Open post

Hotel Review – Holiday Inn Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa

Upon arrival in Johannesburg from Adelaide via Doha, I checked into the Holiday Inn Rosebank in the suburbs of the city.

I had stayed at this property numerous times in the past, so I knew what to expect.

The property is reached from the airport by the comfortable and efficient Gautrain in about 35 minutes.

The train runs directly from the airport terminal and stops directly opposite the hotel. At 250 ZAR ($14 or £10) for a one-way ticket, it is quicker, easier and probably safer than doing the journey by road. Most transport apps will tell you to change trains at Marlboro, but I know from experience that the transfer is smoother at Sandton.

I reached the hotel around midday and had no problem checking in early. I was assigned room 702, coincidentally the room I had occupied on two previous stays.

This is a corner room with an unusual layout, but one which worked well for me.

The room was well equipped with a queen-size bed, shower, bathtub, mini-fridge, tea and coffee, wardrobe space and safe.

As I had already been to Johannesburg several times and seen essentially everything that the city offers, I decided to spend a relaxing few days at the hotel and the attached shopping centre.

The hotel offers an on-site restaurant, with a variety of dishes available for both lunch and dinner.

The restaurant also offers a full breakfast buffet, complete with an egg station and freshly made omelettes.

As well as the hotel restaurant, the attached shopping centre also offers a steakhouse and several fast food options.

The hotel also comes equipped with a small outdoor swimming pool, which was very pleasant in the warm February temperatures.

I stayed on a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast rate of 1,920 ZAR ($106 or £79) per night, which I considered superb value for money.

With the easy and economical transfer on the Gautrain, I can recommend this property, not only for a city stay, but also for an airport layover.

Open post

Flight Review – Qatar Airways Business Class, Doha – Johannesburg

After a quick tour of Doha and a few hours of sleep at my hotel, it was time for my connecting flight to Johannesburg.

This flight was rather oddly timed, taking off at 02:15am, but it actually worked rather well for me, as my 4am arrival in Doha had me retiring at 6pm for a few hours of sleep beforehand.

Upon boarding, I settled into seat 1A for the eight-hour flight. Although this was not the famous Qsuites product, it was a comfortable flat-bed product in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access from every seat. This is, in my opinion, the benchmark for a first rate business class hard product.

I was welcomed with a glass of champagne before departure.

After a rather spectacular night time departure from Doha, I settled down to peruse the dinner menu.

Despite the late hour, a comprehensive meal service was offered.

I chose the Black Angus beef tenderloin with bobotie sauce, which I can say without exaggeration was the best dish I have eaten on a flight. It was tender and cooked to perfection, the bobotie sauce complemented it perfectly, and it paired supremely well with an excellent Bordeaux.

I rounded off the late night meal with a nicely varied cheese platter, accompanied by a glass of port.

After a couple of cognacs, I reclined the seat to flat bed mode and slept well for around four hours. Having had a long evening nap at the hotel in Doha, this was all I needed and I awoke around two hours from Johannesburg, ready for the breakfast service.

I chose the fruit to start, followed by the omelette, served with a chicken sausage, potato rösti and mushrooms.

In conclusion, this was an excellent flight experience, and I disembarked in Johannesburg, ready for the day ahead.

 

Open post

Destination Guide – One Day in Doha, Qatar

After my Qatar Airways Qsuites experience, award flight availability had left me with a 22-hour layover in Doha, before my onward connection to Johannesburg.

Even with the superb choices of airline lounges at Doha, this is rather too long to spend at any airport, so I headed into the city for a short look around.

As most of the sights of Doha are compactly located, I decided against a guided tour, preferring to explore independently on foot.

I began my tour at the Islamic Cultural Centre, a short distance from my hotel.

Moving on towards the waterfront, I stopped to view the dhows and the famous Pearl Fountain.

A short walk along the Al-Bandar Corniche allowed me to photograph the outside of the Museum of Islamic Art, as well as the city skyline.

I made my way back to my hotel via a stop for coffee in the Souq Waqif, a lively market in the centre of the city.

My base for my layover was the Ramada Encore, located within walking distance of all of the sights mentioned above.

I found that one day was sufficient to gain a taste of Doha, as all of the major sights are within a short distance of each other.

This was a pleasant way to split up two long-haul flights, and if you have a lengthy layover, it is worth venturing out of the airport and having a look around.

I will, however add one note of caution. The temperature when I visited in February was a mild 25°C, allowing me to cover the distance on foot easily. However, summer temperatures can reach the high 40s, so in those months I would recommend taking a guided tour by car or bus.

Open post

Hotel Review – Ramada Encore, Doha, Qatar

Following a superb flight on Qatar Airways, I had a 22-hour layover in Doha. My base for this layover would be the Ramada Encore by Wyndham.

