The Radisson Melbourne Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.
Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.
Getting There: If you take the bus & train from the airport it only costs $4-$14AUD and takes 30 minutes to an hour. Uber is $24-$33AUD and takes 15 minutes.
As a Club Carlson Gold Member, I was upgraded to a Business Class Room at the Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne. Business Class aboard Finnair and business at Radisson are slightly different with the former providing much more amenities. According to Radisson.com, Business Class features service and upgraded amenities specifically designed with the business traveler in mind.
Business Class at Radisson offers:
Upgraded room & amenities
1,000 bonus Gold Points® per night
Turndown service
Weekly newspaper delivered to your room
So really, it means you may get an upgrade from the standard Club Carlson tin box to something marginally bigger. I’m not sure if my room was upgraded because the room was tiny. Still, pre-Club Carlson devaluation, the hotel was a good value at the buy one get one night free points rate.
Some quick facts on this hotel:
The best amenity was the rooftop hot tub and patio.
The rooftop gym was strange. It was barely big enough for two people but had a personal trainer instructing guests on weird routines.
The hotel was walking distance to the city center and had a friendly front desk that tracked down our tour company when they went MIA.
Other than that the hotel was not memorable.
The Radisson MelbourneThe entranceThe Hot TubThe Garden and its ilk
The Park Hyatt Melbourne Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.
Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.
Getting There: If you take the bus & train from the airport it only costs $4-$14AUD and takes 30 minutes to an hour. Uber is $26-$35AUD and takes 17 minutes.
What’s your favorite hotel brand? If you’re not a points participant and have some disposable income, then I’m sure it is the Four Seasons. If not then I’m guessing it’s either the St. Regis, Conrad, or Park Hyatt.
Hyatt has some great brands including Andaz and the Hyatt House but none compare to the Park Hyatt. A reason to maintain Diamond Status is for the benefits at Park Hyatts including the much blogged about free breakfast.
I have stayed at Park Hyatts across the globe including:
When I made the reservation for the Park Hyatt Melbourne I was expecting the same level of sophistication from this hotel as I’ve come to expect from other Parks. With the exception of the Park Hyatt Mendoza, the brand had not come up short. While the Park Hyatt Melbourne was good, it was not great.
The Park Hyatt
The Location
Melbourne is not a huge city. It is very walkable. The Park Hyatt is located at the top of the hill near a church on the outskirts of town. It takes a few minutes to get to the heart of the action but the location is decent enough. Consider staying at the Westin if you want to be in the middle of it all.
The Park & ChurchThe churchThe garden
The Room
Not Diamond at the time of staying, I had a standard garden view room. It had the usual amenities: a king size bed, a lovely shower, and was pretty spacious.
The room, post napThe balcony view
The Facilities
The best part of the Park Hyatt Melbourne are the facilities. The indoor pool, hot tub, and the gym are top-notch. I usually don’t write a separate review for gyms because I’ve yet to travel and stay true to my promise of consistently working out while abroad.
The poolThe pool
The Staff
The staff was friendly and helpful. They recommended places for dinner but couldn’t come up with any picks for where to go out. I find it interesting when young people work at the front desk in a big city and can’t provide names of a few ‘go to’ spots. No matter where in the world I have lived I can always tell visitors what is good every day of the week.
Overall
The hotel was very good. It wasn’t on par with the other Park Hyatts whose luxury and glamour become one of the highlights of trip. The Park Hyatt Melbourne was just another nice hotel to rest until I moved on to the next city.
Like a kid bringing in a new toy for show and tell, I am excited that I am weeks away from getting the coolest invention known to nomadic man. I previously wrote about the Kickstarter campaign for the World’s Best Travel Jacket and today they emailed me to confirm my size, style, and color.
Here’s what I chose:
Glasses sold separately
Will it live up to the hype? I certainly hope so.
I make no money off of this product but you may be able to order it here for the discounted Kickstarter rate.
All the cool kids in the lounge will be wearing ’em.
The Cathay Pacific HKG-SYD Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.
Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.
It’s all about the Dreamliner and the 777 vs. A380, if not the A350 these days. Back then TPOL was just happy to fly business and get free champagne and ice cream.
The flight from Hong Kong to Sydney was aboard an A330 and looking back I couldn’t tell you what the difference was between it and my next Cathay 777 flight from HKG-JNB. This may be due to TPOL’s lack of aviation expertise at the time, or it may be a result of the quality of Cathay Pacific. In the five times I flew Cathay as part of this RTW itinerary, I was never disappointed. In fact, the business class was so good, it rivals my Cathay first class experience from HKG-ORD.
During the good old days when RTW tickets were available, the type of plane was secondary compared to finding business class availability. Since the trip consisted of a dozen segments, slumming it on a 737 for a few hours wasn’t such a big deal since the next flight was on a 777.
