Honest hotel reviews, airline reviews, and the points-and-miles math behind every trip.https://bokehmono.com/https://bokehmono.com/posts/thompson-austin-its-going-down-town/https://bokehmono.com/posts/thompson-austin-its-going-down-town/But be careful, it can go from kitsch to sketch really fast. A hotel doing a lot — sometimes too much — in the middle of 6th street's particular brand of chaos.Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/w-austin-is-this-a-w-or-an-l/https://bokehmono.com/posts/w-austin-is-this-a-w-or-an-l/The service was hit or miss. The pool is gorgeous, the bar is loud, and the bed is fine. Whether that's worth it depends on which W you walk into.Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hotel-drover-autograph-collection-the-rodeo-hotel/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hotel-drover-autograph-collection-the-rodeo-hotel/Hotel Drover feels like it was born in a barn and raised on Fort Worth swagger. It's a vibe — and it commits.Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-hill-country-resort/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-hill-country-resort/Christmas at the Hyatt has never been so fun! Waterslides, fire pits, and a Tower of Americas view that hits different at sunset.Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/korean-air-business-class-seoul-brother/https://bokehmono.com/posts/korean-air-business-class-seoul-brother/I had been eagerly awaiting this one for a while. The new Prestige Suite is a noticeable jump — sliding door, sensible storage, and a chef-on-call attitude.Sun, 11 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/korean-air-prestige-lounge/https://bokehmono.com/posts/korean-air-prestige-lounge/Imagine it as an Amex Centurion Lounge but less…upscale? Still well above average, and the noodle bar alone is worth the visit.Sat, 10 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/park-hyatt-seoul-so-close-to-coex/https://bokehmono.com/posts/park-hyatt-seoul-so-close-to-coex/Due to the language barrier, we found it challenging to correct — but the room itself is one of the calmest in the city.Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/andaz-seoul-gangnam-pick-the-room/https://bokehmono.com/posts/andaz-seoul-gangnam-pick-the-room/South Korea's newest Hyatt. Centrally located, next to a subway station, and the rooms vary wildly — read this before you book.Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/sri-lankan-airways-3-stars-huh-but-wait/https://bokehmono.com/posts/sri-lankan-airways-3-stars-huh-but-wait/There was a roach that climbed out of my seat into my drink. But somehow the meal, the crew, and the seat made up for a lot of it.Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/al-mourjan-business-class-lounge/https://bokehmono.com/posts/al-mourjan-business-class-lounge/Actually two lounges with the same name. One on the 2nd floor on the east end; one on the 3rd floor on the north. Pick wisely.Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/american-airlines-flagship-lounge/https://bokehmono.com/posts/american-airlines-flagship-lounge/This is my first time rating a lounge, so it's difficult to compare. But for a domestic hub lounge, this sets the bar.Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-oryx-doha-lotta-value-lotta-heat/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-oryx-doha-lotta-value-lotta-heat/But even amongst all that, I don't dislike this place. The atrium lobby alone makes the stay feel grander than the rate suggests.Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/secrets-papagayo-dont-stay-here-too-long/https://bokehmono.com/posts/secrets-papagayo-dont-stay-here-too-long/Pura Vida. The resort is gorgeous, the beach is pristine, and the staff is warm. Just watch the clock — it gets hard to leave.Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-conroe-the-nicest-regency-in-north-america/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-conroe-the-nicest-regency-in-north-america/I mean this is a Hyatt Regency, not some luxury hotel. But it felt pretty close — and at Regency prices, that's a win.Sun, 07 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/the-woodlands-resort-hilton-curio-collection/https://bokehmono.com/posts/the-woodlands-resort-hilton-curio-collection/This place may be a little too successful. The resort is beautiful, but the crowds and the noise are part of the deal.Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/miraval-austin-unplug-and-relax/https://bokehmono.com/posts/miraval-austin-unplug-and-relax/Spent some quality time with my significant other. They take your phone at check-in. Yes, really. No, I didn't hate it.Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/thai-airways-silky-smooth/https://bokehmono.com/posts/thai-airways-silky-smooth/The smooth as silk experience. The Royal Silk cabin is a throwback — and I mean that in the best possible way.Sun, 17 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/qatar-airways-business-class-qsuites/https://bokehmono.com/posts/qatar-airways-business-class-qsuites/I truly believe this is the apex airline. The QSuite quad still has no real competitor, six years on.Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/park-hyatt-bangkokluxury-at-its-finest-for-thailand-at-least/https://bokehmono.com/posts/park-hyatt-bangkokluxury-at-its-finest-for-thailand-at-least/I'll have to take off a point for how hostile Bangkok can be to tourists — but the hotel itself is a quiet, perfect bubble.Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/vvillas-hua-hin-mgallery/https://bokehmono.com/posts/vvillas-hua-hin-mgallery/I'd never felt such a contrast between outside and inside in my life. The villa is a small private universe. Don't open the door.Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/conrad-bangkok/https://bokehmono.com/posts/conrad-bangkok/It's hard to give this place a 5. Service was great. The hotel itself? A bit dated, and the breakfast scene was chaos.Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/philippine-airlines-business-class-mabuhay/https://bokehmono.com/posts/philippine-airlines-business-class-mabuhay/The heart of the Filipino — the crew goes above and beyond in ways that feel genuinely warm rather than performed.Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/jal-business-class-sky-suites-on-a-777/https://bokehmono.com/posts/jal-business-class-sky-suites-on-a-777/JAL's old Sky Suite is the unsung hero of trans-pacific business — direct aisle access, a real footwell, and the cleanest cabin on the route.Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/thompson-chicagowindy-city-go-brrrr/https://bokehmono.com/posts/thompson-chicagowindy-city-go-brrrr/The wind chill takes the cold and deposits it directly into your bones. The hotel, at least, is a warm and stylish escape.Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/ana-first-class-the-room/https://bokehmono.com/posts/ana-first-class-the-room/A first class worthy of being #2 in the world. The cabin is a small, intentional apartment at 35,000 feet — sliding doors, a real chair, a real bed, and service that doesn't perform service.Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-centric-kanazawaits-poppin/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-centric-kanazawaits-poppin/Tourists galore! The hotel is fine, the city is the show — go for the gold leaf and the gardens.Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/conrad-osakayour-home-in-the-sky/https://bokehmono.com/posts/conrad-osakayour-home-in-the-sky/Osaka's best, unforgettable views. The 40th-floor lobby is the kind of welcome you want after a 12-hour flight.Sat, 04 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-kyotoits-fine/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-kyotoits-fine/In Kyoto? Try this Goldilocks Hotel — not too fancy, not too bland. The tatami room upgrade is worth every yen.Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/park-hyatt-kyotoit-doesnt-get-better-than-this/https://bokehmono.com/posts/park-hyatt-kyotoit-doesnt-get-better-than-this/Luxury at its finest in old Japan — a hotel that hides in plain sight, tucked behind a moss-soaked garden path. The kind of place that re-calibrates what a five-star feels like.Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/jw-marriott-narais-this-the-best-hotel-in-nara/https://bokehmono.com/posts/jw-marriott-narais-this-the-best-hotel-in-nara/Might be the best service I've ever had. Staff remember your name, your coffee, and the fact that you tilted your head at a piece of art on the way in.Sat, 28 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/conrad-tokyo-a-luxury-escape-in-shiodome/https://bokehmono.com/posts/conrad-tokyo-a-luxury-escape-in-shiodome/Hilton's top Tokyo property and it lives up to the billing. The bay-view rooms are a quiet show — Tokyo glitters, you stay put.Sun, 22 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/grand-hyatt-tokyo/https://bokehmono.com/posts/grand-hyatt-tokyo/Roppongi Hills — that's where I want to be. The hotel is a workhorse, but the location does most of the heavy lifting.Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/ana-business-class-old-product/https://bokehmono.com/posts/ana-business-class-old-product/A solid product compared to most — but after flying Singapore Air in business this year, the bar moved. Still worth booking on points.Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-bellevue-on-seattles-eastside/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-regency-bellevue-on-seattles-eastside/Bellevue's best value hotel with a killer location — right above a mall, steps from the park, and the atrium lobby is genuinely impressive.Sun, 15 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-fall-promo-2023/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hyatt-fall-promo-2023/Stay More. Earn More. Hyatt's Bonus Journeys promotion is back — here's how to stack it with other offers for maximum points.Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/marriott-fall-promo-2023-go-your-own-way/https://bokehmono.com/posts/marriott-fall-promo-2023-go-your-own-way/Marriott finally announced their Autumn Promo. Was it worth the wait? Spoiler: it depends on how many brands you're loyal to.Wed, 30 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/best-ways-to-use-virgin-atlantic-miles/https://bokehmono.com/posts/best-ways-to-use-virgin-atlantic-miles/People always bring up Tokyo via ANA — and they're right. But there are five other sweet spots that most people overlook.Sat, 26 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/get-up-to-50x-american-airlines-miles-per-donation/https://bokehmono.com/posts/get-up-to-50x-american-airlines-miles-per-donation/Stand up to Cancer! American Airlines is offering up to 50X miles per dollar donated — one of the best CPM deals I've seen.Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/hilton-autumn-points-promotion-2023/https://bokehmono.com/posts/hilton-autumn-points-promotion-2023/2023 Autumn Promo at Hilton — double or triple points on select stays. Here's which properties make it worth registering.Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/buy-united-miles-for-x-discount/https://bokehmono.com/posts/buy-united-miles-for-x-discount/United Airlines is offering a personalized discount on purchased miles. Each deal seems to vary — here's how to check yours.Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/the-best-ways-to-use-amex-membership-reward-points-for-award-travel/https://bokehmono.com/posts/the-best-ways-to-use-amex-membership-reward-points-for-award-travel/Learn transfer strategies, partner benefits, and exclusive deals. Some of these transfer partners are wildly underrated.Sun, 06 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/best-canon-lens-for-travel/https://bokehmono.com/posts/best-canon-lens-for-travel/I used to shoot Sony. Now I'm a loose Canon… Here's what I carry and why the RF 35mm f/1.8 is my travel workhorse.Sat, 05 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/the-amex-platinum-card-unlocking-the-world-of-luxury-travel/https://bokehmono.com/posts/the-amex-platinum-card-unlocking-the-world-of-luxury-travel/Right off the bat, you can expect a generous welcome bonus of 80K membership reward points. Here's the full breakdown of whether it's worth the fee.Fri, 04 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://bokehmono.com/posts/alaska-airlines-offering-60-bonus-on-purchased-miles/https://bokehmono.com/posts/alaska-airlines-offering-60-bonus-on-purchased-miles/You can get anywhere from 40–60% bonus when purchasing miles from Alaska Airlines. Here's when it's worth it — and when it isn't.Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT