By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.  Downtown Puerto Vallarta Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta Overview Our first trip together to an all inclusive was a mixed bag. The views and beach experience at this resort were spectacular though the all-inclusive experience at this resort didn't meet our expectations. Pros- Spectacular ocean views, private beach, suites with outdoor jacuzzi, outdoor dining, complimentary room service, strong drink selection, large selection of activities, huge selection of pools, swim up bar Cons- Inconsistent service, tasteless and bland Mexican food, pricey rooms and suites, expensive transportation and spa options, high humidity, poor elite recognition Booking We travelled to Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta in March 2020 about one week before most of the world shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic. We didn't know it at the time but it was our last trip for about a year and a half until vaccines were widely available. In February 2020 we booked a Garden King for $350 per night. We chose the Hyatt Ziva because it was an all-inclusive and we were looking for an escape to warm weather and relaxation after a few stressful months. The AAA rate ended up being the same as the member rate and the member rate was less than the promotion rate so we just booked the member rate. We also decided not to book a private transfer since it was just the two of us and it would have cost $125 for two people. Eight days before our arrival I received a pre-arrival upgrade offer with various options to request an upgrade to a room at a reduced price. The options ranged from $59-$83 but did not include an offer a suite or junior suite. This meant that is I accepted any of these offers I would be accepting something I was already entitled too as a Hyatt elite member so we passed. I was really looking forward to this experience since I had a great stay for the bachelor party at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun though this ended up not being as solid of a stay as the Hyatt Zilara Cancun because of the difference in the quality of the food.  Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta Entrance Sign Check In We arrived at the resort via Uber and when we pulled up to the resort, we were required to give our names to the guard who cross checked our name on the guest list and then asked for the name of the driver and her license. This definitely added to the sense of the privacy at the resort since not only were we behind a gate but the resort was locked in a private cove with a private beach.  Lobby When we got out of the car, I gave my name to the bellhop who matched it to his list and sent us to check in at the Hyatt elite status desk. This is the desk used for all Hyatt elite levels and was less grand than the separate area at the Zilara Cancun. One of the benefits given in Cancun was a welcome toast, however, we were not offered a beverage at check-in here. We were given the full list of amenities for elites which included access to the club lounge, a preferred room within type booked, a 10% discount on room upgrade to another room, 10% discount on tours, 10% discount on upgraded wines and lobster. As part of the check-in process we were given the opportunity to upgrade from our base level Garden View room to a Jacuzzi Suite for an additional $90 a night versus the normal cost of an additional $150 or to upgrade to a swim up suite for an additional $120 a night. We decided to go with the Jacuzzi Suite because we heard bad reviews about the rooms in the old building. We wanted and ended up appreciating the privacy of the Jacuzzi Suite over the exposure of the swim up suite. We ended up finding this to a be a good decision since the “garden view” rooms were essentially rooms with views of the parking lot. We ended up getting a lot of use out of our jacuzzi and enjoyed the amazing views from our room on the 17th floor. I also really appreciated that Hyatt recognizes even low-level elite as the resort sent us a bottle of sparkling wine for just being a Discoverist elite. Though this palled in comparison to the bottle of sparkling wine we received during my trip to Cancun. However, I was disappointed because in Cancun the worst room is still a junior suite and all have ocean views so there would be no need for the upgrade. Since we upgraded our room wasn’t ready yet but we were told to come back in about an hour. They held our bags at check-in instead of bringing them to the room and also it was weird that they did not allow us to check in at the other towers check-in desks since were now in the new tower. Club Ocean Front Hot Tub King Our upgraded room (1755) was in the newer club tower on the top floor.  Old Tower  New Club Tower When we walked off of the elevator we were already impressed by the amazing view. The hallways have windows which were left open during our entire stay to let in the cool breeze and right off the elevators give access to the spectacular view which I heard one guest describe as a postcard. These views continued in our room as were one of the best features of the room. We were treated to amazing sunsets every day and on our last morning an amazing sunrise since the other mornings were cloudy.  Hallway in New Tower The suite was really large and had a big flatscreen TV, we never used, a separate sitting area with a couch and table with two chairs. The suite itself had amazing decor and was in good condition. It had lots of wood paneling and a circular curved ceiling with a fan. While the room had air conditioning (AC), the ceiling fan proved critical for the very humid nights when humidity reached 96%. Even when we turned on the AC the humidity was still unbearable and we had to turn on the fan. The bathroom was also very nice with marble countertops a closet and four shelves one of which had a safe. The bathroom also had sliding doors. In additional it also had a separate toilet room for privacy which I really appreciated. The room also had two snacks in a drawer which looked really sad and we did not touch. The shower was also really nice and had both a handheld and rainforest shower head. The water pressure was very good. Though I think the Kenneth MD (Zilara/Ziva shower amenities) were only average when compared to other hotels.  Shower The really amazing part of the room was the jacuzzi, which we used three times and found well worth the upgrade. It was on the balcony along with another table and set of wooden chairs. The hot tub was definitely only big enough to only fit two people. It filled up with turn dials and we found it easy to use as it had a button to turn on jets. The only issue we had with it was that on the day we were checking out we woke up and found that it was leaking water through the faucet and seemed to have been leaking for hours. It was amazing to be able to view the sunset from our deck and get warm when it got chilly late at night. Amenities and Activities Beach and Pools The resort is located directly on a private beach and offered stunning views. During our time there we jogged along the beach and swam on one occasion. However, the water was still a little too cold in March to enjoy the ocean. Because of the cold water most of the other guests also swam in the pools over the ocean. The biggest frustration of the beach and our stay were the beach vendors. Every day that we went to the beach there were vendors bothering us and trying to hawk items. I was really surprised that the vendors weren't kicked off of the beach since it was a private beach and security knew each person staying at the resort. The hotel also featured four infinity pools, a kid-friendly pool, and a swim up bar. We enjoyed these multiple times a day and they were refreshing because of the very humid climate in Puerto Vallarta. I once again loved the swim up bar and I think it may be my favorite amenity at all-inclusive resorts. During our stay the pools were full of people during the middle of the day but quieter in the early morning. The pool also offered stunning ocean views. Gym, Salon, and Spa The resort also had a gym, salon, and spa. We used the gym once during our stay and we were the only people there. It had a wide variety of equipment including ellipticals, treadmills, and weights. We didn't try the gym or the salon but the wide variety of offerings seemed expensive relative to the lower cost of living in Mexico. Resort Activities The resort offered a wide variety of beach and water activities during the day and at least one activity each night. The beach activities included beach volleyball and kayaking. Though we ended up wanting to relax and didn't try any of these beach and ocean activities.  Activities Center During our stay other activities included a movie night, dance party, and multiple shows. The fun part about the movie night was that it was set up with a projector on the beach. When we walked by no one was watching the movie but if we had a young child with us, I think this would have been a fun activity
One night the show featured fire and on another night, it featured acrobats by the pool. Both of these shows were packed with people and entertaining.
Visiting Downtown Puerto Vallarta Because we were staying at an all-inclusive and looking for a relaxing vacation we only ventured out once to Puerto Vallarta. My overall impression of the city is that it was a sleepy beach town with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and expats. As is often the case on our trips I was saddened by the significant development downtown and in the tourist areas, contrasted with the poor conditions on the outskirts of town where I assume many of the workers live. Dining During our stay the resort had vast array of dining options including five restaurants, a coffee shop, sports bar, club lounge, and room service. Blaze (American and Mexican) This was the resort's seafood restaurant where we went for lunch on first day and later for breakfast. It had a blend of Mexican and American seafood and I found the food wholly unimpressive. When we got there the first day Christina ordered a fish taco and while the fish was good the tortilla wasn’t tasty and they automatically served it on a flour tortilla instead of a corn one without asking. She had to ask afterwards specifically for corn which came back and tasted much better. I ordered the steak tacos but they were boring and flavorless. Everything at this restaurant felt like it was made blander for the American pallet to be non-offensive to any American or Canadian pallet since there were many Canadian tourists. Also, the service here was terrible. When we sat down, we were asked if we wanted anything to drink before we even had a chance to look at the menu. I asked for more time and that server never came back and instead another server came by our table. The same bland food and terrible service continued as breakfast which showed this restaurant continually delivered bad food and service. I ordered the Huevos y Asada and found it again to be very bland. Christina ordered some Mexican breads and was given three croissants and a turnover once again showing how they served inauthentic and bland version of Mexican food. The best part of the breakfast was the drinks including the Mexican hot chocolate and fresh juice which were really good and I found that to be a theme throughout the resort. The drinks were consistently really good while the food was generally bad or bland. The only other positive about this restaurant was its ocean views. Casa Grande (Mexican) This was the resort’s flagship Mexican restaurant. It was really large with a bar and then a big dining area at the back with a stage at the center. The restaurant had a lot of decorations and a thatched roof. Inside the room were Spanish clay tiles. Christina found the decorations to be over the top and tacky. In general, we found the Mexican food we ordered to be average and again bland. Also, we found the service to be average at best. Though once again we did really like our drinks which this time were margaritas. Melanzane (Italian) We visited this restaurant one day for lunch. The restaurant is right next to the main pool and open for lunch and dinner serving Italian food. It offered a range of pizza and pasta for lunch. We ended up sharing a margherita pizza which was really good. It was served warm, fresh, with a thin crust, and had flavor. It was funny that the Italian food was better than the Mexican food at this Mexican resort. Vivaz (Buffet) This was the busiest restaurant on the property and served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We found that this restaurant consistently offered above average food and better service than everywhere other than Puerza. Even though it was a buffet the servers offered to retrieve drinks and food for guests and constantly checked if anything else was needed. Pureza (Asian) We found this restaurant which is only open for dinner to be the most impressive. It is located next to Kids Club on the opposite end of the beach from Blaze. The setting is very sophisticated with no walls and a thatched roof and wood floors which allowed us to feel the great ocean breeze and hear the ocean. The service here was excellent with our server having indulged us by asking every question in Spanish and correcting us if we got any words wrong. He also checked back in with us several times when our dishes took longer than he expected. The food here was also really good and we felt that they were delivering authentic Asian cuisine. I really liked the Satay and it tasted as good as the one we had in Singapore. My beef ribs were also amazing and cooked to perfection so they fell off of the bone. This was the best dish I had during the entire trip. Christina's Pad Thai was also good but made with tomato sauce which is not typical for Pad Thai. We finally finished off with fried ice cream which was really good. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here. Deli (Coffee Shop) This was a good spot for warm drinks at the resort and we constantly found the staff to be friendly. Also continuing the theme at this resort, the drinks were good. It also offered a variety of pastries focused on breads and cakes. The cakes I had I found bland but the bread particularly the chocolate bread was consistently good. The biggest disappointment here was that it did not offer ice cream which was one of my favorite deserts at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun. We were told by other guests that the Deli used to offer ice cream so I am not sure what happened. Hyghlightz (Sports Bar) This is the resort's sports bar and we stopped in briefly to check it out. It offered what you would expect from a sports bar. Beer on tap and lots of televisions with sports on every television.
