chongl

It has been a few long months since my last trip, and once again I desperately need a vacation! Since the end of the last outing, I've been eagerly looking forward to this one as I make my return to flying in premium cabins. A primary reason for this trip to Asia was to burn off some AAdvantage miles while being able to spend some time away from home. We already had an inkling that we would return to Hong Kong after our honeymoon trip to Europe last year. I hadn't been back since my grandpa had passed a few years ago, so I wanted to pay my respects. Other than that single destination, we weren't completely sure for the rest of the itinerary. Previous trips netted us stops at ICN and NRT, but we never left the airport during the layovers. Tokyo was at the top of my list, so that was an easy addition to the timeline. Some more research and trip report scouring led me to Singapore as another winner. Finally, Seoul was added as a short hop from Tokyo, never mind my high level of interest in sampling more Korean cuisine and attending a live Starcraft match (I'm not sure whether a match will pan out or not, but I've been checking the schedule frequently!).

With all that penciled in, I wasn't quite sure how to fit in an around the world itinerary. We had wisely cut out Bora Bora for its own trip and dedicated 2 weeks for this trip, but there were still multiple routings we were juggling around based on availability...that was, until significant award space was released on the Etihad AUH-JFK route. I pulled the trigger immediately so we could experience the Etihad Apartment firsthand, and would deal with piecing the rest of the flights together later . The hardest redemption was SQ11 from LAX-NRT-SIN, but that cleared after 4-5 calls and asking for a chaser. I really got lucky since I know some people never clear waitlist, let alone 5 months out in my case. Some of the other routings I had considered included sampling all the A380 F cabins of the ME3, but that didn't pan out due to a combination of schedule, availability, and wanting particular lounge access in certain cities. I guess QR F and the Al Safwa lounge will have to wait for another day!

Now that everything was locked in, the next hardest thing was figuring out how to get to LAX. Seems pretty easy you may think? Not really...or maybe I just make things more complicated than they need to be (I'm sure researching all the flights put me in this mode). Being based in SAN, it's nice being close to one of the big hub cities. However, it's also just far enough to make things slightly inconvenient. Flights for the short hop are expensive, while taking the train would require Uber to the station, a 2 hour train ride, and another Uber from Union Station to LAX. Driving would require a one-way rental, which is something I also didn't want to deal with. To avoid all of this, last week we drove up to LA where my parents live, and took both our own car and my parents' spare truck back down to San Diego after spending the weekend with them. That way we could toss all the luggage in the truck, stay in LA tonight before departure, and get dropped off at the airport with no further worry of vehicle logistics. Our return flight would be arriving in SAN, so we wouldn't have to make the 2 hour trek south from LAX, another factor of convenience.

As far as what you can expect from this trip report, I'm anticipating lots of food pictures and extremely amateur reporting. Departure is less than 24 hours away and I'm very excited for my first around the world trip (so much so that I didn't sleep very well last night). Updates probably won't be same day as with past trips since I noticed I was trying to edit at night instead of recharging for the next day. If anyone has any suggestions for certain cities, please let me know as the trip hasn't begun yet. And as always, thanks for reading!

wtcmor

Nice start. Not sure what room you have booked at Conrad Singapore but it looks like you don't have status.. A paid upgrade to Exec lounge js worth the money.

ESFLYER95

Looks amazing!

If you haven't done it before the fish market in Tokyo is great fun. You are in a great position at the Conrad for it and its closes in early November so one of the last chances to do it!

Have a great trip.

anaggie

Could a please post the menu of what is available on SQ suites? Flying the same route in a couple of weeks and since it will be my first time in Suites, I am super excited.

2919scott

Sounds like a great trip! Looking forward to your trip report.

chongl

A little over 24 hours ago, we were dropped off at TBIT for the first leg of our 2+ week journey. I honestly never thought I would be able to embark on another trip of this magnitude, initially thinking our honeymoon trip last year was the all-encompassing, once in a lifetime experience in first class that we would never be able to duplicate. I know we are very fortunate to be able to do this again, so I feel mixed emotions of excitement and gratitude as I type this all out. I have taken cues from other members on things to do/places to see, and most of the cabins here have been thoroughly reviewed as well. I'm sure some may feel that it gets repetitive reading about the same product over and over, but this is one of the best ways for me to document our memories, and one day re-read.

We arrived about 3.5 hours early for our SQ flight and got checked in rather quickly. There was no line for the Suites check-in and it literally took about 2 minutes to get our luggage in and boarding passes in hand. Last trip out of LAX, I had to use the economy line...no more!

