Showing posts with label Hyatt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hyatt. Show all posts

April 30, 2017

A Week in Japan: Planning & Booking II

Introduction
Planning & Booking
Planning & Booking II
Star Alliance First Class Lounge LAX
Asiana First Class A380 LAX to Seoul (ICN)
Asiana First Class Lounge Seoul (ICN)
Asiana A330 Business Class Seoul (ICN) to Kyoto (KIX)
The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Cathay Pacific Business Class 777-300ER Kyoto (KIX) to Hong Kong
Conrad Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
Singapore Airlines First Class 777-300ER Hong Kong to San Francisco
Hyatt Regency SFO

For a variety of reasons, we shortened our upcoming trip by a few days.  Unfortunately that means no visit to Osaka or Tokyo but we'll still get 3 days in Kyoto and 3 days in Hong Kong.  All hotels remain the same - we just mixed it up a bit with the flights.  If you're interested in reading more about the initial booking process, please read the first planning and booking segment.

We swapped our United Polaris flight for Asiana's A380 first class service from LAX.  Instead of 130,000 United miles, this set us back 110,000 United and 105,000 Aeroplan miles.  Not the greatest use of an additional 75,000 miles but we'll be more comfortable.  In Seoul, we'll visit the Asiana First Class lounge for a shower before boarding an Asiana A330 in business class to Osaka (KIX).

After three nights in Kyoto, we'll take the train back to KIX and fly Cathay Pacific business class direct to Hong Kong.  Not as fancy as Cathay first but should be plenty fine for a 4 hour flight.  I booked this flight with 40,000 (total) British Airways miles - pretty good deal considering the length of the flight and better than Alaska's award chart by 5,000 total miles.

Everything else remains the same.  I should have the first segment up in the next month or so!

April 16, 2017

Review: Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi

Introduction
Planning & Booking
British Airways First Class 747-400 Denver to London
British Airways Concorde Room LHR
British Airways First Class 747-400 London to Dubai
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa Dubai
Park Hyatt Dubai
Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class Lounge & Spa Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class 777-200LR Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles

The ride from the Park Hyatt Dubai to the Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi took about 90 minutes.  We had expected to hit F1 traffic but never did.  The ride was somewhat boring (lots of desert) with one exception.  Our driver asked if he could stop at a gas station (we figured for gas) and of course we said yes.  Instead of pulling in to get gas, he pulled into a parking spot.  Maybe it was prayer time?  Nope.  Bathroom?  Not entirely convinced.  We never figured out what it was but 15 minutes later he returned to the car with a coffee for him and a couple of waters for us.

We chose the Hyatt Capital Gate because it was free and relatively close to the airport/F1 track.  There are lots of other great points options in Abu Dhabi but given the race, many of them were sold out.  We were lucky to find a free night available.

Check-in was relatively smooth and the front desk confirmed that they had our F1 tickets (Thanks Doug!) and would send them up in a few minutes.

A Week in Japan: Planning & Booking

Introduction
Planning & Booking
United Polaris Business Class 787-8 San Francisco to Osaka (KIX)
Intercontinental Osaka
The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Cathay Pacific First Class 777-300ER Tokyo (HND) to Hong Kong
Conrad Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
Singapore Airlines First Class 777-300ER Hong Kong to San Francisco
Hyatt Regency SFO

I'm still working on a couple of segments from our latest trip to Al Maha in November of last year.   I plan to finish those trip reports in April but given that our next trip is coming up next month, I wanted to get the introductory post on the blog.

 Hotels:

At the moment, we have 10 hotel nights planned.  We fly out early to San Francisco, catch the direct United flight to Osaka and land early afternoon.  I booked the Intercontinental Osaka for 40,000 IHG points for the overnight.  We have nearly 150,000 IHG points so seemed like the right thing to do given we'll only be in town for one night and convenience is key.  The hotel is located next to the train station so will be convenient to get from the airport and to Kyoto.

In Kyoto, I booked the Ritz-Carlton for a total of 210,000 Marriott Rewards points using a combination of Marriott Rewards points and SPG points.  This was an incredible redemption given cash rates of $1,700 per night!  The property looks gorgeous and we're really excited about visiting Kyoto.


