380 or 777 in F from LHR-HKG
 

Hi

Planning a special trip for the two of us (sale pricing) and wondering which is the best plane to get for F travel - gut says the A380 as a newer plane design or are they the same (hard product experience) regardless of the plane type?

Thanks
Sahajesh.

A380 without doubt IMHO.

Plenty of hotels, so so many at all different price levels but for what its worth I've stayed at The Cordis in Mongkok (formerly The Langham in Mongkok) a fair few times over the years last time in November last year for a week.

Wonderful staff, service, food, rooms especially the club floor rooms. The hotel is linked to a huge mall which the MTR is easily accessed from from the centre.

I'd also choose the A380 too.

380 and The Peninsula

Close the thread :)

There are better and more interesting hotels than The Peninsula.

Indeed.
HK hotels tend to have small rooms, beware, and views make a huge difference in pricing.
Hotel prices vary immensely over time. ALthough they tend to go up and down together during busy/quiet periods, correlation varies. So you have to search depending on your budget and preferred location.
But make certain you choose A380 and window seat, row 2 or 3

Agree that the A380 is better but the A380 is now the later flight of the two. The earlier, I find, is significantly better for getting over jet lag. In fact, I find flights to Singapore/Japan/Hong Kong that depart 6pm to 7pm are the best flights jet lag wise. That is just my experience though.

For our staycations we usually stay at the Langham in TST, Ritz Carlton or the W. The Ritz has the best views and the best spa in my opinion, plus the second highest bar in the world.

The recently opened Murray has joined my top picks.

Er...perhaps that's because the A380 is better!

the upper house is brilliant but expensive

The A380 without question on this route, compared to the 777.

That being said, if CX F is available - I would take that over either of the BA services.

I've got a soft spot for the Harbour Grand (on HK Island, near Causeway). The Club rooms have good views over the harbour, afternoon snacks and drinks, and it's very convenient for the MTR. It's not one of the prestige luxury brands yet it is very pleasant, the staff are nice, and the prices are not stratospheric.

GIven a choice I would fly there on the A380, in any cabin.

I've not flown this route on BA (which might be telling in itself!) but the earlier 777 flight timing will be better for jetlag whilst the later 380 is a more modern F cabin. However these are first world problems and I recently started making decisions based more on how I would feel at the destination and, given you will be up front on both, I would say in most practical terms its pretty marginal. The new F soft product will (unless you are going in the next few weeks) be bedded in and so the experience should (with the exception of the hard product) be near identical.

Knowing how discombobulating travel to the far east can be, and the fact that F, in my experience, is more about the luck of which CC you get than the aircraft you travel in, I would take the earlier 777, sit back with a nice Dartington flute of LGPS or tumbler of JWBlue, and feel sorry for the poor pax behind you who will almost certainly feel the bigger delta between the 777 & 380 in their respective travel classes than you would in F :)

A380 every time.

We stayed in the Four Seasons (booked through Virtuoso for additional benefits) and thought it was superb.

Also be sure to take full advantage of Downtown Check in to get rid of your luggage on the final day. MTR > Privileges and Complimentary Services
If you don't you'll be stuck at the check-in desk until 2 hours before the flight when you could be in the lounges enjoying a spa treatment, shower and full dinner.

Without. A. Doubt.

The A380 is better than the 777, but CX F is significantly better than either of them if you can find an acceptable price.

If price isn't an issue I would choose the old Mandarin Oriental or the Upper House for the hotel. They're the best two in HK all things considered. The Four Seasons is beginning to get a little tired, and the Ritz whilst nice is in the middle of nowhere.

4 hours before departure. BA counters in HKG open around 19:30 for early check-in, and 20:30 for all counters. But I do agree, best to check in at Hong Kong Station or Kowloon Station earlier in the day, so you don't have to drag your bags across town, or spend the afternoon and evening in the Wing and Pier F for massages, bathtubs, nap rooms, sit down dining and the bars.

Might I also suggest the Ritz Carlton, the harbour view from the rooms facing the harbour side are fantastic. (Given good weather of course) It is just next to Kowloon Station, which there also is a shopping mall connecting the hotel to the station.

And of course, A380 for the hard product, but 777 if you want to see if you're lucky with an empty cabin, though sometimes, both flights will be full.

This is fairly well documented...although I would probably still seriously consider an early flight on a 777 to minimise those 3am wide-awakies, especially if its a one-off/rare treat where the excitement of F travel and a city break will mitigate much of the pain.

Only for the next few days.

Choose CX.

Choose CX or QR via Doha if not too much of a problem.

BA F is of course a great product - compared to other travel classes - but heavily depending on the crew you get so do yourself a favour and have high but reasonable expectations.

Also worth to note that QR Q suites will provide you a superior experience in J (other frequent fliers can challenge me on this one) compared to BA F, so I would consider to save the money on the flight, buy a J Qatar ticket, and splash out the money on a great hotel room in HKG (in example in the Ritz Carlton).

The above would be my choice but of course, you have your own considerations I guess. Anyway have a good flight!

HKG in F is one of the rare case when I am quite happy with BA and I would not choose QR and a Doha stop. A long night flight, a good plane (A380) and in 5 single flights - two as couple and three as family of 4 - I never had crew issues.
I don't know for CX. I would really like to try its F (wishful thinking, as I don't think I'll be able to - too many Avios needed, too high the cash price) however, a said before, I like BA to/from HKG.

Is it swapping? Summer timetable I guess? Then it becomes a no-brainer!

Less a case of it swapping now than of the (apparently temporary) swap this season coming to an end with the end of the season.

There have been no signs yet of the swap being reintroduced for NW 2019/20.

I would choose QR / Q suites over BA F, even on an A380.....

There is also a Harbour Grand on Kowloon side which is a bit of a hidden gem now the MTR has opened up next to it. Being that side of the water the views are fantastic and it's a bit more like 'real' Hong Kong.

If you are likely to travel around, then I enjoy using the public transport in Hong Kong.
Once you know you will use public transport, then Harbour Grand is a great choice.
However, it is not like Pacific Place - strolling from there is possible. Strolling from Harbour Grand is not so interesting.

Rosewood has only just opened on Kowloon side to superb reviews, may be some deals?

Could someone point me to a site / guide to HK? I know nothing at all about the place, but quite fancy a trip there for a few days having seen bits on the telly. Not fussed on shopping, just walking / sights / the real HK would be good for us.

Hi

The Hong Kong forum here on FT offers excellent advice;

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hong-kong-macau-436/

I do like the Lonely planet guide books and DK Eyewitness guide books.

Also I was there in the 1st week of December 2018 and loved all the christmas decorations

Also the official tourist site

Discover Hong Kong - Official Travel Guide from the Hong Kong Tourism Board

Regards

TBS