Front of departure terminal


SQ check in counters



Looking further down the row/aisle


I love seeing this sign...I can't explain it but it seems so much classier than all the TVs plastered everywhere now


Waiting at the front of the first/business security line


On the other side of security



We trekked over towards the food court and took the elevator up to the 6th floor, which is where the Star Alliance Lounge is located. A total noob move on my part, but I didn't know first class had a separate entrance. So I presented our boarding passes at the regular desk and was kindly redirected to our immediate right for the first class lounge.


First class section is directly to the right (the 2 lounges are joined together via a door inside)


Internet was blazing fast so I decided to do some editing and uploading while the bandwidth was high.



Full lounge menu below. The business section is connected via a door and has a buffet offering including a noodle bar. The first section has limited buffet selection and you are encouraged to visit the business side for more variety.







Rest of the first section of the lounge viewed from the dining section that has ~6 tables


I opted for the salmon burger and the bratwurst while the wife had a flatbread.



The outdoor terrace of the lounge that is in the business class section. Great location for some plane spotting. Saw an Air France A380 on arrival and Korean Air A380 on departure.





Back inside to the business lounge, some random photos



The previously mentioned noodle bar


After that, it was time to board. We left the lounge about 5 minutes before boarding and were able to waltz straight up to the ticket scanners. Wife took 2C while I had 2D. We ended up sitting at the windows for departure.



My view for most of the first leg from LAX-NRT


Another noob move on my part, I didn't know Krug wasn't served on the ground and when I ordered champagne, I must've made a look when they inquired "Dom Perignon?" because they immediately went Krug is not served on the ground. The Dom was quite a bit better than the 2005 vintage I recall having last year, but ultimately, the Krug won out (my first time taste testing both back to back).


The amenity kits seem to have changed slightly. They are still Salvatore Ferragamo, but the ladies no longer receive the black clutch. The inner contents seem identical to previous versions as far as I know. Female version on the left, male version on the right.


The full menu as requested by a previous poster (as with all pics, click for full size)















Time to get this flight off the ground!


As we were taxiing, I caught a few more pictures since the cabin wasn't full and we moved to the window seats for takeoff.



Got the Krug and warmed nuts shortly after takeoff


Prior to meal service, I was thinking about doing some uploading of pictures until I saw the going rates for onboard WiFi...


Christina, our lovely FA, set up suite 2A for us to dine together after I had asked. In fact, the whole cabin crew on this first leg blew my previous F experiences out of the water. The soft product was out of this world as they anticipated everything and went out of their way to make us comfortable. With that said, we started with a crab cake as an appetizer, followed by some caviar.



I opted for the seafood soup while the wife went for the Cantonese chicken soup. Both were delicious!



Grilled beef for the wife and braised cod for myself. The beef was surprisingly not well done and closer to medium. The cod was a hit for me.



Regretably, we skipped dessert since we were stuffed. While we were finishing up our mains, we were asked if we wanted the double bed made...of course! The obligatory SQ bears provided to us



We were woken up about 1.5 hours outside of Tokyo as requested and had our second meal. The wife had the Blue Mountain coffee to wake up while I went for the Macallan Whisky Maker's Edition scotch. Skipped the Blue Label since I wanted to try something new.



For meal #2, the Kyo Kaiseki was the choice for us both.



Opted for dessert this time!


As we came in to land at NRT, I asked the purser if I could get a picture with the cabin crew. As I mentioned previously, they provided excellent service and I wanted to remember this flight that raised the bar for us. Our FA had an aura of class and confidence about her that made you feel at home. Everyone we interacted with was extremely happy to help and did whatever they could to make the flight better. I was asked if I could fill out a survey for them, which I will gladly do with my compliments, and probably send them the picture below.


And with that, our first leg was over and we de-planed for a short layover. SQ12 was parked next door, ready to depart for LAX.


Our ride for the 2nd leg to SIN


We went to the ANA F lounge where I spent some more time editing pictures. I was too full to try the noodle bar, as badly as I wanted to. I knew we would be dining onboard so I let it slide. Instead, I discovered a bottle Hibiki 17, so I poured myself a glass while waiting.





Some more plane spotting


With the trip onward from NRT being late in the evening, I wanted to catch some sleep before arriving in SIN, so only a few pictures of the meal are all I took. The satay, caviar, and soup were the highlights of this meal. For the main, I went for the lobster which was dry and rubbery, and the wife went with the Wagyu beef, which was also dry. We stomached down what we could to minimize the waste, and then had the bed made again.





After catching some sleep, the wife decided to get a Singapore Sling before landing...and finally arriving at SIN...



To be continued...

chongl

I actually do have Hilton Diamond status. Just checked in and got an upgrade to Centennial Suite

I've gone back and forth on this due to the proximity of the hotel and the upcoming closing. I'll probably make a decision when the time gets closer

Posted above!

Thank you 2919scott

anaggie

Thank you very much for posting the menu.

Looking thru the menu, I would have also chosen the Wagyu steak, but reading that it did not come out very good, I think I will stick with BTC.

