Day 7: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 IAD-MUC, Summary.

When we first booked our flight from Washington Dulles to Dubai, we were scheduled on United's direct flight in business class at the cost of 70,000 United Miles per person.  Then late last year, United announced they would be ending their direct service to Dubai, meaning we had to rebook. We were changed over to Lufthansa Business Class, connecting in Frankfurt.  Our flight IAD-FRA would be on a 747-8, and our flight FRA-DXB would be on an A330-300.

-Introduction/Giveaway
-Day One: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Review
-Day Two: United First Class B737-800 SFO-IAD summary
-Days Three through Six: D.C Area recommendations: Smithsonian, National Harbor, Baltimore Aquarium.
-Day Seven: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD summary, Lufthansa First Class A330-300 IAD-MUC Summary
-Day Eight Part 1: 6 Hours in downtown Munich, Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Summary
-Day Eight Part 2: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 MUC-DXB Summary
-Day Nine Part 1: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 1.  Abu Dhabi recommendations: Ferrari World, the Grand Mosque.
-Day Nine Part 2: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 1: Park Hyatt Dubai Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 2: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 2 & Dubai recommendations:  Burj Khalifa Sky.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 3: Dubai Recommendations: Tea at the Ritz Carlton Jumeirah Beach, Atlantis Monorail, Dubai Mall.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 4: Dubai recommendations/information: The Dubai Museum, , Platinum-Heritage Falconry Heritage Tour.
-Day Thirteen: Emirates 777-300 DXB-MLE summary, Moonima Lounge MLE summary, Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer to Park Hyatt Maldives summary
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 1: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Review
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 2: What to do at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
-Day Seventeen: Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer Park Hyatt-MLE summary, Conrad Rangali MLE Lounge summary, Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter transfer MLE-Conrad Rangali Island
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 1: The Hilton Guy!?  A review of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Isaland Resort.
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 2: What to do at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort
-Day Twenty-Two Part 1: Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter Conrad Rangali Island-MLE summary, Conrad Lounge MLE summary, Leeli Lounge MLE summary
-Day Twenty-Two Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class A330-300 MLE-IST summary.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 1: Turkish Airlines IST Lounge Summary, 6 hours in Istanbul.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class B777-300  IST-SFO summary.
-Day Twenty-Four: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero Review.
-Trip Summary/The Numbers

Normally, this flight would run 80,000 miles per person, but due to United's cancellation of our original flight, we incurred no extra mileage cost.  Fourteen days before our flight, I began to monitor availability for First Class.
Though first class did pop up, the only flight that ever became available was on an A330-300 connecting in Munich.  I questioned whether it'd be worthwhile to change our flights, given that we'd each incur change fees and close-in booking fees adding up to $250 per person.  On top of this, it would be an additional 70,000 miles per person (for 140K total per person), I would not get to fly on a 747 (something I've always wanted to do), and we would be unable to experience Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.
We decided against it.
But then, the night prior to our business class flight from Washington Dulles to Dubai through Frankfurt, we changed our minds and upgraded our flight to first class.
At first, it became apparent that we had made a terrible choice.  Due to a snaffu involving misinformation from customer service and my eagerness to get the flight booked ASAP, I ended up spending 3 hours on the phone with United.  This detracted from spending the last night in D.C with my family, and it loaded me with a heavy amount of stress.  After several agents, the snaffu was resolved, but not before I unnecessarily transferred 40,000 Ultimate rewards points into Kim's United account, something I was kicking myself for during a good portion of the call.
In the end it was worth it, as all $500 of change fees and close-in booking fees were waived because of the confusion.  Kim still has those 40K United Miles in her account, and we have yet to determine what they'll be used on.

Our final booking was as follows:
LH415 IAD-MUC  Seats 1D & 1G.  Depart 10:30 P.M Arrive 12:45 P.M (8hr, 15mins)
LH638 MUC-DXB Seats 1D & 1G. Depart 10:15 P.M Arrive 6:20 A.M (6hr, 5 mins)

Our total cost for this flight was 140,000 Miles and ~$75 per person.
Estimated cash cost for a one way ticket: $11,000+

After saying goodbye to my dad, my mother drove Kim and I to Dulles at a ripe 7:30 P.M.  It was my belief that such time was far too early, but it turned out for the best.
We made our way to the first class check-in, though given how early it was, there was only one other couple in the queue. Ironically, despite the other couple standing in the business class line, they were called over first.
Not much of a biggie.
We were assisted quickly, though I didn't specifically feel any more special treatment at the counter than I might normally receive.  We took our boarding passes, clamped in a fancy first class folder, then hopped over to a currency exchange to get some Euro's.
I'm fairly confident I paid more than necessary for the exchange (I couldn't tell you now the rate), but we were on vacation, and convenience always wins over cost (to a limit).
From the exchange, we took the escalator down to security.
It was at the bottom of the escalator that I noticed both boarding passes were in my name. No, not just the two passes for the two legs, all four printed passes were for me.  We took the escalator back up, went right back up to the desk (there was nobody at all in the queue at this point), and got the error resolved.
Again, no biggie and no hard feelings against the agent, but in general you could probably expect a more efficient process.
Finally we were off through security, onto the tram, and over to our terminal.  From the tram exit we made our way to the business class lounge and the real experience began.

Cavatelli with Artichokes and herbed ricotta:
compliments of First Class!

There is no separate lounge at Dulles for Lufthansa first class (the agents even apologized for not having a first class lounge), but a portion of the business class lounge is dedicated to first class passengers, where a full meal is served, drinks are consistently offered, and passenger comfort is of the essence.

Drink offerings at the First Class portion
of the business class lounge.

