Previous Trip Notes:
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 3 – Hyatt Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 2 – EY130 First Class
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 1 – Baltimore > IAD, & Etihad LoungeI had already taken a 13-hour flight halfway across the world, but my journey to the ultimate destination of the Park Hyatt Maldives had really only just begun. I booked my ticket to the Maldives for a total of 90,000 American Airlines miles (less than the previous years sign-up bonus on the American Airlines Executive Card – which had a $250 fee) and $42. While the flight from Washington D.C. to Abu Dhabi was in first class, the final leg from Abu Dhabi to Male was in economy. I constantly checked for award space to open up in business class, as there were still seats available, but to no avail. I was slumming it in economy.
That first pain and realization comes when you arrive at the airport. Business and First class to the left, with almost no line, or economy to the right, with quite the line. I logged into the free airport wifi to still check if any business class seats had opened while I snaked through the customs and security lines. I had hoped to hear from NSPwife before my plane took off – she was flying from Istanbul directly to Male, and set to land about 15 minutes before I took off.
After making my way through security, I was directed to one of the terminals for my flight. By this time, it was starting to get a little close. However, when looking at the gate numbers, I realized I had been directed to the wrong terminal! After a fast walk, I managed to get back to the correct terminal, and while walking, stumbled across the Etihad Business Class Lounge. I walked in to see if I could talk to an agent about a free upgrade since there was availability and I had voluntarily downgraded on this segment.
While they couldn’t help me, they did offer access to the lounge. Always nice to have a beer at roughly 8:30am while on vacation.
Etihad Lounge – Abu Dhabi
Etihad Lounge Bar – Abu Dhabi
Etihad Lounge – Abu Dhabi
Etihad Lounge – Abu Dhabi
Etihad Lounge – Abu Dhabi
After a couple minutes, I had to head to the gate. Finally resigning the fact that I was about to fly in economy, I stopped checking my phone for available seats and boarded the plane.
Now – this isn’t an economy flight like I’m used to in the United States. In addition to the Asian tradition of handing out warm towels before you take off, the seat had power outlets, usb chargers and a full entertainment system.
Etihad Flight – Economy
Etihad Flight – Economy
Of course, even the airport tower control has to be fancy:
The seats were fairly comfortable, and before I knew it, I was being served a meal.
Etihad Flight – Economy Meal
Etihad Flight – Economy Meal
Overall the flight was quite nice and uneventful. And since we were returning from Male to Abu Dhabi in economy four days later, I was happy that this was the case.
I exited the plane; now I’m at the Hyatt, right?
Male Airport
Nope. I’ve only taken a 13-hour flight, had an 11-hour layover, and another 4-hour flight. Still a ways to go. I collected my baggage from the baggage claim, and then a representative from the Hyatt came up to me to take me to the airport lounge to wait until our next flight. When I got there, I was able to reconnect with NSPwife – who had been there already for four hours – who I had not seen in almost a month!
By this time, it was apparent she wasn’t exactly traveling by herself (note – she would not let me take any “baby pics”).
The lounge was a nice getaway, but more akin to a domestic airport lounge in the U.S., with even less appealing food (is that even possible??). There were sandwiches and non-alcoholic drinks (alcohol is prohibited in the country except for within hotel resorts).
Lounge at Domestic Male Airport
Lounge at Domestic Male Airport
Lounge at Domestic Male Airport
Lounge at Domestic Male Airport
Lounge at Domestic Male Airport
One other word of advice: alcohol cannot be brought into the country. At all. Customs will “hold” your alcohol upon entry to the country, and you can collect it when you leave, but there is no saving money by bringing in duty free alcohol.
There was a “spa” in the lounge, but it was not open when we were there. So NSPwife and I spent some time catching up, read our books, and then took a walk along the beach:
Male Airport Domestic Lounge – Spa
FINALLY, a representative from Hyatt came and took us to our plane. When we boarded, we were still unsure if we were on a flight with a touchdown at Kadhdhoo airport or if we were direct to Kooddoo.
