Tag Archives: Airport

Singapore Airlines First Class: The Private Room

Posted on March 13, 2013 | 10 Comments

Fiji Trip Report Index
Introduction: Belgium to Fiji in 13 flights (26561 miles, 42746km)
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Grand Suite at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
Singapore Airlines First Class: The Private Room @ Changi Airport
Singapore Airlines First Class: SQ211 Singapore to Sydney B777-300A
Opera King room at Park Hyatt Sydney
Beachfront View room at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa
Singapore Airlines Business Class: SQ232 Sydney to Singapore
Thai Airways First Class: Royal Orchid Spa, TG920 Bangkok to Frankfurt A380

Pic: Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge at Changi Airport (Jan 2013)
When flying Singapore Airlines First Class from Changi Airport, you’re in for an extraordinary lounge treatment: The Private Room.  No guests, no Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Elite Members flying business or coach, no Star Alliance First Class passengers.  This lounge is reserved exclusively for passengers holding Singapore Airlines First Class boarding passes.  In exchange you get personalized and highly attentive service away from the crowds.

Pic: Invitation ‘The Private Room’ by Singapore Airlines First Class (Jan 2013)
My flight SQ211 from Singapore to Sydney was leaving at 9:40am, so I had to wake-up early to experience the Private Room.  Fortunately, I was staying at the Crowne Plaza Changi Aiport which is connected to Terminal 3 and walking distance from the Singapore Airlines First Class Check-in Reception.  The First Class Reception has a separate driveway for limos to pull-up.  As I wanted the full experience, I exited Terminal 3 and walked up the First Class Check-in Reception.  A porter took care of my luggage and a polite ”Passenger Relations Officer” escorted me to a marble desk where I was seated while my check-in formalities were taking care of.  Next was a dedicated immigration line where I was the only passenger present.  After immigration, a Singapore Airlines lounge agent escorted me to The Private Room which is connected to the SQ T3 First Class lounge.
Pic: Seating Area at The Private Room, Changi Airport Singapore (Jan 2013)
The Private Room has its own restaurant where you can order “A la Carte” or serve yourself at a buffet.  Here’s a picture of the Breakfast Menu.  I went for Egg Benedict and a fresh orange juice, tasty!
Pic: Bart Lapers at The Private Room Singapore Airlines First Class (Jan 2013)
 
Pic: Dining Area at The Private Room, T3 Changi Airport Singapore (Jan 2013)
After breakfast, I relaxed a bit in one of the comfortable leather sofa’s before heading to the gate for my first Singapore Airlines First Class flight.

Pic: Leather Seats The Private Room, Singapore Airlines First Class (Jan 2013)

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InterContinental Resort Tahiti, French Polynesia

Posted on October 4, 2012 | 8 Comments

French Polynesia Trip Report Index
Tahiti and Bora Bora – Flights & Airfares
Hilton Frankfurt Airport
Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Terminal 1, Departure Area B)
InterContinental Resort Tahiti
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort (site inspection)
InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – View on Main Pool & Lagoonarium (Sep 2012)
There are four InterContinental properties in French Polynesia: Tahiti, Moorea, Le Moana Bora Bora and Thalasso Bora Bora.  All are managed by the same owner.  Detailed information on each of these resorts is available in PDF format:  Resort Specifications, Rooms, Bungalows and Villas & Transfers

Pic: InterContinental Resort Tahiti – Wooden Hotel Sign (Sep 2012)
With InterContinental Resort Tahiti only being 5 min drive from the airport and my Air Tahiti flight TN101 arriving at 05:20am at Papeete airport (PPT), Belgian Air Tahiti Nui Captain Jan Ottenbourg dropped me off at the hotel around 6.30am.  My room wasn’t ready yet, but breakfast was being served at the main restaurant Tiare.  Around 8am, I was driven by golf cart to my Bungalow.  I had used 60K Priority Club points to book a King Garden View room for 2 nights as a paid stay would have set my back XPF45,712 (EUR383).  Thanks to my InterContinental Royal Ambassdor status, I was upgraded to an Overwater Lagoon Bungalow Junior Suite (515) facing Marina Taina and Sofitel Tahiti Maeva Beach Resort.  
Pic: IC Tahiti – Exterior Overwater Lagoon Bungalow Junior Suite 515

