After enjoying a night in the Hotel Cafe Royal in London I couldn’t say no when The Set Collection invited me to try their sister property in Amsterdam.

In many ways the hotels are remarkably similar – conversions of beautiful historic buildings, architectural design features with subterranean spas built in prime locations of the city. You wouldn’t blink an eye staying here after staying at the Hotel Cafe Royal, although you might at the pricing.

The Set Collection also includes Hotel Cafe Royal in London and Hotel Lutetia in Paris which Rob reviewed last weekend.

All three hotels are members of the Global Hotel Alliance loyalty programme – click here for our guide to GHA.

The Conservatorium website is here.

Where is the Conservatorium Hotel?

A lot of hotels in Amsterdam are located in the city’s historic canal district. Not so the Conservatorium, which is located just off Museumsplein, the city’s major museum district and home to the Rijksmuseum (Old Masters), the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedlijkmuseum (modern art).

Whilst you are not within the canal district itself, you are just a short walk away – it’s literally down the street, on the other side of the Rijksmuseum.

The location is no better or worse than the canals – just different. If you want to go shopping then it is arguably better – Hermes, Cartier, Louis Vuitton etc are less than five minutes’ walk away on Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat. It is just as easy to roll out of bed and hit the museums in the morning before they get too busy, too.

The area is also exceptionally easy to get to from the airport. Most people who stay at the Conservatorium are likely to just grab an Uber, taxi or private hire car. It is just as easy and fast to hop on Bus 397 from Schiphol (make sure to tap on and off) which takes you directly to Museumsplein. From there, it is literally 100m down the road. The whole thing takes about 35 minutes.

When it comes to getting round, you have Museumsplein station for buses and trams, or you can soak up the views and walk into town.

Inside the Conservatorium hotel

This is an old part of the city, although not quite as old as many of Amsterdam’s 17th century canal houses, and was developed in the late 19th century.

The landmark neo-gothic Conservatorium building was originally built in 1901 for the Rijkspostspaarbank before becoming a home to the Sweelinck Conservatory of Music. The building itself is reminiscent of St Pancras in London, albeit a bit more stout and not quite as intricate.

Inside the front of the building you’ll find a mini-mall of high-end boutiques selling shoes, fragrances and the like. These were surprisingly busy and clearly popular with locals, rather than just hotel guests.

To get to the lobby, simply walk around the hanging violins and down into the main courtyard:

In 2011 the building was transformed into a hotel with the addition of an ultra-modern glazed courtyard designed by Italian architect Piero Lissoni. It is quite spectacular:

A glass box appears to float above in the centre and is home to a number of function rooms.

Check-in is on the left and was quick and easy.

I was offered a glass of champagne and I admired the collection of service bells (and what I assume is a cowbell!)

Once everything was sorted I was asked if I wanted to be escorted to my room. I declined which was a mistake, because my room was one of two on a mezzanine on the third floor, tucked away in the corner of the building. Thankfully, a member of staff came to my rescue.

On your way you can admire some of the lovely heritage tiling:

Room numbers are really quite discreet, inlaid into the stone doorsill:

Suites at the Conservatorium hotel

I was given a so-called ‘Grand Junior Suite’ at the hotel. At 55sqm, it is more than double the size of the smallest room types which are 23sqm. Looking on the website, the layout of this suite type can vary and occasionally includes open-plan duplex rooms. Mine, however, was a conventional corner suite:

Immediately on the left is an open walk-in wardrobe, with access from both sides. A backlit panel of milky glass emits a lovely warm glow. I wish I had this at home! (As an aside, my luggage arrived very quickly – virtually the same time as I arrived in my room, which was great.)

On the other side of this is the king bed, with an armchair and reading light in the corner:

The bed was lovely and comfortable. There are ample sockets on both sides, as well as controls for the lights and the curtains, which are electric.

There is a free-standing TV opposite the bed which reminded me of the monolith at the start of 2001: A Space Oddysey. It can be turned on its base. Annoyingly, it wasn’t smart and we weren’t able to airplay anything form our iPhones which was a little annoying.

The view from my room was of the Stedelijk Museum:

On the other side is a corner set up with a sofa and two chairs:

Copies of Vogue, GQ and Conde Nast Traveller were available.

Next to the sofa is a large, oval dining table / desk, and there is a plethora of sockets and input/output ports on the wall next to it.

and

The mini bar and fridge are integrated into the headboard/wardrobe unit:

The mini bar was fully stocked with a range of alcoholic and soft drinks, snacks and the like. The coffee machine was Nespresso. There were no tea bags as far as I could tell.

