Hong Kong, Tokyo & a day trip to Kyoto

[amaroo]

My first trip report.....:shock:

September school holidays! it's time to head OS - this time it's Hong Kong & Tokyo.

3 nights Hong Kong
5 nights Tokyo

First up, I apologise for lack of photos showing the lounges & flights. Even though we spend hours & hours in them - I'm never organised enough....always seem to have my hands full with other things

BNE J Lounge
QF509 BNE-SYD....JASA
SYD F Lounge
CX100 SYD-HKG....J Classic award
Langham Place, Mong Kok

After many visits to HKG we were starting to get itchy feet & wanted to experience something different, we have always stayed on the Island. Reading many positive posts here on AFF we decided to give Langham Place, Mong Kok a go.

We booked The Residence interconnecting with One Club Place, with Club L access (exec lounge) Great set up for families - we are a family of 4 however, I'm sure you could easily accommodate a family of 6. Really impressed with Langham Place, great value, well located, lovely rooms & the exec club was well stocked & put on a decent spread for breakfast.

Syd Flounge - View from our room - View from Club L

 

[amaroo]

Apart from eating & shopping we didn't do a hell of a lot in Hong Kong. We did go to Hong Kong Museum of History, there is a special exhibition running until the 26-11-12.....The Eternal Realm of China's First Emperor. If Terracotta warriors are your thing - this is a must.

Very good exhibition with very many warriors - great explanation on the history, how it was accomplished & many interesting facts. Interactive displays that really get the kids & adults involved.....great value.

 

[amaroo]

How to make a warrior...

 

[amaroo]

Sorry - can only attach 5 photos per post...

 

[moa999]

Looks like better viewing and more variety than the Sydney Show at AGNSW ... and FREE.
That said the real thing in Xian is amazing.

 

[jetlagger]

Enjoying the TR & cultural experience.. Look forward to the rest of TR.
Cheers,
jl

 

[amaroo]

The museum is outstanding - the regular exhibition takes you from the dawn of time to HK of today. Well worth a visit.

Since we were staying in Mong Kok we thought we would try the local Michelin star restaurant - Tim Ho Wan's

Easy walk from Langham Place. On the way there we walked through the ladies market & on the way back we did the Electronics market. The restaurant is understated, you have to line up, & once in it's very fast & efficient....the food & flavour was brilliant, the pork buns are out of this world......the 4 of us had dinner for the total cost of $13AUD

In the morning we head to Tokyo

 

[turtlemichael]

Many thanks for your efforts. Great pics too.

 

[moa999]

Also note there are now three branches of Tim Ho Wan. Two island, one central.
The central side one is in Central on the lower levels near IFC mall.
Went there in the morning (about 1030am a couple of weeks ago) for a brunch and there was no queue at all.

 

[amaroo]

HKG Wing F lounge
CX548 HKG-HND whY purchased
Park Hyatt Tokyo

Early morning hotel car ride to HKG, quick check-in at the F counter & we were sitting in the wing F lounge having breakfast. Nice.....however, it's no Syd Flounge!

777 over to HND...really don't like the 3-3-3 layout on schedule & uneventful.

Arrived at HND & the hotel car was waiting to take us to our new home for the next 5 days. We booked a Park View room interconnecting with Park Twin, under the Park 360 package........PHT does not have a lounge as they have the NY Bar. Park 360 package includes breakfast, all-day soft drinks evening coughtails at the NY Bar, access to pool/gym & a few other things we never used.

The rooms, view, staff, NY Bar & facilities are exceptional.....the only downer is the compulsory wearing of a skull cap whilst using the pool.

First the views

 

[amaroo]

For the first time ever - the kids ended up in a better room than us:shock: Both were very nice, ours was larger however, the kids room had a really lovely feel about it due to the full width windows. When we come back as a twosome I think we'll book this type of room - only king not twins.

Park Twin.....

 

[amaroo]

Park View room...

 

[jetlagger]

Lovely room, & photos.. I quite like Shinjuku.. & the Hyatt is a wise choice

 

[LadyC]

Thanks for taking the time to do a trip report - I am also following this trip report closely - I'm trying to convince the gentleman to do the same trip over Easter next year!