Flight from Male to Park Hyatt Maldives
Flight from Male to Park Hyatt Maldives – Of Course, a Non-Alcoholic Drink
Luckily, it was the latter. So at 20,000 feet, we watched the sun set over the Indian Ocean. It was surreal.
We finally landed in complete darkness. The airport was the size of a gas station – so we were able to collect our bags in about three minutes. Hyatt representatives were there to pick us up. They took our luggage and we all loaded up in a golf cart. A short five-minute ride took us to a pier, where we jumped on a speedboat.
Kooddoo Airport
So…this is something I hadn’t considered. It is pitch-black. Like, you can’t see anything. And we are FLYING through the Indian Ocean, in a boat. A part of me felt like we were drug smugglers. Was the captain wearing night-vision goggles? I think so…how else could they navigate through complete darkness? Every once in awhile we would see some lights of another resort.
Speedboat Ride from Kooddoo Airport to Park Hyatt Maldives
Speedboat Ride from Kooddoo Airport to Park Hyatt Maldives
Speedboat Ride from Kooddoo Airport to Park Hyatt Maldives
Speedboat Ride from Kooddoo Airport to Park Hyatt Maldives
Speedboat Ride from Kooddoo Airport to Park Hyatt Maldives, Complete Darkness
After about 30-45 minutes, we started to slow down. We made our way to the jetty, and got back into a golf cart. Another 3-minute drive and we finally hit our private villa.
A car ride, followed by a plane ride, taxi drive, hotel stay, taxi ride, plane ride, lounge stay, plane ride, golf-cart drive, speed-boat ride, golf-cart drive, and check-in. We were there.
No Comment
Luxury Hotel
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 3 – Hyatt Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi
Previous Trip Notes:
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 2 – EY130 First Class
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 1 – Baltimore > IAD, & Etihad Lounge
Upon arriving in Abu Dhabi, I opted to bypass the Etihad Arrivals lounge and go straight for a taxi. In hindsight, I should have checked out the lounge. Both to experience my first true “arrivals lounge,” but also to write up a review. In fact, I could have gotten a free shave there. Rookie mistake – I simply wanted to get to the hotel as quickly as possible in order to try and at least explore the city for an hour or two.
I quickly exchanged some U.S. Dollars for Emirati currency and grabbed a taxi right outside. I chose to stay at the Hyatt Capital Gate for two reasons: first, it is a category four hotel, meaning I could use my Hyatt Certificate that comes annually with the Hyatt Credit card (for a $75 annual fee). Second, this hotel is only about a 15 minute taxi ride, about half way between the downtown area of Abu Dhabi and the Airport. As I had a 9:20am flight, I wanted to get at least 6-7 hours of sleep to be refreshed for my full day of traveling to finally get to the Maldives.
As we got closer to the hotel, we drove past The Grand Mosque – an absolutely impressive structure. As is most architecture in the UAE, the hotel was also impressive, with an 18-degree “lean.”
The pictures at night don’t quite do it justice:
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
The hotel lobby is on the 18th floor. As I checked in, the General Manager was alerted that I was there, and he welcomed me as a Diamond Member. My path to Diamond status was going to pay dividends during this trip. As a Diamond Member, he informed me that they had upgraded my room, breakfast the next morning would be included and I could have a late check-out at 4pm. I was able to take advantage of the first two of those items. The lobby was nice:
Hyatt Capital Gate Lobby – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Lobby – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Lobby – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Entry to Guest Elevators – Abu Dhabi
The room was elegant, and the bathroom extremely nice, with a fantastic rain-shower. I often find the rain-showers to have rather weak water pressure, but this one was great. There was a welcome amenity of a fruit bowl and lots of bottles of water.
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
It was about 8:30pm, and I wanted to see a little bit of the city. I grabbed a cab to a night souk and walked around for about an hour. The souk was on a river, but was otherwise unimpressive:
Night Souk – Abu Dhabi
I caught a cab back to the hotel and grabbed a meal on the patio of the 18th floor restaurant. While dark, the views were still fairly nice. And the food very good:
Hyatt Capital Gate Dinner – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Dinner – Abu Dhabi
I was also excited that the restaurant served Almaza beer! I had my first Almaza when I lived in San Diego and a number of my friends were from Syria – and we always joked it was “the Bud Light of the Middle East.”
