Mercure Danang

Posted on April 6, 2012 by admin

4.5/5

A newly-opened modern hotel in a relatively isolated location – a shuttle bus or taxi is needed to get to the city centre or beach. Nonetheless, the rooms are comfortable and have all the modern amenities you would expect, the dining options are plentiful and the staff are welcoming. For a Mercure hotel, this is a rare gem. One thing worth mentioning is their homemade fries cut from real potatoes, which were served on one day but not the next. The breakfast buffet was a little disappointing – especially the Vietnamese noodles. The general turnover of food was not sufficient, perhaps due to the low occupancy. However, the Chinese restaurant has great potential with the weekend all-you-can-eat dim sum. The food standards need to be maintained to create a deserved 5-star dining experience – one that could match or even exceed standards at Sofitel hotels.

This hotel is a value-for-money alternative to the beach front hotels in Danang. You can take advantage of the shuttle bus service to the beach or take a taxi to get around. Using this hotel as your base will not disappoint you.

An unpretentious Mercure is waiting to welcome you. It’s certainly worth staying here.

Posted in Vietnam | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sofitel Silom (now Pullman)

Posted on April 6, 2012 by admin

4.5/5

Excellent hotel. Comfortable rooms. Upgrades given for Le Club Accorhotels Gold / Platinum members. Very small swimming pool – these facilities could be improved. Good choice of restaurants. Location is a 10-minute walk to the BTS sky train or Silom restaurants / nightlife. Some staff have moved to the new Sofitel So. Hopefully the standards will not deteriorate over the coming months.

Posted in Thailand | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pullman Central Park Jakarta

Posted on April 6, 2012 by admin
3/5
This hotel has great potential but still has a long way to live up to the Pullman brand. Hopefully the problems experienced will be rectified and significant changes will be introduced.
Room booked and benefits received?
Deluxe. Got upgrade to Executive floor but ended up in a Superior Room because Deluxe rooms don’t face the park which is bizarre! Club benefits included.
. Late checkout offered
· Welcome drink given
· Welcome gift promised on Monday as office was closed but was not followed up / given. 

- How are the rooms?
Modern and clean (it’s a new hotel) but quite a few small issues:

I was given a Superior room when I booked a Deluxe room (but it seems the Superior rooms are better as they face the park!).
· Cups for espresso machine are too big.
· Minibar is overpriced for Indonesia, (e.g. almost 6USD for a can of coca cola!) especially with Hypermarket downstairs, the hotel should consider pricing at more reasonable levels. In addition, on Executive floor, the same drinks are available in the lounge, thus, a complimentary minibar would be better for executive floor.
· Toiletries are standard Pullman ones – usually the Club Floor would have premium toiletries. Bois D’Orange (Roger et Gallet) range is used at the Pullman, Bangkok. Other executive floors usually provide L’Occitane toiletries. I later found out that only the Executive Suites contain the luxury Bois D’Orange toiletries.
· All TV channels were unavailable for short periods one evening (26/01 2am – 3am), then kept coming back on, and off again.
· Broadband and Wireless internet is not up to international standards – it is not possible to play a short YouTube clip without it stopping (on lowest 240 quality).
· Shower oscillates between hot and cold if you turn the water to lukewarm mode.
· Shower door opens inwards which is problematic if you wait for the water to heat up in rainforest mode, as when you get in the shower the outside of the door gets wet and leaks onto the bathroom floor. Also, as the towel rack is positioned on the outside of the shower door, your towel gets wet too!

Housekeeping

Coffee pods not filled up on 2nd day·
On 2nd day, only very small bottles of complimentary water given (half the size of the bottles given on other days)
Cotton buds disposed of when packet not used up, then not replaced for 2 nights.·
Crumbs were still visible under the desk – this area had not been vacuumed properly.·
It took 3 phone calls to arrange a shoe shine (but when it was arranged, it was good).·
One morning, I forgot to put the ‘Do not disturb’ sign on. Housekeeping rang the bell and then opened the door and came in the room while I was just approaching the door to answer it.