Pic: IC Tahiti – Bedroom Overwater Lagoon Bungalow Junior Suite 515

Pic: IC Tahiti – Bathroom Overwater Lagoon Bungalow Junior Suite 515

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Bathroom Amenities (Sep 2012)

Pic: IC Tahiti – Terrace Overwater Lagoon Bungalow Junior Suite 515
Not bad for an ‘airport’ hotel! :)   There was no Ambassador welcome letter/amenity in the room and the minibar was empty, but I didn’t bother as I was so exhausted from the long trip from BRU to PPT.  After a refreshing shower and a few hours of sleep I was woken-up by phone call from housekeeping who wanted to fill-up my minibar.  I declined as I wanted some more sleep, but unfortunately this resulted in an empty minibar for the duration of my stay.  Not sure if it would have been complimentary, but internet access was free of charge for Royal Ambassadors, even on a points stay.  For breakfast there were three options at Tiare restaurant: American XPF3702 (EUR31), Continental XPF3036 (€25) and Express XPF1480 (EUR12) with a fourth option on Sunday: Tahitian Brunch XPF4900 (€41)  The buffet was very colorful, but definitely not as extensive as in Asia.  In general, food is much more expensive in French Polynesia compared to other vacation destinations.  I uploaded the IC Tahiti restaurant menu’s for your reference: Tiare, Le Lotus and In-Room Dining.  Cheaper dining can be found at the Papeete Roulottes.  If you’re looking for supermarkets, exit the hotel and walk to the street level.  Take a right and walk for 5 min, at the roundabout keep right.  You’ll see a Geant Casino market at the left and a bit futher down the road there’s a Carrefour.  Great to fill-up your suitcases before heading to Bora Bora where food and drinks are outrageously expensive!

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Lagoonarium with Moorea in the background

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Lagoonarium Traditional Tahitian Decoration

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Main Pool Shop (Sep 2012)

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Main Pool Sunbeds (Sep 2012)

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Le Lotus Infinity Pool (Sep 2012)

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Overwater Motu Bungalows 49x (Sep 2012)

Pic: InterContinental Tahiti – Terrace View Overwater Motu Bungalows 49x

Pic: Bart Lapers and the Ottenbourg Family at Papeete Roulottes (Sep 2012)
On Saturday night (the day of my arrival), the Ottenbourg family (Belgians living in Papeete) invited me for dinner at the outdoor Papeete Roulottes.  We ate a local delicacy called Tartare de Thon Rouge (raw tuna) at La Roulotte Vaiete. I also bumped into fellow American travel bloggers Daraius & Emily of MillionMilesSecrets.com It’s a small World!
Pic: Bart Lapers at Teahupoo, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Sep 2012)
On Sunday, I visited Salon du Tourisme, a tourism fair for French Polynesia followed by a complete tour of the Tahiti island including a stop at the World famous surf spot Teahupoo (video).  A big thank you goes out to the Ottenbourg family for their great hospitality! Video: Tahiti – Ocean Voyage – French Polynesia

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Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport

Posted on September 23, 2012 | 7 Comments

French Polynesia Trip Report Index
Tahiti and Bora Bora – Flights & Airfares
Hilton Frankfurt Airport
Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Terminal 1, Departure Area B)
InterContinental Resort Tahiti
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort (site inspection)
InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea
Pic: Entrance Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport opposite Gate B42
My early FRA-LHR flight (6:55am) combined with Lufthansa’s strike on Sep 7, offered a great opportunity to shoot some pictures of Lufthansa’s largest airport lounge without it being crowded.  Lufthansa Senator Lounge B (located at Terminal 1, departure area B, opposite to Gate B42) opened in July 2011.  Apart from all you’d expect from a premium lounge, it also features a wellness area (Senator Spa) with luxury facilities that include ten showers and two spa rooms.

