Cathay Pacific - First Class

Over twenty long hours flight that we have to go through from Jakarta to Toronto, plus about two hours stop over in Hong Kong. We were not really looking forward to the journey, to be honest. Especially to find out that although we have purchased First Class tickets, the first part of it, from Jakarta to Hong Kong we were downgraded to Business Class due to the limited flight schedule. No adjustment on price too. Ah well.. Let's just hope it is well worth it..


Arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Jakarta, we immediately took a line at the check-in desk. Recognized our tickets, Cathay Pacific staff approached us to inform that they have separate check-in lounge for First Class passengers. Aha.. this should be interesting.


We got to the lounge and the staff immediately handling our check-in efficiently, then we were shown the immigration desk. After the immigration was the main lounge where we sat waiting for the boarding announcement. Alright, the lounge was average and the food were below average (greasy food and stale sandwiches). But to us, the fact that we did not have to queue up to get through immigration certainly was a plus.


Time to board. As we have predicted, the Business Class cabin was old fashion. Big chairs with foot rest and no in-flight entertainment. We did not have the meal on board, we slept instead and five hours later we landed in Hong Kong. 


At Hong Kong airport we had to go to Cathay Pacific desk to get our boarding passes for the second leg of the trip. We found the staff was not very friendly, we got the impression that it was an effort for her to issue us boarding passes. We requested two seats next to each other that later we found out on board in fact they were in opposite side of the cabin. 


Anyways, before we boarded, we popped-in to the Pier Lounge. Again, not too impressed with the overall service. The staff at the reception were nice, but the ones serving in the dining area looked very miserable. The food looked like they were dumped, not nicely presented. And since nobody offered us any drinks, we went to the bar to get some juice ourselves. The staff who served us juice gave us a blank expression in her face and said no word. Quite intimidating, really, as we asked for some drinks politely. In that case, we must admit, we got treated better at Mc. Donald's!!


Rest room area definitely was not cleaned regularly. It did not smell fresh at all. We saw hair in the sink, wet surface and over-filled bin. Very unexpected. 


Luckily we did not have to wait for a long time at the lounge. We made our way to the gate and arrived just in time before boarding. Everything went smooth until we found out that we did not get the seats next to each other as we repeatedly requested, in Jakarta also in Hong Kong. Good job, Dee - the flight manager handled our complaint efficiently. She asked other passengers to kindly swap seats. 

From that moment and on, we experienced what we would call 'the real service'. The flight attendants started to introduced themselves to all passengers and handed out pajamas and toiletry bags and served pre-flight beverages. Minutes after the plane took off, dinner were served. We started with caviar, smoked salmon, toasts and boiled potatoes complete with the condiments on the side. Not forgetting the handmade decorations on the table and greeting cards. Very thoughtful and sincere.


After the caviar, we had seafood chowder and smoked duck breast salad. They both delicious, but the portions well too generous as we still have three more courses to follow. Beef steak were served after we finished the salad. We were full at that point, but it seemed a shame to miss out the cheese platter and the dessert. The dessert was black sesame soup. It may looked unattractive, but it tasted very good and it has all goodness that our skin will benefit. Dinner ended with lovely truffles and chocolate coated orange sticks. We were truly spoiled. 

While we were finishing the sweet treat, Sochiyo made up our beds. This was the first time we enjoyed long haul flight. The small hick-ups at the beginning of the journey were easily to be forgotten. 


Although, we had such an impressive trip to Toronto, we did not quite get the same experience on the way back. The staff were less attentive and one female staff was constantly talking very loudly. Not to the passengers Thank God, but to her fellow colleagues. As the cabin considerably small, we could hear all the conversations going on between them. The same female attendant we caught 'having fun' with one of the passenger in the serving area. Oops.. We did not think we were suppose to see that!!

Hotel Metropole Santa Margherita Ligure - Italy

If you find French Riviera is overrated and full of wannabe's - not your cup of tea, we recommend you to visit Italian Riviera. Santa Margherita Ligure, to be exact. No more than two hours drive from Cannes and you will discover a beautiful lake view, delicious italian cuisine and more friendly, down to earth people. 

We have stayed in Hotel Metropole many times and we always had enjoyable stays. Comfortable room with great view, direct access to the beach and walking distance to centre of the town. On top of that, if you fancy popping in to Portofino, where the celebrities are likely to be seen, it is only a half an hour drive away. 