Executive lounge·
Egg menu for breakfast would improve the experience.
· Excellent range of fresh juices, however, sometimes it is difficult to know what they are. Labeling them would really help.
· International labeling (English) or multi-lingual would be better, as things like ‘Srikaya Bao’ would not be known by non-Indonesians. Even the Chinese translation ‘Lai Wong Bao’ would not be sufficient. Perhaps ‘Sweet custard bun’ or ‘Milk Yolk Bun’ would be better. Also, there were some English language errors, such as ‘Sweat and Sour Chicken’ (should be ‘sweet’). Once this was pointed out, it was replaced with the Indonesian translation!
· Spoons for the muesli / yoghurt in the small pots should be placed nearby (they are currently near the coffee machine).
· Consider moving the glasses to the same level as the juice.
· Evening cocktails – half way through my stay, the hotel changed its policy for ‘Cocktail Hour’ to only allow the drinks stocked in the lounge to be consumed (previously, any drink on the bar menu was available but these had to be made on the ground floor and took 20 mins to serve each time). Unfortunately, this means that there is a limited range of drinks available compared to other Executive lounges such as other Pullman and Sofitel hotels in Asia. Now, there are no cocktails available and only a limited number of spirits (4 bottles in total on display). The best solution would be to produce a different menu (on 2 pages) with the list of beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks available during ‘Cocktail Hour’. This would provide a much better experience for the guest.
· The breakfast range is rather limited compared to Collage restaurant. Although guests on the Executive floor can choose to go to Collage for breakfast, having breakfast in the Executive lounge should provide a more unique experience. Unfortunately, the only difference is that fresh juice is available in the lounge and that the food selection is minimal. This is understandable if the room occupancy is low. However, it might be worthwhile to also have a simple two page breakfast menu in the lounge with the different egg choices and other dishes that are available downstairs in Collage but not in the lounge (e.g. Japanese options, dim sum, waffles, pancakes and so on). Then, the breakfast buffet in the lounge would not serve the hot items but focus more on more pastries, fruit, smoked salmon options.
· The soft drinks often take a while to serve in the lounge if there is no ice available. Sufficient ice should be stored in the executive lounge and one staff member should be able to make simple cocktails there. If soft drinks run low, they should be filled up in the fridge on a regular basis, rather than waiting for a guest to order one and tell them they need to get it from downstairs!
· More choice of business magazines in the lounge, e.g. Economist, could be considered.

Hammam / Changing room in Spa·
My locker didn’t have a towel in it. Had to request one. Extra towels should be made available in the changing room – it appears that the hotel is economizing and not making towels readily available in the changing rooms.
· No water machine available in changing rooms – it is usual for 5-star hotels to provide drinking water in the changing rooms or even some tea, especially after coming out of a steam room.
· The showers in the changing rooms were cold. Even after running the water for 5 minutes on full ‘H’, the water was still cold.
· The design of the entrance had not been given any practical thought. If there are a few guests getting changed in the changing room and a new guest arrives during that time, when the door is opened, those walking down the corridor from the spa towards the life can clearly see inside the changing rooms. This could be potentially embarrassing.
· No tissues are available in the changing rooms.
· There should be a disposable box for the hand towels directly under the sink, as otherwise, the only place to dispose them is in the big basket in the locker area. Perhaps a basket could cover the drain under the sink and be used for disposing of the hand towels.

Positive Aspects of the hotel

Although the points above indicate that the Pullman Central Park Jakarta has not yet reached the level of other Pullman hotels in Asia, it is clear that this hotel has the following advantages that will go a long way in ensuring that it reaches comparable standards:
· The location in Central Park is a great asset to the hotel, as it means that dining and entertainment options and all easily accessible to the guest – something that is rate in Jakarta.
· The staff in all departments strive to make the guest’s stay as relaxing and enjoyable as possible, albeit with some of the constraints outlined above. It is clear that Anya and Helebid (not sure how to spell it but he replaced Anya during the Cocktail hour on Monday and Tuesday and usually works for in-house dining) are an asset to the hotel in that their personal approach to serving guests is both personal and efficient. Among the many hotels I have stayed in, the two employees mentioned above rate among the top. It was also surprising that one member of the housekeeping team greeted me by name as I passed a room he was cleaning on my way to the life – this certainly surpassed my expectations as housekeeping rarely has contact with guests.
· Collage restaurant – the food here is exceptional, with a wide range of international food available.

