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This series of flight reports chronicles my journey from tropical Indonesia to France where I would go skiing. It is part of an Aeroplan miles redemption in First Class. Like my previous reports, the journey can also be read in my blogfor the original format.

The background for this story is that I had to return to Canada and my return flight to Canada is via a return ticket for LOT Polish on the Warsaw to Toronto route. That meant I needed a flight between Asia and Europe, and I had long wanted to try Lufthansa First Class for its impeccable service in Frankfurt Airport. In addition, I do fancy German products (BMWs, Volkl skis, Beer, Pork Knuckles) and you get the drift.


Onboard Lufthansa First Class

For this trip, I had to find availability revolving Lufthansa First Class, and surprisingly I manage to get several routes available when searching for departure dates within 14 days.


Ducks of Lufthansa First Class Terminal

Lufthansa flies airplanes with First Class to Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore. While Singapore was the most convenient, availability was zero, and I fancied the trip on the 747-8 which flies between Frankfurt and Beijing or Tokyo, but the timing and connecting flights were none to be had. So that left Hong Kong as the most viable stopover point. I also added a Singapore Airlines flight on First between Jakarta and Singapore since it is one of the few routes that is easily available to be booked on miles.


Boarding pass for SQ First Class

Then I managed to get a Singapore to Hong Kong first class flight on United Airlines flying a 777. Not bad since I have never tried the Global First product on United before.


United Global First Class

And now for the best part, I have planned a 6 hour layover in Frankfurt to enjoy the First Class Terminal. That should be enough time to get a shower and enjoy the terminal facilities to my heart's content, before my connecting flight to Paris. I would spend a couple of days to explore Paris since I really liked exploring this city and have yet to return for some time.


Eiffel Tower

For the skiing portion, I was keen on spending time in Zermatt again after visiting it during the summer last year. Then news of some Design Hotels joining SPG gave me some new ideas as 2 of the hotels were ski-lodges near St. Moritz in Switzerland and La Thuile in Italy. However, I was also aiming to ski at the Les Trois Vallées which is considered as the largest ski area in the world spanning 8 ski areas in 4 different valley regions with a network of inter-connected pistes. The search for the best value lodging came down to an itinerary of staying 4 nights at Hotel Pashmina in Val Thorens with a half board (breakfast and dinner included).


Beautiful ski lodge at Hotel Pashmina in Val Thorens

From Switzerland I would fly back to Canada with the eventual flight back to Indonesia. This meant it would truly be a round-the-world itinerary with the return trip to feature trips in Business class onboard LOT/Air Canada/Korean Air. Do bear with me as I re-post the trip from my blog as I have yet to complete the TR in its entirety.

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Entrance to Esplanade Lounge

Checking in for Singapore Airlines in Jakarta is a very easy process as the counters are usually not very busy. Moreover travelling in First Class I had an empty counter waiting for me. After getting the boarding pass, I was actually escorted by a staff member through a premium immigration and security counter on the left of the check-in area. This was my second time departing on Singapore Airlines First Class out of Jakarta and the additional escort service might be useful for a foreigner. To me, it is just an added perk. There is only one immigration officer waiting by the door into the lounge but you get into the lounge area straight. For other premium passengers this is their lounge, but Singapore Airlines uses the Esplanade Lounge across from this one, and in my opinion the Esplanade Lounge is certainly the more exclusive one.


Bar counter separating the First and Business Class section

No lounge invite was necessary and a show of my boarding pass was all I needed to gain access. While the lounge is split into a Business and First Class section, there does not seem to be any big difference in amenities. In fact it is easy to go through between the Business and First Class sections through the unmanned central bar area.


Lounge seats near the entrance

Entrance to the lounge was a bit dark and this section is especially empty because of the lighting. A buffet counter lies beside this area. While the lounge serves hot cooked food like fried rice and/or noodles, they were lacking in quality. I would rather just get meals before or at the flight instead. It is honestly quite bad. I had quite a heavy breakfast before arriving at the airport and Singapore Airlines does serve decent meals on First Class so I was not about to make myself full from subpar lounge food.


Dining area in the First Class section

A partition lies between the buffet counter and the rest of the lounge seats that has tarmac views. It was a very decent space all around and there was free wifi that guests could use by asking for the password. In the end I just sat down to lounge since I did not really need much food or beverage. There was also no staff that asked me whether I wanted any drinks, a slight difference compared to <a href="https://quirrow.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/fascinating-india-sq-regional-first-class-to-singapore/">my previous visit to this lounge</a>.


Seating space and partition in the First Class lounge

In the lounge, there is also a row of workstation located between the Business and First Class sections. It was empty with no use using the PC nor the bar.


Work station

I did not take new pictures of the Business Class section of the lounge, but there was some new alteration in terms of seating layout though it did not feel any different in furnishing. Naturally this section of the lounge has a higher number of guests though there was still plenty of seats to lounge in.


Drinks bar in the Business Class section


Magazine rack in the lounge

Instead of writing more about this average lounge, I will just post the photos taken from previous visits. In addition, during this lounge visit, I actually misplaced one of my keys. I was actually able to exit out to the check-in area to check if I dropped it somewhere. That meant I actually went out of the immigration and back into the lounge just by saying a word to the lone immigration officer waiting at the premium check-in area. Aside from this minor incident, the lounge was just adequate for waiting the next flight and I proceeded to go through another round of security check before boarding (the first round of security check is before the check-in counters).


Esplanade Lounge interior

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Exiting the lounge, there was no premium security check line as all passengers are required to go through another security check before the boarding gates. Usually the queue for the check was short and I have never had to wait more than a couple of minutes. However for some reason, the queue that day stretched at least a 100 metres deep. Travelling in First Class, waiting for security seems to be such a hassle and it took me about 15 minutes to clear it.


Security queue at Terminal 2D

Fortunately, boarding has yet to start when I reached the gate, and I snapped a couple of photos of the 'albino' 777-300 jet that has the Star Alliance livery with the registration of 9V-SYL. I had actually spotted the arrival of the plane while walking to the lounge. It is just a shame that due to the parking position of the plane, I was not able to capture the all-white livery.


Nose of the 'albino' Boeing 777

SQ957 Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta CGK - Singapore Changi Terminal 3 SIN
STD-STA: 1115-1400
Actual: 1130-1350
Boeing 777-300 9V-SYL
Gate D32 Seat 1F


Boeing 777-300 cabin retrofitted with the old First Class seats


Seat 2F onboard Singapore Airlines 777-300

Since I was delayed by the security check, boarding has already commenced when I arrived. I proceeded straight to board and the friendly crew welcome marked a great start to the flight. For starters the steward serving the flight offered me the use of 1D to store my hand carry, and thus I had no need to use the overhead compartments.


Seat 1D with my luggage stored underneath

As I settled on my seat, I was served with a welcome drink and fresh towels, and I picked orange juice for the pre-departure drink. I should also note that there was a pillow on the seat.


Orange juice and towel

At this point in time, the captain for the flight made an announcement that boarding was delayed due to 4 missing passengers and the luggage had to be offloaded. That gives me more time to enjoy the warm and rich tones of Singapore Airlines leather seats.


First Class legroom


Krisworld screen

While waiting, the crew offered newspapers and magazines. There was not a copy of Top Gear in the tray so I asked for one of them since I know SQ stocks them. Other upgrades in amenities offered includes the Bose noise-cancelling headphones, which is an amenity that should be in any airlines' premium cabins.


Bose Noise Cancelling headphones

Lunch menus were also distributed while we were waiting. With 3 choices of entree, the lunch menu was good! Meal orders were also taken right before take-off and I had the tournedos of beef as my choice of meal.


Jakarta to Singapore lunch menu


Inflight reading materials

Once the luggage has been offloaded, the plane went on its way. For some reason, the wait to take-off was not that long that morning and we were airborne quickly after the slight delay. Unlike past flights, there was no amenities like eyeshades or socks distributed but the crew immediately went on to take orders for drinks. Being a huge fan of their coffee, I asked for a cup of Colombian coffee. Indeed, Singapore Airlines asks passengers what blend of coffee they would like. What was impressive was that the coffee service came with a whole set of condiments served in a stainless steel canister and jar.


Coffee and condiments

A small ramekin of warm mixed nuts consisting of macadamias and pecans was served along with hot towels before the main meal. All these in a short flight less than 2 hours.


Warm nuts on a ramekin

Shortly after, my choice of the tournedos of beef was presented along with the chocolate truffle cake. Another steward came over with the bread basket where I selected some of my favourite choices including the garlic bread.


Bread basket


Inflight meal

Beef main course was good, and easily one of the best beef I ever had onboard a plane. It was still tender, juicy and cooked like in a bistro. Even the vegetables served alongside looked fresh. While there was no appetizers, the main course was so good, I need nothing else for this short flight.


Grilled tournedos of beef main course

The small dessert course of chocolate cake was average and easily forgettable. Though the crew also did come around with fresh fruits from the tray which guests could pick from after the meal service. There was not a large selection though and I had some grapes and lychee but I appreciated the gesture nonetheless for such a short flight! There was also another round of towel service after the table was cleared.


