About Matt Long
Who am I? I am a typical Gen-Xer and recovering cubicle-dweller who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I...
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Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
11 April 2013 11:55 PM | 15 Comments -
20 Things Every Smart Traveler Should Know
11 March 2013 11:55 PM | 33 Comments -
Five Foods You Must Eat in Europe
12 November 2012 8:10 PM | 23 Comments -
Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
16 April 2012 11:55 PM | 44 Comments -
So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
28 February 2012 11:55 PM | 30 Comments
As Seen In:
Resting Your Head Archive
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Five Unusual Places I’ve Spent the Night
Posted on April 29, 2013 | 5 CommentsA big part of my job is where I spend the night. I’m a self-proclaimed luxury traveler, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t spent my fair share of nights in somewhat unusual locations. Even though I love fluffy pillows and private butlers, there’s something so... -
Bahamian Luxury – The Dunmore Resort on Harbour Island
Posted on April 18, 2013 | No CommentsIn January Bahamas Tourism invited me on a brief trip to Eleuthera, one of the Out Islands. While there I enjoyed beautiful beaches and warm hospitality, but also some great accommodations. My favorite was the Dunmore, located on the even smaller Harbour Island. As always,... -
Six Hotel Experiences That Surprised Me (In a Good Way)
Posted on March 25, 2013 | 3 CommentsI’m a luxury kind of guy so it’s not that unusual for me to visit some beautiful even amazing hotels and resorts. A special few though were different; they took the idea of service and luxury to a new level. Last week fellow blogger Keith... -
Milan with HomeAway Vacation Rentals – Video Overview
Posted on February 24, 2013 | No CommentsI’ve been experimenting a little bit with making videos lately and here is my most recent effort. It’s a look at the Milan I saw while staying with HomeAway Vacation Rentals. I’ve used HomeAway Vacation Rentals a couple of times, and each time I’ve been... -
Emotional Cuisine – Behind the Scenes with Master Chefs (Recipes Included)
Posted on February 14, 2013 | 2 CommentsIn December I had the unique opportunity to go behind the scenes at the massive and somewhat daunting kitchens of the Marriott Marquis Times Square, the flagship of Marriott Hotels & Resorts. There I met two remarkable individuals and chefs, Executive Chef Armando Monterroso and... -
Staying Local with HomeAway
Posted on January 20, 2013 | 5 CommentsOne of the best parts of any trip is getting to know a new destination on an intimate level. It’s not always easy to do but once achieved, going local always makes the travel experience richer and more memorable. One of the best ways I’ve... -
Staying at the Most Photographed Hotel in the World
Posted on January 17, 2013 | 6 CommentsThe savvy traveler in me would like to say that it was the history and Old World beauty that first drew me to Quebec City, but I don’t think that’s true. No, I think I succumbed to an age-old travel habit, traveling somewhere just to... -
HomeAway Redux – Review of Short Term Vacation Rentals in Europe
Posted on January 5, 2013 | No CommentsLast year I wrote about my first ever experience with a short term vacation rental while vacationing in Brussels. To sum it up, we had a great experience and couldn’t wait to try it again when exploring Europe once again last month. I learned a... -
Comfort and Hospitality – The Academy Bed and Breakfast in Annapolis, Maryland
Posted on January 4, 2013 | No CommentsI am raising my hand now; I admit it and am ready to write about it. I am a reluctant admirer of bed and breakfasts. It’s strange really because I’ve never actually had a bad experience at a B&B and yet, somewhere in the back... -
VIDEO: A Day in New York and a Night with the Culturazzi
Posted on December 16, 2012 | 6 CommentsI recently spent a couple of days in New York exploring the city and attending the final 2012 event in the WIRED + Marriott Culturazzi series. Since I had some spare time I asked the Marriott concierge for his help in exploring all of the... -
Hello Old Friend – Reimagining Marriott
Posted on November 30, 2012 | No CommentsWhen I first started my professional career right out of graduate school I immediately gravitated towards a few brands for business travel. At the time the big two for me were Delta and Marriott. I’m not sure why I fell in love with Marriott in... -
Social Technology and the New Breed of Hotels
Posted on November 1, 2012 | 8 CommentsI’m a sucker for a nice hotel. There’s nothing better than coming back to a stylish and relaxing oasis after a long day of sightseeing or a tough day at work. In recent years I’ve heard from a lot of people who are growing more... -
VIDEO Highlights From the WIRED Insider and Marriott Night of Comedy with Funny or Die
Posted on October 27, 2012 | No CommentsI recently took part in an exciting event hosted by WIRED Insider and Marriott Hotels and Resorts, the second installment in their Culturazzi series of events, an evening with Funny or Die. The night of humor took place on the rooftop of the gorgeous Marriott... -