Now that 120,000 AA miles only gets you a RT ticket instead of halfway to a 50,000 Mile Explorer Award, making sure you fly the best business class product is just as important as availability. Look no further than Thai Airways 777-200 BKK-AKL for an example of when flying business isn’t as attractive even when it’s free.
I’m lucky that I was able to redeem the Explorer Award and am even more lucky that so many of the flights were on Cathay, regardless of the type of plane.
The Cathay Pacific The Arrival Lounge Hong Kong Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.
Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.
After a smooth business class flight aboard Cathay from NRT, I had three hours in Hong Kong before my first lie-flat experience.
Cathay has more lounge varieties than Chevy trucks. As a transit passenger, I was given access to The Arrival Lounge, a quiet sanctuary in the middle of the bustling HKG airport. With a few hours to relax, I setup my own mobile work station, asked for a glass of champagne, and feasted on wieners and onion rings.
Seriously, baby wienersThe LoungeThe champagneThe mobile work station
Since it was late in the evening, the lounge was quiet and empty. I spent my time reviewing the complex itinerary instead of TPOL’s new norm- walking around, taking pictures. Maybe it was because I wasn’t in ‘blog mode’ but I can’t recall a lounge that was more comfortable than this one. I felt like I was unwinding at home, not in Hong Kong moments away from catching a flight to Australia.
As part of my RTW itinerary, I would cross through this lounge again. Again I would find it empty yet peaceful.
A ceasefire has been declared. The Club Carlson drama is over. This morning I received a call from a restricted number. Some people are adamant about not taking calls from numbers they do not know but I get a rush out of answering such calls. This is mostly due to my curiosity of how the agent is going to botch my last name. Today that call came from none other than US Bank ‘in regards to your multiple emails and phone calls.’
The call was very tame. I was informed that my e-cert would be put into my account and that the sun would come out tomorrow. So for anyone who is waiting for correspondence from the Office of the President, be sure to pick up the phone when it rings.
Eleven weeks of training is done for the Athens marathon and in order to keep myself honest and motivated, here’s my weekly diary of all things marathon.
Here’s what happened this week:
Coming off a week of panic, I finally ran and ran and ran.
Today was distance day and I hit 10.02 miles in 1:35:52 at a pace of 9:34/mi which gives me hope.
5 more weeks to go. Like last week I ask, “Are you watching the shitty Lions lose?”
Citi is usually very good about matching current credit card offers as is Chase. So when I saw that the 50k HHonors after 1k spend was increased to 75k after 2k spend I thought a quick call would yield 25k more points.
It did not. The friendly agent confirmed that Citi can adjust offers if there is a better one except when it involves Hilton. He is reviewing the call to see if any promises were made to match the offer and will get back to me this week.
Even though this card is churnable, it would be quite a shame to see 25k points go to waste because I prematurely applied for a card with a bonus that went from 40 to 50 to 75.
Anything on the line (Production Possibilities Frontier for my fellow economists) is an efficient use of your time depending on your tastes and preferences.
Anything inside the line is inefficient as should be avoided.
Anything outside is aspirational but may be impossible to do given the constraints of time and resources.
The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa.
As part of the New Year’s Roll Call, we went to Tokyo making this guide more inclusive than what I did there during my brief stopover round the world. It’s jam-packed with activities so get ready to get exhausted.
Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji is an active volcano and the country’s tallest peak. It is also ‘covered with garbage’ according to a local. That is all I can tell you about it. We missed the Mt. Fuji tour because we decided to stay out all night our first night in Tokyo to trick jet lag.
Buy the postcard, skip the tour
Tokyo Imperial Palace
Chances are you will not be one of the few that can say that you have visited the Emperor. He is off limits to the public except for January 2nd when he delivers the New Years Greeting or on his Majesty’s birthday, December 23rd.
Going was an interesting experience. The Emperor comes out and says a few words and the crowd goes wild! Actually the crowd quietly and reverently waives their Japanese flags.
The Imperial GardensGaijin
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Observation Building
Located in Shinjuku, the observation building provides stunning views of all of Tokyo including the Imperial Gardens that you may not have been able to visit. You can also see the modern architecture that was commissioned before the bubble burst on Japan’s economy. On a side note, it’s remarkable that every emerging economy that makes progress spends as irrationally as Japan did expecting a different result. (see Dubai, see Shanghai.)
View from aboveThe Gardens
Roppongi Nightlife
If you aren’t a business traveler, I recommend staying in Roppongi at least for a few nights to witness the chaos of Tokyo nightlife. Missing it would be like going to Bangkok and skipping Khao San Road. There is always a bar to go to, a club that stays open all hours, and healthy trouble on the horizon.
