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☆ Step inside a luxury Panama City resort attracting business travelers with its exclusive, Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and high-end dining
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Panama City's wealthy Santa Maria neighborhood is home to the city's only five-star resort. The Santa Maria Hotel is known for its Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and high-end dining. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. I was in Santa Maria, one of Panama City's most expensive neighborhoods. To celebrate my final night in Panama, I spent a night at the five-star Santa Maria Hotel and Golf Resort.

Persons: Jack Nicklaus, — Organizations: Service Locations: Panama, Santa Maria, Santa, Panama's Gulf, Chiriqui

☆ I toured first-class cars on the Rocky Mountaineer train, where tickets cost $2,269 and come with a luxe bar that's off-limits to other passengers
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I rode the Rocky Mountaineer, one of the world's most opulent trains, from Colorado to Utah. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The Canadian train company operates four routes, and I was on its US route heading to Moab, Utah, from Denver. As I booked the two-day train trip, I had the choice between two classes: SilverLeaf and SilverLeaf Plus. In 2024, the SilverLeaf ticket cost $1,699.

Persons: — Organizations: Rocky Mountaineer, Service, Canadian, Business Locations: Colorado, Utah, Moab , Utah, Denver, Glenwood Springs , Colorado

☆ I went inside the secret room where pilots sleep on long-haul flights. It was the best seat on the plane.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Pilots take shifts on long-haul flights. I toured the secret room stationed above business class on an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! That's why pilots take shifts on long-haul flights. When pilots aren't in the cockpit, they're resting in secret rooms on board the aircraft.

Persons: they're, — Organizations: Air New Zealand Boeing, Service, Zealand Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Los Angeles

☆ I took a 13-hour flight to New Zealand from LA. Here are 8 mistakes I made.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Two summers ago, I spent 13 hours on a plane flying from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! AdvertisementNew Zealand is known for its incredibly stunning scenery — and an incredibly long flight if you live in the US like me. I boarded a flight in Denver heading to Los Angeles and arrived at my final destination — Auckland, New Zealand — two days later. Between time-zone changes, a 13-hour flight, a 2.5-hour flight, and layovers, I spent nearly 24 consecutive hours in airports, airport lounges, and airplanes.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, New Zealand —, Business Locations: Los Angeles, Auckland , New Zealand, Zealand, Denver, Auckland, New Zealand

☆ I visited Waiheke Island, the 'Hamptons of New Zealand,' where Taylor Swift has vacationed and the ultra-rich reside. Take a look around.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Waiheke Island, off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, is a vacation spot for the rich and famous. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! AdvertisementWaiheke Island, off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, is known to attract a wealthy crowd. In 2017, Vogue journalist Amy Louise Bailey coined Waiheke Island, the "Hamptons of New Zealand," and called it an "escape that is high-end but low-key." I was eager to see if Waiheke lived up to its Hamptons reputation, so on a trip to Auckland in 2022, I planned a two-night getaway to the island.

Persons: —, Amy Louise Bailey, Waiheke Organizations: Service, Vogue Locations: Waiheke, Auckland , New Zealand, New Zealand, Auckland

☆ I'm about to turn 40, and people say I'll regret being child-free. I won't.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Gary Nunn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I turn 40 next March, so I'm at the age where I'm relatively often asked when I'll have kids. I'm childless because of my choices, and I'm happy this wayI say I'm not childless by choice, but I'm happily childless by the choices I've made in life. AdvertisementJodie Humphries is child-free and wishes people would stop telling people she'll regret not having kids. Courtesy of Jodie HumphriesI don't think people should assume women will regret not having kidsThose same older female relatives will say I'll regret not having my own children. Having kids isn't a duty I need to fulfill as a woman; it should be a decision made thoughtfully and wholeheartedly.

Persons: —, Jodie Humphries, I'm, haven't, I've, it'd, I'd, that's, We've, don't Organizations: Service, Business

☆ I stayed in 5-star hotels for the first time after years of booking cheap Airbnbs. Here are 15 things that surprised me.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I soon discovered what I was missing while staying at five-star hotels and resorts. The author on the balcony at The Little Nell hotel in Aspen, Colorado. Monica Humphries/Business InsiderFast-forward six months, I explored three more five-star accommodations during a work trip to Australia and New Zealand. I also stayed two nights at The Darling, a five-star hotel that cost a total of $650. Here are the things I found most surprising about trading cheap motels for five-star luxury hotels.

