General – Page 5 – Cafes and Alleyways

La Mer Beach Street Art – Dubai

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:March 14, 2020
Post category:Destinations General Travel
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Do you enjoy street art? If so, LaMer Beach in Dubai is a fun stop. There's an open-air shopping area with street art sprinkled throughout. In between shops and restaurants, you'll find artistic expressions on the walls, around corners and up above your head. Here are pictures from a recent visit to La Mer. Eateries are sprinkled throughout La Mer. Consider Visiting La Mer Beach If you're in Dubai, consider visiting La Mer Beach. To see more about La Mer check out our post on the La Mer Beachfront. You may also enjoy the following posts on Dubai Ritz Carlton…

Hilton Extends Weekend Night Certificates

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:March 14, 2020
Post category:General Points+Miles
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With everything going on, this may be the least of your worries. But in case it effects you, Hilton extends Weekend Night Rewards through August 31st, 2021. These are the free nights earned by holders of the American Express Hilton cards. Here's the text of the email. Dear__________, I wanted to follow up on the recent message you received from our CEO, Chris Nassetta. In addition to the enhancements Hilton communicated, we are extending the expiration date of the Weekend Night Reward(s) you earned as a Hilton Honors American Express Card Member. We appreciate that you choose to travel with us and…

Etihad Business Lounge at Abu Dhabi Airport

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:March 6, 2020
Post category:Destinations General Travel
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On a recent stopover at Abu Dhabi, we had a chance to visit the Etihad Business Class lounge. Here’s a quick pictorial tour. The lounge is locatedin Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi Airport. P.S. There is also a smaller lounge in Terminal 1. The lounge was sizable, here's a directional sign. I liked that they had a room to store luggage. Here's one of the seating areas We arrived while breakfast was being served Bread selection Salad Items Fresh Fruit I'm not sure what it's called, but the cheese on the bottom right was good. The breakfast included many hot…

Ritz Carlton Dubai- Review of Room and Hotel Grounds

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:March 4, 2020
Post category:General
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The Ritz Carlton Dubai, a Marriott Bonvoy property, modern yet beaming with old world charm. Friendly faces greeted us when we arrived in the middle of the night under the carport. They took the luggage to our room while we checked in at the desk. Street View of Ritz Carlton Dubai Ritz Carlton Dubai Driveway Ritz Carlton Dubai Carport and Front Entrance Check In Desk Lobby of the Ritz Carlton Dubai As we walked into the lobby, we saw a beautiful fountain filled with rose petals. In-ground fuchsia lights surrounded the fountain resembling glistening pomegranate seeds. Lobby Staircases Leading to…

Review: Aerotel at the Abu Dhabi Airport

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:February 21, 2020
Post category:Destinations General
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On a recent trip we had a 11 hour, overnight layover in Abu Dhabi. Our incoming flight landed in Abu Dhabi at 9:40 pm. Our connecting flight left the next morning at 8:45 am. That adds up to an 11 hour layover. We decided the best plan was to get a hotel room and try to get some sleep. We looked at hotel options close to the airport and decided on Aerotel. Aerotel is not only close to the airport, it's in the terminal. Aerotel is located airside, within the transit area of Terminal one. If Abu Dhabi is your layover, you don’t…

Booking Our Return Trip from Dubai and The Maldives

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:January 31, 2020
Post category:General
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Points and miles can help ordinary people to explore extraordinary places. We recently used points and miles to book a trip to Dubai and the Maldives. We locked in the outbound trip on Emirates, and now we needed a way to get home. After exploring our options we decided on flying Etihad Business class. Etihad has a partnership with American Airlines, and so we booked our Etihad flight using AA miles. The cost per ticket was 70,000 American Airline, and $83.23 for taxes. Total for the two tickets came to 140,000 miles and $166.46. This is a great use of AA miles. The trip home consists of…

Money Tips for Traveling Internationally

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:January 28, 2020
Post category:General Travel
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We’re ramping up for a trip to Dubai. Part of any trip is figuring out how to best pay for expenses when traveling internationally. Here are some financial tips we put into practice when exploring the world. Tip #1 - Bring Some of The Local Currency We normally arrive at a destination with some of the local currency. At a minimum, we want enough to take a cab to the hotel, and for tipping. In preparation for Dubai, we ordered AED, the currency of the United Arab Emirates. We pay an exchange rate, but it’s worth having cash ahead of time. We don’t want to land…

Saying Goodbye to Christmas Time at the Disneyland Resort- Anaheim California

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:January 8, 2020
Post category:General
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Just a few more days left for all the Christmas magic at the Happiest Place on Earth to be gone! If you are in Southern California for the next few days, stop by the “Happiest Place on Earth” to see Christmas at its best! Christmas Time at Downtown Disneyland The magic starts as you walk through Downtown Disney to the entrance gates of Disneyland. The fluorescent green, blue and orange colored trees in the planters will grab your attention to display the magic that is still to follow. Even the window displays at the World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney will bring…

Square Marcel Bleustein Blanchet

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:January 5, 2020
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A popular spot in Paris is the steps of Sacré-Cœur. It’s the highest point in Paris and offers a great view of the city. Many tourists flood the steps, but fewer go to square behind the Basilica. If you’re in Paris, get off the beaten path and stop by Square Marcel Bleustein Blanchet. You’ll find a garden and nice escape from the crowds. ✈️🌎🧳

Hyatt Zilara All-Inclusive, Adult Only Cancun, Mexico

Post author:CafesandAlleyways
Post published:December 27, 2019
Post category:General
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Aerial View Cancun Cancun is as beautiful as it gets! The clear, aqua blue Caribbean waters that surrounds the white sandy beaches is enough to make your heart sing at first sight! Hyatt Zilara Check-In Lobby After checking in at the Hyatt Zilara lobby, we bee line it to the huge glass sliding doors that lead from the hotel to the infinity pool and the ocean. Pick up your drink of choice on the way out at the bar (it's all included). You will find a coffee shop to the right of the sliding glass doors if that's more…