Hotel Review: Sofitel Kunming

I used some points to stay at the Sofitel in Kunming. Although they were extremely busy with a meeting between Yunnan and Taiwan, the staff went out of their way when I checked in and whenever I was in the lobby to see to it that I received good service and my questions were answered.

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My room was sleek, modern and comfortable. I even had a TV in the bathroom, which seems to be a Sofitel standard on the club floors. (N.B. If you belong to the Accor loyalty program and travel regularly, you’ll soon earn Gold status which offers upgrades.)

I was on the club floor and had access to the lounge, where guests can indulge in afternoon tea and then in cocktail hour. The sweet and savory options were delectable and while there was a lot of seafood, which I don’t eat, there was no excuse for going hungry.

Since there was a big meeting between Taiwanese government officials and Yunnan provincial big wigs the club was off-limits for regular guests. The Chinese required that the Taiwanese delegation be sequestered and watched at all times. So breakfast was only offered in the main restaurant which is large and offers the biggest variety of quality cuisine that I’ve ever seen for a breakfast. In fact the breakfast deserves its own post.

As spectacular as the food was, I think the personal attention that Sofitel offers is what I liked most about my stay. At every meal or any time I asked for directions, the staff were warm and informative. They know how to show that they care.

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Intercontinental Hotel: Lijiang

Adjacent to Lijiang’s Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Intercontinental hotel offers style, comfort and outstanding service. All the villas are modern and comfortable with rooms and architecture based on local ethnic crafts and culture making the Intercontinental an ideal place to stay, especially if you can pay with points. I really hated to leave this sanctuary. It would be an ideal place to come to finish editing a writing project.

The service was friendly and efficient. The staff all seemed genuinely eager to help. There were always enough staff with fluent English on hand to help.

The food in the executive lounge was beautiful and ample. I was upgraded to an executive room so I could have afternoon tea, cocktails and appetizers and breakfast in the lounge. They always offered a choice of Chinese and Western fare.

Novotel Taipei Airport

Since I arrived at 10:30 pm and figured customs, immigration and claiming baggage would take an hour, I booked a night at the Novotel by the airport. The website made it sound like you could walk from the terminal to the hotel, but you can’t. When I arrived I thought there’d be a shuttle, but there wasn’t after 11 pm so I had to take a cab there. I do wish you could call or arrange a ride or that they’d reimburse for a taxi late at night.

The night staff was attentive and kind. They efficiently got me checked in quickly. As a gold status member of Le Club Accor, I was upgraded to the executive floor. It’s certainly wise to join this program.

I was surprised to find a giant stuffed panda in my room and enjoyed the whimsical touch. In addition to the fruit plate, I received some the cute cookies.

The bathroom had a shower and an ample vanity. The toiletries were the same as they offer in Europe. The desk was big enough, but it was placed right under the television, which mystifies me since someone might want to write emails or blog posts while watching TV.

The breakfast was outstanding — great service, presentation and food. I’ve got to check my phone for photos. There weren’t any on my camera.

The only problem I faced was when I went to check out. I planned to leave my bigger bag with the bell boy. It’s a typical service and I’ve done this at the Novotel in Beijing and hotels in Thailand and Europe. The clerk wouldn’t let me and wouldn’t budge no matter how I pleaded. It caused me to miss the next shuttle and was a major headache as I had to spend time figuring out what to do with the bigger bag. Another odd thing was I never received a survey from the hotel as I usually do from Accor. It could be a coincidence. I but I did want to provide feedback on what a hassle it was not to be able to store a bag.

Novotel: Central Sydney

 

For its downtown location and good price, I chose to stay at Novotel’s Central Sydney. I’ve been happy with the size of room and the modern bathroom and stylish room. It was just an 8 minute walk from the train station.

My first night I tried to order room service, but no one would answer the phone. It wasn’t a huge problem. I decided to eat in the restaurant and my fettuccini with sun dried tomatoes was great and could have served two easily.

 

Hotel Review: Grand Hyatt Incheon

For the long Qing Ming weekend, I’ve come to Seoul. My friend and I arrived at 9:15 pm and I figured it would take an hour to get through immigration (which turned out to take much longer) so we opted for a the Grand Hyatt Incheon which promised a 24 hour shuttle and was just a short distance from the airport.