Room Service The resort offered 24/7 room service and one afternoon we ordered room service for lunch. The order took about 30 minutes to arrive. I ordered a burger with bacon and found the taste to be bland and not flavorful. However, I was annoyed that after it arrived, we got a call to ask how long it took. There has to a better way to make sure they are evaluating how fast their service is without disturbing guests eating. Club Lounge At check-in we were told that with our room in the club tower we had access to a club lounge with additional food offerings and a separate bar. Since this was an all-inclusive, I was curious what would be offered at this club lounge and it was very underwhelming. It was located on the first floor of the new tower and included a very small additional buffet selection. Service The service here can only be described as remarkably inconsistent. In some instances, the staff were friendly and went out of their way to provide good service. However, in other instances the service was slow and not friendly. It felt staff were just going through the motions. One example of the slow service was at the pool bars. The resorts had multiple pool bars but the servers were slow and not friendly. Often, we had to go to the bar to put in or check- in on our orders which should be unnecessary. I would say the service at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun blew this service out of the water. It is amazing even through both are Hyatt all-inclusive and owned by the same hotel operator Playa Hotels & Resorts. Take Away Overall, I enjoyed our very relaxing stay at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. My biggest disappointment was the food which generally did not live up to the quality I experienced at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun. This was hard since the food is one of the most important components of an all-inclusive resort. However, the resort did make up for this with a strong drink selection, stunning ocean views, a jacuzzi on the balcony of our suite, a large selection of activities, and a huge number of pools. I don't think we would come back to Puerto Vallarta because I don't think there are enough activities outside of the resorts. However, if I came back to Puerto Vallarta, I would probably choose to stay at a non-all-inclusive so I could experience good Mexican cuisine.
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Delta 757 Los Angeles International (LAX)-Washington National Airport (DCA) Economy Class Review2/17/2024 By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Flight Overview
A fast tail wind shaved nearly an hour off of this cross-country flight while the strong Delta Comfort+ offering made the experience enjoyable. Pros- Strong Loyalty Recognition, Complimentary Economy Meal, Premium Comfort+ Snacks, Amazing Legroom, Strong In-Flight Entertainment, Early Arrival Cons- Exit Row Seat Restricted Width and Immovable Armrest, Poor Ground Experience 
Delta Boeing 757
Check-In
I checked in a 5:30 am and no one was in the line. I was thanked for my loyalty and annoyingly pitched a Delta credit card. It was so early that no one was in the pre-check line! 
Delta Self-Check In Kiosks
At the time of my flight in February 2020 LAX was a construction zone with an open ceiling and a big mess. This was all a part of the massive, and still undergoing, renovation of Terminal 3 which was very much needed since the terminal at the time of trip looked really old and in need of a major refresh. The circular design and age of the terminal reminded me of the old Terminal A at DCA airport.
Delta Terminal B
I went to the Sky Club which at the time was unimpressive but since has undergone a major renovation. The renovation included adding a Sky Desk and the renovated version opened in April 2022 right on schedule. Overall, the construction and weak Sky Club made for a poor ground experience though I suspect that has significantly improved since my flight.
Delta SkyClub Sign
Boarding
I got an alert that my flight was departing 10 minutes early. Something that also happened to Christina's flight the day before and can be very frustrating for any who left the gate to grab food or explore the terminal. The flight from LAX to DCA on the Boeing 757 is designated as a premium Delta One flight. The means that there is enhanced service including meals in economy and lie flat seats. As a Delta Silver Medallion I was eligible for a same day upgrade to Delta One, however, on this popular route I didn't stand a chance of being upgraded. On the day of departure there were five open Delta One seats and five passengers were upgraded including 3 at the gate. At the gate I was 21 of 28 for an upgrade. However, I did end up getting "upgraded" to Delta Comfort+ which is Delta's extra legroom economy seat and treated as a separate cabin on Delta. I was 3 of 5 on the Comfort+ upgrade list and all but one of us got upgraded to Comfort+. Since there were middle seats remaining, I assumed that the last person asked for only an aisle or window seat.
Plane and Seat
My Comfort+ seat was 18E which is one of only two seats in row 18 and located at the very front of the Comfort+cabin. This seat was technically a middle seat but was really an aisle seat since it is in the exit row and there were only two seats. 
Comfort + Seats 18 D and E
The seat was really spacious with enough legroom for me to get up and move around which out bumping into anyone. These seats had a great location away from the rest of the economy cabin and the closest to the boarding door. The seats were also the closest to the bathroom which gave the perk of quick access to the bathroom but also came with the downside of a smelly bathroom towards the end of the flight. I also really liked that the seat had a bi-fold and moveable tray. This made it really easy to get up during meal service without having finished all of my food and drinks.
The biggest downsides of the seat were the lack of under seat storage, an immovable armrest, and smaller width because the in-flight entertainment (IFE) is stored in the armrest. The IFE storage in the seat was annoying and meant that during takeoff and landing I was unable to watch the IFE. The two seats shared one power plug and because they were in the exit row only had a tiny exit row window. Despite these downsides I would recommend 18E and 18 D as perfect seats for traveling companions since they are isolated from the rest of economy cabin. 
Boeing 757 Bulkhead
There were two things I really appreciated about this 757. First, the ceiling height was higher than other narrow body planes which was nicer for a longer flight. Second, the plane had a sign that lights up when the Wi-Fi was activated which was a nice touch.
Boeing 757 In-Flight Signs
The door was closed 10 minutes early and we were told that because of strong tail wind the flight would be 3 hours and 45 minutes. The estimated flight time was lightning fast compared to the scheduled flight time of 4 hours and 55 minutes.
In-Flight Entertainment
As usual Delta's IFE was strong on this flight. While other airlines have removed IFE systems and require steaming on your own device Delta continues to commit to installing IFE systems. The IFE system offers the ability to track your flight, watch movies, television shows, live television through Dish Network, and the ability to listen to music. 
Delta IFE System
During the flight I really enjoyed watching the flight tracker to see how fast we were flying to DCA. I also watched the movie Gemini Man, and used Dish to watch live news on CNN. Delta's IFE system and offering continue to stand out above the competition.
Delta IFE System
Food and Drinks
About an hour into the flight meal service started. Because of my location at the front of the Comfort+ cabin I was the first person served an economy meal. The choices were either a ham and cheese bagel sandwich or fruit and cheese plate. I chose the ham and cheese bagel sandwich which came with a Cliff bar and grapes. This was solid for a cold meal. I really appreciated Delta offering complimentary meals on this long domestic flight. Because I was in Comfort+ I also could have ordered a complimentary alcoholic drink but decided not to order one this time. 
Ham and Cheese Bagel Sandwich with Snacks
After meal service was done the crew came through for coffee service, followed by water service, and finally snack service. Because I was seated in Comfort+ the flight attendants offered premium snacks, typically the same one offered in Delta One and first class. These options included cheez-its, cookies, Oreo Thins, almonds, granola bar, and bananas. I chose the Oreo Thins which were really good. I actually discovered I am a big fan of Oreo Thins from flying with Delta which shows just how effective partnerships which airlines can be for companies promoting products.
Oreo Thins
Service
The service at the airport was great and onboard service was solid though not as strong as the flight from DCA-LAX. I was surprised to be thanked for my loyalty at check-in even though I was just a Silver Medallion the lowest level of elite status. During the boarding process the flight attendant was also friendly and offered a warm greeting. However, the crew just wasn't as present throughout the flight as my flight over from DCA though they did complete the meal service quickly. Arrival We ended up hitting turbulence with about 29 minutes to go but that didn't stop us from arriving 3:13 pm which was 52 minutes ahead of schedule. Not as fast as original estimate but still quick. Upon arrival I went to claim my bag. There was some confusion in this process since the bag ended up coming out dirty, but not damaged, and at a different DCA baggage claim that listed on the screen. However, I continue to be impressed by the speed of the Delta baggage claim which came out after only a 10-minute wait! 
