Haven't done a RTW yet, but I can answer some of the questions.
Originally Posted by
etch5895
2. Hotels in Asia: Although the concept of the capsule hotel is very interesting to me, I don't think I would actually want to sleep in one. What is the Asian equivalent to Mercure / Ibis hotels? I don't need or want lots of space or personal attention. All I need is a comfy bed, bathroom with shower and some quiet.
There are Accor hotels in various places in Asia. I've stayed at the HK Ibis for about €35 per night and, for the money, it was great. Have a look at the accor website. Or, for specific destination info, you can try the destination: the world forum here at FT.
Originally Posted by
etch5895
Although the price difference is not as extreme as I thought to upgrade to Business class, is it worth it for westbound travel?
Absolutely. Even if you weren't interested in the lounge access (after all, you can buy that with priority pass), onboard comfort and miles, there's normally more availability for RTWs in business class, so you can change your dates more easily if you want to stay more/less in a place.
Originally Posted by
etch5895
I guess I need some moral support in spending the extra roughly $4500 or so.
$4500
extra? Don't think so. See below.
Originally Posted by
etch5895
4. Start point is probably either MUC or CDG. Do any European countries generally offer better deals for start points on RTW trips?
Absolutely. Last time I checked, you could start a 29000 mile Skyteam business class RTW from Croatia for a little over $5000. It's more like €6000 from the Eurozone and UK.
Originally Posted by
etch5895
5. I'm planning on one night in London just to stay at a Yotel. I know that this is weird (I like weird hotels). Has anyone stayed at one of these and had a horrible experience that would make it not worth the trip? I love the UK but due to the exchange rate, have a hard time justifying a longer stop.
LHR is a horrible experience. Even if you were going to London, I'd advise against going to Heathrow. Incidentally, if you love the UK, you can visit lots of interesting places in Central/Northern England and pay less than you used to pay in London when the dollar was 140 cents to the pound.
Originally Posted by
etch5895
What are the VISA requirements for Hong Kong for US citizens? Does that allow travel into mainland China and/or Macau, or does Hong Kong have its own requirements and limitations if I were to remain in Hong Kong proper?
AFAIK, you won't need a visa for HK or Macau. But you need one for mainland China. Again, the HK/China fora on FT are a great source of such information.