50th birthday celebration in Las Vegas - June 23-27, 2022

When I was younger, turning half a century old seemed a long way away, but that milestone arrived quicker than anticipated. Time does fly when you're having fun...why not have more of it in Las Vegas! The first two nights in Sin City would be spent with Kaleb, then the last two nights with the girls.

FLIGHTS

My airfare was covered with Southwest Rapid Rewards points - Kaleb's ticket (on the same flight) was free using my Companion Pass. Kaleb redeemed American Airlines miles to fly onward to Phoenix to hang out with friends while I was with the girls. Both of us used Southwest points to fly home.

LODGING AND MISC

Our first and second nights would be at the NoMad Las Vegas and Delano (now the W) hotels respectively, mostly paid for using two AMEX Platinum Card $200 Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) credits. FHR benefits include an upgraded room upon availability, complimentary breakfast, and $100 property credit. The property credit could be used at many outlets in the MGM portfolio.

For the girls' trip, I redeemed 125,000 American Express Membership Rewards points for 2 rooms for 2 nights at the Bellagio, also through the FHR program.

I used a corporate rate for a mid-sized Hertz car rental.

I got 75% off Texas de Brazil gift cards through a warehouse club promotion combined with a credit card offer.

The girls and I bought SpaFinder gift cards at a discount from Costco during a Mother's Day promotion, preparing for spa day at Qua.

Having MGM Gold status (thanks to a status match to Celebrity Cruises) provided a discount for Thunder from Down Under at the Excalibur. I had heard of this show before but never been, so I was finally going to see what it was all about.

I got a 50% off deal on Groupon for the Number 1 Escape Room in Las Vegas and had no issues redeeming the promo code on certain themed rooms on the merchant's website.

On with our trip...

At the airport, Kaleb and I visited the Escape Lounge, with admission (member plus two guests) provided by the AMEX Platinum Card. The complimentary food and beverage selection was decent, including a full bar.

After an uneventful flight, we picked up the rental car and checked into the NoMad. It occupied a few floors of the Park MGM hotel, so the layout of the room was similar but with different decor, including a clawfoot tub in the bedroom instead of inside the bathroom.

At least we weren't facing the sunny T-Mobile Arena side like our last stay at Park MGM, so the old 1990's air conditioning system could keep up. 

We went downstairs to Eataly and got a charcuterie board for lunch, covered by the FHR $100 property credit.

We spent the rest of the credit on pastries to take over to my cousin Gwen's house. She and her husband Clark recently moved to Vegas, along with the arrival of daughter Rinoa so it was a perfect time to visit.

Afterwards, Kaleb and I headed to dinner at Amalfi by Bobby Flay, with reservations made via OpenTable. We both had a $100 credit to spend at participating Caesars dining outlets, thanks to our Caesars Diamond status, obtained from the Wyndham/Caesars status match merry-go-round (no longer available).

It happened to be Restaurant Week, so a special menu was offered at $80 per person, which included appetizer, main, side and dessert. The food and the service were excellent. Our server presented my chocolate budino with a candle to celebrate my birthday. The bill including drinks totaled exactly $200, so our dining credits covered the entire meal.

mozzarella

shellfish fritto misto

pan-roasted branzino

squid ink fettucine

pistachio sundae

chocolate budino

The next morning, we had breakfast at Primrose, complimentary with our FHR stay. The portions were huge! Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends, and can be made 60 days in advance on their website.

Kaleb and I checked out of NoMad, then checked into the Delano (now the W). Booking through the FHR program provided a 12pm check-in benefit (if room is available), so we could get settled in right away. Nothing had changed since the last time we stayed here.

We were plenty full from breakfast at Primrose, so we spent the afternoon walking around the Strip and playing video games at New York New York.

Tonight's dinner would be at our favorite restaurant in Las Vegas, Raku. We ordered plenty of robata such as beef tendon, pork cheek, and foie gras, as well as a selection of sashimi.

happy birthday to me!

The next morning, we enjoyed complimentary breakfast at Della's Kitchen (no longer in operation).

smoked salmon toast

Then it was time to head to the airport to drop off Kaleb and pick up the girls. We didn't check out of the Delano just yet - the FHR program guaranteed a 4pm check out. Why not? None of the FHR $100 property credit had been redeemed yet! Since the money could be used at any participating MGM outlet, I planned to spend the money at Bellagio, then check out of the Delano through the MGM app.