Delta DCA Baggage Claim
Take Away
The Delta difference stood out on this flight. We arrived well ahead of schedule, the ground team demonstrated strong elite recognition, and the onboard experience was head and shoulders above the competition on transcontinental economy flights. Despite my exit row seat limitation, and since significantly upgrade ground experience, I would strongly recommend taking Delta from LAX to DCA. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further. California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review  View of Los Angeles from Dodger's Stadium Exploring Los Angeles Overview Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States and the metro area is home to major film/television studios and a center of culture, particularly Chicano culture. With all of this in mind I planned a two -night stay in Los Angeles to give my dad a small taste of what the largest city on the west coast of the United States has to offer. I previously visited Los Angeles briefly for work but this is the most time I had spent consecutively in the city. While I had fun on my visit, I came away from my visit unimpressed with the city. The city has a host of problems which took away from my enjoyment including major homeless encampments, terrible public transportation which further drives its horrendous traffic and smog, boring architecture with massive sprawl, and insufficient density. Attractions Dodgers Stadium My dad is a huge baseball fan and Christina and her family are big Dodger's fan's so the first major stop in Los Angeles was a tour at Dodger's Stadium. Dodger's stadium is located in Chavez Ravine and its construction was controversial since the city utilized eminent domain to evict primarily Latino homeowners from the site to construct the stadium. The stadium is the third oldest in baseball behind only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. I was impressed by the sweeping, though smog filled, view of Los Angeles from the stadium.  View of Los Angeles from Dodger's Stadium The tour was very informative and started in the outfield with an opportunity to look out over the stadium. The tour guide informed us that the stadium capacity is 56,000, the second largest in baseball behind the Oakland Coliseum, and the seats are color coded by level. Yellow representing sunshine, orange the beach, and blue for the ocean and sky.  Dodger's Stadium As the tour continued, we were shown the suites and the press box. We were told that the suites at the time in 2020 ranged from $5,000-$15,000 and did not include food or drink. One cool fact is that Dodgers Stadium allows fans to bring outside food and drink.  Dodger's Stadium Press Box Other interesting information that was shared with us is that the Dodger's at the time had only retired 10 jerseys and to retire a Jersey you were required to be in the Hall of Fame. One of the retired jerseys was #42 for Jackie Robinson who played for the Dodgers who were the first team to integrate baseball with the inclusion of the first Black player on a Major League Baseball roster. The tour of Dodgers Stadium was cool and I would recommend it to any sports fan visiting Los Angeles. Queen Mary As we continued our exploration of the Los Angeles area, we decided to take a trip to the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary is a British ocean liner which served at various time as trans-Atlantic civilian transportation and a during World War II as a ferry for Allied troops across the Atlantic. One of the servicemen included Christina grandpa who served in World War II. The ocean liner was retired in 1967 and purchased by the city of Long Beach to serve as a tourist attraction and now is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was a cool experience for my dad to visit the ship since he remembered this large vessel entering the harbor in Nassau, The Bahamas as a child. Also, during the tour of ship we learned several interesting facts. Even though it served as a troop transport the Queen Mary was never fired upon during World War II. As a passenger transport it hosted several celebrities including Bob Hope and Bing Crosby and made an appearance in the movie The Aviator. For 10 years the ship held the transatlantic speed record with a 3-day crossing. The tour guide said this trip normally takes about six days for an ocean liner today. When it served as a civilian ocean liner it, was divided into three classes and was often compared to another ocean liner the Titanic, even though it was larger and faster than the Titanic. Its First Class round trip tickets costs about $5,000 in 1936 which would be about $111,000 in 2023 dollars. The ship seemed in need of a refresh and after our visit in February 2020 the company that operated the ship went into bankruptcy due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the subsequent year the attraction underwent millions of dollars of repairs and reopened in April 2023. Overall, I found the tour interesting as a history lover and was happy to have a chance to have my dad aboard the ship he saw as a child. I would recommend it if you are a tourist interested in history. Sony Pictures Studio Tour Our next stop on our visit to Los Angeles was Sony Pictures Studio. Christina didn't join us since she had to go back to Washington D.C. for work. The Sony Pictures Studio is located on the same lot as the old famous MGM Studios. Sony purchased the land and items located on the lot from MGM when MGM shifted its focus to hotels.
The first stop on our tour was a room chock full of memorabilia from various Sony Pictures television shows and movies. This included the set from the classic television show Seinfeld and items the various Men in Black movies. In this room we also got a chance to have a picture with a few Oscars, which sure looked real. As we continued the tour the tour guide talked with us about some of the famous movies filmed on the lot including Air Force One, Star Trek, and The Wizard of Oz. At the time of our tour filming had just wrapped for the television show Shark Tank which the tour guide said was filmed in 20 days. We also got a chance to take pictures with some items from sets that were around the lot including one of the cars from Ghostbusters.  Car from Ghostbusters The iconic game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! also are filmed on the Sony Pictures lot and as part of the tour we got to visit the Wheel of Fortune set. As a regular watcher of these shows when I was a kid this was really cool. My mom also was very impressed since she is still a big fan of Wheel of Fortune. The tour guide told us that typically six episodes of the show are filmed in one day.  Sean Giambrone from The Goldbergs During our tour the biggest highlight was getting to actually meet a celebrity. While we were walking around the lot, we ran into Sean Giambrone who stars on The Goldbergs, one of my mom's favorite shows. He came over to talk and take pictures with our tour group and I was impressed by how down to earth he was. Our tour guide also explained that child actors, like Sean at the time of our tour, have an on-site school. He said that in old Hollywood it wasn't a required for kids to receive education. In response, Congress passed legislation requiring that entertainment companies provide education for child actors.  Stage 30 at Sony Studios This was my parents and I first visit ever to a movie studio and there were a few things I found interesting. First, there were trailers everywhere not just for the actors but for all of the support staff including hair and makeup. Second, it is amazing how small some of the television sets are and how good camera work can make a set look a lot bigger on television. Third, at Sony Pictures Studios other media companies were using the lot to film entertainment that wasn't being distributed by Sony Pictures. For example, while we were on the lot Apple TV+ was filming The Morning Show season 2. Finally, I came away with the impression that Sony Pictures was a little behind the times. Most of the television shows and movie released by the studio were not big hits during the time of our tour. Hollywood Walk of Fame Our next stop was the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We walked around the streets looking for the stars of actors whom we knew. My dad was very happy to take a picture with the star, of perhaps the most famous Bahamian ever, Sidney Poitier. As we walked around the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I was surprised by just how many celebrities have a star. I wouldn't consider some of these celebrities to be legendary celebrities and I wondered if it just took the right amount of money to get star. As we walked around it also seemed that some stars got more prominent placements for those who were more famous.  Sidney Poitier's Star While we were walking around, we stopped in front of the Chinese Theatre and the El Capitan Theatre. I was really disappointed by the Chinese Theater which wasn't architecturally impressive and was surrounded by vendors hawking cheap tourist souvenirs. I thought that the nearby El Captain theater was much more impressive. Hollywood Museum Our final stop was the Hollywood Museum located a block from the Chinese Theatre and El Capitan Theatre. This museum claims it has the largest collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world. It is located in the former Max Factor building, which housed makeup artists to celebrities. I was impressed by the enormous number of items housed at this building. At the time of our visit the basement housed items for horror films, Star Wars, Hunger Games, and Planet of the Apes items were on the first floor, and an exhibit dedicated to the Pointer Sisters was on the second floor. I thought the most impressive floor was the third floor. This floor housed some original DeLoreans from the Back to the Future movies and the original Batmobile from the Batman television series. While the sheer number of memorabilia items at this museum was impressive, I thought the museum was dated and could have done a better job updating both the items on display and the way in which the items were displayed. Take Away
It was great being able to show my dad a slice of Los Angeles. The most frustrating parts of Los Angeles were the poor air quality, poor public transportation, homelessness, and traffic. However, I really liked the weather, seeing Dodgers Stadium, and doing the Sony Pictures Studio tour. I really felt on this trip that I was getting to see slice of Tinsel Town. Overall, I think it was a great trip and I think my dad was left impressed and overwhelmed by the size of Los Angeles. Even though I couldn't picture myself living in Los Angeles because of the problems I mentioned, there is so much to see in Los Angeles that if I had the chance I would come back for another visit and recommend that others visit the city. One place I look forward to visiting on my next trip is The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which wasn't open during our visit in February 2020. By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
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101 North Gaviota Pass - Highway tunnel as seen in the movies like The Graduate and Sideways
Exploring California's Central Coast Overview
Roughly half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Central Coast of California is not well known outside of California. When Californians think of the Central Coast they usually think of the amazing food, beautiful weather, and picturesque scenery. Born and raised in the Central Coast, I was thrilled to be able to share a bit of my "home" with my new mother and father in-law. We had limited time to explore, so I built an itinerary aimed to have a quick overview of what the Central Coast can offer. AttractionsHearst Castle
Hearst Castle was one of the homes of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in which he created his own castle with the help of the architect Julia Morgan. The castle was not finished at the time of William Randolph Hearst's death and the property is now being maintained and preserved by the California State Parks. Hearst Castle feels frozen in time as many of the original pieces are on display for visitors to enjoy including art, gardens, artifacts, and furnishings. The property is nestled on a large cattle ranch, in a mountain range, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, giving the castle's location a balance of seclusion and natural beauty.