Pic: City Lights Bar at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Sep 2012)
Another addition to the Senator Lounge is the City Lights Bar where a bartender is in attendance to fulfil guests’ requests for drinks and mix cocktails.  You would like to enjoy this lounge too?  Access rules can be found here.
Pic: City Lights Bar at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Sep 2012)

Pic: Seating Area at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Sep 2012)

Pic: Seating Area at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport T1, Area B

Pic: Food & Beverage Area at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport

Pic: Breakfast at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Sep 2012)

Pic: Breakfast at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport T 1, Area B

Pic: Fresh Breakfast Yogurts at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport

Pic: More seating space at Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport

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King Executive room at Hilton Frankfurt Airport

Posted on September 22, 2012 | 7 Comments

French Polynesia Trip Report Index
Tahiti and Bora Bora – Flights & Airfares
Hilton Frankfurt Airport
Lufthansa Senator Lounge Frankfurt Airport (Terminal 1, Departure Area B)
InterContinental Resort Tahiti
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort (site inspection)
InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea

Pic: Hilton Frankfurt am Main Airport – Entrance (Sep 2012)
As I had two separate tickets for my trip to French Polynesia, I decided to play safe by booking my BRU-FRA flight one day in advance.  I arrived at Frankfurt am Main Airport on Thursday night Sep 6th.  This turned out to be a smart move, as Lufthansa was having a strike on Friday Sep 7th and my original 1.40pm FRA-LHR had been cancelled.  Instead, I was rescheduled for a Lufthansa Regional flight at 6:55am not affected by the strike.  Fortunately, I had also booked my overnight stay at the new Hilton Frankfurt Airport, avoiding a really early wake-up call.

Pic: Hilton Frankfurt am Main Airport – Lobby (Sep 2012)
At €159 (advance purchase rate) it was an expensive airport hotel stay.  I had been monitoring the hotel rate for a few weeks when it dropped from +€240 to €159.  A few days after my booking, Hilton launched ‘The Great Getaway’ sale resulting in an even lower rate of €113.  A painful experience for a ‘luxury traveller on a budget’ like me! But hey, you can’t always win! :)

Pic: King Hilton Executive Bedroom – Hilton Frankfurt Airport (Sep 2012)
As Hilton HHonors Gold member, I was upgraded to a King Hilton Executive room on the 9th floor and provided with complimentary internet access.  Executive rooms are basically the same as standard Hilton Guestrooms on the lower floors, they just come with access to the Executive Lounge.  My Executive room was facing the lobby atrium and felt a bit cramped.  The interior drowned in a sea of beige and didn’t really feel inviting.  At check-in, I was told the Executive lounge was serving snacks and drinks until 9pm, but arriving there just after 8.30pm the complimentary drinks and food service was over.  Bummer!  Unfortunately, my high expectations for this new and expensive Hilton property were not met.  My stay earned me 6153 Hilton HHonors points, including the “My Way” option of 1000 extra points for skipping the complimentary breakfast due to my early check-out time.  I might try next door’s Hilton Garden Inn on the next overnight stay at Frankfurt Airport.  For more pictures of Hilton Frankfurt Airport, check Damian’s review at upgrd.com
Pic: King Hilton Executive room bed – Hilton Frankfurt Airport (Sep 2012)

Pic: Hilton Frankfurt am Main Airport – King Executive Bathroom (Sep 2012)

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Koh Chang (Thailand)

Posted on June 24, 2012 | 3 Comments


Pic: The Pool at AMARI Emerald Cove, Koh Chang, Thailand (May 2012)

Pic: Palm Tree Swing at Lagoona Beach Resort, Koh Chang (May 2012)
On previous trips to Thailand I visited Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai (Songkran), Koh Tao, Hua Hin and Pattaya.  My latest trip to Thailand (May 2012) had Koh Chang (Elephant island) as main destination.  Getting to the island is convenient and cheap.  The Lonely Beach Express minibus service runs three times per day between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Koh Chang.  The journey takes between 5 and 6 hours and includes a ferry ride from Laem Ngop pier to Ko Chang.  A return ticket for the minibus only cost THB800 (€20) and includes the fee for the ferry.  No reservations are required for the Bangkok -> Ko Chang journey, just show up at door 8 Ground Floor (G) of the Suvarnabhumi Airport terminal.  Contrary to what the minibus service website states, you do get dropped of at the entrance of your hotel on the island. For the trip back to Bangkok, you’ll need to call the phone number on your ticket to confirm the shuttle pick-up time. 