Lychee and grapes from the fruit selection

I walked around to stretch my leg after the hearty meal and noticed the cabin was about half full with 1A, 2A and the second row of the center section occupied. That meant I had probably the nicest seat with no one behind or beside me. These seats actually fold down to be a lie-flat bed which was not useful for this short flight as they needed an attendant to switch it over. But it was really nice for Singapore Airlines to retrofit the older 777s with these seats for short regional flights.


Seat 1K in lounge mode, with mint candy on the arm-rest

The crew then came around the cabin to offer mints for passengers while thanking them for their business. Sometimes it is just the thought that counts in providing that memorable flying experience. Not too long after that, the plane made a steady descent into Changi Airport before we disembarked into Terminal 3, also the nicest terminal in the airport.


Center section of the cabin

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I stayed at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel for the short one night layover as my parents were there and I just crashed in with them. Their room was complimentary as they are frequent visitors to the gaming floor there. An old review of the hotel can be found in my blog.


Perhaps the only reason for wanting to stay at the Marina Bay Sands

With the compliments Marina Bay Sands chauffeur service, I got another ride back to the airport in the wee hours of the morning. The quiet streets meant I arrived at the airport by 5:30am, with the first departure out of Terminal 3.


Departure hall in Changi Airport Terminal 3 before daybreak

United Airlines check-in area is already quite crowded as the guards ask which flights will I be boarding. United's flight to Tokyo departs around the same time and thus there was already a queue forming at the Economy class section.

No wait at all for Global first which is in a separate roped area, as I was directed to a counter at the end nearer to the terminal entrance. Very professional agent manning this counter as is always the case in Singapore. Though, the check-in took a while as they had initial difficulty in interlining the baggage with my connecting Lufthansa flight in Hong Kong. I should also note that I am due to arrive in Hong Kong in the morning before noon and departing slightly before midnight, meaning I have some time I plan to go out to the city and it makes more sense for me to check my luggage all the way through to Paris, which will be my ultimate destination, via Hong Kong and Frankfurt.


First class check-in counters for United Airlines

As it was Valentine's day, another staff member came over with a basket of chocolates and asked if I would like any! Nice touch by United Airlines in Singapore.

Eventually after a lot of typing into the computer, I managed to get the boarding pass only for the Hong Kong route. Along the way I was also provided with an invite to the SATS lounge which I didn't use since I could access the SIA Silver Kris lounge. The First Class ground handling in Singapore was also superb since my luggage can be left in the trolley and not be placed on the carousel. A staff member would come over to bring the luggage, and that is how First Class travel should always be like.


Looking at the Flight Information display

Since Changi Airport has the Star Wars exhibit, I took the time to snap some photos with no people bombing the whole scene. There was nothing else open in the public space so early in the morning, as many flights have yet to schedule any departure.


Model of the X-Wing Fighter on display at Changi Airport Terminal 3

This also meant no queues at the immigration and even many of the duty free stores have yet to open. However I did get to purchase some muscle rub which I would use for my skiing trip. In addition I did shop around in the duty free stores since I was still early.


First Class reception counter

Eventually I made my way to the Silver Kris lounge which is nearly empty so early this morning as well. With the United Global First boarding pass, I was whisked through to the First Class section. Frequent flyers of Singapore Airlines would know that there is an exclusive 'The Private Room' section that is reserved for Singapore Airlines First Class ticket holders and it is located just past the First Class section, which I have reviewed before. The Silver Kris lounge has also been covered before, and maybe because I spent some years growing up in Singapore, I find they serve a nice variety of food I can enjoy!


At the SilverKris Lounge in Changi Airport Terminal 3


Mac workstations in the First Class section

The First Class section of the lounge is definitely more private and I am not sure if it opens throughout the night as there was one passenger dozing off in one of the chairs when I arrived. There was not much other people inside and the separate dining room for First Class passengers is also empty with the kitchen seemingly starting to open. This meant there was not much choices in the buffet table and there was also no server around, so I made my way to the Business Class buffet section to get some breakfast.


Business class dining area

There were more people in the Business Class lounge and I would have just been here if not for the fact that I had already placed my bag in the First Class section. I grabbed some congee for breakfast since I would not be having this for the next 2 weeks at least while in Europe. There were other Singaporean breakfast delicacies like 'chwee kueh', carrot cake and bee hoon along with western staples like omelettes, French toast and pancakes. The SIA SilverKris Lounge in Singapore is great in their buffet selection and the taste of these dishes are not half as bad either.


Carrot cake, a breakfast staple in the lounge


Chwee kueh with trimmings


Lemon vermicelli aka Singapore bee hoon


Congee and condiments

There are traditional Chinese style desserts like Tau Suan served individually in bowls, and classic Haagen Dazs ice cream from the freezer.


Tau Suan dessert bowl


Haagen Dazs ice cream

Cheese and crackers are available as well in the buffet counter. Noting that this was all in the Business class section of the lounge, Singapore Airlines have one of the best food selection amongst airport lounges!


Cheese and crackers

For my breakfast, I had a second serving of the assorted Singaporean delicacies since I did not expect anything good from United Airlines. I brought them back to the solitude of the First Class lounge and was able to sit down quietly in the empty restaurant area.


Breakfast at the lounge


Restaurant in the lounge

Besides the great food, the lounge have a wide range of beverage from a full service bar counter in the First Class lounge to a well stocked beverage fridge in the Business Class section. A highlight is the selection of TWG teas that is provided in the lounge.


Selection of TWG tea


Bar at the First Class lounge

The shower room in the SilverKris lounges are more or less similar and they are nicely appointed with a rainshower and ample amenities including fragrances to refresh the weary traveller. I did not really need refreshing having done that in the hotel prior to leaving for the airport.


Shower room amenities


Shower room with rainshower

As far as airport lounges go, there are very few that can rival the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge in Changi Airport. Then again, there are a couple of First Class lounges that are more exclusive and premium than the First Class lounge for Singapore Airlines. The Business Class section is definitely superb for its role but there does not seem to be that much of a diffentiating factor for the First Class lounge. Whatever the case, I was really happy and satisfied to spend time in this lounge prior to my United Airlines flight.


First Class lounge

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It was a long trek from the SilverKris lounge to the departing gate and there was a queue out at the gate for security check which occurs by the gates in Singapore's Changi Airport. Fortunately one lane was reserved for Premium passengers and I was through the security check in no time and managed to capture a nice shot of the 777-200ER servicing today's flight.


Gate B10 at Changi Airport


United Airlines 777-200ER

There was a short wait before boarding commenced, starting with Global First and Business passengers.

UA896 Singapore Changi Terminal 3 SIN - Hong Kong HKG
STD-STA: 0545-0930
Actual: 0611-0926
Boeing 777-200 N799UA
Gate B10 Seat 1A


United Global First cabin on the 777-200ER

I was the third passenger to board the plane and took my seat on 1A today. The crew on this flight certainly did not do much to welcome me onboard. No help with my luggage or welcome by name aboard the flight, which is how things start to unravel.


Global First Class cabin


United Global First cabin

As I got seated, amenities were distributed from a basket with toothbrush, eyeshade, and earplugs along with the immigration card. On the legrest, there were already slippers packed in a plastic cover.


Seat 1A

Onto the seat itself, it was certainly comfortable with a generous legroom. However the cabin was not exceptionally private and the dull grey plastic interior does not add any value whatsoever. I would describe it with one word: dreary. Headphones were also on the seat along with a large pillow and a smaller soft pillow. The headphones were wrapped in plastic and is not by Bose.


Headphones and amenities

While waiting for boarding, the steward came over and asked me for my meal order. The choice was between Spanish omelette or chicken noodle for the breakfast and no menu was provided which is a real low in a First Class cabin. Some airlines even gives out menus in Economy class!


Safety card on the seat pocket

Boarding took a while and there was a case of one passenger seeking free upgrades with the chief steward having to be stern to say that there will be a full flight in first and business class today. One does certainly meet all kinds of passengers in the lesser carriers.


First Class seat control and ports

What I did like about the seat was the positioning of the power ports and USB ports for charging my devices. They were easily accessible and located ergonomically. In addition, there was lots of storage space around the seat. There is a space to store eyeglasses, watch, and tablet on the armrest and a larger shelving cabinet on the right of my seat.


Seat storage

The last passengers arrived and an older Chinese gentleman was seated with a personal assistant in the center seats of the first row. It seems the personal assistant was there to help in translating for the flight. And then I noticed a swarm of announcements in English, Chinese and Cantonese which certainly makes it frustrating to start watching the inflight entertainment system. Being the first flight out of Singapore does have its perks since there is virtually no wait for take-off and we were up in the air as soon as possible. I took the time to relax by browsing the inflight entertainment magazine, of which there was 'Rhapsody' for premium class passengers and 'Hemispheres', which is United's inflight magazine. For drinks, I had a cup of coffee and a glass of water, and there really was nothing good about the coffee. American based airlines certainly have the worst coffee onboard.


Inflight magazine and coffee

As the 2 passengers in the middle seats of Row 1 skipped breakfast in order to continue sleeping, there was a couple others that just chose to sleep. And I can see why after deciding to stay awake for the breakfast service. Sure, the table setup for breakfast was First Class with linens, butter, small bottles of jam, salt and pepper shakers in ceramic containers.


Table setup for breakfast

Then they served the fruit plate for starters. Good choice of fruits and it was satisfying but the croissant was not flaky at all, and it felt more like bread. Passengers were also asked if they wanted yoghurt and cereals. Since the croissant was bad, I had the yoghurt as a replacement.


Fruit plate

For the main, I had picked the Chicken noodle, thinking that catering out of Singapore for a noodle dish should not be too bad. For some reason, it was the worst First Class meal I ever had. The noodle was a bit dry and the chicken was glazed with gravy that seems to be just full of MSG. Maybe I was full from the breakfast at the lounge but this was for sure a forgettable experience.


Chicken noodle main course

There was some turbulence in the air during the meal which meant that drinks were not refilled. Anyway the service was very hands-off, and the crew did not even ask if I would like more drinks since all I had was coffee and water. Granted it was an early morning flight, but some mimosas would not hurt to compensate for the lacklustre meal. At least the view out of the window seat was amazing with the sunrise in its full glory after the completion of breakfast.


Beautiful sunrise

At this time I reclined my seat into a bed and there was no offer by the crew to make up my bed. That meant I just had to do it myself. There was certainly a good enough space and I would probably rate it slightly better than the average Business Class seat. At this time the cabin crew came around and handed some chocolate truffles for passengers though I have to say they were just average.


Water and truffles

In the bed mode, I had a short nap after watching the movie. I was probably asleep for about an hour or so before waking up feeling quite thirsty. Expecting some bottled water by the bedside like I usually get in other airlines' First Class, there was nothing. In the end, I asked for bottled water and a surprised crew member tried to give me a 1.5l PET bottled water. From this attitude it just seems the crew wanted me to self-serve. I had to ask for the water to be poured onto a glass. I find it totally ridiculous for First Class service to be this low.


Flat bed seat

Just before our descent, I checked out the lavatory. It was kept clean enough and at least United bothered to add some distinctive toiletries by a company called 'Cowshed'. Though United does not have any hip image in my mind.


Lavatory interior on mid-flight


Cowshed amenities

The nice view continued throughout the flight and the rest of the journey was devoid of any further service. The captain requested for the crew to prep the cabin for descent and we landed in Hong Kong in time even if we did depart slightly late.


Clouds in the morning


First Class cabin

With this flight, I just wonder why United still continues with this product at all. It is not a true International First Class at all, with service even lower than Business Class on Asian carriers and seats barely better than Business Class. Business class on the 777-200ER was on a 2-4-2 lie-flat arrangement and has got to be one of the worst products out there.


Landing at HKIA

Then it brings out the point that I would never ever pay for such a flight, but for me to get to sit with Lufthansa First Class, it is a pretty nice way to fly regionally within Asia for a bit more than 3 hours. Anything more and I rather pick a different carrier as I would get hungry and frustrated with the food offered by United.


United Boeing 777-200ER at Hong Kong

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Some photos from my HK layover:


Taxis in the street


Central MTR Station


Mercedes and a Tram


Red lanterns at Lee Tung Avenue

Taking the Airport Express back to HKIA, I already had the boarding pass in hand but I was tipped to head to the Lufthansa check-in desks to get the ground services voucher as I had checked in earlier at the Airport Express counters in Hong Kong Station. The arrival into Hong Kong's International Airport is always a wonderful experience with its grand foyer.


Grand entrance to HKIA


Lufthansa flight information on their check-in desks

Since it was a few hours before scheduled departure, not all the counters are open and there was no queue at the 2 premium lines for Lufthansa First/Business and Star Alliance Gold passengers at counter F34. The staff attending to me was efficient and professional, which is more often the case in Asian airports. I also made a point to check if my luggage was tracked as I had such a long layover in Hong Kong and hoped the luggage would be checked through to Paris CDG instead of Frankfurt FRA which was the case when I checked in at Singapore.


Red carpet welcome

Once I obtained the so-called voucher I passed through security check to head airside. There are 2 security check area in the North and South wing of the airport though both lead to the same departure hall. Passengers flying Cathay Pacific First Class gets ushered to a separate First Class check-in area but there was no such premium line in Hong Kong when travelling in other carriers. No matter, as the moderately long line for security and passport check was cleared sufficiently fast. I never had to wait more than 15-20 minutes in both Hong Kong and Singapore, making these 2 airports my choice for transits and visiting.


Boarding pass and shuttle voucher

The thing about having the shuttle voucher is that there really isn't any fixed venue for passengers to board the buggy, but the voucher is valid for one time service from any point to point shuttle within the airport. I had some time to spare to get some duty free before flagging a buggy that passed by. I was the only passenger in the buggy and as the buggy was travelling quite fast, the stream of air-conditioned wind made it a bit chilly.


Buggy service

Back at the check-in counters, I was recommended by the agents to visit the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge which would be quieter and that was where I told the buggy driver to drive me towards. Since the lounge is located on the second floor, the buggy just brought me to the base of the escalators that led to the lounge which is at the end of the concourse near gate 40 and gate 61.


Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge reception desk

Entering the lounge was as simple as handing the lounge staff my boarding pass and I was escorted into the roped-off First Class section. There was a fairly spacious luggage storage area beside the reception counter for passengers to store their hand carried luggage.


Luggage storage area

Behind the reception desk, there was also several workstation cubicles that was empty that evening when I visited.


Workstation area[/caption]


Welcome sign to the First Class section

The First Class section was also empty for that matter and it features a separate bar area, a lounge with comfortable armchairs set in pairs facing each other with a dining table, and a flatscreen TV on a console stacked with all kinds of lifestyle magazines.


Bar counter in the First Class section


Magazine selection

While the First Class lounge did not really provide much in terms of privacy, it was quiet and with no one else, it was very private.


Thai Airways First Class lounge

Guests visiting the First Class section of the lounge gets to order food from the menu and even help themselves to the buffet counter located in the main Business Class lounge.


Lounge menu

Since I had a day of exploring in Hong Kong, I wanted to get a shower first and requested for the use of their facilities. The staff mentioned that it would take about 5 minutes to get the room prepared for my use. Thus I used this time to peruse the dinner menu and made my order for the food since they need some time to be ready as well. After ordering my meal, I was handed the keys to the shower room.


Shower room

For the shower room, I was a bit disappointed since it was a plain shower room inside the washroom itself. Furthermore the holder for the handheld shower head was broken and they did not fix the issue. This is something I frequently notice in offshore airport lounges (ie. lounges operated by airlines in airports that are not their home base). The water pressure was fine and there was heated water along with a decent range of facilities so it was still alright for a quick shower.


Shower room amenities

As I finished my shower, I returned the keys to the shower room and returned to my seat where I also obtained a bowl of Tom Kha Gai from the buffet counter to enjoy with my main course of chicken in red curry. While the menu listed the dish as a green curry chicken, the kitchen apparently ran out of green curry and asked me if I am alright if they substituted it with red curry. Since I actually liked red curry better, the alternative works great and altogether they made for a very tasty dinner.


Thai chicken red curry

I have to say the food selection in the lounge was fantastic and the buffet counter has food from the common sandwich and salad bar to numerous Thai dishes and Chinese snacks. It would certainly be easy to get a nice dinner even in the Business Class lounge.


Sandwiches


Salad bar


Lettuce and minced pork


Assorted dim sum


Stir-fried noodles and roast chicken


Rice and vegetables

Aside from the main courses, there is a tray of Thai desserts, fruits and ice creams! Even the ice cream selection includes fruit popsicles making a nice change from the usual Haagen-Dazs found in the lounges of Asian carriers.


Thai desserts


Fruit bowl


Ice cream in the fridge

On top of the well stocked dessert fridge, there is also a full drinks fridge beside it. Sometimes I wonder at the amount of food and beverages provided considering the Business Class lounge was also quite quiet.


Drinks fridge

There was not much people eating at the lounge but it might have something to do with being slightly past dinner time. I also figured the Thai Airways passengers would have departed for their flight by this time.


Buffet counter

After my meal, I made a walk around the Business Class section. Immediately I noticed the major difference being in the colour of the upholstery. The seats in the Business Class section are very colourful indeed, a far cry from the elegant colour of the armchairs in the First Class section.


Business class lounge


Magazine shelf

For those not accustomed to this splash of colour, they could relax in the TV lounge which has dark wood panelling and was very quiet and more suitable for relaxing. I figured guests prefer the open air feeling of the main lounge which was brightly lit and more conducive for working or just reading magazines.