I believe the classics of Motown, Wall Street, Wall Street 2, Gas Panic (which is fucked up according to local), and the Ice Bar Tokyo are no longer in service but the alley right near the TGI Fridays will have their replacements. When I was there in December 2013 , Jumanji on a Sunday night was going off like a Robin Williams movie.
Roppongi is crazy. Brace yourself.
Watch out for that flirting
Late Night Sushi & Ramen
In Roppongi, there is a sushi restaurant that is open all hours called Sushizanmai. There is also one at the Fish Market. Here, the sushi is affordable, the sake is endless, and the wait staff is tolerant of gaijin Shaqtin’ a fool.
4AM Sushi4AM sake
Tsukiji Market
Before the sun goes up, head to the Tsukiji Fish Market for the world’s freshest sushi. Take care not to act like the Roppongi fool you were the night before. There have been many incidents with foreigners interfering with the operations of the fish market which temporarily forced its closure to the public. The Fish Market is like the NYSE but with fish. Everything is being traded. The prices for tuna are incredible.
From the seaTo the cutting boardTo the auctionTo your table. Sushi, it’s what’s for breakfast
Tokyo Kur
“I want onsen,” I told the information desk at the Tokyo Station. “No onsen here, this is metro.” Onsen translated means hot springs. There aren’t hot springs within the subway station, but there is the world’s greatest spa with hot tubs and shiatsu. For a great afternoon of Roppongi recovery, head to the Tokyo Kur. There you will be bathed thoroughly as if you were Zamunda royalty.
Located in Tokyo Station
Shibuya Karaoke & Park Hyatt New York Bar Shinjuku
Located in different districts of Tokyo, these two must see attractions give you insight as to the many worlds that exist in one city. Shibuya is where the original hipster must’ve come from. It is also home to the busiest intersection of the world.
If you’re looking for fun, cross the intersection while a friend takes your photo. Send that to your family for some Where’s Waldo entertainment. If you do get lost, meet up with your friend at the Hachiko statue. Legend has it that the dog, Hachiko, used to walk with his master to work every day and return in the evening to pick him up in this very spot. Long after the master died, the dog continued the ritual until he passed.
It’s ClearGo!Hachiko!
Karaoke
Now it’s time for karaoke. Before going to Asia, I had always hated karaoke. Who likes to sing songs in front of strangers? And who likes to wait for strangers to sing songs they do not care to hear? In Asia, karaoke rooms are private and the waitress delivers beer. Add in your best buddies and you’ll have ‘the time of your life’.
The Karaoke building in Shibuya
Park Hyatt New York Bar
Leave the cool kids in Shibuya and head over to the Park Hyatt Shinjuku, a hotel too pricey even with points. Take the elevator to the New York Bar, order some overpriced wine, some rare cheeses, and prepare to be lost in translation.
Seriously, I don’t understand jazz music.
The view from the bar, the clientele, and atmosphere make coming here worth a peek.
Wine n Cheese
The Tourist Traps
The Tokyo Tower
The Tokyo Tower is a bootleg Eiffel tower. It looks dumb and is not worth the price to go to the top. Take a pic if you’re in Roppongi. Otherwise skip it.
The Gentlemen’s Bar
So a friend of mine told me…
In Roppongi there are plenty of intimate bars with passionate owners begging you to come inside. The scam is the same: Pay a low rate for open bar for a couple of hours, jack up the prices, followed by blackout, followed by obscene bill payable immediately. You’ve been warned.
On that happy note, it is time to get out of Tokyo and head for the next adventure. Come back again since there are dozens of other things to do in this great city.
Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.
Hilton Gold is the best status abroad for those of us lucky enough to have it. Suite upgrades in Seychelles, the best buffet breakfast in Maldives, and lounge access in Istanbul make it well worth the cost of qualifying each year.
I checked into the Conrad Tokyo and received stellar service from the moment I arrived. I was upgraded to an impressive room on a high floor and given access to the lounge. As I only had one night in Tokyo before my RTW adventure continued, I didn’t have the time to truly enjoy the hotel. The Conrad, located in the Tokyo Shiodome, is walking distance of the Tsukiji Fish Market which was my first stop after settling in.
After a rowdy evening in Roppongi, I abruptly came to consciousness, scrambled for the lobby, and made my way to the airport. On the one hand, it’s a waste to stay at such hotels for an abrupt amount of time. On the other, with one night in Tokyo, I’d rather go eat, drink, and misremember it all than stay in my tidy room.
Conrad TokyoThe Golden FloorSpectacular room and view (by day)No time for tubThe collectionThe teddy survivedHenny VSOP=TroubleSnacks + HennessyShiodome: A city within a cityOne night with a HiltonOne night with sushi
