ewh9

After ringing in 2023 in Cincinnati, we decided to do something a bit different this year. My wife amassed quite the stash of Amtrak points over the past six years, and we have redeemed almost all of them for a bedroom on the Coast Starlight train from Los Angeles to Seattle--an estimated thirty-four hour journey--and then two seats on the Cascades train the following morning from Seattle to Vancouver, BC. I expect that we will pass into 2024 somewhere in Northern California or Southern Oregon.

The most recent review of the Coast Starlight train that I could find is from two decades ago, so I think that writing this report will be worthwhile. And taking a page from the prolific JapesUK, I'm going to try to keep this report more or less live.

The first order of business is getting to LA, and so I type this as we prepare to head to JFK. Our trip is off to an auspicious start, as our upgrades to business class cleared last night--I'm glad that we didn't bite on the $242 upgrades that we were offered yesterday.

Next stop: the Greenwich Lounge at JFK.

ewh9

We made it to JFK in under 45 minutes. The pre-check line was as long as I've seen it, meaning that it took 10 minutes to clear security instead of the usual two.

The breakfast offerings in the Greenwich Lounge were meager, albeit a step up from the Admirals Club. Thirty minutes was plenty of time to spend here.

ewh9

I decided not to purchase internet on the flight, but we made quick time into LAX--5 hours and 15 minutes.

I find AA's A321T to be an extremely comfortable way to cross the country (even in economy, but luckily we weren't in economy today). I will miss it when it goes away. Today was no different, with good food and service.

While I generally don't like the breakfast on planes, I really enjoyed the coconut chia oatmeal. The fresh fruit was surprisingly flavorful.

After breakfast, I watched Equalizer 3 (it was a bit too easy for Robert McCall this time, no?) and slept for a few hours. Smelling cookies baking is a great way to wake up!

Taxiing to the gate now, and then we'll pick up our Kyte rental to get out of town for the day.

Antonio8069

Looking forward to seeing your experience on the Coastal Starlight? I did this trip years ago but it was mainly at night.
What are your plans once you reach Vancouver?

ewh9

Thanks! We hope to have good views of the California coast during the day. Unfortunately, we only have one day in Vancouver because we have to get back to work. The plan is to explore Stanley Park and eat some Chinese food.

birdiedouble

Sounds like a fun and memorial way to end one year and start another!

ewh9

Our early arrival meant that we were too early to pick up the Kyte rental. That worked out, as it gave us time to swing by the Flagship Lounge. The lunch and liquor options here were pretty impressive.

With lunch and a mezcal soda taken care of (I'm not driving), I'm ready for the 2-3 hour drive ahead.

ewh9

For those who are not familiar, Kyte is a rental car company that operates in about ten metropolitan areas in the USA. Its selling point is convenience: an employee will drop off and pick up the car essentially anywhere in the city.

Its solution for LAX is quite creative. Because only black cars can pick up outside LAX terminals, Kyte gives you a $60 Uber Black voucher. This was more than enough to take us to the Kyte LAX site a few miles away.

We had to wait about 12 minutes for the Uber and 10 minutes for the attendant to help other customers, but this was still the most pleasant airport rental car experience I've had.

Like all rental car companies, Kyte oversells cars, and it could not provide us with the car type we selected (we got a Corolla instead of a Camry). We did get a credit. The overall experience was positive, and I look forward to the drop-off tomorrow at our hotel.

Next stop: JW Marriott Desert Springs, 3 hours through the LA haze.

ewh9

After a pleasant drive, we've arrived at the JW. The hotel is bustling, as expected during this holiday weekend. We booked this for 70,000 Marriott points--not a great redemption, as cash rates were under $600, but we didn't want to spend any more on this trip.

I doubt many "Saved by the Bell" fans frequent this forum, but the reason we are staying here is because the hotel is featured in the two-part episode where Jessie's dad gets remarried (he is the manager of the hotel). The exterior and lobby look largely the same as they did in the early 1990s.

This is one of the largest hotels I've stayed in, and the service levels correspond. I had to call 3-4 times before someone answered the phone on the drive over.

The check-in experience was poor, with an unnecessary wait and an associate who actively tried to shed us instead of answering questions and gave no explanation of the elite benefit choices or the breakfast set-up.

The concierge was incredibly helpful, however, and is a credit to the property. She swiftly rebooked our boat tour, which we missed due to traffic.

The property accepted a Suite Night Award, and the executive suite is spacious and fairly well appointed. I look forward to the balcony view tomorrow morning.

Next up, we will explore the property, grab a drink, and take a boat to dinner at the teppanyaki restaurant.






Sorry for the poor lighting.

ewh9

First stop, Aquifer65 (the lobby bar) for some tasty cocktails and Buffalo wings and lovely live music. It is a nice and unusual touch that a lobby bar has a sushi counter.

pt flyer

I hope that you have a wonderful trip! This train is somewhat notorious for being several hours late by the time it gets to Seattle. Let's hope that this will not be the case for you.

ewh9

Thanks! I am banking on that happening but hope it doesn't--watching the end of the UW-UT matchup in Seattle would be fun.

ewh9

The next stop was the arcade. The assortment of games rivaled a beach boardwalk arcade. There was even a duckpin bowling game. Unfortunately, my bag of quarters was worthless, as the games only accepted a pre-loaded card for payment. A $30 card was exhausted quickly. We may go again tomorrow.




Then, we took a boat tour ending at Mikado, our dinner destination.

ewh9

Mikado was a lot of fun. We got a pre-dinner drink and then were escorted to our teppan about ten minutes later.

The theatrics of teppanyaki fit in well with the vibe of this resort. It didn't hurt that the steak, vegetables, and fried rice were among the best that I've had in this setting.

Based on a sample of two so far, it appears that each restaurant here has its own mai tai variant. I'll take it as a warmup for next month's Hawaii trip.

Time for bed. Tomorrow's plans include the driving range, pickleball, and (maybe) mini-golf before heading back to LA.

ewh9

I woke up to this view:
The lobby is more spectacular during the day.


We had breakfast at the Rockwood Grill. The chilaquiles and signature omelet were standouts. We had the cost of the buffet ($20) waived due to Ambassador status. I am not sure if that's true for other elite statuses.


I just overheard a child exclaim, "It's so beautiful here. It's too beautiful to eat."