The First Class Project

Review: Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

2016-10-28T08:30:00.000-05:00

The last stop on my "tour" of Cathay Pacific's lounges in HKIA was the airline's less-than-a-year old First Class lounge located near gate 63, The Pier First Class Lounge...

The moment you enter the space, you can already tell that this lounge would be different...

Past the reception is a long hallway that connects all of the different sections of the lounge...

...starting with The Bar -- which is located on this end of the lounge...

Here's the menu for their specialty cocktails...

The area of "The Bar" extends to the side of the lounge that has tarmac views...

From here, it connects to a nice separate seating area...

...with the same tarmac views...

The side tables hide the power outlets and USB plugs...

Connected to the seating area and opening up back to the main hallway is The Library...

...a small space with racks of reading materials and a few seats.

On the other side of the hallway is a room filled with snacks and other small bites -- called The Pantry...

Ummmm....no words.

Beside this room is another similar-sized room with Macs and workstations -- called The Bureau...

Past this area is where the rest of the lounge's amenities are...

Starting with a photo of their washroom...

Yes, it deserved a photo :-)

Opposite this is where the Day Suites, showers, and the foot massage service are located -- The Retreat...

I inquired about getting a foot massage as soon as I got there but I was told that the earliest they can get me in was after noon. Unfortunately, I will be somewhere over the Pacific Ocean by that time ;-)

Here was the menu of services...

Luckily, I was able to check out the Day Suites as not all eight were taken during my visit...

Although there are walls between the Day Suites, there are only heavy curtains to use for privacy. I think this works for the most part except from keeping out the noise from people walking in and out of the Suites and from people snoring :-)

It was such a beautiful small space, though...

Every corner is Instagram-worthy -- just like the rest of the lounge...

I could've stayed there longer but there was more to see before my flight boards.

Up next are the showers...

The design takes cue from the rest of the lounge...

They had Aesop toiletries, which is the same brand that they have in their First Class amenity kit. Which makes me wonder why the Wing showers and Cabanas have Jurlique.

Finally, at the other end of the lounge...

...is their amazing menu service restaurant, the Dining Room...

Here was the breakfast menu...

I ordered the Eastern Set...

...which was amazing...

I can just imagine what they offer during lunch and dinner service.

And then it was finally time to leave this spectacular space...

For awhile there I forgot that I was actually in the airport...

The Pier First Class lounge is, well, amazing. It is by far the most beautiful space I've seen of anything (and not just lounges) in an airport.

Here, I just had to go back to the restaurant when it was empty to get a proper photo of that space...

More than the (aesthetic) design -- the layout and amenities were good and sufficient and the food was top-notch. Service was a hit or miss, but nothing bad. I am already plotting out my next visit while I am writing this post :-) Seriously, I could spend a whole day at HKIA going around Cathay Pacific's lounges. I just hope the change in the lounge management company (from the Peninsula to Plaza Premium) doesn't affect the lounges in a negative way.

Up Next: HKG-ORD on Cathay Pacific First Class

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge - Changi Airport Terminal 2
SIN-JOG on SilkAir Business Class
Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta (Indonesia)
Yogyakarta in One Day
JOG-DPS on Garuda Indonesia Economy Class
Conrad Bali - Deluxe Ocean Room
Conrad Bali and the Conrad Suite
Grand Hyatt Bali - Grand Suite King

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3
HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific First Class

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Rd. Kowloon

Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Cathay Pacific The Wing Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Cathay Pacific The Cabin Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport
Cathay Pacific The Bridge Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Review: Cathay Pacific The Bridge Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

2016-10-26T20:32:00.000-05:00

This was my first time visiting the Bridge lounge as it wasn't open yet when I decided that I will not fly Cathay Pacific anymore :-)

The lounge is located on level 5 near gate 35...

The lounge is divided into two sides. One side has the following:

A nice "living room" seating set up greets you at the entrance to this side of the lounge...

The whole seating area by the window has a great view of the tarmac and the floor to ceiling windows bring in a lot of light...

This side has this dining area they call The Bakery...

...which I regret not having tried :-(

They also have the Long Bar on this side of the lounge...

Opposite that is another seating area that spans the whole length of the bar...

And, finally, they also have this area they call the TV Lounge...

...which is basically a small area with sectionals and a small TV. The area seems like an afterthought and they just didn't know what to put there because the placement of the sectionals didn't make sense and the TV is, well, just small.

On the other side of the lounge are the following:

It opens up to a similar seating area like the other side...

The dining area they have here is called The Bistro...

...which has the standard food and drink spread as they have in their other lounges...

Then there's the Coffee Loft...

...similar to the one at the Wing Business Class lounge...

And there's the IT Zone...

...with a good number of Macs and workstations.

My apologies as I was not able to take photos of the showers, which is also located on this side of the lounge.

That is it. Between the three Cathay Pacific Business Class lounges (The Wing, The Cabin, and this one -- The Pier Business Class lounge wasn't open yet then) that I visited on this trip, I actually prefer this one the best. The lounge has a more relaxed and casual feel but its still very stylish. I think the absence of that heavy black marble/material that you see in the other lounges makes a lot of difference. Space was not an issue when I visited and there's a good variety of food and lounging options to choose from.

Up Next: Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3
HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific First Class

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Rd. Kowloon

Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Cathay Pacific The Wing Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Cathay Pacific The Cabin Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Review: Cathay Pacific The Cabin Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

2016-10-25T22:24:00.000-05:00

After visiting the Wing Business Class lounge, I worked my way into the terminal to visit the rest of Cathay Pacific's lounges in the airport -- with the Cabin lounge coming up next...

I'll just breeze through this review as I've already visited this lounge before (and you can read that review here) and it is still exactly the same as before.

The lounge has two sides. One side is a small section with a few seats and computer terminals -- which they dub as the IT Zone...

The other side has the rest of the amenities of the lounge...

including the Deli...

...and the Health Bar...

There's also a food and drinks spread located in the dining area of the lounge...

The rest of the space in the lounge is dedicated to seating...

Here's an area with just Solus chairs...

A lot of seats have an amazing...

...in-your-face view of the tarmac...

...while the others are more setback inside the lounge...

And that is it.

Looking back at my review of this lounge in 2011, it seemed like I was super impressed by it. I think it may be because it was the newest one back then. This time, though, the Cabin was one of the "older" Cathay Pacific lounges in the airport and I thought that it was just okay -- maybe because I am comparing it to the newer lounges this time.

On its own, though, the lounge still holds up as a good place to get some work done, relax, eat, or just wait out your flight.

Up Next: The Bridge Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3
HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific First Class

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Rd. Kowloon

Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Cathay Pacific The Wing Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Review: Cathay Pacific The Wing Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

2016-10-24T16:20:00.001-05:00

After visiting the First Class "wing" of the Wing, I decided to check out the Business Class side of the lounge.

The last time I visited this lounge, the departures level was still being renovated and the balcony level still sported the "old" look. It was interesting to see the differences in the lounge between that visit and this one -- and, again, you can check out that post of my previous visit in this lounge here.

Anyway, the shared main entrance to the lounge is located closer to gates 3 and 4...

When you have to take the elevator or take the stairs to get to the First Class side of the lounge, you can start on this level for the Business Class side -- starting with a big seating area that had a food and drink spread on one end...

Also on this level is this area they call "The Gallery"...

...which is pretty much a small, quiet space of seats.

Past it...

... is the "IT Zone" where they have a few computer terminals for guests' use...

Also on this level are the showers...

...with similar (as the First Class showers) Jurlique toiletries...

Look at the size of that rain shower head...

The rest of the lounge's amenities can be found on the balcony level...

...starting with an open seating area with a small food and drink spread...

Opposite that is their popular Long Bar...

Then there's the Noodle Bar...

...then this small space called the Coffee Loft...

I didn't stay in the lounge as I was planning to visit the rest of the airline's lounges in the airport (especially the new Pier lounge) before my flight.

Overall -- I liked what they did with the new balcony space, there seems to be enough seating (with sufficient personal space) for everyone in the lounge, and I am sure the food is good -- as it was catered by the same group as the Wing First Class lounge which I visited prior to coming here..

Up Next: The Cabin Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3
HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific First Class

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Rd. Kowloon
Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

Review: Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

2016-10-21T10:24:00.001-05:00

Aside from my First Class flights, this was one of the things I was looking forward to most on this trip -- Cathay Pacific's First Class lounges in HKIA.

We start off with The Wing First Class Lounge as it is right off immigration...

Not knowing whether The Cabanas get full and at what time, I decided to head there first...

Ummm.....no words...

Here's the tub...

...and the shower...

...and the Jurlique toiletries they carry...

I was seriously considering taking a bath and shower again even if I just did in my hotel before coming to the airport :-)

There's also a daybed/couch where you can relax...

...as well as your own toilet -- you know, so you don't have to leave your Cabana when you need to "go"...

For all the things you can do in your own Cabana, the one and a half hours "suggested" stay limit seems too short...

...well, I guess, if you have a flight to catch :-)

Anyway, the Cabana was amazing. It wasn't spotless (-ly clean) and it was a bit warm (although I'm sure it could've been adjusted) but it doesn't take away from the impressive facility.

The lounge also has a separate Shower Suites...

...but they were all being used when I was there.

The lounge has a space they refer to as the Champagne Bar, where there's seating...

...and, well, champagne :-)...

The Champagne Bar is one of other sections in the lounge that share the same view of the tarmac by gates 1-4...

There's 2 small sections with desks and Macs...

On the other side is another small section with reading materials and their popular Solus chairs...

Past this is a seating area that opens back up to the area of the lounge that has a view of the tarmac...

This seating area is where you can also find The Haven Bar...

It's during these times that I wish I was an alcoholic..err... an adult drink connoisseur. Hehe. Aside from the champagne in the Champagne Bar, I am sure they have some pretty good (and expensive) liquor in this bar.

Anyway, close to the Haven Bar is the Haven...

...the lounge's sit-down/menu service restaurant -- which was then still being managed by the Peninsula Group...

There was a bit of a wait at the entrance as people were going in and out of the restaurant non-stop...

Aside from the items on the menu, there's also a buffet spread set-up at one end of the restaurant...

