If you’re a workout fanatic, this hotel might be for you! InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) wants to help you maintain your workout routine while you’re on the road. IHG (parent of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza & InterContinental hotels) announced this new hotel brand, to be named EVEN, which will be aimed at travelers who want to work out and eat healthy while traveling.

EVEN hotels will be the first dedicated hotel brand to focus solely on health and fitness. They will spend $150 million to get EVEN up and running (get it…up and “running”…ha!)  with 100 hotels in US within 5 years.

According to IHG, the hotels will be designed around four themes- exercise, eat, work and rest.

• Rooms will be designed for in-room workouts and will include amenities such as a coat rack that doubles as a pull-up bar.
• The fitness center will offer state-of-the-art equipment and group exercise activities
• There will be on-site guest services to offer personalized advice on fitness options
• Their Marketplace will offer nutritionally designed menus with mini-smoothies in the morning.
• Rooms will be equipped with high speed Wi-Fi, multimedia ports, ample outlets & desk space, hypoallergenic linens, powerful shower-heads, natural lighting,  and antibacterial wipes.

Look for an EVEN hotel coming soon to an area near you!  I love the idea of antibacterial wipes…one less thing to pack!

IHG's EVEN Hotel Gym Design

Is this one of Starwood’s best kept secrets?  Starwood’s Beat the Timer website offers deeply discounted hotels throughout Europe and the Middle East.  For 72 hours, featured hotels offer a limited number of rooms via this site.  All rates are pre-paid and do count towards status and are eligible to earn points.

Since I’m in Europe and have three weekends to fill, I decided to check out the deal at the Le Meridien Etoile, Paris.  The Beat The Timer rate is EUR 139.00.  The best available rate (pre-paid) on SPG.com is EUR 143.00, my corporate rate is EUR 150 and AAA is EUR 161.  In this case, the Beat The Timer rate isn’t a huge savings over the standard pre-paid rate.

The Westin Excelsior Rome is a much better deal. The Beat the Timer rate is EUR 224.00 The best available rate (pre-paid) on SPG.com is EUR 300.00, my corporate rate is EUR 240 and AAA is EUR 270.  In this case, if you’re planning a last minute trip to Rome, the Beat the Timer rate might be perfect for you.

Next time you’re looking to book with Starwood in Europe or the Middle East, check out Beat the Timer!

Starwood's Beat The Timer Website

Yesterday I flew from Charleston to Brussels through Philly on US Airways.  The day ended up longer than anticipated due to long weather delays.  Living in Charleston, SC means a connection no matter where I go and sometimes connections mean long layovers, delays and frustration at the airport.

Last year, I only earned Platinum Status on US Airways and in a last minute move, bought up to Chairman last week.  It’s not something I had planned to do, but rather, found myself in an interesting position.   When I travel for business, I have to buy coach, but can use my miles to upgrade myself to business, envoy or first.   With only international travel on the agenda for this year, I didn’t see myself needing top status with US Air since most of my trips would be on other Star Alliance Airlines.

However, for this trip, I found myself booking US Air from Philly to Brussels, direct. However, I quickly learned that US Air doesn’t offer complimentary upgrades on flights to Europe. Status wasn’t going to do anything for me here.  So I had to decide, use miles to upgrade, pay cash for an upgrade or fly coach.   In my opinion, using miles to upgrade to Europe is a bad use of miles – I wouldn’t use miles to upgrade from the East coast to West Coast and that’s the same flight time.  And I really didn’t want to pay for an upgrade.

That’s when the US Air representative I was working with gave me a bright idea.  She suggested I buy up to Chairman Status before February 29^th and by doing so, would get 2 System Wide upgrade certificates – which can be used to upgrade to Europe.  She also noted that on March 1^st, I would get 2 more certificates to use in 2012.  For the cost of buying up to chairman – which varies based on the # of miles or segments you need to reach that level (in my case it was $450) – I got 4 system wide upgrades.  I’ve used one for the flight yesterday and I’m hoping a seat opens up before Feb 29^th on my return so I can use the 2^nd “2011” certificate.  Either way, I have 2 more to use between March 1 and Feb 28 2013.  That will come out to about $112 per upgrade. Good deal!

Now, the flight –   As I said, I was quite delayed due to weather and my original 3 hour layover in Philly turned into a quick 30 minutes to get to my next gate.  Unfortunately, the flight to Brussels also ended up delayed.  After spending 7 hours in the airport already, I wasn’t looking forward to 6 hours in the air.  We finally boarded and I was seated in row 3 of Envoy.  The flight crew was very friendly and helpful.  In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say it was the best service I’ve ever had on US Airways (I’ve been Platinum or Chairman now for 7 years).

Before taking off, we were offered sparkling wine, OJ or sparkling water.  After takeoff we were given, a warm towel (it really wasn’t so warm when I got it), an amenity kit and a dinner menu.  The menu offered a choice between an herb encrusted chicken, beef tenderloin or a vegetarian lasagna.  I selected the Chicken.  We started with an Asian marinated beef, which was okay and a salad with feta and red peppers.  The salad was good.  When the chicken arrived, I was surprised by how good it actually looked.  And, I was even more surprised by how good it tasted.  For desert, a choice of flan, Ben & Jerry’s Cookies & Cream Ice Cream or Cheese and Fruit.

After dinner, I turned on my entertainment unit to discover the headset didn’t work.  I turned on my laptop and quickly found that the light in my seat was also not working.  The flight attendant helped me move to an open seat where the light worked.  I didn’t bother with the entertainment center since there was only about 4 ½ hours left and I had my laptop.  Unable to sleep, I watched a movie.

I quickly realized that I didn’t find the Envoy seats very comfortable.  After sitting in one for a few hours, I found them rather hard and lacking room.  Aren’t Envoy seats supposed to offer more space?  Well, the US Air Envoy seats lose space due to the shape of the center console and the position of the arm rests.    I prefer the Business Class seats on Lufthansa or Thai Airways.

About an hour before landing, the flight attendants offered “breakfast” at 1:30 in the morning.  The plate had a spinach and mushroom quiche and fruit.  The quiche was tasty and the fruit was good too.

Overall, I’m definitely glad I upgraded to Envoy, was very pleasantly surprised by the food and a bit disappointed in the seats.  I’m hoping I get to use my upgrade for the return and we’ll see how that flight goes.  I’m still not convinced I’ll do much more international flying on US Air though.

I originally posted about the Westin Sydney after spending Christmas and Boxing Day at the hotel.  I fell madly in love with the Westin and swore I would find a way to get back.

Well, it turned out that about 3 weeks later I was able to return.  I was checked into a similar, upgraded room, with a more spectacular view, and all of the amenities I love about the Westin.  I was going to be in the hotel for 2 weeks as a guest and looked forward to it.

I ran into a few issues during this visit, but didn’t complain until I couldn’t take it anymore.  I decided not to do my usual – tweet to Starwood – and instead email the GM and Starwood customer care to see how they would respond.  When I tweet, the social media team is amazing with response time and resolution.

I emailed my complaint on a public holiday in Australia and the GM was out. But his director of rooms called me in the hotel and asked to meet me.  I was happy to sit with her and talk about my experience, what went wrong and how I could prevent it from happening again. It turns out that the meeting was as informative for me as it was for her.

Over coffee in the hotel lobby, we chatted about the incidents (yes, there were a few), she admitted to  gaps in processes somewhere along the line and never made me feel like they were “my” issues, and then we started talking about Starwood, and Westin, and why I am loyal.  It ended up being a great meeting.

For example, I learned about a hotel policy put into place after the Mumbai bombings to protect hotels and guests.  If a guest puts the do not disturb sign on the door for a certain period of time, the hotel will enter the room to ensure safety.  Makes sense to me now.   I also learned that the Westin Sydney had undergone massive technology investments so that the whole hotel will offer WiFi this spring.

The director of rooms was very gracious and generous and offered me points to compensate for the issues I had encountered.  It was lovey and appreciated.  However, she even went a step further.  She asked where I was going next.  I told her and she said she had some contacts there and would let them know I was coming.   I didn’t expect anything out of that, but said thank you.   It turns out, she did alert the Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok that I was arriving and they took care of me.  Thanks to the Westin Sydney’s director of rooms, I was treated as a VIP at the Westin in Bangkok.

So, why am I posting this over a month and 1/2 after the original issues occurred? Because, I had an experience at another hotel (not a Starwood Property) and the situation was handled in a completely opposite manner.  No “sorry”, no points, no chat, nothing.  The front desk clerk just said sometimes these things happen, and we can’t fix it.   I think there’s always a way to fix things – you just have to be creative.  Hotels should learn from how the Westin Sydney handled themselves.

When I’m back in Sydney (and I will be) I will do everything in my power to stay at the Westin (I hope their rates don’t skyrocket this year) and hope to have another cup of coffee with the director of rooms.

The Westin Grande Sukhumvit is a modern and contemporary Bangkok hotel located in the heart of Bangkok’s shopping and entertainment district.   Upon arrival at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, I was greeted by a hotel representative who took my luggage (I had accumulated 3 bags by this point in my trip, so the assistance was very welcome) and escorted me to a luxury Mercedes Benz for the trip to the hotel.  The car was stocked with cold water and travel magazines .

Upon arriving at the hotel, I noticed security was heightened compared to previous trips to Bangkok (likely a result of the travel warnings issued by the US and UK State Departments. While my trip was uneventful, 3 bombs went off in Central Bangkok the week after my trip, so high security is very comforting.) I was greeted at the front door by a [bellman]and front desk receptionist.  I was incredibly impressed that I was able to bypass check-in and was taken straight to my room by two members of the hotel staff.  My room was upgraded to a large suite.  My check-in was completed in my room and the traditional Thai hospitality was not lost on me.  (I’d love to think my Platinum Status with Starwood got me this VIP treatment, but I must say, I’m pretty sure I owe the VIP treatment to  Assumpta McDonald at the Westin Sydney. Thank you Assumpta!)

It’s amazing that this hotel opened in 2007, because everything still looks brand new.  The Westin Grande Sukhumvit lives up to its name.

The Room

My suite was huge, incredibly clean, had a full bath and half bath and was well laid out.  The view from the 15^th floor was decent – I looked directly into the new Terminal 21 shopping center from the living room and from the bedroom could see skyscrapers and a slight view of the river.   The room had a very large working desk with both wireless and wired  Internet access.  The Internet speed was very good.   There was a sofa and chair, a refreshment center with stocked mini-bar, complementary fresh fruit (new fruit added daily), tons of free water (you can’t drink the water in Bangkok).   The bedroom was extremely large and had a king size bed, chaise lounge chair and small table, separate dressing area, large closet with safe (always use the safe in Bangkok), and huge TV.    The master bath had a tub, shower and nice vanity area.  The shower pressure was  a little disappointing.  Overall, the room was amazing and made a week of work in Bangkok very enjoyable.

Restaurants and Room Service

The hotel has a variety of restaurant choices.  I really enjoyed Kisso Japanese Restaurant.  The sushi and dumplings were delicious and the prices are extremely reasonable for hotel restaurant pricing.  In fact, compared to Westins in North America, Australia and Europe, the prices seemed cheap!  And the food was awesome!   I didn’t try the main restaurant, Taste, because I had access to the concierge lounge (more on that later) and the bar, Zest, was always busy and makes a great iced tea (yes, iced tea…I know it was a bar, but not everyone drinks) and after two months in Australia, I was ready for a proper iced tea!    Room service was also very well priced (everything in Thailand is well priced) but they had a hard time getting my orders right on the first try.

The Lounge

The concierge lounge was lovely.  The staff was very attentive and always willing to help with anything.  There were always a lot of food choices.  For breakfast, the hot choices never thrilled me, but the continental breakfast choices were great – and I swear, they had the best mini donuts I’ve ever had.  In addition to the donuts, I enjoyed the fresh fruit.  Thailand has some of the most amazing fruit and the breakfast fruit selections didn’t disappoint.  Each morning, the staff would make custom coffees – by day three they didn’t even have to ask what I wanted to drink.   Another treat  is the fresh jams! I’ve seen the same jams at a lot of hotels in Bangkok. This time I tried the mango and passion fruit jam.  Yummy!

The Hotel Overview

The first floor lobby had ample seating and great ambiance, but reception is actually located on 7.  On the 7^th floor,  you’ll find Taste, Zest Bar, reception, the concierge, a ball room and a few small shops.  On 8, you can find a hair salon, the spa, the gym and a saltwater pool.   The hair salon offers manicures and pedicures.  They are very cheap and the service is just fair – what you would expect from any cheap salon anywhere in the world.  Nothing relaxing or indulgent about it.  I wouldn’t return for a mani/pedi.  The spa listed manicures and pedicures on their menu, but they never seemed to have anyone available when I called to book.  The other services in the spa were well priced for a hotel spa.

The Westin is located across the street from the Sheraton and connected by a Sky Bridge.  The Sky Train is also connected to the hotel which makes getting around by foot, or Sky Train, easy.  The neighborhood is busy and crowded. There’s a department store and McDonalds connected to the hotel, Terminal 21 is across the street, and there’s plenty of street shopping.

