u/Guilty_Explorer_1817

My vote goes to Aruba (the photo), although I’d say Fiji is also one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever seen.

What about you guys?

We were at InterContinental Paris - Le Grand and the end of another superb stay.

This hot ranks amongst my favourite due to location and staff.

Concierge Louise is a superstar with her local knowledge and humour.

Club lounge is perfect, Lofty is a wonderful host whilst there. Then Cafe de la paix menu is fresh, lively, and Cecil the waiter is meticulous.

Breakfast in the club lounge is lovely and quiet, but you have to experience the selection on the main breakfast salon.

We had a cosy twin, there were a couple of issues with the room but the attention given to remedy was fast and efficient. Great service and the issues that would not have been known by housekeeping as they were just apparent when ‘using the room’.

What amazed me most though is just how rude some customers can be to the staff, what on earth drives them to be so sour?

*edited to add, Royal Vendome bistro is short walking distance, a wonderful little place with superb food, hugely recommended little gem

And yes, I know it really depends on personal preferences, but I’m thinking in general terms like good weather, lots of activities, and that whole “fun summer vibe.”

In my opinion, it would be the beautiful Chicago (in the photo), simply because of the weather, the activities, and the overall atmosphere. It’s a really cool place!

AMAZING resort.

Right when we stepped foot on property, we were greeted by everyone from valet, concierge, to the butler team with smiles and warm conversations—the tone was set from the very beginning.

The room was spectacular—a gorgeous entryway, spacious living room (with a pull-out couch for the kiddos) and half bath, master bedroom with a king bed, and a stunning marble bathroom. Cute hallway with a unique closet setup. The wraparound balcony was bigger than most standard guest rooms and gave us amazing views of the resort and ocean.

Upon arrival, we were gifted a St. Regis beach bag, which my wife absolutely loved.

When we got back from the pool, we were greeted with a bottle of red wine and a handwritten note from the team. I had casually mentioned at check-in that we were celebrating 10 years of dating (married 10 years next year) and didn’t make a big deal out of it—but they still made it special.

The butler team was phenomenal—quick to respond and incredibly helpful throughout our stay.

Resort Highlights:

✅ Three pools, including an adult pool and a lazy river ✅ Resort sits right on the beach ✅ Champagne sabering at 6 PM daily – a classic St. Regis tradition with complimentary pours 🍾 ✅ Tons of restaurants on-site, plus a cute coffee shop ✅ Top-of-the-line spa and gym facilities ✅ Short drive to St. Armands Circle – still recovering post-hurricane, but worth a visit

Family Favorites:

🐠 Massive aquarium on property with tons of tropical fish and ~50 stingrays – you can even pay to swim inside! 🐢 Jack and Rose – the resort’s two giant tortoises with daily feedings at 11 AM – kids can pet and feed them 🎨 Kids’ Club activities all week – necklace-making, light-up shell jars, kite flying, magic shows, movie nights 🪁 Kite flying, souvenir crafts, and plenty of shaded lawn space and open areas for kids to explore at the resort daily

Truly one of the most well-rounded resort experiences we’ve had as a family.

ICICI Platinum is utterly useless.

No cashback. No rewards. No benefits.

Unless your first card - no logic for it.

Do you know a worse card than this?

I’m really curious to know, what’s the most beautiful coastal trail you’ve ever seen or walked?? It can be more than one

What extra expenses do you think are completely worth it and really elevate the travel experience? In my case: a great hotel room. Sometimes I’m not afraid to spend on this, though it can go over budget, but traveling well-rested is absolutely worth it.

What about you?

For us it was this quaint beach in Fiji.

Which was the one for you and why?

You ever travel somewhere, finally try the dish everyone insists is legendary, and then sit there wondering if you missed something?

I’m talking about those foods people hype up nonstop that just did not deliver for you. Could be a regional classic, street food, or some “must try” meal tourists are told they can’t leave without eating.

What famous local dish disappointed you, and why didn’t it live up to the reputation?

Overall, it was a fantastic experience, from the excellent guest service (went above and beyond for us) to the dining options—both the breakfast room service and Bull & Bear restaurant were outstanding. The luxury shuttle bus to the Disney World parks was always on time.

Overall wow experience, and it was incredible! Attached are pictures of our view of the Disney World parks, the Magic Kingdom fireworks, and the Waldorf King Suite. I can't wait to come back!

I’d love to hear everyone’s answers from all around the world. If you could only pick one small town to visit whether you’ve already been there or not, which one would you choose? What makes you love it so much?

Edited to add that the photo is Laboe in Hamburg, Germany!

In case anyone was wondering 😉😉

Any other important ones one must know?

The Chedi Andermatt was something else… cozy but so stylish at the same time.

The spa was amazing, and the breakfast omg sooo good ... perfect mountain vibes.

Honestly one of my favorite stays in Switzerland so far.

I was very amazed by Bosnia on a day trip.

Where did you go that made you think, Why is everyone not talking about this place?

Have you ever visited a famous landmark or place that ended up being a letdown?

For us it was Kuala Lumpu, didn't find much to do at all.

Would love to hear the brutally honest answers and why it missed the mark for you.

Lately I’ve been skipping big cities and checking out smaller towns instead, and honestly some of them have been way more memorable. A few places felt straight out of a movie with old streets, crazy mountain scenery, peaceful beaches, or just that cozy small town vibe you don’t expect until you get there.

I’m trying to build a list for future trips, so I’d love to hear your picks. What’s one small town in the US that genuinely impressed you and why did it stand out?

Stayed for Christmas at Zemi in Anguilla.

Upon check-in, there was no upgrade availability as the resort was sold out for the festive period.

However, we had a housekeeping issue that got us an upgrade to the 2 Bedroom Penthouse Suite with a rooftop pool and a full kitchen for our last night.

Overall, Anguilla is a beautiful island with lots of very exotic beaches. We flew into AXA from Miami and planned to visit St. Maarten via the ferry, but ended spending all our time in Anguilla. Since we had a car, we did a lot of eating out.

My vote goes to Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria (in the photo), but of course it’s all personal opinion.

I’d really love to know what you guys think!!

For me the best one has been Madrid.

We had an amazing 5-night stay at the new Park Hyatt in Cabo in Feb!

We got upgraded to a deluxe ocean view suite with a massive balcony.

We enjoyed the sunrises and seeing the whales every morning.

Breakfast was included and we could anything odd the menu (which ended up being a $100+ value every morning).

The food was delicious (albeit expensive).

The pools were very relaxing and had great service, especially at Costamar.

We took advantage of 50% spa bookings while their spa was still under construction. The treatments took place in a modified guest room.

They were still doing some construction and the back of the resort but it did not affect our stay at all. It feels like they did all the right things and didn’t rush the open.

Definitely feels up to par with Park Hyatt standards!