Travel Report Asia Part 9 Hong Kong (ICC, Ritz Carlton, W, Elements Shopping Mall)

On our full day we decided to go to the International Commerce Center (ICC). It contains offices and the highest hotel in the world, the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and is directly connected to the Elements Mall and a neighbor of the W Hotel Hong Kong.

The Ritz Carlton had only open for around a week, and even though it had been on the list of contenders of hotels we might stay at during our vacation in Hong Kong, we decided to give the property a chance to run smoothly before considering it for an overnight. (Please see earlier reviews what we did in Hong Kong and which hotel won.) We still wanted to check it out, though.
The taxi ride wasn't very expensive, around 25 Hong Kong Dollars (HKD), ca 2.50 Euro/ 3.30 USD. We were dropped off at the entrance to company headquarters, like Deutsche Bank. Finding the hotel entrance wasn't so easy. We went nearly around the whole building, where there was another big entrance at the other side. There was still construction work going on and were told by security we couldn't go further and photographs weren't permitted. A little bit grumbling we went the way back we came and walked a little bit further. Voila: There was the entrance to the hotel and nice bell staff was greeting us. One member of staff accompanied us to the 103rd floor. The elevator ride was ear popping and the height impressive. We went to the Lobby Lounge on the 102nd floor, but there is also Tosca, the Chocolate Library, a Chinese restaurant, Ozone Bar (this is located on the highest floor, the 118th, open from 17.00 hours) and on the ground floor is Pastry Gems.
When we arrived at around noon, the bar/lounge wasn't busy. Business picked up, when we left around two hours later. We were greeted by a friendly host and brought to our table, an L-shaped sofa and table with stunning views over the harbor and Hong Kong Island. The previous occupant had dropped a bread crust and it was still there, when we arrived. We guess it had been overlooked and cleanliness shouldn't be a problem. The rest of the hotel was spotless. We put it down to starter difficulties.
A stunning feature in the bar was the huge chandeliers cum fire places.
The bar offers a large choice of Champagnes and wines by the glass, as well as cocktails and light meals. Being in a celebratory mood and feeling very privileged to be there, we chose a Blanc de Blanc (Champagne) by the glass. We also had water, chicken skewers and a green tea dessert. All was very good and ended up with a ca. 900 HKD or 90 Euro/116 USD bill. We explored the reception area and bought at the gift shop a hotel branded polo shirt and the same bath room amenity set as is on a hotel room. The company is Asprey (British) and very rare. At some stage Asprey was owned by the Sultan of Brunei, but he sold it.
Overall the hotel is modern, the staff attentive, welcoming, efficient and helpful. The public toilets overlook the harbor and are also modern.
One thing we noticed was already some scratches on brand new furniture and some wear of the carpet.
We liked the hotel, so we decided when we come back to Hong Kong; we are going to stay there.

Next on our agenda was the Elements Mall. Each part is named after one of the Chinese elements wood, fire, earth and water.
On the day we were there it was quiet and the most impressive item on display was a Mercedes completely studded with Swarowski crystals.
There are all luxury brands one could need. To our delight there was another Shanghai Tang. We checked it out and found new items beside their clothing line added. The pens and watches looked gorgeous. The perfume was to our liking, so we took two of them. Its green tea and citrus based.

After having enough of shopping we went to the W Hotel, our first visit to any W hotel. The staff wasn't intrusive and before going up from the ground floor to the 6th floor we checked out the gift shop. Unfortunately the t-shirts were made for very petite persons, so nothing for us.
On the floor of the elevator was a sign saying Good Afternoon. A nice touch. When we arrived at the desired level, we entered the Living Room. There is also an area designated for a proper reception desk. Customer's wanting to use the public toilet has to pass reception. All spaces are creative and contemporary.
I had water and a mock tail, my better half a molecular cocktail and we shared a chorizo dish. All was very yummy. At first I thought the furniture was going to be very uncomfortable. To my surprise it wasn't. The "Talent", as the staff is called, was attentive and very friendly. We paid the fewest with 500 HKD or ca. 50 Euro/65 USD.
Rested we made our way back with taxi to our hotel.

The next part is about our second visit to Taipei.

©2011

Travel Report Asia Part 8 Hong Kong

Sorry, if it took a little bit longer for the newest installment, but my work schedule was quite hectic, besides that I wrote on the story about will power, another spanking story is in progress and of course I was traveling again.