Persons: Little Nell, Monica Humphries, prosecco, Nell, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Stevie Wonder, you've Locations: Little, Aspen , Colorado, Australia, New Zealand, Auckland , New Zealand, Britomart, Sydney, Crystalbrook Albion, Surry Hills, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Aspen

☆ I spent 2 nights in an overgrown tiny house in Panama's rainforest for $300. Take a look inside.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

And while castles usually ooze luxury and extravagance, Bambuda is one of the town's more affordable hotels. A view of the Bambuda Castle. The locals told me that while it was once a private residence, it was sold and transformed into a budget hotel in the last decade. As they expanded across Panama, the pair targeted budget travelers. For example, Bambuda Castle offers a range of accommodations.

Persons: Monica Humphries, Tom Oman, Dan Adelman, Panama's Bocas Del Organizations: Bambuda Locations: Boquete, Panama's Bocas, Panama's Bocas Del Toro, Panama

☆ We sailed in an interior cabin on Carnival and an ocean-view room on Royal Caribbean. We'd only book one again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Monica Humphries | Joey Hadden | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Joey's Royal Caribbean cabin cost about $700 more than the Carnival cruise. Inside the Royal Caribbean (L) and Carnival (R) rooms. Meanwhile, Monica sailed in the Carnival Vista's cheapest room option: an entry-level interior stateroom. An interior room on a typical Royal Caribbean ship could be between $25 and $40 cheaper per day than an ocean view room, according to Royal Caribbean Blog. As a result, Joey's cruise cost double what it would have been per person had she been traveling with a buddy.

Persons: Joey Hadden, Monica Humphries, Monica, Joey, Monica's stateroom Organizations: Joey's, Royal, Royal Caribbean Locations: Joey's Royal, Caribbean, Royal Caribbean

☆ This startup ditched plans to go public and sold to a private equity firm for $3 billion. Here's the pitch deck it used.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-06 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

European private equity firm Hg expressed interest in buying a majority stake in the enterprise software company. For startups, private equity represents a deep-pocketed buyer willing to move quickly, pay a premium, and potentially help the business by tapping into complementary companies in their portfolio. AuditBoard is the kind of startup that private equity goes gaga over. Bidding warArnold then delivered the pitch deck that he had shown to public market investors just weeks before. Here's the 19-slide pitch deck that AuditBoard used to court a $3 billion buyout from private equity.

Persons: —, Scott Arnold, Morgan Stanley, Arnold, AuditBoard, Corporates, Daniel Kim, Jay Lee, It's, Fortune, Alex Johnson, Johnson, Morgan Stanley's, Roxanne Oulman's, Nic, Humphries — Hg's, Goldman Sachs, Humphries, he's Organizations: Service, Business, Battery Ventures, Tiger Global, Morgan Locations: Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Shutterfly, Paris

☆ Insider Today: The Hamptons of Florida
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This week's dispatchView of Inlet Beach, Florida, one of the communities that makes up "30A" Courtesy of the Blankenship GroupMeet the "Hamptons of the South"A 26-mile stretch of Florida highway has been a well-kept secret for years. Sitting between popular spring break locales Destin and Panama City Beach, the 30A beaches comprise a few towns: Rosemary, Santa Rosa Beach, and Seaside. Despite the influx of interest and visitors, Kemp Stewart, a luxury rental owner who's seen 30A blow up in popularity, said that the beach towns' appeal has remained the same. No more night sweats : We found the three best cooling pajama sets for women to help hot sleepers chill out. AdvertisementMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York.

Persons: —, Suzanne Hayes, it's, Dan Latu, Kemp Stewart, who's, It's, Kemp, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Monica Schipper, Affleck, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Monica Humphries, Natalie Ammari, Zers, they're, Warner, Kevin Costner's, Max, Air McNair, docuseries, Steve McNair, Rebecca Zisser, Skip, we've, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Business, Panama City Beach, BI, Warner Bros, Apple, Labor Locations: Florida, Beach , Florida, Gulf, Mexico, Panama, Santa Rosa Beach, Seaside, Redfin, New York, New York City

☆ An American Airlines passenger on an oversold flight stayed in Italy for an extra 3 nights to collect $3,550 in travel vouchers
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Berry's $10,000 goal was cut short, but she did extend her trip three extra days and has $3,550 in flight vouchers. Plus, another $1,200 in flight vouchers would allow her to photograph in new destinations. Her free hotel stays, meals, and flight vouchers ended on August 7, three nights after her first bumped flight. BI verified that Berry earned $3,550 in flight vouchers, with one voucher worth $1,150 instead of $1,200. Susan Berry has spent her days photographing while in Naples, Italy, bumped on an overbooked flight.