The problem was the lines in immigration were so long and we didn’t get through till about 11:30pm. The lack of signage at Incheon airport caused a short delay in finding where the Hyatt shuttle stop was. At the Information Desk we were told that the shuttle stopped at 11 so we should use the free airport shuttle. Once we found that stop we saw that the next shuttle would be at 12:12. Ugh!

Had I known, I’d have done something different. We considered getting a cab, but were tired and the idea of changing money and sorting through the touts and cheats seemed too much.

The bus appeared on time and several of us got on board. A few minutes later we were dropped a few blocks, yes a few blocks away from the hotel. The driver who spoke little English just pointed in the distance. We got out and searched for a hotel sign. It was dark and desolated. Not what we wanted upon arrival. We eventually saw what looked like might be our Hyatt. Then the bus approached and the driver, who’d just been waiting for his next run, pointed across the street. That’s the Hyatt.

We crossed and entered a building that had a dark sign that you couldn’t read from the sidewalk. Inside we determined we were in the back of the hotel amidst the restaurants. Eventually, we found the lobby without the aid of a sign.

The receptionist was graceful and apologetic but offered little  to make our unpleasant feelings dissipate. She told us we could have called them and we’d have been picked up. Well, then instruct the staff at the airport Information Desk to tell your guests that. We just did what made sense — asked Information and followed their directions.

We had expected that since our booking was done by a friend with Diamond status that we’d get access to breakfast in the lounge. That’s what happened in the past. The receptionist said we didn’t and that he didn’t have Diamond status, which I know is wrong. In the end we got newer room, but it was a long unpleasant experience. It was really odd that a staff member offered to assist us with our bags and then took us to the elevator put our bags on it and left saying goodbye.

Now I do feel guilty for whinging about “First World problems” but we did pay for this hotel room and chose it based on the 24 hour shuttle promise on the website. Just change the website to state what actually is offered. 6am to 11pm is not 24 hours. Every 15 minutes is not twice an hour.

Hotel Review

The Grand Mercure Dongchen offers beautiful rooms and good service. I actually reserved a room here by accident. I wanted to book a room at the Mercure by Beijing’s South Cathedral, but inadvertently booked this location.

I found the staff welcoming and the room, a junior suite modern and comfortable. (I’ve stayed at enough Accor hotels this year to get upgrades for each reservation.)

One nice touch was that they printed their hotel guide on scrolls to harken to Beijing’s past.

The hotel is within walking distance of the Yonghegong Tibetan Temple and the Drum and Bell Towers, but these sites are really, in my opinion, of interest for travellers who’ve already seen Beijing’s most famous sites like the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace. They’re nice but not essential to see. It’s nowhere near the cathedral I wanted to get to and got lost finding. While I think it’s a lot newer

It’s not very crowded and the cocktail buffet had meagre offerings compared with busier hotels.

All in all, I’d suggest staying here if business brings you to north central Beijing but don’t bother with the Executive Lounge as you’ll probably need to eat more anyway. Room service would be the way to go.

Review: Westin Miyako

Zen Garden at Westin

One of the best choices for this trip was to stay for a couple days at the Westin Miyako Hotel in Kyoto in one of their traditional Japanese rooms. Now not everyone wold want to take this step, but I’ve slept on Japanese futons before and know what to expect from a Japanese bathroom.

Staying at the Westin was so convenient. They have a shuttle two blocks from where the airport shuttle stops. I did have to ask the Kyoto Station information desk exactly where the Westin shuttle came, but they spoke very good English and knew that it was close to their office. Since I like to walk, I found the hotel location great as I could walk to several temples, shrines and museums from the hotel.

My room had a genkan, or entry way where people remove their shoes. Inside th

Here was a room with the closet and mini bar, a main room which had a low table and chairs and an alcove (tokonoma) with an ink painting and simple floral arrangement which was changed daily. The floor had tatami mats which smell wonderful and are the reason for “no shoes.” There was a little desk, modern TV, and wifi.

The bathroom was typical for Japan. In one part is the toilet which was heated and had bidet functions. It was chilly in the room in the morning and night as Most Japanese buildings don’t have insulation. The heater was in the main room so it didn’t do much for the bathroom. Then there was the area with the sink, which seemed like it was two feet high. That I could see changing. On the right was the bathroom, which had a wooden tub so small I couldn’t sit “Indian style” let alone stretch out my feet. The main part of the bathroom is for showering. You’ve got a little stool you can sit on, a faucet and shower head. The main rule is NO SOAP in the tub! In Japan you clean yourself outside the tub and by clean yourself, I mean, so that every particle of dirt is off you. A good rule of thumb is that a non-Japanese person should scrub twice as long as they normally would. Then you get in the tub just to soak, to get some serenity.

