oneworld82

The menu read as follow:

Caviar from Service Cart

Caviar with the traditional Garnishes

Choice of Appetizers

Marinated Norwegian Salmon with Lime Cream and Keta Caviar

Herb crusted Tenderloin of Beef with Caesar Salad

Green Pea Mousse on Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese in Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

Mixed seasonal Leaf Salad with Zucchini, Bell Pepper and Olive, presented with your

Choice of Orange Mustard or Macadamia Nut Dressing

Sorbet

Yogurt Vervain Sorbet with Raspberry and Bell Pepper Jus, can be refined with Olive

Oil as recommended by Joachim Wissler

Choice of Main Courses

Creamy Veal Goulash with Bell Pepper, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Potato Gnocchi

Sole in Lemon Sauce filled with Lobster, accompanied by Green Asparagus and

Couscous

Breast of Corn-fed Poulard with Tarragon Black Morel Cream, caramelized Carrots

and smoked Paella Rice

Swabian Dumplings filled with Ricotta Cheese and Leaf Spinach, thickened Tomato

Vegetable Stock with Marjoram

Selection of Cheese and Dessert

Mölltaler Almkäse, a Carinthia Alp Cheese, Normandy Camembert, Rosso di Langa,

Blu di Bufala and Cabrissac Goat Cheese with GrThis time, I only had two appetizers with the caviar. I know I know, I am watching my waistline! The table was set swiftly, and it looked as good as on my previous flight. This time I got a lot of good bread and the Lufthansa, First Class-branded signature butter!apes and roasted Pecan Nuts

Black Forest Cake “Joachim Wissler” with Chocolate and Licorice Sauce

Iced Mocha Foam with Cru de Cacao and Orange


The amuse bouche was served. It was a salmon crostino of sort, very good.



This time, I only had two appetizers with the caviar. I know I know, I am watching my waistline! The table was set swiftly, and it looked as good as on my previous flight. This time I got a lot of good bread and the Lufthansa, First Class-branded signature butter!


Fancy butter


Lots of yummy bread





The caviar service was better this time, as the condiments were brought out together with a generous serving of roes and with toasted bread. Man, this stuff is seriously addictive. I mean, it really tastes good. I find it sad that many people will never try this amazing treat in their life, either because too expensive or because their judgement is obfuscated by lesser types of eggs. Oh well, I will have some more of it thinking about them then…


Caviar service


Lots of roes this time - the cabin was only half full


Condiments


Toasted bread!

The two appetizers were equally as yummy. The salmon was good, meaty, tasty.


Salmon

The marinated beef was a real winner of the dinner though. The sauce was just perfect – don’t let the appearance fool you! The dill gave the meat that extra punch that still makes me salivate when I think about it. Lufthansa definitely got its catering right.



Shortly after I was done with my appetizers, my main arrived. For the occasion I chose the veal goulash – I was feeling very Mittel-European today. Another great dish, which I washed off with a glass of 2006 Chateau Olivier (good, not excellent. I tend to prefer Italian reds). The meat was perfectly tender, the sauce flavorful.


Veal goulash

To finish off another great meal I had some (more) cheese, since I really can’t say no to this stuff. The attendant put a little plate together with all the six (!) types of cheese they had on board, and which I thoroughly enjoyed. By the way, the eye-sweating had already started half way through the goulash. Oh well.


Say cheese!

During my meal I watched a very engaging Japanese movie – Wara No Tate – a sad story of cop duty, I love Japanese cinema, there is something about it that really clicks with me. Its dense psychology gives meaning to stories that Hollywood would instead make bland and meaningless. The introspection found in Japanese movies reminds me very much of European cinema – a nice change from all those Hollywood blockbuster all action and no brain.

The amenity kit I was handed at departure – as a side note – was different from the one I received in the US, but equally well-stocked with La Marine products. The only real negative note of the flight was the pajama. While it was the same one I was handed in DFW, they didn’t have any Medium size left. I was so handed a XL, which was way too big for me! How Lufthansa could run out of pajamas in First Class with only 4 passengers bugs me a little.


Amenity kit

In any case, landing time approached quickly, and we arrived in Dubai about 25 minutes ahead of schedule.


Reading light

To top off the flight, Lufthansa offers its First Class customers Marhaba Service on the ground, which means: escort guiding you through the hallway; buggy ride to passport check; priority passport line; porters. Not bad (although I declined the buggy ride which – in retrospect – I regret since my carry on was getting heavy with all those amenity kits and pajamas collected along the way!).

