There’s some hotels that are instantly attractive, usually because of stunning design, great views amazing looking amenities. Then there’s hotels that win you over with superb accommodations and service. For me, the Conrad Tokyo falls into the latter category. Having stayed there 4 times since Japan reopened for individual tourism in October last year, the…
All style, no substance: Review of the new Pan Pacific Orchard
I went into this stay with fairly low expectations. Firstly, I checked-in on the second day after the hotel’s opening; hotels don’t tend to be operationally at their best so quickly. Secondly after my last experience at the sister Pan Pacific Singapore, I don’t have a high opinion of the brand. Around its opening, the…
Bring long pants: Review of the Pan Pacific Singapore
Last month, I had one of those I-want-to-get-out-of-the-house weekends. I had heard good things about the Pan Pacific Singapore’s Pacific Club lounge, and having found a somewhat decent rate for it, I decided do a quick one-night stay to check out the property. While the Pacific Club turned out to pretty good offerings wise, it…
Shiny new, sparkling service: Review of the Hilton Hiroshima
In March, I made a trip to Japan for Sakura season. It was pretty crazy, given it was the first post-Covid sakura season with tourists allowed into Japan. I planned most elements of the trip well in advance, locking in hotels as far back as July 2022. One element which was booked a little later…
Review: Hilton Singapore Orchard (King Corner Suite)
Introduction I first stayed at the then recently-opened Hilton Singapore Orchard in April 2022. A reflag of the Mandarin Orchard, the the Hilton Singapore Orchard opened in late February 2022 after an extensive renovation. This property is the largest Hilton hotel in Asia with 1,080 rooms, and replaced the dump that was the original Hilton…
Oldie but goodie: Review of Conrad Hong Kong
For my recent trip to Hong Kong, I opted to stay at the Conrad Hong Kong. It was a quick weekend getaway with the girlfriend, but of course any opportunity to revisit one of my favourite destinations pre-Covid and check out another Conrad, was always welcome. The trip itself was great and totally seamless, as…
Review: Conrad Los Angeles (Premium View King)
When I realised I would have to route through LAX, and potentially spend a couple of nights in LA, to get home on United Polaris from Seattle, I knew I should make it a priority to stay at the Conrad Los Angeles. After all, what better than to check out and review an almost brand…
Review: Sheraton Grand Los Angeles (King Guest Room)
Continuing with my long-delayed reviews from my September 2022 USA trip, my next stop after almost a week in Seattle/Bellevue was Los Angeles. I didn’t really have any specific reason to visit LA, but it was the only United Polaris routing I could get a redemption on. Since I was had never spent time in…
Good, not great, with some oddities: Review of The Apurva Kempinski Bali
When I first came across The Apurva Kempinski Bali around the time of Bali’s reopening, I wanted to stay there. The photos I’d seen of the property looked absolutely stunning. I’m also a sucker for rooms with private pools, so I was particularly intrigued by the Cliff Private Pool Junior Suites. This property shot to…
An Unexpected Delight: Review of Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach
For my girlfriend’s birthday, we decided to take a trip to Bali. Choosing Bali as the destination was easy: it’s nearby, we love the food, and a relaxing beach holiday was perfect for a birthday trip. Choosing the accommodation was the difficult part. Bali is chock full of international and local chain luxury resorts, not…