by Lufthansa Flyer | Feb 5, 2012 | Trip Reports |
A week ago I returned to Hong Kong for 2 days to take advantage of a 100% route mile bonus for Chicago-Hong Kong-Chicago and to squeeze out another 100% mile bonus as a United Premium Executive before the program changes on March 3 and reduces elite mile bonuses. This trip came in handy, because the miles earned helped me book a first class ticket on Swiss for later this year. (Continental OnePass is now showing Swiss flights available for award travel!)–H/T to Lucky.
I had previously been to Hong Kong on a mileage run in December (you can read about that great trip here and here) and had stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong (you can read my report on the fantastic Diplomat Suite here). This time, I chose to stay at the Hyatt Regency in Kowloon to sample a different Hyatt property as well as to be more centrally located in Kowloon. This would afford me to see different things than on my previous trip.
The Regency, located at 18 Hanoi Road in the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood of Kowloon is another fantastic property. It is in a perfect location, just minutes away from fantastic shopping on Nathan Rd, a short walk to Temple St and also has a tube station literally across the street. There are also great places to eat (noodle shops, sushi, etc) within a few steps of the property.
It does a have quirky entrance. You come in at street level of course, but then you have to go up 3 floors to the lobby, and then change elevators in order to get to the room. No bother at all, just a little detour.
Perhaps not as opulent as the Grand, but it is an excellent property nevertheless. During this stay, I elected to use one of my Suite Upgrades as a result of being a ‘Diamond’ level member in Hyatt’s Gold Passport program and I would not be disappointed. The hotel was very clean, and the staff was efficient and effective. You can quickly tell that this is more of a hotel for a business traveller rather than a family on holiday.
The Regency Club at this property is terrific. I had breakfast there each morning and the food was outstanding. Separate islands were set up and each had a wide variety of Fruits and Pastries. You can also order breakfast off of an ‘A La Carte’ menu as well. The Club is located on the 23rd floor, so the view of the harbor was terrific.
The property has direct access to the “K11Art Mall” which is situated in the same building. Its a 6 story mall that offers great dining and shopping options. There is a great grocery store in the mall that has everyday items, so if you want to see what the locals are buying for dinner, take a quick walk through the store.
For golf fans like myself, there’s even a dedicated TaylorMade store complete with fitting services. Just remember if you buy anything, you may want to buy 1 size up from your normal size. Things tend to run a bit small outside the US. Wonder what the rest of the world is trying to say about us….
Within the mall is a restaurant called Empire City Roasted Duck. The menu looked great and I am ALWAYS in the mood for duck so that made it an easy decision. Their Peking Duck did not disappoint and I also had the chance to try Shark Fin Soup for the first time. The soup reminded me of egg drop soup but with the addition of the Shark Fin actually made it quite good.
Images of Lunch:
Peking Duck: Crispiest Skin EVER
The Sides
Paper Thin Wrappers
My First Ever Bowl Of Shark Fin Soup
The hotel has 3 restaurants and a bar:
Hugo’s: Serves typical western cuisine. They are know for their table side cooking.
The Chinese Restaurant: Serves Cantonese specialities and is set in a modern art deco theme.
The Cafe: Its part buffet and part cooking station. Offering a wide variety of options.
Chin Chin Bar: Typical hotel bar set in a Chinese styled theme. They do have quite the Single Malt Scotch collection.
I had only tried “The Cafe” for a quick and late dinner. I was too lazy to venture outside the hotel one evening and decided to try the Cafe. While it was “OK”, I don’t recommend eating there unless you too are too lazy to take 20 steps outside the hotel to a noodle shop. I wound up spending about $50USD for 2 helpings of their cooking stations and buffets. I dont think I spent a combined $50 on all my other meals at the the various noodle shops and food stands during my 2 1/2 days in Hong Kong.
The Cafe experience not withstanding, I think its a great property and a great value considering its location. I recommend it for someone staying in Kowloon.
Comparing it to the Grand Hyatt however, I would recommend the Grand over the Regency. In my opinion I think the Grand is a more “polished” hotel that makes it obvious that your stay is their most important one. The Regency lacked that “personalized” feeling, which is fine, but just something that I noticed.
I’ll end this report with pictures of the view from the suite which were great. There are two buildings that get in the way a little bit on the left and right side of your view, but they hardly affect what you get to see.
Here are photos of the Harbor View Suite:
Entrance / Foyer
The Sitting Room
The Very Nice & Large Bathroom
The Bedroom - Large Windows Provide View Of Harbor
The View From The Harbor Suite:
Other trip reports covering the rest of the trip will be coming soon.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Jan 10, 2012 | Trip Reports |
In this week’s edition of Lufthansa’s Destination Of The Week, they present Vienna, Austria (VIE). Vienna is a wonderfully classic European city.
From Lufthansa’s Destination Of The Week Website:
Visit Austria’s largest city and discover why Vienna is referred to as “The city of dreams”. Explore this magnificent city with its many facets. In Vienna, you can visit over 27 splendid castles and more than 150 historical palaces, such as the famous baroque Schoenburg and Belvedere palaces. Or get to know Vienna’s other side with its modern architecture and stylish clubs in the metropolis. Visit Vienna in all its variety for as low as $769* (roundtrip, all-inclusive).
Tax and Fee information:
*Round-trip including all taxes and fees. Weekend surcharges up to $60 and additional baggage fees may apply.