Great report by the way and waiting for the rest !!

roadwarrier

This looks like a great start! Hope that you and Mrs Chongl have an enjoyable trip. Pity about the Wagyu out of NRT though, one would have expected better.

DanielW

Looks like an awesome start to a great vacation, chongl. Looking forward to the experiences ahead.

oneworld82

Lots of good airlines in one go! I used to do those trips too, until I realized that the destination is more important that the trip itself enjoy!

diningdecadence

this looks fantastic- subscribing

chongl

After we landed at Changi, we grabbed our luggage and made way towards the exit. This was my first time in this airport, and I loved the decorations and vast expanse of free space everywhere.





I turned on Uber and got picked up within a few minutes in a Toyota Corolla. The ride to the hotel took about 20 minutes, and it came out to be roughly 12USD. Score!



It was now about 3 or 3:30 in the morning when we walked up to the front desk at the Conrad Centennial Singapore. As expected, since I had not booked the previous night, we had to wait until a room was available. I was starting to wonder if this was a mistake until we decided to leave the hotel and wander around in the darkness. A few shots in the hotel lobby.







We wandered towards the direction of the Marina Bay Sands and took some more pictures along the way. Even this early in the morning, we walked by a club that was still cranking out the tunes as people partied into the morning.





Closer to the water, we encountered all sorts of people playing Pokemon Go (it had just launched here) so I was surprised to see the number of people walking around this early. We spent the next hour taking pictures to burn some more time.











Once it got to about 5:30, we head back towards the hotel, dripping with sweat. We sat in the lobby cooling off and just waited for the next hour. The front desk would then escort us to the executive lounge for breakfast once it opened at 6;30. Looking into the lounge



Once our stomachs were filled, it was time to head over to the hawker stalls to get some local food in. We arrived at the Chinatown Complex and immediately got in line at Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodles. It very recently took the title of cheapest Michelin starred establishment away from Tim Ho Wan, with a price of 2.50 SGD for a plate of food. People were saying the wait was much shorter before they received the accolade, with wait times ballooning to 2 hours afterwards. We arrived 30 minutes before they opened and still had roughly 20 people in front of us. We had our food by 9:30AM, so plan accordingly if you decide to go here.







The master at work



We got the signature soy sauce chicken with noodles as well as a plate of char siu with rice. The former was incredible...I've never had soy sauce chicken so well infused with flavor. Growing up, whenever we had this, I would typically remove the skin, but this version made the skin the best part and paired excellently with the juicy chicken. Portions aren't large, so order a whole or half chicken, or multiple plates if you have an appetite. The char siu was good but nothing too special.





Some stands across the way. We walked around but didn't get any more food here, other than a milk tea to quench my craving.



Wandering around the area until we stumbled across the MRT entrance













The wife stumbled upon an article detailing all the different types of Starbucks fraps that are found in other countries about 2 weeks before this trip. As we were returning to the hotel, she steered us towards a Starbucks and ordered both the mango and strawberry drinks shown in the signage. Both were very enjoyable and helped cool down after some extended time outdoors.





We returned to the front desk and our room was finally ready. We got upgraded to the Centennial Suite on the 28th floor. As other reviews have stated, the rooms look a bit dated. Even though our room was non-smoking, it had the smell of a smoking room. It didn't bother us too much, but we let the front desk know just in case so we wouldn't get charged for damages.





After a shower and some relaxing, we head out to Orchard Road in the evening to do a little window shopping.







On the way back, we weren't quite sure what/where to eat until we stumbled across Tim Ho Wan. We had already planned to go in Hong Kong, but I figured why not twice since there was no wait! After sitting down, we ordered a few standard dim sum dishes, but there was a local menu item in the form of laksa wontons (my first experience with laksa).





Char siu buns





The laksa wontons!





Some supercars spotted outside the hotel in the evening.





And that rounds out our first day in Singapore! We tried to stay up to better adjust to the time change, but we crashed at 6:30/7:00PM. Had a great nights rest but woke up at 4AM this morning, which is still a great improvement from the 1AM the previous night.

There will be more food in the next post, but I'm not sure when I'll get everything uploaded since I leave for Hong Kong tomorrow morning. Stay tuned...

chongl

I was thinking about doing BTC, but I also wanted to see how the offerings were from the standard menu. I have a lobster thermidor for my leg to HKG though.

Thank you, roadwarrier. I do plan to have some good ol' A5 rated beef in Japan though

Thank you, DanielW. Nobody will live up to the level of your trip reports. I've never gotten such a good feel of a place from reading a report other than yours!

I will definitely enjoy! Just trying to get out and experience these nice cabins while I can.

Thank you for reading, diningdecadence

offerendum

Itīs the first review I see here about the cheapest michelin-starred "restaurant". Thank you!