The Langham is ideal to explore Kowloon.  See also review for this. Just across the road and maybe 100 m (ca. 105 yards) straight on the right is Heritage 1881. It's the former Marine Police Headquarters and incorporates an exciting mix of shopping, history, food outlets and a hotel.
The location is very romantic. The whole complex is Victorian and green with birds flying around and twittering.
In the former fire fighter station is Shanghai Tang, but there are also IWC and other luxury brands. The Hullett House, a Leading Hotel of the World, is located at the main building. At the time we were there, the hotel offered a tour, if you used any of the restaurants or bars.
The site was very important for ship faring and a map of Hong Kong's territory is depicted on the plaza. There is also the time ball drop tower or round tower. The place is favored by tourists and for magazine photo shoots. It's also very nice to visit when it's dark. The lightning makes Heritage 1881 magical. Heritage 1881 has at important sites a plaque, explaining, what the building was used for.
When walking further, the world famous YMCA isn't too far. When standing on the opposite side of the road, pedestrians can look into the swimming pool area. The smell of food from the hostels restaurant and the chemicals of the pool are mixing. Quite heady stuff! There is also an Indian guy, who asked us each time we passed, if we wanted a tailor made suit. We refused each time, having no need for it, but we were sure he recognized us, after having passed him several times.
Another grand dame is easily reached via underground walk way. It's of course the Peninsula. Having stayed at the sister property in Tokyo, it was a slight disappointment. During day it is very airy and light inside, but when it's getting dark, the lights are also dimmed and it's difficult to orient oneself or see, what you have to eat or drink. We had a cocktail, called East of the Suez, it's a signature drink, and it was very good indeed. The staff was okay, but sometimes it was difficult to get their attention.
We also visited the famous Peninsula shopping arcade and bought some hotel related stuff. Guests and visitors can also fix their luxury goods desires with Louis Vuitton or Harry Winston and many other stores.
The Peninsula Hotel had at the time a charity for the victims of the earthquake in Japan. We bought two origami cranes - cranes stand in Japanese culture for long life, prosperity and good health -, wrote a message on them and hung them on the "tree" provided in the lobby. All proceeds went to the Red Cross Japan.

Via underground walkway and shopping (the mall is directly connected with the Sheraton Hotel) we went to the harbor, ending up in front of the Intercontinental Hong Kong. Reaching it was a little bit more difficult, because there was a building site. We were very much looking forward to it, because we had heard a lot of good things about the hotel and previously had good experience with Intercontinental (having stayed in Madrid and Warsaw and visited Bangkok a few times). It didn't start off well. A hotel employee asked us not to take photos, because the hotel has normal windows and anyone standing outside could see, what was going on in the rooms, if the curtains weren't drawn and we should give the guests more privacy. We felt like we were criminals or doing something forbidden. Another hotel, the Radisson Media City in Dusseldorf, Germany, with the same issue handles such situations differently. Photographers are welcome and can shoot as much as they want. Please see also the review for Dusseldorf.
The visit didn't turn out much better. We went to the Lobby Lounge, because of the great views over Hong Kong Harbor. The views weren't as near as we expected, the staff was very cold and didn't care, if we felt well or not. The food was overprized and didn't taste. I had a mocktail, but it turned out to be more like a cheap slushy, you can buy in Ireland in all hideous colors possible. My Reuben Sandwich was too salty, the fries were crisp inside and outside and salt had been used liberally, too. The side salad was excellent, though. He had a Ham & Cheese Sandwich and a cocktail. It was okay, but nothing great. The price for three drinks and two main courses came in at around 780 HKD (ca. 78 Euros or ca. 100 USD). We were glad to be out of the hotel, which happens rarely. What we liked was the exterior with the large glass facade.

We passed the hotel, turned left and suddenly were very near to the sea and had great views over the island. We had arrived at Avenue of the Stars, which is similar to the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. It tells the history of film making in Hong Kong over the last century or so. There are loads of hand prints from famous Chinese/Hong Kong actors/actresses. It was really interesting and also good to people watch or enjoy the views to the Island. It's also very romantic during twig light.

A visit to Hong Kong wouldn't be complete with enjoying the hustle and bustle of Nathan Road. There are more tailors, who want your business. Shops and more hotels, like the Holiday Inn and not too far off the Hyatt Regency Tsim Tsa Tsui. It was a great experience and we liked the liveliness of the place.

More from Hong Kong at the next blog.

©2011

Chastity goes shopping

When Chastity goes shopping it can only end in one thing beside mayhem and chaos....


