23+ destinations · 10 years of trip reports
Luxury within reach, for travelers who finally have the time.
We're documenting every trip we take — the hotels, the points we used to book them, and what we'd do differently — so you can skip the research and go straight to booking.
What's Here
Everything for planning the trip, not just booking it
Five things this site actually covers, start to finish.
Trip Reports
Real itineraries from trips we've actually taken — the hotels, the routes, what we'd change.
Points & Miles
How most of these trips got paid for in points, not cash — and how to build the same strategy.
Expat Credit Cards
The cards that actually work when you live outside the US — a gap most guides skip entirely.
Travel Essentials
Insurance, eSIMs, car rentals, and the booking sites we compare before every trip.
Affording It
The habits behind actually having the time and money for a travel-heavy retirement.
23+
Destinations visited
44
Trips documented
10
Years of trip reports
6
Continents covered
Our Homeland
Croatia, region by region
We're Croatian, and we've covered this coastline as more than tourists — Kvarner, Istria, and the length of Dalmatia. It gets its own home on this site.
Explore Croatia
Photo: Giacomo Alessandroni / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Trip Reports
Real guides to real trips we've taken
Every guide includes the exact hotel we booked, the points we used, and what we'd change next time. 25+ destinations documented since 2020.
Europe · March 2026
Athens: The Acropolis and a Long Weekend of Ruins
Complete Athens guide: Acropolis & Parthenon, luxury hotels in Plaka, best time to visit (spring), what to do, where to eat, points redemption options.
Europe · 2017–2025
Austria, Again and Again: Ski Slopes and Thermal Spas
Austria ski and spa guide: Bad Goisern Salzkammergut, Alpine skiing, Filzmoos, thermal spa resorts, Burgenland hot springs, mountain hotels, hiking trails.
Europe · 2017, 2024 & 2025
Barcelona, Every Which Way
Barcelona travel guide: Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Boqueria market, neighborhoods, best hotels, beaches, travel tips.
Caribbean · March 2023
Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands by Catamaran
Caribbean BVI catamaran sailing guide: Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, island hopping, beach resorts, boat charters, tips.
Central America · March 2024
Costa Rica for Grown-Ups: Rainforest and Beach Without Roughing It
Costa Rica vacation guide: rainforest, Arenal volcano, hot springs, Manuel Antonio beach, Guanacaste, wildlife, eco-lodges, travel tips and hiking.
Caribbean · May 2017
Cuba: Havana, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad by Casa Particular
Cuba travel guide: Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, casas particulares, colonial towns, Caribbean culture, local hosts, beaches, travel tips and history.
Most Visited
Popular destinations our readers ask about
The 6 places we get asked about most — with detailed guides on what to do, where to stay, and how to book with points.
Athens
Complete Athens guide: Acropolis & Parthenon, luxury hotels in Plaka, best time to visit (spring), what to do, where to eat, points redemption options.
Read guide →
Austria
Austria ski and spa guide: Bad Goisern Salzkammergut, Alpine skiing, Filzmoos, thermal spa resorts, Burgenland hot springs, mountain hotels, hiking trails.
Read guide →
Barcelona
Barcelona travel guide: Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Boqueria market, neighborhoods, best hotels, beaches, travel tips.
Read guide →
BVI Catamaran Sailing
Caribbean BVI catamaran sailing guide: Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, island hopping, beach resorts, boat charters, tips.
Read guide →
Costa Rica
Costa Rica vacation guide: rainforest, Arenal volcano, hot springs, Manuel Antonio beach, Guanacaste, wildlife, eco-lodges, travel tips and hiking.
Read guide →
Cuba
Cuba travel guide: Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, casas particulares, colonial towns, Caribbean culture, local hosts, beaches, travel tips and history.
Read guide →
The Points Game
Most of these trips were paid for in points.
We break down which cards, which programs, and which mistakes cost us the most — so you can build the same strategy without the trial and error.
Read the Points & Miles GuideBest US Cards for Expats
No-foreign-transaction-fee cards that actually work if you live outside the US.
See the card guide →Travel Insurance, Explained
What's actually covered, what isn't, and which policy fits which kind of trip.
See the insurance guide →Ready to Book
Compare the same sites we use
We check two or three of these before every booking. Prices differ more often than you'd think.
Booking.com
The broadest hotel and apartment inventory worldwide, free cancellation on most rooms.
Booking.com UK
Booking.com for United Kingdom & Ireland travelers.
Booking.com DACH
Booking.com for Germany, Austria & Switzerland travelers.