So, these are the 3 assets, the location, the food and most importantly, the staff. With a number of minor improvements to facilities (mentioned above) and more consistent service delivery in housekeeping, this hotel would certainly meet the expectation of any seasoned traveler.

Posted in Indonesia | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pullman King Power, Bangkok

Posted on May 1, 2011 by admin

In a few words

A real gem. If I had discovered the Pullman King Power earlier, I would have been staying here years ago!

Overall rating: 5/5

Date of stay: 27/04/2011 for 4 nights

The Pullman King Power in Bangkok is a relative newcomer to the 5-star hotel market in the city.  With a lot of competition in the city, I was ready to see if the hotel lived up to the positive reviews I had read.

It took much longer than anticipated to arrive at the hotel, as the poor Bangkok traffic conditions lived up to its expectations. Nonetheless, the welcome I received and the faultless check-in procedure more than made up for it. As I got out of the taxi, the luggage was taken care of and just as I set foot into the lobby, a very refined lady ushered me into the bar for a welcome drink, making the check-in process as pain-free as possible and getting things off to a promising start.

Having originally booked a Deluxe room at a promotional rate, I was delighted to receive an upgrade to an Executive room with access to the lounge included.  The inclusion of the lounge access has been denied by other Accor brands, especially Sofitel, thus, it was refreshing to receive the full benefit at Pullman King Power.

The room was modern and practical with maximum consideration given to the layout, features and amenities.  The real gem was the Pullman bed, which was soft and comfortable, ensuring a good night’s sleep, complemented with a pillow menu to cater for the needs of even the most discerning traveller. The other features that stood out in the room was the shoe shine service and the I-Pod speaker.

The bathroom was also very inviting with a large tub (with bath salts available) and a separate rainforest shower. The hairdryer, mirrors, complimentary water and bathroom amenities (Bois d’orange range, including mouthwash!) provided the finishing touch.

With two other distinguishing features, the wardrobe being made accessible from the bathroom (from the back) and the sliding doors between both rooms, it was clear that the layout had been given a lot of thought.

Overall, the room exceeded expectations and could be considered as one of the best in Bangkok.  Unfortunately, a few minor issues need to be addressed to perfect the guest experience. First of all, although the dining guide was helpful, I couldn’t locate a general hotel directory in the room to find out about the other hotel facilities.  Secondly, the benefits of the Executive club floor were not clearly visible in the room – providing a larger A4 size list of benefits and placing the information on the desk or coffee table would make guests fully aware of the benefits available upon arrival. In addition, the turndown service provided the same simple tray of 3 chocolates for 4 nights – perhaps a variation in the food item and more consideration to its presentation would add something to the ‘Wow’ factor. Finally, I was puzzled as to why the conditioner wasn’t placed alongside the shower gel and shampoo in the shower cubicle (it was near the sink with the other amenities). If the very minor issues above were resolved, then I would not hesitate in giving the room the maximum possible rating of any 5-star hotel I have stayed in. Of course, they could really go to town and provide bubble bath and a spa pillow to improve the bathroom experience even further!

