Travel Gadget Reviews, Author at TravelUpdate

Review: The Wingtips Lounge at JFK Airport, Terminal 4

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 21, 2019 | Lounge Reviews, Reviews and Reports | 0

During my trip last month, I had a long layover at JFK’s international terminal. My family and I originally planned to get out of the airport and make a half day in NYC. Changes in our flight schedules and the hassles of needing to go through security again deterred us from that plan. We decided to have lunch at an airport restaurant and check out the Wingtips Lounge. Location The Wingtips lounge is located on the upper level of Terminal 4 at JFK, airside. I suppose they try to make the lounge look inviting with all the banners near...

Would You Separate from your Party to Board in an Earlier Boarding Zone?

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 15, 2019 | Airlines, Commentary | 0

Here’s the scenario: Two colleagues, both frequent fliers. One is a Delta Platinum and other a Delta Diamond. Both are upgraded to Delta comfort. The Diamond Medallion member can board right after the Pre-Boarding group, based on the boarding order for Delta. If you are the Diamond member, would you board in your zone or wait to board with your colleague? A Mixed Bag When it comes to boarding zones, it’s a bit of a gray area. While boarding zones aren’t a big deal to me (since my bag can usually fit in the seat in front of me),...

Visiting the Windmills in the Netherlands

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 14, 2019 | Commentary, Reviews and Reports | 0

Ah, windmills. When I was planning the trip to the Netherlands, visiting the Dutch windmills was something that was very high on my list. I couldn’t put my fingers on why. Maybe it’s because I know very little about how windmills work. Maybe it’s more superficial, that I like the look of windmills as a backdrop in a rustic landscape. Or maybe the reasons run deeper, that they remind me of the ingenuity of humankind to harness the power of nature (wind) to solve problems. Or that the idyllic setting makes for a good place to ponder on the...

Review: Crowne Plaza Hotel Copenhagen Towers, Denmark

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 13, 2019 | Hotel Reviews, Hotels | 0

For our first visit to Copenhagan, Denmark, my family and I booked a stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Copenhagen Towers. The pricing was competitive for our travel dates, and the hotel is less than 10 minutes away (by rail) from the city center. Airport Shuttle For those traveling in from the Copenhagan (CPH) airport, the hotel offers a shuttle service. No advance reservation is required for the outbound. The shuttle runs on every 20 and 50 after the hour during its operating schedule, and you can catch the shuttle right outside Terminal 2. Naturally, our timing is such...

Initiating My First Credit Card Charge Dispute with Bank of America

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 10, 2019 | Credit Card Reviews | 3

Last month, I decided to try a new service and booked an appointment via its mobile app. I received a confirmation of the amount I would be charged, and entered my Bank of America credit card to authorize the charge. Everything was so clear that I didn’t bother to take a screen-grab of the payment page. Surprise on Credit Card Statement Imagine my surprise when I was looking through my credit card statement and saw a $90 charge for the service instead of a $15 charge. I called up the merchant’s customer service department to resolve the billing error. ...

The Heineken Experience in Amsterdam

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 7, 2019 | Commentary, Reviews and Reports | 1

One of the attractions I visited in Amsterdam was the Heineken Experience. In all fairness, I’m not much a beer drinker in the first place. I just want to check out the highly rated experience because it’s Heineken! I remembered having quite a bit of fun at the Scotch Whiskey Experience in Edinburgh. The “experience” is described as: “The Heineken Experience is a self guided interactive journey through the world of Heineken(R). You can discover the history of the company, the 4 natural ingredients of our beer, the brewing process, a tasting room and the Heineken(R) brand. At the...

Apartment Hotel Review: Cityden the Garden Amsterdam South

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 7, 2019 | Hotel Reviews, Hotels | 0

When my siblings and I took our parents to visit Amsterdam last month, we stayed at the Cityden The Garden Amsterdam South. We needed a place for a party of 5. At the time of booking, most hotels near the city center were quite pricey and has a maximum occupancy of 2-3 people. Booking 2 rooms was not economical, so I looked at other options outside of the city. This Cityden hotel apartment is located 35 minutes away from the Museum District. Since public transportation seemed convenient, I booked the “Grand Apartment”. It is the largest room type and...

Why I Won’t Watch Sappy Movies In-Flight Anymore

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 6, 2019 | Airlines, Travel Tips | 4

When I’m on a long haul flight, I typically indulge in a movie or two. Most of them are forgettable. In fact, I’d already forgotten the name of one of the movies I watched in-flight last month. Then, there are films that leave me feeling confused. For example, Shape of Water. That film won an Oscar for Best Picture, so it’s got to be good, right? Spoiler alert: I’m not into sci-fi fantasy, but I could live with the film’s premise. I won’t lie: When the protagonist was consummating with her love interest (the fish alien) in the bathroom,...

T-Mobile International Pass: My Experience in Europe

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 6, 2019 | Technology, Travel Tips | 2

I have been T-Mobile customer for some time, and I’ve made no secret that I am a fan of the free international data roaming. T-Mobile’s International Offerings Last month, I traveled to two destinations in Europe: Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Since I travel quite a bit, I often make use of T-Mobile’s free hour of inflight WiFi and unlimited texting on selected flights. I had been so busy with work and I had so many things on my mind that I hadn’t been able to devote much time to plan for this trip. Even though I am usually the travel...

Do You Still Send Postcards?

Posted by Travel Gadget Reviews | Jul 5, 2019 | Commentary, Travel Tips | 6

I had been looking forward to traveling to a particular destination last year. I was telling someone whom I considered to be a close friend (I’ll call him “J”) about the trip. He wished me a good trip, then he nonchalantly added, “Send me a postcard”. I might have abruptly stopped what I was doing, looked up at him, and gave him a stare. Maybe I was looking for signs of irony, but I found none. I was flummoxed. Like, “Who still sends postcard”? In fact, that was my actual response. He thought my reaction was hilarious, and he’d...