It was a good spread but not impressive. And I am not sure if it was because it was breakfast or what, but the items on the menu were pretty much standard-fare.

That didn't stop me from partaking, though...

...LOL

Outside the Haven restaurant is another dining area...

...with a self-serve buffet spread that includes some breakfast items...

...tea...

...and coffee...

This area was the end (or the start, depending on which side you entered) of the First Class lounge where it connects to the entrance to the Business Class lounge...

...which I will be reviewing next.

So what did I think of this lounge? Well, the Cabanas definitely takes this lounge to another level. The Haven restaurant, I think, would've been a better experience during lunch -- but I still appreciated the sit-down/menu service. The quality and taste of the food all over the lounge was pretty good. The overall design of the lounge is okay, classic but dangerously close to looking dated (except for the Cabanas, which I really liked). Service in the lounge was good overall and WiFi speed was decent. My only gripe was that there were no universal power outlets in the lounge that I found myself having to stand up from my "relaxed" state at the Champagne Bar just to borrow an adapter -- First Class....err.... World problems :-)

Up Next: The Wing Business Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3
HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific First Class

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Rd. Kowloon

Shangri-La Hotels Partners Up With Singapore Airlines For Infinite Journeys

2016-10-20T09:18:00.000-05:00

Shangri-La Hotels (which, unfortunately, is still not in the US, after 3 failed attempts), one of Asia's leading luxury hotel brands, is teaming up with Singapore Airlines in a program called Infinite Journeys -- a partnership between the hotel brand's Golden Circle loyalty program and the airline's KrisFlyer program...

Image from Shangri-La Hotels/Singapore Airlines

...that will offer new and enhanced benefits to members of both programs:

Image from Shangri-La Hotels/Singapore Airlines

Status Match...

Image from Shangri-La Hotels/Singapore Airlines

This, by itself, is an amazing benefit of the program. If you are a Golden Circle Jade (20 nights or 10 stays) or Diamond (50 nights or 25 stays) member, you automatically qualify for KrisFlyer Elite Silver membership -- which gives you 25% bonus KrisFlyer miles on actual miles flown, waived or reduced fees, and priority waitlist and standby. You will also get an accelerated upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Gold status when you complete three (for Jade) or one (for Diamond) eligible flight/s on Singapore Airlines or SilkAir within four months of registration -- which gives you lounge access when you fly Singapore Airlines, SilkAir or any Star Alliance airline, extra check-in baggage allowance, and priority boarding/check-in/baggage handling.

For KrisFlyer Elite Gold members, you can fast track to Golden Circle Jade after one qualifying night at any Shangri-La hotel brand. Benefits of a Golden Circle Jade membership include: 25% bonus GC award points, priority check-in/out. 11am early check-in/4pm late check-out, guaranteed room availability if reservation made 72 hours prior to stay, a choice of three welcome amenities, and complimentary breakfast for you and one other person staying in the same room, priority upgrade, free local calls, and a few others.

The status match is good only for one year and you would have to requalify based on each programs' rules.

Earn both Golden Circle Award points and KrisFlyer miles on stays...

Image from Shangri-La Hotels/Singapore Airlines

On top of earning the standard Golden Circle Award points, you automatically earn 500 KrisFlyer miles on every eligible stay.

Convert between Golden Circle Award points and KrisFlyer miles...

Image from Shangri-La Hotels/Singapore Airlines

1 Golden Circle Award point = 1.25 KrisFlyer miles (25% more than their standard conversion); minimum of 2,500 points required for each conversion

12 KrisFlyer miles = 1 Golden Circle Award point; a minimum of 20,000 miles is required for each conversion and a maximum of 180,000 miles per year.

I am not sure if either one is the best use of each program's currency but, at least, you have this option.

That's it. All you have to do is link your accounts and you're good to go. You can read more about the program and the instructions on how to link your accounts here.

Although the benefits of the program skew more towards the elite members of each program, earning an extra 500 KrisFlyer miles on a Shangri-La hotel stay that you will be going on anyway is not a bad deal.

I love both Shangri-La Hotels (and I hope they finally are able to open a property in the US) and Singapore Airlines and think that this is a great partnership between two leading brands in Asia.

Review: Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon

2016-10-19T08:47:00.001-05:00

I was going to be in Hong Kong for less than 24 hours and wasn't really looking at staying anywhere fancy (read: expensive) -- since I will be spending most of my time exploring the city. It was a good thing that I had a few thousand points left in my Le Club Accorhotel account that I was able to book the Novotel on Nathan Rd. for free.

I decided to take the Airport Express to Kowloon station and then the complimentary shuttle bus from there -- which will then drop me off near the hotel. The shuttle bus covering the location of the hotel is K1...

The bus leaves at a scheduled interval so it was a little weird that we still left even if I was the only one in that big bus...

I wonder how much carbon footprint that generated :-)

Anyway, the bus ride takes around 30 minutes as it follows a route of different hotels and Novotel is one of the last stops on the route. Good thing I was in no rush then :-)

Check-In

Check-in was quick and uneventful -- which is always good. I was then given two welcome drink stubs, which I thought was a nice gesture...

The Room

The room was on the smaller size, which is typical of the more affordable hotels in Hong Kong...

It has all (and a bit more) the standard amenities of a hotel room, though, and the modern and streamlined design works for the size of the room...

The bed was on the firm side, but nothing bad...

There's a portable table, a chaise lounge...

...and an amazing view...

...of the "real" Hong Kong :-)

Here's the desk...

...and the TV...

...and the fixed luggage rack...

The mini-bar is located between the bedroom and the bathroom...

There's coffee and tea amenities...

...and, surprisingly, a stocked mini-bar...

Past that is the bathroom...

...which, although was tiny, worked well and was modern...

Past the bathroom is a small closet...

And that is it. It was a good size, small but not claustrophobic. It was clean. The room's design and finishes were modern and tastefully done. WiFi was strong and had a decent speed. The only negative was that there were not enough power outlets in the room and the universal adapter they provided in the room was faulty...

Other Amenities

The hotel has a fitness center...

There is one restaurant where they serve the buffet breakfast and this bar where I redeemed my drink stubs...

They also have a couple of computer terminals in the lobby for guests' use...

Around the Area

The hotel is on busy Nathan Rd. close to other "economy" hotels, convenient stores, and other random shops.

The Hong Kong MTR Jordan station exit is close to the hotel but if you're familiar with Hong Kong's MTR, you know that a station entrance/exit doesn't necessarily mean that the actual train platform is close by...

It was probably a good 10-minute leisurely walk to get to the platform.

You can also reach central Kowloon...

...and the harbor from the hotel by foot in a leisurely half hour walk...

The cab ride to the Airport Express Kowloon station is around 15 minutes.

I have written about what can be done and seen in Hong Kong in previous posts so you can just refer to them for reference.

I pretty much just walked, window-shopped, ate, and of course took the Star Ferry to cross the harbor (err...harbour) on this trip...

Hong Kong's new observation wheel...

Bottom Line

For what I needed the hotel for, it was great. The location could've been more central but it wasn't bad -- it just took me a few minutes longer to get to the harbo(u)r area.

Will I stay here again? Maybe. Although I don't have any complaints about this property, there are just too many choices in Hong Kong with the same price points. I am sure you'll find something that will suit your needs better. But if you are already looking at staying here then by all means, go ahead and book -- it is a good property.

Up Next: Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge - Hong Kong International Airport

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3
HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific First Class

In Memory Of Cathay Pacific's 747...

2016-10-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

A little late to the party but I thought that it was still worth posting.

So Cathay Pacific flew their last 747 flight from Haneda to Hong Kong last October 1, 2016 -- almost four decades after first flying the aircraft.

For those who follow this blog, you may remember me mentioning a few times in the past that my very first flight ever was on a Cathay Pacific 747 back in 1993. It was my family's first international trip together and we were headed to Hong Kong. Anyway, as if flying for the first time wasn't enough, it was on the 747, we were upgraded to Business Class, and we flew into Kai Tak airport.

I wish I had photos of the aircraft, the seat, and even the airport upon our descent but all I have to remember that part of the trip by is this boarding pass...

Note the boarding pass above and how there are boxes on the top portion that indicates which part of the cabin your seat is at -- including the upper deck.

It is sad to see the 747 retired one by one. I think for the rest of the 90's until the early 2000's, most of my international flights were on a 747 (and a few fortunate times, on the upper deck) -- and then the 777 became the popular choice.

I am just grateful that my first flying experience was how it was and have Cathay Pacific and the 747 to thank for that.

You can read more about the airline's 747 retirement in their Press Releases page here.

Review: MNL-HKG on Cathay Pacific First Class

2016-10-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

How and where do I start this post?

Since I started obsessing about flying First Class back in 2010, Cathay Pacific has always been on my radar. All of the blogs that I started following then have raved about their experience flying this product and most other reviews have also been good.

But my relationship with Cathay has been more of a love-hate relationship. It was the very first airline I flew in my life, which was very memorable on its own -- we were upgraded to Business, flew on a 747, and landed at Kai Tak. I also flew Cathay a lot regionally after that and have been mostly satisfied with them. Then I had a bad experience with the airline that left a bad taste in my mouth - and I vowed to never fly them again (if I could help it). So I didn't.

And then the American Airlines AAdvantage devaluation happened.... and it would almost be impossible for me to try this product after the devaluation. So I decided to retire my self-imposed boycott of the airline and booked my flight back to Chicago with them.

I was fortunate to have found a schedule that will let me able to try the First Class product on both legs (for the same amount of miles) of my flight home and allow me to also spend a short overnight layover in Hong Kong.

To start this review, let me just mention that I didn't have any window seats reserved on either leg and the check-in agent in Manila was able to secure me seat 1A on this flight and 2A on the flight to Chicago. Also, upon checking-in, the agent told me that I could've checked in three bags on this flight. It sucks because I had to leave a lot of stuff that didn't fit in my two checked bags. I should've called and confirmed with the local Cathay office as their website clearly states the maximum of 2 checked bags even for First Class passengers.

Anyway, we finally meet...

