A seafood lover’s dream

Welcome back to another edition of Travel Onist where I search high and low to bring you travel experiences that make you go 🥺 😍 🤩.

I wanted to start this edition off with a little fun. It’s time to pit my Onistas against each other 😈. This week’s write-up begins with a little poll to better understand your travel preferences. Let me know below!!

Here’s what we’re serving up today:

A Tuscan hotel that offers the best of both worlds

A seafood lover’s dream

One of the world’s most scenic train rides

A great resource for utilizing credit card points

Stay

Grand Universe Lucca – Luxury Hotel in the Heart of Tuscany

While hotels associated with big chains aren’t typically the go-to for an authentic travel experience, some of the more boutique collections make for a best-of-both-worlds scenario—use some of those well-earned points you’ve been racking up AND get to stay at a beautifully designed boutique feeling hotel. The Grand Universe Hotel in Lucca, Italy delivers that exact benefit.

Situated in the middle of this gorgeous, historic Tuscan town, the hotel offers beautifully designed rooms and a front-row seat to everything Lucca has to offer. The town is designed for walking and even limits car access, which is fairly easy with the help of its centuries-old city walls. Check out the cozy rooftop bar at the hotel for a gorgeous view. And stop by the concierge when you feel like saying “Jesus take the wheel” and have someone do the work for you. Otherwise, experience the inescapable Italian charm of Lucca for yourself as you stroll past shops, cafes, and restaurants.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Off the Hook Poke Market

I fall into the camp of lunatics that typically don’t enjoy Poke. But lemme tell ya, good poke absolutely SLAPS. This is the best I’ve had, and it’s not close. Some of the best, melt-in-your-mouth flavor that I’ve tasted in this lifetime. The spicy tuna was ridiculous! Our snorkeling guide turned us on to this place, and boy do we owe him one. While Oahu is…*checks map*🤓 🗺… a HEFTY trip for most of our readers, this spot alone may be worth the flight for you poke lovers out there.

Experience

GoldenPass Express

Based on the pictures and details, plus being located in one of the most outrageously expensive countries in the world, I fully expected this first-class train ride through the Swiss Alps to be more expensive than a Coachella VIP Pass. But I found this $60 ticket from Montreaux to Interlaken to be fairly reasonable. Maybe it was just my high expectations, so take a look and decide for yourself.

I’m heading to Switzerland in November and I will certainly be reporting back on some newfound Swiss treasures.

Carry On

Smart with Points

This one comes in from one of our own. Everyone, please thank Ben for all of the money/points he just saved you. This site piggybacks off a prior recommendation (linked here) where I discussed the value of transferring credit card points rather than redeeming them dollar for dollar through your credit card portal.

To that, you may have said something like, “Yeah sure T.O., but I don’t have time for that.” Enter Smart with Points… now you have no excuse! This handy dandy little tool helps you see your best transfer partners. For those of you sitting on a ton of Amex points, it might be time for a trip to Mexico.

AI Travel Art Piece of the Week

Cheers til next week,

T.O.