On arrival there was only one other passenger in the first class section, though that eventually bumped up to about 6 or 7 people.
The agent at the front desk welcomed us, and introduced us to Ebee, who ended up serving us our drinks and taking our food orders.  She was exceptionally friendly, and gave us great recommendations.  She also tipped us off to the secret of our delectable caramel ice-cream: it was Breyers!

Dessert! Toasted Cocunut Cheesecake with
Caramel Sorbet

For dinner I chose the Cavatelli with Artichokes and herbed ricotta. Admittedly I didn't quite know what Cavatelli was, but it turned out decent enough.  In retrospect, it wasn't my cup of tea, and had I known, I might have chosen the filet of Atlantic Cod instead, but my meal was in no way poorly made, and I'm always a fan of ricotta and of artichokes.
We also sipped on Lemon Drops (specially prepared by Ebee, despite the lounge not having the proper ingredients available) and Rum and Coke while awaiting our flight.
For desert, we had an excellent slice of cheesecake topped with the previously mentioned Breyer's caramel ice cream.

We finished our desert just in time (though I was unable to down my entire dinner).  An agent came to inform us that we were boarding.  We grabbed our things and I expected we'd be headed out the way we came.  To my pleasant surprise, the agent led us through a side door out the first class area of the lounge.  She scanned our boarding passes, and we made an immediate left turn to the jet bridge. (Jet-bridge visible in photo of cheesecake).

Admittedly, most of the flight was a blur.  Among the dozens of other activities and hotels and restaurants, it's hard to look back and remember the exact details.  But what I do remember is being warmly welcomed, and gaping at the largest and most luxurious airline seat I've ever seen.

But there was little time to admire.  We were in a rush! To put on pajamas!?!?!

Yes, while economy continued to board behind us, each of the 5 first class passengers (out of 8 seats) took turns changing in the restroom.  Soon we were all kicked back, our belongings stored in various overhead bins and cupboards.

Champagne and Macadamia Nuts

Next up: Champaigne and Macadamia nuts!

As we settled in, I requested a photo from the flight attendants, who happily obliged.  We configured Kim's seat to lie flat and gave her a blanket for the photo, but as it was pre-departure, they did not fully make up the bed.  After our quick photo-shoot, we positioned our seats upright (as required).  Soon, we were off.  As we climbed to cruising altitude, we admired our hard-case amenity kit, which featured a variety of useful toiletries and a blindfold, among other things.

After getting airborne and approaching cruising altitude, we requested our beds be made up.  We were full and exhausted, and definitely ready for some sleep.

Pre-departure photo shoot.

Awesome view from the seat.

Miniature Hard-Shelled Suitcase Amenity kits!

Our Made Up Beds.

Hard as it is to admit, the ultimate in luxury failed me at this point.  Despite a very comfortable, spacious, and private sleeping area, as I've heard is typical with international airlines the cabin was a tad too warm for me.  I tossed and turned for a good portion of the evening, though I did manage to get some shut-eye in the process.  Despite the high temperature, I'm convinced I was in a much better position than had I flown business or economy on this 8 hour leg.  And when it was finally time to open the shades and have breakfast, I was certainly not in a foul mood.  (I managed a little more sleep on the second leg, as well).
The dark cabin slowly became light and others began to stir.  I woke up and we all started preparing for breakfast.  First on the menu was changing into regular clothes.  Everybody settled in before the carts came out.

Lufthansa First Class 360.  View larger version HERE.

We were served more champagne, mimosas, offered a variety of cheeses, and handed an amazing platter of bacon and eggs. To top off the morning we were given a box of chocolates... because life is like it.

Left: Champagne and Mimosa.

Right: Bacon and Eggs.

Bottom: Box of Chocolates.

Adding a monkey to First Class cost no additional fees.

Our flight landed uneventfully, and we deplaned with smiles.  The luxury was far from over.
Next up: Day Eight Part 1: 6 Hours in downtown Munich, Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Summary.

Days 3 through 6: DC Area Recommendations

A beautiful day in D.C.

Author's Note:  Thanks all for your patience as I work through this extensive process.  This piece is long overdue, and I promise that at least the next few updates will come more quickly (I'm already well into writing the next few).  As time passes I'm losing more and more of the minute details in my mind (how much some things cost, how long things took and what times we started and finished various activities).  I apologize in advance for generalizing in some places I wish I could be more specific about.  My weekends have been consumed with other tasks these last few months.

After our arrival into Washington Dulles, we headed off to my parents to stay at my old home for a few nights.  We passed out fairly quickly after watching Jeopardy, and woke up the next morning to take off for D.C.

My mother dropped us off at the Franconia/Springfield metro station Thursday morning before she went to work, and we took the metro all the way to Smithsonian Station.  We arrived at about 9:00, and we made our way to the Washington Monument, hoping to snag a couple of tickets.
Tickets for the Washington monument are available online for a small fee, but those tickets sell out about 2 months in advance.  You can also visit the lodge in front of the Washington monument to get free tickets on the day of.  But as we found out, while the lodge opens
at 8:30, you need to be in line for the tickets at 6:00 A.M.
So instead, we started walking to the Lincoln Memorial, passing both the monument and the World War 2 memorial.