Chastity Shelton had it on her mind she needed a pair or two of new shoes, even though she already had around one hundred fifty in a wide range from ballerinas to sneakers, from high heels to domina boots.
She was on a trip at Las Vegas and asked her concierge where best to go to. She followed his recommendation and took a limousine with her two best friends Bellissima and Wanda.
Where ever Chastity went to, she grabbed attention. It was no wonder. Chastity was a porn star. She was nearly six feet tall, her skin very dark and her boobs balloon sized. When she started her career they were water melons, but a few operations changed that.
When she went shopping with her friends, she wore a lilac hoody, white hot pants and white cowboy boots. The only jewelry she wore was a gold cross around her neck and her wedding ring by Chorum with rows upon rows of rubies and diamonds. Some would say it was ostentious, but Chastity loved it. Her husband Giovanni knew his wife loved bling, bling, and they were already married for ten years. Chastity was nine years older than him and had met him through a friend of her brother's.
Bellissima and Wanda were also attention grabbers.
Wanda was Caucasian and a model. She was taller than Chastity, but flat chested. Her facial features were outstanding, though, with high cheek bones, a sweet nose, a pout and perfect skin. Wanda was the youngest.
Bellissima was Latina and also a porn actress. Bellissima was her artists name. She was the smallest. Bellisima had olive skin and brown eyes. Her tits were big, but not as large as Chastity's. She also had a very pert back side.
They garnered curious glances, when the friends climbed out of the limousine.
The girls were ooing and ahhing at the shoe selection. Chastity had in mind to buy extra extra high Converse, preferable in white, because it was a nice contrast to her skin. She found what she was looking for. She asked the sales person for her size. A few customers and staff watched interested, when Chastity tried the Chucks on. Just to give them something to look at, Chastity touched Bellissima's chest. A few were ogling and wanted more, some were put off and turned away. Chastity concentrated once more on the shoes. She tested how it was to walk in one and put on the other as well. They fit perfect. "I'll take them." Her eyes wandered to another shelf. "Uggboots! Just what I need!" She grabbed Wanda by the arm and together they had a look at the choice. Wanda fell in love with black classics. The pair was short shafted. Chastity was looking at a Bailey button. She liked the pink ones, but the chestnut brown was also nice. There were grey, too. It was so difficult to decide, what she wanted. She asked Wanda for advice. "Try them all on." In the mean time Bellissima was keeping the male sales assistant busy and flirting with him. She wanted to check out ten different pair of high heels. The higher they were the better. The guy was eating out of Bellissima's hand.
Attracted by the noise the shop manager showed up and arrived at a chaotic scene. A lot of shoes, paper and shoe boxes were strewn around the sitting area and a throng of people were watching. What, he couldn't figure out. With a little bit pushing Stephen Damon reached the front of the mass and found out the reason. He thought he couldn't trust his eyes, when he saw one big boobed black woman, slam one Ugg boot on the attractive backside of another lady. They and the others seemed to enjoy themselves. "What is going on here?" Mr. Damon asked stern. "We're trying on and out shoes, sir. Are you happy, Bellissima?" "Oh, yes, it's all very satisfactory." Soon the young ladies were fully laden with their purchases.
Stephen Damon had some dirty thoughts. When he realized the African American lady, was watching him, he suddenly was red faced. Stephen felt like he was sixteen again, which was nearly five decades earlier. She handed over her three bags (containing the extra extra high Converse, a pair of pink bailey button and chestnut brown high shafted ugg boots) to one of her admirers, went to Mr. Damon. She was keeping eye contact. "I'm really sorry for the inconvenience we girls have caused." She opened her hand bag, producing a pen and a note book. "I'm Chastity, by the way." Chastity tore out a page of her note book and scribbled down her room number and the hotel she was staying at. "Come and visit me. I'm sure I'm finding a way to repay your kindness." She winked at him. It made Stephen forget he was married. He wasn't the only one...