Hotels, Podcasts and Being Gay in Hollywood: An Interview with Comedian James Adomian
Posted on October 25, 2012 | 14 CommentsEarlier this week I was invited to the latest event in the WIRED Insider Culturazzi Series hosted by Marriott Hotels & Resorts. The events are a way to showcase some of the awesome innovations at Marriott Hotels and Resorts around the world, including new common... -
Living Inside a Game Reserve in Zimbabwe – The Stanley and Livingstone Hotel
Posted on October 4, 2012 | 2 CommentsImagine sitting down on a sweeping verandah, sipping your morning coffee as unknown and exotic birds twitter in the distance. Just as you set down the steaming mug after your first sip, you see it, in the distance, a solitary elephant approaching the water hole... -
How to Live Like a Rock Star on Maui
Posted on September 27, 2012 | 4 CommentsLet’s face it, Maui is a pretty nice place. From the lush and relaxing highlands to some of the best beaches in the world, it is hardly a chore to vacation on this laid back Hawaiian island. Everything is relative though and even on this... -
Floating Luxury in Namibia – The Zambezi Queen
Posted on September 6, 2012 | 11 CommentsGetting to Namibia wasn’t the easiest experience in the world, as I detailed in this post, but it was fun. It was fun to get out of my comfort zone and see parts of Africa I never thought I’d see. That doesn’t mean though that... -
Old World Elegance at the Monarch Hotel in Johannesburg
Posted on August 19, 2012 | 1 CommentI don’t always write about hotels, even when they host me for a night of two. The reason? Writing about hotels isn’t always the most exciting post for me or for you. But after staying at a unique property in Johannesburg with strong historical ties... -
Short Term Vacation Rental Case Study: Nox Rentals in Cape Town
Posted on August 16, 2012 | No CommentsLast year I had the opportunity to use a short term rental while on vacation for the first time. I was nervous in the beginning, I mean who knows if those pictures are accurate or if the place is in a bad neighborhood. However the... -
Holistic Luxury in the Tropical Haven of Hana on Maui
Posted on July 12, 2012 | 2 CommentsThe Road to Hana was a little stressful – I won’t lie. Even though it’s only 52 miles from the airport to Hana, the road takes an average of 2 ½ hours to drive in large part due to 59 bridges (46 of which are... -
A New-Old Way to Experience Bangkok – The Mandarin Oriental
Posted on June 7, 2012 | No CommentsI’ve been to Bangkok before and I’ve stayed at some very nice hotels in my life, but nothing quite prepared me for our stay at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The focus of our trip to Asia was to explore the luxury side of the travel... -
Looking for Luxury in Laos
Posted on May 24, 2012 | 6 CommentsLaos is a lot of things. It’s one of the few remaining single party Communist countries in the world. It’s completely landlocked. It’s one of the 50 poorest countries in the world where the average person makes about $2 per day. It’s also one of... -
Hotels as Experience Curators – InterContinental Bangkok
Posted on May 17, 2012 | 5 CommentsI’ve always maintained that hotels are a lot more than just a place to sleep at night and take a shower. They can make or break a trip; their staffs hold in their hands the success or failure of our travel experience. That’s why I’m... -
Luxury in the Sky – Five Reasons You Should Stay at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo
Posted on May 10, 2012 | 2 CommentsFor our trip to Asia I partnered with several companies in order to portray an image of the region I don’t see enough of in the blogosphere – luxury. There are thousands of blog posts out there about how to spend as little money as... -
Exploring the Yucatan with the JW Marriott Cancun
Posted on April 30, 2012 | 3 CommentsI’ve been to the Yucatan in Mexico several times, usually as a way to quickly recharge and to enjoy the beautiful beaches. It’s hard to pass up on an opportunity to visit paradise, which is why when the JW Marriott invited me down to stay... -
Watch With Me As I Witness the Descent of the Feathered Serpent in Mexico
Posted on March 19, 2012 | No CommentsThere was a brief time in my life when I thought I would actually be an archeologist. I blame Indiana Jones and a fierce desire to uncover lost secrets of history for this passion. Then I realized that math and science were involved and I... -
A Visit to My Happy Place – The InterContinental Melbourne: Rialto
Posted on January 26, 2012 | 4 CommentsI love hotels, from the grand lobbies to the little bathroom amenities, the entire experience of staying with a high quality, luxury hotel is an event unto itself. While traveling through Australia, I partnered with InterContinental Hotels Group to put their famous service to the... -
The No-Holds Barred Review of Dreams Resorts
Posted on January 11, 2012 | 7 CommentsLast year I was approached by AMResorts, the provider of sales, marketing and brand management services to five brands of exclusive resort properties in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, to work together in a partnership to help promote their properties. I researched the brands and... -
The HomeAway Verdict – Are Short Term Vacation Rentals Worth the Hype?