-Introduction/Giveaway
-Day One: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Review
-Day Two: United First Class B737-800 SFO-IAD summary
-Days Three through Six: D.C Area recommendations: Smithsonian, National Harbor, Baltimore Aquarium.
-Day Seven: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD summary, Lufthansa First Class A330-300 IAD-MUC Summary
-Day Eight Part 1: 6 Hours in downtown Munich, Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Summary
-Day Eight Part 2: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 MUC-DXB Summary
-Day Nine Part 1: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 1.  Abu Dhabi recommendations: Ferrari World, the Grand Mosque.
-Day Nine Part 2: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 1: Park Hyatt Dubai Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 2: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 2 & Dubai recommendations:  Burj Khalifa Sky.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 3: Dubai Recommendations: Tea at the Ritz Carlton Jumeirah Beach, Atlantis Monorail, Dubai Mall.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 4: Dubai recommendations/information: The Dubai Museum, , Platinum-Heritage Falconry Heritage Tour.
-Day Thirteen: Emirates 777-300 DXB-MLE summary, Moonima Lounge MLE summary, Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer to Park Hyatt Maldives summary
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 1: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Review
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 2: What to do at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
-Day Seventeen: Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer Park Hyatt-MLE summary, Conrad Rangali MLE Lounge summary, Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter transfer MLE-Conrad Rangali Island
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 1: The Hilton Guy!?  A review of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Isaland Resort.
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 2: What to do at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort
-Day Twenty-Two Part 1: Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter Conrad Rangali Island-MLE summary, Conrad Lounge MLE summary, Leeli Lounge MLE summary
-Day Twenty-Two Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class A330-300 MLE-IST summary.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 1: Turkish Airlines IST Lounge Summary, 6 hours in Istanbul.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class B777-300  IST-SFO summary.
-Day Twenty-Four: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero Review.
-Trip Summary/The Numbers

The steps of the Lincoln Memorial
(Photo by Kim)

We spent some time at the Lincoln memorial, taking in the grandeur.  It was exceptional how many people were visiting, including hundreds of children out on a field trip.  Overhearing many adults shouting out historical facts to their students reminded me of how great it was growing up in the area, where history is rich.

After perusing the gift shop in the memorial, we made our way back towards the Smithsonian, opting to take a path that would lead us by the White house.

As we walked, we found a memorial to the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.  Unfortunately, the surrounding area seemed to be somewhat neglected, and this location went rather unnoticed as a result.

We continued towards the White House, and passed a few photogenic tulip gardens on the way.

Tulip garden nearby the White House. (Photo by Kim)

The gardens just west of the White House are part of the Division One memorial, and one garden is roped off in the shape of a "1".  Maybe it's not worth a detour just to see, but while walking from the Lincoln Memorial back towards the Smithsonian museums, it's not far off the path.

After stopping in front of the White House to get a glimpse of executiveness (we saw nobody), it was off to the Natural History Museum. On the way we heard siren after siren as several motorcade were in the area.

The Natural History Museum is free admittance, but on this morning the crowd was only moderate.  A short wait in a security line, and then we were in.
The Natural History Museum is a fantastic home to several exhibits.  As you might guess by the name, the museums focus is on the natural on Earth.  You'll find exhibits on insects, animals, sea-life, and gemstones, among others.  Perhaps the most popular attraction is the Hope Diamond, and indeed the crowd swells in this area.

Kim and I actually went through many exhibits pretty quickly.  Possibly due to the jet lag, we weren't feeling on our game, so we made it through about half the exhibits along with taking in an IMAX film: America Wild: National Parks Adventure 3D.  The film was a visual spectacle, but I'd recommend against it if you're impressionable and think you might want to take on the lifestyle of the film's protagonists, who adventure for a living.  ;-)

After leaving the museum, we walked over to the nearby sculpture garden, and then across the street to walk along the other side of the mall.

We took in the cherry blossoms lining much of the walkway, and then stopped for a carousel ride across from the arts and industries building.

D.C Cherry Blossoms

Smithsonian Carousel

By this point, it was already closing on 3:30, so we went back to the metro station to start making our way to Franconia.  We did make a pit stop at a childhood favorite- the Pentagon City Mall.  It's a nice mall just to visit the atrium of.  We grabbed some Godiva chocolate, walked around a couple floors, then went back to the metro station at the bottom floor.

Friday was another early day, with plans to visit both the Asian History Musuem and the Air and Space Museum.
We arrived at the Asian History Museum shortly after they opened.  As we entered, we noticed some men in suits coordinating with museum security.  It was later that I found out that the First Lady of Turkey was visiting as part of a summit taking place in the area.
We made our way down from the top, heading a few stories deep while taking in several exhibits, the most famous being the Filthy Lucre, a mock-up of James Whistler's peacock room.
We spent a couple hours at this museum before making our way back to the top.
I have little to offer in terms of media from this museum, save for this tid-bit panning up to the ground floor of the museum from the bottom.  To view in 3d, click HERE.

We then ventured towards the air and space museum just a block away

Between the African History Museum and the Air and Space Museum

The sun was blazing and the line to get in went to the bottom of the steps, but it moved quickly through security, and in no time we were back in the comfortable indoors.
The museum was more densely packed than the natural history museum, but far from over-crowded.  Kim and I took in the overhead displays and then walked upstairs to the skylab orbital workshop.  After waiting in a short line, we moved briskly through the exhibit.  Because of the line behind us, we went through a little too quickly through America's first space station.  But others clearly did have the chance to take more of it in.  From our exit, we then ventured through various exhibits including The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age, Art of the Airport Tower (personal to me), and Sea-Air Operations.  We also munched on space ice cream, as I did when I visited the museum as a child (it was as tasty as ever), and even snuck some of the freeze dried delicacy into the planetarium for a viewing of "Dark Universe".  Planetarium shows run 9 dollars for adults, and for the most part showings were of "Dark Universe" or "Journey to the Stars".  When I asked the ticket agent which she recommended, she answered without hesitation "Dark Universe."  The show was an enjoyable 25 minutes long. After exiting, we picked up some more freeze dried ice cream, checked out a couple more exhibits, then left for the day.
With just a little time to spare, we decided that we might give visiting Union station a shot, as it was one of my childhood favorites in terms of D.C staples to visit.  Unfortunately the Metro Red line from Metro Center was experiencing delays, so we decided to head back to Franconia. After a long, tiring day, we collapsed into our seats on the metro.  We would later take in Ruth Chris' Steakhouse for my mother's birthday dinner.

The entirety of Saturday we spent with my dad visiting the National Harbor and the Tysons Corner mall.

360 National Harbor.  For Fullscreen, Click HERE

Directly across the Potomac River by the Wilson Bridge in Maryland, the National Harbor is still a fairly new development, with an MGM Casino being built nearby.  It features a man-made beach, a viewing wheel similar to the many observation wheels going up across the nation, and the spectacular Gaylord hotel.
I say "spectacular" having never actually stayed there, but several times visiting the expansive lobby and atrium area.

360 Gaylord Hotel: For Fullscreen, Click HERE

The atrium spans many stories high, and almost creates a greenhouse-like environment below it. There is a large fountain, upscale shops, gardens and sitting areas, and a few restaurants.  It's worth a quick walk through, even if you're not staying the night.
Outside the Gaylord is the main street of the Harbor.  We made a quick stop at the Peep Store, and in the past I've enjoyed a sandwich at the Potbelly Sandwich Shop.  There's also a McCormick and Schmicks, an elegant chocolate store, and much more.
Across from the main street, a giant lawn and LCD screen host local and sporting events.  This time around, the Peep store was hosting an event for kids, and giving away peep hats to all.
We walked by the bustling lawn and purchased tickets for the Capitol Wheel.
While a bit pricey, it was a relaxing 15 minute ride offering views of the U.S Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the dozens of planes on approach to Washington Reagan Airport.
We finished with a ride on the harbor carousel, though it's designed primarily for kid's use.
We then took a trip over to the Tysons Corner Mall.  Other than it's size, there's nothing too special about the mall, so I'll spare most of the details save for that we ate lunch at Seasons 52, one of my favorite restaurants.  The rest of the time was mainly spent walking, perusing L.L bean, and finding some specialty eye cream at Bloomingdale's and Macys, both stores of which were hosting fashion related events.

We would return to the mall the next day to correct an error with one of our purchases, and to dine at American Tandoor, a terrific Indian restaurant which enticed us with samples on both days.

We woke up early Sunday for our trip to the Baltimore Aquarium.  From my old home, it was about an hour and fifteen minute drive.  We showed up very shortly after they opened, around 10:15 (Hours vary monthly).  We had a short wait in line for tickets, then a quick entry.
It had been more than a decade since I last visited the aquarium.
The facility is extensive, much more so than the closest major aquarium to me, the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and much more fill this aquarium with an incredible diversification of life.  Inclined moving walkways guide you through the many floors and exhibits until you reach the top, where a rooftop rain forest setting awaits, then a descending rectangular ramp guides you back to the first floor while glass walls on all sides provide large views of a variety of sharks and other large fish.

Some Highlights of the Baltimore Aquarium.  2D Version Top, 3D Version Bottom.

On completing this area, we cruised over to the large dolphin pool and amphitheater.  While the aquarium does not host any shows, keepers do offer educational talks at various periods of the day.  None were being conducted while we were viewing, so I have no feedback to offer on that.
We zig-zagged through the cafeteria outside of the amphitheater to visit the Jellyfish exhibit.  This was easily the smallest exhibit at the aquarium, and felt hot and cramped.  It is much smaller than the jellyfish on display at the Monterey Bay aquarium, and as such we felt it was a disappointment.  Had it been a little less crowded, it might have been more enjoyable.

After several hours at the aquarium, we finally left around 2:30-3:00 to go grab a bite at Bertha's downtown.  I'll spare a full review of the place, suffice to say it is highly acclaimed for it's mussels, and I'm not a fan of mussels.

We left downtown after a short walk in the area, and headed home.

Our Monday was filled with last minute errands, and another stop at both Tysons Corner and Tysons Corner Galleria.  For the second time we sampled some of the butter chicken that was being offered nearby American Tandoor, an Indian Restaurant at Tysons Corner.  It was just as delectable the second time, and we opted for lunch there.  If you get a chance, I highly recommend it.

We then walked across the street from Tysons to the Galleria, which features higher-end department stores, jewlers, and restaurants. While I have fond memories of the Galleria from when I was a kid (a two-story F.A.O Schwartz was my cherry-on-top), it was far from the bustling hub I remember it to be.  Albeit, it was a Monday.  We spent less than an hour there before requesting an Uber home.

Despite the fact that our flight to Munich was scheduled for a 10:30 departure, my mother was insistant on leaving the house at around 6:30 to get us to Dulles.  It turned out for the best as it gave us time to experience the Lufthansa Lounge.  That experience and our First Class flight to Munich are next up in the blog!

Day 2: United First Class B737-800 SFO-IAD Summary

After our short shuttle ride from the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, we were dropped off in front of Terminal 3, where United operates out of.  From the entrance you either head right to the main check-in area, or to the left for premium cabins.  I'm uncertain how often it's of advantage to walk the extra distance for premium cabin check-in (it is slightly further away), but we gave it a shot.  Check-in was quick and easy, and we made our way back to security.

Taking our seats.

-Introduction/Giveaway
-Day One: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Review
-Day Two: United First Class B737-800 SFO-IAD summary
-Days Three through Six: D.C Area recommendations: Smithsonian, National Harbor, Baltimore Aquarium.
-Day Seven: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge IAD summary, Lufthansa First Class A330-300 IAD-MUC Summary
-Day Eight Part 1: 6 Hours in downtown Munich, Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Summary
-Day Eight Part 2: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 MUC-DXB Summary
-Day Nine Part 1: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 1.  Abu Dhabi recommendations: Ferrari World, the Grand Mosque.
-Day Nine Part 2: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 1: Park Hyatt Dubai Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 2: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 2 & Dubai recommendations:  Burj Khalifa Sky.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 3: Dubai Recommendations: Tea at the Ritz Carlton Jumeirah Beach, Atlantis Monorail, Dubai Mall.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 4: Dubai recommendations/information: The Dubai Museum, , Platinum-Heritage Falconry Heritage Tour.
-Day Thirteen: Emirates 777-300 DXB-MLE summary, Moonima Lounge MLE summary, Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer to Park Hyatt Maldives summary
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 1: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Review
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 2: What to do at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
-Day Seventeen: Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer Park Hyatt-MLE summary, Conrad Rangali MLE Lounge summary, Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter transfer MLE-Conrad Rangali Island
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 1: The Hilton Guy!?  A review of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Isaland Resort.
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 2: What to do at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort
-Day Twenty-Two Part 1: Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter Conrad Rangali Island-MLE summary, Conrad Lounge MLE summary, Leeli Lounge MLE summary
-Day Twenty-Two Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class A330-300 MLE-IST summary.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 1: Turkish Airlines IST Lounge Summary, 6 hours in Istanbul.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class B777-300  IST-SFO summary.
-Day Twenty-Four: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero Review.
-Trip Summary/The Numbers

