Kelsey Kotzur’s Best Travel Advice

When you’re mood boarding for your next vacation, Kelsey Kotzur’s social media accounts are the ideal place to look. She lives in New York City (already a top travel destination) and has traveled to bucket-list places around the world like Zurich, Paris, Aruba, and Roatán (an island in Honduras). Over the past few years, she’s curated popular Instagram and TikTok accounts that her followers visit for advice while in the throes of trip planning (when they’re not coming to her for tips on a cool restaurant in Brooklyn, or a trendy sneaker rec).

“[Traveling] is a mark of independence for me,” Kotzur told Thrillist in a recent conversation. “Having seen other cultures around the world and eating new foods and listening to new music, I think it makes me a better person and more independent in my daily life. If I can solo travel to Paris and get around and be so happy, I feel like I can do anything.”

Maximizing travel isn’t just about finding the coolest destination or catching the best flight deal — it’s also about using the right tools along the way. One of Kotzur’s secret weapons for traveling the globe is her Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which allows her to earn points to redeem on travel, among many other perks that can make her trips even smoother. Through July 23, new cardmembers can get five Free Nights at IHG® Hotels & Resorts properties around the world after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening. That’s in addition to other great benefits, like earning 5X IHG One Rewards points on every dollar spent on travel, dining, and at gas stations, and up to 26X total points on purchases at IHG Hotels & Resorts properties.

Below, find Kotzur’s best travel tips — and some of the destinations that are still on her bucket list.

Plan — but not too much

Kotzur is a self-described “Type B traveler,” which means she’s not big on planning every detail of a trip ahead of time. She has a list of places she wants to visit someday, and she’ll usually start planning by picking a destination from that list — once she does, “everything else kind of snowballs after that.” Japan is currently at the top of her bucket list, but she’s also looking at destinations closer to home, particularly the northwest United States. There, she’s drawn to hotels like the Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown and Hotel Indigo Vancouver Downtown-Portland Area. While she had a previous aversion to cold-weather climates, a recent stay at Kimpton Armory Hotel Bozeman in Montana had her wanting to explore more.

Type B traveling is made easier by having a card that’s got your back — Kotzur loves that she earns 3X points on every purchase with the IHG Premier Card. “Whether I’m shopping for my vacation wardrobe or just going to dinner, I’m earning points to then spend on that trip,” Kotzur says. Especially in New York City, “you can’t leave the house without spending money — the points are raining down on me!”

Find the perfect hotel

Your lodging can make or break a trip‚ so when it comes time to book a hotel, Kotzur says she swears by the IHG Hotels & Resorts mobile app. “It’s really nice to see what hotels are offered in which cities, so that’s where I start,” she says. “Like, Japan is huge, for example, but I don’t know what’s the best city to stay in.” On the app, she found two potential options for a dream trip to Japan: Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo and InterContinental Osaka.

Plus, with the Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, when cardmembers redeem existing IHG One Rewards points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay, they can receive the fourth Reward Night free (redeemable at the same hotel during that stay). “That’s been very helpful for me,” Kotzur says.

Kotzur also recommends choosing a hotel that is near the things you want to see at your destination — whether that means staying by the beach or in the center of a city known for its museums. “I feel like sometimes people in my age group or younger might go for the least expensive option, which is definitely something you should think about,” she says, “but I think it’s more important to book the hotel that is closest to the things that you want to do.”

Pack the essentials

Four essentials that Kotzur always brings with her on a trip: a good pair of sneakers, stick deodorant, chargers (many of them!), and a sweater. She’ll bring a sweater even if visiting a warm-weather climate, like her recent trip to Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort and Spa in Honduras.

“I have learned the hard way to always bring warm clothing, no matter where I’m going,” she says. “I made the biggest mistake when I went to Italy in 2019 and I was like, ‘Oh, spring weather, it’s going to be nice and warm.’ It was so cold and I had to buy a whole new wardrobe while I was there. So now I don’t travel anywhere without a sweater, jeans, and a good pair of sneakers.”

Indulge in the perks

Once she’s made it to her destination, Kotzur makes sure to indulge in all the benefits that her Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers. As a cardmember, she’s automatically part of the IHG One Rewards loyalty program with Platinum Elite status, which comes with additional perks at IHG properties like complimentary early check-in or late checkout upon availability, to squeeze in a few more hours to explore.

“If you’re traveling from city to city or if you’re just going on a vacation, maximizing the days that you have is so important,” Kotzur says. “I don’t love waking up early. I kind of like rolling out of bed and taking my time. Having those benefits at the beginning and the end of your travel [is] so amazing.”

Soak it all in

When you’re on your trip — especially one you’ve spent hard-earned time and money planning —it’s important to take time to sit back and soak it all in, whether that means snapping photos, taking videos, journaling, or even just creating memories to tell your friends and family back home. On all of her trips, Kotzur makes time to revel in the magic of each destination, whether it’s playing with monkeys in Honduras or seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle in Paris.

“The first time that I saw the Eiffel Tower sparkle — I think I forgot that it did that,” she says. “It was the coolest experience to me, and it’s something that I just never thought I would see as a little kid. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is literally my dream come true.’”

Learn more about the Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card today and start planning your next vacation.