April 1, 2017

A Week in Japan: Introduction

Introduction
Planning & Booking
United Polaris Business Class 787-8 San Francisco to Osaka (KIX)
Intercontinental Osaka
The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Cathay Pacific First Class 777-300ER Tokyo (HND) to Hong Kong
Conrad Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
Singapore Airlines First Class 777-300ER Hong Kong to San Francisco
Hyatt Regency SFO

I'm still working on a couple of segments from our latest trip to Al Maha in November of last year.   I plan to finish those trip reports in April but given that our next trip is coming up next month, I wanted to get the introductory post on the blog.

We were in Tokyo last August and loved it.  We decided to go back on the flight home and started thinking about when and where.  We wanted to spend some additional time in Tokyo along with a visit to Kyoto.  We were able to snag flights on United's direct service from San Francisco to Osaka (closest international airport to Kyoto) and began planning from there.

I do want to give United's Polaris soft (hard product won't be installed on these planes for years) product so leaning towards keeping the direct flight.  For another 40,000 miles a piece we could fly Asiana first class through Seoul which would be more comfortable and more fun but take longer.

16,000+ miles of flying

March 11, 2017

Review: Park Hyatt Dubai

Introduction
Planning & Booking
British Airways First Class 747-400 Denver to London
British Airways Concorde Room LHR
British Airways First Class 747-400 London to Dubai
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa Dubai
Park Hyatt Dubai
Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class Lounge & Spa Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class 777-200LR Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles

We had booked a car through Al Maha and while the driver arrived a few minutes late, everything else was smooth.  Our ride took around an hour given traffic in Dubai.  The Park Hyatt is located in a great location - only about 10 minutes form the airport and situated on Dubai Creek with great views of the small marina and of the Dubai skyline.  Getting into Dubai from the hotel is easy - we made a couple of trips and the longest ride was about 20 minutes.

I had booked a cash rate and used 6,000 HGP per night to upgrade to a suite.  I emailed the hotel prior to see if we could be placed in a terrace suite but didn't have any expectations that they would honor that request.  Upon check-in, we were informed that they'd upgraded us to the terrace suite included complimentary breakfast and minibar - score!  No idea why they upgraded us - surely not due to my lowly Hyatt Platinum (prior to program changes) status or my world renown blog.  I think we just got lucky.

Our room wasn't ready yet so we had a complimentary cappuccino and caught up on email for 30 minutes and checked out the views of the Dubai Creek and skyline.




February 18, 2017

Hyatt Points + Cash a Great Deal at the Park Hyatt Seoul

I'm headed to Seoul in July for a couple of nights and based on reviews, am really excited to stay at the Park Hyatt.  I'm even more exited about using a combination of points and cash to make it a great deal.


Standard rates (not prepaid) with tax are running $389 per night.  I had three options:
  • Pay $389/night 
  • Burn 20,000 points per night
  • Burn 10,000 points per night and $140/night 

While $389/night isn't horrible for a Park Hyatt in a big city, it's a lot of money.  Hyatt points are relatively easy to acquire (transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards) but I still want to get the most value out of them if possible so burning 40,000 points wasn't ideal.  That would have given me a return of 1.95 cents/point.


I decided to book the points + cash rate which requires 20,000 total HGP points and $140/night.  This equates to a value of 2.49 cents/point given the $389 AI rate.

I'm pretty happy with that as Hyatt redemption given my goal of trying to redeem them for 2 cents per point.  

I'm looking forward to my stay and will post more details in the lead up to the trip in a few months.

January 22, 2017

Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria Needs Some Work

Last week, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria for a one night business trip.  The hotel is new, was close to my meeting, and was priced competitively so I decided to give it a try.

I landed at IAH around 6:30 and took an Uber to the hotel.  The Galleria is far out and the weather in Houston was terrible so it took nearly an hour.

I arrived at the hotel and was pleasantly surprised.  Check-in was smooth and I had my keys in a matter of minutes.  While the bar looked fun, I was tired and had some work to do so headed upstairs to order room service.  I ordered a Caesar Salad and a side of fries.  Simple enough or so I thought.  I was quoted 25 minutes which seemed fast - having served room service in two hotels in two different parts of the country, not sure why anyone would quote 25 minutes.  Strike one.

I got to work and 45 minutes later figured I'd call down to check on my order.  They said they were working on it and that it would be up shortly.  20 minutes later and no knock on the door so I called down again.  This time, I was told that the server was in the elevator.  This is a 14 story property and my room was on the 8th floor.  How long of an elevator ride could that be?

After 15 minutes, I called down again.  I was put on hold while they checked with the kitchen.  I was told that the server had 3 stops on his way up and I was last...the knock on the door should come soon.  By this time, it was nearly 9PM and I was hungry.  Finally, after more than 80 minutes my salad showed up (no fries).  The server was apologetic but I never saw those fries.

I had an early meeting and the weather was supposed to be bad again.  I filled out the door hangar for a 6:30 breakfast.  Same thing in the morning.  I had to call multiple times before my order showed up around 7:20.  I had to be out the door at 7:30.  Strike two

Hyatt's Twitter team (@Hyatt Concierge) was helpful during the process and I ended up with 5,000 HGP points for the inconvenience.  This is a new hotel so I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt.  But this is basic stuff - if you're going to be a business hotel, you have to help people get food, get it fast, and get it on time.  That's the whole point.  In the scheme of things, these are small details.  But in the moment, certainly a PITA and something I hope the hotel improves.


October 30, 2016

Return to Al Maha: Planning & Booking

Introduction
Planning & Booking
British Airways First Class 747-400 Denver to London
British Airways Concorde Room
British Airways First Class 747-400 London to Dubai
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa Dubai
Park Hyatt Dubai
Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class Lounge & Spa Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class 777-200LR Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles

We're headed back to Dubai next month to spend a couple of nights at Al Maha.  While we've had an incredibly warm October here in Denver (it was 80 degrees today!) we wanted to head somewhere a bit warmer in November to relax and outside.  Southern Europe is nice but just not that warm.  We were just in Asia a few months ago so Dubai fit the bill.  Using our BA Travel Together Ticket to fly first class all the way to Dubai made it even more appealing.

Hotels:

As it stands now, we have 6 hotel nights planned.  We land late in Dubai so booked the JW Marriott Marquis for 35,000 Marriott Rewards points.  Dubai's hotel market is insane - we had so many options it was hard to choose.  But we'll be heading to Al Maha around noon the next morning so for 12 hours, we certainly don't need something crazy.  The JW Marriott Marquis is also the tallest hotel in the world so that clinched it for me.

JW Marriott Marquis advance purchase rate

October 23, 2016

Return to Al Maha: Introduction

Introduction
Planning & Booking
British Airways First Class 747-400 Denver to London
British Airways Concorde Room
British Airways First Class 747-400 London to Dubai
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa Dubai
Park Hyatt Dubai
Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class Lounge & Spa Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways First Class 777-200LR Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles

I'm still in the middle of writing trip reports from our RTW adventure in August, I'm getting excited about our next trip and wanted to get the introductory post out.  We spent a couple of days at Al Maha  last year and vowed to return as soon as possible.  Of all the hotels we've been around the world, Al Maha is the most unique, special, and we've both lusted after returning for a year.

Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa Dubai

August 6, 2016

Planning & Booking: I'm Going Going, Back Back to Maldives, Maldives

Introduction
Introduction Part Two
Planning & Booking
Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel
Turkish Airlines 777-300ER Business Class New York (JFK) to Istanbul
Turkish Airlines Istanbul Arrivals Lounge
St. Regis Istanbul
Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge Istanbul
Turkish Airlines A330-300 Business Class Istanbul to Male
Transfer from Male to Conrad Maldives
Conrad Maldives
Transfer from Conrad Maldives to Male
Singapore Airlines 777-200 Business Class Male to Singapore
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Singapore
Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge to Singapore
Singapore Airlines 777-300ER Business Class Singapore to Tokyo (HND)
Andaz Tokyo
ANA Suite Lounge Tokyo (NRT)
ANA 777-300ER First Class Tokyo (NRT) to Houston
American Express Centurion Lounge Houston (IAH)

We are just a few weeks away from our RTW adventure to Istanbul, Maldives, Singapore, and Tokyo.  This will be our second RTW trip in the last year and we're really excited about how this trip came together.  If you're interested in reading in previous updates, check out the latest introductory post.

Lots of flying but looks worth it
Hotels:

As it stands now, we have 9 hotel nights planned.  We needed a Newark overnight and I ended up booking the Marriott Renaissance Newark Airport for 25,000 Marriott Rewards points.  This ended up being a phenomenal use of points as the the hotel is selling for $249/night which comes to $288/night with taxes.  Getting more than 1 cent per Marriott point is amazing.

Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel Rates
In Istanbul, we ended up booking the St. Regis through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts since we really need the ability to check-in early and in theory, we should be able to get in the room at noon or earlier.  The rate came to $251 USD with taxes.  That includes the early check-in, likely room upgrade, and $100 food and beverage credit.  While we could have certainly saved money by staying at the Park Hyatt ($180 USD/night) or a few other options, we wanted to checkout a new property in Istanbul and figured the rooftop Spago would be a nice way to end the day and burn our $100 credit.

