Author: Ice Machine
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Review of the Holiday Inn Express Bogota: Hotel Intel
For the first time visitor, it can be hard to get a read on a city like Bogota. It’s enormous. With many options including US brands coming in well under $100, you could be paralyzed by the large number of options available in the city. I selected the Holiday Inn Express Bogota Zona Financiera for…
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MedellÃn Can’t Remain a Best-Kept Secret For Long
The first thing I want to get settled is that MedellÃn is safe to visit. If you’re planning a trip you’ve probably already seen unflattering search results. Even if you’re not searching for crime specifically, warnings about personal safety are almost inescapable. A typical blog post or YouTube video features a professional traveler saying how…
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Review of The Art Hotel MedellÃn, Colombia: Hotel Intel
MedellÃn’s popular El Poblado neighborhood is in high demand among foreign travelers. While there are hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting the neighborhood each year the global hotel brands have yet to make significant inroads in the area. Most of the lodgings available here are smaller, quirky independent hotels, vacation rentals, or hostels. It can…
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Review of the Ibis MedellÃn, Colombia: Hotel Intel
MedellÃn is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination in the 2020’s. Bu,t owing to the city’s violent history and Colombia’s decades-long civil war hotel construction is not equal to demand at the current time. When searching hotels online you’ll find a small handful of properties operating under global brands, a number of smaller, local hotels,…
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A Real-Life Review of Herschel Supply’s Product Line
Let me start by saying this isn’t a sponsored post. I’ve been wanting to replace my old duffel and backpack for a while, and always admired the Herschel Supply line of bags. I even recommended Herschel in a larger post about travel gear. With an eye toward traveling more in 2024 I thought the time…
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Is Cartagena the Most Overlooked Destination in the Caribbean?
Aruba, Jamaica, Bermuda, Bahamas, Key Largo, Montego… uhhh Cartagena??? Really? There’s a reason why the Beach Boys didn’t see fit to name-check Colombia’s most prominent Caribbean city. There aren’t any all-inclusives here where you can while away your honeymoon in secluded bliss. There are no white sand beaches or drinking piña coladas out of coconuts…
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Review of the Ibis Cartagena Marbella: Hotel Intel
The Colombian city of Cartagena is large. But the part where tourists go comprises just a small fraction of the city around the waterfront. Still, within that relatively thin footprint there’s all manner of lodging available from bunk beds in hostels to five star hotels. If you’re planning a trip there location is less a…
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Is The IHG Premier Mastercard Worth It? Full 90-Day Review
If you’re into travel a transferrable points card like the Venture X or Chase Sapphire Preferred is a must have. These are the best way to spend day-to-day. They’re also table stakes in a full card portfolio. Travelers wanting the most from their trips should add at least one airline and one hotel card for…
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The Best Attraction in Baltimore? On Visiting Poe’s Grave
When visitors think of Baltimore the first thing that usually comes to mind is the Inner Harbor. The Aquarium, Science Center and the USS Constellation are among the city’s most popular sites. But these attractions are very family-centric and have only limited appeal for business trips, solo travelers or visiting sports fans. One site that…
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Review of the Hotel Indigo Baltimore: Hotel Intel
The market for rooms in Baltimore hotels is a little unique. The city is not a major tourist draw, nor is it above average in business travel. For many years Baltimore put most of its eggs in the Convention Visitors basket, but its dated convention center and lagging business recovery from Covid means the city…