Almaza!!
After a bowl of pasta and couple Almazas, it was time to hit the bed. I opted for a fairly early wake-up call so that I could enjoy breakfast at the hotel. One issue was that I forgot to charge my devices and sadly there was no business class availability for my four hour flight from Abu Dhabi to the Maldives!
Before this trip, I made two purchases as recommended by Gary at View from the Wing. They were a universal power adapter and compact power outlet. What amazing purchases. While eating breakfast, I was able to use one adapter to charge all of my devices:
Universal Charging Devices
Without a doubt, I’d recommend the purchase of a Kikkerland UL03-A Universal Travel Adapter if traveling abroad. And for any travel, domestic or abroad, I would recommend purchasing a Monster MP OTG400 BK Outlets To Go Power Strip. It’s extremely compact and very light – and provides 4 power outlets. How many times have you been at an airport looking for a power outlet? Imagine asking someone if you could use the plug – and then pull out a power strip that can charge multiple devices for both of you?!
Breakfast was good. There were plenty of choices of breads, cereal, fruits and hot items such as sausage and veal bacon. I had a fairly hearty breakfast, and then took a look at the 18th floor views that I couldn’t see the night before due to it being dark.
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast View – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast View – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast – Abu Dhabi. I’m a BIG Fan of Watermelon Juice
Hyatt Capital Gate Breakfast View – Abu Dhabi
The lobby and hotel looked even nicer in the light:
Hyatt Capital Gate Lobby in Daylight – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
Hyatt Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi
The Grand Mosque looked amazing:
The Grand Mosque, from Taxi – Abu Dhabi
The Grand Mosque, from Taxi – Abu Dhabi
The Grand Mosque, from Taxi (sorry for the blur) – Abu Dhabi
Overall the hotel was perfect for a 14-hour layover – and I was excited to be on my way to the Maldives!
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 7 – Waldorf Astoria, The Caledonian
Previous Trip Notes
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 1: UA950 Business Class: IAD > BRU
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 2: 5 Hours in Brussels
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 3: Sheraton Grand & Edinburgh
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 4 – St. Andrews, Old Course
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 5 – The Fairmont, St. Andrews
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 6 – The Castle Course
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 7 – Waldorf Astoria, The Caledonian
Our journey back to Edinburgh was uneventful. I survived driving on the other side of the road for the second time in six months. We dropped off the rental car and checked into the Waldorf Astoria, a 50,000 Hilton points/night hotel. The building was gorgeous, and very classical in nature:
Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian
Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian
The Citi Hilton Reserve card comes with automatic Hilton Gold status. While gold status gives free breakfast at Hilton hotels, that benefit does not extend to Waldorf Astoria brand hotels. Instead, we were granted an upgraded Castle-View room, free water, welcome drinks at the Caley Bar, hi-speed internet, and a choice between bonus points or movies.
Letter outlining Gold benefits
The room was also very nice, set in similar style. And the castle-view was phenomenal:
Castle View from our Room
Double Room
Very Large Bathroom
Salvatore Ferragamo Amenities
We walked around the city, grabbed a bite to eat at a local pub, and then called it a night. We were catching a morning flight to head back to the States.
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 5 – The Fairmont, St. Andrews
Previous Trip Notes
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 1: UA950 Business Class: IAD > BRU
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 2: 5 Hours in Brussels
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 3: Sheraton Grand & Edinburgh
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 4 – St. Andrews, Old Course
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 5 – The Fairmont, St. Andrews
Given our rushed entry into St. Andrews, there was little time to appreciate the scenery. Pulling out of St. Andrews, it sunk in. This country is so beautiful. You are situated on the beach of the North Sea, with gorgeous architecture, and despite being April, had fantastic weather.
