Travelers & Foodies - Put that credit card DOWN (use this one instead)!

This card is bomb dot com.  Here's a test of whether it's a good fit for you:

Do you travel?  

Do you eat out?

If your answer is YES to both of these questions...then you require the Chase Sapphire RESERVE.  Click here to sign up for the card! 

Note: this is different from the Chase Sapphire Preferred and here's my top 7 reasons why:

• Bonus points for signing up!  AND they transfer 1-1 to major airlines and hotels!  
• $300 travel credit each calendar year.  That's a roundtrip flight!
• Global Entry / TSA Precheck fee $100 credit
• Access to lounges at 900+ airports (doesn't matter what airline you're flying)
• 3x's points on travel & eating out (ummm...that's basically all I do!)
• Trip/travel insurance for basically anything you could think of (delays, lost luggage, reimbursement for non-refundable payments for inability to travel, rental car, etc.)
• No foreign transaction fees

Click here to sign up for the card!  

So, it may cost $450 per year (12 month cycle based on purchase date).  But when you subtract the $300 you get each calendar year and subtract the global entry fee they give you ($100), then you're only at $50 for the year.  Then, add in the sign up points and you're crushing the ROI in the first year.  If you're someone that continues to travel in the future, you'll continue to get that $300 credit and 3x's points for travel and eating out...which for me adds up to more than the $450 annual fee.

Travelers and Foodies delight!  This credit card was meant for us!  <3

XO,

Heather

My Dirty Little (Traveling) Secret <3

My grandmother often joked with me as a child saying, "you better be rich when you grow up...because you have VERY expensive taste!"  And although I would chuckle with her as she threw her head back and laughed heartily, I probably didn't truly understand what she meant.  Yet, of course, she was correct in that I grew up to appreciate luxury and quality.  Yet, I don't think that you have to be wealthy to achieve that winning combination.  

My secret exposed

I hardly ever pay full price for a hotel.  My mom, who is a money-saving ninja taught me some tricks many years ago that I'm now passing on to you! 

One of my best travel tips is the gambling of travel!  I use the Name Your Own Price and Express Deals functions on Priceline.com for hotels and rental cars.  Let me take a second to brag.  A couple of weeks ago in Phoenix, I paid $77 for a hotel that was $199!  Like...what?  I've also paid around $9 for a rental car in Philly.  You're probably asking...now if you can save that much,  why doesn't everyone do it?  My guess is that most people probably don't know how to properly navigate (I'll teach you that below) AND there is a bit of risk involved.  Here's what you're working with:

• Pros:  You can save LOTS of money; you can end up with a 4.5 or 5 star hotel that wouldn't typically be within your budget; and you can be more flexible with your trip, not having to plan every single hotel in advance (freedom is the name of the game).
• Cons: You don't know what hotel you've bid on until your bid has been accepted and your credit card has been charged; you can't cancel or switch the reservation; you may have to attempt multiple times before an offer is accepted; and you can't collect hotel points.  

So, there's a little bit of hoping and praying involved while waiting for that winning bid to come through...but it certainly pays off and I've had nothing but wonderful experiences.

The Health Spa with an indoor/outdoor pool and eucalyptus steam rooms at the 4.5 Star Fairmont Chateau Whistler in BC, Canada.

To help you reap the same money-saving benefits, here are my Priceline.com 7 Keys for Success:

1)  Go to Priceline.com and type in the area that you're looking for.    Then, use the filters to narrow down to a smaller area within the city (the map view helps) and choose the 4 and 5 star hotels from the filters.  Sometimes, you'll find that there's only one 4 star or 5 star hotel in the area.  This bit of information comes in handy later because when you're naming your own price or grabbing an Express Deal, you know what you're getting yourself into.  For instance, in Richmond, VA, the only 5 star hotel is the Jefferson Hotel.  So when bidding on a 5 star in Richmond, you know you're going after the Jefferson.  Easy enough, right?

2) Once you have an idea of which hotels are at the star level and the location you're looking for, examine the customer ratings on each of the hotels and then check out the "express deals."  You can often figure out what hotel is listed in the "express deals" based on the customer ratings (ex: if the Hilton is the only hotel with a 9.0 customer rating and the express deal says it's for a hotel that has a rating of 9+, then you know it's the Hilton you're bidding on).  Now that you know how much the express deals are, you're ready to start naming your own price to see if you can get an even better deal! 

Sometimes the Express Deals are worth grabbing.  They'll sometimes offer steep discounts in advance whereas the name your own price is best served the day before or the day of your stay.  

3) Then scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to check out where it says under "Hotels" and "Rental Cars, "See Winning Hotel/Rental Car Bids."  Here you can see what other people have successfully bid on the area for the star you're looking for.  It gives you a good baseline for what amount you can bid and expect have accepted.  

4) When you name your own price, you aren't quite sure which hotel you're going to get.  This is where some risk is involved.  I wouldn't recommend staying anywhere less than 3.5 stars (I'm mostly a 4 to 5 star type of gal), so start with the 4 to 5 star hotels and then go to 3.5 if you can't get them for a price you're looking for.  