St. Regis Istanbul Rooftop Views

July 31, 2016

Last Day to Purchase Hyatt Points at 40% Off

As a reminder, today is the last day to purchase Hyatt Gold Passport points at a 40% discount.  This could be a fairly lucrative offer if you also hold the Chase Hyatt Visa card.

You can buy up to 55,000 points (the maximum you can purchase in a calendar year) which will give you a bonus of 22,000 points for a total of 77,000.  Out of pocket cost will be $1,320.  That brings the cost down to 1.71 cents per point.

Hyatt is currently running a 10% off sale on award redemptions for those that hold the Chase Hyatt Visa card.  
Park Hyatt Maldives Overwater Villas

Introduction Part Two: I'm Going Going, Back Back to Maldives, Maldives

Introduction
Introduction Part Two
Planning & Booking
Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel
Turkish Airlines 777-300ER Business Class New York (JFK) to Istanbul
Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge Istanbul
Turkish Airlines A330-300 Business Class Istanbul to Male
Transfer from Male to Conrad Maldives
Conrad Maldives
Transfer from Conrad Maldives to Male
Singapore Airlines 777-200 Business Class Male to Singapore
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Singapore
Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge to Singapore
Singapore Airlines 777-300ER Business Class Singapore to Tokyo (HND)
Andaz Tokyo
ANA Suite Lounge Tokyo (NRT)
ANA 777-300ER First Class Tokyo (NRT) to Houston
American Express Centurion Lounge Houston (IAH)

I've updated the post below based on changes made to our itinerary.  I'll post the Planning & Booking section in the next week or so.

I've eluded to our upcoming RTW adventures in posts about the brand new Houston Centurion lounge as well as getting the most out of Hyatt Gold Passport points.  We're leaving next month and the trip is almost complete so figured I'd provide a bit more of a teaser in the form of an introductory post.

We were in the Maldives last year and just loved it.  There is something completely magical about the remoteness of it all.  There's no denying the fact that it's an incredibly challenging to get there.  Especially from the US.  But once you are there, it's the most beautiful place on earth (at least that I've seen).  So we set out to return later this summer.  While we loved the Park Hyattgetting there is more of a challenge than other resorts.
Our 23,000+ mile RTW itinerary (courtesy of the Great Circle Mapper)

July 17, 2016

10% Rebate on Hyatt Award Redemptions

Hyatt's currently offering a 10% rebate on award redemptions to cardholders of their Visa card.  While not earth shattering, (they've offered a 20% rebate in the past) if you're debating between multiple properties, you may want to consider a Hyatt stay.


I was debating between two hotels in Tokyo but will likely stay at the Andaz given the rebate.  I'm booked on a two-night cash + points stay for 25,000 points and about $400.  The rebate will put 2,500 Hyatt Gold Passports points back in my account which I value at around $50.


Note that registration is required and you must register by 8/31/16.  While the offer is apparently targeted, in practice I would expect all cardholders to be eligible.


The promotion is good for stays through 10/31/16.  The terms state that points will be credited back to your account 6-8 weeks after a stay is completed but last year points were in my account a week or so after my stay.

July 3, 2016

Introduction: I'm Going Going, Back Back to Maldives, Maldives

Introduction
Planning & Booking
American Express Centurion Lounge Houston IAH
Turkish Airlines 777-300ER Business Class Houston to Istanbul
Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge Istanbul
Turkish Airlines A330-300 Business Class Istanbul to Male
Transfer from Male to Conrad Maldives
Conrad Maldives
Transfer from Conrad Maldives to Male
Singapore Airlines 777-200 Business Class Male to Singapore
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Singapore
Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge to Singapore
Singapore Airlines 777-300ER Business Class Singapore to Tokyo (HND)
Andaz Tokyo
ANA Suite Lounge Tokyo (NRT)
ANA 777-300ER First Class Tokyo (NRT) to Houston

I've eluded to our upcoming RTW adventures in posts about the brand new Houston Centurion lounge as well as getting the most out of Hyatt Gold Passport points.  We're leaving next month and the trip is almost complete so figured I'd provide a bit more of a teaser in the form of an introductory post.

We were in the Maldives last year and just loved it.  There is something completely magical about the remoteness of it all.  There's no denying the fact that it's an incredibly challenging to get there.  Especially from the US.  But once you are there, it's the most beautiful place on earth (at least that I've seen).  So we set out to return later this summer.  While we loved the Park Hyatt, getting there is more of a challenge than other resorts.

