Introduction and Redemption
栗子“中华憋精美名扬” is at it again with another successful big move — this redemption was for 栗子's second IHG FN (the new-card Flex FN) from dual cards. For the previous post, please see: A Thanksgiving Three-Day, Two-Night Big Loop Road Trip (including an IHG free-night certificate stay experience) .
The Mr&Mrs Casa Laguna Hotel & Spa featured in this stay was booked using the FN from the $95 annual-fee Chase IHG new card. Since the lowest-priced award room at the time of booking also required 42,500 points, an extra 2,500 points were added when redeeming the Flex FN in order to get system recognition.
Let me hammer this home again：栗子's famous line — system recognition is the most important thing, so don’t listen to customer service spouting nonsense！栗子 can spout nonsense and still give you this many photos; what can customer service do if they spout nonsense?
ざわざわ……the conversation is dead……
As for the equivalent redemption value, just look at the image — nothing more needs to be said!
Voice-over：栗子，what are you stirring up now?
栗子：Come on, what else are points for? If I can’t pull off a big move, why would I redeem them?
Check-in
Due to some unexpected events on the afternoon of the 22nd, I didn’t get to drive over to Laguna Beach to check in until evening.
Look, look — it was already dark!
Parking is free, but the entrance to this parking lot is really something else... eyeballing it, the slope is more than 20 degrees... scary enough to make you bite your hands!
A quick note: if any group members come here, please enter through the back door marked with the red circle... I didn’t know that, so I laboriously slid my luggage down the ramp in the picture above all the way to Highway 1, and then checked in through the front entrance...
Usually it’s a key card hero shot, but this time let’s do a classic key hero shot!
I took the path up and ended up making a huge loop...
Finally arrived at the room door.
Once inside, I took a few shots of the interior.
The bathroom has a separate bathtub.
The shampoo and body wash are fixed dispensers. I have to say this design makes them not very convenient to use, because the nozzle is too short, and once you press down, it’s very easy for the liquid to spill over the edge.
Two alcoholic drinks are provided for free.
But 栗子’s aldehyde dehydrogenase activity is low, so alcohol hits hard, so it’s best to be careful.
Fireplace.
After settling in, I went out for a walk.
Ice machine.
The pool was closed, so it looks like I’ll have to come back tomorrow morning.
Handheld challenge: ISO 6400 + a half-second shutter, photographing the Winter Triangle.
By the time I got back, it was about time, so I watched TV and went to sleep.
Finally, ending with a shot of the rooftop wallpaper.
Breakfast
Heaven above and earth below, my family has a night-crying child. Travelers passing by, recite this three times, and you’ll sleep until dawn.
If any reader’s hometown has this saying, please reply and let me know.
I opened the window and looked outside — sleeping well, sleeping well! Only then did I realize that the big hotel logo sign was right outside the balcony.
Stepping outside to take a look, this is the gate toward Highway 1.
Open the lookout window and take a look — it has a kind of “prison gate” vibe...
Different time, same place — Front Desk.
Dining Room.
The daytime pool.
There’s a watchtower on the left.
Head up and take a look.
Then come back and find a place to sit down and have a cup of coffee.
Closing
It was about time, so I snapped a few more shots of the other facilities inside.
At checkout, I was told there would be a 30-dollar Resort Fee, which was acceptable.
This time I learned my lesson and slipped out through the back door!
Finally, let me take one more photo of this little road leading to Highway 1 so everyone can see just how terrifying the slope is!
Thinking back to the night before, when Li Zi dragged the suitcase down little by little... I won’t say anything else — just not hurting my knees was already pretty lucky...
After a brief stop in Laguna Beach, we drove on to SD.
Here’s another shot of what was once a fountain of human energy — the remains of a nuclear power plant.
And finally, one photo of Coaster’s rail yard to prove its identity — How could Li Zi’s post not have trains? That makes sense, right?
Voice-over — Pu...
Li Zi: If you’re going to make a move, you have to strike when the other side least expects it, and beat them down with an offbeat, non-mainstream attack!
Summary
Ever since IHG switched to dynamic redemption, redeeming FN and points nights has become like buying lottery tickets. That also explains why Li Zi only redeemed one night — only that night could be covered with one FN plus 2,500 points; on the other dates, it was 70,000 points and up, which instantly killed the value.
If you’re thinking about going, just search around and try your luck — you might get a surprise!