Posted on January 4, 2012 | 17 CommentsEarlier this year I innocently won a door prize at a conference, a gift card to HomeAway.com. HomeAway is the world’s leading online marketplace of vacation rentals, with sites representing more than 625,000 paid vacation rental home listings throughout more than 145 countries. They offer... -
Puerto Vallarta Dreams – Photos From Paradise
Posted on December 11, 2011 | 6 CommentsA few weeks ago I was approached by the fine folks over at AMResorts to partner together on a pretty exciting initiative. AMResorts is the provider of sales, marketing and brand management services to five brands of exclusive resort properties in Mexico and the Dominican... -
Luxury Within Reach on the Tropical Island of Lanai
Posted on November 2, 2011 | 1 CommentHawaii is a place of dreams and expectations. Most people have a mental image of Hawaii whenever the destination comes up in conversation, and for the most part these conceptions are proven true. There is one place though that lives up to the notions of... -
Experiencing Modern Caribbean Comfort at the San Juan Marriott
Posted on October 31, 2011 | 3 CommentsI’m a little embarrassed to say that I had never been to Puerto Rico before accepting the invitation of the San Juan Marriott to visit for a few days to explore the property and the city itself. I’m embarrassed because Puerto Rico is extremely easy... -
Exploring Paradise at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort
Posted on October 26, 2011 | 3 CommentsThere are a lot of hotel brands I love, but for some reason Marriott has always held a soft spot in my heart. That’s why I was so thrilled when the St. Kitts Marriott invited me a few other travel writers down for a few... -
Preserving Style and Architecture at The Rialto in Melbourne
Posted on October 13, 2011 | No CommentsThe Rialto Melbourne I don’t usually write about hotels, unless I find something really unique to say. This post isn’t any different, I’m not going to write about how great our rooms were or how amazing the service was at the InterContinental Melbourne –... -
Finding the Best Hotel For Your Visit to Uluru
Posted on October 3, 2011 | No CommentsEven though I enjoyed every moment of exploring the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, the real star of course was Uluru (Ayer’s Rock). If you travel to Uluru, you will necessarily be a guest of the Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, namely because they’re the only game... -
Desert Oasis – Kings Canyon Resort Experience
Posted on September 26, 2011 | 8 CommentsI’m not going to lie, getting to Kings Canyon from Alice Springs was a bit of an event. I guess I’m just a soft city mouse, but the two hours of driving on corrugated, teeth shattering dirt roads was a bit much. But that introduction... -
InterContinental Challenge – The Results
Posted on September 20, 2011 | No CommentsIntercontinental Melbourne Before leaving on our two-week Australian extravaganza, I wrote this post about our InterContinental Challenge. The idea was simple, for months I’ve been highlighting InterContinental for their ground breaking apps and apparent commitment to service above all else and I wanted to... -
Weird New Zealand – Staying at the Hobbit Hotel
Posted on September 18, 2011 | 15 CommentsWeird Hobbit Hotel I’m in love with New Zealand, from the rolling verdant hills of the North Island to the soaring peaks of the Southern Alps, I love it all. But it’s not just the natural beauty that draws me in, it’s the unique,... -
Taking the InterContinental Challenge
Posted on August 23, 2011 | 1 CommentIntercontinental Melbourne A few months ago I wrote about my favorite hotel iPad and iPhone apps. My focus was on apps created by the hotels themselves, instead of third party booking sites. I wanted to see which brands were doing it right and which... -
Travel Case Study – What Does Luxury Travel Really Mean?
