If 2023 will be marked by anything, it will be my lack of impulse control when I see cheap travel.
Thanks to the site Faredrop I was notified of a $98 flight to Halifax. I booked it and texted my friend Alex. He was all in, booked his flight and we needed to find out what happened after that. The $98 didn't include any add-ons. No seat selection, and only a bag that could fit under a seat as luggage. I refused to pay for any of that. Alex paid for it all, getting himself emergency exit as well as a proper carry-on. I believe that a flight should cost exact what it is advertised as. Although, I suppose that's why they can make them so cheap.
When I was booking our hotel, I thought back to a conversation Alex and I had previously. Throughout Canada there are the Grand Railway Hotels. These are all national historic buildings typically next to or across from a train station. The most famous of these are the Royal York in Toronto, the only one I had previously stayed in, Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Empress Hotel in Victoria (who now make great gin) and the Banff Springs Hotel. When I saw that Halifax's Grand Railway Hotel was only $220 a night, I booked it.
Owned by the Westin, this hotel has definitely had a facelift. The only real times we could tell it was historic were the old mail boxes by the elevator and the pool. The pool definitely felt like a time warp as you walked in. 4ft deep throughout, no shallow or deep end, and blue tiling everywhere. It was my favourite part of the hotel, with the exception of the bathrobe that I nearly stole. I'd love to know where to get that exact one.
Watch us catch flights, and hang out in 100 year old hot tubs here:
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