Near the edge of California.

I can't give you a full-on review of the flight, as my first-class experience is fairly limited, nor did I take nearly enough photos and notes.  But for a bit of a summary:

Airline-provided snack bowls, self-provided extras.

Reaching security, we found the line to be quite long.  I was a little anxious, as we had a little less than an hour before the flight was scheduled to depart.  It took us about 30 minutes to clear TSA, and we rushed to our gate.
As it turns out, there was still some time remaining before boarding, but I was happy to arrive in time to board with my group.  I don't recall our precise gate, but it was either 83, 85, or 87.  We didn't bother taking a seat in the terminal, because a line had already formed.

After just a few minutes, boarding began.  We got on quickly and nestled in our seats as the rest of the plane loaded up, and less than 20 minutes later, we departed on schedule for IAD.
Shortly after reaching cruising altitude, flight attendants passed out snacks and beverages, and we pulled out a couple of our own.

Meal service began soon after, and while we took in views of the Sierras (see short video below), the attendants brought us a spring mix salad with mandarin oranges.

Spring Mix Salad

In general, I'm not a fan of mandarin oranges.  I used to eat them by the can, but for some reason they tend to make me nauseous nowadays.  These oranges however were delicious and caused me no problems.  The salad itself was decent enough, but nothing special.

Kim enjoying her sorbet (more than I did)

Next came the main course.  To be perfectly honest, even with the photo I don't remember what was served, only that it was a mediocre meal.  I paired it with a red wine, just to get more monies worth.

It appears as though United has recently upped their game in food service.  And I gotta admit I was not disappointed by the taste and presentation of the salad.  Also to be fair, I didn't get my snapshot of the main course until after I had already started, so I can't give them any grief over how it was presented.  I will say that whatever it was they served me, it was not any of the items shown here.

The sorbet that was served was also sub-par.  Typically no matter how full I am by the time dessert comes around (and make no mistake, I was full!), I can still down a good sorbet or ice cream.  But I put my spoon down after a couple of bites.
Maybe just go back to hot-fudge sundaes?

The main course in question.

When meal service finally ended, we kicked back and opened up our tablets to watch some pre-loaded entertainment.  I'd say all in all the meal service lasted a good 2 1/2-3 hours into the flight.
We landed at around 7 P.M Eastern, after a mostly smooth ride into D.C.
People often question whether it's worth the extra cost (miles or cash) to fly first class domestically. For me, at 6 feet tall, I'm typically uncomfortable in standard economy. (I'm sure there are those of same or greater height who can manage just fine).  Pretty much without fail I will purchase an upgrade to economy plus, which on a cross-country or California to Hawaii flight will run upwards of $100 each way.  Had I saved the 12,500 extra miles by booking economy instead of first, I still would've found myself paying 100 to upgrade to E+.  In this case, it was a no-brainer.  For those who haven't tried flying domestic first, for a 4+ hour flight, I'd recommend trying it at least once. Typically that's all it takes to start to decide for yourself when and if it's worth doing more often.

Stats for this flight:

Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-800

Seats: 2E & 2F (United First)

Duration: 5 Hours, 3 Minutes

Cost: 25K United Miles Per Person, purchased at 1.9 cents a mile. ($475 Per Person)

Value: $544 per person (based on average cost of this flight)

Day 1: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Aiport: Review

Our adventure began with a single night stay at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport.  This was the first time I had stayed here, and I was looking forward to it.  I had booked this stay using Hyatt Points + Cash, at a cost of 4000 points and $55.

-Introduction/Giveaway
-Day One: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Review
-Day Two: United First Class B737-800 SFO-IAD summary
-Days Three through Six: D.C Area recommendations: Smithsonian, National Harbor, Baltimore Aquarium.
-Day Seven: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 IAD-MUC Summary
-Day Eight Part 1: 6 Hours in downtown Munich, Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Summary
-Day Eight Part 2: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 MUC-DXB Summary
-Day Nine Part 1: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 1.  Abu Dhabi recommendations: Ferrari World, the Grand Mosque.
-Day Nine Part 2: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 1: Park Hyatt Dubai Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 2: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 2 & Dubai recommendations:  Burj Khalifa Sky.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 3: Dubai Recommendations: Tea at the Ritz Carlton Jumeirah Beach, Atlantis Monorail, Dubai Mall.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 4: Dubai recommendations/information: The Dubai Museum, , Platinum-Heritage Falconry Heritage Tour.
-Day Thirteen: Emirates 777-300 DXB-MLE summary, Moonima Lounge MLE summary, Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer to Park Hyatt Maldives summary
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 1: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Review
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 2: What to do at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
-Day Seventeen: Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer Park Hyatt-MLE summary, Conrad Rangali MLE Lounge summary, Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter transfer MLE-Conrad Rangali Island
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 1: The Hilton Guy!?  A review of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Isaland Resort.
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 2: What to do at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort
-Day Twenty-Two Part 1: Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter Conrad Rangali Island-MLE summary, Conrad Lounge MLE summary, Leeli Lounge MLE summary
-Day Twenty-Two Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class A330-300 MLE-IST summary.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 1: Turkish Airlines IST Lounge Summary, 6 hours in Istanbul.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class B777-300  IST-SFO summary.
-Day Twenty-Four: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero Review.
-Trip Summary/The Numbers

View from the club: SFO Airport in the distance.