Opulent, bordering gaudy, Hearst Castle had its own zoo, airport, theater, indoor and outdoor pool, a wine cellar built during prohibition, and three guest houses. The main house "Casa Grande" has 38 bedrooms and 42 bathrooms. The property's grandeur made its way into pop culture, including the two famous pools which were used in Lady Gaga's music video, G.U.Y. The castle offers multiple tours, which focus on different aspects of the property and change depending on the season. If you visit you are likely only going to have time for one tour and will want to come back to see different parts of the castle. Elephant Seals Beach
Just up the road from Hearst Castle is a beach where the beach goers are limited to elephant seals. Human species are regulated to the sidelines where they can look at the elephant seals bask in the sun and dip in the water. Facts and history are available to read along the walk parallel to the beach regulated to humans. There are a few benches to sit and watch the seals, but we couldn't find any bench available due to the large number of visitors. We visited during mating season, which is from early December through March; the males were quite loud. You can expect to spend about 30-45 minutes visiting with the seals.
Pismo Beach
Another hidden gem, Pismo Beach is a sleepy beach town that has appeared in movies and television shows including in Clueless and Looney Tunes. I was excited to show my Bahamian in-laws our version of beach life which is slower and involves lots of surfing. We stopped at Splash Cafe and got ourselves a delicious bread bowl of clam chowder. Then we walked the beach and the pier. My in-laws enjoyed the low-key vibes and the natural beauty at Pismo, but they were shocked on how chilly the water was. It was definitely not as warm as Bahamian waters.
Take Away
Photo of a winery lined up against the 101 freeway. Farmworkers are visible in the distance.
Visiting my hometown with my in-laws was really fun. My in-laws were excited to explore the Central Coast and surprised on how much there was to do. While we were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, I was creating a list of all the things we missed and should do on the next visit such as:
By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Exploring California's Central Coast Overview
Across both of our stays the Renaissance Los Angeles Hotel stood out as a very good airport hotel. The elite recognition was excellent, the club lounge was solid, and the buffet breakfast stood out for a U.S. hotel. Pros- Excellent elite recognition, solid club lounge, stand out breakfast buffet for a U.S. hotel, free airport shuttle with tracking, airport adjacent location, pool and gym, and friendly service Cons- Poor sound proofing, uncomfortable sofa bed, and no in-room microwave
We stayed at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel before our train ride to the Central Coast of California and before our return flights to Washington DCA. For purposes of this review I will included details from both stays. As the name may infer the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel is an airport hotel within a three-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The location is amazing for an off-site airport hotel. About the only way the hotel could be closer is if it was attached to the LAX terminal.
Arrival and Check In
Arriving at LAX was a hot mess with construction happening everywhere in the terminal. Our bags were delivered within five minutes by Delta and we were on our way to find the hotel shuttle. 
Hotel Shuttle
One of the best amenities of the hotel is that it offers a free shuttle. Moreover, the hotel offers the ability to track the location of shuttles via a map on the Marriott app. This was a standout feature that I hadn't seen at any other hotel. When we used the shuttle, it seemed to never take more than 5 minutes to arrive but it could take up to 10 minutes to get to the hotel because of the traffic and poor design of LAX.
Hotel Shuttle Tracker
At check-in we were greeted by a very friendly check-in agent. She recognized Christina's elite status and offered her the choice of a $10 dining credit or 1000 points. We were only going to have the chance to have breakfast at the hotel so we chose the points. In addition, on the weekend, when the lounge isn't open, the hotel offers elites vouchers for complimentary breakfast. During our first stay the agent apologized that there were no upgrades available. However, during our second stay we were upgraded to a One Bedroom Executive Suite and allowed to check-in early at 10 am. During both stays I thought the hotel had excellent elite recognition.
Check-In Counter
Something I appreciated about this hotel was that it had some character including interesting artwork throughout the lobby. Another example of this was a live performance by a signer at the lobby bar during check-in on our first day. Both of these are things you typically don't see at an airport hotel.
Lobby Artwork
Club Queen Room and One Bedroom Executive Suite
During our first stay, we stayed in a Queen Room with access to the hotel's club lounge. The room had two queen beds, a tv, desk, and tub in the bathroom. The beds were soft and comfortable. However, the standout feature of the room were the views of the LAX runways. We ended up having clear views of takeoffs and landings at the airport which I found fun. The standout feature though had a big draw. Throughout the night we could hear the noise from the planes taking off and landing because the room had poor sound proofing. This is result of poor planning since you would think an airport hotel would have good sound proofing. 
Queen Beds
During our second stay, we stayed in an upgraded one bedroom executive suite. The suite had one king bed and a sofa bed. Just like the first room it also features great runway views.
King Bed
The sofa bed was not comfortable and I would have preferred to keep the two queen beds instead of the suite upgrade.
Sofa Bed
The suite also had a desk, tv, tub, and a mini-fridge. One odd aspect of the suite was that it had no microwave. I was disappointed that the suites in the hotel didn't have a microwave and we were informed that there was just one shared microwave for hotel guests.
Amenities
The hotel offered an outdoor pool and a gym which we did not use but stopped by to check out during our stay. The pool was small and shallow but I was impressed that they offered one at all at an airport hotel. The gym was large and well equipped.
Dining
During our first stay, we had a chance to check out the breakfast buffet before our morning train ride to Santa Barbara. The breakfast buffet was impressive and the best breakfast buffet I had seen at a hotel within the United States.
The buffet offered a wide variety of cold food options including fruit (melons, strawberries, bananas), yogurt, cold cuts, lox with cream cheese, bagels, and muffins. It also included hot food options including scrambled eggs, french toast, sausages, potatoes, and bacon. The stand out option though was the fresh omelet station. The omelet options included mozzarella, tomatoes, onions, and ham.
Cold Food Options
The buffet also offers a variety of drinks including orange juice, hot chocolate, coffee, and smoothies. I liked the orange juice, was disappointed with the hot chocolate, which was too milky and didn't include enough chocolate. Christina really liked the coffee and enjoyed the guava and mango smoothie.
Omlet Station
During our second stay, the club lounge was open so we had breakfast and dinner at the club lounge. The breakfast offerings were average and included powered scrambled eggs, potatoes, sauce, bagels, and a variety of fruit. I tried the eggs which I thought were okay and some fruit which I thought was good. Christina also enjoyed the fruit along with the sausage. Overall, this was a let down from the very good breakfast buffet but was better than other complimentary breakfasts I had within the U.S.
The area where the lounge excelled was with the evening hors d'oeuvres which were substantial enough to substitute for dinner. The first night featured chicken and gravy while second night featured penne pasta with turkey meatballs. I thought the penne pasta and turkey meatballs dish was so good that I got seconds.
Evening d'oeuvres
The lounge also featured great plane spotting which we enjoyed during every visit. Overall, I thought the lounge experience especially in the evening was solid.
Service
The service at this hotel was solid. I liked the staff and thought all of the staff were helpful and friendly. During our first day I appreciated that the staff recognized Christina's status, explained all of the elite benefit options and seemed genuinely disappointed to not be able to upgrade us. The biggest area of improvement for service would be to improve the speed responding to requests. During our second stay, two of us had to sleep on the sofa bed, but there weren't extra sheets or pillows in the room. We called and asked for pillows and blankets. While the staff did bring them the delivery took a long time. It would have been good for the staff to respond faster or proactively bring extra pillow and blankets since there were four people on the reservation.
Take Away
My expectations for an airport hotel are typically low. However, the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel really stood out. The hotel offered many things which are not typical of an airport hotel including an excellent breakfast buffet, interesting artwork, and a pool. This all came in addition to the great elite recognition, very close airport location, free airport shuttle, solid club lounge, and friendly staff. While there were areas for improvement including better sound proofing and quicker service this was a very good airport hotel. If you find yourself in need of a hotel near LAX I would definitely recommend the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Flight Overview
Our first experience with Delta's 757 felt like the longest flight ever as I got squeezed into a Comfort+ middle seat on this more than 5 hour flight. Pros- Industry Leading Airline Lounge, Strong In-flight Service Cons- Uncomfortable Comfort+ Middle Seat, Unresponsive and Error Prone IFE, Gross Economy Meal, No Economy Amenities 
DCA Terminal
Check-In
Check-in was smooth with a quick drop of our bags at the Delta baggage drop. Where things really slowed down though was at security. There were a ton of people traveling on Valentine's Day 2020. It is crazy to look back and realize that we had no idea just how much we would be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic just one month later. Even though we had TSA PreCheck it took us about 10 minutes to get through Washington Reagan National (DCA) security line. This was really slow considering that this was prior to the consolidation of all of the security checkpoints at DCA. 
Delta DCA Check-In
Delta SkyClub DCA
Once we got through security, we headed to our then favorite airline lounge the Delta SkyClub at DCA. Since I previously reviewed the SkyClub I will focus here on what was a different this trip. 