We pulled up to the Fairmont, a gorgeous looking hotel:
The Fairmont St. Andrews
The lobby and atrium did not disappoint:
Fairmont Atrium
While I had thrown around the idea of applying for the Chase Fairmont Visa card to receive two free nights, I was worried about the time it would take for the free nights to be loaded to my account, so I decided to use the Barclay’s Arrival Card – which when you sign up is valid for $400 in free travel reimbursements. One night here cost about $200; however, the $400 travel reimbursement from the sign-up bonus netted this out to be free. Along with the breakfast…
Breakfast Tables in the Atrium
Breakfast Buffet
Breakfast Buffet
Breakfast Buffet
Breakfast Buffet
The room was nice as well:
Fairmont Twin Room
Nespresso Machine!
Fairmont Twin Room Bathroom
Fairmont Twin Room Shower
Fairmont Bath Tub
Fairmont Twin Room
We went to dinner at The Clubhouse, a cliff-top restaurant about a 1/4 mile from the hotel (they provide free shuttle service). The meal was great.
The Clubhouse Restaurant – Fairmont St. Andrews
It was a stressful, chaotic and awesome day. We retired early, made sure to set alarms and ask for a wake-up call, and hit the beds early to wake up and take on the Castle Course.
My Path to Hyatt Diamond Status
In the middle of May, NSPwife and I received an email from our landlord kindly letting us know that her son would be moving back into the home we were renting, and we would have 60 days to find a new place to live. We had somewhat been expecting the email, albeit we were told it would most likely come in December, rather than seven months earlier. In short, we knew we wanted to buy a house somewhere in Baltimore, but hadn’t agreed on a neighborhood.
We quickly went into planning mode: These neighborhoods. This price range. The non-negotiables. Oh – and if we can’t find a place in 30 days we would need a back-up plan. Thus enter Operation Diamond: Pay less money than what we were paying in rent, earn top tier status with Hyatt, and make life as easy as possible during the transition.
See, what further complicated this ordeal was the fact that my company was opening a new $450 million project during this time. Work hours ranged from 16-20 hour days, and were typically 6.5-7 day work weeks. It wasn’t a fun time.
Luckily – and also due to making appointments to see every single house in the greater downtown Baltimore area, we secured a house; however, it would take about 2.5 weeks of “homelessness” in between needing to move out of our rental house and closing/moving into our new home.
Plan: The Hyatt Regency in Baltimore. Thanks to my Citi Hilton Reserve Card, I was a Hilton Gold member. This $95/year annual fee immediately paid dividends when NSPwife and I stayed at the Conrad Koh Samui – where Gold Status allowed us free breakfast at one of the nicest hotels in the world – with the nicest breakfast buffet spreads that I have ever experienced.
It also provided us with 2 nights in any hotel in the world.
Now – it allowed me to use that status for a Hyatt “Diamond Challenge.” Typically, Hyatt Challenges are only valid to their Platinum Level – however, if you show status with another hotel and are already a Platinum member, you are eligible for Diamond status.
Of course, I really hope you are already Platinum status, as it comes automatically with the Chase Hyatt Visa – one of the most luxurious sign-up bonuses of any credit card, that offers two nights at any Hyatt hotel in the world.
So there you go. I had a Hyatt Visa card, and thus Hyatt Platinum status. I had a Citi Reserve card, and thus Hilton Gold status. So when I emailed Hyatt and asked for the Diamond challenge, I received an email stating I needed 12 nights and I would become a Diamond member. I was also given lounge access during my trial.
I wound up staying 13 nights, enjoyed free breakfast and coffee/lattes every morning and Hyatt Diamond status. Now, time to take advantage of those suite upgrade nights…
A Weekend Jaunt: Part 3 – Sheraton Grand & Edinburgh
Previous Trip Notes
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 1: UA950 Business Class: IAD > BRU
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 2: 5 Hours in Brussels
A Weekend Jaunt – Part 3: Sheraton Grand & Edinburgh
I was excited to experience the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Edinburgh. Many reviews online state that this is the nicest Sheraton in the brand.
Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Edinburgh
The entrance and lobby was nice, but nothing extraordinary. Being an SPG Gold Member (courtesy of my SPG AMEX Credit Card), they offered an upgrade to a Castle View Room. The room was nice, but again, nothing extraordinary:
Sheraton Grand Edinburgh, Castle View Room
Sheraton Grand Edinburgh, Castle View Room – Bathroom
It was approaching the evening, and we wanted to explore the city. Edinburgh is a great walking-city, despite the large-scale grades. But we strapped up our shoes and hit the streets:
Edinburgh Castle – Only a short walk from the Sheraton
Edinburgh Castle
The city was beautiful:
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
Edinburgh Sightseeing
We grabbed dinner at Wildfire, a restaurant located on the pedestrian road, Rose Street – one block off of Prince Street. It was a very good meal – highly recommended. At this point we were exhausted, and headed back to the hotel. We arrived around 9pm, and were passed out by 10pm. Given that my dad sleeps about 6 hours a night, and I wake up habitually at 7:30am, we didn’t feel like we needed to set an alarm – we were picking up our car at 11am the following morning. So even if we slept in, we would be up by 9am, right?
Overall, a very nice – albeit short – stay in Edinburgh.
Bali: The Laguna Resort
Part 1: Seven Hours in ORD
Part 2: Cathay Pacific – First Class (CLE > ORD > HKG)
Part 3: Cathay Pacific – Business Class (HKG > BKK)
Part 4: Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel and Bangkok Airways Economy (BKK > USM)
Part 5: Conrad Koh Samui
Part 6: Thai Business Class (USM > BKK) & Singapore Business Class (BKK > SIN)
Part 7: Singapore & The Marina Bay Sands Casino & Hotel
Part 8: Bali: Anika Tailor & Grand Hyatt
Part 9: Bali: A Day with Wayan
Part 10: Bali: The Laguna Resort
We arrived back at the Hyatt around 7:30pm after our Day with Wayan and were surprised to see music and Balinese dancers in front of the lobby. Guess who didn’t tell us they did this every night when we checked in?! We couldn’t get out of the Hyatt quick enough and high-tailed it past the tourist-hawkers that the Hyatt lets set up within their hotel. Definitely not up to Hyatt’s typical standards.
For our last night in Bali, we had booked The Laguna Resort using SPG Hot Escapes. It had been a long time since I had last stayed at a Starwood Property so I was excited to see one of their “Signature Collection” hotels. When we arrived at The Laguna, it was a like a breath of fresh air. Open, airy, beautiful. Free upgraded room due to Starwood Gold Status (courtesy of the SPG card). Amazing pools. Many of them. The entrance was beautiful:
The Laguna Bali Entrance
As was the lobby…
The Laguna Bali Lobby
The room was nice, with a balcony overlooking one of the many lagoons:
Nice Standard Room with Laguna View
And the bathroom was huge:
Large Bathroom
Huge Shower
There was an assorted fruit spread waiting for us, due again to my Starwood Gold status:
Gold Amenity Perk
We had a fantastic meal outside along the beach of both BBQ and sushi, had a nightcap at one of the outside bars, then explored the hotel a bit:
The Laguna at Night
The Laguna at Night
Nighttime game of pool outside?
The Laguna at Night
Beach-side Cabana
After a good night sleep, we went for a run in the morning around Nusa Dua and then found a couple beach chairs along the beach and relaxed all afternoon. The B1G Ten Championship game was going on, and the WiFi from the hotel could be accessed from the beach. There was really nothing better than watching ohio lose to Michigan State, while drinking beers on the beach. In Bali.
Our Afternoon View
Beachin’ It
Cabanas required a fairly hefty deposit and rental fee, so while we opted for the beach chairs, the cabanas did look nice:
Cabanas
Perhaps one of our favorite amenities was the “giant shower” –
Not a Bad Way to Rinse Off
And of course, the “lagunas” – which were a series of pools – that wrapped around the entire hotel:
One of the Dozens of Pools
The Pool View from our Room
Overall, this was a great hotel, and we greatly enjoyed our 20+ hours here before we headed to the airport to fly to Beijing – the last stop on our trip.
