Our Mantra: Always Be Planning Trips (ABPT)

Researchers say that planning your trip makes you happier than actually taking it. Looking ahead brings more joy than looking back, which is why with our upcoming trip to Spain this coming spring already set and ready to go (read below hotels booked), we wanted to start planning some other future trips, such as a 5 night getaway to an AutoCamp, most likely the location in Catskills in New York, or the one in Cape Cod Massachusetts.

Ever since our camping trip this past summer that we took to Higgins Lake, MI, we've been eyeing our next camping trip, and with AutoCamp now part of Hilton Honors, we can use our Hilton points, in which we've already accumulated 90K points from the bonus we got when we opened our US American Express Hilton Honors Credit Card this past year.

However, average nightly rates using points is approx. 60K, which is a bit steep, so we are waiting for Hilton's next transfer bonus. Plus, when you book 5 nights using points through Hilton, the 5th night is free, so really, the total points we would need:

• with only having to pay for 4 nights,

• with taking advantage of a transfer bonus,

• and since we already have 90K points,

  
  

would be about 150K points!

We also wanted to share an update for our upcoming trip to Spain in the Spring of 2025. We ended up booking most of the trip at AirBnb's, through Delta's portal of course, which gives us 1 delta point for every dollar spent. The main reason we did this is because us LYLE Travelers are all about living like locals when travelling, and unfortunately Marriott Homes & Villas properties, which would allow us to use Marriott Bonvoy points, just aren't the best. So we booked at an AirBnB property instead.

We did however end up spoiling ourselves while in Madrid, booking 3 nights at the Four Seasons there, which has been on our bucket list ever since it opened. This was a tough pill to swallow for me as their are no points programs you can use to book nights at Four Seasons.

So your best bet is to get an American Express Platinum or Business Platinum credit card if you are going to book places like this via Amex Travels website as you get quite a few perks, such as:

• US $100 Property credit to be used during your stay.

• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available

• Noon check-in, when available

• Daily breakfast for two

• In-Room Wi-Fi, exclusions apply

• Guaranteed 4:00 pm late check-out

  
  

And the price is usually the same as if you booked on expedia.com. Plus, you can even use your Amex points, but I highly recommend you never do.

Lastly, we were able to use points for 2 nights while in Barcelona, in which we ended up only having to convert 70K American Express points to Marriott Bonvoy Points to book the LYLE Travelers at the Ritz Carlon Hotel Arts Barcelona for 165K points, a cash value of approx. $2160 CDN.

We were able to book this using ONLY points by:

1. Taking advantage of the 30% transfer bonus that was going on with Amex and Marriott,

2. Using the Marriott Bonvoy points we already had, (I earned 75K as a bonus when I met my minimum spend on my American Express Business Marriott Bonvoy,

3. Using the 15K Bonvoy points I received when I referred my Player 2 the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.

BAM, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT!?

PS. Ashley got her annual Free Night Certificate from her American Express Marriott Bonvoy credit card, so we might have to plan a 1 night getaway somewhere too, possibly NYC?