Stephen was meticulous in his preparation. He didn't want to hurt his wife, who wasn't as open as Giovanni was in regards to Chastity's escapades, and of course wanted to look his best, when meeting with sexy Chastity. Unnoticed to his wife Stephen packed a fresh shirt into his laptop bag. He told her he was going out with friends and might come home late. On his way to work he bought a deo spray and a shaving kit. Stephen had considered going to the barber shop, but a new hair cut would have made his wife suspicious, so he dismissed it. Stephen booked into a motel to take a shower, shaved and refreshed himself. He had debated with himself the whole day, if he should get Chastity a present. In the end he showed up at the hotel with a box of finest handmade chocolates. Of course he had paid all his expenditures with cash, so his wife wouldn't see it on the credit card bill.
Stephen went nervously to the hotel, Chastity was staying at. He entered and left the lobby a couple of times, because he still wasn't sure, if he wanted to go ahead with it. Stephen had never cheated on his wife before, but Chastity was the chance of a life time, so with some trepidation he went to the reception. The nice lady called up to the room and soon enough Stephen found himself in the elevator. His heart was beating fast. Mechanically he went to the room number and knocked. Chastity opened, only wearing a cream colored silk bathrobe and high heels with Swarowski crystals. Without a word, Stephen handed her the chocolates. "Oh, how lovely! Thank you very much. Why don't you come in?" Stephen's tie felt suddenly too tight and he loosened it savagely. If Chastity noticed, she didn't show it. "Take a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Stephen obeyed and asked for a Gin and Tonic. "It's coming in a second, sir. Make yourself comfortable and relax." Beside following Chastity and enjoying, when she bent over to get the ingredients for the drink from the mini bar, he took notice of his surroundings for the first time and realized Chastity wasn't staying in a room it was a large suite!
When the drink was served, Chastity took a seat opposite Stephen. They held small talk for a while. Stephen relaxed. Chastity wasn't only attractive, she was intelligent, too. Stephen was surprised how much Chastity knew about the owner of Ugg Australia. Originally he thought she was shallow and only good for a one night stand.
When he had finished his drink, Chastity invited him to a dip into the Jacuzzi. "You go first; I'll join you in a couple of minutes." Stephen hadn't thought about bringing a trunk with him. Well, they were having sex anyway, so sooner or later Chastity would see Stephen naked. He shrugged it off. Stephen folded his clothing carefully and put it on the chair beside the tub. The Jacuzzi was already filled, and the water was pleasantly hot, when Stephen settled down comfortably. Soon afterwards Chastity entered stark naked. Stephen admired her body. Her legs seemed to be endless. Due to her job, Chastity shaved regularly, not only her legs, but also between them, and her armpits. Her ebony skin looked smooth and Chastity's boobs were even larger than Stephen had thought. Her nipples were huge, maybe four inches in diameter. Chastity climbed into the large tub. They were starting to kiss, slow and thorough.
Suddenly the door burst open. For a moment Stephen feared his wife had found out and was storming in. He shrank back. "Ah, Bellissima, nice, that you could make it." Bellissima strolled in wearing only a bikini with a flower print and massive high heels. Stephen didn't believe his luck. He stared unashamed, when Bellissima opened her top, dropping it careless on the floor, followed suit by her brief. Bellissima slid out of her shoes. She had a small rose tattoo on her left hip bone and Stephen loved she had melon sized boobs. It didn't take her long and Bellissima had joined Chastity and Stephen. He couldn't resist the temptation and grab a breast of each girl, getting a feel of the weight. Chastity's boob was heavier; her skin felt like silk, Bellissima’s was lighter, but still quite heavy. There was another person entering. At first Stephen didn't look up. He was too much concentrated on fondling the breasts in front of him. Wanda had arrived with a bottle of champagne and four flutes. "Before you jump in, could you get the box of chocolates in the living room, Wanda, darling?" Chastity asked. Wanda trotted off again, leaving the bottle and glasses behind. Within a minute she was back. Like a cat, Wanda was sliding out of her bath robe and joined her friends in the Jacuzzi.