Flight#/Route: CX906 /MNL-HKG

Date: April 4, 2016

Depart: 10:50am

Arrive: 1:15pm

Duration: 02h 25m

Seat: 1A

Aircraft: Boeing 777-300

Website: www.cathaypacific.com

The seat was wide...

...and the suite itself was much wider...

On the privacy panel side you'll find a reading light...

...magazine rack...

...and a few seat controls...

On the other side is another reading light...

Below that is a small storage space...

Below the left armrest is the port for the headphones and the storage for the life jacket...

The entertainment system remote can also be found on this side...

Beside it is a touch-screen panel for the seat controls...

The seat is connected to the rest of the space by a long "side table"/console...

...where the huge tray table can be pulled from...

...and where the av/usb port and power outlet is also located...

At the foot of the "suite" is, well, the footstool :-)...

It doubles as a seat for a guest -- note the separate seat belt here...

I think because of how the seat is situated at an angle makes the space a bit longer compared to other first class seats...

Well, I'm short. But that's beside the point :-)

Beside the footstool is where the monitor rests (above a bin for small items)..

The monitor can be pulled from this docking station to a few positions.

Et...

Voila...

This docking station opens up to a storage space...

...where you can place your carry-on and where the beddings are stored...

That is it for the seat. I'll have more (like how it is as a bed, etc) in the longer HKG-ORD post later on in this trip report.

Here are some photos of the cabin which I took before disembarking in Hong Kong.

Here's my seat, 1A and the one behind it...

...which is separated from the rest of the cabin by virtue of the design of the seats...

...which makes the "a" seats the best in the cabin...

With that out of the way...

I was welcomed on board and brought to my seat, the crew servicing the cabin introduced themselves and addressed me by name, then hot towels were handed out, then I was offered some champagne...

...then the menu (where my order was taken a few minutes after -- even before push back)...

...then the Bose headphones...

Boarding was very efficient and was done pretty quickly with four out of the six First Class seats occupied.

We pushed back on time and started our short journey to Hong Kong -- starting with some photos of...

Manila's "resilient" International Terminal 1 :-)...

Lufthansa Technik's hangar -- which explains why there was an A380 in the airport, as well as an Air Mauritius plane...

...and Manila's ever-growing skyline...

How many people do you think live in this photo alone? :-)...

See you again, Manila...

The whole flight was intermittently choppy but that didn't stop the crew from starting meal service right away. Here's the rest of the menu...

The tray table was set up...

...and it started off with a bowl of fruits...

I went with the seafood dish for my main...

...which was pretty good.

And then dessert was served...

The flight was short but the pacing of the meal service was great -- I never felt rushed at any moment.

Which leads me to the service part of the flight. There was this instance that sums up the service on this flight. For those who follow the blog (read: mom and dad), you are probably aware of my anxieties with flying. For some reason, even if the turbulence wasn't that bad on this flight, I couldn't get myself to continuing my meal. There was this motherly (and I mean that in a very complimentary way) crew member who was going around and checking on the passengers who noticed I was "paralyzed" by the chops -- so she approached and asked me if I needed anything and told me that she understood how it was uncomfortable to eat during some turbulence. A really genuine concern and a small gesture that left a lasting impression -- from such a short flight. Wish I got her name, though. I'm really bad with noting down the names of the cabin crew assisting me during a flight.

Anyway, as always with this blog, after the food photos come the lavatory photos :-)

It was modern and sleek and a good size...

They had Aesop toiletries onboard, similar to the ones currently in their amenity kits...

After a little over one and a half hours, Hong Kong was already in sight...

...and I was already in the arrivals hall of HKIA even before our scheduled arrival...

Well, airlines have obviously padded the flying times now to incorporate any delays and still be "on time". But still. :-)

Anyway, I was just smiling from ear to ear by this time coming off my first Cathay Pacific First Class experience -- on a barely two hour flight. I wasn't terribly impressed by the seat, though, as the one I had looked a bit worn down and dated (didn't they just refresh it recently?) -- and I thought the TV monitor as well as the plastic-y material used in that area of the seat looked and felt cheap. Other than that, I had a good experience.

I was already looking forward to my flight the following day to Chicago but not before I spend a night in Hong Kong and check-out Cathay's amazing First Class lounges in HKIA the following morning before my next Cathay Pacific First Class flight.

Up Next: Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

2016-10-12T08:51:00.000-05:00

It was finally time to go back to Chicago. It was bittersweet as my vacation with my family was coming to an end, but then, the most anticipated part of my trip was about to start -- beginning with finally getting to try Cathay Pacific's new lounge in Manila.

Here are a couple of photos of Manila's Terminal 3...

...and Cathay's (unmarked) check-in desks...

I posted about the opening of this new lounge last year along with the opening of Singapore Airlines' new lounge a couple of weeks after because I was so happy that Manila finally have some world-class airline lounges. I am over the moon that I got to try both lounges during this trip and you can read about my earlier review of Singapore Airlines' SilverKris lounge here.

Here's a photo of the entrances of the side-by-side lounges...

Cathay Pacific's new lounge is designed by London-based Studiolise (the same group behind the new The Pier lounge in HKIA) and follows the airline's new lounge design concept...

I hate that the resurgence of the midcentury modern design has become so mainstream but I don't mind it in this lounge. This lounge is just stunning...

Past the initial seating, to the right, is their business center dubbed "Bureau"...

...with three iMacs.

Past that is the main seating area...

The seats are paired with side tables...

...that have hidden power outlets and USB ports...

...and across from it is "the Bar"...

...where guests can grab a cocktail, tapas and dessert, and other non-alcoholic drinks...

At the end of the lounge is what I was most excited about...

the lounge's dining area...

...the Noodle Bar...

Here are photos of their amazing food...

By now you know what comes after food photos on this blog, right?

Yes, the toilet...

:-)

There are no showers in this lounge -- but I don't think there's a need for one anyway.

WiFi is free in the lounge but it was intermittent and the speed was not very good. I hope that was just a fluke and that they've fixed this by now.

Other than that, I loved the lounge. A true world-class lounge in Manila. The space was stunning, service was great, the food was amazing -- and I would intentionally go to the airport early so I can have time to enjoy this lounge before my flight.

Good job, Cathay!

Up Next: MNL-HKG on Cathay Pacific First Class

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

Review: Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

2016-10-11T10:47:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my Holiday Inn and Suites Makati post, there were a good number of hotels that opened up in Manila since I moved back to Chicago in 2014. I really wanted to try all of them on this trip but that was just impossible (financially. hehe). It is a good thing that I still had a few Hyatt Gold Passport points left after my Bali trip that I was able to squeeze in a night's stay at the new Hyatt at the City of Dreams in Manila -- before I left for Chicago.

For the info of Diamond Hyatt Gold Passport members, this Hyatt is one of the few ones in the world where you can't use your Diamond Suite Upgrade.

Entrance to the hotel from the casino

Check-In

When I gave the Front Desk agent my name, she said that I can go ahead and check-in at the Club Lounge. I declined and she graciously processed me there right away. She then provided me this letter spelling out the Club Lounge benefits and welcoming me as a Diamond guest...

She mentioned that we can have our breakfast at the hotel's main buffet spread, confirmed that I wanted the bonus points for my welcome amenity, and gave us a 4pm check-out the following day.

And that was it. A pleasant and easy check-in experience.

The Room

Our room was a Deluxe/Club Twin room...

The room's layout and size was standard-fare. The design was Asian-y and modern :-)

Upon entry, on one side of the room is the closet...

Past that is the minibar...

Then a fixed luggage rack, beside some drawers and the TV...

Then the desk...

By the window are two chairs and a table -- where a very generous welcome spread was laid out...

Here's the welcome (back) note that came with the goodies...

...although it was my first time at the property :-)

Here's the (non) view from the room...

The humongous building being constructed in the distance is the casino complex owned by the Okada group...

Back to the room...

I really hate it when hotels provide twin-size beds (instead of double) in their two-bed rooms but the Hyatt made up for it by having comfy mattresses and sheets...

I'm also happy to report that this hotel property didn't subscribe to the "exposed"/open bathroom design concept :-)...

The whole room is clad in marble...

They carried Portico toiletries...

I know that it looks and feels a bit heavy but I actually like how the bathroom was covered in marble from floor to ceiling. It sure beats Hampton Inn's modular bathrooms. Kidding.

The stand-alone tub was deep and nice and the water pressure and temps were also great.

Overall, a nice bathroom.

Finally, WiFi in the room was working and had a decent speed.

That's it. No complaints except for the tiny twin beds. I think all two-bed rooms should always have, at least, double-sized beds. :-)

Other Amenities

The hotel has a Club Lounge...

...which was very generous by offering food (I say food and not snacks as they had finger food/small bites and not just pretzels or some other junk food) throughout the whole day...

..and not just during the scheduled breakfast and cocktail services.

There's plenty of seating...

Here's one with a view of the other casino complex that opened in the area, Solaire...

I didn't take my breakfast here and I wasn't able to get a ton of photos during cocktail service but I was happy with the quality and quantity of food they serve at the lounge. Here's a couple of photos...

The hotel also has a couple of dining outlets within the property, including this one where they serve their breakfast...

...which had an impressive spread...

Don't judge...

:-)

After all that food, you can burn all of the calories away at their 24-hr gym...

There's locker rooms in the same area but they do not have any sauna/spa facilities.

Then there's the outdoor pool...

A lot of families "staycation" here during the weekend so expect a lot of kids then...

But once they are gone, it's bliss...

...kidding.

Also, because of how the pool is situated in the complex, it only gets light until around 2pm...

...and then the sun gets covered by one of the towers...

...which makes it cold as the towers also create a wind tunnel that passes through the pool area.

I am not exactly sure but I thought I read before how guests can move freely from the Hyatt pool to the nearby Nobu pool (the other pool in the photos above) when it opened -- but that wasn't the case anymore during my stay. I think Nobu guests can still use the Hyatt pool but not the other way around. Incidentally, there's a third pool in the more exclusive Crown Towers hotel in the other end of the complex.

Which brings me to the next part of the post....

Around the Area

As mentioned earlier, the Hyatt is part of the City of Dreams Manila complex...