Pic: Jacuzzi at Mercure Koh Chang Hideaway (May 2012)

Pic: Narak at The Spa Koh Chang Resort (May 2012)
When I visited Koh Chang in May, it was very quiet on the island.  I learned low season runs from May till early October as it rains a lot during those months.  If you don’t mind cloudy skies and like a deserted island, this is the time to visit, otherwise stick to the dry months!  As the island only has one international chain hotel (Mercure Koh Chang Hideaway) which doesn’t have a particular good loyalty program (Le Club Accorhotels) I went for an independent hotel.  I didn’t have much time to research on hotels and made my choice based on Tripadvisor reviews and room rate.  I chose Garden Resort near Kai Bea beach rated number 4 out of 68 hotels at Ko Chang.  The bungalows were quite spacious and clean, breakfast was inclusive and the owner Mause, a friendly (but quite frank) Dutchmen, was always willing to provide local advice.  At €38 per night it wasn’t expensive, but while exploring the island I learned I could have gotten better value at other places.  For budget travelers (with less than €20 to spend per night) there are many options available, including TK208, a small bed and breakfast at Kai Bae with rooms from THB700 (€17).  For cheap (less than €5/day) and reliable motorbike rentals near Kai Bae, check with Bobby Food Shop.

Pic: Nature Rocks at Lonely Beach Koh Chang (May 2012)
During my three day stay at the island, I visited a number of hotels and resorts.  The most spectacular ones were Amari Emerald Cove and The Dewa.  Together with a German guy which I met at Bangkok airport, we drove our scooters around the island from one beach to another.  Siam Bay Resort’s great view on uninhabited island, tasty banana shakes and chill atmosphere at Nature Rocks Lonely Beach,  Palm Tree Swing at Lagoona Beach Bar, funky looking huts at Independent Bo White Sands Beach, Rotee Pancakes at Bobby Food Shop.  Just to name a few of the highlights on the island.

Pic: Sunset at Lonely Beach Koh Chang (May 2012)

Pic: Filou Cocktail Bar at Kai Bae Koh Chang (May 2012)

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Lufthansa First Class Lounge A at Frankfurt T1

Posted on December 10, 2011 | 3 Comments

Upon arrival in Frankfurt, after my unexpected First Class flight, I headed to the First Class Lounge at Concourse A.  My layover in Frankfurt was limited to one hour, so I didn’t have the time to visit the First Class Terminal.  The lounge is located near gate A26 where you need to take the escalator to level 3.

Pic: Take the escalator near gate A26 to the Lufthansa First Class Lounge

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Terminal 1 – Entrance (Dec 2011)
Entering the lounge I was welcomed by a friendly staff member who verified my boarding pass.  As I had upgraded last minute to First at the gate, I was still holding a business class boarding pass.  The First Class receptionist entered my ticket number in her computer and confirmed I was a First Class passenger.

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Central Area (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Central Area (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Relax Chairs (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Bar (Dec 2011)
The lounge was very quiet with only 3 other passengers present.  I was offered a glass of champagne and asked permission to shoot some pictures of the lounge.  Spent my remaining time discovering the different areas of the lounge.  I hope you enjoy my picture report.
Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Frankfurt – Christmas Decoration

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Bar Nuts (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Spirits Bar (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Restaurant (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Restaurant (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Restaurant (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Restaurant (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Restaurant Buffet (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Cigar Lounge (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Cigar Lounge (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Cigars (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Cigar Lounge Bar

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Lounge Area (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Quiet Room with Daybed

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Bathroom (Dec 2011)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Etro Bathroom Amenities

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Etro Bathroom Amenities

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Shower Area

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Lounge A Frankfurt – Shower (Dec 2011)

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