Persons: —, Susan Berry didn't, Berry, didn't, she'd, Susan Berry, Susan Berry Berry, Berry isn't Organizations: Service, American Airlines, Business Locations: Italy, Naples, Philadelphia, Rio de Janeiro, Seychelles

☆ A Swiss town is home to a 5-star hotel that welcomes everyone from the ultrawealthy to royalty. Take a look inside.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel, Switzerland, has a rich history of remarkable guests. For centuries, the hotel has catered to guests such as Queen Elizabeth II and the Rolling Stones. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAs I eavesdropped on a conversation at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, it felt almost too cliché. Perched on red velvet chairs and sipping top-shelf cocktails, a group of hotel guests discussed a friend's upcoming art show.

Persons: Queen Elizabeth II, — Organizations: Rois, Service, Grand, Business Locations: Basel, Switzerland, New York City

There are a number of clever items you could add to your carry-on to make your journey smoother. Business Insider's reporters' carry-on essentials could make all the difference on your next flight. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . But there are ways to navigate these travel hurdles and challenges, especially if you bring a carry-on that's efficiently packed. To help, Business Insider's travel reporters are sharing their carry-on essentials to make your next trip to the airport the best one yet.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ A couple in their 20s converted 11 camper vans before building their dream one. Take a look inside the $127,000 Ram ProMaster.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

After a bout of burnout, the pair decided to quit their conversion business and prioritize building a van to travel in. Scarlett and Seth EskelundAfter five years of converting and selling vans, the couple was ready to build their dream oneIn 2018, Seth and Scarlett felt stuck. Since 2018, Seth and Scarlett converted 11 vans, including three they lived in; their builds typically took three to six months. Side-by-side images of the interior of the couple's $127,000 van build. And while they accomplished their dream van, Scarlett said, "You couldn't pay us to do it again."

Persons: —, Scarlett, Seth Eskelund, Seth, It's, Scarlett Eskelund, Ram ProMaster, Scarlett Eskelund paddleboarding, van Scarlett, haves, Lula, Sasha, they've Organizations: Service, Business, The New York Times Locations: The, Colorado, Mexico, Canada

☆ Insider Today: Scammers on the loose
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. But first: Scammers are on the loose. AdvertisementThe FBI said last year thousands of people lost $350 million to real-estate scams in 2021, an increase of 64% from 2020. In fact, BI has been reporting on scams and how they can wreck one's financial life and sanity for years. AdvertisementMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief of life, in New York.

Persons: —, Tyler Le, Daniel Pietschnig, Alcynna Lloyd, they'd, Monica Humphries, it's, Max Nieuwdorp, Chelsea Jia Feng, Mark Von Holden, Rebecca Zisser, Kevin Costner's, Kevin Costner, Costner, Stefano Secchi, Axel F, Eddie Murphy, Axel Foley, Sam Taylor, Amy Winehouse, Dyson, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Rome, Business, FBI, Research, Warner Bros, Variety, Images, Netflix Locations: Italian, New York, New York City

☆ I took a 10-hour flight, and one carry-on item made sitting in economy more comfortable
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementI was initially hesitant to buy the hammockFor years, I've eyed a foot hammock. AdvertisementThe foot hammock's strap loops the plane's tray table. Since foot hammocks are affordable — I bought mine for under $10 — I figured I would give one a shot. The foot hammock allowed me to be in my preferred plane position with my knees up. For all future flights that allow it, you'll find me curled up in my seat with a foot hammock in tow.

Persons: —, I'm, I've, Monica Humphries Organizations: Service, Business, Street, Leisure, Air, Amazon, Lufthansa Locations: Zealand

☆ I went inside a hidden room where flight attendants sleep on long-haul flights. I was amazed by its small size and comfy beds.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

On Air New Zealand's Boeing 777-300ER, flight attendants rest in a room hidden above economy class. As I scaled the steps up to the room, I entered a cramped space with eight beds and storage. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . When flight attendants and pilots work long shifts, they also take a break — in tiny rooms hidden on planes. On the way back to the US from New Zealand in 2022, I went behind the scenes for a firsthand look at flight attendants' break room on Air New Zealand's Boeing 777-300ER.

Persons: —, It's Organizations: New, Boeing, Service Locations: New Zealand

☆ I sat in the front and back of economy for a round-trip, long-haul flight. I'm still partial to the back.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewIt's a hot take, but I love the back of a plane — especially on a long-haul flight. But after a handful of long-haul flights tucked away in the rear of economy, I decided to see if my preference remained strong. On a recent round-trip, long-haul Lufthansa flight between Denver and Germany, I decided to compare the two areas of economy. AdvertisementAn economy seat on a long-haul Lufthansa flight. Monica Humphries/Business InsiderUltimately, no economy seat on a long-haul flight is ideal, but I'm sticking with the backNo matter the seat, a 10-hour flight isn't fun.