...that is anchored by a common casino.

There are two other hotels in the complex, Nobu and Crown Towers. Here are other photos of the pool/garden deck that shows Nobu's pool and the other hotels' towers...

...as well as that egg-shaped structure that houses a nightclub...

There's also some retail and dining in the common areas of the complex...

...other than the ones that can be found in each hotel. And, finally, there is also an indoor theme park for kids from DreamWorks called Dream Play.

There is really nothing in the immediate area of the hotel and the only other open casino in the area, Solaire, is about a 15-minute walk away.

The complex also offers a shuttle to the nearby mega-mall, Mall of Asia, if you need to do some more shopping and dining.

The hotel is pretty close to the airport and, without traffic, should take you less than 30 minutes in either direction. Without traffic. But this is Manila. But I digress.

The Bottom Line

I liked the hotel. I am heavily influenced by my experience being a Diamond member, though. I had a nice room with a tub, free breakfast, free lounge access, and a 4pm check-out. Without the Diamond membership, I would've been in a room with just a shower and probably not get breakfast with the points redemption, not have an extra 4 hours to relax by the pool, -- and definitely not get any lounge access (unless I booked a Club Room at a higher rate).

With that said, though, I think I would've still enjoyed my stay even without the "frou-frous" of the Diamond membership -- the property is new and clean, the bed is comfortable and the room/bathroom is nice, there's a gym and outdoor pool, there's a connected shopping center with dining options as well, and the rate is competitive and I feel like it's worth the money.

Bottom Line, the Hyatt City of Dreams Manila is a solid choice.

Up Next: Cathay Pacific Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

Review: SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

2016-10-09T14:16:00.000-05:00

I have already reviewed the two versions of this seat earlier on in this trip report. I reviewed the original version on the Boeing 777 here, and the updated version on the Airbus A330 here.

So let me just breeze through this post, mainly to share my experience and for continuity purposes :-)

Flight#/Route: SQ910/SIN-MNL
Date: March 8, 2016
Depart: 9:30am
Arrive: 1:05pm
Duration: 03hr 35m
Seat: 14K
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300
Website: www.singaporeair.com

The flight was leaving from Terminal 2...

There was no line at check-in and we also went through security and immigration pretty quickly.

I stopped by the SilverKris Business Class lounge briefly just to partake :-)...

...but I've already reviewed it earlier in this trip report so you can just check that out here.

Then it was finally time to take off -- ciao, Singapore...

For your reference, here's a photo of the seat...

...from my previous post where I reviewed the exact same seat extensively. Again, you can check that out here.

Here's a photo from this flight, though, showing a full cabin...

Here was the menu for this flight...

They served brunch on this flight and started it with a plate of fruits...

I passed on the yogurt and ordered the chicken dish for my main...

...and, as always with Singapore Airlines, the dish was good.

As I mentioned earlier, the cabin was pretty full and you can tell that the crew was overwhelmed. Nothing bad, though, but they just seemed very busy.

I also just want to note that the cabin was also on the warmer side on this flight -- which wasn't the norm during this trip (comparing the three regional flights on Singapore Airlines I took on this trip).

After a fairly smooth flight, I finally see one of the Philippines' seven thousand islands (may be part of the disputed ones with China. LOL) come into view...

Then...

...finally to...

...Manila...

...where I will be spending a few more days (with my family) before heading back to Chicago.

This was going to be the last Singapore Airlines flight I was taking on this trip. In all three flights that I took with them, I was only able to try out their regional Business Class seat -- both the original and the updated version. I wish I had the chance to try one of their long haul Business Class seats but I don't have any complaints about their regional one. As it is, it would actually rival other airlines' long-haul Business Class seats.

Again, if you want to read the extensive review of the seat you can check out my previous posts here and here.

Can't wait to fly Singapore Airlines again!

Up Next: Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

Review: Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore)

2016-10-06T11:20:00.001-05:00

We had a short overnight layover in Singapore and decided that it's best that we best stay close to the airport. No (full-service) hotel in Singapore is closer to the airport than the one attached to it, the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, so that's where we stayed.

Here's the entrance to the hotel right from Terminal 3...

Check-In

Check-in went smoothly and quick. I was (note: was. hehe) not an elite member and I used a mix of points and cash to book the room so I wasn't really expecting any concessions. Similar to our stay at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Manila, though, all IHG Rewards Club members get two welcome drink stubs here as well -- which, as I already mentioned before, is a small gesture that has a very positive impact on the guest.

The Room

Before you get to the room, you have to pass through the open-air hallways. I don't know the idea behind the design but it's definitely not for everyone. The hotel is right off the tarmac and you can hear the aircraft and runway noise and smell the jet fuel walking to/from your room. This could be really cool for an aviation junkie but, on the other hand, it could be really off-putting to "regular folk" :-)

When you get to the room, though, most of the noise is muted....

I mean, it's really close to the tarmac...

...but the noise is very tolerable once you're inside the room...

Upon entering the room, the closet would be to the right...

It shares a sliding door...

...with the minibar...

...and the ironing amenities...

...exposing one area depending on where the door is pulled.

Past that is the TV...

...and the desk...

The safe can also be found in this area...

There's a nice sofa by the foot of the bed paired with a small coffee table...

I'm not sure if this is a Crowne Plaza standard amenity or if it is because of the outside noise, but they provide each room with this spray that's supposed to help you get better sleep...

The room has that exposed bathroom design, albeit, a more subtle one...

They carried this toiletry brand from the UK, Orla Kiely...

...which was pretty good.

And that is it for the room.

I actually really liked it. The design was modern and fresh (even with that huge local flower design) and they made use of the space really well. WiFi was free and it worked fine. The noise level in the room was tolerable.

Everything would have been perfect except that there was something wrong with the AC. It was working well from the time we checked in until after we got back from dinner out -- and then the room all of a sudden became warm, without us changing anything with the AC's settings. We then tried to lower the temp and increase the fan speed but no immediate changes happened. After awhile, though, the room started to cool again -- until we decided that it should be okay for the rest of the night. We set up our alarm for 5am for our flight the following day but woke up a bit earlier as the room became very muggy. I tried calling Front Desk or any department for service but the phone was not working. Seriously, no dial tone or anything.

It was a good thing that we really needed to get up and leave, anyway, so we didn't pursue it any further.

Other Amenities

The hotel has a club lounge...

Several dining outlets, including this lobby bar...

...where we redeemed our drink stubs...

A 24-hr. fitness center...

And an outdoor pool...

Around the Area

As mentioned earlier, the hotel is directly connected to Terminal 3...

...where there are a lot of dining and shopping options...

There are more dining, shopping, and other things to do in the other terminals connected to Terminal 3 and they can easily be reached from the hotel.

If you decide to venture into the city, you can easily take a cab or the MRT directly from the airport.

I am not sure if it is a good idea to use this as a base for a several day trip in Singapore as there are a ton of choices in the city, but it is possible :-)

Bottomline

I liked my stay at this property. I would've "loved" it if there were no issues with the AC. I am not sure if getting the room facing the tarmac is considered by the hotel an "upgrade" or not -- but I liked it and I am sure aviation geeks will get a kick out of it, too. Either way, the noise from inside the room is very tolerable.

Incidentally, the property just opened a new wing last August and I am actually looking forward to transiting overnight through Singapore again so I can have a reason to stay here again.

Up Next: SIN-MNL on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport
DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

Review: DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Updated Version)

2016-10-05T12:05:00.001-05:00

I have already reviewed this seat extensively earlier in this trip report but it was a slightly different older version on a Boeing 777. This time around, I will be flying an updated version, on an Airbus A330. I'll try not to point out the items that I've already highlighted in the other post so we can breeze through this one. Again, for a more in-depth review, you can refer to my earlier post here.

There's my ride...

Flight#/Route: SQ939/DPS-SIN

Date: March 7, 2016

Depart: 11:55am

Arrive: 2:30pm

Duration: 02h 35m

Seat: 12K

Aircraft: Airbus A330-300

Website: www.singaporeair.com

Here's my seat...

...by the window...

Here are some photos from the pushback and the climb out...

Bye, Nusa Dua...

Here's a photo of the cabin (there's no First Class on this aircraft)...

...which was not even half full.

Here's an overhead shot of the seats from behind...

Waiting at the seat were a pillow and blanket...

The noise-cancelling headphones were placed in the center front bins...

...where the reading materials are also placed...

Some of the differences between this updated version of this seat versus the old one...

...include the addition of an AV port...

...and USB ports below the power outlet...

...and an updated IFE controller...

Everything else seems to be the same...

...except that the IFE on my seat was acting up :-)

...so I moved to the empty seat beside mine.

Tray size seems to be the same and swivels, as well...

...and the three preset seat positions were also the same...

...which ends up in an angled-flat position...

Here's the menu for the flight...

The crew handed out the meal trays that came with the starter, dessert, water, and the cutlery...

And then bread was handed out...

I chose the Indonesian Lamb Curry for my main dish...

...which I thought was pretty good.

Of course, after a meal comes a trip to the loo :-)

I thought it was pretty modern -- but it was very tiny...

Except for a shaky (and vibrating sensation which I think I can attest to the type of aircraft <-- ignorant comment. Hehe) descent, the rest of the flight was pretty uneventful -- which is always good.

Service on this flight was forgettable. Nothing bad, but the crew just seemed aloof and robotic this time.

After (almost) three short hours from the time we left Bali, we were already on descent to Singapore...

Up Next: Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Singapore

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights
Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport

Review: Premier Lounge - Bali Denpasar International Airport

2016-10-04T14:26:00.000-05:00

I finally get to try Bali's new international airport which opened back in 2013. The last time I visited I flew out of the now domestic terminal.

We took a cab from the Grand Hyatt...

...and were at the airport in around thirty minutes...

Security and immigration were easy and we found ourselves inside the airport in no time...

We were given this lounge pass at check-in...

The Premier Lounge is located on the upper level...

...and is used by a lot (if not, all) of the airlines flying out of this terminal...

There's a main central seating...

...and dining area...

The spread was pretty good -- and, of course, I have photos...

...of the serving dishes :-)...