Bali: A Day with Wayan
Part 1: Seven Hours in ORD
Part 2: Cathay Pacific – First Class (CLE > ORD > HKG)
Part 3: Cathay Pacific – Business Class (HKG > BKK)
Part 4: Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel and Bangkok Airways Economy (BKK > USM)
Part 5: Conrad Koh Samui
Part 6: Thai Business Class (USM > BKK) & Singapore Business Class (BKK > SIN)
Part 7: Singapore & The Marina Bay Sands Casino & Hotel
Part 8: Bali: Anika Tailor & Grand Hyatt
Part 9: Bali: A Day with Wayan
We woke up early to meet Wayan. This was one of the best decisions we made. Wayan met us promptly at 8am. Our only direction was: take us to see Bali.
The day started out at a traditional Balinese dance – very, very, touristy, but worth doing once:
Traditional Balinese Dance
We were quite hungry after the dance, as we did not eat breakfast. We asked Wayan if there was a place to grab a quick bite to eat, and he pulled over to a tiny place on the side of the road, overlooking a giant rice field:
NSPfiance enjoying her coffee
View while drinking coffee
We then stopped by a traditional Balinese house/compound, where entire extended families live. It was a very interesting experience. Following the house tour, we stopped by a Temple:
Balinese Temple
Balinese Temple
You had to wear a sarong to be allowed in
The grass is not for show, but rather allows one to pray without a prayer mat
Following the tour of the Temple, Wayan had asked us if we wanted to go to the monkey rain forest. As NSPfiance has been talking about getting a pet monkey for years, this was quickly agreed upon. This monkey-inhabited forest wasn’t just one where there were a few monkeys flying around the trees, they were…everywhere, including just chilling in the walking paths:
The Welcome Committee
There were monkeys EVERYWHERE. In fact, there were “Monkey Masters” all over the place in case any monkey decided to get aggressive. I saw that these “monkey masters” held kernels of corn, with which they could immediately garner the attention of the monkeys who would go for the kernels. I asked one of them for some kernels, and he gladly handed a few over:
My Newest Friend
At this point I handed NSPfiance some kernels, which she was hesitant to take. Why? Well, after many many years and conversations about wanting a monkey, apparently a key point was left out: NSPfiance is afraid of monkeys. After some good-natured teasing about this, NSPfiance reluctantly took the corn:
NSPfiance Faking Amusement
This was a very cool experience, and I recommend it to anyone heading to Bali. We were hungry at this point and Wayan took us to a great lunch place that overlooked another large rice field:
View at Lunch
We also asked to go to an outdoor market, but unfortunately did not find much stuff to take home. At this point it was close to 2pm. Wayan then asked us if we wanted to see a large rice field and a coffee/herb garden. The rice fields were huge and the gardens were pretty nice:
Herbs
More Herbs
There was also an interesting lesson in a Bali delicacy – Luwak Coffee:
Luwak Coffee Beans
What makes Luwak coffee both interesting and a delicacy? Well, if found in the US might be confused with a posting on Craigslist. Civit cats eat the raw coffee beans when they fall from the trees but the beans themselves are not digested, so it passes through them. Their feces is collected and the beans are extracted, cleaned and then roasted. The digestive system proccess allegedly makes the coffee taste better:
Civit Cat Feces
Did we taste it? We did. Have you had coffee ever at our house? Might you have tasted it?
It was now close to 5pm, and we were going to call it a day, but Wayan had asked us if we wanted to stop at a batik store. While I had never even heard of batik – a technique to dye clothes that includes wax – NSPfiance was all for it. Sigh. After about 30 minutes there, we finally called it a day.
Wayan dropped us off at Anika Tailor around 6pm for a final fitting (10-hours for a total of $55 USD!). We gave him a good tip, as he was truly a great guide and person (we highly recommend him!!).
At Last, Bali
Part 1: Seven Hours in ORD
Part 2: Cathay Pacific – First Class (CLE > ORD > HKG)
Part 3: Cathay Pacific – Business Class (HKG > BKK)
Part 4: Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel and Bangkok Airways Economy (BKK > USM)
Part 5: Conrad Koh Samui
Part 6: Thai Business Class (USM > BKK) & Singapore Business Class (BKK > SIN)
Part 7: Singapore & The Marina Bay Sands Casino & Hotel
Part 8: Bali: Anika Tailor & Grand Hyatt
Our trip to Bali was similar to our trip to Singapore, good but not terribly memorable:
Business Class Seats & Old-School Projector
Fresh Fruit Snack
The Elusive TV Screen
Breakfast & Coffee
Short-Rib Lunch
Tiger Beer
Bali!
