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Booking

Last November, Asiana opened the floodgates for F award availability. It might’ve been a mistake, as seats tightened up not too long after, but not before I managed to snag a couple of awards 10 months out.

Having just come home from our last Japan trip a couple of months before booking this one, there was still much that my wife and I wanted to see and do. After this trip, that hasn’t changed and we can’t wait to go back. But after some planning, plenty of waffling and some last-minute re-planning, our itinerary -- and the structure of this report -- ended up looking like this:

• Airspace Lounge BWI, BWI-JFK on DL Y and Hilton JFK
• Swiss Business Lounge JFK and JFK-ICN on OZ F (Suites)
• OZ F Lounge ICN, ICN-NRT on OZ C
• Hyatt Regency Tokyo (Atrium Suite)
• Tokyo Days One and Two
• Tokyo Days Three and Four
• A night in Hakone at the beautiful Gora Kadan
• NRT-ICN on OZ C and the Grand Hyatt Incheon (Formerly Hyatt Regency Incheon)
• ICN-JFK on OZ F (Suites), DL Flagship T4 Sky Club and JFK-BWI on DL Y

I’ll link above to the respective sections in the report as I add them, so feel free to follow along there.

As mentioned, the OZ flights were booked with US Airways miles, at 120K each. The positioning flights were booked with SkyMiles (thanks to FT’er O Sora for trading those to me, and for taking us to lunch in Yokohama -- more on that later).

The Hilton was booked with 40,000 HHonors points. Both Hyatt Regency stays were booked with cash + points (6,000 points + $75USD for Tokyo, 4,000 + $55USD for Incheon), and both were upgraded with a couple of DSU’s. I was annoyed at “wasting” a DSU on a single night at an airport hotel, but it was expiring and I would’ve lost it anyway. In the end, I was actually very happy with the redemption...when you see the new re-branded Grand Hyatt Incheon (and the beautiful suite we got), you’ll hopefully understand why.

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Airspace Lounge BWI, BWI-JFK on DL Y and Hilton JFK

Arriving at BWI at 5PM on a Sunday night, we wandered into a crowded terminal, and then a much-less-crowded Airspace Lounge.



Every seat facing the TV’s was taken by football fans, but since I care about football almost as much as I care about provincial elections in Uzbekistan, I was happy to find the tables without TV views mostly empty.

The Airspace Lounge is a fantastic addition to BWI. It wouldn’t be anything too special in many bigger airports, but it’s the quietest, most comfortable place to sit around here.

Entry (free with Amex Plat) gets you a $7 credit per person towards F&B, which makes a cheese board, charcuterie plate and a couple of beers net out at around $15. Plus, it’s exciting to see really good beers at the airport.





Hard to beat that for airport grub.

There are some free snack and drink options too, along with Peet’s coffee.



Eventually, we headed for our gate to board our Delta regional hop up to JFK.

With an average delay of 51 minutes, I was happy to see us take off on time. I didn’t snap many photos, as this segment wasn’t really going to be a highlight of the trip.



I know folks love to hate on regional jets, but this Chautauqua Airlines ERJ-135 was perfectly fine for the short 50-minute flight.

Deplaning at JFK Terminal 2, on the other hand, is what I imagine arriving in Baghdad feels like.



Tired, worn, overcrowded, seemingly completely forgotten by Delta. This place is in need of a lot of TLC, probably best administered by a wrecking ball.

We made our way to the AirTrain and over to the Federal Circle stop, where the hotel shuttle was waiting. A short ride later, we pulled up at the Hilton.

This is my favorite of the airport options at JFK, as it’s new, clean and I get great treatment as a Gold; a total commodity status which I’ve admittedly not earned through any sort of loyalty to Hilton.

We were upgraded to a King room on the executive floor, which was more than large enough for our 12-hour stay.



The modern bathrooms help set the Hilton apart from the older hotels:



And my absolute favorite thing about this hotel revealed itself the following morning: the awesome views of the airport, where I could sit and watch the jumbos land for hours.