At night the maids come and set up your futons and pillows. I found the futon comparable to a mattress, not the new fangled Western beads that have toppers and are extra comfy, a mattress that’s a bit old school. It was just fine.

The wing with the traditional room, is by the bird-watching trail and fox shrine so in the morning I woke up to the sounds of birds singing each morning. Also, it’s got a zen garden out front and the trail is a nice short hike.

On Sunday I had their high tea. Great food, great tea. Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, but are at a temple in the afternoon, stop by for great pastries, a scone or quiche, and little sandwiches.

The concierges and staff were so efficient.  I got good help with figuring out why my emails to a Japanese friend I had dinner plans with kept bouncing and with figuring out what to do on a rainy day. I’d never have discovered the Chishakuin Temple, which has remarkable paintings in one of its halls.

When I return to Kyoto, I’d definitely stay at the Westin again and I’d book a traditional room for two nights and a regular room for a third night to take a Western style bath.

Hotel Nikko, Review

I arrived in Japan tonight! My vacation has begun. For my first night I decided to stay by the airport at the Hotel Nikko. The service was so efficient at check in (and through the customs process) that I was in my room 45 minutes after the plane touched down.

While the room isn’t decorated with much flair, it’s nice and modern enough. I just wanted to spend a quiet night and be able to grab a decent meal rather than traveling for almost two hours and then scrounging for food.

After China, where there are no baths, only showers, in bathrooms unless you get a suite, taking a bath was a luxury. I was slightly disappointed, as I always am that there are no little toiletries to take away. They’ve got nice shampoo and body soap, but they’re in big bottles to stay in the room.

I’m happy that I get to watch Dateline London and other BBC news, but that’s the only English language channel. That’s an area where Japanese hotels lag behind.

Peninsula Hotel, Beijing

I know I have more photos . . .

For years, since it opened actually, I’ve wanted to stay at the Peninsula Hotel in Beijing. This five star hotel group is outside my price range in the US, Europe or Hong Kong. I’ve considered booking a room in the past, but the rate was usually around $300 and that was just too rich for my blood.

Through Hotels.com I noticed a discount rate of $147 and that I could manage. I stayed there a couple weeks ago. I stayed in the “Deluxe” room for $158 thinking for a little more I could get even more luxury.

Fitness Center

The room was fine, on par with a Sheraton or Intercontinental hotel. I was satisfied, but also glad I hadn’t paid $300. The decor is sleek and you get cable and a DVD player. There’s free wifi and a good fitness room. The Peninsula offers turn down service though I’m old fashioned and longed for a mint or some sweet on the pillow. The staff was courteous and I had no problems at check in or checking out.

I walked around the hotel and hoped to find a bakery so I could get some scones since the Peninsula Hong Kong’s scones are the best I’ve ever had. They didn’t have such a shop.

Duck Confit

Key Lime Pie

I ordered room service, duck confit and key lime pie. The duck disappointed as it was rather salty and dry. The pie was good and all the food was well presented. I guess other duck in China has been much better.

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Ibis Hotel, Harbin China

With a great location that’s walking distance to St. Sophia’s Russian Orthodox Church, Zhaop Park and Zhangyang Street with all its European style architecture, Ibis Hotel is a good choice in Harbin. For about $30 a night I got a spic and span room with wifi and a TV (not many Western channels though). I could easily get from the airport bus stop to the hotel following the well marked streets and my Lonely Planet map.

The room’s are basic, but that’s all I wanted. They offer breakfast, but no other meals. I opted for a nearby Starbucks as I wanted the music and a place to work in the morning on my homework before I did my afternoon sightseeing.

If you insist on kind, polite staff, this isn’t the hotel for you. In fact, the Harbin-ites I encountered just didn’t smile. At the hotel and elsewhere staff was gruff and unhappy about doing more than the minimum. Maybe they wanted people to feel they really were in Russia ;-). They do their job and they fixed my problem and put me in a non-smoking room when the first room was for smokers, but they’re not able to be cheerful.

Since the hostel just had a 57% satisfaction rate, I’m glad I opted for Ibis.

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