Kaleb enjoying himself at the airport Centurion Lounge

the girls arrive at the airport

Our two rooms at the Bellagio were well appointed. One was upgraded to a Salone Suite - though Dana and I had to share a king bed, we enjoyed having the extra space.

two queen Spa Tower room

Salone Suite king bed

large suite bathroom

suite bathroom bidet

The girls and I used the $100 Delano property credit on a late lunch of sweet and savory crepes paired with Fiji water at Bellagio Patisserie (the former Jean-Philippe Patisserie).

The Bellagio conservatory had a jungle theme on display. I always enjoy strolling around this area, despite the crowds.

We did a little window shopping, then watched the fountain show in front of the hotel.

SJP shoe store  (no longer open)

15-second clip of the fountains:

Tonight's dinner was at Texas de Brazil. It was hard not to overeat at the salad bar, with a large variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and some hot items on display. We enjoyed the grilled meats that the servers brought to the table, especially the picanha (sirloin cap).

the birthday celebration continues (courtesy of Karen)

The following morning, the four of us enjoyed complimentary breakfast (FHR benefit) at Sadelle's, located next to the Bellagio Conservatory. I was glad to have made advanced reservations through the restaurant website, as the line for walk-ins was very long. The food was tasty with plentiful portions.

smoked salmon benedict

Then it was off to the spa at Qua, located in Caesars Palace. It was convenient to be able to walk there from the hotel. We were armed with SpaFinder gift cards, but they stopped accepting them, even though the SpaFinder website said otherwise. Despite the hiccup, we all enjoyed our treatments and use of the spa facilities there.

Tonight's dinner would be at Lago, located next to the fountains at Bellagio. If you were lucky, you could get a table next to the windows to watch the fountain show, or even al-fresco on the patio (but would be a bit hot in summer). The food was delicious! We split the check between the two rooms so we could use the $100 property credit on each.

Then it was off to Excalibur for the Thunder from Down Under show. The audience was only allowed to record a tame portion of the show.

44-second clip of dancing:

The rest of the show was entertaining. Sure, there were cheesy parts to it, but we were having a good time. There were several bachelorette groups in attendance. Our seats were off to the side so we only got a little bit of attention, which was exactly what we wanted.

The next morning, the three of us had breakfast at Sadelle's again. I say three because Karen had to fly back early due to a last-minute errand that needed to be taken care of.

I forgot to take a picture, but I really enjoyed the house salmon fish tower (bagel with all the fixings), which was way better than the smoked salmon benedict and enormous for the price. Many pictures of the tower are on the Yelp review site.

Before our flight home, our last activity was the "Suzy's Cell" escape room over at Number 1 Escape Room. The theme was very well done. Of course, I couldn't take any pictures of the experience, but the puzzles were cleverly designed. We didn't escape in time but we had fun. I look forward to doing another one of their rooms in the future.

We come to the end of my half-century birthday trip...Vegas is a great place to celebrate!

What's next? We're embarking on a Caribbean cruise with my mom, dad, and brother's families...stay tuned!

(Missed reading about our trip to French Polynesia? Click here! Don't miss a single update! Click here to subscribe and have the latest delivered straight into your inbox...opt out anytime.)

***

If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page or retweeting!

Don't miss a blog entry!  Sign up for updates direct to your inbox here or add the blog to your RSS feed.

Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go?  Contact me at kat (at) yellowdogtravel (d0t) com with your ideas and I can help you plan it!  Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts.  I have lots of happy repeat clients - references always available.

Another disclaimer:  The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Previous post: Paradise awaits in Tahiti and Bora Bora

Paradise awaits in Tahiti and Bora Bora - May 31-June 7, 2022

Ia Orana!

I had a large pool of Marriott Bonvoy points that was previously allocated to a stay at the Al Maha resort near Dubai before the pandemic. I decided to use the points for an aspirational stay at the St. Regis Bora Bora, finding rare points-only award space for an overwater bungalow - usually it's points plus cash, or booking a beach bungalow with points and praying to the upgrade gods. Paradise, here we come!

FLIGHTS

With four months left before departure, there weren't any reasonably priced award tickets to Papeete available. We ended up using our large pool of American Express Membership Rewards points tied with an American Express Business Platinum card to redeem for economy flights on United at 1 cent per point plus a 35% point rebate for having United as the "selected airline". The tickets were upgraded to premium economy using 30,000 United Mileage Plus miles per person each way. (miles earned from United Explorer credit card sign-up bonuses) Cash value would have been around $3,300.

To get to Bora Bora from Papeete, we booked flights on Air Tahiti. I was glad to use points from my CNB Crystal Visa Infinite card as it was difficult to find a good redemption for them. Cash value would have been $950.