Delta SkyClub DCA Check-in
First off, I will say the SkyClub impressed us as always and I believe it truly was an industry leading domestic airline lounge. The staff had the lounge decked out in Valentine's Day decorations and had special Valentines treats waiting for SkyClub guests. I am always impressed by just how well the SkyClub staff at DCA execute on themes. We ended up having one of each of the treats and I can attest that they were yummy.
Valentine's Day Treats
Once again on this visit the views and food were top notch. It was a clear day and we could not only see the Potomac and the tarmac but had a clear view of the U.S. Capitol building.
For food we had a variety of choices including macaroni, butternut squash soup, noodles flatbread, and sandwiches. We ended up having the macaroni which was really good, the flatbread which was not good because it was cold, and a turkey sandwich which was also very good.
Boarding
When we got to the gate shortly before boarding it was crowded. The flight wasn't looking for volunteers but went out completely full. I checked my seat and realized that we had both been "upgraded" to a Comfort+, Delta's extra legroom seat, middle seat despite the fact that I had requested an upgrade only if it was to an aisle or window seat. On Delta, Comfort+ is considered a separate class despite being just extra legroom economy. Delta Silver Medallions have the ability to receive a Comfort+ upgrade 24 hours out. You also can select to only be upgraded if a non-middle seat is available to ensure you aren't stuck in a middle seat on a long flight. However, this was the second time I selected this option and it didn't work. I was really frustrated and really don't like the way in which Delta's handles Comfort+ upgrades for Silver Medallion elites. For American Airlines and United Airlines their extra legroom seats are not considered a separate class so you have the option to simply select any open extra legroom seat 24 hours prior to departure. Because the flight was completely full, I had no choice and I was stuck in a middle seat on this over 5 hour Valentine's Day flight in a different row than my traveling companion Christina. 
DCA Gate 21
Plane and Seats
This flight is considered a premium route for Delta and this was the first time Christina and I had flown the route on Delta. Because it is a premium route Delta has Delta One lie-flat seats on a Boeing 757. Delta is the only airline currently serving this route with lie-flat seating. For this flight I ended up 23 out of 31 on the Delta One upgrade list so was suck with 23E my middle Comfort+ seat. Overall, I love the mood lighting on Delta flights and the color scene of their seats which gives the plane a premium feel. However, this couldn't hide that fact that this Boeing 757 was starting to show its age. My seat itself was comfortable and had good padding and legroom. It also had a Comfort+ pocket to hold my phone and two 110-V outlets shared between the three seats. My biggest complaint was that I was suck in the middle of what ended up feeling like the flight wouldn't end. This was because I was squeezed between two people including one gentleman who was very large and despite his best efforts flowed about halfway into my seat. I spent the entire flight feeling very uncomfortable and mad at Delta for putting me into the Comfort+ middle seat "upgrade" I didn't request. 
Delta Boeing 757
Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment
Despite this being a premium route there were no amenities such as a blanket or pillow in economy class. However, like the vast majority of Delta flights the seats did have seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) system which also included a USB charger. About 15 minutes into the flight a flight attendant came around offering complimentary earbuds but I declined since I had my own noise cancelling headphones. The IFE was one place where the plane showed its age. It was not very responsive and I had multiple issues using it. At one point I couldn't fast forward, pause, or change the movie, and was limited to only increasing or decreasing the volume. 
Delta IFE
The one place where the IFE system did shine was the wide selection of over 100 movies and a wide selection of television shows. The IFE system also offered audio and a selection of live television stations offered by Dish including ESPN, CNBC, and CNN.
Delta IFE
On the flight I watched Spider Man Far from Home. When I tried to play a second movie, Harriett, the IFE system froze. Then after a few minutes the IFE had sound but no video. Delta really needs to work on maintaining these IFE systems.
Delta IFE
Food and Drinks
One benefit of this being a premium flight for Delta was the complimentary meal for economy passengers. However, the options were not impressive. About 50 minutes into the flight the flight attendants starting serving the meal and the options were chicken noodle salad or fruit and cheese plate both of which were served cold. We both had the chicken noodle salad and it was in one word gross. The noodles were so bad that is made Christina sick. Honestly, it would be better to charge for food on this route if it were at least going to be edible. 
Chicken Noodles
After the food was dropped off the flight attendants came by with drinks and I had a California Cabernet Sauvignon. The flight attendants also came by two more times during the flight offering drinks. I missed the second round but for the third round I ordered Prosecco which was okay. The flight attendants also offered a snack basket with options for Comfort+ passengers including Kind bars, Biscoff cookies, peanuts, bananas, and Oreo thins. I chose the Oreo Thins which I always find to be a solid choice.
Service
The service on this flight was impeccable as I have come to expect from Delta. The flight attendants were continually working throughout the flight. They had multiple drink and snacks services to make sure we were taken care of over this five hour flight. This crew was clearly dedicated to showing the strong service Delta is known for.
Arrival
We ended up arriving 21 minutes early and I was so happy! This flight was about 5 hours but felt like 10 because I was so uncomfortable. As we exited, I got a quick peek at the Delta One cabin and I would really like to have a flight with lie-flat seats on one of these cross-country flights. 
757 Delta One Cabin
After we exited the plane, we ran into one interesting passenger who flew Delta One on our flight former Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder. Christina stopped him and he kindly agreed to take a picture with her!
Christina with former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
Take Away
This flight experience was a mixed bag for me with great ground experience and what felt like the longest flight ever despite impeccable service. On the ground Delta once again had an impressive ground experience with the best domestic airline lounge I had been to in the SkyClub DCA. In the air Delta continued to deliver the strong service I have come to know from the airline. On the other hand, the airline's technology failures and bad food led to what ended up being a miserable more than 5 hour flight. I think if I took this flight again in the future with Christina I would opt out of the Comfort+ upgrades and either stay in a regular economy seat or find a way for us to upgrade to the Delta One lie-flat seats. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review 
Dad in California
Introduction
In February 2020, I had the pleasure of taking my Dad on a trip to California for his 70th birthday. This was the first time he had traveled to the West Coast of the United States. The planning of the trip began months before when I let my Dad know that for his 70th birthday I would take him anywhere in the world. He narrowed it down to two places he was interested in visiting California, and England. After a lot of discussion, we decided to take a trip to the Central Coast of California to see my wife's family and to check out the sites in the Los Angeles area. For this trip Christina and my Mom also decided to come along and it was the first time all four of us had traveled together. I was happy to have three traveling companions along for the trip. This trip was truly eye opening my for Dad. He really loved the kindness of the people in the Central Coast of California, was surprised by the traffic in Los Angeles, and thought the beauty of the California Coast line was stunning. However, the most memorable line from our trip was him telling me he was shocked by size of California and couldn't believe it was all just one state! It also still amazes me that despite all of my trips just how much more relaxed the vibe is in California versus the East Coast.
Booking Flights
For our flights we decided to book all of the flights into and out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) because it allowed my parent's to only have one stop flight from The Bahamas. My parent's booked flights from Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) to LAX with a connection in Charlotte on American Airlines. This was the flight that had the best timing and ended up costing $426 per ticket. We had previously broken up with American Airlines and decided to match our American Airlines Gold status to Delta Silver in 2019. Since only American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Delta offered non-stop flights from Washington Reagan National (DCA) to LAX it made our selection easy. One added benefit of flying Delta on this route is that it is a premium route so we would be served a meal even in economy and have the chance (an extremely small chance) to have a same day upgrade to Delta One lie flat seats. 
Delta 757 DCA
Since we had few Delta miles and the mileage cost on this premium route was expensive, we decided to book with cash. Also, Christina had a work meeting back in Washington D.C. so we booked separate tickets. Her roundtrip DCA-LAX ticket was $413 and she earned 2,506 Delta miles which I value at $31. My roundtrip DCA- LAX ticket cost $473 and earned me 2,982 miles which I value at $36.
Booking Train
On our trip we needed to get to and from Los Angeles and Christina and I really don't like driving especially in the Los Angeles traffic. So, we decided to take the Amtrak Surfliner from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara and back. The cost was ~$30 for each of the three tickets and we redeemed Amtrak Guest Reward Points for one ticket. 
Amtrak Surfliner Train
Booking Hotels
We stayed with Christina's parents in the Central Coast and in hotels during our four nights in Los Angeles. Because my parents' flights arrived at about 11 pm and departed at 5 am we decided to stay in an airport hotel for all four nights in Los Angeles. Because of Christina's Marriott Platinum elite status we chose a Marriott brand hotel the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The cost was $167 for the first night and $474 for the second three-night stay. I thought both of these were quite reasonable for a California hotel and after our stay I would say this hotel offers very good value. 
Renaissance LAX
Summary
It was such an honor to take my Dad to California and even now I look back on the trip and it warms my heart. I also feel it was amazing timing since the following month the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most travel and we would have cancelled the entire trip. I look forward to sharing my reviews especially of some of the beauty of California and some interesting attractions in the Central Coast and metropolitan areas around Los Angeles. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
Flight Overview
Our first experience with Delta domestic First Class meal service had average food but impressive service. The Delta 737-800 was a bucket of bolts and really needed a refresh. Pros- Impressive Service, Strong Amenities Cons- Old and Loud Plane, Ancient In-Flight Entertainment System 
Boeing 737-800
After matching to Delta status in November 2019 Christina and I had our first upgrade to Delta First Class that included meal service due to empty Friday after Thanksgiving flights. I am going to focus this review on the flight. While we visited the Delta Sky Club at Salt Lake City (SLC) before this flight Delta has since opened a new Sky Club. Therefore, I am going to skip a review of the lounge and look forward to checking out on my next time through SLC.
Boarding As we headed to the gate it was a very snowy day at SLC, however, I was impressed by how the airport was able to handle the snow and I barely noticed any impact to airport operations. Christina and I were upgraded 24 hours out from the flight based on our Delta SkyMiles Silver status. At that time there were still nine free First Class seats because of very light after Thanksgiving loads. 
Snowy SLC
We really appreciated receiving the upgrade in advance since it gave us access to these Sky Priority Benefits including priority check-in and priority baggage handling. Delta doesn’t give Silver elite access to Sky Priority benefits so as Delta Silver’s our best way to get access to these was to get upgraded in advance or purchase and upgrade. Because the upgrade we were among the first people on the flight.
Departure Gate C6
Plane and Seats
The plane was literally a bucket of bolts with a screw falling from above when I went to put my bag into an overhead bin. Delta is known for keeping planes longer than other airlines and fixing up the interiors but this plane was not yet refreshed. 
Boeing 737-800 Interior
On the flight we were originally seated in 3B and 3D across from each other. After all elites and one employee were upgraded there was one open seat left in First Class and the flight still had 23 free seats in economy. The First Class seat was like a throwback to 1990s and didn’t include Delta’s modern look. Because I was seated across from Christina a friendly flight attendant who ended up working economy said we’re okay to switch seats and if someone else showed up we should ask them to take my original seat.
First Class Seat
The seat I switched to, 3C, had a broken arm rest. The flight attendant was very apologetic about the broken seat. Another negative aspect of these old seats was that they had no headrest. The positive aspect of these old seats was that they contained far more padding than the modern slimline seats. This padding made the seat more comfortable but the material made the seat hold in more heat. This Boeing 737-800 was loud and I was very glad that I had noise canceling headphones or the sound would have driven me crazy. Right before take-off the captain let us know that the flight time was a little over three hours with a strong tail wind.
Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment
When we boarded at our seats were a thin pillow and a blanket. The blanket was thin but comfortable. I appreciated that Delta had bottled water, though it is not environmentally friendly, at the seat when we arrived because I am often dehydrated in flight. I hope Delta is able to find a more environmentally friendly container to provide passengers with water prior to departure. 
Seat Amenities
While I don’t typically comment on airplane bathrooms, I have to commend Delta on the high-quality bathroom amenities on this flight. The amenities included Malin+Goetz hand soap and lotion. While cost doesn’t always equate to quality just one 8.5 fluid ounce bottle of the Malin+Goetz lotion retails at $36 as of October 2022. I thought these were strong amenities since many airlines don’t even include any lotion on most domestic First Class flights yet alone a high-quality variety like Malin+Goetz.
Malin+Goetz Lotion
The in-flight entertainment screens on this flight were tiny (about the size of an iPhone Plus), old, and slow. The seats still had manual dials for overhead IFE showing you just how old the plane was. As I clicked through the IFE it was not responsive and needed significant updates.
IFE Monitor
Food and Drinks
After we got settled into our seats one of the flight attendants working First Class offered us a pre-departure beverage. Christina declined while I ordered a Sprite.Afterwards she confirmed our pre-orders then went to take the passengers orders. 
Pre-Departure Beverage
After some turbulence subsided, the dinner meal service started with a hot towel service which was warm and had refreshing scents. The dinner came on one tray with broccoli, side salad (parmesan, baby tomatoes, and iceberg lettuce), white bread butter, and steak with potatoes. My salad was boring but at least came out fresh. I found the bread was soft but below average. The steak and potatoes were well cooked and seasoned and the broccoli was good. Christina found her salad to be plain and the bread stale. Christina’s ravioli was lukewarm but overall good and she thought light years above American Airline’s First Class meals.
Steak Dinner
Overall, I found the dinner to be the perfect serving size and I really liked the silverware by Alessi. Christina was also impressed by the silverware and thought it was strong and classy. Moreover, she was impressed that the tray was well made, had a Delta pattern, and a strong grip. Both of us agreed that the highlight of the meal service was the Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream ice cream served for dessert.
Prior to landing the flight attendants came around with the snack basket which included the following choices: 1) Kind Bars, 2) El Augustin, 3) Oreo Thins, and 4) Cheez It. Christina got Augustin and Oreo Thins and I had Oreo Thins. We both liked our choices and the wide Delta snack selection.
Service
On this flight there ended up being two flight attendants working the 16 seats in First Class much better than American Airlines which typically only has one flight attendant for domestic First Class on narrow-body planes. Having two flight attendants made service really fast as these flight attendants divided and conquered service. For example, even with strong turbulence the flight attendants came by with more bottles of water, continual refills, and were quick to clear our dishes. The only minor hiccup was that towards the end of the flight the flight attendants brought our coats from the closet but forgot my suit bag. Later I reminded the flight attendant and she brought my suit bag before departing the plane. Overall, the flight attendant service was professional, kind, and accommodating.
Take Away
On our first Delta First Class flight with meal service Delta delivered impressive service, strong amenities, average food and drinks, but the bucket of bolts plane and IFE left a lot to be desired. Despite being only average Delta’s food and drinks were still miles ahead American Airlines First Class and its service was in a different category all together. I hope Delta upgrades all of its domestic narrow body planes with the new look and feel. In particular the IFE systems really held back our otherwise good experience on this flight and are sorely in need of an upgrade. Despite these drawbacks I would likely choose to take Delta on domestic First Class on this route again. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
Flight Overview
The Apartment experience featured the best lounge I have ever visited, the best seats I have ever flown along with thoughtful design touches and amazing in-flight entertainment. Pros- Great Lounge, Stunning Seat, Thoughtful Onboard Design, Amazing In-Flight Entertainment, and Unique Amenities Cons- Underwhelming Service and Tasteless Onboard Food First Class Honeymoon Trip Report First Class Honeymoon Overview Delta Sky Club DCA Review Delta CRJ 900 DCA-JFK First Class Review Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York JFK Review Singapore Airlines A380 JFK-FRA Suites Review Singapore Airlines A380 FRA-SIN Suites Review JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach Review Singapore Surprise Singapore Airlines 737-800 SIN-MLE Business Class Review The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Review Etihad Airways A320 MLE-AUH Business Class Review Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Dubai Review The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Review Exploring Abu Dhabi Etihad Apartments A380 AUH-JFK Apartments Review 
Etihad First Class Entrance
Check-In
We pulled up to the First Class entrance at Abu Dhabi International (AUH) and were greeted by Etihad staff ready to help us with our bags. Since we had no more local cash left we decided to handle the bags ourselves. We walked into the terminal and were ushered over to seats for the check-in process. This was the first time I had ever completed an airline check-in process seated and it was a strange feeling. The agent checked in our bags and recognized our American Airlines elite status which is something I really appreciate about Etihad. Once our check-in was complete she insisted that we head through Pre-Clearance about 50 minutes before departure to make sure we didn't miss boarding. After check-in we headed through the First Class line at security which was a quick process. Once we cleared security we headed to the First Class lounge. 
Etihad First Class Lounge
Etihad First Class Lounge
Etihad's First Class Lounge is the nicest lounge I had ever visited even beating out the Virgin America Clubhouse at New York JFK. Some of amenities included a gym, relaxing chairs, and complimentary spa treatments. Because we wanted to make sure not to miss our departure we didn't have a chance to use any of these. 
Etihad First Class Lounge
However, the one benefit we did get to try was the al a carte dining. When were in the lounge they were serving breakfast which ended up being really good. We were seated at a table with great runway views.
Etihad First Class Lounge
For breakfast I ordered Kimchi pancakes and Christina ordered the Eggs Benedict. The Kimchi pancakes were very different than any other pancakes I had ever tasted. They were very savory and doughy almost like a soft flat bread crust, but I did like them. Christina also enjoyed her Eggs Benedict and said it was at the level of the one she really liked at the Al Maha.
Eggs Benedict
US Pre-Clearance and Premium Lounge
Etihad's First Class lounge AUH is located after the first layer of security but not after the second layer of security or the pre-clearance for US flights. This means that passengers have to leave the lounge early and then head through pre-clearance.We ended up taking the check-in attendants advice and leaving 50 minutes before departure which was way too early. While pre-clearance is a big benefit for most passengers it can actually be frustrating for those with Global Entry, since the process can sometimes take longer than using Global Entry on arrival. That was definitely the case at AUH. When we left the First Class lounge the terminal was crowded with people and it took us about 10 minutes to walk to the pre-clearance. Once we got to pre-clearance the entire process took us about 15 minutes since we had access to premium security and Global Entry. 
US Pre-Clearance Premium Lounge Drinks
Once we got through pre-clearance we headed to the Premium Lounge which is shared by First Class and Business Class passengers on US bound flights. This lounge was packed with people and it was a struggle for us to even find a seat. The lounge offerings were also really unimpressive compared to the First Class lounge. It offered coffee, drinks, and cold snacks only. It was better than being in the crowded terminal but a huge step down from the First Class lounge. My advice if you are flying First Class and have Global Entry would be to spend as much time as possible in the First Class Lounge.