After the 2 hour drive from home, we pulled to the front at around 7:30 in the evening.  The valet assisted with luggage and Kim's mother took the car and made her way back home.

We walked into the hotel, and I was instantly unimpressed. Unfortunately, the hotel was under renovations, and the entrance to the main atrium was blocked off by a large wall.  Hotel check-in was (I presume temporarily) in a rather depressing hall area off the right side of the entrance.

The temporarily blocked off atrium.

While the valet took the luggage to the bellman, we got in line to check-in. 
While waiting to check-in, a customer ahead of us was loudly complaining to the front desk about her room, describing it as noisy and demanding a better view .  As the hotel seemed to be sold-out, the issue was escalating quickly.  Our personal check-in was eventless, and the front desk clerk welcomed us, advising that we had been upgraded to a business suite.

We got our keys, and opted for the 1,000 point bonus for our Diamond membership, then we made our way to the elevator.

The walk from the elevator down the hall to room 2097 seemed to be significant.  The hotel is essentially a giant square with rooms on all edges, and it took at least a couple minutes to traverse our edge.

We entered the room to find a spacious living area.

Business Suite #2097: Click HERE for 360 View

Overall, the room was most impressive.  Off the right of the entrance was the workspace and living area, immediately to the left of the entrance was the bathroom, and the bedroom was around the corner from that.

From our second story room, the freeway was quite close, but the hotel has done a fantastic job insulating and has multi-pane windows to block the noise (which was unnoticeable).  Sure the view wasn't that great, but for an airport hotel, I wouldn't expect anything more, and we were more than happy with the extra space we were given.  Exploring the room, we found the typical amenities, including Kenet M.D shampoo and conditioner.  I was rather surprised that for as nice as the room was, it lacked automatic blinds/shades. This was rather inconvenient given that there was no solid divide between the living and bedroom, which meant needing to manually close the gigantic blinds on both windows.  Small inconvenience, but something I'm used to seeing in suites as nice as this was.
After dropping off our bags, we made the long trek down the hall back to the elevators and went up to the ninth-floor regency-club lounge, where things got interesting.

It was 7:50, and the dinner was technically over at 8:00.  But while I wasn't particularly concerned about missing out (the remnants in the pot on the hot-plate lacked appeal)-  apparently another guest was quite put off by it, and demanded more food be put out.  The host gave the guest a rather blank stare, and let him know that dinner was over, and there was no more food to put out.  This only infuriated the elderly gentleman even more, and he made that quite clear by tossing his silverware loudly on top of the bussing station.  He then ordered to speak to a manager, at which point I had exhausted any interest I had in the club.  Kim and I left and made the trek back to the room.
After a little TV, and a little videography, I went back to the club to scout for dessert.  Fortunately, the dessert selection was more appealing than what was left of the dinner, though it still wasn't the most interesting thing going on in the club.
I almost laughed aloud when a guest who straggled into the club behind me sought out a host to ask if he could check-in at the club.  Of course, I'm unfamiliar with clubs overseas, and this man was most definitely not from the U.S--- maybe some clubs offer check-in service?  The man fruitlessly explained that the line for registration was substantial, and he wanted to check-in upstairs.
With little else to say, the host reassured the guest that the lines would die down after 15 minutes or so (a baseless assumption).
After taking dessert back to the room and sharing it with Kim, I set a wake-up call and we passed out.
Our wake up-call came a bit early though, when the phone startled us awake at 2:00 A.M.  I groggily answered, still half-asleep.
"Mr. Dubya?"
"Yes."
"Sir, your room door is open!"
"It is?"
"Yes, sir"
So I got up and went to the front door, to find it sealed shut.  "Our door is closed."
"My apologies, we have the wrong room."
"Okay."
Within 10 minutes, I was back asleep.
I clarified later in the morning with the front desk, and it turns out a guest had called to report a door open, but the guest gave security the wrong room number.  The hotel offered 2,500 points for the inconvenience despite it not being the fault of the hotel. I gladly accepted the offer, but unfortunately said points have yet to show up in my account, and I may end up calling Hyatt in the near future to resolve.

The Regency Club's morning food offering.

When we finally got up we packed quickly, grabbed a light breakfast from the club, checked out, and hopped on the shuttle to the San Francisco Airport.

Overall, the suite upgrade made this stay.  I may have enjoyed it more had the renovations not been in progress, as I'm a fan of different hotel atmospheres, and I particularly enjoy hotel atriums.  The Regency Club I felt was sub-par.  I enjoyed the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero's club far more. Despite the club issue, this hotel still offers great point redemption value, considering it is only a category 2.  I would definitely consider returning here if I were flying in or out of SFO again.

Stats for this stay:
1 Night Points Plus Cash: $55 +4000 Points (Total bill w/taxes ~$65)
Room Value (Based on low end cost for standard room): $310
Diamond Value Received: $125 (Based on $100 value upgrade, and $25 value for club access for two)
Points Earned: 1358 (275 Base, 83 Diamond Bonus, 1000 Welcome Amenity)

The Big One! Introduction and United Club Pass Giveaway!

Maldivian Monkey enjoying the view.

Last week we returned from our whirlwind trip to D.C, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Maldives (with adventurous layovers in Munich and Istanbul).  To celebrate, I'm giving away 4 United Club passes (giveaway will be two pairs of two).  The first pair includes one pass that expires August 31st, 2016 and one that expires September 30th, 2016.  The second pair includes two passes that expire September 30th, 2016.