5) So now that you've done your research, you're ready to come up with a bid.  Don't be afraid to bid low!  I like getting hotels for 40-60% off!  The catch is that you'll require time in between bids UNLESS you add another filter.  And, that's usually the deals you get when you bid the day before or the day of.  If you  get your bid rejected, you can add in another area within the city or another star rating.  This will allow you to place another name your own price bid.  

6) Be sure to create an account and log in.  This sometimes allows you to "unlock" better Express Deals.

7) If you HAVE to be in a specific location for an event and want to gamble with the name your own price "risk," be sure to have a backup plan.  I don't get too nervous about doing the day before or day-of bids because I'm typically open to changing up the location if needed.  But, having a backup plan of staying with friends/family, checking airbnb or vrbo, or even booking at a hotel that has a flexible cancellation policy helps to give you better peace of mind in executing this methodology.

Please leave a comment to let me know any questions you have and keep me updated on your wins and money-saving trips!  

Happy Bidding/Saving/Luxury!  <3

A French Press with freshly ground, local coffee at the 4 Star Majestic Inn and Spa, located in Anacortes, Washington.

Explore Rosario Beach and Deception Pass in Northern Washington (we stayed in Anacortes).

From a totally unplanned stop in Anacortes, Washington (we arrived too late to take a ferry to Canada so had to post up in Washington another night), we found ourselves exploring the surrounding area and came across Rosario Beach which was not only void of people/tourists at this time, it was so serene that a sense of peacefulness and oneness with nature blanketed over me.  This would be an amazing spot for some yoga, a romantic picnic and some time to totally zen out.

Rosario Beach

We then made our way a little down the road to to Deception Pass.  There's a gorgeous bridge that you can park before.  We walked own along a trail that brings you closer to the water and opens up to breathtaking views of the area.  I seriously could have taken a million pictures along the way.

Deception Pass Bridge

Deception Pass

After all of our exploring, we were hungry!  We lunched at a local spot called Adrift and I devoured delectable pork and sweet potato tacos while Andrew indulged in crab cakes and the soup of the day.  I then used Priceline.com to book us a hotel and snagged the gorgeous Majestic Inn (I'll be doing another post on how to live like a queen/king using my Priceline.com tips and tricks).

We also drove along the coast of Fidalgo Island (the town of Anacortes is on this island) towards the Ferry and I spotted a shipwreck from the road at the tip of a boat marina.  Obviously I made Andrew stop the car so I could get out and examine further!  Stories of how it occurred and who was steering it danced through my mind as I explored it from many angles.

Shipwreck of Fidalgo Island

We also had scheduled a whale watching tour while in Anacortes.  However, when we woke in the AM, it was windy, cold and a little misty.  Not the best mix of conditions when I already have major issues with getting sea sick.  So, we decided to cancel it and then headed up to Whistler instead.  Whistler is super cute, albeit very expensive.  Check out my post about Joffre Lakes to learn more about why we chose to adventure to that area! 

Washington and Anacortes was a wonderful little trip and I highly recommend penciling in a night there in if you're traveling from Seattle to Canada.

Hike Joffre Lakes in British Columbia, Canada

After doing some research on Pinterest and running it past the locals (including a fabulous fellow manning the Eddie Bauer store in Whistler Village), there was no way I was going to miss this gem!  It was an hour drive each way from where we were staying in Whistler and I was told it'd take about three hours round-trip for the hike (the posted signs say MUCH longer).  Given our cardiovascular condition, we briskly hooved it all the way to Upper Joffre and back in two hours flat (with lots of picture stops).  And holy moly was it worth it!  

For attire, I'd definitely recommend layering up and wearing hiking shoes.  Also, be prepared for a steep incline...our heart rates got way up with our pace and that's when the outer layers started coming off!  I'd recommend a camelback type of hydration system (although you can get away with a backpack and water bottles), and be sure to bring some trail mix!

The hike goes like this:  About a 5 minute walk from the parking lot to Lower Joffre.  Then, tackle the steep incline and incredible views/scenery for about 40-60 mins between Lower Joffre and Middle Joffre (depending on how quickly you ascend).  And then another 15 minutes between Middle Joffre and Upper Joffre.  You must hit all three!  We spent most of our time at Middle Joffre, relaxing, snacking and taking pictures.  

The stunning pools with the snow-capped mountains painted in the background were breathtaking.  

Upper Joffre Lake (15 min. hike from Middle)

The gushing waterfall between Middle Joffre and Upper Joffre.

Middle Joffre Lake (40 min. hike from Lower at our swift pace)

Lower Joffre Lake (5 Min walk from trailhead)

Fun with the birds at Middle Joffre Lake

One of my new local friends told me to take nuts/seeds, hold out my hand and the birds would magically find me.  Boy was he was right!  

From the colorful forest to the lakes, the mountains, wildlife and the waterfall, the whole experience was incredibly magical.  Add it to the list...you won't be disappointed!  And if you have the extra pocket change to spare, spend it with a night at the Fairmont in Whistler Village and indulge in their Health Club eucalyptus steam room to assist with the post-hike soreness.  I'll be posting soon about how to use Priceline.com to get a great deal on the Fairmont soon, so be sure to check out my tips and tricks for living luxuriously for less.