There's also soda, water, and some alcoholic beverages on offer in another part of the lounge.

There's plenty of seating...

...a business center...

...a kids room...

...and a massage (for a fee) area...

There were not a lot of people in the lounge when we visited, there was free working WiFi, the food and drink offerings were decent, and it beats waiting at the crowded boarding gate so this lounge gets a thumbs up :-)

Up Next: DPS-SIN on Singapore Airlines Business Class

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King
Bali Highlights

Trip Report: Bali Highlights

2016-10-04T10:25:00.000-05:00

This was my second time in Bali. The first time I visited was back in 1998 -- almost two decades ago. Obviously, there have been a lot of changes since that first visit, but what struck me the most is how Ubud is now just like any other place on the island -- crowded, commercialized, and overdeveloped. But I digress.

We didn't really have anything planned on this trip except to relax (read: veg on the beach) so what we ended up doing (and going to) on top of that was really just a fraction of what can be done and seen in Bali.

Here's what we were able to cram in one day of sightseeing:

Mt. Batur sightseeing and lunch...

Along the way...

...we also stopped by different local handicraft stores like this wood carving place...

...Luwak coffee...

...made with the help of these civet cats :-)...

We also went to a batik store as well as a store that sells silver jewelry/accessories.

We stopped by this touristy rice terraces somewhere in Ubud...

...that made for good photo-ops, though :-)...

And before going back to Nusa Dua, we were still able to squeeze in a visit to one of the island's popular temples, Uluwatu...

...which was very busy...

...during the sunset hours...

...and because of the monkeys...

:-)

We really wanted to visit the more-popular Tanah Lot Temple but it was out of the way and we didn't have enough time left for the day.

The following day, we decided to do a morning white water rafting trip at Ayung River -- which I recommend to everyone visiting Bali.

The ride was easy and the scenery was amazing...

As mentioned earlier, we could've done more during our stay (as we were there for seven days) but we really just wanted to relax by the beach. If you plan your trip better with the intent of seeing and doing as much as you can, even on a shorter stay, I'm sure you will be able to cover more.

Up Next: Premier Lounge - Denpasar International Airport Bali

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King

Quick Pics: United Club - Atlanta International Airport

2016-10-03T09:48:00.003-05:00

Here's a quick photo post on United Airlines' new-ish United Club at Atlanta International Airport's Terminal T...

My friend flew Delta and used a United Club pass to get access to the lounge...

The lounge had plenty of seating...

...and had a nice view of the tarmac...

He said that the lounge was pretty much divided between the "lounging" and the "dining" area...

...where they had complimentary drinks...

...including a self-serve bar...

As for the food offerings, he mentioned there was hummus and vegetable sticks, pretzels, other light fare, and this tomato bisque...

According to my friend, this was one of the better United Club's he has visited and that he had a satisfactory domestic lounge experience.

Good job, United!

Review: Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King

2016-09-19T11:08:00.001-05:00

Warning: Another photo-heavy post :-)

We took a cab from the Conrad , through Nusa Dua's manicured lawns...

...to the Grand Hyatt's main secured gate...

...then finally to the hotel's main driveway...

As soon as we got off the cab, one of the hotel's staff assisted us...

-- starting with announcing our arrival to everyone within earshot by banging this gong :-)...

The entryway was very airy, open, and grand -- without being gaudy...

...and it leads you to this amazing view of the hotel's grounds...

...and the ocean...

We were then led to the check-in area...

...where a manager (I forgot his position) already had our keys and was ready to assist us to our room.

Check-In

Check-in was really non-existent as we were immediately led to our room. The manager mentioned that we were further upgraded from the Grand Suite King we booked with a Diamond Suite Upgrade to the Club Executive King.

When we got to the room, he just took down my credit card information for the incidentals and handed us this Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond welcome letter...

...as well as a letter from the Grand Club with a more detailed benefits list...

Check-in was amazing. I think I've only been checked-in directly in my room several times in the past but I don't remember which hotels they were anymore -- meaning it was really rare :-)

For reference, this type of room was going for $620 during our stay there.

The Room

This suite is slightly bigger than the Grand Suite King but it appears a little bit dated in comparison. Nothing bad, though, and some people may actually find the older design more appealing.

From the main door is a small foyer, with this fixed side table to the left...

...then this feature wall in the center that separates the bedroom from the rest of the suite...

...then a half bath on the right...

The living and dining areas are located on the left side of the room.

The living room has a huge sectional, TV, DVD player...

There is a desk and and an island that separates the two areas...

Aside from the sweets in an earlier photo, a welcome drink, hot towel, and fruits were set-up for our arrival...

There is an espresso machine in the mini-bar area...

There is a balcony off the living room...

...that has an amazing view of the resort's grounds...

The balcony can also be accessed from the bedroom...

And speaking of which...

Here's the entry to the bedroom from the living room area...

...where you'll immediately notice the open view to the bathroom in the center and direct access to the bathtub to the left of the bed...

The bed was less firm than the one at the Conrad -- but it was still firm (which has been the norm in all of our hotel stays here in Indonesia)...

I prefer my mattress more pillow-y :-)

Here's the open view of the bathroom -- which can be covered with the blinds inside that room...

Here's the direct access from the bedroom to the bathtub...

View of the living room from the bedroom...

On the other side of the bed is...

...the closet...

...and another mini-bar...

As for the bathroom...

There's another toilet...

There's a pretty huge and open shower area...

...with double showers...

A huge deep tub...

Unfortunately, the generic toiletries were lackluster...

There's a TV monitor by the tub, in between the direct access from the room and the double sinks...

Wish they would change the toiletries. Heck, I don't even mind if they use the subpar June Jacobs ones.

Finally, the hotel also did turndown service...

And that is it for the room.

It was huge, a little bit outdated (especially compared to the Grand Suite King), but nothing bad. Again, it may actually be more attractive to some people. Overall it was a nice suite.

I wish there were more universal plugs, though. As for the WiFi, it was was working except when inside the toilet and with the doors closed. TMI! Hehe.

I really appreciate the fact that the hotel upgraded us, and seemingly ahead of time with the room ready with welcome drinks and our welcome letter. And I was happy that I got to try both this room and the Grand Suite King during our stay. As I already mentioned earlier, I prefer the newer Grand Suite King but I can see how others may find the design of this Club Executive Suite King more appealing even if it's older.

Other Amenities

Let's start with the resort's amazing grounds...

Then the nice beach...

...which even gets a decent WiFi connection :-) ...

Definitely much nicer than the Conrad beach.

If swimming at the beach isn't your thing, the resort has a ton of pools.

There's the main lagoon and river pools...

There's a pool with a slide...

..a pool in the corner-most isolated area of the resort because it was so big...

A pool for exclusive use by the Grand Club rooms...

And another pool by the health club...

Speaking of which, they have a huge (though dated) fitness club called, Bay Club...

They have a unisex hot tub...

...and cold plunge...

It was a bit exposed and awkwardly located, though, so no wonder no one was using it :-)

There's a big gym...

Lockers...

There's a converted table tennis room...

...as well as a squash court...

There's also tennis courts in another part of the resort...

They also have an amazing spa complex called, Kriya...

...where most treatments are done in your own villa...

There's also an area with retail stores...

...with a money changer and ATM...

There's a ton of dining outlets in the resort.

Japanese...

Lobby bar...

International and Indonesian cuisine...

A dinner buffet with show...

...where the food and entertainment were pretty good.

There are a couple of other dining outlets in the resort but we only got try food in one other place, the resort's club lounge -- Grand Club...

We asked upon check-in whether we can get our breakfast at the hotel's main spread but were politely declined. So we ended up having breakfast here for the next five mornings...

The choices in the morning weren't that extensive and was more like a continental breakfast...

...coupled with made-to-order eggs and one or two other hot items (usually alternating between sausage and bacon, and hash browns) but the quality and taste were pretty good. Here are some of my breakfast hauls...

What I looked forward to the most at breakfast was the nature show :-)...

With different birds...

...that even roam inside the lounge...

Fishes...

...and even a few monitor lizards...

The spread during evening drinks was better...

...and unlike at the Conrad Bali, you can easily go back for seconds here.

Here is a sample of my haul...

And, again, the food quality was pretty good.

Service at the lounge both by the meal service crew and the lounge attendants were amazing. The senior lounge attendant and server were very professional and personable and I wish I got their names.

The hotel also has a water sports center...

...and a kids club...

Whew, still there?

Finally, let me just share some nighttime photos of the property that are amazing even with my subpar iPhone camera...

That's it! :-)

Around the Area

The hotel is located in the confines of Nusa Dua. You can easily walk and visit the other nearby resorts, beach-side.

The area's main shopping center called Bali Collections is right across from the hotel. There are a ton of dining, shopping, and even massage outlets here -- and even a Starbucks, if you must visit one.

Nusa Dua is located in the southern part of the island which makes going around the island a bit of a trek (especially with the rush hour traffic) but it is less than 30 minutes away from the airport and the beach here is probably one of the better ones on the island.

I'll have more on what we were able to do in Bali in my next post.

Bottomline

As a Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond member with a Diamond Suite upgrade, it is a no-brainer that I would stay here again. If I was a regular guest looking at staying around the same time, I probably would still consider the hotel -- especially if the prices are comparable to similar properties in the area.

Even if the hotel appears to be a little dated and with some parts already needing a refresh or an update, the hotel is very well-maintained, it is huge, it has a ton of amenities, service from the staff were pretty good, and it is on one of the nicer beaches on the island.

I am not sure if that would be the case, though, if I was a regular guest in a standard room during peak season. Although I've seen one of their standard rooms (which was nice and clean), the resort is so huge that there are rooms in really dark corners of the property. Who knows how the cleanliness and service is then -- I am not sure if I would be willing to fight for the staff's attention with the other 600+ rooms' guests.

Up Next: Bali Highlights

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Review: Grand Hyatt Bali - Grand Suite King

2016-09-12T08:15:00.002-05:00

Allow me to do a quick separate post on this part of our stay at the Grand Hyatt Bali where we stayed at their Grand Suite King room.