The restaurant at the hotel is excellent, it offers good italian food made with fresh produce and served in such delicate old-fashion way where the staff actually mix the salad dressing at your table, to your liking. Alternatively, there are plenty of local restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Try 'Da Michele' at Largo Amendola 17, if you fancy fresh catch of the day cooked in ligurian style or 'La Cambusa' at Via Tomaso Bottaro 2, for its insalata di polpo (potato and squid salad) and other authentic italian dishes, of course. You will be spoilt by the array of selections. We certainly did!

Either traveling on your own or with your love ones, you will spend a week easily in Santa Margherita Ligure. There are plenty to do and discover... 
Do not forget to have morning cappuccino at local cafe to start your day!


Hotel Metropole
Via Pagana 2
+39 0185 286 134 
www.metropole.it

Rome Cavalieri - Italy

After unimpressive stay in Milan, we thought we should treat ourselves by staying at Rome Cavalieri. As we have been told by our friends that this hotel apparently is quite exceptional. Well..  There is no better way than to see it ourselves. 


Like in most italian cities, the traffic in Rome is guaranteed hectic. Scooters, cars, trucks came from all directions. What fascinated us most were the italian drivers in their cool, branded dark glasses at all time even when the weather is overcast :)


As we drove closer to the hotel, we noticed that the traffic was beginning to thin down. We began to wonder if we were in the right direction as we got the feeling that we just entered a residential area. Thank goodness for sat-nav, we finally arrived. 


Our imagination of a roman palatial building was diminished as soon as we stop the car in front of the hotel entrance. Instead, we have a brown, square and very ordinary looking building that looked like an apartment block in our opinion. "Keep a positive mind.", we said to ourselves. 

We soon greeted by the door-man who gave us a hand with our luggage. We then entered the lobby to check-in. Well, at that point we actually started to get the feeling of the grandeur of the hotel. Well, at least from the art collections, long curtains, period furnishing all around. Though they could have improved the lighting to dramatize the effect of having those decorations.


Minutes later we were shown our Alcove Suite. It was a good size suite with separate lounge area with a massage chair and a balcony over looking the centre of Rome plus a complimentary italian prosecco, despite the fact it was not quite like the pictures we saw on the website. Never mind, pictures on website are often deceiving anyways. We would just enjoy the most what we were paying for. 

During our stay, we dined at 'L'uliveto' as we could not get a table at three michelin star 'La Pergola'. Our overall experience at L'Uliveto was average. We liked the lay out of the restaurant, very Mediterranean. It gave us a hint of summer, although it was rather cold outside. We had our favourite, the spaghetti vongole. But it was slightly over salted and the portion was too generous. 


Remembered that we still have a bottle of prosecco waiting, we went back to the suite right after lunch. We sat at the balcony, enjoying the view of sunset in Rome while taking a sip of italian bubbly. So serene.. 

If you are looking for a holiday in tranquil surrounding of Rome, this hotel would be a perfect get away. But be prepared to splash out quite a few bob ;) 


Rome Cavalieri
Via Alberto Cadlolo 101
+39 06 350 91
www.romecavalieri.com

Hilton Hotel Milan - Italy

You cannot really go wrong staying at Hilton hotels anywhere in the world. You will get similar type of accommodation whether you are in Asia, Europe or somewhere else. One good example is Hilton Milano. We stayed there a couple of days en-route to Rome. 

Modern, bright and colourful reception area with mediocre level of service. Our executive room was compact, clean and fresh with high ceiling that we appreciate, furnished accordingly, comfortable but lack of personal touch. Ideal for short stay, but too 'cold' for longer stay, in a way that there was no warmth or sense of home feeling. 

Being in Italy we naturally expect to get an exceptional italian cuisine in an italian restaurant. Which we did not quite get at Pacific Milano Restaurant. The staff were not very attentive and the food was below average. Tuna tartar was tasteless, antipasti mix were ok and the pasta was unnecessarily huge. No portion and quality control there. We have noticed that the meal served were not prepared with fresh produce. Which we found very unusual in Italy. 

Nevertheless, location wise was ideal to our purpose. Walking distance to central station and a short taxi ride to the famous Duomo. Which not far from there we accidentally found 'Il Ristorante Trussardi Alla Scala' (www.trussardiallascala.com) a very fashionable place to dine. The food there were sublime!! Well worth trying! We were lucky to get a table without an advance booking, but we would strongly suggest that you do, as they can get really busy. 

