Click HERE to link your Marriott Bonvoy and JAL Mileage Bank accounts!

The headline feature is reciprocal status matching. Members of either programme can now link their JMB and Bonvoy accounts to receive elite recognition in the other programme, with the level of benefit scaling to how much status they already hold. Marriott Bonvoy members will also start earning FLY ON Points automatically each year simply by linking their accounts, without needing to take a single flight.

How JAL Mileage Bank Members Benefit

JMB members gain a fairly generous path into the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem, which is a massive perk given Bonvoy's portfolio of more than 10,000 properties worldwide.

How Marriott Bonvoy Members Benefit

This is where things get interesting for those of us who already carry Bonvoy elite status. Simply linking a Bonvoy account to JMB triggers an automatic annual credit of FLY ON Points, JAL's status-qualifying currency, with the amount tied to Bonvoy tier.

This is the detail I keep coming back to. Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members are the only two tiers that unlock the status match to JAL Crystal, and Crystal sits at the same level as oneworld Ruby, the entry-tier recognition across the alliance. That alone is a nice freebie for a Bonvoy member who has never flown JAL. But the real value is in the phrase "or higher based on accumulated FLY ON Points". With 30,000 to 40,000 FLY ON Points landing in the account every year just for holding status, Titanium and Ambassador members are already sitting on a meaningful jump start towards Sapphire, JAL's next tier up and the equivalent of oneworld Sapphire. For anyone who splits their loyalty between Bonvoy and a oneworld carrier, this closes a gap that used to require actual JAL flying to bridge.

As someone who holds Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite and have already reached oneworld Emerald through Qantas Platinum, this partnership has little value to me personally. However, it does give me a head start towards oneworld Sapphire if I ever wish to switch frequent flyer programs - miles on JAL Mileage Bank are worth a whole lot more than Qantas Frequent Flyer points anyway. For Singapore-based readers who already hold Bonvoy elite status and fly JAL occasionally via Haneda or Narita, linking accounts costs nothing and only adds value. Whether it is worth actively chasing JAL flying purely for JMB status is a separate question, but as a passive top-up to an existing oneworld strategy, this is hard to argue with.

Click HERE to check out the latest promotions for the Courtyard by Marriott Sapporo!

At the time, I already held oneworld Emerald through Qatar Airways Platinum, secured via a fast track offer with ALL Diamond in early 2025, though it was due to expire in February 2026. The Aria Suite itself was superb, but if I am honest, the chance to visit The Pier First during my layover in Hong Kong is always the highlight of any Cathay Pacific business class journey for me. Getting to the Courtyard was straightforward by train, with Nakajima-Kōen Station only a short stroll from the hotel entrance. The walk itself was another matter. The snow had settled thickly enough to make navigating the pavements with luggage a slower, more deliberate affair than I had anticipated.

Having opened only in July 2024, everything still felt crisp and current, from the furnishings in the lobby down to the room fittings. Gone was any sense of the generic, slightly tired feel that Courtyard properties can sometimes carry. Instead, the design language leaned into a bright, natural aesthetic that felt distinctly Hokkaido, with warm wood tones and clean lines that made the space feel considerably more premium than the brand tier suggested. At check-in, I was thanked for being a Titanium Elite member and given a daily credit of JPY 3,000 (JPY 1,500 per registered guest) in lieu of complimentary breakfast, which is not a standard benefit at a Courtyard property - more about this later! What struck me most, though, was a small gesture that had nothing to do with points or elite tiers. I had mentioned, almost in passing, how bitterly cold it was outside while checking in, and the staff member on duty did not just nod politely. She disappeared briefly and returned with a handful of Hokkairo heat packs for me to warm my hands with, along with a bag of milk karinto, a local Hokkaido snack, tossed in as an unprompted little gift. It was a small thing, but it is exactly the sort of warmth (pun very much intended) that tends to stick with me long after the free breakfast credits and elite recognition are forgotten.

While the upgrade itself was modest, a small bump from Superior to Deluxe, landing me on a higher floor rather than anything more substantial, the room itself left a strong impression. It was comfortable and remarkably quiet, with none of the street or corridor noise that can sometimes creep into city hotels. What stood out most was the restraint in the furnishing. Light oak panelling and slatted wood detailing ran throughout, paired with a frosted glass partition separating the entryway from the bedroom that let light filter through without sacrificing privacy.

Nothing about it felt cheap, despite the simplicity, and materials and finishes carried a quiet, considered quality that many properties a tier above fail to achieve. The bed itself was pristine, with sheets ironed crisply and tucked with a precision that immediately put me at ease. Towards the back of the room near the window sat a small sofa and chaise, a welcome touch that made for a comfortable spot to lounge during the day, whether catching up on emails at the adjacent round table or simply watching the city lights below. Crucially, given how bitterly cold it was outside, insulation and heating inside the room were excellent, with no draughts or cold spots to speak of.

The king-size bed itself deserves a special mention. It was generously proportioned and plush without tipping into overly soft, with pillows that struck the right balance of support and comfort after a long day trudging through the snow. A striped, backlit panel ran the length of the headboard, casting a soft glow that made the room feel warm and inviting even on the coldest nights. What I particularly appreciated, though, was a small but thoughtful touch on each bedside table: a can warmer, one holding a Hokkaido corn soup and the other a hot chocolate, waiting for me each time I returned to the room. Both are complimentary and replenished daily, and there is genuinely nothing better than cradling a warm can in frozen hands after a day out in the Sapporo cold. They taste as good as they sound too, so do make the most of them during your stay.

Bedside convenience was well thought out too. A discreet panel embedded into the nightstand controlled the room light, night light, and bedside light independently, letting me adjust the mood without having to get up once I had settled in for the night. A USB-C port was also built directly into the panel, a small but practical touch that meant I did not have to hunt around the room for a place to charge my phone.

A small counter near the entrance rounded off the in-room amenities nicely, with a Nespresso machine and a couple of complimentary bottles of Hokkaido mineral water, replenished daily along with a small tray of coffee capsules. I do not usually mind stepping out for a quick coffee, but winter changes the calculus entirely. When the temptation is to keep both hands buried in your pockets the moment you leave the room, having a decent cup of coffee ready within arm's reach in a comfortable heated room becomes a genuine luxury rather than a nice-to-have.

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What impressed me further was the daily replenishment itself. Housekeeping topped up not just the water bottles but a generous six Nespresso capsules every day, more than enough for two people to enjoy a couple of coffees each without having to ration them. It is worth putting this in context: even at the Grand Hyatt Jeju, where I stayed in a suite last year, the capsule replenishment was noticeably stingier. For a Courtyard property to out-do a Hyatt suite on this particular detail says a lot about how seriously this hotel takes the small things.

The bathroom itself was compact but well-appointed, with a marble-topped vanity, a sleek oval basin, and a Toto washlet toilet that has become something of a baseline expectation in Japan. There is no bathtub in the room, which may disappoint some, but the hotel more than makes up for it with an on-site sento, a traditional Japanese-style public bath, separated for men and women. It is a distinctly local experience and one that requires being completely comfortable in the nude, but returning from a freezing day out to a proper hot bath is an experience I would call legendary. The in-room television even displays a crowd indicator for the sento, though I found it was not always accurate. As you might expect, the period just before and after dinner tends to be peak hours, so plan accordingly if you prefer a quieter soak.

For a quicker rinse, or if the sento queue looks daunting, the in-room shower is more than capable on its own. It features a proper rain shower head alongside a handheld attachment, both stocked with toiletries lined up neatly along the wall, and the water pressure and temperature control were excellent throughout the stay. The Toto washlet, as expected, came with a heated seat, one of those small conveniences that becomes an absolute necessity once winter sets in and you realise how unpleasant a cold toilet seat can be at three in the morning.

The Nirvae Botanicals shampoo and conditioner, scented with bergamot and tea tree, were a pleasant surprise too. The fragrance was subtle and clean rather than overpowering, the sort of neutral scent that would not clash with cologne or perfume applied later, and a welcome departure from the overly sweet or synthetic-smelling toiletries that some hotels default to.

Arriving well after dark, my first look out the window revealed almost nothing beyond scattered lights in the distance, and it was only the following morning that I got a proper sense of what I was looking at. By daylight, the room overlooked a mix of low-rise residential buildings and an expansive open field dusted with snow, stretching out towards the city skyline beyond.