I used a Diamond Suite Upgrade for this stay and that guaranteed us this type of room. At check-in, though, we were informed that we were upgraded further to the Club Executive Suite King. Although the upgraded room was bigger, it was a bit dated compared to this Grand Suite King (which looked newly renovated). In the end, since we were at the property for four nights, we stayed at the upgraded room for the first two and the second half in this room -- which I actually liked better...

For reference, this room was selling for $325 during our stay -- which is a pretty good price for suite, in my opinion.

Anyway, right past the main door is the mini-bar...

I think it was a little weird how they didn't have an espresso machine in this suite...

A small dining area is next...

...and access to the toilet and bath area across from it...

Past the dining area is the living room area...

...with a huge sectional sofa...

...and a nice corner day bed/reading area...

The living room opens up to an outdoor seating area...

...with a nice garden/lagoon view...

On the opposite side of the living room...

...is the bedroom...

...which can be partitioned off from the living room with privacy doors...

The mattress was a tad firm but nothing bad...

....and without preempting my full review of the hotel, this room had a lot of working universal outlets...

The room also opens up to the same outdoor seating area as the living room...

...and the resort's amazing grounds...

On the opposite side is the closet and bathroom...

I wish they had nicer toiletries, though, and not the generic ones the hotel was using...

And that is it for the room.

I like it. I actually like it better than the upgraded one I will be reviewing in my main Grand Hyatt Bali post. The layout was nice, it was new and modern but still very local, there were a ton of (working) universal plugs, and WiFi reception and speed in the room was decent.

For the price it was going for during our stay, I would actually consider staying there even if I didn't have points to use.

Up Next: Grand Hyatt Bali - Club Executive Suite King

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Review: Conrad Bali and the Conrad Suite

2016-09-07T11:59:00.000-05:00

WARNING: Photo-heavy post :-)

We arranged for an airport pick-up from the hotel (for only $22) and our ride was waiting for us as soon as we landed. The trip from the airport was around 30 minutes with light traffic and we were at the hotel checking-in in no time...

...which was good, because check-in was a bit of a mess and took a good chunk of our time before the whole thing was sorted out.

Check-In

Let me preface this by mentioning that I booked the first night using Hilton HHonors points and the second with AA miles. Since I want to make sure that the second night is connected to the other reservation, in case I get an upgrade on the first night, I tried attaching my Hilton HHonors number to that second night reservation where I used miles. I tried doing it online to no avail, I called up Hilton HHonors and they can't do it as well, so I decided to email the hotel directly. The hotel responded pretty quickly and confirmed that they've attached my membership number to the booking I made with miles and that I should be all set.

Fast forward to the actual check-in where I ended up with two rooms for two nights. You can read about the details of that here. If you think about it, this error was in my favor, even if I wasn't impressed by the upgrade (from the most basic room to one with an ocean view). But what I really wanted was an upgrade to the Conrad Suite -- even for just the first night where I booked using Hilton HHonors points.

Anyway, while at the Front Desk sorting everything out, I showed the agent helping me the booking information on my phone and she asked if she can show it to the manager in the back office. I thought it was going to be quick, but they probably had my phone for a good 15 minutes -- which was so stupid on my part and so unprofessional on theirs. I haven't seen any incriminating photos online yet, though, so I think I am good :-) Anyway, good thing I found an opening to suggest the Conrad Suites in one of our numerous back and forth conversations and I ended up getting the upgrade -- after a full hour from the time we got to the hotel, though.

Just for reference, the suites were going for $400 + taxes on the nights that we stayed.

Here are other photos of the lobby...

Lobby bar...

...which opens up to the hotel's grounds...

...and the view of the main pool and the ocean...

Here was their Diamond member welcome letter and list of benefits...

The Room

The Conrad Suites is located in a separate building at one end of the resort...

From the main door is the bar and dining area...

Welcome fruit...

Espresso machine...

...with illy coffee pods...

Past the dining area...

...is the living room...

Here's the living room with the doors to the bedroom closed...

The room has a nice balcony...

with a view of the trees that block the view of the ocean :-)...

...and a very tiny view of the spa pool and the trees that block it :-)...

Back to the room...

...and, specifically, the bedroom...

The bed was huuuuggggeeee (imagine Trump saying it. Hehe)....

...but was a bit too firm for my liking.

There is a juliet balcony in the bedroom...

Love that their Conrad stuffed toy is a monkey and not the generic teddy bear in other properties...

Here's the second TV in the bedroom...

The room has a huge dressing/bathroom combo.

Et...

Voila...

:-)

There's a beach bag in the room...

...that proved to be very useful for us...

There's a pair of bath and lounging robes...

Past the dressing room is the bathroom...

Here's the bathtub...

...which, unfortunately, had a very slow water flow...

There's a small LCD TV by the tub...

Of course, they carry Aromatherapy Associates toiletries...

Good thing the water pressure in the shower was strong...

And that is it for the bathroom...

...and the amazing Conrad Suite...

One thing they can improve on is increasing the number of universal plugs and making sure they work. The few ones they had in the room were a bit faulty. Anyway, WiFi signal and speed in the room was pretty fast, the AC held up in warm Bali, and they did the turndown service...

Coming back to the room on our first night there, we smelled a faint paint odor. I called up guest services and they confirmed that work was done in another room and they apologized that our room was affected. I would've brought up moving rooms but we were so settled in already that it would be such a hassle,

The hotel brought in an aromatherapy oil burner...

...with a scent I'm obsessed with now, Frangipani or Plumeria. It masked the odor well until it disappeared, but we still kept the burner :-)

Let me just say that service from everyone in the hotel was good but some were better than others. There were two housekeeping staff who brought the burner to the room. While one of them was setting up the burner, the other one was straightening up the room, emptying all of the trash, and pretty much did another impromptu turndown service. They were amazing.

Other Amenities

Where do we start?

The resort has a gym...

There's a tennis court...

A huge spa...

...with complete spa facilities...

...which can only be accessed if you get a treatment, pay a fee, or if you are Hilton HHonors Diamond member.

Hot tub...

...and cold plunge...

Dry sauna...

Steam room...

...and its own pool...

I didn't see anyone using this pool during our stay that we ended up using it more than the other pools in the resort.

Speaking of pools...

There's a ton here. Lagoon pools with direct access from some rooms...

A beach pool...

More pools...

And, of course, the main pool...

The Conrad Suites also has its own adults-only pool...

...located by the Conrad Suites Lounge.

And speaking of the lounge...

It was a pretty good space...

There's coffee, tea, and soda throughout the day...

Service from the staff was pretty good...

There's two computer terminals and printers for guests' use...

There's an outdoor patio...

...and a nice view of the pool...

There's also a multi-purpose/fitness studio on the top floor...

Breakfast for those with lounge access is actually done at the 1st floor Japanese restaurant, Rin, but the afternoon tea and evening cocktails are carried out in the lounge.

We never got the chance to try out the afternoon tea but here is a sample of the food they serve during evening cocktails on our first day there...

...and the second...

The way they do it at the lounge is that they serve each guest a set of small plates instead of having a buffet spread. It seems a bit stingy but we were always asked, though, if we wanted more. As for the alcohol, their list was extensive and the staff made sure we never had an empty glass.

Other than the Japanese restaurant located in the Conrad Suites area, they also have a few other dining outlets in the resort.

This one by the beach...

...that serves popular items like this pizza that we tried...

...which was pretty good.

There's their main restaurant right by the main pool...

...which serves Asian food, the buffet breakfast...

Here's a few more photos of the spread...

Here's two of my six or seven plates :-)...

Breakfast was just okay but not very impressive. Also, the staff starts clearing out the place at 10:30, while people are still eating, and a good 30 minutes before the scheduled end of breakfast service.

Anyway, the restaurant is also the venue for the resort's themed buffet dinners...

...which can be seen from the pool, too...

...as well as the lobby bar...

...the other dining outlet of the property, where we also had dinner one night...

The food was just okay but a bit pricey.

The property has another lounge called Reflections Lounge...

...where guests, who arrive early and can't be given a room yet or need to depart late but have to vacate their room already, can relax...

...play billiards...

...have coffee, tea, water, snacks...

...store their luggage...

...and shower...

I believe its available for use by all guests but don't quote me on that -- please check with the hotel :-)

The resort also has a wedding chapel called Infinity Chapel,..

...which this couple probably used :-)...

They also have retail stores in the resort where they sell local items and beach/swimming stuff...

There's a kids club/area...

The hotel's grounds are massive...

The modern huts lining the grounds...

...are actually for rent...

...which I found a bit gauche :-)

And, finally, of course there is the beach...

It wasn't a great beach but it wasn't bad either...

The staff provides the guests with this tray of water, menu, and bug spray...

It was cloudy and rainy on our first two days there...

There's a view of a mountain in the distance...

This part of Nusa Dua is popular for watersports...

The sun finally shone on our last day there...

Here is a photo of the fenced off part of the beach meant for use by guests of the Conrad Suites...

I didn't see anyone use it when we were there, though :-)

And that is it for the amenities. Are you still following? LOL

Around the Area

The hotel is technically not located inside the confines of Nusa Dua but is further north closer to the tip of that area.

Right outside the hotel are a few dining outlets, money exchange, and a convenience store. We didn't venture out far enough to see more of the area, though.

Nusa Dua is on the southernmost part of Bali and, depending on where in the Island you want to head, travel time may take anytime from thirty minutes to a couple of hours -- especially with the worsening traffic in the island.

The furthest we ventured out to was Kintamani to view Mount Batur...

...and the travel time was around two and a half hours. I'll have more on what we did in Bali in a separate post but my suggestion to first time visitors to the island is to consider staying both by the shore and more inland so as to be able to enjoy all that the island has to offer -- and to be able to focus on those areas for days at a time without having to deal with long travel times.

Bottomline

I enjoyed my stay at the Conrad Bali. I am sure that a huge part of it was because of the Conrad Suites and because I had benefits from my Hilton HHonors Diamond membership.

Even without those things, though, I am sure that I will still consider staying at this property because the rooms are updated, the facilities are nice, service was excellent for the most part, and the price is competitive.