The executive floor experienced provided a number of additional benefits, including breakfast in the lounge until 10:30am, drinks and snacks all day, evening cocktails and canapes, 2 items from the minibar daily, 1 free laundry item daily, free Wifi and broadband, access to 2 workstations with printer, a message chair, a large selection of newspapers and magazines and a special discount at the duty free mall next to the hotel.  In addition, access to the King Power lounge at Bangkok airport is provided for Executive floor guests.  All in all, the benefits really made a difference to the stay.  The breakfast was excellent, with an ‘A la carte’ selection of hot items cooked-to-order, as well as an array of other items, including, salmon and cold cuts, sushi, pastries, cereals, fruit and yoghurt, available at the buffet.  Croissants and pain au chocolat was delivered to the table in a basket, accompanied with Bonne Maman preserves. Drinks included at least 3 fresh juices, as well as coffee (hot or ice) and tea. The ‘A la carte’ items took me on a journey from East to West, with Khao Pad Gai, a dim sum selection, Fitness omelette (egg white with spinach) and even a Croque Madame, among them.  The evening cocktails included a list of at least 10 different cocktails, including the hotel’s own ‘Purple Pullman’.  Wines, beers and a selection of spirits were also available. Cold canapes, such as salami with olives, were balanced by the hot snacks (shrimp cakes, dim sum among others) and a dessert corner. The only queston is ask yourself is whether you’re still able to go for dinner!

The hotel facilities included numerous restaurants (Thai, international, French/Chinese) 2 bars (Wine Pub and Glen, a bar with live music), a large swimming pool, a fitness centre (modern equipment, changing rooms, water provided when exercising), a spa (over-priced unless you go for the 40% discount before 1pm), the duty-free mall (I didn’t see any bargains there – maybe the buses full of tourists thought otherwise!) and an extensive lobby area with garden. One thing that should not be missed is the Thai restaurant, which I didn’t discover until my last night. for 280 baht, they offer a supper menu from 10:30pm until 2am, with 5 choices of thai dishes served with rice.  I’d also recommend that you try the healing drinks – one of the best lemongrass drinks i’ve ever tasted! The restaurant itself is small, cosy and surprisingly traditional. When sampling the delicious local food and experiencing the authentic atmosphere, you’ll forget that you’re even in the hotel! Be sure to book if you want to go there for dinner, as it tends to be busy, especially at weekends.

One concern when choosing the hotel was its location, near Victory monument.  Although there’s a frequent tuk-tuk service (free of charge) to the BTS station, it’s only about 200 metres to the Century shopping centre (a few restaurants, cinema, Watson’s, Boot’s etc..), which connects to the Victory Monument station from the 1st floor. Victory monument, being only 3 stops to Siam, is actually a convenient location for exploring the city.  If you stay at this hotel, don’t expect to find many restaurants within walking distance (there were a few local style restaurants frequented by foreign tourists just outside the hotel complex).  To get there from the airport, you can pay 145THB and take the express train to Makkhasan but you’ll still need to take a taxi to the hotel. Otherwise, take the airport link (still only 30 mins) for 45THB and get off at Phaya Thai, then transfer to Phaya Thai BTS and go one stop up towards Mo Chit.  There’ll be a tuk-tuk waiting outside the shopping centre to take you to the hotel in a few minutes.

Summary

+ rooms / Executive lounge / swimming pool

- no jacuzzi / expensive spa

This hotel is the best of all the Accor hotels in Bangkok and probably in the top 5 of all the Accor properties in Asia.  The rooms are stunning, the hotels facilities are extensive, the staff are welcoming and the location is convenient. What more could you want??! If you find a good deal, it is really worth paying the extra to upgrade to the Executive floor, as all the benefits would save you a substantial amount of money.  It’s also very convenient to be able to pop into the lounge for a cup of tea or soft drink throughout the day.

 

Posted in Thailand | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

All Seasons Sathorn, Bangkok

Posted on April 27, 2011 by admin

Date of stay: 23/04/2011 for 4 nights

Given the number of Accor choices in Bangkok, it wasn’t surprising that this was my first experience of the All Seasons brand. In the last few years, All Seasons hotels have been gradually catching up the number of Ibis hotels in Bangkok. All Seasons seem to offer affordable simplicity with the extras you usually need to pay for in the more upscale hotels. Their big motto is free breakfast and Wifi.

Well, arriving late in the evening, it was a case of hoping for a smooth check-in and a comfortable night’s sleep. Check-in was swift although, for some reason, it was inconvenient for them to provide 2 key cards. I booked a superior room and was pleasantly surprised to find that the buffet breakfast was included in the rate, as well as Wifi access.