As we were touching down in Bali, it finally sank in that this was one of our final stops on the trip. Bali had started out as just a “new place that made sense to visit” given the other stops on our itinerary; however, the more we read about it, the more excited we became.
Customs was quick, took only about ten minutes total, including grabbing our bags. At the arrivals we were met by Anika Tailor – who provided free transportation to their store to buy custom-made clothing (something set up in advance):
Suit Fitting
Fabric Selection
NSPfiance Dress Fitting
After about an hour of measurements, looking through all of the fabrics, negotiating pricing, and settling on four custom-made suits, three custom-made button-down shirts and a dress for NSPfiance, Anika Tailor provided transportation to the Grand Hyatt in Nusa Dua. The Hyatt Bali was closed for renovations, and we chose the Grand Hyatt because it is a Category 4 hotel, allowing us to utilize our annual free night certificates from the Chase Hyatt Visa (really $75 as that is the annual fee on the card, but a Grand Hyatt for $75? Yes Please.).
I love Hyatt hotels. The Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires was one of the nighest hotels I’ve stayed in, and after coming on the heels of the Conrad Koh Samui and the Marina Bay Sands, expectations were admittedly high. The outdoor lobby was quite nice:
Grand Hyatt Lobby
Grand Hyatt Lobby
Grand Hyatt Lobby
So imagine my surprise when we check-in and are told that they are completely full, so they can put is in the room “the farthest away” or we can pay for a cash upgrade to an “ocean view room.” While I don’t have Diamond Status with Hyatt, the Platinum Status that comes with the Chase Hyatt card usually allows us some form of limited upgrade. Instead, in addition to the “ocean view room” they presented an upgrade option to a club room, but we wanted to eat outside of the resort so we weren’t interested in the free food the club room provided. We ultimately decided to go for the Ocean View Room:
Ocean??
That’s right. There is no view, at least, not of the ocean. I generally would not have cared, but given the hard-sale at the front desk, this seemed very disingenuous. The room was nice:
“Ocean View” Room
“Ocean View” Room
Needing food, we stopped by the front desk to exchange money. Again, I was shocked at the exchange rates. Having been in multiple countries over the previous week, exchange rate numbers sometimes get confusing, so I exchanged only $20 in case I was right that it was not a good deal. We then walked across the street to an outside tourist mall. Nusa Dua is a strange place. It requires getting past armed security guards who check all cars coming in to the areas 10+ high-end resorts and is purely a high-class tourist destination. It is not, culturally, Balinese. While the tourist areas are usually not our scene, we were starving and this was the closest place to find a number of options for food/massages/beach gear, and oh look – money exchanges that were offering immensely better rates than the hotel!
After lunch we headed back to the Hyatt and relaxed in the pool with some poolside drinks, headed to the room to plan out the next few days in Bali and get a little rest. The hotel was massive, and the grounds were nice:
Grand Hyatt Bali
Grand Hyatt Bali
Grand Hyatt Bali
Grand Hyatt Bali
“Crowded” Restaurant due to “High” Occupancy Rates
Grand Hyatt Bali
We decided to eat at the Hyatt and just relax that evening. When we checked out all of the restaurants, I began to think that Bali must be similar to Spain, where people eat extremely late, as it was around 7:30pm and there were no more than 6 people throughout the hotel’s restaurants. Talking to our server about it, he said that the next few nights were expected to be slow since the hotel was very empty. What?! That added some serious insult to the hard-sale at check-in.
The next day we explored some markets, got massages and then went to Kuta to take surfing lessons. While the surf didn’t look very big from the beach, it certainly felt large when we were out there!
Again we had a nice dinner and went to bed early, since we were planning a full-day excursion with Wayan the following day. I heard about Wayan from The Points Guy. Wayan was a local driver for hire who would take you wherever you wanted to go or give suggestions on places to see and visit, full day for $55.