Not in the best of shape, but they'll do!

The winner will be chosen at random on May 3rd.  To be eligible, all you need to do is comment on this post and tell me whether you'd rather spend a week in the Presidential Suite at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai or a week in a Park Water Villa at the Park Hyatt in the Maldives. (Feel free to watch my tour of the GH Kauai Presidential Suite here).  One entry per person.

This trip was 3 1/2 years in the making.  But all the planning and research in the world could not prepare me for how incredible it would be.  Some highlights include.

Sharing an incredible dessert wine with my girlfriend while in bed at 4 A.M, 40 thousand feet in the air.
Accelerating from 0-150mph in 5 seconds on the worlds fastest roller coaster.
Drinks and Canapes at the worlds tallest observation deck.
Afternoon tea with an ocean view at the Ritz Carlton.
A perfect-weather desert safari trip in the Dunes of Dubai.

Desert Safari Dubai

A private boat trip down to the equator, with a crew of five to tend to our every need. (and a lot more adventure to go with it!)
A romantic dusk dinner catered on the beach.

Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Sunset Beach Dinner

A sunset yacht cruise that became more than we bargained for when nobody else booked, making it a private trip.
Snapping photos of my girlfriend scuba diving while I was 16 feet below sea level in an underwater restaurant.

I have a ton of photos and videos to share (I have to narrow down ~250GB worth), and thousands of words to write, so please be patient with me, but feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments section (comments/questions are welcome, but only comments answering the question listed above will count as an entry for the giveaway)

Whirlwind Trip 2016:

-Introduction/Giveaway
-Day One: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Review
-Day Two: United First Class B737-800 SFO-IAD summary
-Days Three through Six: D.C Area recommendations: Smithsonian, National Harbor, Baltimore Aquarium.
-Day Seven: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 IAD-MUC Summary
-Day Eight Part 1: 6 Hours in downtown Munich, Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Summary
-Day Eight Part 2: Lufthansa First Class A330-300 MUC-DXB Summary
-Day Nine Part 1: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 1.  Abu Dhabi recommendations: Ferrari World, the Grand Mosque.
-Day Nine Part 2: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 1: Park Hyatt Dubai Review
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 2: Dubai Exotic Limo brief review part 2 & Dubai recommendations:  Burj Khalifa Sky.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 3: Dubai Recommendations: Tea at the Ritz Carlton Jumeirah Beach, Atlantis Monorail, Dubai Mall.
-Days Ten through Twelve Part 4: Dubai recommendations/information: The Dubai Museum, , Platinum-Heritage Falconry Heritage Tour.
-Day Thirteen: Emirates 777-300 DXB-MLE summary, Moonima Lounge MLE summary, Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer to Park Hyatt Maldives summary
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 1: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Review
-Days Thirteen through Sixteen Part 2: What to do at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
-Day Seventeen: Maldivian Dash-8/Boat Transfer Park Hyatt-MLE summary, Conrad Rangali MLE Lounge summary, Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter transfer MLE-Conrad Rangali Island
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 1: The Hilton Guy!?  A review of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Isaland Resort.
-Days Seventeen through Twenty-One Part 2: What to do at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort
-Day Twenty-Two Part 1: Trans-Maldivian Twin Otter Conrad Rangali Island-MLE summary, Conrad Lounge MLE summary, Leeli Lounge MLE summary
-Day Twenty-Two Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class A330-300 MLE-IST summary.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 1: Turkish Airlines IST Lounge Summary, 6 hours in Istanbul.
-Day Twenty-Three Part 2: Turkish Airlines Business Class B777-300  IST-SFO summary.
-Day Twenty-Four: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero Review.
-Trip Summary/The Numbers

You may notice from the above outline that I'm only reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and not the flights.  I didn't take nearly enough photos or notes during my flights, nor do I have nearly enough comparable experiences to thoroughly review any of the flights, but I will post summaries.  My blog focus is on Hyatt hotels, but this trip was so massive and amazing that I feel the need to share many more details than that.

Stay Tuned!

Hyatt Place Roseville Review

The Hyatt Place Roseville has everything stacked against it.  Despite being right next to the Sacramento region's premier mall, it is separated by a canal, making a walk to the Roseville Galleria doable but impractical.  Rooms come in two shapes with two possible configurations: Corner and Standard with King or two Twins.  Breakfast is standard fare.
For all of the downsides, the staff make the best of it for guests.
Over the last two months, I completed 22 single-night stays at this hotel in order to retain my Diamond Status with Hyatt, which will get us fantastic amenities over the next two years at hotel's in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the Maldives, Kauai, and more!

The two highlights during our stay (for better or worse):

- A grand re-opening celebration with complementary food-trucks from the region and champaign.
- Kim getting cut on broken glass lodged in the couch (complements of the previous occupants)

My 22 nights (all separate stays), began eventfully when on my way there for the first stay I was side-swiped by an uninsured, unlicensed driver.  What would have been a 30 minute drive ended up 2 and a half hours, so I was extra-grateful to get to the front desk.
Mike was the first agent we had the pleasure of dealing with.  He welcomed us and got us quickly assigned to our king-bed room.  He noted with surprise how many reservations I had planned (30ish).  He was also quite empathetic when I related our trek from the house.

In all honesty, I don't remember which nights I spent in which rooms, but here's a short breakdown of some of the rooms I stayed in:
602, 536. 428, 628, 301, 526.