Besides feeding each other with chocolates and drinking champagne, there was a lot of touching and kissing going on.
After a certain time they all left the Jacuzzi, dry toweling each other and giggling a lot. Stephen thought he was in heaven.
Next stop was Chastity's bed room, where Stephen took a seat on the comfortable armchair. Before getting down to the "real deal" a condom was handed over to Stephen and with some more giggles it was quickly in place. Chastity and Bellissima had enough experience. Wanda told Stephen he could call the shots.
First he wanted to see the ladies walking up and down in front of him naked with their new shoes on. Next he ordered Bellissima down on her knees to give him a blow job, while he watched Chastity and Wanda touching and kissing each other. Stephen also played with Bellissima's breasts. It was a massive turn on. "Okay, change of positions. Wanda, come here please. Bellissima and Chastity, do you have any dildos or strap ons?" Both nodded. "Bring them and lubrication." Chastity didn't have too far to go. She had a double dildo. It was around 1 ft 1 in long and was around 2 in thick. The dildo was pink. Bellissima returned with a smaller black dildo and some lubrication. "Okay, Bellissima and Chastity, please pleasure yourself with the double dildo, and I would like to see some boob action. Wanda, you can take the single dildo." Wanda supported herself by a pillow, spread her legs and gave Stephen a good look, moving the dildo. Stephen didn't know where to look first. The other two ladies were already active, straddling the ends of the sex toy and having fun with baby oil, smearing it liberally over their big titts and massaging it in. Chastity and Bellisima exchanged a very erotic French kiss. Stephen knew if he wanted to enjoy intercourse with the ladies, he had to prevent spilling his seeds now. He already felt he was near an ejaculation, so he slowed down a bit.
"Come here." He ordered Wanda, using the lubrication on his fingers. Wanda was already moaning with pleasure from the dildo, but gasped and got excited, when Stephen's finger entered her anus.
He made sure she had an orgasm, before turning his attention to Chastity. Stephen asked Wanda and Bellissima to have some fun together and Chastity over to him. He started playing with her breasts and soon forgot, what he was doing, slamming them together. Stephen was about to apologize, when he realized, Chastity hadn't moaned because it had hurt, it was making Chastity hot. When he understood, he gave Chastity the rough treatment and was rewarded with more moans, sighs and wetness between her legs. "You're ready, aren't you?" Stephen asked. Chastity looked him in the eyes and nodded. Stephen picked up the dildo Wanda had left behind. He sent Chastity to clean it. When she returned, he lubricated it and asked Chastity to turn and bend over. Stephen saw Chastity's holes were quite large, but it didn't matter. He pushed the dildo as deep as possible into Chastity's anus, which she liked. "Come, face me, now!" Stephen said with some urgency. On his command Chastity climbed onto his lap, inserting Stephen's penis in the progress and started riding him fast and hard. Sometimes slowing down, when Stephen was near an orgasm. It was heavenly torture for him. The huge boobs moving up and down were eye candy and grabbing them was even better. Stephen played with Chastity's nipples, sometimes sucking them. She reached her climax. Stephen blushed, when he noticed the other two girls had been watching and demanded it was their turn now, leaning over the bed and presenting their attractive backsides and lovely shoes. Chastity had been wearing her extra extra high Converse all the time, while Wanda was in dark blue Cardy Uggs and Bellissima managed to stay on her feet in impossible 12 in high heels. Stephen hadn't a problem fulfilling the others wish. He smacked both behinds. Neither Wanda nor Bellissima did complain. Stephen had anal sex with both of them and finally collapsed on Bellissima after climaxing. Stephen thought he was in heaven. It had been a long time since he had been so stimulated, nor had he ever before taken part in group sex. They all had refreshment after the adventure. Stephen was too shy to ask, if he could see any of the ladies again, when they were in town. He was sad. Chastity liked Stephen and asked him for his business card. "Just in case I want to buy more shoes or something else." She blinked. Stephen was relieved and happy again. After he left Wanda asked: "Bellissima, when is Stephen's sales assistant arriving?"