This was our last night at the Hyatt, as we moved to The Laguna, a Starwood property for our last night. I would not recommend this Hyatt and would not stay here again if we return to Bali. We were excited to move hotels and were delighted with our decision to stay at The Laguna.
22 Hours in Singapore
Part 1: Seven Hours in ORD
Part 2: Cathay Pacific – First Class (CLE > ORD > HKG)
Part 3: Cathay Pacific – Business Class (HKG > BKK)
Part 4: Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel and Bangkok Airways Economy (BKK > USM)
Part 5: Conrad Koh Samui
Part 6: Thai Business Class (USM > BKK) & Singapore Business Class (BKK > SIN)
Part 7: Singapore & The Marina Bay Sands Casino & Hotel
We landed at 4pm. Sunset was around 7pm and our goal was single-minded: The Skypark and 150m infinity pool that sits atop the 55-story hotel. Someone must have been looking down from above, as our luggage came out as the #1 and #2 bags! We zipped through customs and headed to the taxi-line. A quick ride into town, and we checked into the hotel.
This was not a “points” hotel. In fact, it was the most expensive room I’ve ever booked, coming in at roughly USD $475 after the conversion rate. While the hotel was nice, I’m not sure it was as nice as the Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires or the Conrad Koh Samui, which can at times also go for similar rates. Given that all other hotels (and flights for that matter) were booked for pennies on the dollar with points, we decided to splurge.
NSPfiance is not a gambler. She doesn’t enjoy slots, table games or poker…a vast contrast to yours truly. Imagine my surprise then, when NSPfiance said as we entered our room: “I want to gamble tonight.” YES…those are the best five words she has ever muttered to me. We quickly changed into our swimsuits and headed up to the infinity pool.
The Skypark did not let us down:
The Skypark at the Marina Bay Sands
Edge of the Infinity Pool
View of the Skypark
View of the Infinity Pool
View of Downtown Singapore from the top of the Marina Bay Sands
View of a Park from the top of the Marina Bay Sands
After a couple drinks, as the sun began to set, we headed back to our room, and got ready to hit the tables. The casino is, stunning. It was a Wednesday night, around 7:30pm, and 575 of their 600 tables were open, and packed. Given that $50 blackjack and $25 3-card-poker were a little rich for our blood, we decided to try our luck at roulette. Little did I know that the $5 minimums meant that each chip was, at minimum, worth $5. Whoops. But a funny thing happened. Our numbers hit. And hit again. And again. After two hours, we had won enough to cover our room, our taxis and our meals! So we called it a night for the casino and headed to grab some dinner.
On our previous trip to Singapore, we fell in love with chili-crab. So that was the only requirement. We decided to hit Newton Circus, as while it is a rather popular tourist destination, we had not been and wanted to see it. We found our chili-crab, black-pepper crab, and about 3-4 other dishes. It was glutenous, wholly unnecessary, and utterly delicious. Well worth the pain we experienced for hours after we had finished.
The rooms at the Marina Bay Sands were nice, and they gave us a room with a wonderful view:
Standard Room at the Marina Bay Sands
Standard Room at the Marina Bay Sands
View of Downtown Singapore from the Marina Bay Sands
We called it a night, as we had to get up at 5am to catch our flight. After a short taxi ride back to the airport, we made our way to the Singapore Airlines Business Lounge. Funny how the entrance to the First Class Lounge had a Christmas Tree, but the Business Class entrance did not:
Sinagpore Airlines Lounge Entrance
Still, it was a very nice lounge:
Morning Mimosa
Large Beverage Selection
Large Food Selection
Nice Restrooms and Showers
Silver Dollar Pancakes and Mini French Toast
NSPfiance Roughin’ It Halfway Across the World
You might be wondering why we chose only to spend 22 hours in Singapore. There were really two reasons: First, we loved our time there on our previous trip but also wanted to spend as much time as possible in Bali. Second, any stop on an international trip of under 24-hours is considered a lay-over. So our flight from Koh Samui > Bangkok > Singapore > Bali was treated as a single, one-way trip, totaling only 10,000 miles in economy or 17,500 in business. Not bad 🙂