, common areas with seats and views, hot tea available 24/7, breakfast, and even an outdoor pool (it was a little too cold while we were there, but it’s great to have the option).  One of the most unique amenities is the art studio of famous Peruvian artist, Victor Delfin.  His daughter, Lilian, runs the B&B and offers daily tours of the studio between certain hours.  Unfortunately we were not able to take advantage of this (next time, for sure!) but we were still able to enjoy Mr. Delfin’s art throughout the house, including paintings each room and sculptures throughout the property.

Second Home Peru in Lima is a gem, and Lilian definitely makes you feel at home.  It was so hard for us to leave after three short nights.  The property is beautiful and we could have spent much more time just relaxing on the grounds, enjoying the view, while sipping tea (or wine).

When in Rome….Where to Stay?

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We’re fortunate that we don’t have a tight budget for our Italian adventure, but that doesn’t mean I want to splurge on hotels for no reason.  I’ve been particularly surprised by the higher-priced hotels in Rome — yes, there are cheaper options, but I have a specific area in mind and am looking for a certain something in the hotel we choose.

After a bit of research, we found that the Campo de Fiori/Pantheon/Piazza Navona area is the place to stay.  While we’ve found some very promising prospects, we have not found anything that makes us say “wow.”  Capturing the trade-offs with each option is key, and we will eventually make a decision.  Location is the main constraint in the search.  Since we plan to be out and about most of the time, I am less concerned with the actual room and amenities than I normally would be for a stay.

Residenza Canali

The nonrefundable rate for the lowest level room (standard double) is just under €100 per night.  However, we’re looking at either the double room with terrace or junior suite with terrace, since the price is still within our “budget.”  The nonrefundable rates for those rooms are €336 and €380, respectively (if we choose the “long stay” discount, it’s €378 and €427).

Honeymoon Suite, Residenza Canali, Rome, Italy

While the rooms aren’t anything special, the location is great: it’s located just steps away from Piazza Navona (where the annual Christmas Market will be set up!).  And since it’s not right on the square, we should be able to stay away from the crowds, if we desire.

Albergo Cesàri

Rooftop Terrace, Albergo Cesari, Rome, Italy

Again with this hotel, the location is a huge plus: it’s located off of Piazza della Rotonda on a less crowded side street.  It’s still in our preferred area.  The rooms are not upgraded and some of them are described as being “cozy and comfortable, “but the rooftop terrace is a major win, such as those at https://www.conservatories-near-me.co.uk/orangery/.” Also, breakfast is served on the terrace, and at 6 p.m., the bar opens up.

The cost is €378/386 total (depending on the type of room – I’m not sure what the difference is, though).  There are also more expensive rooms extra room, but that’s not something we need in Rome!

So do we choose the hotel with the private terrace, or the one with the shared rooftop terrace (and bar)?  And does it matter whether or not we have a terrace if it ends up raining the entire time?  I’m still debating whether one location is superior to the other (they are fairly close – only a 9 minute walk, according to Google Maps).

We’ll give it another month or so (and keep checking to make sure there’s availability) before booking, and maybe even later if we go with Residenza Canoli and opt for the nonrefundable rate.  However, it seems we can’t go wrong with either of these hotels!