LODGING

Our flight to Tahiti would arrive at 7pm, too late to make the last flight to Bora Bora. We decided to spend two nights in Papeete to acclimate to the new time zone before our stay at the St. Regis. A garden view room at the Hilton Tahiti cost 80,000 Hilton Honors points a night. Cash value would have been around $1500. Hilton Diamond status (from having the Hilton Aspire credit card) would provide complimentary breakfast every morning.

At the St. Regis Bora Bora, we would be in a lagoon view overwater superior villa for 5 nights. Cash value of this stay would have been around $10,000! Instead, I redeemed 680,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Complimentary breakfast would be provided due to having Platinum Elite status, acquired from actual stays plus bonus elite nights from having the Marriott Business credit card.

By using points and miles for our flights and hotel, we saved over $15,000! There are annual fees for the credit cards (about $1750), but who wouldn't want to pay that for a week-long vacation in French Polynesia? Note that we didn't have to travel this luxuriously - flying in coach or securing more modest accommodations could have stretched the value of our points for a longer stay or a future trip. 

ACTIVITIES

We didn't plan any excursions in advance. I had in mind a couple of outings off-resort, such as getting dinner from the food trucks (roulottes) parked at Place Vai'ete in Papeete (a 40-minute walk from the Hilton Tahiti), and taking the shuttle from the St. Regis Bora Bora to Vaitape on the main island.

The St. Regis offered complimentary use of stand-up paddleboards and kayaks. Snorkel gear was also included for guests to take advantage of the St. Regis' lagoonairum, but we always bring our own. We also purchased some floating hammocks (like these) to lounge on the water. 

On with our trip...

We rented a car one-way to San Francisco as it would cost less than parking there for the week. Our flight would be departing from the International Terminal, and since we were flying premium economy, we did not have access to the lounges there. We could have gone to the AMEX Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3, but we decided to skip it as we didn't have a lot of time before boarding began.

(As a reminder, since this entry was written well past post-pandemic times, we had to have negative Covid results to travel. We used the proctored BinaxNOW antigen tests to fulfill the requirements.)

The seats in the United Premium Plus cabin were similar to domestic first class, but with footrests. We got a Saks Fifth Avenue-branded pillow and blanket, along with a small amenity kit containing ear plugs and eye mask. Noise-cancelling headphones were available.

After settling in, it was announced that the plane needed a few hours' maintenance, so everyone had to deplane. For our trouble, we were given meal vouchers redeemable at any airport eatery. Kaleb and I spent them at Mustards Bar & Grill, same as the one in Napa Valley.

Once repairs were complete, we boarded and departed around 4:30pm, 3 hours delayed. Dinner was served shortly after takeoff. The chicken meal was not appetizing, with the best part being the salad and the gelato.

Before landing, we got a second meal service...turned out the caterer loaded the same chicken entree served earlier! There was no other choice as all the pasta meals were taken by the time we got served. Note to self and others paying attention - if you want to slightly increase the odds of getting the meal you want, sit on the left side of the plane in 2-3-2 seat configurations. The cart in the left aisle serves the guests sitting in 2-1, and the cart in the right aisle serves the remaining 2-2 seats.

We got into Papeete around 10pm. After getting cash from an airport ATM, we took a taxi for the short ride to the Hilton Tahiti. During check-in, we were welcomed with cold towels and a beverage. It was a nice surprise to find we were upgraded to an ocean view suite! It was spacious with a large bathroom, living room, dining area and balcony. We also received a 6000 XPF voucher towards food and drink.

The next morning, we walked around the grounds before enjoying a delightful breakfast buffet.

Afterwards, we walked across the street to the Pacific Plaza Mall to window shop. A pedestrian overpass made it easy to get to.

We bought food from Carrefour supermarket to enjoy in the comfort of our suite.

"American" section with some Sam's Club items

delicieux!

One of the Hilton Aspire credit card benefits is a $250 resort credit, so we spent it on dinner at San, a Japanese restaurant. We also redeemed our 6000 XPF coupon here. The fish was fresh and everything tasted great.

sashimi, rolls, miso soup and sake

matcha pyramid

The next day, we had breakfast, checked out of the hotel and took a taxi to the airport. Our one-hour flight to Bora Bora was on an Air Tahiti propeller plane.

Upon arrival at Bora Bora airport, we retrieved our luggage and found the St. Regis desk to meet our boat transfer. It cost around $65 per person each way. We were greeted with leis and had the entire speedboat to ourselves for the 20-minute ride.

