Dad's Utah Business Trip

Well, my father couldn't sit still after our Hong Kong trip and decided to take off again, but this time without my mother and me. While he has traveled without us before, it was only for one night. This time, it will be for 11 nights!

He's going to traveling with his friend Paul, the father of my two friends, Jack and Connor - who we all spent time with in February in the Wisconsin Dells. They're going to a few business meetings with a company based out by Provo, UT - home of the BYU Cougars and the Mormon capital of the United States.

Fortunately, my father was able to score a decent $400 round trip United flight from New York, stopping in Chicago for a few days to meet up with Paul, then continuing west to Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, there are no direct United flights from SLC, so on the way back, he's connecting through Denver. I suppose he could have flown Delta non-stop, but what would he do with all those useless Delta Skymiles?

As for where they'll stay for 9 nights, there are no Starwood hotels near Provo, Utah. Bummer for my father's pursuit of SPG Platinum status for 2015.

While there is a full-service Sheraton in Salt Lake City ($135-150/night ), that's going to be a 45 minute drive to Provo each morning and back in the evening, so they were better off just staying at a closer hotel.

Fortunately, my father still had his Hilton Gold status and there was a Hampton Inn (a limited service economy business hotel comparable to a Four Points or a Hyatt Place) for $100/night right in Provo, including free breakfasts. While not a great hotel currency anymore after their massive 2013 devaluation, a few thousand Hilton HHonor points are better than nothing.