It really depends on where you want to stay and what your budget is because there's a ton of properties to choose from all over Bali. But if you were looking at staying in the Nusa Dua area, I can recommend the Conrad Bali without hesitation.

Up Next: Grand Hyatt Bali - Grand Suite King

To read previous posts from this trip report, click below:

Introduction

American Airlines Flagship Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport

American Airlines Admirals Club Lounge - Chicago O'Hare Airport, Concourse H

ORD-NRT on Japan Airlines First Class

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Main Building

JAL First Class Lounge - Narita Airport, 3/F Satellite Building

NRT-MNL on Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite II

Holiday Inn & Suites - Makati, Philippines

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge - NAIA Airport Manila Terminal 3

MNL-SIN on Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class (Original Version)

Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel

Hotel Review: LondonHouse Chicago Hotel

2016-08-30T11:53:00.003-05:00

I stayed at the newly-opened LondonHouse Chicago hotel last weekend during a friend's visit. Choosing the hotel was a no-brainer, it is one of the newest and nicest hotels to open in the city recently and their rate on the HotelTonight app was pretty good...

Check-In

Let me preface this by mentioning that I had family visit Chicago a couple of weeks before this stay and they also booked the LondonHouse -- but with Hilton Hhonors points. The hotel's standard check-in time is at 4pm which, honestly, I've never encountered before. Anyway, we got there around 2:30pm, checked-in thinking that it was already a reasonable time, but didn't get a room until 4:05pm. Yes, I have to be exact because, all of a sudden, the room became available right after 4pm passed. I call BS on that, but I digress.

This time, though, it was a totally different story. We were there at 11am, I mentioned my Hilton HHonors Diamond membership, and got a room right away. Granted this was a Monday and my family checked in on the Saturday that Coldplay was playing in Chicago. Still, I just can't wrap my head around the hotel not having a room ready before their 4pm standard check-in time -- even on their busiest of days.

ANYWAY...

After being told that I was not going to earn points or stay credits from the stay because the room was booked through HotelTonight, the Front Desk agent handed us a paper bag with two water bottles in it and a breakfast coupon...

She then handed us our room keycards which were placed in this holder that had a warning related to the recent scam happening in hotels...

Here's the main entrance, which is in the newly-built side of the hotel...

On the same level, in the original building side, is this nicely-restored elevator lobby of the hotel...

Here's the main lobby...

They have two computer terminals and a printer for guests' use in this corner of the lobby...

...and the other side has more seating and a lobby bar...

The Room

The King room we were checked into was a little bit tight. This was the exact same type of room layout my family got during their stay so I am not sure if they have any other layout for this type of room.

There's a tiny corridor past the door...

Past that, to the left, is the closet...

Beside it is the mini-bar...

...that had a Nespresso machine...

Across this is the nice bathroom...

...with their Malin+Goetz toiletries...

Take note in one of the earlier photos of the bathroom that the window shade was drawn. Actually, when we entered the room all of the curtains and shades were rolled up or open and the room drew in a lot of light...

The problem was as I immediately went to pee in the toilet without checking whether someone could see in, I noticed the lady in another hotel across from my room immediately looking away and leaving, probably getting as surprised as I was -- or worse. Hehe.

Lesson learned.

Anyway, here is the main part of the bedroom...

...which I thought was nicely laid out, given the size...

The bed was super comfortable and it had a nice monogrammed duvet cover...

As is the norm with hotels in older buildings, the windows are usually not the typical floor to ceiling type you see in more modern hotels nowadays. But even if that was the case here, the room still drew in a lot of light...

Here was the (city) view from our room...

And that was it. Even if the room was tiny, I actually liked it. The layout was maximized at its best, the bathroom was nice and I loved the Malin+Goetz products, the bed was amazing, WiFi was strong and had decent speeds, and I really just like the room's aesthetic and overall feel.

Let me just mention also that when I requested for a late check-out, I was given until 1pm only originally. When I asked if that was the most they can extend for a Diamond member, the Front Desk agent said he can extend it up to 2pm -- without failing to mention that they usually charge guests $100 for a 2pm check-out. Oh-kay.

Other Amenities

The hotel has a few dining outlets including the lobby bar in the earlier photos, the lounge where we had breakfast (apologies as I wasn't able to take photos), and this seasonal rooftop bar...

...with amazing views of the river and the city...

...and the reason why I really wanted a river view room...

:-)

Seriously, though, I love that building. Wish he didn't ruin it with his name, the ugly font, and the ridiculously huge sign.

Anyway, they also have a spa...

...but no sauna facilities, though.

There's also a 24-hr access fitness center...

Around the Area

This hotel probably has the best location in the city. It is right on the river and on the corner of The Magnificent Mile/Michigan Ave. It is in between the Loop business district and the River North area of shopping and dining. All of the shopping, dining and city attractions you need are within walking distance or a short ride away.

Bottomline

Overall, I liked the hotel. I don't like that the standard check-in time is at 4pm and how the implementation is inconsistent but I like the room (even if it was on the smaller side), the rooftop bar, the gym, the location and everything else.

I would check-in here again if I was from out of town visiting the city. But since my qualifications for a staycation property involves a pool, sauna facilities, and a tub -- then I don't see myself checking-in here for that reason.

Hotel Review: Kinzie Hotel Chicago

2016-08-29T11:05:00.002-05:00

This stay at the Kinzie Hotel was unplanned and really unnecessary :-) I have signed up to receive emails from Extreme Hotel Deals and saw this really cheap rate of $35 nett for one night stay at the Kinzie Hotel in Chicago. I received the email around January of 2015 and the deal was for December 27 of the same year. Given that the rate was a refundable one, I booked away knowing that I can just cancel up to a day before the stay if I ended up not being able to use it.

Fortunately, I was in town and had nothing important going on so I found myself in downtown again (two days after my stay at the Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago) checking out another hotel in the city that I've never stayed at before...

Check-In

Check-in was quick but a little bit awkward. I don't know how many of their guests that day availed of the ridiculously low rate or if the hotel knew about it and if they knew beforehand. But when we were checking-in, the agent who was helping us called the attention of his manager and pointed at something on his monitor -- to which the manager just nodded to. LOL.

I can't blame them, though...

The Room

As soon as we entered the room, it smelled like cigarette smoke. I know I didn't pay a lot for it but did they really need to assign me to one that stank? :-)

Thankfully, that not very pleasant first impression was taken over by a pleasant and airy room...

It was bright and it had a very light aesthetic and feel to it -- with little touches that make it a bit unique.

Here's the view from our room of Hotel Sax and the iconic Marina Towers...

The bathroom was okay...

...and they carry the h20 brand of toiletries...

...which was just okay (for a lack of another agreeable term. Hehe) too.

WiFi speed and signal in the room was good, the room was clean, everything was intact and working, the bed was comfortable, and the bathroom served its purpose.

We complained about the cigarette smoke smell on our way out for a stroll in the city and came back to a room that smelled of Fabuloso. Getting our money's worth...Oy.

Other Amenities

The hotel has a 24-hr access gym and my apologies as I was not able to take a photo of it. I was also not able to take a photo of the evening reception at one of their lounges for all of the hotel guests. When we got to the place, the hors d'oeuvres were almost all gone and the plates look like they were ransacked. It was too busy and crowded that we didn't even try the free cocktail anymore.

Here's their Business Center...

And the continental breakfast spread they serve on each floor. Et...

Voila...

It was a nice set up...

You'll definitely find something there to get you through the morning...

It was weird but I, kind of, liked it. Of course, the selection could be improved and I wish there was a person constantly replenishing the items but I thought this (along with the evening reception) was a generous offering by the hotel to all of its guests.

So how would you grab everything you want from the breakfast station in one go? Remember the tray on the bed from the earlier photos?

I went back twice, though. Hehe.

Around the Area

The Kinzie is located in the center of downtown. It is a couple of blocks away from the shopping outlets on Michigan Ave. and within seconds of restaurants, convenience stores, and other attractions.

Location-wise, there is no problem here. It would be a good base to explore the rest of the city.

Bottomline

With the room alone, I easily have made back the $35 I paid for this hotel. Add to that the breakfast, the evening reception, use of the gym, and the business center -- then I probably have already "made money" out of the stay :-)

If I was paying full price, though, I would still think that the Kinzie Hotel is good value for money and would definitely recommend it to friends visiting Chicago.

Oh and that Extreme Hotel Deals thing, they just sent an email about another cheap rate, at the Talbott Hotel Chicago (#3 in Chicago on TripAdvisor) this time -- for the exact same date this year. And since it is a refundable booking, I made sure to make a reservation again :-)

Hotel Review: Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago

2016-08-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

One of the best weeks to try out the hotels in Chicago is during Christmas week. Transplants are usually back in their hometowns by this time, not a lot of tourists are in the city because -- Winter :-), and the demand for rooms is really just not that high that rates are usually at their lowest. New Year's Eve is a different story, though, but I digress.

When choosing which hotel to stay at, I pretty much decided that I was going to stay at a Hyatt property where I can use my Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond Suite Upgrade certificate. I ended up staying at the Hyatt Centric because Park Hyatt was outside my budget, this was the newest Hyatt property in the city, and it was the first-ever Hyatt Centric property to open in the world.

Here is how Hyatt describes their newest brand based on an official press release:

The Hyatt Centric brand was created for Modern Explorers, a multigenerational group comprised of travelers who view their hotel as more than a place to stay. Rather, the hotel is their hub, connecting them to the best of what the destination has to offer – experiences that lead to great stories. In response to the needs of this target guest, the Hyatt Centric brand will focus on three core elements: An authentic entryway to the destination, A focus on simplicity, thoughtfully crafted, A human touch in a digital world

Check-In

And that is why check-in took awhile...

The whole system check-in was actually pretty quick. The Front Desk Manager, who was the only one in front then, confirmed our Hyatt Suite upgraded room and provided us with these food and beverage vouchers...

....as a benefit for being a Diamond member. He only handed us two vouchers at first but then I asked if that was enough for breakfast (it was a fancy restaurant) and if there was a limit to the number of vouchers. He offered us two more and said that we can just ask for more if that wasn't still enough. I settled with just one more, though, thinking that that should cover a pair of dishes and drinks.