 

[mella2007]

Glad you enjoyed langham place. It's great to be in the heart where the locals are

 

[amaroo]

Looks like better viewing and more variety than the Sydney Show at AGNSW ... and FREE.
That said the real thing in Xian is amazing.

We stumbled across it - accidental tourist.

The special exhibition wasn't free but very cheap. Around A$10 for adults & A$5 for kids.......cheaper than Xian. Haven't been to Xian yet......:idea:

Enjoying the TR & cultural experience.. Look forward to the rest of TR.
Cheers,
jl

Cheers.....need to remember to take more photos of lounges & planes

Many thanks for your efforts. Great pics too.

Always wondered what it was like doing a TR - now I know! Like others have mentioned it's a good way of re-calling the trip......& nice way to re-pay (in a little way) the favour of others before you.

Lovely room, & photos.. I quite like Shinjuku.. & the Hyatt is a wise choice

We liked the hotel & the area. Tokyo is so bloody huge there are great spots at just about every metro stop.

Thanks for taking the time to do a trip report - I am also following this trip report closely - I'm trying to convince the gentleman to do the same trip over Easter next year!

We are frequent travellers throughout the region.....can't believe we took this long to visit Tokyo! Keep pushing - you wont regret it.

Glad you enjoyed langham place. It's great to be in the heart where the locals are

Really happy that we threw the dice. Hong Kong felt completely different to where we normally stay.....not to mention that the price was an eyeopener, in a good way. I can honestly say the only downside was the pool - the other pool is unbeatable!

 

[amaroo]

Accidental tourist is the best way to describe us. Late bookers, no research, just hit the deck kind of travellers.

The first thing we do when arriving at a new spot is hit up the head concierge. Ok, a plan is formed, our track today will be:-

Short walk to Shinjuku station - PHT has a shuttle bus every 20 mins however, we decide to walk......< 10 easy minutes.
Clash course working out the Tokyo rail/metro system - just brilliant, have used many of worlds largest public transport systems.....this one is a winner!

JR - Yamanote Line to Ueno, then the metro to Asakusa and after a short walk we arrive at Sensoji Temple.

Ancient Buddhist temple http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensō-ji

Unique entrance to the temple - chock-a-block tosser tourist cough stalls.........did we buy stuff? You bet we did

 

[amaroo]

Feeling a little hungry - we keep walking.....then we come across a perfectly formed queue. It was just too much & I couldn't help myself & joined it......15-20 mins later we were in!

Lunch was lovely, with very well mannered elderly ladies in light blue aprons waiting the tables. Our luck was still with us - tempura! Restaurant; Tempura Daikokuya (tendon) , Tokyo, Japan

After lunch SWMBO informs me that we are deviating from the track.....she has spotted the Tokyo Skytree and there is no talking her out of it!

It's new & it's the newest tallest tower in the world at 634m TOKYO SKYTREE

Sometimes being the lazy accidental tourist doesn't pay off. The line up was massive.....best estimate 2 hours I whinged the whole time however, failed in my quest to get out of the queue.

If the skytree is for you......buy tickets on-line & piss everyone off as you waltz pass to the elevator

The queue - the other queue - view from skytree

 

[krisflyer]

Great TR! Well done!

 

[amaroo]

Spent, from the Skytree queue - we headed back to the Park Hyatt to hit the NY Bar & coughtail hour Kids are not allowed in the bar so we left them in the room to be entertained via the multitude of devices they have.

The previous day we spoke to Adrain on the concierge desk - he recommended a restaurant which we will be enjoying this evening.

Roppongi Robataya - roppongi robataya

Now this place was special, brilliant food, wonderful people & a service style I've never experience before........it was one of the most expensive meals I've ever eaten! Normally drinks make up around 50%-60% of the bill. On this occasion we had three beers & 2 soft drinks! So around 2.5%:shock:

Two chefs kneel in front of a U shape bar that sits 25 customers.....located between the customer & the cook - is a fresh food market that you would like to shop at everyday. You select your food & it's cooked in front of you.....fish, veges, beef, shellfish, abalone, crab & more....

We had a great time & the whole style of serving/cooking was an inspiration......no waiters, the two kneeling guys do it all.......just brilliant.

Word of warning.......the bill was a shock....don't order the Kobe beef unless you don't mind paying for perfection:shock: