Author: Ice Machine
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Hilton Honors Status: Officially Worthless in 2026
The purpose of a hotel loyalty program is to make frequent guests feel appreciated and keep them coming back for exclusive perks they can’t get anywhere else. In 2026 Hilton has degraded the experience of its Hilton Honors program so badly that it now has the opposite effect: the program will prevent me from booking…
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Review of the Comfort Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor
If you’re searching for a hotel in Downtown Baltimore these days you often have two choices: pay exorbitantly high rates or settle for substandard quality… at rates that are slightly lower but also exorbitant! Let’s take a look at why you shouldn’t stay at the Comfort Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor. I booked this hotel for…
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Review of the Days Inn Sarasota, FL: Hotel Intel
If you’re searching for a hotel in Sarasota you’ve got choices all up and down the scale of quality. But if you’re coming for Spring Training and trying to keep the costs even a little within reason you’ll unfortunately be near the bottom of that scale, which is where we find ourselves at the Days…
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Hotel Hacks: Save More Money When Hotel Rates are Highest
The best travel deals are usually found outside a destination’s peak season. But what if you’re attending an event that draws hundreds of thousands? Or your schedule is limited to peak times by work and school? How do you save more money if you want to celebrate Christmas at home on Christmas morning? It is…
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Review of the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach: Hotel Intel
If you’re searching for a hotel around Boca Raton you’ve got plenty of choices. But if you’re coming in peak season and not made of money those choices get narrow pretty quickly. In that case you might find yourself looking at the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach as I did recently. Can this Best Western property…
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Review of the RTIC Everyday Cooler: Gear Guide
Personal day-use coolers have always been a staple of road trip travel. Driving around the Florida coasts as much as I do, mine was getting daily use. Eventually an upgrade was in order and I wanted something with some size and substance. But I was still a bit hesitant to shell out Yeti money for…
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Review of the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport: Hotel Intel
If you’re searching for a hotel near FLL or Port Everglades the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport may not be the most obvious choice. I’ve been staying in hotels in this area for two years and still haven’t booked it until now despite being very budget conscious. Was it worth the wait? Let’s find out.…
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Florida’s Best Free Attraction? Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach
I’d been aware of West Palm’s Manatee Lagoon for a while and had it on a list of attractions to check out. Manatees are found throughout Florida but Manatee Lagoon is known as the best place to observe wild manatees in Florida. When a post popped up in my Instagram feed recently I clicked through…
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The Cost of Living In Hotels: Update #4 July-December 2025
There’s not a lot of content on the Internet about the cost of living in hotels full time. Most people who adopt a nomadic lifestyle opt for some combination of AirBnb, monthly leases, or extended stays in hostels. The purpose of these updates is to provide a picture of what it actually costs to live…
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How to Fly With Overweight Bags for Free
After nearly 20 years of going to sea I’ve learned how to pack exactly 49 pounds of gear to avoid being charged for overweight bags. But that was before I threw in the towel on carrying a military type sea bag and capitulated to the practicality of a bag with wheels. I settled on a…