Quiet TV lounge

At the end of the lounge, there is also a set of gaming consoles with their private televisions that should entertain families with teenagers or kids. Though the gaming area was empty and the consoles and TV was switched off. I did not ask if they were operable either as I had no interest in using them.


Gaming console in the lounge

Another nice amenity in the Royal Orchid lounge was actually the massage chairs. There was 2 massage chairs, one for the Business Class section and another in the First Class section. I had the chance to get a relaxing massage at one of them when I returned back to the lounge before boarding my flight. Because I figured the need for a bit of walking, I ventured to the United Club which is about 5 minutes of walking from the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge.


Massage chair

For Star Alliance Gold members and those flying Thai Airways, the Royal Orchid lounge certainly provides very good food and a nice range of amenities that makes it a pleasure to spend time in the lounge. Though they could certainly upgrade their shower facilities and with the newly renovated United Club, I am no longer sure if I would recommend the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge for First Class passengers.


Thai Royal Orchid lounge in HKIA

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Since I had plenty of time before the scheduled boarding of my Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt, I decided to venture to the United Club which is about 5 minutes walk from the Thai Royal Orchid lounge. They are actually located in opposite section and the walk will provide a nice view of Hong Kong's airport terminal and Cathay Pacific's The Bridge lounge reception.

Hong Kong airport terminal concourse

Entrance to the United Club

United Club is actually closer to the boarding gates for my flight and it is located in the same area along with Emirates' lounge. With a fairly small entryway to the lounge, it actually misleads guests into thinking it is a fairly small lounge. There is a nice foyer with a large reception area which means there are plenty of room for guests when waiting to be checked in.


Reception for the United Club


Artwork at the foyer

As the staff saw the First Class on my boarding pass, they directed me to the separate Global First lounge behind its own closed doors. It was like a lounge within a lounge!


Global First lounge entrance

Upon entering the lounge, I was provided with a menu but I did not order anything since I had already eaten in the Thai Airways lounge.


Global First lounge menu

Aside from the menu, there was a decent selection of food in the Global First lounge. There was even some hot food like chicken satay and shrimp dumplings.


Satay and vegetables


Shrimp dumplings

Besides the few hot food available, there are also the usual cold cuts, salad, pastries and like all good old United Clubs, various chips and cookies.


Cold cuts and cheese


Assorted pastries


Chips and cookies

No snacks for me this time but I could not resist the dark chocolates in the lounge. Those are great and premium lounges certainly should have some dark chocolates to offer.


Chocolates in the lounge

The Global First lounge does have a nice selection of beverages like fresh cold pressed juices that were bottled individually. There is also an array of wines and liquors on the buffet counter, along with a tray of tea bags and espresso machine on the end.


Beverage fridge


Alcohol selection


Espresso machine and tea

There was no one else in the Global First lounge and that made it very private, allowing me to take multiple photos of this newly renovated lounge. Plenty of seating made it comfortable though the enclosed space meant the area was darker than the Thai Airways lounge.


Global First lounge seating area

The lounge has some really comfortable high-backed armchairs for reading and there are plenty of countertops beside the armchairs with power ports. All in all, the space was much more conducive for relaxing, reading and working on the laptop than the Thai Airways lounge!


Reading corner with high-back chairs

And for those that wants more light, there is a small atrium seating area that is open to the whole terminal making it brighter.


Atrium seating overlooking the tarmac

The Global First lounge has its own shower room located next to the magazine shelves. And these shower rooms were much better in design compared to the Thai Airways lounge. It made me regret my decision somewhat to head to the Thai Airways lounge first.


Private shower room


Shower room interior

Besides the newer conditions of the shower rooms, they also feature bath amenities from 'Cowshed'. This was the same brand of toiletries found in the lavatories onboard United First Class. The United Club certainly has a better shower facility for First Class passengers though I have forgotten to check out the showers in the main lounge.


Cowshed bath amenities

Since it felt a bit awkward being alone in the Global First lounge, I continued to walk around the larger United Club. That allowed me to digest the dinner I had and experience the whole lounge. There are snacks and drinks counters spread across this lounge which seems to be larger than the Thai Airways lounge but it is definitely also more crowded.


Drinks counter in the main Business Class section

It should also be noted that the food and beverage selection in the main United Club is not as diverse or as complete as Thai Airways. In fact because the counters are not placed or concentrated together, it makes it kind of difficult for guests to find something.


Snacks counter in the main Business Class section

The main United Club for Business Class passengers is open to the terminal and overlooks the tarmac as well. This meant it was bright like the Thai Airways lounge, though its armchairs were upholstered in a more sombre colour. In fact the interior design was similar to the newly renovated United Clubs in the United States, making it more familiar for frequent United Airlines flyers.


Business Class lounge

There are plenty of seats in the back of the lounge and then the design of the lounge also segments the space to provide some quiet nooks for a reading corner with the magazine shelves strategically placed beside it.


Reading corner

Other facilities in the lounge includes a very well equipped meeting room for business travellers to work and discuss with their colleagues on the go.


Meeting room with printer

There is also luggage storage rooms with coat hangers placed around the lounge which certainly adds to the convenience factor.


Luggage and coat storage

Overall, I actually liked the way the designer did with the space as it segmented it into several areas including a more cozy TV lounge area. Thus the space certainly makes it more comfortable and modern compared to the Thai Airways lounge. If I was looking to lounge, read and maybe take a shower, I would most certainly pick the United Club. But if meals were my main priority, I still think the Thai Airways lounge has an edge in Hong Kong.


TV lounge

quirrow

Boarding for the flight was called inside the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge and I made my way over to the gate. While walking to the gate, I actually passed by the final call being made for the Air France flight to Paris.


Gate 60 of Hong Kong International Airport

Upon reaching the gate, the boarding process has not yet started and there was already a long queue for both the Premium (Business and Star Alliance Gold) and Economy line. However upon presenting my First Class boarding pass, I was ushered to the front of the line. Since boarding has yet to commence, I asked about my luggage and wondered if it has been tagged all the way to Paris. I also made my way to the windows to take a few photos of the huge A380 while waiting.


Lufthansa Airbus A380 at HKG

Eventually boarding was called and I had to squeeze through the crowds to the front where there was a very efficient service provided at the gate. First class passengers get escorted down the ramp way by a staff who even assisted with my hand carried luggage. Along the ramp way, he assured me that my luggage has been tagged all the way through and included the new luggage tags for me.

LH797 Hong Kong HKG - Frankfurt FRA
STD-STA: 2325-0520
Actual: 0001-0508
Airbus A380-800 D-AIMH ‘New York’
Gate 62 Seat 1A


Lufthansa First Class cabin

The service continued onboard the plane as the staff escorted me all the way to the seat, passing me on to the First Class purser who was a very pleasant middle aged lady. She welcomed me on board and mentioned that I could place the luggage in the lockers.


Seat 1A on the A380

Lockers for seat 1A and 1K was on the front end while the rest has lockers in the galley between First and Business class. This layout makes the cabin feel very airy and spacious.


Lockers by the galley on entrance

After I placed my luggage, I was asked for my choice of welcome beverage and the purser suggested champagne. Other amenities including pyjama and slippers was placed on my seat. There was also a very shiny Rimowa kit on the side.


Rimowa amenity kit and Van Laack pyjama

Macadamia nuts were then offered in a ceramic ramekin. The purser taking care of the first class cabin was very professional and tried to make every one as comfortable as they could. As I was taking the photos of the cabin, she motioned for me to be more discreet about it as the cabin filled up. Another incident was she tried to converse with me to find out my preferences as I seem to be the only Asian passenger onboard.


Welcome drink and nuts

Apparently she also studies the passenger manifest beforehand as she thought seat 1A was empty prior. I had actually been assigned an aisle seat on the second row but asked for a window seat during check-in. The way she handled the situation was very diplomatic and made passengers feel at ease. I think this is the kind of training that many First Class cabin staff fails to get and I can tell it would be a great flight from here on.


First Class cabin overview

Since this is First Class, the seat has lots of legroom, and for my average height, the ottoman is a bit far on the default setting. Fortunately it is possible to move the seat forward and back.


Lots of legroom

There are 2 rows of seats in a 1-2-1 abreast configuration and while it may not be very private, Lufthansa has one of the most beautiful First Class cabin out there. The whole design looks very elegant and ambient lighting makes the cabin stand out. The choice of materials gave a premium feel, for example, the window linings are upholstered in suede. These little details add a touch of luxury not seen on even premium Asian carriers like ANA, Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airlines.


Row 2 center seats

Moving onto the seats themselves, they are very comfortable in the seat mode and does not feel extra wide like the ones on Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. These 2 First Class have some of the widest seats in the First Class cabin. But Lufthansa differs by making it just right and gives a more snug fit. The premium materials continued throughout with soft-touch leather cabinets that hides the headphones compartment. Those Bose noise-cancelling headphones have the wording 'Lufthansa First Class' on them too.