Persons: —, Monica Humphries, I'm, that's, I've Organizations: Service, Lufthansa, Business, I've Locations: Denver, Germany, Tokyo, Munich

☆ I bid $290 for a premium economy seat on a 10-hour Lufthansa flight. I'm glad I didn't win.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I placed a $290 bid to sit in premium economy, an upgrade that typically costs $1,490. I didn't win the upgrade, but ultimately was glad I kept my window seat. AdvertisementI boarded a 10-hour Lufthansa flight from Denver to Germany and immediately questioned the decision I made just a day prior. That decision was to bid on a premium economy seat for my return flight home. Typically, passengers can pay outright for a higher class or earn seat upgrades through airline status programs.

Persons: —, you'll Organizations: Lufthansa, Service, Business Locations: Denver, Germany

☆ Art experts and millionaires head to a Swiss town once a year for its annual Art Basel festival. Here's what it's like to visit as a first-timer.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I traveled to my first Art Basel, an international art fair hosted each summer in Basel, Switzerland. Collectively, this made up Art Basel, the world's premiere art show, where more than 250 gallerists feature 4,000 artists. Photo Basel and the Liste Art Fair Basel are hosted on the same weekend. Clara Tuma for BIBefore arriving in Basel, the art fair felt vaguely familiarI can't pinpoint the first time I heard about Art Basel. Growing up in Florida, I'm sure I heard murmurs about Art Basel Miami, one of the four locations where Art Basel fairs are held each year.

Persons: —, Paloma Varga Weisz, Gordon Parks, Pat Steir, Clara Tuma, could've, I'm, David Zwirner, Joan, Serena Williams, Julio Le Parc, Ryan Gander, Keith Haring, Francisco Sierra's, Alfredo Jaar's, Seba Calfuqueo, gallerists, crosse, Beyeler, Agnes Denes, Basel's, Mandy El, Eric Hattan, Eric Hattan's Organizations: Art Basel, Service, Art, BI, Liste Art Fair, Basel, Art Basel Miami, FDR, New, Botanical, tote Locations: Basel, Switzerland, Art Basel, Swiss, Art, Florida

☆ It takes a full year to bring one of Art Basel's most popular exhibits to life. Here's how it all comes together.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Perhaps the most popular part of Art Basel is the Unlimited sector, famous for its large-scale works. He spends the week of Art Basel conversing with gallery representatives, discussing artists' works, and planting seeds for the next exhibit. Monica Humphries/Business InsiderOnce the hall's layout is finalized, walls and lights are built and placed. Finally, the galleries and artists arrive to install their projects about four days before Art Basel begins. A view of Art Basel's Unlimited hall.

Persons: —, Giovanni Carmine, Carmine, Lutz Bacher's, David Claerbout's, Monica Humphries, Keith Haring, Miles, Allan McCollum, Julio Le Parc's, Carmine's, Seba Calfuqueo, Keith Haring's, Sam Falls, Mario, Mario Ceroli's, Faith Ringgold's, Julio Le Parc, Christo Organizations: Service, Art Basel, Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Business, Basel, curating, FDR Locations: Switzerland, Swiss, Basel, Art, Paris, Miami, la, Harare, Zimbabwe

☆ Inside a 5-star hotel in Panama City's richest neighborhood, complete with 2 infinity pools and a Louis Vuitton-inspired speakeasy
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I told locals I was staying at the JW Marriott, but to them, the building is better known as the Trump Ocean Club. The exterior of the JW Marriott Panama, a five-star hotel in Panama City's Punta Pacifica neighborhood. Monica Humphries/Business InsiderBefore the building was called The Ocean Club, it was the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower. In 2018, Marriott International took over management and renamed it The Ocean Club, the AP reported . Everyone I spoke with during my Panama trip knew it as the Trump building or Trump tower.

Persons: Monica Humphries, Roger Khafif, Trump Organizations: JW, Trump Ocean Club, JW Marriott, Ocean, Trump Ocean Club International, Punta Pacifica, Trump, Associated Press, NBC, Reuters, Marriott International, AP Locations: JW Marriott Panama, Panama, Punta Pacifica

☆ I explored an Arizona ghost town with an abandoned dentist's office, schoolhouse, and laundromat. The spot felt like stepping back in time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

On a recent road trip across the American West, I made a stop at The Gold King Mine and Ghost Town. The ghost town is part of the mining town of Haynes, Arizona. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementI will never turn down a visit to a ghost town. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Town, Service, Business Locations: Haynes , Arizona, Colorado

☆ I visited a ghost town in the middle of Utah's desert that was home to Hawaiian settlers. Take a look around.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

I reflected on the story of the 46 settlers and was amazed that a group believed in something strongly enough to leave their homes and families in exchange for a new life in the desert. Their commitment and dedication, I thought, were admirable. The Iosepa cemetery. Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Persons: Monica Humphries

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