So, the jury is out and the verdict is in. What do I think of the acclaimed, 5 stars Lufthansa First Class? Well, it’s honestly a great product. While some bloggers out there probably over-hyped it too much, it’s definitely a rock-solid product that deserves all the fame and attention that it is getting. Notably, the catering was great and the service super attentive – a nice departure from some North American carriers. Plus, the First Class product in the B744 is probably among the top 5 in the World (thanks to that amazing bed), although not among the most private. I feel like 75,000 United miles for this trip were totally worth it, and I wouldn't mind flying it again in the (even near) future. What can I say… Star Alliance is impressing me more and more! Great job!

LM225

This is really incredible stuff, oneworld82. Thanks for sharing! Great photos, and lots of inspiration for our upcoming trip. Though I'll probably have to either broach the Porsche rental issue very carefully with my fiance, or leave her in the FCT while I "go walk around the airport for a few hours"

oneworld82

That sounds like a good plan

SFO777

Just waking up in Milan this morning and your fabulous report on the FRA-DXB flight was a treat. Great pics and narrative as always. Am really interested in your EY First report as we are flying them for the first time next month AUH-JFK.

oneworld82

Thanks, Sir. I wish I had as many trips in First lined up as you do!
Btw, don't miss Navigli near Bocconi University in Milan for Aperitivo (7.30-10pm every night) - it would be a pity to miss Milan's best social scene. The famous "Milano da bere"... Oh and pick up some Aperol

oneworld82

I have been to Dubai various times. I like the place. I wouldn’t mind moving here. I like the Middle East, to me it’s very fascinating. And what I like most of Dubai is its hotels. I have had the luck to stay at both the Ritz-Carltons, the InterContinental Festival City, the Sheraton Deira among the others. I love the luxury and the service you get here – it’s just ridiculous and unthinkable in the West. This time I decided to give the Grand Hyatt a try. The main reason for this choice was the location, since the hotel is pretty close to the airport. The fact that it’s an acclaimed 5 star hotel helped as well.

The cab ride took about five minutes.





The Grand Hyatt is certainly a big hotel, with big swimming pools and 14 restaurants. Once arrived a porter took care of my luggage while I checked in. The lobby of the hotel is large, with marble floors and high ceilings. It definitely looks grand. I received a complimentary upgrade to a deluxe room – an always welcome surprise. The staff at the front desk was very nice, and both the check-in women working were from Greece. They were talkative and affable. I was on the 9th floor, on the back side of the hotel.







The room was large and very nice indeed. This is a real 5 stars hotel – marble in the bathroom, granite counters, deep-soaking bathtub, large shower, toilet and bidet. The bed – king size – was very comfortable; the living area of the room was great. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a great view of the nothingness beyond Dubai (after all, we are in the desert).



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Like I mentioned, the bathroom was large, stylish – in line with any good Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons restroom. I found the bathtub a bit narrow, although the finishing and the mosaic on the wall were outstanding. As an Italian, I love bidets – and this room had one! Enough talking, some pictures.










Toilet... and bidet! Yay!

Feeling jet-lagged (and very guilty) I headed to the gym for a quick workout – the gym had everything you can desire. Too bad that the spa was closed at this ungodly hour – I would really have liked to check it out.







What I liked of the gym is that an elevator brings guests from the floors directly into the gym – without needing to go through the common areas of the hotel. I really liked that, as I usually do not like walking all sweaty among well-dressed and well-polished guests! Nonetheless, I took some pics of the ground level, where the restaurants are located. This area is very nicely landscaped to resemble a forest of sort. Well done Hyatt!



Once back to the room, I took a nice bath and managed to sleep for about 3 hours. Once up (my wake up call was timely) I made some coffee (by the way, the minibar was very well-stocked) and got ready for my limo to Abu Dhabi.







The ride to Abu Dhabi – on a very comfortable and luxurious van – lasted about a hour. In no time I was ready for the next chapter of this adventure.


Dubai Marina

Overall, the Grand Hyatt Dubai is a very good hotel, on par with other 5 stars in town. I enjoyed my short stay very much and I would definitely give this hotel another go on my next trip to the city. If I were looking for a beach or R&R holiday, though, I would chose a hotel near Dubai Marina, as the beach there is in my opinion a huge benefit to any property. Au revoir, Dubai.

spizzy

Great TR. I must try LH F & the FCT.

oneworld82

Thanks spizzy

Working on it!

coiaflyer

Great TR! I especially love the photos.