The End

©2011

Travel Report Asia Part 7 The Langham Hotel Hong Kong

Because it would be quite too long, if I wrote all what happened in Hong Kong into one part there are at least going to be two others about Hong Kong. Have fun with "Enchanting Moments" at The Langham Hotel Hong Kong.

At Hong Kong International Airport was a longer wait at immigration than we did anticipate. When it was our turn we were granted entry into Hong Kong for 90 days. German citizens and many other nationalities don't need a visa to enter Hong Kong or Macau. A visa for Mainland China is required.
The airport is huge, but its good signed in English and Chinese. Be careful, when following the signs to the transportation center. You must choose the right queue (There are two: one for Mainland China, one for Hong Kong and its territories.), but don't worry, there are also airport employees, who guide you and double check, that you are on the correct way. Our hotel was the Langham Hong Kong. There is also a Langham Place in Mongkok, so to be on the safe side to get to the right hotel, we stated it's the Langham in Tsim Tsa Tsui.
The ride cost around 230 Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) or ca. 20 Euro/30 USD. The car was clean and the journey took ca. 30 minutes.

Why did we choose this hotel, you might ask? Well, it wasn't easy and we mulled probably much longer over this one than the Sherwood Taipei (see review). There are without any doubt many beautiful and outstanding hotels in Hong Kong. It was our first time to Hong Kong. We didn't know, if we wanted to be on Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. Did we want a grand hotel like the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental or maybe something striking modern like the Upper House (owned by Swire, which is also the owner of another heavyweight in the airline industry: Cathay Pacific, see also this review) or the Conrad? Or should it be something in between?
We had as white knight the Grand Hyatt, but after long thinking we dismissed one hotel by the other.
One of the reasons why we didn't take for example the Ritz Carlton was because it was new, so there were hiccups to expect. Analyzing my feelings, I also guessed it would be wrong to stay there, because it was more an ego thing, like staying in the highest hotel in the world (102nd to 118ths floor) or being the first on Flickr to stay there. We plan to stay there in the future, though.
We were looking for something established and where we both would be happy with the room, the design and the food outlets.
The one that met our criteria’s the most was the Langham. We could even afford a suite, like at the Sherwood, in this case an Executive Suite.
When we arrived, the doors of our taxi were opened for us and we were greeted: "Welcome to the Langham." We were asked for our name, our suitcase was taken, and we were escorted to the reception. On the way more employees welcomed us to the hotel. We admired the astounding public spaces and the grand lobby. The Palm Court is also located on the lobby level as well as the gift shop.
We were accompanied to our room and it was a delight. As welcome gift we received fresh fruits and an array of international water (still and sparkling). It lasted for the whole 2 nights.
The mini bar and storage space were to the right side of the entrance. Next was the living room with a writing desk, a sofa, chair and coffee table, large LCD screen TV and DVD player. Guests can lend DVD's free of charge from the concierge. A very long list of movies is available on the room. There was a small hallway; on the left was the wardrobe on the right the bath room, straight ahead the bed room. The bath room had a sink, separate bath (Jacuzzi) and shower, a Japanese toilet, no special features, and Penhaligon's toiletries. The bed room was large with a king sized bed, a cupboard with a large LCD screen TV on top and a chair. Langham Hotels want to give a traditional British and enchanting experience, even though, they are based in Hong Kong. The materials used were interesting in textures. The furniture was dark wood; the upholstery of the sofa and chairs was grey with splashes of colors provided by cushions. The mini bar contained interesting beverages including juice by Sunrasia, normally only available at First/Business Class flights/lounges or in delicatessen. In Dublin for example Fallon and Byrne stocks a small range of the company, too, and the price ranges between 4 and 6 Euros / ca. 6 USD to 9 USD for 500 ml. We love them, though, and based on the quality and taste, the price is okay.
Overall the living room was very comfortable, only gripe was too little space for the chair at the writing desk. It was directly placed between the wall and the desk. The internet access was included in our room rate as well as club lounge access. The internet was fast, but every time we logged out, we had to re-enter user word and password again. Trying it for the first time, we couldn't log in. While checking in, we were told our pass word would be the last name. Because the room was booked in my name, we presumed it would be mine. Wrong guess. Guest relations quickly solved the issue and told us the pass word was my fiancé’s name.
The Jacuzzi was really great and relaxing (in our bath room was a rubber swan instead of a rubber duck), the bed comfortable, too.

The hotel has five restaurants and bars. There is L'Eclipse for Chinese, Asian and Western cuisine with open kitchen, Tang Court (Chinese), The Bostonian (steaks and seafood), Main Street Deli for American dining and as mentioned earlier The Palm Court for cocktails and afternoon tea.
There is a tailor in the hotel; it also has a spa/fitness room and one of the most romantic pools I've ever seen. The pool is Roman style with columns. It seems larger on photographs. The Langham is a "no view" hotel. Of course there are views, but none to Hong Kong Harbor or the Island. We could look out to shopping central, though, and it was fun to see how busy the street below was.

The club lounge is gorgeous with at least two different rooms, where one can sit and relax. There are different textures and it's very colorful.
There are different food presentations during the day including breakfast, snacks, afternoon tea and Happy Hour, where also appetizers and alcoholic drinks are served. It was one of the finest club lounges we have so far been to. The eggs benedict in the morning (on one day with ham, the other with salmon) were outstanding. In the evenings we had sushi, soup, smoked salmon and foie gras among other delicacies.

We were fairly busy during our too short stay, so we didn't use all the facilities, but managed to go to The Main Street Deli for dinner once. He had pizza, I gnocchi from a special menu and root beer. We shared a Caesar Salad. The portions were huge and we were too full to eat any dessert. They looked tempting, though, and again were huge, like cheese cake.

The hotel organized a Mercedes limousine transfer for us to the airport. When leaving my fiancé received Langham smints as a good bye present and before entering the car we could choose from an assortment of free beverages, like mango juice, water (still and sparkling), coke and much more. It cost 750 HKD or around 70 Euro/97 USD.

The Langham Hotel comes highly recommended with attentive staff; all try very hard to make your stay memorable and comfortable. Security is also high with a guard in the lobby. We felt much pampered and well taken care of. Beside the small issues mentioned above everything was perfect and smooth running. More to follow from Hong Kong.

©2011

Travel Report Asia Part 6 EVA Air

So, we returned to Taoyuan International Airport. This time to check in at EVA Air for our flight to Hong Kong. Immigration documents were available at the check in counter. The staff was very friendly and efficient.
At the moment at Taoyuan renovation work is going on, but still the shops ranging from Louis Vuitton to Hugo Boss look all very beautiful and not at all as if they are only temporarily there.
We liked the numerous lanterns hanging from the ceiling and all were with different motives.
Another exhibition was drawings from school children regarding the Year of the Rabbit and also coinciding with 100 years of the founding of Taiwan. To commemorate this occasion all the winner's drawings were printed on t-shirts and available for sale. You can choose which your favorite is. It was difficult for us to decide. All were really good and colorful.
There was also a section dedicated to the Chinese Horoscope, Star Signs and Taiwanese Culture (Puppetry). If travelers liked, they could try themselves at calligraphy and Chinese writing.
There were some local restaurants, an Illy Cafe and Godiva Chocolate outlet.
Time was passing fast and it was time to board. Boarding wasn't very structured. Of course First and Business Class passengers could board first, but afterwards it should have been by seat row, but nobody kept to it.
Our seat was easily found. The cabin interior was green and the seats comfortable and a lot of leg room. The majority of passengers again were Asian. We did see some Americans and a few Europeans as well.
The flight was pleasant. In front of the seat were an In-flight magazine and the duty free catalogue. In flight entertainment including interactive maps was also available. Unlike Cathay Pacific, which offers it's customers in Economy Class a choice of meal, EVA Air doesn't - by the way the name isn't pronounced like the female name or some Portuguese/South American Airlines (TAP or TAM). All passengers received fish with rice. It was really good, so it didn't matter there wasn't any choice. It was the same meal on our return to Taipei, but to our surprise we received an upgrade to Premium Economy with a very large seat pitch. It was great!

More from us and Hong Kong later. Happy travels!

©2011

Travel Report Asia Part 5 Taipei First visit

Even though, we did arrive fairly early, we were jet legged and slept most of the day.
Came morning we were refreshed and ready to explore. At first we had a look at the public spaces of the Sherwood Hotel, see also the review for that. The Henry Moore sculpture at the entrance is inspiring. There are a few restaurants, cafes (Starbucks and Ruth's Chris to name just a few) and loads of banks in the area. Taipei is very dense, much denser than I imagined it. On the other side it's also very lush and busy. Taipei is a twenty four hour city.
The area is good and not boring at all, if you like architecture and garden design. One of the many banks had a Zen like garden and in one of the side streets we found a little gem of an Art Deco building with beautiful stained glass windows. Some of the gates have also intricate designs.
Just across the street of the Sherwood is a bank with two ATMs, accepting all major credit cards. Payment by credit cards at shops, restaurants and hotels is widely accepted, though.
Then we took a taxi from our hotel to the Regent. It was owned and managed by Four Seasons for a time, but is now back with the original founders and owners Robert H. Burns (Alila), Georg Rafael (Rafael Hotels, but sold to Mandarin Oriental) and Adrian Zecha (Aman). The hotel has won numerous accolades and was voted by Conde Nast Traveller Choice awards into the top 20 Hotels in Asia and number one in Taiwan.
We didn't enter the hotel immediately, instead we had a look around at the area. There were two beautiful parks, Kangle and Lin Sen. We saw different plants, flowers and trees. Some had little plaques in Chinese, but also the Latin names were available. Kangle was very quiet and we didn't see many people. Lin Sen was livelier with kids, adults and little dogs. The majority of Taiwanese dog owners have small ones, but we have also seen a few bigger dogs. In the center of the park is a visitor centre, used mostly by school classes to learn about the flora of the park. There are also vending machines for your favorite milk teas (a Taiwanese specialty) or other soft drinks.
Opposite the hotel and the parks is a shopping mall with a supermarket and cinema. It had American, European, Australian and Asian products stocked. A McDonalds is around the corner and the Museum of Modern Art (MOCA) is within walking distance.
The Regent is surrounded with luxury shops, like Coach or Louis Vuitton. A Dunhill boutique is opening later this year. The hotel is massive and takes a whole street block. It has its own shopping arcade with more luxury brands, a spa, and seven restaurants, serving Asian and Western cuisine. When we entered, the hotel didn't seem to have large public spaces, but it changed, as soon as we passed the reception area. There is an atrium, where we saw the first floor of the shopping arcade and azie, a restaurant, downstairs. On our level was a whole floor dedicated to dining. Slightly hungry we went to the Gallery. There was a buffet set up, but we didn't use it. Instead we had The Regent coffee blend, juices and luxurious, satisfying desserts. We had a stroll through the shopping arcade and went with taxi back to the Sherwood.
We were looking forward to return to Taipei for a second time and see more of this beautiful city. Watch out for the next part. Where do you think our travel took us?