Going back to the check-in experience, it took a little bit longer than it should've because the Front Desk Manager was trying to explain the concept of the hotel -- obviously wanting us to have a "different" experience. I commend the employee for trying but I think the concept, which I've already forgotten about after that stay, was a hard sell. Still, we indulged him for a few minutes.

Here are some more photos of the lobby area...

The Room

All of the hotel's suites are called Hyatt Suites (except for the Presidential) and all are corner rooms. The suites have a good-sized foyer...

Did you notice the playful coat hooks in the previous photo?

Past the entryway is the living room...

...which has a lot of seating...

...and a huge LCD TV...

The rooms can be isolated by a heavy (and difficult) sliding door...

The edge of that room divider wall has the mini bar...

Anyway, the bedroom is on the other side of the the living room...

The bed was perfect. Not too hard and not too soft. Just how Goldilocks likes it. LOL...

There's a smaller but still sufficiently-sized TV in the room...

And a nice armchair with a portable table...

They have this stool that can be pulled out from one end of the TV console (as can be seen in the next photo) so I am not sure if that was meant to serve as the "desk", or if it was the armchair with the portable table, or if they've eliminated it altogether as is the trend now in the industry...

Aside from the hotel info book, they have this quick reference booklet of snacks and amenities that can be delivered to your room...

The view of downtown Chicago from the room and from this high up was pretty cool. From morning...

...afternoon...

...and night...

Back to the room...

The closet is part of the divider wall...

The one thing that I found weird about the room is the lack of a door to the bathroom. I am not sure if this was intentional and if the design is consistent with the succeeding Centric's that opened afterwards -- but it just seemed like an afterthought. It's like they decided on it last minute just to make it a little bit different than the typical hotel room. I mean, if it was an intentional design feature, then I think they could've made a more conscious effort to expose the bathroom to the rest of the bedroom. But, in this case, it just seemed open for no reason at all -- except to have awkward cold (because of the room's AC) baths...

The tub is not even one which you can relax in and enjoy as it was tiny and just didn't really look very relaxing...

The whole layout of the bathroom was just poorly executed...

If there were two people using the bathroom at the same time, it will just be very difficult to move around in there...

I think one or both cubicle doors even open out into the bathroom instead of inwards...

There was just something wrong there...

Anyway, they carry the typical Hyatt toiletry, KenetMD...

And that was it.

I like the clean lines, the modern aesthetic, and the airiness of the room. The design wasn't cutting-edge or super unique but it was a good departure from the typical stuffy and generic hotel room. The suite was a good size and it felt very homey. I am not exactly sure how the design translates to a regular-sized hotel room, though.

As for the bathroom, I think I've already expressed enough my dislike for the layout and the design. I just remember wanting to take a bath but deciding against it later on because it was freezing in there from the night's AC in the room -- and the tub was just so awkwardly located and not really inviting at all.

Finally, internet was pretty fast and the signal was strong inside the whole room.

Other Amenities

The hotel does not have a pool but they have a 24-hr access fitness room...

One of the "unique" features of the hotel is that they have a lounge available to all guests called The Corner...

They have snacks and candies...

...fruits...

...cupcakes (on rotation with other items)...

...coffee, tea, and bottled water...

...which I thought was a generous benefit for all of its guests.

Guests can also just decide to hang out, read, watch TV, play games or just chill here...

I wonder, though, if this room ever gets packed as the hotel has 200+ rooms. Thank God that we were there on a low season as we only saw one other pair of guests using the lounge during our stay.

The hotel has a french bistro dining outlet on the ground floor where you can use your food and drink vouchers for breakfast...

I had the Eggs Benedict dish and it was pretty good...

There was a bit of confusion with the use of the vouchers. I thought that it would cover the whole bill, including the tip, as I confirmed this with Front Desk prior to getting breakfast. With that said, I made sure that we only order up to $50 worth of food and drinks so we can use the remaining $10 for the tip. Really, $50 was enough but I could've easily used up the whole $60 credit if I knew that the tip would be charged separately. Anyway, I added the tip to the bill in the end (which came out under $60) and settled it with the voucher.

Upon check-out, though, the tip ended up being charged separately to the room still. I brought this up to the Front Desk agent checking me out and relayed what was told to me by one of their co-workers that morning. Looking at the amount, she was able to decide right away that they can take it out of the bill. I thought that that was very proactive of her and, in the end, I just told her to leave it.

Anyway, the hotel also has a seasonal rooftop bar but it was closed when we were there. Also, while referencing their website while doing this post, I just found out that the hotel is actually pet-friendly. So there you go.

Around the Area

The hotel is in the middle of the business district, which was dead when we were there on Christmas eve. It was good for going to the Christmas eve mass at the nearby St. Peter's in the Loop church but I digress.

It would actually still be a little deserted on any regular weekend but at least the dining and retail outlets of State St. and Michigan Ave., which are only a few blocks away from the hotel, would be open.

There are a couple of fast food outlets and drug/convenience stores in the immediate area of the hotel and the CTA Blue Line station that connects you to the airport is around five minutes away by foot.

Most of the city's attractions are within walking distance or a short train, bus, bike, or cab/Uber ride away.

Bottomline

Living in Chicago, I would prefer "staycationing" in a hotel with an indoor pool or other amenities -- so I wouldn't really consider staying here again.

But I like the hotel, even if the concept is still alien to me and even if I dislike the design/layout of the bathroom. I had a good stay, I liked my room (although it was a suite), the location wasn't bad, service was okay, and I really don't have any major complaints.

If I was from out of town and I need a nice, no-fuss hotel with a good price and an acceptable location -- and I am not really looking at staying in the hotel the whole time to enjoy its amenities -- then I would consider staying at the Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago again.

Hotel Review: Hyatt Regency Chicago

2016-08-25T11:43:00.001-05:00

This was my second time staying at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The first time was in an accessible room back in 2010 -- but I wasn't blogging back then yet so I am sorry if I don't have any photos :-) This time, it was for work (back in October 2015) and I was booked in a Standard King room. Without preempting the rest of the review, let me just say that its during these times that I wish I was already a Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond member :-)

Check-In

Check-in was pretty quick. There was no significant line at the Front Desk and I was only there for a couple of minutes...

Here was the Gold Passport desk -- which I didn't bother using since I was not a Diamond member yet then...

I just wanted to show the hotel's self-service check-in/out terminals. I didn't try it and I am not sure how it works but I believe it's the first time I've seen this in a hotel...

Maybe because the hotel is Vegas-sized (read: huge) with 2,000+ rooms that these terminals are necessary...

The Room

The room was very basic...

Maybe just a notch up a Holiday Inn room...

The bed was comfortable and everything else in the room were intact and working. The TV was a flat screen but the channels were still not HD. I didn't like the texture of the carpet as it felt grimy and a little gross to step on.

The room was clean for the most part...

...except the extra blanket in the closet...

...which had a nasty strand of hair on it. Pardon the photo if you are eating while reading this :-)

If the bedroom was only a notch up a Holiday Inn room, the bathroom was two notches higher :-)...

...okay, maybe three. LOL.

And that is it for the room. Nothing special but good enough if the price is right.

Other Amenities

The hotel has a couple of dining outlets, with a good number of them around the lobby area...

I didn't get to try any of them but I ordered room service for breakfast...

..,and the food was okay.

They also have a small convenience/snack store in the lobby that was very convenient for the guests and a Regency Club for guests with access.

I would think that a hotel this size and one that caters to conventions and tourists would have a swimming pool but the property doesn't.

They have a full-sized gym, though...

...with sufficient machines and equipment.

Around the Area

The hotel is in a perfect location in downtown Chicago, right on the river and Michigan Ave. All of the shopping and dining you may need are within steps away from the hotel. The location would also be a good base to explore the rest of the city's attractions -- although that is true for any other downtown hotel :-)

Bottomline

I didn't have any major complaints about the property but I also didn't find anything special about it either. The hotel is one of the older modern hotels in the city but they have been able to keep the public spaces and the rooms updated. Location is great. Service from the staff was good. At a good price, the hotel would still be a solid choice even if there are a ton of newer properties that opened up in the city in the last few years.

Hotel Review: The Edgewater Hotel - Madison, WI

2016-08-23T08:35:00.003-05:00

This is a super-delayed review and I apologize. I actually have a couple of other hotels left to post and I'll try to churn them out in between my current Asia trip report posts.

Anyway, this was the second year in a row that I've stayed in Madison, WI to view the fall colors in nearby Devil's Lake State Park. I stayed at the Hyatt Place Madison then and wanted to try a different property this time. I checked Hotel Tonight and found a really good rate ($134 nett) for, what I think is, the grande dame of hotels in Madison.

Here was the original building of the hotel...

The plaza that connects their two buildings...

...and their new building...

Check-In

We were checked-in pretty quickly by two young and friendly Front Desk agents -- and we were on our way to our room in a couple of minutes.

Here are some photos of the lobby...

The Room

We were booked in the most basic room called the Edgewater King...

It looked and felt new...

....with a view of the town and of the lake, if you crane your neck. Hehe....

Here's the bathroom...

They have Gilchrist & Soames soaps among other toiletries...

Wish my bathroom had a tub though...

I liked the room. It was new, clean, and even if the property can be considered a "boutique" hotel -- it wasn't trying hard to appear like one.

Other Amenities

The hotel has a few dining outlets but I never got to try any of them.

They have a full-size fitness center located in the original building...

There's a yoga/multipurpose studio...

There's wet and dry sauna in the lockers...

Salon...

A small indoor pool...

The property's meeting rooms and ballrooms face the lake...

...where the hotel also has a small pier...

Around the Area

There is really nothing in the immediate area of the hotel but the closest retail and dining outlets are just a few minutes away by foot.

The main strip of retail outlets leading to the University of Wisconsin's campus and the state capitol are also within walking distance...

If you were wondering, Devil's Lake State Park is around an hour away from here...

Bottomline

I liked my stay at this property and would recommend it to people looking at staying in Madison. There are one or two other properties that I am looking at staying in the next time I visit but I don't mind staying at the Edgewater again -- especially if the price is right :-)