Headphone storage

Underneath both armrests which are also covered in leather, there are 2 sets of controls. The one on the right adjusts the seat position while the one on the left is for the inflight entertainment. Both remotes also feel very premium and the buttons would not be out of place in a Mercedes-Benz. Thus far, the German teutonic approach does make this cabin feel premium.


Remote underneath the armrest

To make it faster, there are some shortcut buttons by the armrest that allows passengers to adjust the seats and make channel and volume selections or call the crew for service to make the whole concept of the remote under the armrest that much more logical.


Seat controls

While on the ground, the purser also gave out the meal and drinks menu for tonight's flight. If there was any improvements, I would just have to say the drinks and nuts were removed far too quickly since it was a long taxi to the runway. I figures with a small cabin, the crew could make adjustments on removing the drinks slightly later.


Preparing for take-off

The cabin light was dimmed and I liked that they still have one light lit over the stalk of rose during the taxi. It makes for a perfect ambience. It's all in the details, I tell you! I took this time to peruse the Lufthansa inflight magazines which is always worth taking with you, along with the duty free shopping catalog and safety instruction manual.


Inflight publications


Menu and wine list

I did take a look at the menu and wine list as well. The meal choices was described in 3 languages, being German, English and Chinese. For the other languages and the complete menu, do head over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/quirrow/albums/72157666081605030/with/25885884206/">my Flickr photo album for this flight</a>.





The extensive beverage list onboard Lufthansa was also fitting for a First Class cabin and I loved that they serve Nespresso onboard. The convenience of preparing a good cup of coffee without being a trained barista should enhance the experience of flying with Lufthansa!



















Take off was smooth as usual on the A380 and this was definitely the highlight of every flight on this jumbo jet. But we did encounter a bit of turbulence before reaching cruising altitude. As we stabilized, the purser came back onto the cabin and I managed to obtain an extra pillow as the cabin was slightly more than half full. with 3 seats empty.


Rose scented towels

During this time, the inflight service manager came by to introduce herself and I was asked to let her know if I need any assistance or meet any problems during the flight. At this point, I figured I could ask her if I could switch my Rimowa kit to a female version as I wanted to pass the contents to my mum. To my surprise, the purser actually came back with another set of the kit for me. In addition, the purser also asked if I would another set of pyjama, of which I declined since I did have a few pyjamas from airlines already.


Retractable tray table

Inflight service began earnestly afterwards with amuse bouche being presented and I had a glass of water with it. I ordered a cup of decaffeinated Nespresso for the service as well. Great coffee, cabin and crew makes for a wonderful start to this flight so far.


Amuse bouche

Wifi was available for this flight as there was the hotspot sign on the wall in front of my seat. The charges for wifi onboard the flight was quite acceptable as well and it was the first time I connected to the internet on a flight. The novelty of being connected online made it fun but do not expect to use the internet for streaming of HD videos. It was perfectly fine for surfing news websites and instant messaging though!


Nespresso onboard

There was some time lag before meal service and I browsed the entertainment options. Not a bad selection with plenty of Asian and European selections while the remote was great to work with. The shortcut buttons on the armrest also makes sense to avoid clutter. If there was one thing lacking, it was the whole interface and layout that could certainly do with some improvement.


Inflight entertainment menu

With the Lunar New Year just over and the year of Monkey being ushered in, it was fitting to watch 'The Monkey King', a Chinese fantasy movie based on the 'Journey to the West' literature. There was some stuff that caught my eye from duty free shopping catalog and the purser mentions she will let the crew in charge of duty free know.


Watching the Monkey King

As we waited for the meal service, the passenger in 1D apparently lost his glasses during the flight and the purser helped to find it. She brought out a torchlight and helped him find the glasses eventually/ All the duties the crew do and the way they do it is what makes them stand out in this regard. But I sure made a note to never leave my glasses on the armrest while the plane is departing or landing! I placed my order for the duty free as well during this time with the staff that came over.


Movie and a meal

After the short incident, the purser came out to set the tray table that was retracted from the cabinet beside the TV. Very slick mechanism allowed it to be adjusted comfortably. The table was laid out perfectly with saucers for olive oil and butter, cutleries wrapped in linen napkin and very nice salt and pepper shakers. Bread was served from the basket and I had a slice of garlic bread as I was not too hungry. I figured they serve dinner to match the time in Germany, and it was a logical way to set the service pace. Next up came the caviar starter served with all the traditional garnishes


Caviar with traditional garnishes

Along with the caviar, there was a choice of entrées from the tray. The purser encouraged me to get all the entrées, though I did leave out the mixed salad as it seems a tad ordinary. Her suggestions of getting all the appetizer choice was perfect since they were amazing. I liked how I was flying a German airline and yet they have an amazing Chinese starter. That sweet and svaoury honey sesame beef was my favourite entrée but the prawn was juicy and paired well with the crunchy asparagus. I highly recommend to pick all the entrée when flying Lufthansa First Class since they are that good! In between my meals, my order for the duty free arrived but as I was still having my meals and my wallet with my credit card was in the locker, the cabin crew mentioned she will return later for the payment.


From left to right: fried honey sesame beef with wilted jade sprouts and black ear mushrooms; duo of tomato and goat cheese; and sesame marinated prawns with asparagus and green beans

For the main course, I picked the salmon. It looked a bit ordinary but the fish was cooked just right and it was not dry at all. The sour raisin jus added a nice tinge to the whole flavour though I could easily have the salmon alone as it was fresh and cooked nicely such that it retained the flavour well. Though I was a bit full at this point, I still managed to finish the salmon but left out the potatoes since I still wanted some dessert.


Pan seared salmon with roasted potato, chestnut, olives enhanced by sour raisin jus

Dessert tray came at last and again so many choices out of the tray. I figured most of the passengers were already done with dinner at this time. I had a short introduction to the cheese on offer and picked the Swiss and German cheese as I figured they would be better.


Cheese and dessert tray

For the dessert, I had the pecan tart which was a bit tough but flavour wise it was amazing. The tart with so much caramel did not feel overly sweet so it was enjoyable to the last bit. I also had the sweet dessert wine to go along with the end of the meal. It was some German wine which I didn't take a photo of sadly, and it was not listed in the menu either.


Gouda and brie cheese and caramel pecan walnut tart served with caramel sauce

At the end I have to say the purser serving the First Class cabin was amazing. She handled the meals for all 5 passengers though 2 of them are sleeping and skipped meals. I was given another towel to freshen up after the table was cleared and asked if I would like the seat to be made up for bed. While she went on to make the arrangements, I took the amenity kit and pyjama to one of the 2 spacious lavatory up front to change and brush my teeth.


Spacious lavatory on the front of the First Class cabin

Both lavatories are similar in size and features a foyer with a couch so that certainly makes it easy to change and have space to place your clothes. It was great to use the vanity counter as well which was decorated with a stalk of rose and featured touch-less faucets.


First Class lavatory onboard Lufthansa A380

La Prairie amenities were featured in the washrooms. This is one of the most premium facial care brands that I happen to know since my Mum was looking to purchase it in Switzerland as she uses them. Even the purser highly recommended its use.


La Prairie lotion in the lavatory

In the drawer, there was a lot of amenities including an Evian facial mist, shavers, combs and refreshing towels. I did note that most of these amenities were provided in the amenity kit as well.


Amenities in the drawer


Well-stocked lavatory

An oddity in the lavatory was the separate urinal and toilet. I figured the urinal does make it more convenient for the guys but why bother since the urinal has a partition that needs to be rotated for it to be used anyway.


Urinal and toilet in the lavatory

Back into the cabin, there is a partition with the graceful crane logo of Lufthansa facing the staircase that leads to the lower deck. The flight was somewhere over southwestern China in Sichuan province by this time. Earlier on, before my meals, I had requested to purchase some duty free and then I had yet to pay for the items that was delivered to my seat as I was still in between meals. Fortunately the crew arrived back to take my payment just in time before my sleep.


The Crane logo

On my seat, the bed has been nicely made with the pillows neatly stacked. It was time to sleep as the time in Hong Kong is past 2 am. It did not take me long to fall asleep and I had one of the best sleep in an airplane. Maybe it was the time of departure but I figured the whole cabin was kept in a very comfortable temperature and the quiet cabin sure helped too!


Turndown service

I woke up while the flight was somewhere over western Russia. I figured I had a very nice 6+ hour of sleep and I certainly felt refreshed. The purser came by with offers of beverages upon seeing I was awake and I had a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Another cold refreshing towel service was presented.


Juice and fresh towel

The breakfast menu was listed as follow:



A continental service was presented with an array of cutleries and I had croissant and yogurt for starters. There was a choice of jam, nutella or honey for the pastry and toast. I actually asked for a serving of honey to add to my yogurt too.


Continental breakfast

For the main course, I was asked what would I like to be served with the eggs, and I just requested for everything. The dish was wonderful and the bacon was certainly cooked to perfection! I had a cup of cappuccino to go while having breakfast and of course it is another Nespresso!


Bacon and eggs

After the breakfast was cleared, I asked for another cup of cappuccino since it was just that good! As I do not usually use sugar on my coffee, there is really no harm in one more cup of coffee?