Room 301: Corner King Room, Hyatt Place Roseville

Room 301: Corner King Room, Hyatt Place Roseville

Room 301: Corner King Room, Hyatt Place Roseville

Room 301: Corner King Room, Hyatt Place Roseville

Room 301: Corner King Room, Hyatt Place Roseville

Room 301: Corner King Room, Hyatt Place Roseville

The King room is as basic as it gets, yet I still find it to be far nicer than many other hotels.  It's simple, elegant, inviting.  The best of them are the corner rooms, as the layout is a tad more convenient and welcoming.  While the standard rooms feature a television that pivots towards the couch or the bed, the corner rooms have a TV that rotate's 180 degrees.  Viewing from both the couch and the bed in those corner rooms is more comfortable than in the standard rooms because of the viewing angle.  It's also nicer to have a sink and bathroom not visible from bed in the corner rooms, unlike in the standard rooms.

Ultimately, all the rooms are nice, and the beds are extremely comfortable.  Minute problems over our 22 stays included an air conditioner that needed tuning for excessive noise and a toilet that kept adding water throughout the night.  I also noticed stained/dirty blankets in our sole night in an ADA King Tub room, which put me off just a tad.  Our only major issue was one night when we noticed what appeared to be wine stains on the carpet in our room.  We took note of the problem, but it didn't hit home until when the following morning Kim pushed down on the couch to get up, and a piece of broken glass cut her hand.

The cut was minor, but it was still a problem none-the-less.  Upon reporting it to an agent at the front desk, a supervisor provided Neosporin and a band-aid and had Kim fill out an incident form.  The supervisor also offered 5,000 points to cover the cost of the night, which we accepted.

Admittedly it's easy to develop a bias when you get to know the agents at the front desk and they get to know you, but I'm confident in my decision to say that I received excellent service from every agent, though specifically the following people: Mike, Lee, Genevieve, Eric, Tania, and Jacqueline.

The most memorable evening I had was during the Grand Re-Opening Celebration in early February. The hotel had inexplicably renovated all the rooms, despite the fact that it was only a few years old to begin with.  For the grand reopening, catering was provided by two food trucks, including a well known local sea-food establishment.  It was a fantastic night, and on our following stay we were given a spare bottle of champagne compliments of the hotel.

Ultimately I can easily recommend this hotel for anyone thinking of staying in the Roseville area. While it may not be the most convenient location, it is a quiet and premier location.  The staff are friendly, and the rooms warm and inviting.

Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores Review

Master bedroom of two-bedroom suite,
Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores

It's been nearly a couple of years since I've stayed at a Hyatt House, back when I was first mattress running for Diamond Status.  For those stays I spent the nights at the now defunct Hyatt House Rancho Cordova in the Sacramento region.
Fast forward to now, and I've been working on requalifying for Diamond through February 2018.  While most of my mattress runs have occurred at the Category 1 Hyatt Place in Roseville, my girlfriend and I decided to spend a night in the bay, and so booked a stay at the Category 2 Hyatt House Belmont.  For this stay we used 4000 Points and $55 cash for a single night stay.

Kitchen of the two-bedroom suite,
Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores

We pulled up to the hotel mid-evening, and were checked in quickly.  The clerk advised me that we had been upgraded to a two-bedroom suite.  In general I'm inclined to be excited about upgrades, and I wasn't going to turn it down, but as there were only two of us, I was rather unmoved.
We drove around to the other side of our hotel, and brought our luggage to the room.
The room we were assigned was in building 16 on the first floor.  We opened the door to a cozy living area with a couch, a sofa and a TV.  Beyond that was a full kitchen with a fridge.
The room was nice, and quite functional, but that's about it.

Living room of two-bedroom suite,
Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores

 The suite featured two bedrooms each with their own bathroom, and I found the layout of the suite to be a bit cramped.  It was definitely cozy shutting off the master bedroom from the living room, as the door was situated at an angle.  Luckily the living room was big enough for our things as we unpacked.
Opening a closet in the master, my girlfriend noted a smell of cigarettes, as though someone tried smoking in the closet.  As noted in a previous review (See Andaz San Diego), she is a bit more sensitive than I when it comes to smells.  I didn't notice anything, and I guess it was muted enough that she didn't feel the need to change rooms, unlike our stay at the Andaz.

Pool at the Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores

We finished unpacking and decided to go on a walk.

Outdoor Kitchen, Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores

The Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores is laid out more like an apartment complex than a hotel.  It was a stark contrast from my previous Hyatt House experience, which was a hotel with a separate building for loft rooms and suites.  This location was split into multiple three-story buildings, with the check-in desk and kitchen located in what might otherwise be utilized for an apartment clubhouse.  In the center of it all was a pool and an outdoor kitchen area, complete with a grill and a gas fire-pit.  There was also a small basketball court in the midst.
Sadly it was much too cold to be swimming, and we noted that the pool was locked at around 9:30, despite posted hours indicating it closed at 10.
On our walk we found perhaps the best feature of the hotel: a nearby man made lake with a wrap-around sidewalk.  This was a perfect area to take a stroll and enjoy the night.
The hotel is located right near the bay, in the midst of a small housing development and a couple of office buildings.  It is a convenient alternative to the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, though I can't speak to the differences in amenities just yet (I will have a stay at said hotel in a couple of weeks).
The night was quiet and restful, and we woke for breakfast in the kitchen area.  Breakfast was typical, though we did notice an omelet station that we hadn't seen at the Hyatt House in Rancho Cordova. Unfortunately the station was closed down 30 minutes prior to the end of breakfast, when we showed up.
We checked out after another short walk on a nearby nature trail, and my girlfriend noted to the agent, Erika, that the closet in the room smelled like smoke.  Not that we were looking to get anything out of it, but Erika offered to put some points in our account, and we accepted.  It turned out to be a generous 2500 points.

Ultimately this was a decent stay at a category 2 hotel.  It was convenient for our planned day trip to Half Moon Bay, and it was quiet despite a close proximity to a couple of airports, including San Francisco.  I would consider staying again should it the need arise, but would advise anyone planning on visiting not to expect anything more than you'd get at a basic hotel.