Summary

I really enjoyed the Westin Grande Sukhumvit and would return.  Bangkok has some of the best hotels in the world and choosing where to stay is getting tougher and tougher.  I love the Le Meridien Bangkok and the Park Hyatt Bangkok, too.  The benefit of the Westin is access to easy transportation and the amazing prices!

Bedroom

Lower Level Entry

Suite Living Room

Shower

Bathtub

Suite - Bedroom Siting Area

Suite 1/2 Bath

Lobby Bar

Executive Lounge

In a battle of the “on the Park” day spas, who comes out on top?  It was a pretty tight competition between the Hilton on the Park Melbourne’s eforea Day Spa and the On the Park Rejuvenation Day Spa at the Sheraton on the Park, but in the end, there was a winner.

eforea

eforea at the Hilton had just undergone refurbishments when I visited in early January.  The ambiance was tranquil.  The spa, which is on the first floor of the hotel, shares a space with the fitness center and has no view of the park.  After checking in, I was shown to the women’s locker room.  It was very small – two bathroom stalls, two showers and one dressing room.  I was given a locker that had a robe, slippers and 1 towel which was very small.  After changing, I was taken to the relaxation room. It was very quiet and serene.  The treatments rooms are oversized and very nicely decorated.  The treatments start with a foot bath and bizarre ritual welcome where I was asked to pick a card from a deck, read it aloud and embody that word. There were incense and oils – a little too over the top for me.

The massage I got was incredibly relaxing and calming. The therapist was outstanding.  The spa was running a special when I was there, pay for 60 minutes and get 90 for the same price, so the value of the service compared to the price I paid was great.  I would absolutely return for another massage at eforea.  I also got a mini-manicure and regular pedicure.  I thought the mani/pedi were extremely overpriced.  The pedicure was good, but not exceptional, and the manicure was just fair.  I actually felt like I needed another manicure the next day.

After my services, I took a shower – the water pressure was awesome – and quickly discovered the one towel really wasn’t enough.  However, there were no attendants in the locker room, so I just made do.  In addition, there were no amenities like a hair dryer or body lotion in the locker room.

In summary, I thought eforea had a great atmosphere and the massage was worth returning for.  Overall, the spa lacked some of the amenities you expect at a high-priced hotel day spa.

eforea Day Spa Photos

On the Park Rejuvenation Day Spa

Rejuvenation is on the 22^nd floor of the Sheraton and shares a space with the fitness center and indoor swimming pool.  The reception area was congested with sweaty people in gym clothes looking for towels and locker keys.  Having to walk through the pool area – which had wet floors and smelled of chlorine – to get to the treatment rooms detracted from the overall experience.     There was no ambiance at all.

While small, the treatment rooms offer spectacular views of the park and harbor.  It was great to look at the beautiful tree-filled park and St. Mary’s Cathedral while getting a pedicure.   The pedicure was expensive, but very good.  Unlike the mani/pedi I had at eforea, I really enjoyed the one at Rejuvenation and would totally return for another.  I didn’t partake in any other services on this trip, but would absolutely give it another visit.

In summary, the Rejuvenation at Sheraton on the Park was expensive, but the views were spectacular and the service very good.  I would return again.

Rejuvenation Day Spa Photos:

Who doesn’t love a good food court? Most of us are familiar with food courts filled with fast food chains dishing out greasy pizza, burgers and sandwiches. Walk into any mall in America and you’ll find a Wendy’s, McDonalds, Subway, Sabarro, Manchu Wak and other traditional food court staples. In Sydney Australia, however, there’s a very different kind of food court at the Westfield Sydney Pitt Street Mall. On level five and six you can find just about any type of food you desire from anywhere around the world and there’s not a single McDonalds or Subway in sight!

Want a hot-dog? You’re not going to find a Nathan’s or Hot Dog on a Stick here; instead, you’ll find Snag & Stand – gourmet sausages and haute dogs. There’s a haute dog for everyone on the Snag & Stand menu. Try the traditional Aussie Wagyu Beef Dog served on a rustic roll w/butter, garlic mash, herbed gravy & sautéed onions. Looking for a little spice with your dog? Check out the Beef & Horseradish served with spicy horseradish mayo and beetroot relish or the Spicy Spanish Chorizo with sun-dried tomatoes, chipotle aioli, baby rocket and Spanish goat cheese. They also have the classics – the American Classic is a wood smoked frankfurter with American Yellow Mustard, Onion and Sweet Relish on a toasted Brioche Roll. It was a very good take on the American Classic I must say it was delicious.

In the mood for some dim sum? Check out Din Tai Fung outpost in Westfield. The original Din Tai Fung Taiwanese restaurant has been awarded one Michelin Star and ranked as one of the world’s Top Ten Best Restaurants by The New York Times. The food court out posts serves traditional steamed Pork Dumpling Xiao Long, Bao Steamed Shrimp & Pork, Shao Mai Fried Rice with Egg topped with Black Pepper Beef Cubes, Vegetable Wonton Noodle Soup with Spicy Sauce and Shrimp & Pork Wonton Noodle Soup to name a few. There’s always a long line here.

Looking for a great deli sandwich? Look no further than Reuben & Moore. Chef Michael Moore has brought the New York Deli to Sydney and offers up gourmet sandwiches, salads and hot rotisserie bar fare. Reuben & Moore is home to the famous Rueben sandwich and here Moore serves it with prime Wagyu beef, Swiss cheese, homemade dill pickles, sauerkraut and mild mustard & mayo on freshly baked rye bread. If you like the Rueben, trust me, you’ll love Moore’s version. It was amazing and made me feel like I was in any NYC deli enjoying a classic.

In the mood for a burger? You’re in luck, Charlie & Co Burgers is just the place. Justin North, of the renowned Sydney Becasse restaurant, has designed a menu that maintains the integrity of premium, top notch, fresh produce, all locally sourced to create a flavorful and juicy burger – and I can vouch for the flavor, it’s awesome. Probably the best burger in Australia that I found. I would suggest the Wagyu & Co. Burger made with Wagyu beef and topped with beetroot relish, pickled gherkin, lettuce, aged cheddar and aioli on a sesame bun. No visit to Charlie & Co would be complete with an order of Parmesan and truffle fries. Here’s a tip: 1 order is enough for 2-4 people, but ask for some extra aioli or sauce on the side.

Looking for a Middle Eastern favorite? Check out Dergah Grill which offers traditional and modern Turkish fare. I could have eaten at Degrah Grill at least a few times a week. A combination of a Gyro and Shish Kebab, the Donner Kebab was amazing and quickly became my favorite. The Donner Kebab layered thinly shaved beef, humus, lettuce, spices, onions and your choice of sauces in a pita which was then grilled so that all the flavors melted together. I’m hungry just thinking about it.

Have a sweet tooth? Stop by Becasse Bakery (you guessed it, also the brain child of Chef Justin North) where you’ll find a huge variety of beautiful and delicious pastries. You could also check out Cupcake & Company or Max Brenner Chocolate Shop where you can indulge in chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. I recommend the Peanut Butter Chockie – a frozen drink made of peanut butter, chocolate and ice.

Becasse Bakery

Max Brenner Chocolate Shop

Cupcake Company

Other gourmet eateries in the Westfield food court include:
Cloudy Bay Fish Co. which displayed the most beautiful seafood from Australia and New Zealand – plus the staff uniforms added to the vibe.

Crust – a gourmet pizza bar with hundreds of gourmet and premium toppings cooked to order.
Guzman y Gomez – a fresh take on tacos, burritos and black beans. This Mexican Taquaria focuses on quality and flavorful food for people in a hurry.
Iku Whole Foods – Iku produces food as close to its natural state as possible and serves up brown rice sushi rolls, soy burgers and more.

9 Marys Modern Indian – 9 Marys hand grinds their spices and uses fresh produce to create modern Indian food.

Pie by Mick’s Bakehouse – traditional savory pies are produced by renowned baker, Michael Di Salvatore.

Ragu Pasta & Wine Bar – Ragu serves fresh pasta and antipasto with a large selection of wines.

Sassy’s Red by Chinta Ria – Sassy’s Red serves traditional home-style Malaysian food.

Spuds n Crepes – find sweet and savory crepes cooked fresh to order with your choice of filling and toppings.

Sushi Hon – serves up classic sushi rolls off of a sushi train and makes made to order Japanese dishes.

Thairiffic Noodle Bar – Thairiffic makes authentic Thai food, made-to-order noodles, curries and stir fries. The Pad Thai is delicious!

The food court is a place to find cheap and fast food. Sometimes it’s okay and sometimes it’s really bad. With an astonishing variety of quality outlets (many headed by famous chefs) the food court on level 5 & 6 of the Westfield Sydney Pitt Street Mall is a ground-break food court concept.