Cappuccino

At this time there was less than an hour left remaining into the flight. I took the opportunity to go to the lavatories to change back to my clothes and freshen up before arrival.


En-route to FRA

The locker system sure works out well since nice quality wooden hangers are provided and a personal code can be set to ensure safety of any belongings. Once I changed out of the pyjama, I placed the duty free items I purchased into my hand along with all the goodies from this flight.


Hangers and pyjama

For the rest of the journey, I just relaxed on the seat to listen to some music and enjoy the relaxing ambience of this First Class cabin. A smooth and direct landing into Frankfurt was possible as we were probably one of the earliest flights of the day to land meaning no long holds in the air or any long taxi either before we docked into the gate.


Thank you for flying Lufthansa

As I tried to exit the cabin, I wanted to take a shot of the First Class sign beside the galley but the purser was very sensitive to photos taken in the plane and suggested I take a shot of the now-empty First Class cabin instead. I did inform her of the blog and how these photos try to omit other passengers wherever possible and if she is reading I hope she enjoys the photos as well! Lufthansa has such a nice cabin that it is so sad to not take photos of this beautiful cabin and share it with others.


Lufthansa First Class sign beside the galley

We landed earlier than scheduled and I made my way toward the immigration where initially there was only 2 lanes. Though the photo-taking did slow me down somewhat. Fortunately, there was a lot of passengers that stopped to see their connections. Though there seems to be another jumbo key arriving on the other side of the terminal so the queue became quite long pretty fast. Still my rapid pace of walking meant I moved past the passport control after a 10 minute wait. Then it was off to the cold morning outside to get to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal!


Star Alliance logo on the screen

quirrow

One of the reasons I did not choose a direct flight to Paris was because Lufthansa has a very famous First Class Terminal in Frankfurt that has received applause from many frequent flyers. Yeah you heard that right, a whole terminal separate from the airport for First Class passengers. Not the ordinary airport lounge then, and not as directly accessed either.


Departure board at Frankfurt International Airport

With that I made sure I have a long layover in Frankfurt to enjoy the numerous amenities of this terminal which I shall refer to as FCT in this post. Once I passed through immigration in Frankfurt, I head straight for the exit as my luggage has been tagged all the way to Paris. Even early that morning before sunrise, the departure hall was already seeing a buzz of activity with many travellers checking in. First stop in the departure hall was to ascertain if I had eligibility to use the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, so I made a stop over in the First Class check-in counters located in the A/Z area of Terminal 1. The check-in staff made sure my luggage was transferred to my next flight and told me I had a choice of using the First Class lounges or the Terminal which requires a walk outside.


Lufthansa First Class check-in

Since I had a long layover, I figured I would be better served with the First Class Terminal. I took the escalators to a floor down passing by a hallway with some shops before ending out in the dark winter morning outside. I made a short 5 minute walk along a pedestrian walkway and managed to find the First Class Terminal quite easily. This is an independent building not connected in anyway to the airport and the entrance foyer consists of the signs and logo of Lufthansa with an elevator that will bring guests up to a reception area.


Arriving at the First Class Terminal


Entrance foyer

Once up there, a staff member will be assigned to each guests after their entry credentials are verified. There is a private security checkpoint with 2 lanes which should be more than adequate that it should not be any longer than 5 minutes to enter the lounge proper. Essentially the same security check but done in a much more dignified environment and private space. Past the security checkpoint lies a small duty free store where guests could purchase the usual duty free goods but they definitely have limited selection being the only one though FCT guests could certainly shop as well if they want to.


The only duty free shop in the First Class Terminal

A glass door then leads into the main lounge and the staff member assigned to me offers to give me a tour of the lounge as she takes my passport and boarding pass. Beside the entrance, there is a cabinet that houses a collection of the rubber ducks that is a favourite souvenir of any guests' visit to the FCT.


Cabinet filled with rubber ducks

There is a long shelf filled with stacks of magazines from various European countries along with newspapers. Clocks signifying the time in several major cities around the world are positioned atop this magazine shelf.


Magazine shelf

On the right of the entrance lies the bar which is manned by a staff member and here guests could have any drink they want, with nearly all kinds of liquor, wines and champagnes. This also includes non-alcoholic drinks like juices, coffee and tea.


Bar area

As it was way too early, I asked if they have any day rooms, and the FCT has 2 day rooms. Fortunately one of them was unoccupied and I was led towards the room which is located past the bar, restaurant, and the cigar bar. The 2 day rooms are located beside the shower and washroom area which certainly makes it convenient. While there are storage space for luggage and coat hangers around the lounge, the day rooms make it more convenient. The staff member who took my passport mentions she will do the required customs and hand my passport over to the immigration. She also said she will personally pick me up when the time comes for boarding. After that, she just passed me to another staff in charge of the showers and day rooms.


Inside the day room

The dayroom might not be comparable to a 5-star hotel room but it was tastefully furnished and has proper noise insulation that certainly made it better than many hotel room. There was plenty of space to walk around with a single bed for guests. Across from the bed, there is a clock to tell the time and a coat hanger on the side. Once I got settled in, the day room staff will ask what time you would like to be woken up.


Coat hanger and clock

Inside the dayroom, there are also 2 bottles of water (one sparkling and one still) with a glass. I took this time to re-organize the stuff I obtained from the flight and took another short nap.


Vöslauer water

After the short nap, I went out to request for a shower room, and the staff member mentions she will give me a knock when a shower room is ready and motions for me to wait in the day room. I took this time to explore the washrooms which are really neat with individual toilet cubicles. In the vanity area, there is even a shoe cleaning machine along with a counter with 'Etro' amenities.


Washroom with shoe shiner

Later back in the day room, I got a notification that a shower room has been prepared for my use. I asked if I could leave my items in the room and the staff mentioned it is of no issue. As the rooms are not locked, guests really leave items at their own risk. But seeing this is a First Class Terminal with one of the strictest rule to enter, I expect it to be quite safe. I did bring my valuables with me to the shower room though.


Bathroom interior

The inidividual shower rooms were spacious and I had one with the standing shower cubicle which I prefer as I was not looking for a long soak. On entry, there is a long vanity counter, once again filled with 'Etro' bath amenities which does smell great!


Etro amenities

In the corner, there is a bench with bathrobes and bath slippers. Meanwhile there are ample spaces to hang your clothes and the bench can also function as a luggage stand if you do not have access to the day room.


Bathrobe and slippers

Behind the vanity counter, the area is split up for the toilet on the right side and a shower cubicle on the left. The layout was wonderful as it affords guests ultimate privacy in case of unwarranted intrusion. It was the best shower room in any First Class I have been to, period.


Bathroom with partition


Shower cubicle

Feeling refreshed from the shower, I returned to the day room to dry my towels for a bit. Selfishly I occupied the day room to place my belongings for a little while more which is no matter really as the other room was still vacant. This meant the day rooms were not really in demand during the time between 7-9am, which is expected as most guests would just be wanting breakfast and catching up on the news. The whole lounge was quite empty anyway so I took this time to explore and take photos.


Cigar bar

First I checked out the cigar lounge. This is a glass enclosed smoking room with their own self-serve bar counter and a cigar humidor. Guests could ask for the staff for assistance though it was empty when I explored this lounge.


Cigar humidor


Cigar bar and lounge

Across from the cigar bar is the main lounge area with plenty of comfortable leather armchairs. My favourite place to sit would be in one of the lounge chairs facing the windows with their own ottoman. A side table separates each lounge chair and they also have power outlets for charging your laptop or mobile phone.


Lounge chairs

The other armchairs revolve around a central table. That is common amongst most airport lounges but what differentiates the Lufthansa FCT is there is a large basket with cups filled to the brim with nuts and dried fruits. There is also a buffet menu and a beverage menu that is thicker than many restaurants. I bet the drinks menu would not look out of place in a Michelin-starred restaurant.


Snack tray and menu

Warm wood partitions creates nooks for privacy and even when more guests started arriving, it never felt like the lounge got really busy.


Lounge seating

Being a terminal in itself, it caters to families as well. Having visited <a href="https://quirrow.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/fascinating-india-the-private-room-by-singapore-airlines/">Singapore Airlines' The Private Room</a> before, it should be clear that wealthy families can travel with their kids. And Lufthansa did create a nice play area for kids. Though this space was large and nicely decorated, it is located behind the bar and leads to a staff entrance which can mean it can get quite busy with staff walking around all the time.


Kids area

If I was a parent, I would rather they created a door for this space to make it more private. In this respect The Private Room's nursery area is slightly better.


Kids play area

However the FCT does not stop here. In fact all these lounge space are on the right side of the entrance. If guests head to the left, there is an elevated space that houses several work cubicles with their own workstations, telephone and all the power outlets a travelling CEO would possibly need. Similar to what is offered by <a href="https://quirrow.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/inspiration-of-japan-ana-suite-lounge-in-narita/">ANA First Class lounges</a>, it was definitely a nice space to work in.