24,000 miles RTW - map courtesy of the Great Circle Mapper

June 11, 2016

Getting the Most out of Hyatt Gold Passport Points

I've booked several iterations of a trip to Tokyo over the past few months.  Based on changing schedules, we've had to make a few changes and now Emily is going to join me!

I was waffling on where to stay given so many great options.  Patience won out and the Andaz opened up with Points + Cash availability a few days ago.  I quickly booked the reservation and couldn't be more excited to stay in what is supposed to be the best Andaz in the world.


Even though the date of the trip changed, the price remained roughly the same.  The two nights will run me roughly $388 and 25,000 HGP.  As a Platinum member paying with the Hyatt Chase card, I'll earn roughly 2,712 points which I value at around $54.  That brings my total "cash outlay" down to $334.

If I paid cash, the total outlay would be around $1,080 and I would earn 7,560 points valued at around $151.  That brings down the total "cash outlay" to $929.

So the 25,000 points are replacing $595 in cash.  That's a point value of 2.38 cents.  Redeeming points straight (50,000 total) and you receive a point value of 2.16 cents.  Either way, it's a great redemption and above where I value HGP points.  But the vast majority of the time, Points + Cash is going to result in a higher per point valuation.

If you are points rich and cash poor, than the calculation may be a bit easier.  But if you can afford to pay $155/night ++ than it's worth taking a look at the C+P valuation to see if you come out ahead.

May 28, 2016

Where Should I Stay in Tokyo?

I'm headed to Tokyo later this year for a couple of nights.  I've been looking forward to visiting the city for a long time and certainly want to get the most out of the trip especially considering it's only two nights.  The trouble is, there are too many good hotel options!  I've essentially narrowed down my search to four properties.  The trouble is, putting the points puzzle together has been a bit of a challenge.

Here are my options in order of preference:

1)  Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills
2)  Park Hyatt Tokyo
3)  Conrad Tokyo
4)  Ritz Carlton Tokyo

So I'd love to stay at the Andaz Tokyo.  Prepaid cash rates are $500 USD/night AI.  Award stays are available at 25,000 points/night (no points + cash availability at the moment) but I am short on Hyatt points.  I could book one night with cash and one night with points but would prefer to save the cash if possible.  And I generally don't recommend booking prepaid rates especially a few months out.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo is my number two choice.  Cash rates are going for $646 USD/night so that is a no-go.  At 30,000 points per night, that's a lot of Chase Ultimate Rewards points.  Points + cash is available but at 15,000 points and $326 USD/night.  So I think the Park Hyatt is out.

The Conrad Tokyo is available at 80,000 points per night but I'm short by 75,000 points.  I could buy the points which would cost me around $375 USD but the point (get it) is to use points and save cash when possible.  Emily could pick up the Hilton HHonors Reserve Card and we could use a combination of one of those nights and points to book the 2 night stay.  So that's a legitimate low cost (only $95 annual fee for the card) option.

The Ritz Carlton Tokyo is available at 70,000 points per night.  We do have the points in our separate accounts (Marriott lets you pool points from spouse accounts) but it's my number four choice and I'd much prefer to stay at the Andaz.

I realize this in the scheme of things, this is not a significant life challenge.  That said, I'm usually pretty decisive but am struggling with this one.  I'm generally leaning towards waiting on points + cash availability opening up at the Andaz or using 50,000 total points (which I should have in a couple of months) and booking two award nights there.  I know there are other options (Westin, Grand Hyatt, Hilton, etc...) but for my first time in the city, I'd love to stay somewhere really great.

What would be your decision?  Am I missing anywhere that you'd reccomend?

April 24, 2016

Great Value in Hyatt Cash + Points

In looking at hotels for my stay in Tokyo, I was trying to decide between three properties.  The Andaz, Park Hyatt, and Conrad are all on my list to check out.  The Park Hyatt is prohibitively expensive using points (30,000/night) and cash (north of $650/night AI) so I decided to stay at both the Andaz and the Conrad.  Booking the Conrad was easy thanks to a Hilton free night certificate and a giant stash of Hilton HHonors points.

The Andaz situation left me with three options:

1)  Pay cash at a nightly rate of $668 including near 25% tax (refundable rate)
2)  Redeem 25,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points/night
3)  Redeem 12,500 Hyatt Gold Passport points and pay $200 per night AI



One critical part of the equation is factoring in the HGP points earned in each situation.  As a Platinum member, I earn 5.75 points per dollar spent.  Add in the 3 points per dollar spent on the Hyatt Visa card and I'm earning 8.75 points per dollar spent.  I value Hyatt points at roughly 2 cents and consistently get greater value out of them.  For my two night stay, here's how the earnings break down:

1)  9,340 points earned for a total value of $187
2)  0 points earned
3)  2,800 points earned for a total value of $56


Cash + Points stays also count for elite credit with Hyatt but since I'm not making Diamond anytime soon, that's not something I care that much about.

While I wouldn't pay the cash rate (EVER) let's use that as the baseline to value the other point redemption options.

1)  Total cost (cash - point value rebate) for a two night stay would be $1,149
2)  At 50,000 points that is a redemption value of 2.30 cents/point
3)  At 25,000 points (subtracting the cash outlay in this scenario from the total cash cost and then adding back in the rebate from points earned) that is a redemption value of 3.29 cents/point

I was excited about staying at the Andaz but the value received for the cash + points redemption made the decision even easier.  

April 16, 2016

Review: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi

Introduction
Planning & Booking
Planning & Booking II
Washington Dulles (IAD) Lounge Hopping
United Airlines 777-200 Global First Washington to London
United Arrivals Lounge London
Andaz London Liverpool Street
Etihad Airways First & Business Class Lounge London
Etihad Airways A380 First Class Apartment London to Abu Dhabi
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways Premium Lounge Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways A380 First Class Apartment Abu Dhabi to New York
American Express Centurion Lounge LGA

The drive from the airport to the Park Hyatt took about 25 minutes.  There was no one on the road given the combination of the late hour and the weather in Abu Dhabi.  We picked Abu Dhabi because a) we wanted to see it b) we wanted to relax on the beach and b) Etihad First Class Apartments.  Abu Dhabi was expected to see some torrential rainfall.  We're talking 11 inches of rain in 4 days, high winds, thunderstorms, and even hail.  In the middle of the desert.  And they say global warming isn't a real thing?

Everything predicted turned out to be true as we experienced very little sun, low temperatures  and near constant wind and painful during our stay.  So we didn't get to relax on the gorgeous beach or see much of Abu Dhabi.  At least we got 1 out of 3.  That said, it was certainly a unique experience to be there for such a crazy weather event.  We loved the hotel and will most certainly be back...now back to the review.



March 19, 2016

Review: Andaz London Liverpool Street

Introduction
Planning & Booking
Planning & Booking II
Washington Dulles (IAD) Lounge Hopping
United Airlines 777-200 Global First Washington to London
United Arrivals Lounge London
Andaz London Liverpool Street
Etihad Airways First & Business Class Lounge London
Etihad Airways A380 First Class Apartment London to Abu Dhabi
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways Premium Lounge Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways A380 First Class Apartment Abu Dhabi to New York
American Express Centurion Lounge LGA

After a smooth 20 minute ride on the Heathrow Express, we arrived at Paddington Station and made our way into the train hall and up the escalators to the taxi rank.  The queue was short and we were in a London black (okay it was grey) cab on our way to the Andaz.  The driver didn't know where the hotel was which I still find shocking given the high bar for London taxi cab drivers.  I think an Uber actually would have been cheaper and easier but this would be our only cab ride in London and it's a special part of being in the city.

With some back and forth, we eventually made it to our hotel.  The Heathrow Express (with a discount coupon) cost 30 pounds and with tip, so did the cab.  All in, that's about $85 USD to get into the city.  Not terrible especially considering we had a free ride back to Heathrow.

We arrived at the Andaz around 1PM and we were hopeful that they'd be able to get us into a room a bit early.  The hotel is located on Liverpool Street in East London.  Close to Shoreditch and the financial district.  We found the location perfect for what we wanted to do (eat, drink, walk around).  You are far enough away from the main tourist areas but they are easily accessible via Liverpool Station which is essentially connected to the hotel.  

We've stayed at Andaz properties in New York and Amsterdam and based on those experiences, looking forward to our stay.  We walked in to the lobby where a "host" greeted us and started the check-in process.  The hotel decor is pretty but modern and minimalist which we both very much enjoyed.  After a bit of hunting and pecking, our host found us a room with a view and we were soon on our way up to the 2nd floor (room 260).

The room featured a small bathroom with some great tilework.

Andaz London bathroom