Tag Archives: upgrade

Grand Suite at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

Posted on February 25, 2013 | 9 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: Bedroom Grand Suite 3109 at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)
Ever since my expat assignment in Kuala Lumpur (’07-’08) I’ve visited the capital of Malaysia on regular basis. Back in May 2010, I spotted the construction site of the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur and promised myself to stay at the property as soon as it opened. Located adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, the Grand Hyatt offers amazing views on the Petronas Twin Towers…at least if your room faces the KLCC park. The rate for my one night stay was quite steep at MYR678 (€171) compared to other KL Hotels, but as Gold Passport Diamond member I could use one of my Suite Upgrade Certificates to exchange a Grand King room (47-sqm) for a massive Grand Corner Suite (105-sqm).

Pic: Bathroom Grand Suite at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)
At check-in around noon, I was originally assigned Grand Suite 3321 which was not facing the Petronas Twin Towers. After contacting the font desk, I was able to move to Grand Suite 3109 facing the towers.

Pic: Bathroom Grand Suite at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)

Pic: Bathroom Amenities June Jacobs Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)

Pic: Grand Suite King Bed at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)

Pic: Living Room Grand Suite at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)

Pic: Diamond Welcome Amenity Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)
One of the highlights of my short stay was lunch at Grand Hyatt’s signature restaurant THIRTY8 located on the, you guessed it right, 38th floor. The service, the food and the view… just amazing! Similar experience at breakfast at the Grand Club on the 37th floor and again what a view!

Pic: Giant Prawns at Thirty8 Resto Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)

Straight from the Oven Chocolate Cake at Thirty8 restaurant (Jan 2013)

Pic: View from Grand Suite 3109 at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Jan 2013)
Video: Grand Suite 3109 at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Jan 2013)

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Posted in Hotels, trip reports

Tagged breakfast, gold passport, grand hyatt, hotel, Kuala Lumpur, lunch, luxury, Malaysia, pictures, restaurant, suite, thirty8, upgrade

King Executive room at Millennium Hilton Bangkok

Posted on June 2, 2012 | 2 Comments

Pic: King Executive room at Millennium Hilton Bangkok (May 2012)

Pic: King Executive room at Millennium Hilton Bangkok (May 2012)
For my first night in Bangkok (Thailand trip May 17 – May 27) I used The Great Getaway Hilton promo (valid till July 23 for stays until September 30, 2012). Unlike some of the other ‘promotions’, this one really offers steep discounts on Hilton room rates. I paid THB3469 (EUR89) for a King Hilton Deluxe room which was upgraded to a King Executive room upon arrival. I enjoyed a free upgrade + free executive lounge access (breakfast, cocktails, dinner snacks, …) + free internet because of my HHonors Gold status. How I got this status? Normally you only get this status after staying 16 times or 36 nights at Hilton hotels during one calendar year… but myself (and many of my twitter followers) got it for free. In the past months several links were posted on my twitter account which allowed you to obtain HHonors Gold status for free. You just had to sign-up using the link and got instant HHonors Gold status! Make sure to follow me on twitter so you don’t miss future deals. I post several “Great Deal Alerts” a week.

Pic: Executive Lounge Breakfast at Millennium Hilton Bangkok (May 2012)

Pic: Lounge chairs at The Beach – Millennium Hilton Bangkok (May 2012)

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Posted in Hotels

Tagged access, bangkok, breakfast, executive, free, gold, hhonors, hilton, king, lounge, millennium, pictures, review, room, thailand, upgrade

Honeymoon Suite at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City

Posted on March 7, 2012 | 5 Comments

Pic: Honeymoon Suite Bedroom at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City (Feb 2012)
Originally I had planned to stay at only one hotel in Seoul, the Grand Hyatt. But in the end, I added two more: Sheraton D Cube City and IP Boutique Hotel. Two days before my arrival in Seoul, I had booked a Deluxe room with breakfast at Sheraton D Cube City for 164,000 South Korean won (incl. Tax KRW180,400 = EUR122)

Pic: Honeymoon Suite Living room at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City (Feb 2012)
Airport limousine bus 6018 (KRW15000) dropped me off at the Entrance Foyer where I was greeted by name by a friendly front desk staff member. I had been in touch with General Manager David Cuddon prior to my stay, who apparently had briefed his staff about my visit. After being guided to The Sheraton Club lounge on the 38th floor, I was welcomed by Room Division Manager Nick Song. I was upgraded to a 72 m² ‘Honeymoon Suite’ on the 30th floor (3014) and provided with access to the Sheraton Club lounge which included complimentary internet access, evening cocktails and Canapes, DVD rental, etc…

Pic: Working desk of Honeymoon Suite (Feb 2012)

Pic: Honeymoon Suite Bathroom at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City (Feb 2012)
The suite was fabulous. Living room with TV connected to digital sound system, iPod docking, working desk, full minibar, fresh fruit platter on the table, etc… Bedroom with awesome design, daytime bed, big tv, separate restroom. Bathroom with huge oversized bathtub with amazing views over Seoul, walk-in shower with steambath functionality.