Private workstation

Then there are more lounge space in this section and I found it to be quieter as it is more secluded from the main bar and restaurant area which sees the most activity in the FCT. Again there are racks to hang your coats and guests could leave their luggage below as well.


Coat hanger in the lounge

By the corner of this section, there is a row of napping chairs with neatly folded blankets. Guests needing a short nap could use this space which was also empty at this time. This section of the lounge actually overlooks the airport and I snapped a photo which shows the distance guests would have to walk from the airport to get to the FCT.


Day beds with blanket

Lufthansa First Class passengers or members of the highest tier of Lufthansa's Miles &amp; More club could use the airport exit on the left of the advertisement pillar where the taxis are congregated in the photo below. They will then walk underneath the overhead road all the way until they reach they see the Lufthansa offices. The FCT is just beside it.


View of the airport from the FCT

Back from the exploration, I packed my luggage and relinquished the day rooms so that it may be refreshed for the next occupant. An incident occured here where I injured my hand and had to ask for a plaster as I was bleeding. I was actually able to get help from several staff members. There are staff members around the lounge though they tend to leave guests alone unless they looked like they needed help. After getting multiple plasters, I head to the restaurant to have a nice breakfast.


Restaurant in the lounge

Breakfast service was still ongoing and upon being seated, I was provided with a menu and asked what drinks I wanted. I went with a cup of cappuccino.


Table setup


Cappuccino

Though I figure the staff was busy preparing the lunch service so I had to flag down a waiter later on to order my breakfast. I ordered a sunny side up as I proceed to the main buffet area to pick up some other items. The variety of the buffet items is on par with many 5-star hotel breakfast buffet.


Breakfast buffet menu


Breakfast in the lounge

The quality of the food was amazing as well as I had more than one helping. I particularly liked they have crepes with nutella and fruit tarts, pies and other sweet treats in the breakfast buffet.


Crepes and tart for dessert

As my flight was slightly after noon, I also took some photos of the lunch menu. Again the spread was fantastic with a nice variety of food. Seriously I would not mind having all 3 meals in this lounge with all the variety. Because of the wide variety, I did not post photos of the food here, but readers could see an extensive album in my Flickr site.


Lunch buffet menu


Lunch buffet menu

Food served during lunch is something you might get from a high-end bistro and presentation was once again flawless where the lounge even served premium ham and cheese.


Cheese and roast leg

After my breakfast brunch, I relaxed in one of the lounge chairs and surfed the web while making some updates to my blog and checking out the weather for my upcoming ski trip in the Alps. As expected, the internet in the FCT is fast and the ambience was calm and composed since there are no announcements to detract guests from the experience.


Private First Class terminal

I also did snack on the gummy bears that was displayed prominently on a long table across the bar. Visitors to the lounge would not miss that. At this time, the staff member in charge of the showers actually came over to where I was relaxing to hand me another limited edition rubber ducks as I had asked for one earlier as a memento after my shower.


Gummy bears across from the bar

As it got closer to my boarding time, I monitored the flight information board inside the FCT and wondered which car I would be driven in for my upcoming flight. The FCT has no walkway to the airport, so passengers are actually driven to the plane, like boarding a private jet really and the cars Lufthansa uses could be seen from the lounge.


Porsche and Mercedes fleet for the guests transfer

Very soon, the staff member I was assigned to on my arrival appeared and picked me up. I should mention I did see her and she even greeted me and checked in on me while I was exploring the lounge. Apparently I was the only passenger utilizing the FCT for this flight to Paris and she brought me a level down on the elevator and passed me my passport and boarding pass for the upcoming flight. This departure area has some more lounge chairs and a reception desk where guests await their chauffeur.


Lufthansa departure service

The staff member waited alongside and asked me about my vacation plans. She then handed me over to the chauffeur who assisted me in placing my luggage in the trunk of the grey Porsche Cayenne SUV that would be my ride today to the plane.


Porsche Cayenne transfer to the plane

It was a short ride in the Cayenne as we approached a retro-livery Lufthansa jet which would turn out to be the one I would board for the flight to Paris. The whole novelty of being driven to the plane is something I could live with over and over again! Certainly it makes for one of the high points of using the First Class Terminal.


Chauffeur service to the plane

Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt is definitely the best airport lounges I have been to so far. They have some of the best lounge food with delicacies and drinks you would want to have, with all the amenities that certainly makes one feel at home. I can see why people might actually be fine with living in this terminal, and that says a lot for an airport lounge. This point alone certainly makes Lufthansa First Class a great flying experience, since I no longer need to dread the experience of connecting and transfers. In fact with this kind of lounge, I do not mind even if my flight gets delayed!


Lufthansa retro livery on the A321

For this flight, I was driven to the plane directly and head up the side entrance into the ramp. While there was no elevators, my assigned chauffeur helped me with my hand carry luggage. As such, I did not notice the gate that we departed from. Back on the rampway into the plane, there was a bit of a queue as it seems the plane is nearing the end of the boarding schedule.


Nose cone of the Airbus A321

Waiting is not that bad especially if it is a retro jet that I was boarding and thus I got a nice profile of the airplane from the rampway.


Boarding the retro-livery A321

LH1034 Frankfurt International FRA - Paris Charles de Gaulle CDG
STD-STA: 1220-1335
Actual: 1241-1334
Airbus A321-200 D-AIDV
Seat 2F

Once onboard, I found my seat quite easily and considering this is a flight within Europe, the seats are basic bare bones slimline seats.


Bulkhead row on Lufthansa's A321

That means these seats are alright for the short one hour hop between Frankfurt and Paris but it may be a stretch for a 3 hour flight. What is more is that there is virtually not much to differentiate it from Economy class seats.


View of my row on the A321

Legroom in Business Class is also quite pathetic really. Though at least the cabin was not full, or I count only 4 passengers in the relatively large Business class cabin. And these seats have a middle seat blocked off for Business Class travel within Europe.


Legroom for intra-Europe Business Class

There was no other service going on while we were waiting on the tarmac as passengers waited for boarding to complete. The rainy weather in Frankfurt that afternoon also meant the view from the window was tarnished with water droplets. And being Frankfurt, it was all filled with the slightly boring Lufthansa liveries. Except the plane I was on of course.


View from the window on the tarmac

On the seat back pocket, there was the Lufthansa magazine, the safety instruction manual for the A321 jet and an inflight shopping catalog. Though they were basically of little use for this short flight.


Safety instruction card

Eventually, the plane completed its boarding and there was just 6 Business class passengers including myself which meant more than 30 empty seats in the cabin. Needless to say, it was a light load as I believe the Economy class cabin is not that crowded either.


Business Class cabin on the A321

The plane took its time to taxi around the terminal, passing by the Lufthansa Technik hangar and a parked Lufthansa 747-400. These jets that use to play major airports would soon be in the history books so it was nice to spot some of these jets now while I could.


Frankfurt Airport view


Lufthansa Technik hangar in Frankfurt


Lufthansa 747-400

There was a bit of a queue but it was a quick taxi to take-off for a major airport in Europe. I remember my last flight in London Heathrow had a long wait for take-off. Once we reached above the clouds, sunlight began streaming into the cabin which certainly made it better than the gloomy weather in Frankfurt that day.


Flying with Lufthansa

As the seat belt sign was turned off, I got off my seat to take some photos of the empty Business Class cabin. Lufthansa certainly added a lot of premium seats on the A321. Perhaps these seats might fill up for flights to major cities like London and Paris for the peak season?


Empty Business Class cabin

The A321 dimensions and the large Business class section meant there was an exit row in this cabin. I wonder how the 2 seats before the emergency exit would work in the Business class cabin considering all the other rows have the middle seat blocked off for Business class passengers to give more space. On the 2 adjoining seats though, there was no special headrest to indicate one of them would be left empty.


Exit row seats in the Business Class cabin

In this nondescript cabin, Lufthansa still tried to dignify it with a 'Lufthansa Business Class' sign. While not exactly a true Business Class, I guess I cannot be afford to be choosy since there are few routes within Europe with real Business class cabins. That is what you get with less competition.


Lufthansa Intra-Europe Business Class sign

Being a short flight, I returned back to my seat as the cabin crew started to prepare for the inflight service. Business class passengers are served a nice meal though Economy class passengers do get complimentary snacks and drinks as well. Lunch was served on a tray and there was no choice. Bread was also offered after the tray was served. The main course was some shrimps served over sliced mango with 2 slices of chicken breast. The dish was tasty and the colours sure brightened up the plate. There is also a dessert bowl which was chocolate mousse with some raspberry bits.


Inflight lunch of shrimp and chicken breast

On top of dessert, there is a small box of chocolates that had an advertisement featuring a consulting company. The crew serving the cabin also offered multiple beverages as I asked for water and apple juice.


Chocolate and drinks

Along with the meal tray, there was also a packet of refreshing towel and Lufthansa does have a nice packed towel. For that flight, the towel featured an advertisement of the Peanuts movie.