©2011

Travel Report Asia Part 4 The Sherwood Hotel Taipei

Our decision to stay at the Sherwood had been not easy. We were aware of some Starwood properties, a Design Hotel property, the Grand Hyatt, the Landis, the Regent and the Grand. We visited all the web pages, read trip advisor and looked what some of our contacts at Flickr liked. Opinions there were divided.
Our choice was narrowed down to the Regent, Landis and the Sherwood. EW and I discussed what we really wanted. We had been dreaming for nearly ten years to go to Taipei and stay at a Leading Hotel of the World. My favorite had always been the Landis. It has left Leading Hotels of the World, though, and changed to Preferred. That wasn't the reason, why we haven't taken it. After gathering all data, we came to the conclusion, that the Landis wasn't the real deal and it was better to choose the Sherwood. We weren't disappointed.

When we arrived with the taxi at the Sherwood Hotel the bell captain opened the door for us and provided a warm welcome. Our luggage was taken care of, and we were directed to the reception. Our room type was confirmed. We were handed a real key and a letter from the club lounge concierge, detailing our benefits. It was a pleasant surprise. We had booked a Junior Suite and it doesn't say anything on the web page, that club lounge access is included.
The bell captain took us to our room and explained the amenities. The room was large with a living room, bed room and a bath room. The living room had a sitting area and a writing desk, the furniture was kept in white, brown and beige. There were two LCD Flat Screen TVs, one in the living room, one in the bed room. Each room had an individual controllable air condition unit. It wasn't very warm, so we switched it on, but instead of warm air it blasted only cold air. Turning it off made the suite warmer. Still it wasn't ideal.
There was a large wardrobe with not so much storage space provided in the hall way, leading to either the living room or bath room. The bath room is accessible through the bed room or the hall way. There is a sink, separate bath tub and shower, a weighing scale and Bulgari amenities.
Guests can buy stuff like bathrobes, bath room amenities or towels through house keeping. In room dining is 24 hours a day available.
The bed room had a large king sized bed and a cupboard with more storage space, a chair, and a safe. Turn down delivers free water every evening. Unless the guest hangs out a sign he/she doesn't want to be disturbed. Even being located on the higher floors I could hear still some street noise. It didn't disturb me, but other people could have problems sleeping, if sensible to noise.
TV channels are international and regional. Some regional channels show American TV series in English with the local language in subtitles.
The hotels intention is that all rooms should make you feel like you are in a Californian beach resort. I must say, the atmosphere was so mellow we could relax without problems.
Internet was included in our rate.
We only used in room dining. The quality of the food was very good. I had mostly local/Chinese dishes, for example Taiwanese fried rice or Dim Sum and a traditional Taiwanese beef soup. The staff assumes everyone can use chop sticks. Unfortunately I've never learned it, not even during this holiday. Sometimes it was a struggle and a little bit messy eating. I could have requested cutlery, but forgot and then didn't want to wait until it was delivered and somehow I always managed.
Of course the hotel also has restaurants. There is B1 for buffets, including breakfast, Toscana, as the name implies, Italian, Yi Yuan serves Chinese and Kouma Sushi. There is also Henry's bar.
The club lounge is on the 5th floor and serves refreshments through out the day. When we arrived in the evening, there was a selection of soft drinks, beer, tea and coffee, sandwiches, nuts and cookies available. The lounge feels very much British with big arm chairs and sofas. Reading material is restricted to business magazines only.
The lobby of the hotel is medium in size, but lavishly decorated in classic style. When entering one can't ignore the large tapestry. It shows a hunting scene. To the left are a restaurant and a stair case leading up to Yi Yuan or down stairs to B1.
On the right are the concierge desk and reception as well as the elevators.
The hotel offers also a spa.
We used the concierge to organize our transportation to the airport for 2300 NTD (ca 60 Euro or 85 USD) and bought pineapple cakes, very delicious.
The Sherwood is located at the business district and there are loads of international banks in the vicinity.
Outside the hotel is a Henry Moore statue, worth millions of dollars. The hotel is Taiwanese owned, and we can tell only good things about the staff and property.
The door man calls a taxi for you if you require it and hands you a business card of the hotel. The address is printed in Chinese and English, so that the next taxi driver can get you back, just in case he shouldn't understand English or doesn't know where the hotel is located.
Look out what we did in Taipei.

©2011