Chefchaouen, Morocco, the Blue City

Another incredible gem found during a late night Pinterest travel binge was Chefchaouen.  Once I caught a glimpse of the unique and peaceful city, there was no holding me back from experiencing it first hand.  I love to explore towns that are smaller and more authentic - I've never been much for tourist attractions.  And Chefchaouen had the perfect amount of culture balanced with delectable food and adventure.

We were able to get a driver to take us from Tangier (one of the major cities and often where you arrive through if you're traveling from Spain) to Chefchaouen.  Often times, the riad (hotel) owners will assist you with making this happen, so be sure to check with them first.  It took a couple of hours through the rolling hills until we made it to the little mountain town.  And it was totally worth it! 

The Berber Women of Chefchaouen.  They're often referred to as the "poor" and they travel down to the cities with the produce that they bring from the mountains to make money.  They believe that if you take a picture of them straight-on that you steal a part of their soul.  So, I was respectful to only take pictures when they weren't looking directly at me.

Riad Cherifa (our hotel) was the most beautiful place I've ever stayed!  I'd say Andrew also enjoyed it!  We were provided with a large breakfast made at the riad with lots of fresh fruit, jams and breads made locally and were living like royalty with the Moroccan Mint tea served out of the most beautiful tea pots and tea cups.  Moroccans love sweetness, so the tea was quite sweet and you could also indulge in your tagine (like a stew) sweetened with dates and apricots - soooooo good!

Riad Cherifa's beauty was unmatched!

This is the traditional tagine "pot" and you'd take off the top to unveil the delectable stew.

Beef Tagine (sweet version) was deeeeelicous!  I love how it's naturally sweetened with fruit rather than adding in refined sugar ;)

You'll most certainly take a stop at a local Moroccan rug store if you visit!  Be sure to read up on the intricate rug sales process before purchasing!

Our rug store trip ended in Andrew purchasing 6 Moroccan rugs (I hope our family is enjoying their handmade Moroccan gifts!  haha).  Also, the locals wore the robe that Andrew is wearing and apparently the hooded version is the "latest trend."

Beautiful blues and turquoises paint the city, lending it the nickname of "the blue city"

Everywhere you look, there's brilliant blues and turquoises painting the city.  My camera got quite the workout snapping lots of doors and buildings to capture how gorgeous it was.

The colors!!!  So brilliant and beautiful.

Overlooking The city from the mosque

We hiked up to the mosque from the city below.  The view honestly felt somewhat surreal.  

Somehow BOTH of my sandals broke when hiking up to the mosque.  Our guide was so sweet that he went and got me this pair of shoes to replace them.  He said it was a gift from the city because the city took my shoes <3

There were "kids" running through the streets <3  We also passed many sheep grazing in the hills.

The extra interesting part of being here was that it was during Ramadan.  It was pretty quiet during the day and we were some of the only people out and about.  Then at night, it was bustling.  People were out socializing, eating and having a good time.  We'd also wake up in the middle of the night to drumming or early to the call for prayer.  I never felt unsafe in the blue city (it's also known as the peaceful city), but I will admit, there were times in Tangier when I was a little uncomfortable (although uncomfortable doesn't mean unsafe!).  

Though we only spent a very short time in Chaouen (what they call it for short), it was well worth traveling to experience it first hand.  The people were lovely, it was peaceful and you get a really good feel for what it's like to live like a Moroccan <3

Tulum, Mexico

To be honest, I didn't think I'd ever be writing about Mexico.  My spring break college trip where we were constantly hounded to buy things in Cabo had ruined me on Mexico and I wasn't sure if I'd recover.  Then I found Tulum.  On the East Coast, you fly into Cancun and take a taxi or arrange a shuttle bus to Tulum.  It takes about an hour.

The beach area is beautiful, surprisingly very quiet (we couldn't figure out where all of the people were?), has incredible food and has a boho/vegan/yoga millennial type of vibe which totally resonated.

One of the days we decided to venture out and we went to a tequila factory, then to Chitzen Itza (ancient ruins), swam around in a gorgeous cenote and then hit up a tiny cocoa store on the way back.

Cenote - a deep, freshwater hole where you can jump off the edge (be prepared with a tighter fitting bathing suit!!)

The cenote was so magical!  We jumped off the side into the water which was quite chilly and very dense since it was freshwater.

Ziggy's swings at the bar

Ziggys was one of our go-tos because it was super chill and they had these fabulous swings at the bar.

Fresh and wholesome ingredients in the food

We ate at a few delectable restaurants and I loved observing the incredibly fresh and raw ingredients they used to concoct our meals.

Beach by the ancient ruins

On our last day, we walked along the beach to see the ancient ruins.  They were beautiful, the beach was gorgeous and we got to hang with some rather large lizards that called the ruins home.

Book early so you can grab a beach hotel!  They're gorgeous!

We did check out Chitzen Itza and grabbed a few photos but I'd recommend to skip it and hit up the cenotes instead because it was super touristy, crowded, dusty and just not my scene.