Purchase your tickets by Jan 11, 2012
Depart between: Jan 23, 2012 – March 22, 2012
Offer not valid for departures between Mar 30 – Apr 1, 2012 and Apr 6 – Apr 8, 2012
Advance purchase: 14 days
Maximum stay: 1 month
Airfares are attractive! Ranging from $769 from New York, $869 from Chicago to $919 from San Francisco.
I had spent time in Vienna last year as part of my trip to the World Hockey Championship that was hosted by Slovakia (We Slovaks didn’t too well as the host nation). What impressed me the most about Vienna was the amount of classic architecture that was evident throughout the city and the pristine conditions of their buildings.
From the airport, its a quick non-stop train ride to the city center. The terminal is literally steps outside the airport and in less than 30 minutes you are in the heart of Vienna. It makes for a very easy city to visit even if for a day or 2!
Once in the city, you’ll immediately be presented with everything Vienna has to offer. For starters (and lunch!) go discover fantastic food at the Naschmarkt. For you Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” fans, he visited Urbanek’s for their famous Mangalista Ham. I followed in his footsteps and sampled it for myself and its worth the trip to Vienna just for Urbanek’s ham, cheeses and wines! If you are not a “foodie”, don’t worry, the sites around Vienna will make it worth your while. From towering Churches to ornate facades of buildings throughout the city, you will not be at a shortage of things to see.
If you are a shopper, head directly to Stephansplatz located in the heart of the city. You’ll find everything from Euro 50000 Swarovski Figurines, to fantastic street performers and shopping for virtually every budget.
Transportation within the city is very easy. Vienna has a very comprehensive bus and rail system (called the U-bahn) that will help you cover the city very quickly.
I wish I had more time to spend in Vienna, but knowing what I know now, it will be a very easy decision to return and sample more of what Vienna has to offer!
Here are a few of my pictures from Vienna:
Stephansplatz:
Naschmarkt (including Urbanek’s):
Other General Pictures:
by Lufthansa Flyer | Dec 8, 2011 | Trip Reports |
In this installment of my Trip Report covering my Mileage Run to Hong Kong, I’ll cover my trip to the Peak. The Peak is arguably one of Hong Kong’s greatest attractions. Located to the south of the city, The Peak towers over the skyscrapers and skyline that make up Hong Kong. From the peak, the view is simply amazing. I was fortunate enough to have a very clear day to capture some great photos.
The Peak Tram is the most popular way to reach the Peak. The tram departs from a Terminus in the City and heads to The Peak Tower at the top of the Peak. I decided to head out early in the morning because I had a busy day planned. Between seeing other sites, getting measured for shirts and suits and getting a little shopping done, time was at a premium. I headed out from my hotel, The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong (click here to read my review and see my sweet suite!) at about 6:45am and after a 5-10 minute cab ride I arrived a the Peak Terminus Station. The first tram to the Peak leaves at 7am at runs every 10 minutes or so until Midnight each day. I figured if I was early enough I would avoid the crowds that gather to take in the phenomenal views.
The most popular time to visit is later afternoon and into the evening since thats when Hong Kong’s skyline is the most dramatic. If you haven’t seen my sunset and evening Skyline photos, click here, and it will take you to my trip report that has some great pictures.
Since I was in Hong Kong for only one full evening, I had to decide between being on the Peak in the evening, or seeing Hong Kong’s skyline from the Kowloon side of the Harbour at night. Personally I thought that the Kowloon side view offered the more dramatic scene in the evening so the trip to the Peak became a daytime trek.
The Peak Terminus Station is also home to The Peak Tram Historical Gallery which offered displays and information on the history of the Tram to the Peak. In the interest of time, I decided to pass the opportunity to visit the gallery and headed straight to the top. If you’d like to learn more about the history of the Peak Tram, you can visit The Peak Tram Website
The tram ride is a quick 10 minute ride and is STEEP. You can definitely feel gravity pulling at you as you sit on the tram. The roundtrip cost of the tram is $400.0HKD or approximately $5.00. For $65.00HKD ($8.30USD) you can include both the round trip Tram ride and access to Sky Terrace 428 which is an observation deck on top of the Peak Terminal. The Sky Terrace 428 is a 360′ platform so you have views from the other side of the peak as well. I opted for the Sky Terrace ticket since it would maximize my view. The Peak Tram Terminal at the top of the Peak is also home to many shops and Hong Kong’s edition of Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.
In addition, The Peak offers several walking paths that wind their way around the peak, giving you even more views of Hong Kong and Kowloon.
Here are my pictures from my visit to the Peak:
Entrance to The Peak Terminus
Inside The Tram Terminal
Tram Entryway Into Terminal
A PreVIEW of What You Will See......
Arriving Tram and Unsuspecting Victim of My Photo......
View From The Lions Club Observation Platform
Another View From The Observation Platform. A Little Hazy This Morning
Images from the Nature Trails:
These Pictures Were Taken From The Observation Platform On Top Of Sky Terrace 428:
You Can See The Watercraft Typhoon Shelter Here
The Peak was worth the visit. As you can see from the photos, The peak towers over even the highest skyscrapers in Hong Kong. From The Peak, you could see for miles, you also get a glimpse of the remnants of Hong Kong’s infamous old Airport, Kai Tak. It was a bit to far for a photo to show it well, but you can definitely tell where it was.
As I mentioned earlier, the best time to be there is late afternoon and into the evening when the buildings are lit. but keep in mind it is also the most popular time of day so expect crowds to be significant.