Breakfast is served at Substance, the all-day dining restaurant on the second floor, from 6:30am to 10:30am (with last entry at 10:00am). As mentioned, this comes at a cost of JPY 2,500 per person at the special Marriott Bonvoy elite rate, offset by the JPY 1,500 daily credit per registered guest. What made it more interesting, though, was arriving among the first few guests each morning. Doing so gave me the option to choose between the standard buffet spread or a premium kaisendon, a bowl piled generously with fresh Hokkaido seafood. Do note that opting for the kaisendon means forgoing the buffet altogether, so it is worth deciding in advance which experience you are after, though on the seafood quality alone, I would say the kaisendon is well worth prioritising at least once during your stay.

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On the other days, I opted for the standard buffet, which turned out to be a surprisingly decent spread, especially once the effective cost worked out to just JPY 1,000 per person after applying the daily F&B credit. There was a live noodle station serving a comforting bowl of ramen, complete with tender chashu and a rich, well-balanced broth, alongside a made-to-order egg station for whichever style you fancied that morning. A build-your-own kaisendon corner was also on offer, and while it understandably did not match the quality or generosity of the premium version, it was still a respectable effort, with a reasonable variety of toppings including tamagoyaki, tuna, and salmon roe to pile onto your rice.

Beyond the noodle and egg stations, the rest of the buffet covered the usual bases well. There was a solid rotation of Japanese breakfast staples, including grilled fish, karaage, and sausages, alongside a proper continental spread of salads and cold cuts for those after something lighter. Coffee was self-serve from a proper machine, and takeaway cups were readily available too, a thoughtful touch for anyone wanting to grab a cup on the way out the door and straight into the cold.

All things considered, this was a stay I would not hesitate to repeat. Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points here proved to be a genuinely good use of currency, particularly if your dates allow you to capture the 5th night free benefit, which brought the effective cost down considerably compared to paying cash. The location strikes a fair balance too. It is not right in the thick of Susukino or directly beside Sapporo Station, but Nakajima-Kōen Station puts both within easy reach, with Susukino roughly a ten-minute walk and central Sapporo just a short subway ride away, all while retaining a quieter, more residential feel around the hotel itself thanks to its position beside Nakajima Park. Between the well-appointed rooms, the thoughtful daily touches, and a breakfast programme that punches well above its Courtyard branding, this is a property I will gladly return to on my next trip to Hokkaido.

Courtyard by Marriott Sapporo
1 Chome-1-57 Minami 10 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0810, Japan
Website | Email

Click HERE to register for the Marriott Bonvoy x Emirates 5,000 bonus points offer!

This is a targeted promotion, which means it is only valid for the specific Marriott Bonvoy members to whom it has been addressed. If you have received the invitation in your inbox, it is worth registering even if you are not certain you will complete a qualifying stay before the deadline, since registration itself costs nothing. One thing worth flagging up front: this offer never appeared in the promotions section of my Marriott Bonvoy app. I only found it because I happened to check my email. If you are someone who relies on the app to see what you are enrolled in, it is worth digging back through your inbox, since this is the kind of offer you would completely miss unless you are checking your email religiously.

A stay is defined as consecutive nights in the same hotel, regardless of how many times you check in or out, provided you are paying an eligible rate at a participating Marriott Bonvoy hotel. The important detail here is that bookings made before 15 July 2026 are still eligible, so long as the actual stay is consumed within the promotion period. This is useful if you already have a trip booked for August or September; you do not need to make a fresh reservation to qualify.

A few carve-outs are worth flagging before you assume a stay will count:

• Free Night Awards and Cash + Points bookings do not earn the bonus.

• Prepaid rates booked through third parties such as Expedia, Travelocity, or Booking.com are not eligible, since these do not earn points at all under Marriott Bonvoy programme rules.

• Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott Executive Apartments, ExecuStay, and Marriott Vacation Club owner-occupied weeks are excluded.

• Award redemption nights do not earn bonus points.

Marriott has confirmed this offer can be combined with other points promotions running concurrently, though the earnings are calculated exclusively of one another rather than stacking multiplicatively. If you are also enrolled in a global Bonvoy promotion this quarter, you should be able to earn both bonuses on the same qualifying stay, subject to each promotion's own terms. One notable exclusion: members who have elected to earn Miles instead of points on a given stay are not eligible for this promotion. If you typically convert your Bonvoy earnings to airline miles at checkout, you will want to opt for points earning instead if you intend to capture this bonus.

For a targeted offer with no downside to registering, the answer is generally yes. Five thousand points is not a life-changing sum, but it is a free top-up on a stay you are likely booking anyway, and it costs nothing beyond a few minutes of registration through the official Marriott Bonvoy Emirates portal. The main thing to watch is the definition of an eligible stay, particularly if you tend to book through online travel agencies for a marginally cheaper rate. If you have multiple stays planned before the end of September, it is worth directing your first paid, points-eligible stay towards a hotel where you are confident the rate qualifies, so the bonus is not wasted on a non-qualifying rate.

Click HERE to check book a Hyatt Prive rate for The Standard, Singapore!

The property itself has a cool, laid-back energy that immediately reminded me of the Mondrian Singapore Duxton, all playful design touches without trying too hard. Check-in was handled reasonably efficiently, though I did not receive a room upgrade for this stay. As a Globalist, a 4pm late check out was offered regardless, which softened the blow slightly. Worth flagging for fellow points redeemers: the Standard Twin With One Twin Bed is the base room category here, and it is the only room type available for points redemptions. If you are hoping to redeem into one of the King bed rooms, you are out of luck. On a more positive note, the property moved down from Category 5 to Category 4 this year, which means Category 1-4 free night awards can now be used here, a meaningful win for anyone sitting on a stash of expiring awards.

The room itself is compact at 23 sqm, which is on the smaller side even by Singapore standards, but it has been furnished thoughtfully enough that it never feels cramped. The floor-to-ceiling window is the standout feature, flooding the room with natural light, and my room faced directly onto the Shangri-La apartments. This actually makes sense once you understand the property's layout, as the hotel sits sandwiched between the Shangri-La apartment block and the main Shangri-La hotel itself. A nice touch is the L-shaped sofa tucked by the window, which turned out to be a great spot to relax during the day, whether catching up on emails or simply people watching over the neighbourhood below. The room also comes with a 50-inch smart TV mounted on the opposite wall, and casting shows from Netflix or other streaming apps onto the screen was straightforward, a small but appreciated convenience for anyone who wants to wind down with their usual line up rather than hotel channels.

There was no welcome amenity to speak of, save for a handwritten note left on the terrazzo side table, a nice personal touch even if it did not extend to anything more tangible. I was staying for leisure rather than work, but it is worth noting that the room does not really offer a proper desk or work area beyond the window sofa. If you do need to get things done, the cafe on the lobby floor is a solid alternative. From experience, it tends to be quiet during the day, making it a decent spot to camp out with a laptop if the room itself is not conducive to work.

Amenities in the room are functional rather than lavish. There is a Nespresso machine sitting on a small marble ledge next to the minibar, paired with a couple of bottled waters, and a fold out luggage rack mounted on the wall nearby, a practical alternative to a proper wardrobe given the room's tight footprint. The whimsical red cabinet is a nice nod to the brand's playful design language, though storage space itself remains limited. It is clear that the design team prioritised character over practicality here, which is very on brand for The Standard, Singapore, but guests travelling with more luggage may find themselves wishing for a proper closet.

Opening the drawer of that red cabinet reveals a nice surprise, with a small stash of complimentary Nespresso capsules and a selection of TWG teas, along with sugar and creamer sachets tucked neatly alongside a corkscrew and cutlery. It is a thoughtful touch that elevates what would otherwise be a fairly standard in-room coffee and tea set up. I am not entirely sure whether an evening turndown service is offered as standard, as I did not have the opportunity to observe one during my stay, so this is worth checking with the front desk if it matters to you.

On the bed itself, I had booked the king configuration for this stay. Worth noting that if you have booked the twin room, whether for the cheaper rate or because you redeemed points, it is worth writing in ahead of your stay to request a king bed instead, as this seems to be something the hotel can accommodate on request. Despite the compact room size, I found the bed itself to be genuinely comfortable, and the overall design language, from the striped wooden headboard to the capsule-shaped wall light in a warm amber glow, gave the room a distinct character that I appreciated.

Despite being only 23 sqm in size, the boxy-layout of the room made it feel sufficient. Do note that instead of a proper wardrobe, a couple of hooks on the wall serve as the main storage for jackets and clothing, which fits the room's compact footprint but may feel limiting if you are packing more formal wear.

There was no iron in the room during my stay, though I understand one is available upon request from housekeeping.

The view from my room looked down onto the pool deck, and it is a genuinely striking one, with the freeform pool framed by rows of umbrellas and lush landscaping below. From my limited experience with The Standard brand, having only stayed at the Bangkok property before this, the pools do seem to be a consistent strength across the brand. They always seem to strike that balance between looking good in photos and actually being pleasant to spend an afternoon at, and this one is no exception.

The bathroom is arguably the most visually striking part of the room, with bold orange and cream striped tiles running floor to ceiling and a statement circular backlit mirror above the sink. It is a departure from the neutral palette in the bedroom, and it works well, giving the space a distinct personality without feeling gimmicky. The vanity is compact but well laid out, with a single sink, a shelf for toiletries, and a walk-in shower visible through the mirror's reflection. Storage is again on the minimal side, though a small shelf beside the sink and cubby space below help make up for the lack of drawers.

The shower itself continues the same bold orange and white striped tiling, with a rain shower head overhead and a handheld shower on a sliding rail, along with a built in seat and a set of full sized amenities lined up on a small ledge. There is no bathtub in this room category, which is fairly standard for a room this size, but the shower alone is spacious and well pressured, more than making up for the absence of a tub if a proper soak is not a priority for your stay.

Consistent to what you would expect, bath amenities come in bulk sized pump bottles rather than the usual miniature single-use bottles - a shampoo, conditioner and body wash set mounted directly on the shower wall. This is a sustainability conscious touch that more hotels have been adopting, and it works well here, cutting down on plastic waste without compromising on the actual product quality.

Breakfast is served at Kaya, the hotel's restaurant located on the ground floor, which functions as an all-day dining venue outside of breakfast hours. As a Globalist, breakfast here is complimentary, a perk that alone goes some way towards offsetting the lack of a room upgrade on this stay. The format is a la carte, and unlimited servings of everything on the menu are included, which is a fantastic setup as it means you can order as many rounds as you like without worrying about a fixed buffet spread. Portions are kept intentionally small, so this actually works in your favour, allowing you to sample a wider variety of dishes across multiple rounds rather than committing to one large plate. The staff here deserve a special mention too, cheerful and consistently on top of orders, with coffee refills offered proactively throughout the meal.

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Kaya, incidentally, is normally a contemporary Japanese izakaya restaurant on the second floor of the hotel, so it makes sense that you will spot some Japanese influenced dishes on the breakfast menu too. Beyond that, there is a good mix of Western and Asian options that cater to a fairly broad clientele. Some of my favourites were the fried chicken waffle and the laksa, both of which were surprisingly well executed for a breakfast setting, along with the ochazuke, which was a nice nod to the restaurant's Japanese roots. I also appreciated that there were decent vegetarian and healthier options on the menu, which is not always a given at hotel breakfasts.

The Standard, Singapore is not going to win on location alone. Being sandwiched between the Shangri-La apartments and hotel means it is a bit removed from the main Orchard strip, and unless you are happy to stay in and make full use of the property, you may find yourself relying on that shuttle more often than you would like. That said, the pool more than makes up for it, and it is genuinely one of the better ones I have encountered on this side of town. There is also a gym on site, though I did not have the chance to check it out myself. From what I understand, it is outdoors and on the smaller side, so manage your expectations accordingly if a proper workout is part of your travel routine.

Overall, I liked my stay here. It is great that Singapore finally has a Category 4 property to call its own, especially now that the hotel has moved down from Category 5. That said, I would not necessarily call this the best use of a free night award if you have the flexibility to choose elsewhere. Properties like Grand Hyatt Fukuoka or even The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon offer arguably better value for the same certificate. Still, if your award is close to expiring and you find yourself in Singapore, this is a perfectly solid option to fall back on. Rates through luxury advisor channels can sometimes undercut the standard World of Hyatt rate, so it is always worth a quick comparison before booking direct.

The Standard, Singapore
12 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 258353
Website | Email

Click HERE to book your flights on Trip.com and double-dip on miles and points!

The table below covers all route groups affected by the 16 July revision. Singapore-based travellers fall under the Rest of the World origin bracket, so the USD column is the most relevant figure.

The reduction is uniform at approximately 17 percent across all three brackets. Surcharges for flights to and from the Chinese Mainland remain unchanged. The revised rates apply to both Cathay Pacific-operated flights and joint operating and codeshare flights on the affected routes. For Singapore-based travellers, most Cathay Pacific itineraries connect through Hong Kong, attracting surcharges on each individual sector. Using 1 USD = 1.276 SGD as the conversion reference:

Return trip to London (SIN-HKG-LHR and back):

• 4 sectors, all long-haul bracket

• From 1 Jul: 4 × USD 149.20 = USD 596.80 (approximately S$762)

• From 16 Jul: 4 × USD 123.70 = USD 494.80 (approximately S$631)

• Saving: approximately S$131 per return trip

Return trip to Sydney (SIN-HKG-SYD and back):

• 4 sectors, same long-haul bracket

• From 1 Jul: ~S$762

• From 16 Jul: ~S$631

• Saving: ~S$131

Return trip to Hong Kong (SIN-HKG and back):

• 2 sectors, "all other routes" bracket

• From 1 Jul: 2 × USD 37.20 = USD 74.40 (approximately S$95)

• From 16 Jul: 2 × USD 30.90 = USD 61.80 (approximately S$79)

• Saving: approximately S$16 per return trip

Fuel surcharges are passed through to award redemptions in full, regardless of which programme you use to book. Asia Miles, British Airways Avios, and most other oneworld partner currencies all carry the surcharge as a cash payment on top of taxes and fees. A Business Class redemption from Singapore to London now comes with roughly S$631 in surcharges and fees before you have spent a single Asia Mile - still a meaningful out-of-pocket figure, but noticeably lower than the peak seen earlier this year.

The comparison with KrisFlyer redemptions on Singapore Airlines, which carries lower fuel surcharges on long-haul routes, remains relevant. If you are sitting on award space for a Cathay redemption and weighing whether to pull the trigger, the surcharge trajectory is moving in your favour right now, though there is no guarantee the bi-weekly reviews will continue downward. If your travel is not imminent, waiting until 16 July 2026 to issue your ticket will lock in the lower surcharge rate. On a long-haul return itinerary, the differential of roughly S$131 over the 1 July rate is worth capturing if you have the flexibility.

That said, Cathay's bi-weekly review cadence means the direction could reverse. Two downward moves does not guarantee a third. If you have a desirable award seat confirmed and the out-of-pocket saving is modest relative to the risk of losing availability, booking sooner may still be the better decision. The momentum is encouraging. Whether it continues into August will depend on where jet fuel prices head from here.

Click HERE to check the best rates for Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong!

I flew in from Kansai International Airport on Cathay Pacific and reached the hotel by early evening. As an IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite member, I was genuinely surprised to see my stay upgraded by six categories, from an Essential Sunrise Sea View room to a Premium Victoria Harbour View. For context, my original three-night booking was priced at HKD 9,772 (around S$1,635), but I managed to lock in the stay for 155,000 points, working out to roughly 1.05 cents per point, a respectable return for IHG One Rewards points.

Depending on the actual room you are assigned, Premium Victoria Harbour View Rooms measure somewhere between 34 to 40 sqm, and the layout felt deliberately spacious. Every guest room and suite in the hotel comes with floor-to-ceiling windows framing Victoria Harbour, and mine was no exception. The king bed is plush without being overstuffed, the harbour view is every bit as commanding as promised, and the entire room carries a warm, polished aesthetic that feels both modern and genuinely comfortable.

I arrived at the hotel just before 10pm, but I still wanted to photograph the room while everything was in pristine condition. Turndown service was not done on the first night, which worked in my favour for photos, but it also did not happen on the following nights. It left me wondering if evening turndown is offered only on request rather than provided automatically, which is worth checking with the front desk if it matters to you.

I had mentioned in passing that I would be celebrating my birthday before the stay, and I did not expect the team to follow up on it. When I got to the room, I found a small cupcake topped with a chocolate birth plaque and a fresh strawberry, alongside a bowl of sweet green grapes that disappeared faster than I would like to admit. A handwritten note sat propped against the room's Tivoli radio, thanking me for choosing Kimpton and wishing me a wonderful birthday stay. It is a small gesture, but it is exactly the kind of personal touch that makes a stay memorable, and it says a lot about how the team was briefed and empowered to act on guest details rather than let them slip through the cracks.

The open wardrobe uses a rattan-and-brass frame that feels more boutique furniture piece than standard hotel fitting, with wooden hangers and a slatted marble-topped bench for luggage. Tucked beside it is a well-stocked mini bar nook, complete with a proper cocktail shaker, mixing glass and bar spoon, alongside a Nespresso machine and a small selection of teas and coffees. It is a thoughtful bit of space planning, and the little glass-fronted cabinet housing the bar tools adds a touch of theatre to what is otherwise a functional corner of the room. A wall-mounted television sits opposite, angled towards the bed, keeping the layout clean without a bulky console eating into the floor space.

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Proper stemware and tumblers sit alongside the cocktail tools, a small luxury that most hotels skip in favour of plastic cups. The Nespresso machine comes loaded with capsules from Elephant Grounds, a well-regarded Hong Kong coffee roaster, which felt like a fitting nod to the local coffee scene rather than a generic in-room amenity.

The bed itself is dressed with plush, generously stuffed pillows and crisp white linens that made it easy to sleep well despite the long trip. The upholstered leather headboard extends into a rattan-panelled bedside console with a brushed brass control panel built into the frame, letting you switch the room lights, master power and a discreet do not disturb style moon setting without reaching for a separate panel or app.

As promised, the room delivers a stunning sweep of Victoria Harbour. Having previously stayed at the Grand Hyatt, Kerry Hotel, Hyatt Centric, and The Ritz-Carlton, I genuinely think the Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong offers the most impressive harbour view of the lot. In Singapore terms, it is the difference between staying at The Fullerton Bay Hotel for that perfect Marina Bay panorama versus staying at Marina Bay Sands and not actually seeing the building everyone comes to photograph. While admiring the view, I realised I could see straight into the room next door, and presumably, they could see into mine as well. Something to keep in mind if you enjoy leaving the sheers and blinds open; at the very least, make sure you are appropriately dressed.

The bathroom is actually the first thing you encounter when you step into the room, an open-concept layout that greets you before the bedroom even comes into view. A freestanding dark bathtub anchors the space, positioned just beyond a fluted glass partition that separates the bathroom from the bedroom. It is close enough to the bed that you can slip between the two without feeling like you have left the room entirely. A terrazzo floor and stone-clad wall give the whole area a spa-like finish rather than the usual sterile hotel bathroom feel.

The tub itself is easily one of my favourite features of the room. It is deep and well contoured, with a padded headrest and a leather caddy that holds soap and bath salts within easy reach, plus a wooden bath caddy for your book or phone. It is the kind of tub that invites you to actually stay in it rather than rush through a quick soak, and after a long day of walking around Tsim Sha Tsui, I found myself lingering here far longer than I had planned.

The shower comes fitted with full-sized, 400ml bulk dispensers from Non Fiction rather than the small single-use bottles most hotels still default to. The Santal Cream body wash and Rose Pale shampoo and conditioner smell noticeably better than the average hotel amenity range, and the switch to bulk sizing is a welcome nod to sustainability that also happens to feel more premium in the hand.

One feature that deserves its own mention is Social Hour, Kimpton's signature daily happening held at Birdsong on Level 15. The café transforms from its daytime coffee lounge setup into a lively evening venue where guests can enjoy complimentary drinks and bites as the harbour catches the evening light. It runs for a single hour each evening, and unlike most hotel happy hours that are gated behind club floor access or a specific rate code, this one is genuinely open to all in-house guests regardless of loyalty status or how you booked the room, so even those on a basic OTA rate qualify. It is a nice bit of levelling that fits the Kimpton brand's more inclusive, community-driven ethos.

The catch is that word has clearly gotten around: the bites are on the smaller side, more canapé than substantial snack, and seats around the lounge fill up quickly once the hour starts. If you want a proper spot to sit and enjoy the harbour view with your drink, it pays to head up a little before Social Hour officially begins rather than after.

Breakfast is one of those areas where free night redemptions usually fall short, since reward stays typically exclude the meal unless you are booking a rate that includes it. As an IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite member, though, breakfast was one of the welcome amenity choices offered at check-in, and it is by far the most valuable of the options available to top-tier elites. A quick reminder: breakfast is only complimentary as a welcome gift for Diamond members; Platinum and below will need to book a breakfast-inclusive rate or pay separately. The buffet is served daily from 6:30am to 10:30am at Hillside on Level 12.

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Hillside is surprisingly spacious, especially by Hong Kong standards, with tables set far enough apart that you never feel crammed in. The wraparound city views give the room a bright, open feel, and there is even a cosy lounge-style section if you would rather ease into the morning without committing to a full restaurant setting. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the Tsim Sha Tsui streetscape and the greenery scattered throughout softens what could otherwise be a fairly corporate looking space. It is a comfortable space to linger in with a cup of coffee, and that is not something I usually say about breakfast rooms in Hong Kong.

A solid lineup of drinks is available, including fun picks like dirty matcha, coffee tonic, Hong Kong-style milk tea and yuen yeung. The usual coffees are on offer too, and the hotel uses Elephant Grounds beans, which is always a reassuring sign for anyone who cares about their morning cup. If you are after something more interesting from the egg station, the Mala Denver Omelet and Hillside Omelet are the two signature options. I prefer the former; sharp cheddar and Chinese sausage make it an easy win, while the Hillside version leans lighter with feta, basil, asparagus and edamame.

The century egg and pork congee was excellent as well, with the right texture and plenty of flavour. Beyond that, you will find the usual breakfast staples: siu mai from the steam basket, a spread of pastries, scrambled eggs, sausages, hash browns, tomatoes and more. A personal highlight was spotting a jar of Lao Gan Ma in the condiment section; it upgrades just about everything it touches.

Level 50 is home to what is arguably the property's pièce de résistance, the beautiful swimming pool and the Swim Club (which oddly enough, only opens in the evenings). Getting up there can be a test of patience, as only one lift bank serves the top floor. To make matters worse, there are no clear signages indicating which side actually goes to Level 50, so you end up calling both lifts and unintentionally slowing the system down for everyone. When I finally made it up, the wind was intense, but the views were undeniably spectacular. The pool itself is beautiful, though noticeably cold and not heated, which caught me off guard. Still, it is a striking space, and being able to enjoy the open air and natural sunlight is a nice contrast to the fully enclosed pool at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong is a genuinely strong debut for the brand, and one that immediately earns a place among the city's best harbour view stays. Between the six-category upgrade, the Diamond breakfast amenity and a respectable 1.05 cents per point redemption, my IHG One Rewards status did a lot of heavy lifting here, and it is a good reminder of just how much value top-tier status can unlock even on points bookings. The room itself is where the hotel truly shines, from the open-concept bathroom and freestanding tub to the small but telling touches like proper stemware and a handwritten birthday note. Level 50's pool is more novelty than necessity given the cold water and lift bottleneck, but it hardly detracts from what is otherwise a polished, thoughtfully designed property in one of Kowloon's most convenient locations. If you have IHG One Rewards points to burn or Diamond status to lean on, this is an easy recommendation.

Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong
11 Middle Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Website | Email

Click HERE to register for the ALL Accor Summer bonus offer and check participating hotels in your destination!

This is not a offer that changes my travel plans on its own, but if you were already planning a longer stay in Europe, the Middle East, Africa or parts of Asia (Japan and Singapore are both on the eligible list), registering costs nothing and stacks on top of the points and status credit you would earn anyway. The mechanics are fairly standard for an ALL bonus campaign, but the fine print is worth reading properly before you book anything.

• Register first, book after. You need to click through to activate the offer before making your reservation. Bookings made before registration are not eligible, so do not book first and register later expecting it to be backdated.

• Book directly with Accor. Reservations must go through the official Accor website, the ALL app, the call centre, or directly with the hotel. Third-party OTAs such as Booking.com or Expedia are excluded entirely, which is fairly typical for ALL promotions.

• ALL Accor+ rates required for the higher tier. If you want the 1,500 or 7,500 point bonus reserved for ALL Accor+ subscribers, you must book at the ALL Accor+ specific rate. If that rate is unavailable for your dates, you default to earning at the standard ALL Accor member tier instead.

For a member without ALL Accor+, 5,000 points on a five-night stay works out to roughly 1,000 points per night on top of whatever you would already earn from the room rate. ALL Reward points are typically valued at 2 euro cents each, so this bonus is not going to fund your next redemption on its own, but it is a genuinely free top-up for a stay you were already planning to take.

For stays of 2 nights or more:

• ALL Accor members: 1,000 bonus points (€20 value)

• ALL Accor+ cardholders: 1,500 bonus points (€30 value)

For stays of 5 nights or more:

• ALL Accor members: 5,000 bonus points (€100 value)

• ALL Accor+ cardholders: 7,500 bonus points (€150 value)

The bigger unlock here is for ALL Accor+ subscribers. The jump from 5,000 to 7,500 points at the five-night tier (an extra €50 of value) is a reasonable incentive if you are already holding the subscription for its automatic Silver status and 15 percent discount, and it makes the case for booking ALL Accor+ rates specifically rather than a flexible public rate, provided the price gap between the two is not significant.

If you were only planning a quick two-night stopover, the bonus is modest (1,000 to 1,500 points) and probably not worth restructuring your itinerary for. This offer rewards length of stay more than frequency, so it suits a proper summer holiday better than a weekend hop. As always with these seasonal ALL campaigns, registering takes thirty seconds and costs nothing, so there is little reason not to activate it if you have a qualifying stay on the calendar between now and mid-September.

According to the website, here are the current operating hours for the Qantas Singapore Business Lounge as of 6 July 2026:

The most notable change here is Saturday. Under the June 2026 revision, every single day of the week gained a morning opening for the first time, which was the whole basis of my original headline. That is no longer the case. Saturday now reverts to an afternoon-only schedule, opening at 2pm and running through to 12.15am, with no morning access whatsoever.

This is a meaningful walk-back rather than a minor tweak. If you had pencilled in the Qantas Business Lounge for an early Saturday departure based on my previous update, that plan no longer works. Monday, on the other hand, has gone the opposite direction and now runs as one continuous session from 3.20am through to 12.15am, with no midday closure at all. Wednesday and Thursday keep their morning sessions but on a shorter leash, both closing at 5.45am before a long gap ahead of their afternoon reopening.

As I noted previously, the very early 3.20am openings are tied largely to QF256, the Qantas service from Paris currently routed via Singapore because of the ongoing Middle East rerouting. Qantas has flagged a review of that arrangement for around late July 2026. Saturday's dropped morning session is a reminder that these hours are being actively managed around a temporary flight pattern, not a fixed commitment, and further changes should not come as a surprise.

Access is granted to those flying in Business Class on a oneworld carrier, as well as eligible frequent flyers with sufficient status ahead of a oneworld-operated departure from any terminal at Changi, including Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific passengers. The lounge sits above the check-in area at Terminal 1, next door to the British Airways Lounge and the T1 SATS Premier Lounge.

The "opens every morning" milestone I wrote about in June turned out to be short-lived, and Saturday travellers are the ones who lose out this round. Given how quickly these hours have shifted twice within a month, I would not treat any published timetable as fixed, particularly with the QF256 rerouting review looming at the end of July. If you have an early or late Saturday departure on a oneworld carrier out of Changi, plan around the afternoon-only hours for now, and I will flag it here again if Qantas makes further changes.

Click HERE to join IHG One Rewards for free if you are not already a member!

Only one IHG One Rewards member can earn points per bill, so splitting a table across multiple accounts will not multiply your haul. The payment must be made directly at the outlet at the time of dining. Charges billed to the room or settled via room folio do not qualify, which rules out a fair number of hotel restaurant visits for guests who prefer to charge everything to the room. For the sake of clarification, the 2X calculation covers base points plus promotional bonus points combined. It does not include any Elite status bonus points, and the bonus points earned do not count toward Elite status qualification.

Being honest, dining promotions like this are rarely a reason to book a trip on their own. The elephant in the room is that base dining earn rates on IHG One Rewards are modest to begin with, so doubling a small number still leaves you with a small number. Where this becomes a genuine, if modest, perk is if you already have a stay booked at a participating property in one of these markets and were planning to eat at the hotel restaurant or bar regardless. Paying directly rather than charging to the room, and keeping bills to eight guests or fewer, becomes the difference between capturing the bonus and leaving points on the table. For Singapore-based IHG members with trips to Bali, Bangkok, Phuket or Seoul on the calendar for the next two months, it is worth checking whether your hotel's outlets are on the participating list before you settle the bill.

Click HERE to register for the GHA DISCOVERY 2X D$ Asia, Oceania and Africa promotion!

I have written before about how GHA DISCOVERY’s D$ currency works. Unlike traditional points programmes, D$ is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar and can be applied directly against room rates, dining and spa charges at any of the over 800 GHA hotels across more than 40 brands. A 2X multiplier on an already generous base earn rate (up to 7% of eligible spend for Titanium members) makes this one of the more straightforward promotions to action, provided your travel plans line up with the window.

The mechanics are refreshingly simple, at least on paper. Register first, book direct at a participating hotel in the eligible region, and complete your stay within the window. The 2X structure works by awarding an equal amount of Promotional D$ on top of whatever Base D$ your stay already earns, rather than doubling a separate promotional rate. There is no published cap on the number of stays that count towards the Promotion, though D$ earned through this offer is capped at a maximum of two rooms per stay, which is worth noting if you tend to book multiple rooms for family trips.

A few sequencing details matter more than usual here. Bookings made before 1 July 2026 do not qualify, even if the stay itself falls within the window. More importantly, you must register before both booking and completing your stay; a booking made before you register will not count, even if it otherwise falls within the promotional dates. Given how tightly the registration window is bundled with the stay window (both run 1 July to 31 August), the practical move is to register immediately, then make sure any new booking is placed only after registering.

The eligible footprint here is enormous by GHA's standards. Asia and Oceania alone cover most of the destinations Singapore-based readers already gravitate towards: Anantara and Avani properties across Thailand and Vietnam, Kempinski in various Asian gateway cities, Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL Collection in Singapore itself, and a growing footprint in Australia and New Zealand. Adding Africa into the same promotion is a nice touch for anyone eyeing a safari stay, since GHA's African portfolio (particularly in Kenya and South Africa) tends to get less promotional attention than the Asia side.

For context, GHA DISCOVERY brands are not always front of mind next to the big three chains most Singaporeans default to (Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, or Hilton Honors), but the D$ cashback structure means the value is easy to quantify and immediately usable. There is no need to guess at a redemption sweet spot the way you might with a points-based programme. A S$500 stay at 7% base earn plus a 2X multiplier translates directly into D$70 you can put toward your next stay, dinner or spa treatment, with no dynamic pricing or blackout dates to fight through.

Given there is no downside to registering (it costs nothing and only adds a multiplier on top of your existing earn rate), this is an easy yes for anyone with a stay planned in the region this July or August, provided you register before you book. It is a smaller win for those without near-term Asia, Oceania or Africa trips on the calendar, since the window leaves little room to plan a new trip specifically around it.

If you already hold GHA DISCOVERY status or have upcoming stays at Anantara, Avani, Kempinski, Pan Pacific or PARKROYAL properties within the window, this is a straightforward stack, so long as you book direct rather than through an OTA. Check the full list of participating properties before you register, then book direct and let the multiplier do its work.

Click HERE for the best rates for Hilton hotels worldwide!

The 19-storey hotel will sit in the heart of Orchard Road, and rather than leaning on a single signature restaurant, NoMad is rolling out four separate dining and bar concepts under one roof. That is a lot of F&B real estate for a single property, and it tells me Hilton is positioning this as a destination for locals as much as hotel guests.

The kitchen and bar programme is being led by Leo Robitschek, NoMad's global head of bars and hospitality development, whose cocktail programme has previously picked up a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Programme and a spot on the World's 50 Best Bars list. Robitschek has also made two notable appointments alongside the Singapore announcement.

Josh Harnden joins as global culinary director for the NoMad brand. He previously held the Partner and Creative Culinary Director role at Eleven Madison Park, with earlier stints at One White Street, The Noortwyck and the original NoMad NYC kitchen. He will oversee menu direction and culinary standards globally, with a direct hand in the Singapore F&B programme.

Leading the kitchen locally is Chef Lorenz Hoja, appointed director of culinary for NoMad Singapore. Hoja spent over a decade working under Joël Robuchon, including at Singapore's two-Michelin-starred L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, which is about as strong a local pedigree as one could ask for in this role. Rounding out the leadership team is Bernardo de la Garza as general manager, who arrives with more than 18 years of experience across Six Senses, Hyatt and Accor, most recently as general manager of The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon.

NoMad already sits in Hilton's portfolio following the group's majority stake in Sydell Group, and NoMad London (Covent Garden) was the brand's first hotel bookable through Hilton Honors. A Singapore property extends that reach into Asia Pacific for the first time, which is a meaningful addition for anyone stacking Hilton Honors Points or holding Gold or Diamond status.

Click HERE to sign up for ALL Accor+ Explorer in Japan.

ALL Accor+ Explorer is a paid annual subscription that sits on top of the free ALL loyalty programme. It is designed for travellers who stay regularly at Accor properties and want to extract additional value beyond what free membership provides. The core benefits are:

• Two Stay Plus FREE Nights - Book two consecutive nights at over 1,300 participating hotels across Asia-Pacific, and the more expensive night is complimentary. You receive two of these vouchers per membership year.

• Instant ALL Accor Gold Status - Members receive 30 Status Nights credited to their account, which is sufficient for Gold status. Gold comes with room upgrades (subject to availability), early check-in, late check-out, and a welcome drink.

• 15% off stays worldwide - A discount off the public rate across more than 30 Accor brands and 4,500+ hotels globally, valid for up to two rooms per booking.

• 30% off food and 15% off drinks across Asia-Pacific - At over 1,600 restaurants and 1,200 bars in the region. This applies to the entire table (up to 10 guests) and does not require a hotel stay. Blackout dates apply.

• Red Hot Rooms - Exclusive member-only deals at participating Asia-Pacific hotels, often at 20-50% off standard rates.

The Japan ALL Accor+ Explorer membership is priced at JPY 39,800 per year, which at the current exchange rate works out to approximately S$318 - broadly in line with the global pricing of around S$229 to S$349 across other markets where ALL Accor+ Explorer is sold. For Singapore-based members who are already enrolled, nothing changes. The Japan launch simply means that residents in Japan can now sign up directly through the Japan landing page, which goes live on 1 July 2026.

Accor's presence in Japan has grown considerably in recent years, with the country now home to a meaningful number of Pullman, Novotel, Mercure, and MGallery properties, as well as newer luxury additions. Fairmont Tokyo, which represents Accor's first luxury hotel entry into Japan, is a development worth watching for those who plan to use the Stay Plus vouchers strategically.

The Stay Plus FREE Night is the sweet spot for getting outsized value from this membership. The mechanics are straightforward: book a minimum two-night stay at a participating hotel, and the more expensive night is complimentary. At a luxury property like a Fairmont in Tokyo, a single night can comfortably exceed JPY 60,000 - 80,000 or more. One well-placed voucher can therefore recover the entire membership cost in a single redemption. The important caveats to keep in mind: blackout dates apply, availability is subject to revenue management practices, and the free night applies to the most expensive night with Stay Plus availability, which is not necessarily the highest-priced night of your booking. As with any hotel membership product, the fine print matters.

If you are a Singapore resident who visits Japan regularly, the Japan launch does not change how you access ALL Accor+ Explorer - you would sign up through the Singapore or regional portal as before. What it does signal is Accor's continued investment in the Japan market, which should translate into more participating properties and, hopefully, better Stay Plus availability at Japanese hotels over time. The dining benefit is also worth noting for Japan visits. If you are staying at an Accor property in Japan and dining at the hotel restaurant, the 30% food and 15% drink discount for up to ten guests is a meaningful saving, particularly at higher-end outlets.

This is always the elephant in the room with paid hotel memberships. ALL Accor+ Explorer is worth picking up if you can make productive use of at least one Stay Plus voucher per year at a mid-to-upper tier property. At a Fairmont, Sofitel, or Pullman in Asia-Pacific where nightly rates are substantial, the voucher alone will exceed the membership fee.

If your Accor stays are primarily at budget or midscale properties where nightly rates are modest, the maths become harder to justify. Similarly, the dining benefit has been diluted compared to the old Accor Plus structure (previously a 50% discount when two dine together; now a flat 30% regardless of party size), so it should be treated as a supplementary benefit rather than the primary driver. The worldwide 15% discount is a genuine sweetener for those who stay at Accor properties globally. It cannot always be combined with promotional rates, so it is worth checking whether a sale rate or the discounted member rate offers better value on any given booking.

For frequent Accor guests in Japan or across Asia-Pacific, ALL Accor+ Explorer remains one of the more straightforward ways to pad your stay count toward Platinum status, given the automatic 30 Status Nights that come with the membership each year.

Click HERE to check out the room rates for the Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur!

Situated in Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle, the hotel is positioned moments from Bukit Bintang, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, and the Petronas Twin Towers. It is a strong location for both leisure and business travel - walkable to the city's premier retail and dining corridor, yet set back enough to function as a sanctuary. The hotel rises 23 storeys and operates as an entirely all-suite property, with 268 keys ranging from 80 sqm one-bedroom suites at the entry level to the 745 sqm Waldorf Astoria Suite at the top of the range. Every accommodation is designed with floor-to-ceiling views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline, generous living spaces, and what the brand describes as refined textures throughout.

The suite sizing is genuinely impressive. Even the entry-level one-bedroom suites come in at 80 sqm (approximately 860 sq ft), which is a meaningful step up from the standard luxury hotel room you would find elsewhere in the city.

The design language leans into residential-style living - generous living rooms, distinct sleeping and bathing areas, and a layout that makes sense for extended stays as much as short visits.

The dining line-up is where things get genuinely interesting. The hotel has confirmed collaborations with two internationally acclaimed chefs: Garima Arora and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Arora, best known for her Bangkok restaurant Gaa, brings a contemporary approach rooted in Indian culinary tradition. Vongerichten, whose JG restaurant empire spans New York, Paris, and beyond, has confirmed a dedicated concept (JG KL) within the property.

Beyond these headline names, the hotel will house several additional dining and social spaces, with the full reveal expected to unfold in the months ahead. The brand has also indicated Peacock Alley - the signature lounge synonymous with Waldorf Astoria globally - will have a presence here.

To coincide with the opening of reservations, Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur has launched the Waldorf Astoria Indulgence Escape package. The terms are straightforward:

• Minimum stay: 2 nights

• Inclusions: Daily breakfast for two

• Hilton Honors bonus: 15,000 points per stay (for Hilton Honors members)

Published rates start from approximately US$485 (around S$650) for the Deluxe Suite with a Hilton Honors member discount applied, and from US$781 (around S$1,050) for the two-bedroom Kuala Lumpur Suite. The Waldorf Astoria Suite rate has not yet been released. The property is expected to open to guests from early January 2027, with stays available to book now.

The 15,000 Hilton Honors points per stay is a modest sweetener rather than a compelling reason in itself to book early - at a typical valuation of around 0.5 US cents per Hilton Honors point, that translates to roughly US$75 in point value. The more material consideration is whether the opening rates hold, and whether early bookers will benefit from favourable pricing before the property establishes its rack rate positioning in the market.

Click HERE to book your flights on Trip.com and double-dip on miles and points!

Effective 1 July 2026, Cathay Pacific is reducing its fuel surcharges across all route groups. The revision was published on 23 June 2026 and represents a meaningful rollback from the peak levels seen in the current period. The surcharge remains on a per flight sector basis, regardless of fare type, and applies to all tickets purchased from Singapore under the "Rest of the World" bracket. The table below covers the rates applicable to Singapore-based travellers, denominated in USD (the currency used under the "Rest of the World" origin bracket).

Across all three brackets, the reduction is in the 14 to 15 percent range. That is a welcome move, though it is worth keeping the context in perspective: these new July 2026 rates are identical to what was introduced in March 2026 when the airline first nearly doubled its surcharges. In other words, the surcharge increased further between March and June, and we are now reverting to the March 2026 level - not going back to what Singapore travellers were paying before all of this began.

Cathay Pacific has noted that it continues to review surcharges every two weeks as a temporary measure due to the volatility of jet fuel prices linked to the Middle East situation. That bi-weekly cadence will be revisited when conditions stabilise.

As I noted in the March article, fuel surcharges on Cathay Pacific are passed through to award redemptions regardless of which programme you are using. Whether you are booking with Asia Miles, British Airways Avios, or another oneworld partner currency, the surcharge comes out of your pocket as a cash payment on top of taxes and fees.

The reduction from 1 July is a tangible improvement, but the situation has not returned to the pre-March status quo. For a Business Class redemption from Singapore to London, you are still looking at roughly S$762 in surcharges and fees before spending a single Asia Mile. That remains a significant out-of-pocket cost, and the comparison with KrisFlyer redemptions on Singapore Airlines - which carry lower fuel surcharges on long-haul routes — remains relevant for anyone weighing their award options. For tickets already purchased, the surcharge is locked in at the rate applicable at the time of booking. The July revision applies to new tickets issued on or after 1 July 2026.

Click HERE to register for bonus World of Hyatt Points!

Starting from your second eligible stay after registration, you will earn 2,000 Bonus Points for every two (2) Eligible Nights at participating Hyatt properties worldwide during the promotion period. The maximum you can earn under this promotion is 8,000 Bonus Points, which works out to four sets of two Eligible Nights, or eight nights in total spread across at least two stays. To put that in context, 8,000 World of Hyatt points is enough to cover one free night at a Category 1 or Category 2 property (up to 8,000 points per night), or contribute meaningfully towards a redemption at a higher category hotel.

Eligible nights may be completed at:

• Participating Hyatt hotels and resorts worldwide

• Mr & Mrs Smith hotels (must be booked through Hyatt booking channels)

• The Venetian Resort

• Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt (must be booked through Hyatt booking channels)

The property must be participating in World of Hyatt at the time of both reservation and stay. Stays at Mr & Mrs Smith hotels, the Venetian Resort, and Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt must be booked directly through Hyatt's own booking channels to qualify; third-party bookings will not be eligible.

There are a few mechanics worth understanding before you assume any stay will count:

• Your first eligible stay after registration does not earn Bonus Points. Earning begins from your second eligible stay onwards.

• Bonus Points are awarded in blocks of 2,000 per two Eligible Nights, starting from that second stay.

• Eligible Nights include nights paid at an Eligible Rate or redeemed using a free night award.

• Consecutive nights at the same hotel count as a single stay, not multiple stays. If you check in on Monday and check out on Thursday, that is one stay of three nights, not three separate stays.

If you have Hyatt stays planned between 01 July 2026 and 7 September 2026 anyway, the answer is straightforwardly yes. Registration is free, the promotion is combinable with other offers (unless the other offer restricts it), and there is no cost to participating. The sweet spot for this promotion is members with at least three or four nights spread across two or more stays during the promotion window. That covers the first-stay threshold and puts you on track for the full 8,000 Bonus Points. For Globalist members, this stacks on top of your existing base and bonus point earnings per stay. The Bonus Points under this promotion are awarded separately and do not interfere with your standard earning rate.

For anyone who has walked along Havelock Road, Hotel Miramar was something of a quiet fixture. Built in the 1970s and sitting alongside other heritage properties such as the Furama RiverFront and Copthorne King's Hotel, the 344-room property had a loyal following among business travellers and local staycationers. It ceased operations at the end of October 2025.

The property has since been acquired by Aravest, a hospitality real estate investment and asset management firm, in partnership with Wee Hur Holdings (SGX: E3B), a Singapore-listed property developer. The two partners have brought in Hilton to manage the conversion, and the result will be the DoubleTree by Hilton Singapore Robertson Quay, targeting an opening in the fourth quarter of 2026. The owners have publicly expressed their ambition to have the hotel ready before the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix weekend on 9 to 11 October 2026, which would make for an exceptionally well-timed debut.

The renovation is comprehensive. Guestrooms, meeting facilities, the all-day dining restaurant, and the lobby lounge are all being overhauled. The fitness centre and pool deck are receiving enhancements, and new amenities are being introduced that were not part of the original property, including a kids' club and pickleball courts. The redesign follows DoubleTree's new Asia-Pacific design language, which centres on comfort, balance, and a sense of belonging.

Clarence Tan, Hilton's senior vice-president of development for Asia-Pacific, put it well when he described the site as "an old building with good-sized rooms and views of the Singapore River" and called it "a precious opportunity." DoubleTree has historically been a strong conversion brand precisely because it is flexible enough to work with existing building stock, and the Robertson Quay location is undeniably prime.

The DoubleTree opening will bring the number of Hilton-managed hotels in Singapore to six, joining Conrad Singapore Orchard, Conrad Singapore Marina Bay, Hilton Singapore Orchard, and Hilton Garden Inn Singapore Serangoon.

The more exciting addition, however, is the upcoming NoMad Singapore. Developed in partnership with UOL Group at the former Faber House site at 230 Orchard Road, the 173-room property is NoMad's first foray into Asia Pacific and represents Hilton's entry into the luxury lifestyle segment in Singapore. Designed by WOHA Architects, the building features a striking cascading 15-storey waterfall and a lush botanical facade. The interior concept draws on a New York-meets-Singapore sensibility, with bespoke local artworks, double-height ceilings in the public spaces, and a rooftop pool and bar overlooking the Orchard Road skyline.

The conversion of Hotel Miramar into DoubleTree by Hilton Singapore Robertson Quay is a well-considered addition to Singapore's hospitality landscape. The location along the Singapore River is genuinely excellent, the renovation scope is comprehensive, and the Hilton Honors earning rate is on par with the chain's full-service brands. For Hilton Honors members who have historically had limited mid-scale options in Singapore beyond the Hilton Garden Inn at Serangoon, this is a welcome development.

Paired with the upcoming NoMad Singapore on Orchard Road, Hilton is making a serious statement about its ambitions in this market. Whether you are after a comfortable base for business travel or a well-located staycation, Robertson Quay is about to become a more compelling destination.

The Everyday+ Rewards Programme currently rewards EGA holders with two components each month, provided they make an eligible deposit of at least S$2,000 (for Personal Banking customers) or S$5,000 (for Premier customers) and complete at least 5 eligible transactions:

• 1% p.a. bonus interest on incremental SGD average daily balances

• 1% cashback on all eligible spends with the HSBC Everyday Global Debit Card

From 1 July 2026, the 1% p.a. bonus interest will no longer be paid. Based on HSBC's announcement, the 1% debit card cashback under the Everyday+ Rewards Programme is not affected, so the EGA Debit Card remains a useful instrument for fee-free multi-currency spending with a cashback kicker.

The real sting is in how the EGA's interest stack now adds up. The 1% Everyday+ bonus interest has been the layer that elevated the EGA from "decent" to "competitive", because it stacked on top of the monthly SGD fresh funds bonus interest promotions that HSBC runs. Take the current June 2026 SGD EGA bonus interest promotion, which runs from 1 June 2026 to 30 September 2026 on incremental fresh funds of up to S$5,000,000. Here is what the stack looks like before and after 1 July 2026:

To put that in dollar terms, a customer parking S$100,000 of qualifying incremental fresh funds would see their annualised interest fall from roughly S$2,650 to S$1,650 (with wealth holdings). That is S$1,000 a year evaporating for doing exactly the same thing.

It is no secret that the EGA's appeal has always rested on its simplicity. There was no salary credit requirement, no insurance or investment hoops to qualify for the headline rate, and the Everyday+ criteria (a S$2,000 deposit and 5 transactions) were trivially easy to hit. The 1% bonus interest was the quiet workhorse that made the whole proposition competitive against the likes of UOB One and OCBC 360, which demand considerably more gymnastics.

Removing it is a meaningful downgrade, and it follows a familiar pattern across the Singapore deposit landscape as banks ride the lower interest rate environment to trim what they pay savers. The monthly SGD fresh funds promotions will still do some heavy lifting, but those are promotional by nature, require fresh (incremental) funds, and reset on HSBC's terms each cycle. The Everyday+ bonus interest was the only year-round, non-promotional layer in the stack. That is precisely the layer being removed.

Click HERE to register for the Millennium "Double Your Stay" promotion!

The catch, as always with these things, is that the booking window is brutally short. You have until 23 June 2026 to lock in the MyPoints bonus.The promotion is open to MyMillennium members (membership is free) and rewards consecutive-night stays booked directly. The structure is simple:

MyMillennium is a fixed-value currency, and not a particularly rich one. The clearest anchor is the dining voucher rate, where 2,600 MyPoints converts to US$10. That works out to roughly 0.39 US cents per point, or about 0.52 Singapore cents per point. On that basis, the 15,000-point tier is worth around S$78, and the 30,000-point tier around S$156. Useful, certainly, but not the kind of aspirational, outsized return you get from other hotel loyalty programs like World of Hyatt points.

The other thing to understand is that room redemptions through MyMillennium are tied to the cash room rate rather than a fixed award chart. With World of Hyatt, a category-based chart lets you find genuine sweet spots where the points value far exceeds the cash price. MyMillennium has no such mechanism. Your points redeem at close to their cash value regardless of where or when you book, which keeps the valuation honest but caps the upside.

Double-dip with American Express Offer

Here is the part that matters most for the Singapore-based reader. American Express Singapore is currently running a stackable offer at participating Millennium properties, and it is far more lucrative on a per-dollar basis than the MyPoints bonus. The terms: save the offer to an eligible card, then spend S$300 or more (in one or more transactions) and receive S$90 back, up to two times per registered card. That is effectively a 30% rebate, and up to S$180 back in total if you trigger it twice.You must save the offer to your eligible card before spending, and the cap of 25,000 registered cards means this is a first-come affair. If you hold an eligible Amex, I would save the offer now even if you have not finalised your travel plans.

The six participating Singapore properties are:

• Copthorne King's Hotel Singapore

• Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore

• M Hotel Singapore City Centre

• M Social Hotel Singapore

• Orchard Hotel Singapore

• Studio M Hotel Singapore

The Amex offer also extends to participating properties in the UK and US, which is worth noting if you have a stay lined up in London or New York.

The Double Your Stay booking window (to 23 June 2026) sits comfortably inside the Amex offer period (to 31 October 2026), which means the two can be combined on the same booking at a participating Singapore hotel. Done correctly, you triple-dip: Consider a four-night stay at Grand Copthorne Waterfront or Orchard Hotel that comes to, say, S$600 across two qualifying transactions. You would walk away with 30,000 bonus MyPoints (~S$156 in value), your base earn, and S$180 back from Amex. The cashback alone is a 30% discount before you even count the points. That is the sort of stack that makes an otherwise modest loyalty currency genuinely worth the effort.

Click HERE for the latest opening hours for the Qantas Singapore Business Lounge!

This is a fantastic win for anyone flying out of Changi on an early Oneworld flight. As a Qantas Platinum member who runs out to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines fairly often (the oneworld perks on that short hop are excellent), this is exactly the kind of change I notice immediately, because the morning KUL departures sit right inside these new windows. Hat tip to Mainly Miles, who spotted the revised hours first.

From June 2026, the Qantas Singapore International Business Lounge operates on the following schedule. The afternoon-to-late-night session remains the constant; it is the morning picture that has changed.

The headline is that every day now features a morning session. The trade-off is that the late-night close has been trimmed slightly, from the previous 1am to 12.15am. The other thing to flag is that some of those morning openings land at distinctly unsociable hours. A 3.20am start is not for the faint-hearted, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays the lounge shuts again at 5.45am before reopening in the afternoon, so the window is genuinely tight.

The afternoon and evening session is a fixed feature because it supports the heavy Qantas evening bank to Australia and London, including the Airbus A380 departures. What changes day to day is the morning, which is built around a small number of early Qantas, Oneworld and partner flights. One important caveat. Those very early 3.20am openings hinge on QF256 routing via Singapore, which is only a temporary arrangement tied to the Middle East rerouting. Qantas is expected to review it around late July 2026, so the pre-dawn starts may not stick around.

For the Malaysia Airlines flyers among us, this is the part that matters. Several morning MH departures to Kuala Lumpur now fall inside the lounge's opening windows, so you can finally get a proper Qantas breakfast and a barista coffee before an early hop across the Causeway. MH602 at 6.20am, MH604 at 9.55am and MH628 at 12.15pm all line up with morning access on various days of the week. The usual lounge access rules are unchanged. The Business Lounge is open to those flying Qantas, Emirates or a Oneworld-operated flight in First or Business Class, or in a lower cabin while holding sufficient Qantas, Emirates or Oneworld status. As Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire, or Qantas Platinum and above, you are covered when departing on an eligible Oneworld flight from any terminal at Changi, not just Terminal 1.

It is also worth remembering Changi's Early Check-In programme at Jewel. From 8am you can check in, drop bags and clear into the transit area to lounge-hop ahead of a much later departure, so these extended hours are useful even if your actual flight is in the evening. Before anyone gets too excited, the swankier Qantas Singapore First Lounge along the concourse keeps its 3.30pm to 11pm daily opening. There is still no morning option there, so a proper breakfast remains a Business Lounge affair for now.

This is a genuine improvement. The Qantas Singapore Business Lounge is a 600-seat facility with a manned bar, made-to-order food, 20 shower suites and fast Wi-Fi, and having it available in the morning makes a real difference to anyone catching an early Oneworld flight from Changi. The only asterisks are the brutal 3.20am starts on certain days and the fact that they depend on a temporary QF256 routing that could be reviewed by late July. For now though, this is one of the better ways to start a journey out of Terminal 1, whether you are heading to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines or further afield on JAL, Cathay Pacific or Qatar Airways.

Under the Enter Taiwan, Enjoy a Gift! campaign, foreign passport holders transiting through Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) who clear immigration and enter Taiwan for up to 24 hours during their layover can claim NT$600 (approximately S$25) in airport gift vouchers. The campaign launched on 1 November 2025 and runs until 31 October 2026, or until the allocated funds run out, whichever comes first. The mechanics are refreshingly simple by government promotion standards. There are two steps: register online before you fly, then collect your vouchers on arrival.

Step 1: Register Online Before You Fly

You will need to sign up on the official campaign website, which sits on the same Taiwan Tourism Administration platform that runs the free half-day transit tours. The registration form asks for your passport number, nationality, flight information, and travel dates.

One important note: voucher availability is limited, and online reservations take priority. Given that the campaign has been running since November 2025 and the funds are finite, I would register as early as your booking allows rather than gambling on walk-up availability at the counter.

Step 2: Enter Taiwan and Collect Your Vouchers

This is the part that trips people up, so let me be clear. You must actually clear immigration and enter Taiwan. Staying airside in the transit area does not qualify. Your layover entry must be for no more than 24 hours, and you will need an onward international boarding pass to prove you are genuinely transiting.

Once you have entered, head to the Tourist Service Centre in either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 (open 07:30 to 22:30 daily), present your passport and onward boarding pass, and collect your NT$600 in vouchers.

Where Can You Spend the Vouchers?

The vouchers are valid only at participating merchants within Taoyuan International Airport, covering restaurants, duty-free shops, souvenir stores, and other retailers. They are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Vouchers expire on 31 December 2026, though in practice you will almost certainly spend them on the spot before your onward flight.

NT$600 goes reasonably far at TPE. That is comfortably a beef noodle soup and a bubble tea with change to spare, or a decent dent in a box of pineapple cakes from Chia Te or SunnyHills to bring home.

This is a fantastic win for anyone routing through Taipei with a longer layover, and it pairs beautifully with Taiwan's existing free half-day transit tour programme, which runs from the same platform. Stack the two and you get a guided excursion into Taoyuan or Taipei plus NT$600 to spend on dinner or souvenirs before your onward flight, all funded by the Taiwanese government. For Singapore-based travellers, the obvious use case is transiting TPE on China Airlines, EVA Air, or STARLUX en route to North America or Northeast Asia. Both China Airlines and EVA Air sell SIN to US itineraries via Taipei at fares that frequently undercut the nonstop competition, and a deliberate long layover at TPE has just become marginally more rewarding. It also applies if you are connecting through Taipei on separate tickets, provided your entry stays under the 24-hour mark and you hold an onward international boarding pass.

Is NT$600 going to change anyone's routing decision on its own? Of course not. But if you were already transiting Taoyuan, leaving these vouchers unclaimed is leaving money on the table for the sake of a five-minute registration form. Register before you fly, clear immigration, and enjoy a meal on Taiwan.