Food

Review: Air China First Class Lounge – Shanghai Pudong

BySean December 14, 2014January 1, 2024

We arrived at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport after a quick, 35-minute commute from the Grand Hyatt Shanghai on the metro and the maglev. First Class check-in was painless and uneventful, as was the short trek through immigration and security. We made our way directly to the new Air China lounges, located near gate 71 in Shanghai-Pudong’s…

Review: Grand Hyatt Shanghai

BySean December 3, 2014January 1, 2024

Since I was scheduled to pick up my award ticket and start my journey back to Washington, DC via Tokyo on an Air China flight from Shanghai to Tokyo, I arranged to get back to Shanghai the prior day, leaving the two of us with one last afternoon and evening in Shanghai. Since we were…

Review: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui

BySean November 21, 2014January 1, 2024

When planning where we would stay for our weekend in Hong Kong, I narrowed it down between the two main Hyatt properties in Hong Kong: the Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui. I wrote off the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin due to its location relatively far from Central and Kowloon….

#TBT: Review: United Business First Washington to Frankfurt – 2013

BySean November 20, 2014January 1, 2024

Throwback Thursday Series! This is the first in a series of “Throwback Thursday” #TBT posts that I will release. These will feature flights and other elements of trip reports from the past. For now, these will all be flights, hotels or cities that I’ve taken, stayed at, or been to over the last few years….

A Weekend in Hong Kong – Ten Highlights

BySean November 19, 2014January 1, 2024

Since my first time to Hong Kong during grad school back in 2009, I’ve referred to Hong Kong as my favorite city in the World. After a third trip back, I still think it’s my favorite city anywhere. There’s just so much that this metropolis has to offer. From the markets to the vistas…

Review: China Eastern Economy Class Shanghai to Hong Kong to Shanghai

BySean November 18, 2014January 1, 2024

After our time in Shanghai, I wanted to get down to my favorite city in the World — Hong Kong! This little jaunt south was not part of my award ticket, so I had to hop on the Interwebs to find a decent deal for a round trip from Shanghai to Hong Kong. I heavily…

Two Days in Shanghai

BySean November 16, 2014January 1, 2024

Things didn’t start well at the airport. Immigration and customs were both fine, but then it went downhill. Yes, we were exhausted after over 30 hours of travel from Munich at that point, but we fell into a trap at the airport – a trap that I should know better not to fall for: we…

Review: ANA First Class Square Tokyo to Washington

BySean November 14, 2014January 1, 2024

After an extremely early morning bus ride from the Hyatt Regency Tokyo out to Narita, I proceeded to the very exclusive feeling ANA Suite Check-in facility. Here, I was quickly checked in and whisked away to a private security line before I went on to clear immigration. I relaxed for about an hour in the…

Review: Air China Forbidden Pavilion First Class Shanghai to Tokyo

BySean November 14, 2014December 19, 2014

We arrived at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport a couple of hours before our scheduled departure for Toyko-Narita. Check-in was quick and simple, and I was pointed towards the security line where I was able to skip the line since I was flying First. I ended up clearing security and immigration only minimally quicker than my…

Review: Park Hyatt Shanghai

BySean November 13, 2014December 19, 2014

First of all, I’ve made no secret of my love for Park Hyatt properties. I feel that they are some of the nicest and well-done properties in the world, and are certainly amongst the best hotels in which I’ve stayed. Before my trip to Shanghai, I’d previously stayed at Park Hyatts in Tokyo, Dubai, Melbourne…