Japan TR (include JL & CX F review)

[boomy]

Received this card from the FAs, nice touch.

We landed on time in HKG, took the airport train to Kowloon station and checked in to the W hotel which is located just above the station.

 

[bPeteb]

Received this card from the FAs, nice touch.
View attachment 44696
We landed on time in HKG, took the airport train to Kowoolon station and checked in to the W hotel which is located just above the station.

I hope my ex-work mate Peter Hildebrand (the GM) and his staff look after you

 

[legroom]

Some more photos from the Red Suite.
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The champagne here is Laurent-Perrier.
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Including special 'Cherry Blossom' Rose.
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Was told it's a special vintage exclusive for JAL. Not sure if it's true or not but it definitely looks nice.

Last time I was in JL F lounge (WP flying QF J), nobody mentioned the Red Suite.

Obviously for F pax only

Nice TR

***

Looking forward to my longish HKG FRA rtn on CX next month in 1A !

 

[boomy]

Last time I was in JL F lounge (WP flying QF J), nobody mentioned the Red Suite.

You departed from NRT, this suite is in HND.

 

[boomy]

W hotel Hong Kong
The hotel is located in Elements shopping centre, above Kowloon station and next door to Ritz Carlton.
Unlike some business hotels which look and feel pretty much the same everywhere, W hotels have different decor and a quirky atmosphere. We loved the funky music that plays everywhere, in the lifts, in the lobby, in the pool area and it changes depends on the time of the day.
At check in we received upgrade to Fabulous Room. Hotel fully booked so no suites available (I'm hearing this excuse too often lately from SPG). Anyway the room was big enough and we had bay views.


Nice gift waited for us in the room.

Also two complementary small bottles of Fiji water daily plus two drink voucher to be redeemed at the bar.

 

[boomy]

W have the highest swimming pool in Hong Kong on the 76th floor, perfect for outdoor swim with a view.

 

[PLANT]

Thats a long swim....day to night!

 

[boomy]

Day 14
Hong Kong
Starting with breakfast in the hotel.
The hallways on our floor decorated nicely.

Island dining and buffet area.


Hard to resist all these sweet temptations.

 

[boomy]

Spent the rest of the day shopping in all kinds of boring shopping centres (thanks god we only have to do it once during this trip).
Stopped for lunch at Din Tai Fung.



Not as good as TPE but better then SYD.

 

[LadyC]

Have not yet tried Din Tai Fung. Which HK location did you go to? Was it easy to get a seat?

 

[boomy]

Have not yet tried Din Tai Fung. Which HK location did you go to? Was it easy to get a seat?

We went to the one in Mira Mall. No queue at all during lunch time, it was surprising considering we had to wait over one hour in TPE.

 

[love_the_life]

Haven't been to HKK Din Tai Fung but have been to several in SIN. Possibly the same process - they give you a number when it's busy and then when the table is ready the number is called out. Only waited about 15 minutes.

 

[boomy]

Later we went to visit my company's head office and it was my gf's turn to get bored (ah the sweet revenge ).
Finished the day with a few laps in the pool followed by hot jacuzzi (it's not that warm in HK, only 20 degrees).
We had dinner at Sing Yin, the W hotel Cantonese restaurant.

Roast Pork.

Shrimp with garlic sauce.

Dried Abalone with oyster sauce.

Very good Cantonese food with excellent service and reasonable prices (plus 20% off for SPG members staying at the hotel).
We finished the night with drinks in the highest bar in the world, Ozone Bar, located next on the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton hotel.

 

[coolkid101]

Have not yet tried Din Tai Fung. Which HK location did you go to? Was it easy to get a seat?

they're everywhere in HK. we visited 4 different ones as we went around HK and they all tasted the same -- excellent.
seats were easy to get, we only had to wait once and even then were allowed to order while waiting (10mins)

 

[coolkid101]

Haven't been to HKK Din Tai Fung but have been to several in SIN. Possibly the same process - they give you a number when it's busy and then when the table is ready the number is called out. Only waited about 15 minutes.

yeah exactly the same process, and the same great service. they even have the same bag pouches and covers - where they put your bag into a little pouch beside the table and cover it with a clot - or a seat cover to wrap over your jacket draped over the back of the seat

 

[Isochronous]

Sing Yin is a great restaurant and the SPG discount makes it even better. Hope you enjoyed the W!

 

[boomy]

Sing Yin is a great restaurant and the SPG discount makes it even better. Hope you enjoyed the W!

It's such a good hotel, too bad the price is not so good and I can't stay there more often when I'm in HKG.

 

[PLANT]

Any chance you can bump the window with the plates in it........they stuck in position?

 

[boomy]

Any chance you can bump the window with the plates in it........they stuck in position?

Good question, I didn't test that

 

[boomy]

Day 15
We woke up late and spent the morning looking around Elements shopping complex. At lunchtime we checked our luggage in Kowloon station and took the train to airport.
We arrived four hour before departure ready to inspect all the lounges. It was my gf first HKG lounge crawl and she really enjoyed it.
HKG airport OW lounge crawl
The Pier.


It's a standard J lounge with noodle bar and also small F section for those who don't want to take the train to the other side for the better F lounge.
The Cabin

Designed to be a shared J & F lounge it has a modern look with lots of work and relaxation space.
They also have some interesting smoothies.

It wasn't busy at all when we were there, make sense being relatively close to the Wing.