Super quick and brief - asia palooza 07 in bullet points
Jan 24, 2007, 11:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1MM *G (recovered GS), SPG Nothing, Hilton Nothing, AA Nothing
Posts: 895
Super quick and brief - asia palooza 07 in bullet points
Here's a quick review:
Oh, and Will Smith was apparently in the gym at the Park Hyatt one day as reported by some of my colleagues. Rah rah. Still doesn't beat the time I saw Britney Spears -- not 5 feet away from me -- working out in the Park Hyatt Sydney.
Any questions?
-C
- UA DFW-ORD -- On time, interesting trip with commuting NRSA/Pilot next to me. Absolutely fantastic FA service on this leg! ^
- ORD IFL - very friendly folks, easy to find/use, good food selection.
- ORD-NRT - very nice, attentive service in F, ontime arrival, typically efficient NRT staff though customs was a bit slow.
- Docomo roaming for US mobile users worked great now that I know where to find the kiosk.
- Cerulean Tower Tokyo, take one: clean, attentive, polite, delicious breakfast.
- Moved to the Park Hyatt for 5 nights. Possibly the best hotel I've ever visited. Exquisite rooms. Incredibly thoughtful, almost psychic service. Case in point: as a Hyatt Gold Passport member (no status, just a member), I was entitled to a free morning beverage (that's about JPY 1200 or USD 10 off). I marked the doorknob card for 8am. Went to the Gym at about 7, which by the way is fantastic and exactly the spot filmed in Lost in Translation, and was happily working out, past 8. Staff guy comes up, "Excuse me Mr. CTW, but you asked for coffee at 8. Would you like us to bring it up here?". Leave aside the fact that they knew my name without my speaking to anyone, this is a whole new level of service IME. The guy was almost frantic -- how can we help you?!? I asked them to bring it to the room in 10 minutes, and he seemed happy with that. Case 2: washed some workout clothes and left them to dry on the tub. Went off to a meeting. Came back a bit later after room cleaning, and the clothes were neatly arranged. Left again. When I returned later, the clothes were now arranged on a small drying rack that had been brought up. Case 3: last night in Tokyo was out VERY late and drank a lot. Hurting before bus ride to airport. As we went to get on the bus, the bellman gave us bottles of water for the ride. HIGHLY recommend the Park Hyatt Tokyo. ^ ^
- NRT-PVG, NH C class: really friendly service, and love the Business lounge at NRT. Food on the flight was so-so, and the while the movie selection was great, they turn off the IFE 30 minutes prior to landing, cutting off the end of the movie in many cases!
- Shanghai Hilton -- near death experience in taxi from PVG, but at least it was fairly quick. Hilton had a very nice Sichuan restaurant, and an even better gym. Had a massage as well for the full experience. The Hilton looked as if it must have been brand new and fantastic in about 1987, but although it was no Park Hyatt Tokyo it was definitely clean and fine.
- PVG - PEK on Shanghai Airlines. 763 with a F cabin that was a bit threadbare. Food like you'd get in coach circa 1982 and only Bud for the beer selection. No IFE. But, nice service for me and the one other person in F. I recommend not using PVG if travelling to PEK on Shanghai air, instead take one of the much more frequent flights from the closer in Shanghai airport. Another note: had to purchase a paper ticket for this flight at PVG on my arrival as they don't seem to do eTickets.
- Beijing Kempinski at Lufthansa Center. Great limo pickup in a big BMW with mineral water, etc. Hotel is pretty good, another 1980s special, with a Paulaner beer garden in the back (welcome after all that sushi and chinese food). Didn't try the gym but the room service breakfast was fine.
- NH return PEK NRT was good, except for the Air China business lounge in PEK with the screaming kids. I like kids, but they shouldn't be screaming in an airport lounge. Again, the NH IFE got cut off -- does anyone know how the 2006 Japanese film "Udon" ends?
Sat for a bit waiting for my airport bus -- there is a Starbucks down by the JR ticket office, a couple of escalators down from where you come out of customs. - Cerulean Tower, take two. Got to room, but it reeked of smoke, despite my booking a nonsmoking room. Called down, but they said there were no other rooms 'of that type' (granted it was a smallish, cheaper room on a very low rate $179/night). I said I wanted to talk to the manger, who came up -- I said, "are you telling me there is not one nonsmoking room in the whole hotel?" and he said yes. I was polite but firm, saying I stayed there a lot, my office was nearby, and me and my colleagues might have to find another hotel to use -- and that I was completely unhappy and unsatisfied. He left, bowing and apologizing the whole time. So I resigned myself to the smoky room -- but 10 minutes later the doorbell rang, and here he was to move me to the executive floor. Much nicer room, with free continental breakfast. And this morning the view of snow-covered Mt Fuji -- in a clear sky -- from the lounge was just beautiful. Good move on their part moving me to that room as I may now feel compelled to book the more expensive room!
- Almost done. Now sitting in the NRT F lounge on my way on UA NRT-IAD. Let's review just what has happened since I arrived at NRT on the bus: Waited perhaps 5 seconds at F checkin -- TA apologized for the wait. Used the secret F priority security which reminded me of the LH FCL in FRA it was so empty. Arrived at NH F lounge, sat down, and within 10 seconds a lady came up and asked if i wanted a drink. Drink comes in < 1 minute, "sorry about the wait". Beer done, she comes back, "another?". Of course! < 1 minute later, "sorry to keep you waiting". At the F checkin, I told the TA, "did i even have to wait?" and she said, "well there were several people standing when you arrived, and first class passengers shouldn't have to wait". ^ ^ ^
Oh, and Will Smith was apparently in the gym at the Park Hyatt one day as reported by some of my colleagues. Rah rah. Still doesn't beat the time I saw Britney Spears -- not 5 feet away from me -- working out in the Park Hyatt Sydney.
Any questions?
-C
Jan 25, 2007, 1:07 am
#2
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,745
Fun report! Quick and easy to read, with great highlights. I was glad to read the Park Hyatt Tokyo was amazing. It needs to be in my future. And it was pleasing to read that the NRT UA IFL gave such good service.
Jan 25, 2007, 1:41 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1MM *G (recovered GS), SPG Nothing, Hilton Nothing, AA Nothing
Posts: 895
Wirelessly posted (RIM BlackBerry 8700c: Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.02; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320) BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)
Thanks sd1k for the positive feedback.
Followup; UA 804 NRT-IAD was fine in F - good service but not overly so. Arrival at IAD, particularly the circus at international baggage claim and the taxi hawkers who always seem to be lurking, was the usual letdown after even PVG and certainly after NRT.
Nice to be home though!
-C
Thanks sd1k for the positive feedback.
Followup; UA 804 NRT-IAD was fine in F - good service but not overly so. Arrival at IAD, particularly the circus at international baggage claim and the taxi hawkers who always seem to be lurking, was the usual letdown after even PVG and certainly after NRT.
Nice to be home though!
-C
Jan 25, 2007, 9:25 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
Another note: had to purchase a paper ticket for this flight at PVG on my arrival as they don't seem to do eTickets.
Jan 25, 2007, 9:34 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: PHL (and sometimes BKK)
Programs: aa/ua gold; mar titanium. SPG till I die.
Posts: 15,648
$179 for the Cerulean tower in Tokyo is a steal. My company's rate is a bit more but probably less restricted (offices are next door, like I'll ever get to go ). I stayed there last time I was in Tokyo and between my friend and I, I think it came out to about $240/night.
Location = awesome. Nuff said.
). I stayed there last time I was in Tokyo and between my friend and I, I think it came out to about $240/night.Location = awesome. Nuff said.