Once we arrived at the St. Regis resort dock, we were met by our host and driven to reception in a golf buggy to complete check-in. Afterwards, we were driven to our overwater bungalow located on the northern arm of the resort facing Motu Piti A'au. It had a nice layout with a bedroom, expansive bathroom, living/dining area and deck with loungers, table and chairs, and a platform to enter the lagoon's turquoise waters. There were two bicycles parked at the front door to get around the resort. Guests could also call reception to schedule a golf buggy pickup.

We received a bottle of champagne and sweets as a welcome gift. Our host apologized for the accompanying letter being addressed to a different couple.

Tonight, we had dinner at Bamboo, an Asian-themed restaurant. A complimentary edamame appetizer was served as well as a complimentary welcome dessert. Note that dining at resorts in the middle of nowhere commands astronomical prices. For example, the bill including VAT, service charge, and extra gratuity for three rolls, tuna sashimi and a bottle of Evian came to $160 USD. Overall, I was satisfied with the freshness of the ingredients and how everything tasted.

At evening turn-down, there was a gift of body oil on the bed, accompanied by a handwritten message. Following nights would have different handwritten messages and body oil scents.

The next morning, we rode our bicycles to Te Pahu Restaurant for breakfast, complimentary with Platinum Elite status. It was an a-la-carte service, where we could select whatever we wanted from a printed menu. We were also served a starter platter consisting of fruit, a juice shot, and yogurt. Be sure to bring a hat and wear sunscreen as there may not be enough shade at the tables facing the beach.

With such generous breakfast portions, we only needed to eat one lunch our entire stay, at Aparima Bar:

We spent our days lounging and floating around our bungalow, paddling a kayak to the motu's shore, snorkeling at the lagoonairium, and lots of eating. We didn't have time to take the shuttle to the main island...maybe we would have if we were here a full week.

2 minute, 15 second time-lapse video of bicycling around the St. Regis Bora Bora:

lagoonairium

Most of the fish hung out near the lagoonairium entry (2:05):

Lots of colorful giant clams (1:30):

rainbow with stingray swimming behind the bungalow

The overwater bungalow had a couple of peek-a-boo glass panels in the floor:

under the coffee table

There was a slow current moving in the direction of Mount Otemanu, eventually sweeping our floating hammock under our bungalow, so we'd have to wade back out every once in a while. (or do what Kaleb did and hook the ladder with his leg) If staying in a Otemanu view bungalow, I would recommend bringing a rope to tie the hammock to the ladder in order not to drift away.

Friday's dinner at Lagoon Restaurant, the resort's signature restaurant:

Saturday's dinner at Far Niente, an Italian restaurant:

Second visit to Lagoon Restaurant on Sunday night:

Monday Indian night at Aparima Bar:

On checkout day, we were surprised to find the breakfast offering changed from a-la-carte to buffet, returning to pre-pandemic operations. The fruit selection wasn't as good but I would be able to enjoy copious amounts of sashimi and poisson cru.

It was time to say goodbye to Bora Bora. We took the speedboat to the airport, and then the plane to Papeete.

aerial view of the St. Regis

We had a few hours before our red-eye flight home, so we had dinner at L'Aviation Restaurant inside the airport.

Remembering the terrible meals we received on our way to Tahiti, I requested Asian vegetarian meals (AVML) through the United app in advance. It was only slightly better than the regular meal that Kaleb stuck with.

regular

AVML

regular

AVML

After landing in San Francisco and getting our luggage, we hopped into our one-way rental back home, ending our wonderful vacation to Tahiti and Bora Bora. French Polynesia is a tropical paradise replete with unreal turquoise waters and local hospitality. It is expensive to visit, but using points and miles help alleviate the cost. I have cruised these islands in the past and found that though it is cost-effective to go on one due to its all-inclusiveness, it doesn't provide the relaxing, carefree experience that you get from staying on the island. I enjoyed the St. Regis Bora Bora, offering everything we expected in a luxury resort. It never felt at full capacity. Having the bicycles to get around was really convenient. On a future visit, I would consider staying in a beach bungalow by the lagoonairium since the overwater bungalows didn't have much marine life underneath.

What's next? We (first Kaleb, then the girls) are headed to Las Vegas to celebrate my birthday...stay tuned!

(Missed reading about the end of our Alaska cruise on Quantum of the Seas? Click here! Don't miss a single update! Click here to subscribe and have the latest delivered straight into your inbox...opt out anytime.)

***

If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page or retweeting!

Don't miss a blog entry!  Sign up for updates direct to your inbox here or add the blog to your RSS feed.

Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go?  Contact me at kat (at) yellowdogtravel (d0t) com with your ideas and I can help you plan it!  Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts.  I have lots of happy repeat clients - references always available.

Another disclaimer:  The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Previous post: Sitka, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Victoria, disembarkation