In the morning, we stopped by the club lounge for a quick coffee and breakfast before hopping back on the shuttle to JFK for the flight we’ve been waiting a long, long time for...

HangukStyle

Wow, that surely is a room with a view!

FlyingDoctorwu

Been waiting for this one! And yes you are slacking .

Fdw

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Swiss Business Lounge JFK and JFK-ICN on OZ F (Suites)

I had a couple of work calls in the morning, and we headed to the airport early so that I wouldn’t have to do them in transit. Arriving at JFK Terminal 4 at around 9:15AM, we waited until 9:30 for the Asiana counter to open.

Once it did, check-in was smooth. I had been able to secure 2D and 2G, the middle seats, a couple of months before thanks to a trick found in the Asiana forum here. It wouldn’t have been a problem for this flight anyway, as there was only one other passenger in F, but with an 8/8 cabin on the return, I was very happy to have secured the seats in advance.

The agent had us on our way in just a couple of minutes.

Security was a different story, as the nude-o-scope had seemingly stopped working right before we got there. Rather than send everyone through the metal detector right next to it, the six TSA agents on duty elected to stand and stare at each other blankly, casting the occasional nonchalant glance at the rapidly growing line of travelers, until the machine kicked back on about ten minutes later.

We got to an empty Swiss Business Lounge just after 10AM...



Some basic snacks and drinks on offer...







We didn’t try any of the food, choosing instead to “save ourselves” for the flight.

I settled in to do some work while the wife went window shopping and planespotting.



A pretty cool juxtaposition, I thought...



And a few gates down, our own ride to Seoul...



At T-50, we made our way over to the gate just as boarding was about to start. We were quickly waved through and shown to our seats.



Wow. As cool as I tried to play it, I’m sure my excitement was obvious as I made like my three-year old nephew and started pushing and opening everything I could find.

The TV, at 32”, feels huge on an airplane.



And most of the suite is controlled by a touch screen in the arm rest.



While I was exploring, the purser came over to introduce herself and welcome us onboard (“hurry up lady, I’ve still got buttons to jam!”). She apologized -- for some reason -- for the long flight time of 14 hours, offered pajamas and handed us menus, explaining that we could eat whenever we’d like.



“How’s ASAP?”

A few more views of the suite...







The amenity kits included Bvlgari toiletries, which I’m told is a fairly good thing.



No booze on the ground at JFK, so we had some water and waited to take off. As we got strapped in and ready to taxi, the FA came over and told me something that surprised me.

“Don’t worry that we’re not in the cabin during takeoff, as we’ll be able to see you from that camera right there in case you need anything...”





I had no idea that that camera existed, and smiled and thanked her as I silently noted to myself to try and not do anything embarrassing when I thought nobody was watching.

We got a great skyline view on our takeoff roll, and only a few minutes after our scheduled departure, we were off...



As soon as we hit 10,000 feet, the FA’s jumped into action, offering us drinks and taking our meal orders. The only other passenger in the cabin went straight to sleep, so we had nearly the entire staff to ourselves for most of the flight.

On FlyingDoctorWu’s suggestion, we both started with the Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill. A smart decision, which we both repeated twice more before the food festivities began.

We began our Korean meal with caviar service, as one does...



Then tasty gingko nuts and dried dates...



Followed by good-but-slightly-less-tasty crab-stuffed turnip rolls...



And pumpkin porridge, which some don’t like but I’m a big fan of...



At this point, I switched to the Louis Jadot Corton Pougets Grand Cru 2007, which I really enjoyed. And then, the star...



This bibimbap is probably the reason that the dining table is so huge in this suites.

(Well, that and the fact that the ottoman can seat a dining guest. When I pointed this out to my wife, she didn’t hesitate to note that “you’re welcome to come eat here, but I’m not getting out of this seat to sit on your footstool” )

The bibimbap was absolutely fantastic, some of the best food I’ve eaten on an airplane.

Next came a fruit plate...



I normally despise melon in fruit plates, as it’s a lesser fruit often used as filler in place of better (but pricier) fruits. But this melon was delicious. Sweet, juicy and not a hint of that bland wateriness that I dislike about most melon.

The extravaganza concluded with some Korean cookies and peppermint tea, ordered in the naive hope that it would help me digest a bit faster and feel less full so that I could comfortably sleep.



At this point, we had our beds made, closed the suite doors and got to relaxing.

I watched the riveting airshow...



While my wife took in one of the most lauded films of the year (by five year-olds).



I flipped through the IFE and settled on Chef, which was entertaining enough to keep me engaged for about 90 minutes before I fell asleep.

The beds in these suites are very comfortable. I slept easily and soundly. My only complaint is that the touch screen control will light up with the slightest nudge, and stays lit quite brightly for about 15 seconds.



So if you’re a light-sensitive sleeper (as I am), bring an eye mask, as it’s not included in the amenity kit.

The star lighting on the ceiling was a nice touch.



I woke up with about 90 minutes left in the flight. Before we landed, one final meal was served.



I had the gomtang, which was fantastic with plenty of the chili paste mixed in (not pictured).



Almost in Seoul by this time, we took the scenic route to avoid Dear Leader’s backyard, and landed soon after.



All in all, a great flight, a wonderful crew, too much good food and a terrific way to kick off our trip...

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Indeed

Heh, hope you enjoy. Will finish up right away, sir

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OZ F Lounge ICN, ICN-NRT on OZ C

With a two-hour layover before our flight to Tokyo, so we headed straight for the F lounge. Great luck with lounges so far, as this one was empty, too.



Lots of cozy nooks and comfortable places to sit.





A bar on offer, with some other pretty good food choices, including freshly prepared grilled rice cakes, which I forgot to snap pictures of.





The lounge also has showers, and a few massage chairs.



There are also luggage lockers in case you want to leave your bags and go wandering around the airport, which we did for a bit.

Not much time here, but pleased with the lounge.

Soon, we headed to our gate for one final hop to our destination. Originally slated to be on a 747 with F seats (and C service), our ride was swapped for this A321 a month or so before our trip. So, no lie-flat, but for a 1:50 flight, no problem.

The seats are similar to domestic F here in the US.





The wife napped while I considered the dinner options, but ultimately was too full and opted out, going for one last cup of tea instead. So, not much to share here.

The flight was smooth and uneventful, and we were soon at Narita airport. We were through immigration in only 15 minutes, and with no checked bags, boarded an empty Narita Express and headed for Shinjuku...

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Hyatt Regency Tokyo (Atrium Suite)

We arrived to a nearly empty lobby just after 11PM, and were quickly checked in.



As mentioned, I had used a DSU to upgrade us into an Atrium Suite, which we were very happy with.

The bathroom was probably the coolest part of the suite...



Complete with a friendly toilet that greeted you by lifting its lid when you entered the room.

The view of the bathtub/shower area from the bedroom was a bit weird...



But we soon figured out that there’s a mechanical blind that can be lowered with the push of a button that makes the window pretty opaque. I’m an early riser, so the blind was helpful as my wife didn’t get woken up by the bathroom light when I woke up.



Unfortunately, the Atrium suite is only available with two full beds. A big con, in my opinion.

The living room had a big desk, which became my office for the next few days:



And a fun welcome note from management...





There were also some very nice welcome gifts on the coffee table, including wine, fruits (which were replenished daily) and some cookies.



One thing I loved about this hotel/room, which is a pet peeve of mine at many hotels, is that there was always enough (complimentary) bottled water. Six bottles when we checked in, and a couple new ones delivered each day.

The “balcony” was pretty strange, as it looked out onto the hotel atrium. The only time I stepped onto it for the duration of our stay was to take this photo.



The minibar was built into a “trap door” in the wall, and included a Nespresso machine:



And while the Hyatt Regency is, undoubtedly, a large business hotel, it doesn’t really feel that way from the Club floors. At least it didn’t while we were there, which may have been a quiet week.

We had most of our breakfasts in the Club Lounge, which was comfortable and airy, with lots of natural light:



And big windows and pleasant views:



Breakfast was good, with hot western options and fruit, yogurt and juices, among other things:







I actually really like having a salad bar at breakfast. When we’re traveling, we try and seek out tasty local foods and have memorable meals. Rarely does that include raw vegetables, so we get those in at breakfast.

Up next: four days of sights and (even more) gluttony in Tokyo.

FlyingDoctorwu

Asiana F is looking great still!
The Winston Churchill is tasty...

I like how Asiana has a proper caviar spoon.. it's always a struggle to eat with a fork...

FDW

trigleek

Great TR! I hope to try OZ F someday. Thx for sharing. I never knew there were hidden cameras on planes.

Madone59

Me too, and me too ^

Thanks for sharing, and for the photos. Have a great trip.

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Tokyo Days One and Two

I knew our first day would be spent drunk with jet lag. To avoid having to think too much, I hired a tour guide, Kenji, to take us to some sights we missed last time, and take us back to some spots we wanted to revisit.

First stop, Rikugi-en garden, a beautiful 300-year-old Japanese garden.











Next, a quick swing by the always-crowded Asakusa temple...









And on our way home, a walk through beautiful Meiji Shrine.





By late afternoon, we were exhausted from the jet lag, so we grabbed a bowl of ramen at Rokurinsha in Tokyo station and headed back to the hotel.

The next day, we were up in the early hours of the morning, so we rode over to Tsukiji market.

Walking through the huge market, some impressive fish on display...







Then, on to one of our favorite spots from our last visit, Ueno Park.





We then stopped into Henri Charpentier in Ginza on our way home for a couple of stunning pastries, and to admire their handiwork.











Both were very good, and they would be our lunch, as we had big plans for dinner.

I was surprising my wife with tickets to the Jake Shimabukuro concert at Billboard Live. But since I got them on short notice, we didn’t have time to grab reservations at any of the restaurants we really wanted to try in Roppongi.

So instead, we decided to try the Tokyo outpost of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, a restaurant we loved in Paris.

Our seats at the counter gave us a great view of...well, this jambon, and not much else.



But the meal was outstanding.

Starting with an amuse bouche of pork rillettes.



I started with the jambon...maybe subconsciously I was hoping that if they sliced a bit off the top, I’d get a better view of the kitchen

Either way, it was melt-in-your-mouth terrific.



While the wife had the beautiful salmon tartar.



Next, I tried the duck liver ravioli in chicken broth. Probably the least impressive dish of the night.



And my wife ordered the gazpacho, which was much better.



We both had the wagyu l’entrecote -- easily our favorite dish of the meal. Perfectly cooked, incredibly tender and seasoned just right (that is to say, not very much).



La Tendance Chocolat for dessert, and we were sufficiently fueled for the taxing two hours of sitting still we had coming up



The show was excellent. If you haven’t seen Jake play the ukelele on YouTube before, check it out here. Truly impressive.



Billboard Live is a fun venue, too, with the curtains rising to reveal a nice view of the city (hard to see here).



Up next, lunch with a FT’er in Yokohama, visiting Kamakura and climbing Mt. Takao.

LM225

It was great. We liked the seats better for sleeping than both new configs that we tried on LH F last year.

And agree re: the mother-of-pearl spoon. Perfect for getting every last egg out of the crevices of those jars.

Thanks, trigleek! That surprised me, too.

Many thanks, Madone59. We just got back a couple of days ago...had a blast!

Thunderroad

Nice TR! And good to learn more about Asian F. Thanks for sharing this.

benjahman

Would you recommend Kenji as a guide? I am traveling solo to Tokyo for 3 nights and have been looking to hire someone for a half day or so. Contact details would be appreciated if recommended. Thanks!