Getting to the room was easy enough although the open-air corridors were rather dim and reminded me of a Thai apartment block, which is perhaps what the hotel had been converted from. Entering the room, it was fairly basic but sufficient. The bed was comfortable enough and a good compromise – not too hard and not too soft. The pillows were fairly standard. The air-con was a split type with an individual controller. There was an armchair, a TV mounted to the wall with a large variety of mainly Thai and English channels (BBC World, Al jazeera English, Fox News, plus a number of movie and sports channels), a writing desk and a minibar. Unfortunately, the window had frosted glass, which told me that the view wasn’t anything to get excited about. It would have been good to get more sunlight into the room though.

The important room amenities were the safe for your valuables and the hangers for your clothes. Again, simple yet practical.

The bathroom was just big enough with a large shower area only partially separated by a glass pane meaning that water splashed onto the floor. However, the surprising features were the rainforest shower (rarely seen in a 2 – 3 star hotel) and the cool refreshing shower gel, which despite its unenticing packaging, won me over. For those who expect more bathroom amenities, you’d be disappointed. There weren’t any toothbrush sets or shaving kits but I didn’t try to ask for one.

The room services included a minibar with the usual extortionate prices, although at 110 baht for a can of coke, it’s slightly more palatable than usual. Also, there’s a room service menu but unfortunately, the kitchen shuts down at 11pm so don’t expect to get anything late at night. Finally, they have a laundry service but only use it if you must – it’s just not worth paying those prices!

As I indicated earlier, the room came with free buffet breakfast and free wifi. Unfortunately, the wifi wasn’t working on the first day and when it did, it was sporadic. Don’t rely on the wifi at this hotel if you need it for business. The breakfast, however, was respectable. Although the choices more or less remained the same every day, there was a selection of Western options (sausages, bacon, eggs, baked beans, potato) and Asian options (noodles, soup, rice), as well as a salad corner, bread with a toasting machine, a selection of danish pastries, croissants and cereals. The drinks included water, juices, tea and coffee. For the usual price of 149 baht, it would have been a bargain anyway but for it to come with the room rate, it was certainly appeciated. One thing I didn’t expect to find at breakfast was an egg selection cooked to order. Only fried eggs were available as part of  the buffet but you could also order scrambled egg, boiled egg etc.

The hotel facilities included a small gym (no treadmill but a few other machines that would do the trick), a room with a pool table (20 baht per game), a bar (not much atmosphere but fine to relax while enjoying the free welcome drink), a restaurant (in the same place as breakfast – I didn’t try it but it had a selection of Western and Thai dishes as well as wines on display) and a computer in the lobby (internet was expensive at 60 baht per 30 mins. Outside, it would be at least half the price).

The idea of having a tuk-tuk service to transfer guests to the BTS station was a good one, if only it was operational. Apparently, the breaks weren’t working. Better to walk then. There were only 3 transfers per day, so I doubt any guests would have bothered to arrange their schedule around it when it’s only a 10-minute walk to the station, and an interesting one at that, with a church, numerous street food stalls and restaurants on the way.

Summary

+ Location / Breakfast buffet / Rainforest shower

- Wifi disappointing / tuk-tuk service unreliable

The hotel is actually located in a good area of Bangkok. Sathorn is a commercial district and within walking distance of Silom and the nearest Sky train station.  Next to the Sukhothai and Banyan tree hotels, the All Seasons is certainly a more affordable alternative for those looking to travel on a budget. The rooms are basic, clean and practical. The breakfast is more than sufficient. The location is fine for any first-time visitor to the city. Just don’t expect anything more than 3-star simplicity. Combine this with Thai hospitality and you’ll find it to be excellent value-for-money if you get a promotional rate. If you’re paying the full rate (anything over 1500 baht per night in my opinion), you might want to look elsewhere. Otherwise, go for it.

In a few words:

A hotel offering simple value-for-money accommodation in a great location, suitable for the first time traveller to Bangkok

Overall rating: 3/5

Posted in Thailand | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment