Newsletter #63 - Charlie Munger's Final Call

Charlie Munger's Final Call

Late on Thanksgiving evening 2023, Charlie Munger was admitted to a California hospital.

He was 99 years old. His 100th birthday party was planned for January 1st.

From his hospital bed, he asked his family to leave the room.

He had one last call to make.

For 64 years, Munger and Warren Buffett built Berkshire Hathaway into a trillion-dollar empire while living 2,400 kilometers apart. Their entire partnership ran on phone calls, long letters, and complete trust.

Munger dialed Buffett. They said goodbye.

Four days later, he was gone.

When everything else falls away, you find out who actually matters. Your inner circle. Your real partners. The people you trust with your blind spots.

Protect those relationships fiercely.

They become your final calls.

Best Hotel Stays in 2025

Most people book hotels by scrolling reviews and hoping for the best.

The busiest people we know approach it differently. They optimize for specific outcomes before they ever open a booking site, such as:

1. Recovery: Some trips exist to recharge. These travelers prioritize sleep tech, spa circuits, and wellness infrastructure over location or amenities.
2. Logistics: Traveling with family or a team changes everything. They look for suite layouts, kitchens, and flexible room configurations that match how they actually operate.
3. Value density: They find five-star experiences at three-star prices by knowing which properties punch above their weight.
4. Low decision fatigue: The best wellness resorts and all-inclusive experiences remove the mental load of planning every meal and activity.

Before your next trip, decide what you're actually optimizing for.

The answer shapes everything.

Here are select examples from Athena members’ best hotel stays in 2025.