I chose this hotel based on a balance of price and convenience, as well as the availability of a smoking room.

As my layover was from around 4am to shortly after 2am, I had to book two nights at a total cost of 390 QAR ($107 or £79).

My room was in the ‘Deluxe Queen’ category and was well appointed with a queen sized bed, work desk, tea and coffee making facilities, mini fridge and safe.

The bathroom consisted only of a lavatory and shower, but was spotlessly clean and perfectly adequate.

There was also hairdryer provided, but anyone who knows the author will know that this was unnecessary.

I arrived around 5am, but as I had slept well on the flight, I spent a couple of hours catching up on some writing, before buying myself a second breakfast from the buffet.

The buffet was well varied, including chicken sausages, beef bacon, roast potatoes, scrambled eggs, pancakes, cold cuts and cheeses. The price of 60 QAR ($16 or £12) was very fair.

The hotel is also equipped with an indoor swimming pool, which I enjoyed after a walk around the city.

Picture courtesy of Expedia.

The hotel is well situated, around a ten minute taxi ride from the airport and a short walk from the Souq Waqif.

It proved to be a good choice as a base for my layover and for a few hours of sleep before my 2am connection to Johannesburg.

Open post

Flight Review – Qatar Airways Business Class Qsuites, Adelaide – Doha

Following my experience of a low-cost approximation of business class on Air Asia X, it was time for a taste of the other end of the business class spectrum, Qatar Airways’ world renowned Qsuites.

This flight had been a last minute decision, after I had been inexplicably denied an Indian eVisa, necessitating a change of plan on-the-fly, so to speak.

After sifting through award availability via several frequent flyer programs, I decided that a month in South Africa would fit the bill.

Finding that short notice award flights from Melbourne were very slim pickings indeed, I booked from Adelaide to Johannesburg, via a 22-hour layover in Doha.

After a run of the mill positioning flight on Virgin Australia, I was ready for the real deal.

Upon boarding, I settled into suite 9K, where I was served a glass of Lanson Le Rosé Brut pre-departure.

After a 10pm take off, I decided to take dinner as soon as cruising altitude was reached.

After a small tuna appetiser, I opted for the butternut squash soup, which was smooth and tasty. During the starter courses, I decided to stay with the Lanson Rosé.

In terms of the main course, I was disappointed that the Tasmanian lamb had been under-catered and was unavailable. Instead, I opted for the chicken biryani, which was instantly forgettable.

The biryani was not up to business class standard, and the barramundi would almost certainly have been a better choice.

The accompanying Languedoc Chardonnay was at least pleasant and liberally topped up.

The disappointment of the main course was short lived as I moved on to the delightful Yuzu cheesecake for dessert, along with a glass of port.

I rounded off the meal with the cheese board and another couple of glasses of port.

By this point, we were about to leave the coast of Australia with a little over ten hours of the flight remaining, so I changed into the provided sleep attire, enjoyed a few cognacs and asked the crew to make up my bed.

I slept soundly for seven full hours and awoke a little less that two hours from Doha, in time for a leisurely breakfast and coffee before the 4am landing.

I chose the assiette of cold cuts, followed by the Tuscan frittata with grilled chicken.

Upon landing, I was given a small box of Swiss chocolates and escorted to the Qatar Airways Arrivals Lounge with its attached smoking room, where I was served espresso and sparkling water.

In all honesty, long haul flights do not get much better than this. The twelve-and-a-half-hour flight time allowed for a leisurely and relaxing meal and a few drinks before a full night of sleep. I was then able to hit the ground running for my full-day layover in Doha.

All things considered, this was an excellent use of 85,000 AAdvantage miles, which included the onward connection to Johannesburg.

Open post

Hotel Review – Tune Hotel KLIA, Kuala Lumpur

Before my flight to Australia, I spent one night at the Tune Hotel KLIA, a very short distance from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal.

I booked the hotel in order to obviate the need for a very early start from my city hotel.

The hotel was very easy to find and included free parking for my rental car. This, along with the convenient location for the airport, was a deciding factor in my final choice.

I booked a single room, which was tiny but included a single bed, an en-suite shower and toilet, and a small breakfast table which doubled as a desk.

My room opened out onto an open air walkway, from where I was able to watch the planes coming in to land. It was also a convenient place for a crafty cigarette.

There is a small cafeteria style restaurant at the front of the hotel, offering oriental dishes, most of which are priced around $4 or £3.

Breakfast the following morning was picked up from reception and consisted of chicken sausages, potatoes, turkey cold cuts, scrambled egg, baked beans and bread.

A shuttle bus to the airport terminal is offered, but I didn’t use this as I still had my rental car.

Overall, I was very pleased with my stay at the Tune Hotel.

It is a very basic hotel, aimed at travellers spending a short overnight layover, who just want a basic meal and a few hours of sleep. It served this purpose very well.

The room was spotlessly clean and very quiet, and the hotel had everything I needed for a one-night stay.

For the price of $22 or £17, including breakfast and WiFi, this is superb value. I would not hesitate to book this hotel again for a flight layover.

Open post

Flight Review – Air Asia X Premium Flatbed, Kuala Lumpur – Melbourne

Following a relaxing road trip to the Cameron Highlands, it was time to continue my travels to Australia to visit my family for the first time in eight years.

Having considered various options for the flight to Melbourne, I settled on Air Asia’s afternoon flight, with a late evening arrival.

I usually don’t mind flying in economy class on daytime flights, but a little research revealed that Air Asia X operates their A330-300 aircraft in a 9-abreast configuration, as opposed to the industry standard 8-abreast.

As this is one of the tightest configurations in the sky and I am not exactly the most compactly built person, this simply wasn’t going to work. Therefore, I decided to upgrade to the Premium Flatbed product.

My flight began at KLIA2, the low-cost terminal of Kuala Lumpur Airport. Air Asia X does not offer lounge access with its premium product, so my travel day started at the Plaza Premium Lounge, which is accessible with Priority Pass. To my surprise and delight, breakfast was still being served at around 11:30am.

Boarding commenced around 40 minutes before the departure time. There was no priority boarding, but this didn’t bother me as I am often among the last to board anyway.

The Air Asia X Premium Flatbed product occupies the first two rows at the front of the aircraft and is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. Despite the name, the seats do not in fact recline to a fully flat position. Rather, they are angle-flat seats.

As always in a 2-2-2 arrangement, I chose a seat in the centre pair, which allows direct aisle access for both passengers.

I was allocated seat 2G, but it transpired that one of the pair of seats in front of me, 1D, was designated as inoperative. As a couple had been allocated to these seats, I was asked to switch to 1G in order that they could sit together. Of course, I readily acquiesced as this meant I had extra room and a guaranteed empty seat next to me.

There was no special catering in the premium section, but my ticket included a choice of meal and a soft drink from the buy-on-board menu. I chose one of the chicken and rice dishes.

As unappetising as it looks, it was actually rather tasty and was perfectly adequate after my brunch in the lounge.

A little later in the flight, I was also offered a light snack.

Air Asia X does not offer any WiFi, and I am not a fan of in-flight entertainment, so I semi-reclined my seat into a La-Z-Boy style position and dusted off a book I had been meaning to read for some time.

I also took advantage of the 3-for-2 offer on Tiger beer at 40MYR ($9 or £7) for three cans.

Later in the flight, I decided to try the angle-flat position, more through curiosity than any overwhelming fatigue.

A blanket and pillow were provided.

At first, the position seemed comfortable enough, but I quickly found that it wasn’t conducive to restful sleep, and I only managed to doze fitfully for around an hour.

With a couple of hours of the flight remaining, I realised that with a midnight landing in Melbourne, sleep was going to take priority over a room service dinner.

In order that I could go straight to bed at the airport hotel on arrival, I purchased another one of the chicken and rice concoctions from the on-board menu.

Again, whilst not the most memorable meal I have eaten in the sky, it was perfectly tasty and obviated the need to organise dinner in the middle of the night in Melbourne.

In conclusion, it is difficult to know how to categorise this product. The hard product is a significant step up in comfort from premium economy and aligns with the low end of long-haul business class products. The soft product, however, is firmly in basic economy territory.

However, the main reason I paid for the upgrade was to avoid the tight configuration in economy class, and in that sense it served its purpose.

The catering was basic, but perfectly adequate, and I was more than happy reading my book and drinking my Tiger beer. I also saved around $800 or £600 against a business class ticket on this sector.

In order to assess the product fairly, it is necessary to consider the price point at which it is marketed. I paid $877 (£677) for this one-way sector, which is comparable to the premium economy price on the legacy carriers.

Honestly, the premium economy market is where this product is competing, and is likely to attract a clientele who is looking for a more comfortable experience without paying the often eye-watering prices of business class tickets.

With this in mind, I think this product provided, on balance, a better overall experience than a traditional premium economy product, at a similar price.

Whilst I would not be overly enamoured by the prospect of spending an overnight flight in the angled seats, this flight provided good value for money, and I would be more than happy to repeat the experience on a daytime flight.

Open post

Hotel Review – DoubleTree by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur

After my relaxing few days in the Cameron Highlands, I still had a few days before my onward flight to Australia.

Feeling more energised after the break, I decided to spend these days back in Malaysia’s vibrant capital of Kuala Lumpur.

As this would be a five-night stay, I opted to use my Hilton Gold benefit of the fifth night free on award stays.

Although I was staying alone, I booked a Standard Twin, as this was the only smoking room available at the time of booking.

The room was comfortable and well appointed, with two decent sized beds, a couch, a desk and wardrobe space, along with a safe.

The bathroom was a good size and well furnished, with bathrobes and slippers provided.

The room was also equipped with a small refrigerator, with mineral water and a fruit platter provided.

Yes, that is an ashtray on the table. This hotel is now one of the few properties affiliated with the major chains, which still offer customers this freedom of choice.

By virtue of my Hilton Gold status, I was offered the standard amenity of a full breakfast each morning. In addition to this, I was offered an upgrade to an Executive room, which came with access to the executive lounge.

However, since all the executive category rooms were non-smoking, an agreement was reached, whereby I would stay in the lower room category, but retain the executive lounge access.

A high quality and well varied buffet breakfast, comprising both oriental and western dishes, was served in the hotel’s main restaurant.

In the afternoons and evening, snacks and drinks were also offered in the executive lounge, which offered a balcony with a city view.

An evening cocktail hour (in fact, two hours) was also offered in the executive lounge.

The property also has a swimming pool, which is very inviting in Malaysia’s warm, tropical climate.

I was not able to photograph the pool myself, due to its constant use. The following picture is courtesy of the hotel website.

My five-night stay came at a total cost of 80,000 Hilton points, to which I ascribe a value of around $400 or £320. Considering the amenities and benefits I received, I thought this was outstanding value.

This is a very comfortable property, I had a very enjoyable experience. I would be more than happy to return if I found myself in the Kuala Lumpur area for a few days again.

Open post

Destination Review – Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

After the vibrant Kuala Lumpur and the captivating Fireflies Park, I decided to slow my pace a little to enjoy the verdant landscapes of the Cameron Highlands.

My drive North into the Highlands took me past the picturesque Lata Iskandar waterfall, providing an opportunity for a short and serene stroll to break up the drive.

My next stop was the colonial tea room at the iconic Cameron Highlands Resort near Brinchang.

The afternoon tea is served in a classically English style, with cakes, pastries, finger sandwiches and fresh scones.

The fish pond was a nice addition, adding to the serenity of the ambience.

My next stop was the Lavender Garden, around a 20 minute drive North of Brinchang, for a peaceful stroll among the floral displays.

To round off my few days of repose in the Cameron Highlands, I enjoyed a relaxing stop at the Bharat Tea Plantations and the nearby Lakehouse, to take in the tranquility of the landscape.

My base for three nights in the Cameron Highlands was the Hotel Chua Gin in Brinchang, which proved to be a supremely good value option. It offered a clean, secure and air-conditioned room with a balcony and free parking, at the almost unconscionable price of $22 or £17.50 per night.

The property did not offer breakfast, a restaurant or a bar, but there were plentiful options within a two to three minute stroll at similarly negligible cost.

This property is one of myriad options in the region, with most being concentrated around the town of Brinchang. In all honesty, most of them seem to be similarly priced and more or less interchangeable. However, I was perfectly happy with the Chua Gin, and for the sake of convenience I would be more than happy to return there.

The Cameron Highlands provided me with the perfect opportunity to relax and slow my pace, amid a somewhat hectic schedule of travelling.

If you find yourself in Malaysia during your travels, I recommend taking a few days to enjoy the serenity of this beautiful region.

Open post

Hotel Review – Sealion Firefly Concept Hotel, Kuala Selangor

In order to visit the charming Fireflies Park in Kuala Selangor, I stayed one night at the Sealion Fireflies Concept Hotel.

The Fireflies Park is accessible from Kuala Lumpur, but having a rental car meant that it was more convenient to stay overnight in the area.

Being ready for a fairly late night and planning an early departure in the morning, I didn’t need much in the way of hotel facilities. With this in mind, I decided to book a simple hotel.

I chose the Sealion for the convenience of the balcony attached to the Family Terrace rooms.

The room I was allocated was simple, but had everything I needed for the short overnight stay.

The balcony allowed some fresh air into the room, as well as an opportunity for a late night beer and cigarette in the warm, tropical air.

The star effect lighting on the ceiling was a nice little touch.

The hotel also offers a small outdoor pool, which I unfortunately didn’t have the time to try out.

In conclusion, this was a very good option for the overnight stay.

The room was spotlessly clean and secure. The bed was comfortable and the shower was hot. The hotel even offered free parking. For the price of $51 (£41), I had no complaints.

Posts navigation

1 2 3 4 … 6 7 8
Scroll to top