oneworld82

Alright, time for the last leg of this unusual and very personal Kangaroo Route. 3 First Class segments in three days is no small feat – if you ask me. Just think about it. Flying DFW-FRA-DXB and AUH-SYD is a staggering 9.5+6.5+14 hours in First Class. That equals 30 hours in more or less 48 hours. That means A LOT of food, unhealthy drinks, and R&R with basically zero physical activity. Really, it’s more than a normal person can possibly take in. And my body felt it. But no worries. I am an ethical writer and for the sake of writing a good, exhaustive, and unbiased trip report I have not subtracted myself from my eating/drinking/watching movies/sleeping duties. After all, Etihad Airways has been recently chosen as best first class by Skytrax at the annual Airline Awards. To say that I was eager to see by myself how that happened is an understatement. Is this accolade deserved? Read on and judge by yourself…


Finally here

Etihad is an airline that has fancied my imagination for a while, and I was very excited to finally try its Diamond First Class, even more so after winning the First Class of the Year 2013 Skytrax award (like I mentioned above). Private suites and on board chef are two among the many things I was very eager to try; the sense of luxury that the airline emanates through its commercials and communication campaigns allured me. Etihad – and Emirates – are the epitome of excess in the sky. Think about the latter: that unnecessary minibar or snack basket that they put on and off your seat, for instance; it’s totally superficial, and offering Pringles isn’t properly luxurious. Still, this excess is something that fancies many travelers. Many complain about Middle Eastern carriers’ lack of personal touch – think Cathay Pacific for instance. And I found that to be true on my previous experiences with Royal Jordanian and Gulf Air economy class, for instance. But the fact that Etihad had won that Skytrax award had sneaked a thought on my mind: what if Etihad Diamond First Class was different? What if a Middle Eastern carrier had achieved to blend both excessive luxury and personable service? Well, I was very eager to find out…

The Etihad Chaffeur service that I booked online worked perfectly. The day before my flight I received a text message confirming the pick time. My driver actually arrived 15 minutes early, which was a good sign. The car (a sort of minivan but with only 3 passenger seats) was comfortable and spacious; the ride to Abu Dhabi smooth. In about a hour I was at the First and Business Class check-in area at Terminal 3 of Abu Dhabi’s airport.

Porters took care of my luggage (how nice), and a bottle of orange juice was offered. The First Class check-in area was somewhat crowded but I was served immediately. My flight had been delayed one hour, which made me worry that I might miss my connection in Sydney. The staff assured me that I would likely still make it (and they were right in the end). After a quick security check I headed to the First Class lounge.


First Class Check In Area. Please take a seat!

My impression of this lounge was simply: WOW. It might not be as big as the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, but what it lacks in size is made up by superlative service. There is a restaurant area (everything is a-la-carte), a lounge area (with view over the tarmac), a Six Senses Spa, a TV room, and a cigar lounge.

Once I stepped in I proceeded to the TV room to send some emails. After 10 seconds (no kidding!) an attendant approached me and asked whether I wanted anything to eat/drink and that he would be glad to serve me breakfast there if I wanted to. I just ordered a coffee, as I highly needed one.


Another (needed) coffee

I booked myself a treatment at the spa (among the various ones on offer) before heading to the restaurant for some breakfast.


Table set up. Only a-la-carte here!


Breakfast

The choice was easy: shakshouka and ful medames. I had the former dish for the first time in Israel last year, and it was a total winner. Think eggs cooked in a thick tomato sauce (to simplify it) and rich of flavor. This version was a bit disappointing, not because it wasn’t tasty (it was!) but because the whole dish looked and tasted more like scrambled eggs with some tomatoes here and there.


This is how shakshouka should look like...


...and this is how my dish looked like. Quite different, I would say...

The ful medames – pureed fava beans with lemon juice and parsley and a breakfast staple in the Middle East – were instead perfect.


Ful Medames

Some pita was also served to accompany and scoop the food. I asked for a cappuccino, which was decent; overall, a very good breakfast – although one of the two dishes ordered was pretty different from what any Middle Eastern would think is a real shakshouka.

Once the time came, I went to the spa for my treatment. My masseur was a Middle Eastern young man who was very polite and helped me with my hand luggage. The room was private, with soothing music, but a little small. I was asked to bend down on one of those massage chairs where you sit on your knees and let your arms float on the side… more or less. Let’s say that Qantas has a more comfortable massage bed, as I would discover afterwards, although this one wasn't by any mean uncomfortable.


Six Senses Spa

I asked for something to relieve my shoulder and neck tension, and I got exactly what I needed (i.e. 15 minutes of bliss with a male masseur playing with my upper back). It felt so good afterwards, but unfortunately the treatment was all too short. Though life. Right before my treatment I had the chance to take a look at the restroom/shower inside the spa. I am pretty sure there are other shower rooms as well, but this one in particular was very spacious and nicely decorated with Arabic tiles.


Spa restroom


I love the tiling!