Etihad A380 Parked at AUH
Boarding
When we arrived at the gate it was packed with people and the beautiful A380 was parked at the gate. The First Class Cabin on this flight was also full despite only four seats being full a day before departure. I assumed this was due to people getting upgraded. On this flight there was no passenger in The Residence which is Etihad's exclusive A380 experience above First Class which comes with your own apartment in the sky. When boarding commenced Etihad called First Class and Business Class at the same time which was frustrating and led to a hectic boarding process. Since we were in First Class we boarded via the upper deck. Shortly after we sat in our seats we were greeted by the onboard Chef, whom we believed was Australian. He handed us the food and drink menu and asked us if we wanted to shower onboard. We said yes to to the shower and gave our dinner orders. He also informed us that we could eat anytime starting one hour after takeoff. We asked to be served 3 hours into flight and to dine together. Once the chef left our flight attendant came by and handed us our amenity kits. The plane ended up having a technical problem which required a power restart. Before we pushed away from the gate Etihad ran a video with a Muslim prayer for the flight. Once the power was restarted, we took off for what the captain said was a 13 hour and 10 minute flight to New York JFK. 
Etihad A380 Upper Deck Boarding
Plane and Seats
The seats in the First Class cabin on Etihad's A380 are called the Apartments because they are so spacious. 
Ethiad Apartments
The cabin had 10 Apartments two of which can be lowered to connect 3K and 4K, our seats, and 3A and 4A. The cabin was quite beautiful and clearly Etihad put a lot of thought into its design. Sitting in 4K meant that I had to experience taking off sitting backwards which was strange and on takeoff almost made me feel ill but the rest of the flight I felt no difference.
Connected Apartments
There are big holes in the doors but generally the Apartments are quite private and have no overheads bins which makes each Apartment feel spacious. However, this means you can see lights from other seats when trying to sleep. The Apartment was quite large and featured a couch with a seatbelt to allow another First Class passenger to sit in the Apartment. This was great for dining since the tray table is large enough for two and Christina and I dined together for every meal. This even allowed her to stay in my apartment during turbulence because there is a seatbelt.
Ramon and Christina's Apartments
The seat itself was a large and very comfortable leather recliner. It felt like a high-end chair in a home and I loved it. The chair had numerous features some of which I did not even get to try on the flight. This included a big recline and options to change the firmness and softness of the chair. Shades were on the inside of the seat and were automatically set in the down position for most of flight which I liked.
Christina's Apartment
One downside of the seat was that it had no individual air vents. A lot of airlines do this in premium cabins and I think it makes no sense to exclude these. When we asked for water because we were hot the flight attendant asked if she should lower the cabin temp and we said yes. The seat had a ton of storage with areas hidden all around to store small items and two areas below the bench/bed. One of the hidden spaces was a drawer which stored sodas at room temperature. In this drawer there were two small bottles of water two cans of Sprite and two cans of Coke. The seat also had a vanity with a bright light which we used to store our amenity kits. Another space we didn't find until almost the end of the flight was a place to store headphones that could also fit a water bottle.
Drink Storage
The seat also had a closet with a hanger which I used after changing into my lounge wear. This further demonstrated the thoughtfulness of the Apartment design.
Closet
The Apartment also featured a bed that came out of the bench and when we were ready to sleep the attendant folded it out and added a pillow and a mattress pad. Overall, the bed was hard but certainly more comfortable than most airlines seats. I got no sleep but that had more to do with my body’s clock, noise, and light in the cabin than the seat.
Bed
Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment
When we sat at our seats there were very comfortable blankets waiting for us. 
Blanket
The flight attendant also came by with amenity kits and slippers. These kits contained very small portions of lip balm, lotion, cologne, and a toothbrush/toothpaste. Several of the amenities were made by Acqua Di Parma and I thought that the sizes were really small but the scents were really good.
Upon boarding we were also handed loungewear, made by Friend of Mine, which I thought was comfortable and unlike Singapore Airlines actually had pockets which I really liked. I appreciated that it had pants pockets but it wasn't as stylish or as durable as Singapore Airline's pajamas. I also did not like the slippers. I found them be insufficiently soft.
Friend of Mine Pajamas
When flying in the Apartments passengers have access to two large onboard bathrooms. These bathrooms had many fewer amenities than Singapore Airlines Suites. For example, there were no shaving kits and no mouthwash.
Bathroom Amenities
The real standout feature of the bathrooms though was the onboard shower which was only in one of the bathrooms. The onboard chef came around near the beginning of the flight to take shower reservations and when it was our time, we were told that we each had 15 minutes of water and that we could start and stop the shower. Etihad provided a towel along with Acqua di Parma shampoo and conditioner. The shower started off really cold but warmed up after a few minutes. It was really a surreal experience to shower in the air.
Onboard Shower
Another perk of flying in the Apartment was complimentary Wi-Fi, however, we found it difficult to connect to the Panasonic Wi-Fi and when we were able to connect it was so slow that it was almost unusable. The Apartment also offered an intuitive screen with an impressive array of options including movies, music, TV on-demand, live TV, and games. During the flight we watched Tag, Spider-Man, and Mary Queen of Scots. The selection was amongst the best I had ever seen and by the end of the nearly 14 hours we still had a lot of entertainment options.
Ethiad IFE
One of the coolest things about the TV was the ability to order food and drinks over the television. We ordered drinks through the TV during the flight and it worked seamlessly.
Food and Drink Ordering
Another fun feature of the Etihad A380 was the tail camera. During our flight we had mostly clear skies which lead to some stunning photos from the tail camera.
Etihad A380 Tail Camera
Two weak points of the in-flight entertainment (IFE) experience were the distance from the screen to the chair and the headphones. While Etihad generally nailed the design of the apartments one weak thing was that really responsive touch screen was too far to touch from the seat. To overcome this Etihad provided a controller which could also be used to watch another show or play a game. However, at times the controller froze requiring me to stand up and select content from the touchscreen. The headphones provided by Etihad had good sound quality but were small and uncomfortable. The noise cancelling was good but not at the level of Bose.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Food and Drinks
Before takeoff we were offered our pre-departure beverages of choice along with mixed nuts. The nuts were okay and the drink we selected was champagne but the onboard chef served us Rose Champagne which was bad despite being a 2006 vintage. We switched to the Brut for the rest of the flight which was better but not good especially compared to the Krug we had on Singapore Airlines. 
Pre-Departure Beverage
For dinner I selected the lamb while Christina selected the salmon. The dinner service started with a bread course. We had a pretzel roll and a twist. The pretzel roll was good while the twist was okay. We then enjoyed an Arabic Mezze. The Tabbouleh was good while the hummus was okay.
Bread and Arabic Mezze
I found that the sides with the lamb were better than the lamb itself. The sides were flavorful and rich while lamb was dry.
Lamb
Christina did not like the salmon. She found it to be dry, bland and only ate half of it.
Salmon
After dinner we asked for the caviar course which we enjoyed. During our travels we found that Caviar really pairs well with champagne.
Caviar
In between the courses it was nice to have drink drawer since the service was slow and not attentive. The flight attendants never proactively re-filled our water. At one point the flight attendant changed the table setting removed my napkin but didn't bring me a new one. For dessert we had the camel milk chocolate mousse, which was okay, and chocolate chip cookies which were yummy.
Later in the flight, we ordered off of anytime grill menu and I had the steak frites and Christina had the steak sandwich. I thought the steak was a bit rubbery and the fries were okay. Christina thought the steak sandwich was also only okay since it was a bit dry. We tried multiple cocktails and they were all really bad. We tried all three red wines and they were all decent but our favorite was the Bordeaux.
Onboard Lounge
When the flight attendants were changing our seats into bed mode we went and hung out in the onboard lounge. This is a shared space accessible to passengers in the Apartments and Business Class. It had leather padded seats and a television. We tried to order food and drinks here but were told this wasn't allowed. This was frustrating because I had seen other bloggers served food and drinks in the lounge. Not allowing food and drinks really limited the utility of the space for anything other than socializing with other passengers. While we were in the lounge, we did meet another nice couple that were also heading back to the United States after time spent in The Maldives. Overall, the dining experience was poor especially for First Class. While there was a wide selection, I found many of the dishes were of poor quality.
Service
The service on Etihad can be best described as underwhelming. No one was rude but it didn't feel like they went above and beyond in delivering service to First Class passengers. For example, early in the flight the onboard chef came by to take our orders and ask us if we wanted to shower. However, he didn't offer us any specific options for the shower reservation or explain how the process worked. This led to us being randomly called to shower during the flight. We also noticed that the meals all started with a caviar course with only one type of caviar offered so we didn't bother ordering it until our main course arrived and we hadn't been served the caviar course. We asked the chef and he said that it was something they only served when asked. This wasn't something he mentioned when he walked us through the menu. Another example was that we were never asked if we wanted breakfast. Instead, the flight attendants came around asking us to get ready for landing. Furthermore, the Etihad service was slow and not at all customized. In one case our dirty dishes weren't collected until 40 minutes after our meal was done. Also, we mentioned to the flight attendant that it was our honeymoon but during the whole flight there was no recognition. The food service was supposed to be dine on demand but every time we ordered food the flight attendants seemed to get annoyed and towards the end of the flight Etihad starting running out of food. Part of the problem is that the First Class cabin was full with about nine passengers served by two flight attendants and an onboard chef helping to prepare the food. At times they seemed overwhelmed.
Arrival
About 45 minutes out from landing the flight attendants allowed the blinds to be put up again and came around with hot towels. I found flying Westward during the day nonstop much easier and less exhausting than our trip to Singapore. One weird thing we found out near arrival is that one person on Etihad flight was also on our flight Singapore Airlines Suites flight to Singapore. About 30 minutes out Etihad turned off IFE which I did it like. We made a hard landing at 3:50 pm and got to the gate at 4:05 pm about 5 minutes late. The staff opened the door and allowed the passengers in the Apartments to deplane first. Finally, when we arrived at baggage claim Etihad unloaded the business class bags before the Apartments something which I found frustrating. 
View on Arrival to New York City
Take Away
Our experience flying Etihad Apartments onboard the A380 was very inconsistent. On one hand Etihad had the best First Class lounge I have ever visited, the best seat I had ever flown in, stunning design choices, amazing inflight entertainment, and unique amenities including an onboard shower. However, on the other hand the execution by the staff was poor with underwhelming service and tasteless food which we often found to be too dry despite having an onboard chef. Etihad's ground service, and inflight hard product on the A380 have the potential to be among the best in the world but Etihad needs to improve its execution including its staff training and onboard food and drinks. 
Etihad A380 Parked at JFK
By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog.
First Class Honeymoon Trip Report
First Class Honeymoon Overview Delta Sky Club DCA Review Delta CRJ 900 DCA-JFK First Class Review Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York JFK Review Singapore Airlines A380 JFK-FRA Suites Review Singapore Airlines A380 FRA-SIN Suites Review JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach Review Singapore Surprise Singapore Airlines 737-800 SIN-MLE Business Class Review The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Review Etihad Airways A320 MLE-AUH Business Class Review Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Dubai Review The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Review Exploring Abu Dhabi Etihad Apartments A380 AUH-JFK Apartments Review
Exploring Abu Dhabi Overview
Ministry of Presidential Affairs
We were only in Abu Dhabi for a day and a half, but in that short time the city made a lasting impression. This was our first experience inside a middle eastern country, which was an especially unique experience since we were there during Ramadan. Our adventure in the city showed Abu Dhabi as a city with intricate architecture, new infrastructure, strict conservative culture, and a mixed welcome from the locals.
Mural
Attractions
Qasr Al Hosn It was late when we arrived in Abu Dhabi, so we only were able to visit one place before heading to bed. Qasr Al Hosn is an old fort inside the heart of city that is now used as a museum. We arrived at night and saw the building was lit up beautifully. When we pulled up from our Uber, we were a bit taken aback as there were military people with automatic riffles surrounding the whole campus. When they saw we were concerned, the guards gave us a friendly gesture signaling that it was okay for us to continue inside. 
Qasr Al Hosn
Once inside, we were greeted by a few Emirati women, dress in their traditional clothes. At that time, we thought they were probably dressed this way for their job, but as we continued to venture through the city, we realized Emiratis dressed in their traditional garb as their daily wear. This made it very clear which people were immigrants or visitors, versus which people were Emirati.
Qasr Al Hosn
The Emirati women first spoke to me in Arabic. After learning that my Arabic vocabulary is limited to about ten words, the women switched to flawless English and said they couldn’t believe I wasn’t Emirati, or at least Arabic. When they found out I was of Mexican decent, the women kept questioning if I was at least part Arabic. This was an experience that continued during the entire trip in the UAE.
Qasr Al Hosn
As we continued through the museum, we learned a bit about the history of the UAE, the culture, and so on. While the museum was light on content, the architecture was stunning.
House of Artisans Exhibit
Tickets included a second museum close by, House of Artisans, where they had a showing of the traditional making of coffee (which was quite delicious), and how traditional Emartis used to basket weave when they were nomads. Compared to other museums we have visited around the world these museums did not have a lot of content. I also noticed throughout the museum, there was a noticeable dearth of information regarding the contributions women made to UAE history.
Coffee Making
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
We only had one full day in Abu Dhabi and Sheik Zayed Gran Mosque was our first stop. The mosque was another beautiful piece of architecture, but there wasn’t a tour guide or a pamphlet to understand what we were viewing.
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
When we entered the building, there was several rounds of security check points including guards with semi-automatic weapons, then a person checking the clothes that we were wearing to see if the guests were dressed appropriately. I thought I did a good job finding loose conservative clothing but my top which had ¾ sleeves were called out as inappropriate. So, I was pulled from the line, sent to a dressing room where ladies provided me a robe to wear during our visit.
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
After we saw the mosque, we were starving. There was a small café at the entrance of the mosque, that was covered head to floor in heavy black drapes blocking the general public from viewing inside. This was common practice in food areas during Ramadan. This allowed tourists to eat between sunrise and sunset, without insulting Emirates practices during the religious month. Inside the cafeteria was basic food and basic décor. The quick stop did its job to fuel us up as we kept going for the day.
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi
The second stop of the day was the Louvre Abu Dhabi. I was very intrigued to see what this Louvre part 2 was all about. I spent a summer in Paris during my junior year of college studying art history, and was able to navigate the halls of the Louvre without a map by the end of my time in Paris. When I found out there was another Louvre, I did a bit of digging to figure how this came to be.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Since UAE is a newer country, and relatively new with wealth, the country is using global brands (like the Louvre and the Guggenheim) and paying the rights to the well-established names to create recognition and legitimacy in arts, science, and philanthropy.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Artwork
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is a beautiful piece of architecture, filled with light, bright, and open space. The majority of the art inside the museum is borrowed or bought from other museums. I was expecting the dominant form of the art to be Middle Eastern, but the collections were heavily westernized, followed by east Asian pieces, then collections from Africa. The museum reminded me of The British Museum, but with better technology and layout.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Artwork
Towards the end of the visit, we were approached by a local Emirati woman telling us that we had to speak with her to give our opinions of the museum. The questionnaire did not feel optional, but rather a forced conversation, and the woman’s tone was demeaning. This was extra nerve racking since there were security guards walking around the entrance and exits of the museum carrying weapons.
Louvre Abu Dhabi George Washington Portrait
Overall, the museum was a really lovely place to spend some time in, but didn’t connect with the original Louvre in any way.
Emirates Palace Hotel
Emirates Palace Hotel
The third stop of the day was the Emirates Palace Hotel for afternoon tea. The hotel’s architecture is one of grandeur, invoking thoughts of palaces and sultans. Opulence continued throughout the inside with over-the-top decor filled with gold and crystals. Everything around seemed to be dripping with wealth. Most of the hotel guests in the lobby seemed to be locals gathering together, ready to break their fast. The locals were dressed head to toe in their local garb, with added bling, like Rolex watches, designer shoes, and jewelry with diamonds and gold.
Emirates Palace Hotel
The location for afternoon tea was in a small café that had a spot which overlooked the sea. We told the waiter that we were here for high tea. They provided Ramon with a tea, and me with a latte, topped with drinkable gold leaf flakes. High tea also came with a tower of small snack sandwiches and sweet treats. We were impressed with the presentation and the amount of food that came with afternoon tea. The food and drinks were good, but not memorable. Over all, the afternoon tea experience was a good way to relax and decompress.
Emirate Palace Hotel Afternoon Tea
After we had the food, we walked around the property and saw there were small markets built inside the hotel. Some of the stores were filled with high end luxury goods, and others were marketed for tourists. While we were in the store for the tourist, the staff member watched us closely. The staff member aggressively suggested that I should buy a scarf to cover my hair, and made it clear that he thought it was not appropriate for me to be with Ramon. Shaken up, we left the store and the hotel.
Emirates Palace Hotel
Souk
Ramadam Kareem Sign
Our last stop for the day was to visit a souk that was recommended to us by the hotel concierge. Souk is a marketplace in the Middle East, the location where we could buy some gifts and tokens to take home and remember our time in the UAE. When we arrived at the souk, the entrance was again guarded with men with guns.
Souk Abu Dhabi
The inside of the souk had a lot of different little kiosks where you could buy goods like rugs, gold, perfume, and food. I was a bit surprised how much of their goods were imported. It was hard to find things that were made in the UAE. We casually looked around and found a few gems that we brought home. After visiting the souk, we went back to the hotel and packed for our return trip home.
Souk Abu Dhabi
Take Away
Abu Dhabi Skyscrapers
The UAE was an interesting country, and our first experience in the Middle East. The trip was especially unique as we were able to visit the UAE during Ramadan. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is a conservative city trying to balance their devotion to religion and their desire to attract tourists from around the globe. The best part of this city was the stunning architecture and sleek infrastructure. The privilege to travel and experience another culture and way of life is never lost to me. But, the majority of the experiences we had with local Emirates were filled with tension. The only warm welcome we received was from the ladies working at Qasr Al Hosn. Otherwise, we were feeling as if we were disrespectful for not having me cover my hair, or having a non-Emirate Black husband. It was never out of my mind that we were being watched and followed. I think other tourists could have a better experience if they don’t “pass” as a local. We watched other tourist move around the city without judgmental looks. It was especially nerve racking knowing we were being watched and constantly seeing guards around with guns. While we hear the city of Dubai is more liberal and welcoming, returning to the UAE is not high on our list.
Abu Dhabi Skyline
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