Refreshing towel

After the meal was concluded the crew offered tea and coffee to the passengers. I declined the offer since I was quite full from the brunch at the First Class Terminal and the nice lunch served onboard. With that I just relaxed silently in the cabin as I watched the scenery change on the last 15 minutes of the flight. There was little clouds during our descent and it was definitely fine weather over France that day.


Clouds over eastern France

The nice scenery continued as we made our approach into Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. There was a bit of a turn-around during our descent but otherwise we landed on-time.


River Seine meets River Oise in the outskirts of Paris


Descent into Paris Charles de Gaulle


Clouds over the airport on landing

After our safe landing into CDG, there was actually a bit of a long taxi before we eventually docked into Terminal 1. What was interesting was passengers were asked to prepare their passports for additional security check before we were let off the plane. I figured this was due to extra security measures in place due to the Paris terrorist attacks.


Lufthansa A321 at CDG

However as I disembarked from the plane, there does not seem to be anything out of the ordinary. I even captured a photo of the plane at CDG before making my way following other passengers to luggage claim. Apparently our passport were not checked as what was advised from the flight.


Travellator at Terminal 1

Given that it was my first time arriving at Terminal 1 of CDG, the experience was novel with the interesting travellator that goes down and up underneath the bowels of the airport. While it might be nice for the first time traveller, I did notice how aged and run-down the airport looks. This was definitely out of character to Paris' stature as the city of lights.


Arriving at Terminal 1 of Paris CDG Airport

I also appreciated the quirky and 'futuristic' looking travellator atrium in Terminal 1 and it does look like a scene of the future. Something different again that makes CDG distinctive as an airport.


Futuristic architecture at CDG Terminal 1

Though with all that being said and done, the luggage certainly took a while to appear on the belt and that meant I had all the time to actually walk around the terminal which is an international terminal as I noticed passengers collecting luggage from a Qatar Airways flight from Doha. Terminal 1 of CDG certainly does not make an impressive welcome for international visitors and could do with some refurbishment.


Luggage claim area at Paris CDG airport

quirrow

In Paris, I stayed for 2 nights, and visited the Trocadero for the photo shoot of Paris' most famous monument and had a baguette along the way. The first night was spent at the Le Meridien Etoile as it was directly across the stop from the Air France shuttle from CDG.


Executive room at Le Meridien Etoile

Eiffel Tower at dusk

I also dined at Le Relais de Venise for the good for value steak and under the other dome at Printemps Cafe.


Steak frites at Le Relais de Venise


Under the dome at Printemps


Printemps

As the sun sets over this city, I walked around the Place de la Concorde and the Opera Garnier where I stayed at the W Opera for the second night.

Opera Garnier at night


Galeries Lafayette at night

And I was upgraded to a Wow Suite which truly wow-ed me! Thanks SPG!

Living room of the suite at W Paris - Opera

Circular bed in the center of the bedroom

On the last day, I woke up early to catch the sunrise by the Louvre and the Seine before having some croissants for breakfast and heading to the Basilique du Sacré-Cśur at Montmartre. Naturally I had crepes while enjoying the walk around Montmartre.


Musée du Louvre under the morning sun


Sunrise at the Seine

In the afternoon, I took a train to Lyons where I stayed overnight at the ibis Part Dieu Les Halles which is close to the train station. A sort of budget place that was way different from the suite at Paris.


ibis Part Dieu Les Halles lobby

I had some time to explore the old town in Lyon the next morning before heading out to take the train to Moutiers where I boarded a bus to the ski village of Val Thorens in the French Alps, which is part of the largest inter-linked ski resort in the world.


Place des Jacobins in Lyon

quirrow

While skiing in the 3 Vallées, I stayed at the Hotel Pashmina in Val Thorens. It's a very nice boutique hotel and my stay includes a half board at the hotel.


Reading corner in the lobby of Hotel Pashmina Le Refuge


Le Spa by L'Occitane

It was nice to get assigned a spacious suite when I reserved a single room. My guess is that the hotel has lower occupancy than usual. The hotel even includes free movies on demand making it great for night time entertainment after skiing.


Junior Suite living room


Warm and cosy bedroom

My favourite part of the room was the bathroom that has a tub and a shower stall featuring a motif of the Alps.


Beautiful bathroom


Hotel Pashmina exterior

The half board includes breakfast in the morning and a 3 course dinner. While the dinner was usually good, it was the dessert buffet that I look forward to every night.


Pumpkin cream soup


Red mullet main course


Puffs and tarts


Cheese selection


Mousse and cakes

And every evening I took advantage of the hot tub in the hotel to relax after a day on the mountains.


Outdoor hot tub beside the slopes

With regards to the skiing, Val Thorens is large enough for most skiers and for the first day I skied only in Val Thorens. The remainder of the days, I purchased the pass for the 3 Vallées and made my way to Meribel and Courchevel.


Funitel Peclet in Val Thorens

This was my first time skiing from one resort to another and I even had a clear day which gave me one of the best views of the French Alps from the top of Cime Caron. This is the highest lift-accessible point in the 3 Vallées ski area.


Panorama of the 3 Vallées from Cime Caron


Looking towards Meribel from Mont du Vallon

Based on the impression each village left me, Courchevel seems to be the more luxurious with high end shops and hotels. The village base is certainly pretty with carousels and art galleries.


Carousel in Courchevel


Skiing in Courchevel

Like Courchevel, Meribel is also family friendly. More chalet and economical lodging could be found in Meribel and it is quite desirable to stay here for the fact it is the most convenient to ski to all parts of the 3 Vallées as it is centrally located.


Meribel Mottaret


The Yeti

Val Thorens on the other hand is located at the highest altitude and that means the snow might be better. Being at a higher altitude generally means better views.


Sunset ride to the village

quirrow

In Zermatt, I stayed at the Resort Hotel Alex which is just a short walk from the Hbf. It was another half-board and they have single rooms available during the days I was there, making my stay slightly more economical. Zermatt is not the cheapest of European ski resorts but it is very beautiful even though I did not get a view of the Matterhorn for the 3 days I was there.


Room key and Toblerone

Resort Hotel Alex is a very traditional Swiss style lodging with lots of wood and ornamental outlandish decor. They have a traditional key deposit where guests can leave the heavier room key and bring with them a smaller key when skiing. Makes it easier for housekeeping to know who's in and who's out.


Room key board

The single room works for solo travellers and it was the end of my ski trip where I was skiing along in Zermatt. There was even a large closet at the end for all the ski gear.


Classic single room


Bedroom interior

The hotel also stands out for the extensive use of marble in the bathroom, the toilet and cover are made out of marble, which is something from the 80s. And they have Molton Brown amenities, so it was kind of luxurious for a single room.


Molton Brown amenities

The best part of the hotel was the food that was included in the rate. Breakfast was the usual European buffet though they have eggs guests can order and a generous spread of yogurts, ham and cheese. Dinner was a 4-course affair with appetizers, salad bar, main course and dessert, though on some days appetizers and salad are both served on the buffet.


DIY Salad

I had one of the best beef ragout so far in my life. It was served with pasta on the side and I used that to mop up the sauce. If half boards were as good as this, I might just like all-inclusive resorts more.


Simmental beef fillet ragout


Tiramisu deconstructed

Skiing in Zermatt isn't exactly cheap due to the high CHF and day tickets are already higher. However it was my first time taking the train to go to the summit, so it was probably the most comfortable way to get up there. The views in Zermatt was fantastic too from the train and the slopes.


Village of Zermatt in snow


Gornergrat Railway on the top

The Swiss watch companies must have a share in Zermatt based on the number of watch advertisements I saw while skiing. And the resort has one of the best tissue they provide by the chairlifts/gondolas. In fact it is probably the softest tissue I have used anywhere, and maybe that was due to the high ticket prices?


At Trockener Steg


Skiing at Theodulgletscher

From the top of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, skiers could head towards the Italian side of Breuil-Cervinia. It was nice to have some Italian pasta for lunch while skiing. There was a surcharge to the ticket prices for venturing to the Italian side.


Plateau Rosa viewpoint

And the Italians do know how to design a gondola, as they do for sports cars.


Gondola towards Laghi Cime Bianche


Matterhorn Glacier Paradise gondola

While I wasn't lucky enough to see the whole Matterhorn like when I visited during the summer, I managed a different perspective of this iconic Swiss mountain.


Underneath the Matterhorn

Even after experiencing Val Thorens, I can't help but be smitten by the charm that Zermatt has to offer for skiers. Truly one of the nicest ski destinations to look forward to and I was glad to be able to enjoy a few days skiing here.


Zermatt View

stu1985

Great report so far! SK lounge looks really nice. Looking forward to the LH F flight. The United flight in F looks like a bit of a joke to be honest. Definitely one to avoid!

quirrow

Updated the post with the LH F. UA F is a real joke, but they have taken it off on new planes.

Kagehitokiri

nice!

"RTW skiing 2 continents" future RTW could add skiing in south america, australia, asia
(whereas antarctica would get expensive, no idea if any skiing in africa)