I’ve traveled so much internationally that I will fully admit I’ve neglected travel around the United States. I’m 41 years old and had never been to the Grand Canyon and many other national parks. Recently I decided to head out west and do a night at Zion National Park in Utah and then three nights at Amangiri — one of the most exclusive luxury resorts in the Southwest, located near the Arizona-Utah border and surrounded by breathtaking desert views.
Let me just say I was blown away — from the food to the service, it was amazing. Even though temperatures were over 100 degrees, it was not a humid heat like on the East Coast — there really is something to the dry desert heat.
The resort arranges bespoke excursions for its guests — from helicopter tours over Horseshoe Bend and Grand Canyon National Park (it almost made me cry, it was so magical!) to kayaking on the Colorado River — each outing featured unbelievable landscapes. I went horseback riding and even got to visit Antelope Canyon and other private slot canyons on the Navajo Nation, where I did a photoshoot with Dean.
Bottom line: For anyone who has not been to southern Utah, I highly recommend it, but maybe go in the spring or fall.
Amangiri is one of the most expensive hotels in the U.S. (but meals are included), with standard rooms starting at $4,000 per night. It’s not part of a points hotel chain and we needed two rooms, but I was still able to use Capital One miles; even though my room was comped, I paid for the second room (and all activities, which were not cheap).
I don’t use American Express or Chase points for hotels because you won’t get the best value for them. I save those for award flights or bookings in the travel portals. I use my Capital One miles to pay for a variety of things that code as travel like Uber rides, scenic helicopter tours and hotels.
Right now, one of TPG’s favorite cards, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, with a modest $95 annual fee, currently has a limited-time welcome offer worth up to $1,000 in travel.
You could earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. In addition, upon opening your account, you’ll receive a one-time $250 credit for Capital One Travel — which is valid for one year.
Capital One cards earn a minimum of 2 miles per dollar spent, so it could be a great addition to your points-earning strategy and this is the highest offer we’ve seen on this card in the last few years.
Have a great weekend,
BK
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Photo Credit: RAYMOND M CHEE PHOTOGRAPHY.
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