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Shower

Once the massage ended, I proceeded to the main lounging area, which enjoys a nice view over the tarmac. Here a spa attendant came and put a warm sort of blanket around my neck and served me delicious ginger tea. Splendid!








Ginger tea

http://airwaysandtravels.files.wordp...pg?w=595&h=595
Great way to relax!

After purifying my body… I proceeded to the cigar lounge, of course! Although it’s much smaller than its counterpart in Frankfurt, the selection of cigar seemed better.





I had the pleasure to try a Montecristo – my first ever – and to say I thoroughly enjoyed it is to understate it. Rich in flavor, yet smooth – perfect to puff even in the morning. Good stuff.



Unfortunately, my all too short visit at the lounge came to an end at around 10:45, when boarding for my flight started. I quickly went through the First and Business Class lane, and in a matter of seconds I was at the plane’s door. A flight attendant greeted me and handed my boarding card to another attendant who escorted me to my seat, 2K. Another adventure was about to begin.

quirrow

Driving a Porsche on the Autobahn is probably one of the things on my bucket list! This is truly a great trip! You sure know how to create the best itineraries!

SFO777

Wow, very impressive F check-in and lounge facilities/amenities. We've booked Etihad Chauffer for Dubai to AUH next month. I had planned that the trip might take longer than an hour. What time did your driver pick you up from your hotel? And was there any traffic along the way?

Can't wait for the next segment!

spizzy

Really good quality Cigars there in EY F Lounge.

Was interested in trying the Etihad Diamiond product, but always found their menus didn't interest me. I look forward to your review of the product and service.

And also look forward to ADL part of it, being my home city

oneworld82

Thanks quirrow. It took some planning but I like to maximize my experience

Etihad Diamond First impressed me. The review will be published soon - working on pictures now

The F lounge at AUH is actually really nice. I haven't taken a photo of the restaurant area because I did not want to disturb guests, but it looked pretty nice and didn't feel too crowded even at breakfast time. The massage at Six Senses was very good - although nothing can beat the massage I got at the Qantas First Class lounge in Melbourne (and of which I will qrite about in due time). The service in the Etihad lounge was outstanding - even better than at the FCT is some respects. The cigar lounge was smaller but the quality of cigars better.

Etihad usually schedules a pickup 3 hours before the flight from DXB. I have driven the DXB-AUH stretch myself before, and it never took more than 1h15m. Bear in mind that I stayed close to the DXB airport, so if you stay near Downtown Dubai or Dubai Marina your trip will be 10-20 minutes shorter.

oneworld82

Attention! The following report is photo-intensive and could cause severe addiction to Etihad Airways Diamond First Class. Discretion is advised

Flight EY450, Airbus 340-600
Aug 11th, 2013, 10:15a – 6:25a+1
First Class, Seat 2K

So, Etihad Diamond First. I have longed this moment for oh-so-long! And here finally am, on my beautiful suite 2K.


My throne

What can I say… the suite was simply astounding. A king, and a throne. This is how I felt. But I will try to contain my excitement and go with a little of order.

The armchair – because this isn’t simply a seat – has a nice hazelnut palette, which is in my opinion brilliantly complemented by the black and white striped pillow and blanket.




Lots of side-storage space


Lovely palette

The TV is large, the images sharp. The doors design is modern but reminiscent of Arabic art.


Large TV

On the side of the chair there is a lot of space to store anything you might need next to you during the flight.


Lots of space here

And to make sure Emirates doesn’t have an edge, there is also a minibar with snacks and water (both Acqua Panna and Acqua San Pellegrino).


Minibar

I have never flown Emirates First and hence I cannot comment on that, but many people complain that Middle Eastern airlines’ service is attentive but not friendly. For a variety of reasons, I found this not true at all on this Etihad flight.


View from the edge of my suite








Orange-filled date and chocolate

First of all, the onboard chef, David. He was a jovial fella, always smiling and willing to chit chat and to suggest dishes to satisfy your cravings. Etihad – by adopting this concept from Gulf Air – really gained an edge in the sky, if you ask me (it’s not a secret that the current EY’s CEO is the former CEO of GF…).

Then, there were the flight attendants. The crew serving my aisle included an Indian woman and an Australian one; both of them were very pleasant and smiling. The only FA who fit the stereotype was a Filipina attendant who was very efficient but who didn’t crack a smile – perhaps that happened because she served my aisle at the very end of the flight, and after 11 hours of work you probably don’t feel like smiling that much anymore…

As soon as I sat in, David came in to offer me a drink. I opted for the rose’ Henriot Brut Rose’ NV Champagne; I am a huge fan of rose’ champagne as aperitif, and this one didn’t disappoint.


Ready to go!