Hilton Milan

Via Luigi Galvani 12

+39 02 69831

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/MILHITW-Hilton-Milan-hotel/index.do

Grand Hotel Eden Lugano - Switzerland

We went to Grand Hotel Eden in Lugano after our visit to Geneva. The hotel concierge recommended us to this particular hotel as it has the best view of the lake. Lugano itself apparently known as the city where the rich from Italy like to spend their holidays, so obviously they have plenty of good restaurants, high-end boutiques and on top of that they happened to have sport car exhibition that week. Well, that was enough to convince us to go. So, we got into the car and took off. In less than four hours, we have finally arrived. It was rather exciting to see the changes in style of the properties along the way as we approaching the city centre. Very italian, yet we were still in Switzerland.


The concierge of Metropole Hotel Geneva was not kidding, the lake view from the hotel was magnificent, we noticed it immediately. But, not too sure about the hotel itself though. The overall look of the hotel interior and exterior was rather grubby. The hotel lobby was badly lit, badly furnished, out-dated to be exact and not very inviting, but at least the staff were friendly and efficient, typical Swiss. The room that we booked delivered an unobstructed view as promised, but the sleeping accommodation and the bathroom were no difference to the lobby. Simply out-dated. 

During our stay, we took a stroll along the promenade that led us to the heart of the city. Even it was off-season, this area still buzzing with the locals doing their daily shopping, taking kids for a train ride and take a glimpse of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bugatti on display. 

Back to the hotel, we went to the Oasis restaurant. Open and bright dining area with the lake view (of course!). We had mediocre italian meals and finished by Crepe Suzette made at the table by the Maitre D'. That was a nice touch and the result was exceeding our expectation. Light crepe with delicate orangey jus with a hint of Grand Marnier poured on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Heaven!!

We would certainly come back there again in near future and in the meantime, let's hope they refresh the whole establishment. That would make a huge difference. 


Grand Hotel Eden - Lugano, Switzerland
Riva Paradiso 1
+41 (0) 91 985 9200
www.edenlugano.ch

Chynna at Hilton Kuala Lumpur

Trying to distract ourselves from more sushi and sake, this time we try Chynna - a dining place that specialised in Chinese cuisine at Hilton Kuala Lumpur. There we can choose either to dine inside where we can appreciate authentic chinese themed dining room surrounded by stacks of bamboo baskets full off hot steaming dim sum or at the mezzanine that gives more open and less claustrophobic feeling. As the restaurant can get really busy during lunch time, we choose a nice table at the mezzanine overlooking the 'Sudu' where buffet lunch served and  'Senses' - a modern Australian style restaurant. A great spot to take a peek and listen to people's comments about their dining experience at those two places, so we can try it ourselves next time. 

Fancy a tasty lunch, we started with a peking duck. We have it served in two ways, skin and some meat to be wrapped in pancakes with some condiments, then the rest of the meat to be stir fried with coriander and ginger served in lettuce leaves. The pancakes are good, but the stir fried does not come out very nice. It is greasy and under-seasoned. We meat itself has no flavour, we doubt if it actually come from the same duck as we had with the pancakes. We mention our disappointment to the staff and minutes later the chef comes to see us. He admits that it a mistake on his end and he makes a gesture to make it good. But unfortunately we are already full of food at this stage and we still have a poached river trout and fried rice on the way..

Good job that we mention about our criticism earlier as the fish and fried rice come out very very tasty. We think the chef really pays attention this time. What impresses us more is the sweet ending to our almost perfect lunch. Aloe vera cubes with lime sorbet. You should try it! 

Iketeru at Hilton Kuala Lumpur

It feels so good to be back here. This is what we would call 'real food'. Fresh ingredients cooked from scratch right in front of us. No excess seasons, no emulsifier and certainly no pre-packed/ pre-heated food. 


After leaving the old tummy empty for over twenty hours (due to jet-lag) we just cannot wait to devour huge pile of food. Let's us begin...


It is part of our habit that every time we dine at Japanese restaurant we start it with sushi. Tuna, salmon, salmon roe nigiri then followed by salmon skin hand roll. Heaven! Not forgetting hot green tea and cold sake on the side. You may wonder about our strange beverage selections. We chose them simply because, green tea is supposedly good to wash down fat in our system and sake is the best companion to any Japanese food. By having them together, we get the all the goodness and not end up with huge bill (from drinking gallons of sake.. :))

Finished with the sushi, we leave the rest to the capable hand of Alex - the teppanyaki chef. He is able whip up Boston lobster, fresh salmon, cod, scallops and garlic fried rice in no time. Leaving us watching him in awe. All dishes served and there is only one word to describe the taste, 'delicious'...

Iketeru
8th floor Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur
3 Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia
+60 3 2264 2264
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/KULHIHI-Hilton-Kuala-Lumpur-hotel/index.do

KLM Lounge at Pearson International Airport Toronto

Pearson International Airport Toronto to us was not a pleasant place to wait for a flight anymore than necessary. Very few shops to look around, no decent restaurants or entertainment to help to pass the time. So, when we checked in, we were quite looking forward to go to the lounge. But as the airline staff handed out the invitations to KLM Lounge, we thought "Oh no!". We just could not believe our luck that day.


It was like having a deja vu, we knew exactly what to expect from this place. A room dominated by blue and grey with chairs and tables here and there plus a buffet serving dim sum, samosas and stale sandwiches. Similar set up you will find at KLM Lounge at Schiphol Airport, but without the dim sum and samosas. So, this must be quite a privilege.


We found it rather annoying to be asked, "Would you like to access the first class lounge?" while we were clearly holding first class tickets. Then repeatedly told that the food and beverages were complimentary, like we did not have a clue that these facilities have been included to the price we have paid for?? Well.. let's just see what the first class lounge has to offer. 


Surprise.. surprise! It was actually a smaller room with fewer chairs, tables and a television on the wall. We were not sure if the this lounge was an upgrade or a downgrade? Simply because the location was inside business class lounge with less facilities and the only food served were biscuits and chocolate and no beverage. 

This was nothing in comparison to Malaysia Airlines First Class Lounge in Kuala Lumpur, where you can dine a la carte meals in proper dining table, ample space to rest up, massage chairs, desk with computer and printer if you need to catch up with work or get freshen up in shower room.


Anyways, next time we fancy very expensive biscuits and chocolates, we know exactly where to go. 


KLM Lounge
Pearson International Airport Toronto Terminal 3

Conrad Hotel Hong Kong

So glad to be back here after a disastrous trip to Toronto. A long fifteen hours flight seemed well worth it. Even with the long queue to get through Hong Kong immigration. 


Minutes later, we found ourselves sitting comfortably in a Mercedes that the hotel has arranged to pick us up. Smooth forty minutes journey from the beginning to the end. 


It was nice to have noticed that after we passed the second toll booth, the driver made a phone call to the hotel to inform the staff of our arrival in few minutes. And voilaa.. There they were, standing by the entrance door smiling giving a warm welcome and assisting us with the luggage. Made us feel like home immediately. Check-in was fast and efficient too.


With the keys in hand, the receptionist then escorted us to our room. A nice, compact and comfortable room with city view from 55th floor will be our residence for the next four nights. Fantastic! 


Our suitcases arrived few minutes later along with a tray of welcome tea served in chinese porcelain and a teddy bear! What a lovely touch! 

Well... the tea was good, but unfortunately it did not get rid of rumble in the tummy. Quick shower and diner is highly required at this point. All set within twenty minutes then off we went down to Nicholini's - one of our favourite italian restaurants, where the staff have prepared a nice table in the booth to give us not only comfort and space but also some privacy. Another impressive touch! How could we compare this to our last visit to Toronto??!!


Not wasting any the time, we ordered our meal. We started with cream porchini soup with truffle, followed by linguini vongole then baked trout wrapped in bacon served with lentils. Accompanied by a bottle of chilled Vermentino from Sardegna. Yes, we intended to have a four-courses of meal like most italian do with sweet treat at the end.

In between the linguini vongole and baked trout, we were served a small scoop of lime sorbet to clear the palate. A fine signature by the chef that we do not get very often these days. It really worked to bring out  all delicate flavours of the main course. Beautiful!

Although the wine was not the best choice that we have made for the whole selection of meals that we have ordered, it was actually went very well with the trout dish and the dessert. Oh yes, we chose vanilla souffle each of us. We did not mind the twenty minute waiting as we need some time to go through the tray full of sweets anyways. 

When the souffle eventually arrived, they were soooo good! Very well made, fluffy and light. The passion fruit dressing made it even better. Great choice! 


Conrad Hong Kong
Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong
+852 2521 3838
conradhotels1.hilton.com