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-   -   Evading Easter, a Bourbon trip to Cincinnati and the joys of BA J (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/2215522-evading-easter-bourbon-trip-cincinnati-joys-ba-j.html)

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 4:08 am

Good morning from Cincinnati where it’s now approaching 6 am. I didn’t end up with food last night, I just crashed and burned :D

Unfortunately, the weather forecast was correct and the temperature has absolutely plummeted! In fact the forecast from yesterday was overly optimistic. It was showing 11 to 12°C and now it’s looking more like 6°C :( that’s a drop of almost 20° overnight!

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bd1c7ee7e.jpeg

As I mentioned before, there is no real plan of the day since the food tour that was going to take up most of today was cancelled. Time to google…. But, before that, milk and cookies :D




JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 4:56 am

I’ve hit a very unexpected wrinkle… the hotel does not store luggage! Not only does the hotel not store luggage, there is no left luggage at CVG!

A goodly amount of searching has turned up nothing, the recommended locations and lockers are either full or closed. This was definitely not part of the plan :(

Where there’s a will there’s a way. IHG Status offered later check out and I’ve negotiated them to 2pm from an original lowball offer of noon :D

Now to check out day rooms or even hotel rooms near the airport. I’d rather chill in a room for a few hours than end up bag-dragging around the city or camping out in departures.

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 8:49 am

Happily party source was selling alcohol at 10:30 am and I’ve picked up the 10yo Basil Hayden that was high on my want list for this trip. I only saw it for sale in the UK once for nigh on £300 so £70 is a price I’m happy to pay. Also picked up some of the flavoured moonshine minis as I keep seeing these deeply discounted on Amazon but never been willing to pay out for a full bottle blindly.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...aefe6ea82.jpeg

The rollaboard is now solidly packed so I’ll have to pin my hopes on duty free for the last two bottles. Even if I strike out I’ll be happy :)

Time to switch hotels, I’ve picked up a day room at the airport Hilton for £50.

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 10:40 am

The Airport Hilton bears a striking resemblance to the HIE I just vacated. The standout difference was the receptionist who was without doubt the most surly receptionist I can recall! Check in took a while with a decent degree of huffing and puffing but eventually I got my room.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...58bbe40f3.jpeg
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Staying solo? No pool for you

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...db96c8505.jpeg

The bar and restaurant opens at 5pm

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cc5126511.jpeg

Bags dropped it is time to head out for food, my stomach is making its opinion felt on this matter, the last thing I ate was those wings about 22 hours ago… breakfast pancakes went straight in the bin after a single bite.

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 10:43 am

Fords garage was not too far away, had decent ratings, and honestly, looked cool!

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d720d810e.jpeg
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TxDucky Apr 5, 2026 10:53 am


Originally Posted by JapesUK (Post 37688263)
The Airport Hilton bears a striking resemblance to the HIE I just vacated. The standout difference was the receptionist who was without doubt the most surly receptionist I can recall! Check in took a while with a decent degree of huffing and puffing...

Combined with the lack of luggage storage, welcome to the modern low-cost and midrange facility U.S. hospitality industry. It’s like rolling a dice that offers such wonders as “inexperienced teenager on the desk”, “sweetest grandma ever on the desk”, and the ever popular “I learnt from a Parisian waiter desk worker”.

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 10:53 am

Starter was servers choice and a surprise selection of the French onion soup which suits me just fine

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ccff6ae86.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b2b763551.jpeg

Edit: A bread and cheese soup with onions :D. It was really good and vacuumed up in no time

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 11:10 am

Flighty is predicting an hour long departure delay, hopefully being overly pessimistic

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3d84702b7.jpeg

My day room expires at 6pm so the current plan is the 6pm hotel shuttle to the airport: I do have my sights set on chilli three way :)

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 11:22 am

Main course: Meatloaf. Both crumbly and moist and a clean plate heading back to the kitchen.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6b44ec686.jpeg

And Sundae for desert. I had to leave half the brownie, it was big!

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2de4344af.jpeg
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Total bill under fifty dollars including a couple of Ultra draft beers.

Now let’s migrate to the bar to see how good their old fashioned are :)

Yahtzee Apr 5, 2026 11:53 am

You ate all the green beans?! Good job.

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 11:58 am

Definitely spoilt for choice in the bar, draft beers of every type

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8cfbeb6a5.jpeg

And obviously lots of bourbon, this was just a sample

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fc191c104.jpeg

I decided to try the whistle pig which I’ve seen often but never tried, and the old fashioned burnout which was pretty decent

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f37c1cdc4.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...88ec6fd2b.jpeg

This guy has definitely snagged the best parking spot

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7ceee1854.jpeg

I think he is due an engine tune up though.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...861afabf6.jpeg

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 12:06 pm


Originally Posted by Yahtzee (Post 37688384)
You ate all the green beans?! Good job.

Thanks Mother :D :D

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 12:24 pm

Nearly time to hit the road but a standard old fashioned and a very odd lemon beer to see me on my way. After this it will be back to the hotel to chill until 5pm and then shower etc ready for the 6pm shuttle to the airport

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e47490e2f.jpeg
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JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 1:37 pm

Finally back to the hotel at 15:30 which is a half hour later than planned and in no way influenced by the gorgeous and gregarious bartender that had just come on shift ;)

BA have just confirmed what flighty had been saying-

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6ef067457.jpeg

That doesn’t change my plans, still targeting the 6pm shuttle. Right now it is time for 90 minutes of chill, lets see what HBO has to offer.

JapesUK Apr 5, 2026 4:54 pm

And so to the airport. No delays anywhere and It’s now 45 minutes after I left the hotel and I am at the B gates. A little photo montage

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https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1e52bf84b.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9255d87f0.jpeg

And time for chilli

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9bf6c592f.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2d27c0204.jpeg
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That was actually worse than it looked! It bore no resemblance to any chilli I have ever had, best described as bland mushy meat like substance in brown sauce. Sorry Cincinnati, that’s just foul.


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