Pic: View from bathroom at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City (Feb 2012)
But what made my stay most enjoyable was the hotel staff. The enthusiastic and well trained staff made me feel very welcome at this new Sheraton property. While not in the same price category, the hotel delivered a service level which could compete with the Park Hyatt Seoul. Sheraton Seoul D Cube City will definitely end up in the top 5 of Seoul hotels on Tripadvisor!

Video: Honeymoon Suite at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City (Feb 2012)

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Posted in Hotels

Tagged city, d-cube, honeymoon, hotel, pictures, review, seoul, sheraton, spg, starwood, suite, upgrade

InterContinental Royal Ambassador

Posted on May 24, 2011 | 17 Comments

Pic: My InterContinental Paris Le Grand – Royal Suite Bedroom (March 2011)
Twitter is my number one internet and mobile phone application since 2007. It has provide me with some incredible value in the past four years. Here’s an example on how twitter created travel value for me. After checking out at the InterContinental Seoul Parnas last month, I tweeted my disappointment about the high bill for internet access and minibar usage. One of my fellow twitter followers responded with an incredible offer. He had achieved Royal Ambassador status (highest elite status at IHG) in 2010 and was offering me his InterContinental Royal Ambassador Referral Certificate. The qualification criteria to become an InterContinental Royal Ambassador are unpublished, but anecdotal evidence indicates Ambassador members need to stay 50 to 60 nights in one year at IHG hotels (Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites) with at least 3 hotel stays at different InterContinental Hotels. That’s quite a challenge! Once you achieve the Royal Ambassador level, you can also invite one member. Thanks to my tweets I was invited by a very generous Royal Ambassador follower.

Pic: My room at the InterContinental Shenzhen, China. (January 2010)

It took IHG a while to process my Royal Ambassador Referral Certificate, but today I finally unlocked the InterContinental Royal Platinum Ambassador badge. That one word ‘Royal’ comes with some great additional benefits:
• Guaranteed two level room upgrade (i.e. Executive Room, Suite or Club Room)
• Complimentary mini-bar: unlimited mini-bar beverages free of charge
• Guaranteed early check-in (8 am)
• Free internet access
• Complimentary Platinum level membership in the Priority Club program which is applicable to the other brands of the InterContinental portfolio (Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Starbridge Suites and Candlewood Suites)
• 1000 Priority Club Royal Ambassador Bonus Points per stay

Pic: My room at the InterContinental Hua Hin, Thailand (February 2011)

As an InterContinental Ambassador I already had these benefits:
• Guaranteed room upgrade
• Guaranteed late check-out (4 pm)
• Free movie – One complimentary Pay-TV film per stay
• Fresh fruit and mineral water – in your room upon arrival
• Guaranteed room availability with 24-hour advance reservation
• Complimentary newspaper each morning
• Complimentary use of health club facilities (fitness gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi etc most hotels)
• Welcome gift upon arrival (often something reflecting the local culture at participating Hotels)
• Complimentary weekend night

Pic: InterContinental Hua Hin lobby, Thailand (February 2011)

As I’ll be staying at the InterContinental London Park Lane tomorrow, I’ll have the opportunity to benefit my Royal Ambassador status from day one.

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Posted in Hotels

Tagged early check-in, elite, free, hotels, ihg, intercontinental, internet, minibar, priority club, room, royal ambassador, status, upgrade

Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul

Posted on April 18, 2011 | 7 Comments

Pic: Bedroom Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)
Park Suite King 1905 at Park Hyatt Seoul, loved it! For the first two nights of my Hyatt Diamond status match challenge, I had picked Park Hyatt Seoul. Not the cheapest option, but an excellent choice to burn my first Hyatt Gold Passport confirmed suite upgrade certificate. Each Hyatt GP Diamond member receives 4 “Suite Upgrade Awards” per year which can be used to convert any paid booking (eligible rates) to a Suite for a maximum of 7 consecutive nights.

Pic: Lounge Area of Park Suite King – Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Living room of Park Suite King – Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Living room of Park Suite King – Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Hyatt Diamond Welcome Amenity – Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Luxury is Personal – Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Bathroom of Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Bathroom of Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Bathtub – Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)

Pic: Nighttime view from Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)
Check the timelapse I made from the incredible nighttime view from my Park Suite King.

Pic: Dolsot Bibimbab at The Lounge – Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)
Video: Park Suite King at Park Hyatt Seoul (Apr 2011)