Posted on August 3, 2011 | 14 CommentsNomads, backpackers, flash packers, DINKs, family travelers, GLBT travel, solo travel, multigenerational travel, agritravel, ecotravel, sustainable travel, voluntourism – these are just some of the many different phrases we use to describe a rich variety of different travel styles. One of the oldest terms is... -
A Review of Every Marriott in Jordan
Posted on August 2, 2011 | No CommentsJordan Marriott Marriott didn’t pay for this post, not really. I stayed with them while on a blog trip sponsored by the Jordan Tourism Board, so I guess indirectly they sort of did pay for this post. Unbeknownst to them, I’m alarmingly honest and... -
Courtyard Hits it Big with Airline Passengers
Posted on July 24, 2011 | No CommentsLast week I was traveling through Charlotte-Douglas International Airport like I have a thousand times before, connecting from one US Airways flight to another when I noticed something different. There, in Terminal E, was something new – a charging station. More than just that, it... -
Hotel Service is about the People and Not the Brand
Posted on June 6, 2011 | 2 CommentsI love hotels, from the moment I check in at the start of a new adventure, to wandering about the property and owning a piece of a dream for at least a few days. Given the difficulty of finding reputable hotels when traveling, I have... -
When Service Matters: Choosing the Right Hotel
Posted on May 2, 2011 | 7 CommentsIn my spare time I read a lot about travel. Not only do I enjoy it, but I’m always looking for tip and tricks to enhance my travel experience and to make it more affordable. At the Travel and Adventure Show in Washington, DC, I... -
Faster, Higher, Stronger – Hilton Announces Brand Transformation
Posted on April 20, 2011 | No CommentsHilton Hotels and Resorts this week offered a sneak peek at the results of its multi-year efforts to rebrand the hotel chain into a sleeker, more modern organization. This global effort has been an ongoing process, and Hilton has been releasing information on the new... -
Omni Hotels Joins Global Alliance and Offers Travel Experiences to Guests
Posted on April 3, 2011 | No CommentsA few months ago I wrote an article on the Omni Hotels loyalty program. At the time I called it one of my favorite hotel rewards program in the country, if not my very favorite. I also disclosed the fact that they supplied the prize... -
Trends in Voluntourism: The Kokua Project – Saving Animals in Hawaii
Posted on March 3, 2011 | 12 CommentsKokua While in Lana’i, as part of the Lana’i Visitor’s Bureau New Media Artist in Residence Program, I had the opportunity to meet a truly exceptional person, Kathy Carroll. I was at a small gathering of Lana’i residents when a woman approached and said... -
Stepping Back in Time at the Hotel Lanai
Posted on February 23, 2011 | 2 CommentsHotel Lanai If you a frequent, or even infrequent, reader of this site, then you are no doubt aware that I was recently on the island of Lana’i as part of the Lana’i Visitor’s Bureau New-Media-Artist-in-Residence Program. While there, we had the unique opportunity to... -
When Budget Travel Goes Wrong – Alcazar Hotel
Posted on February 13, 2011 | 9 CommentsI’ve always been very careful when describing the mission of LandLopers. Yes, the site is about budget travel, but comfortable budget travel. I don’t believe that you have to couch surf in order to have an affordable vacation. I’m in my mid-thirties, I am a... -
Omni Hotels and My Favorite Rewards Program
Posted on January 31, 2011 | 2 CommentsOmni Hotel Rewards On a recent trip to the heart of Virginia in Charlottesville, we had the opportunity to stay at a charming hotel in the downtown core, the Omni Hotel. This post was in no way paid for by Omni and while they...