The bathroom is behind a mirrored door and is clad in lovely travertine stone.

There’s a large free standing tub:

Forget twin basins – this bathroom features a wide basin as long as the entire back wall:

The toilet and shower are in separate cubicles. Toiletries throughout are by Etro.

I couldn’t fault the suite, bar the TV which can’t stream or airplay content from other devices. It is spacious, comfortable and stylish, with warm, natural finishes in wood and stone contrasted with glossy beige-brown panelling and mirror doors. The room controls are intuitive and practical – no fumbling with the AC or light switches in the middle of the night here. It all makes sense.

A turn-down service comes every evening to prepare for the room for the night and close all the curtains, which I always appreciate. They leave a little card on the bed with tomorrow’s forecast and two prosecco-flavoured gummy sweets.

The spa at the Conservatorium hotel

One of the highlights with staying at the hotel is the spa, which is underneath the glass-clad modern courtyard. This is operated by Akasha, as is the spa at Hotel Lutetia in Paris. There is a pool with a dedicated lane for swimming laps, as well as a hot tub, hammam and sauna:

There were always around 5-10 people around when I visited. Unfortunately, there just aren’t quite enough loungers: just five, plus another four padded chairs.

Breakfast & Taiko dinner

Breakfast is served in the Conservatorium Brasserie, which is the main restaurant in the glass atrium of the hotel. It is a stunning venue and wonderfully light in the morning thanks to the glass roof:

Breakfast is a hybrid. For a reassuringly expensive €52, you can help yourself from the buffet and opt for one of the a la carte options, which include omelettes, eggs benedict / florentine / royale etc. Of course, I went for the eggs royale which I have to admit were the best I’ve had in months:

The buffet spread is impressive too, and beautifully presented. A whole side is dedicated to pastries, breads, rolls and other baked goods:

Another section was home to a colourful selection of cut fruit, yoghurt, salad and cold cuts:

Overall, I thought the selection was good without being ludicrously over the top as you’d find at a Dubai brunch, and the quality was all very high. The only thing missing, I thought, was sparkling wine, which you have to pay extra for.

Taiko

The hotel also invited us to try their upmarket asian fusion restaurant Taiko, which was buzzing on a Friday night. Once you check in for your reservation your arrival is ‘drummed in’ by a drummer on the corridor down to the dining room, which adds a bit of drama to the affair!

The room is very moody:

Every year, apparently, the restaurant hones in on a particular ingredient and this year it is the ‘Year of Rice’. We tried the eight-course tasting menu (€135pp). Wine pairings (€85pp) and sake pairings (€95pp) are also available.

I won’t bore you with every dish, except to say that they were all delicious and beautifully presented. The only comment I do have is that some of the dishes – the two ‘main’ courses, fish and meat – took a little too long to come out. We spent over three hours here – a delightful three hours – but three hours nonetheless.

The sushi was spectacular:

As was, to my surprise, the deconstructed nasi goreng:

The wagyu four ways was also delicious, and comes raw (tartar), grilled, braised, and as a gyoza:

Two desserts were on offer. I was blown away by the genmaicha ice, which came with dried citrus and other bits and lots of liquid nitrogen!

Conclusion

As you would hope for a hotel of this calibre (and price), my stay at the Conservatorium hotel was virtually faultless. The only two catches were a mix-up at breakfast one morning and the lack of any airplay or casting on the room TV – a bit of a oversight in this day and age.

The rooms, and indeed the hotel as a whole, embrace the heritage of the building whilst not being afraid to reinvent and modernise key areas. I particularly loved having breakfast in the stunning modern atrium: a reminder every morning that we were in the middle of Amsterdam.

None of this comes cheap, of course. Rooms at the Conservatorium Hotel start from €750 for a standard, entry level room. You can expect to pay more at peak times, whilst my suite starts from €850 / night. You will earn Discovery Dollars in Global Hotel Alliance from your stay – up to 7% back depending on your status – and can also redeem here.

You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

You may remember that Rhys reviewed Hotel Cafe Royal in London a couple of months ago. This is part of The Set Collection, a small chain of very high end hotels. Whilst it has been adding new hotels recently, the historic core of the group is Hotel Cafe Royal in London, Hotel Lutetia in Paris and the Conversatorium hotel in Amsterdam.

To promote the addition of The Set Collection to the Global Hotel Alliance loyalty programme, we were offered a review stay at each of the three hotels. Hotel Cafe Royal is reviewed here and the Conservatorium hotel is reviewed here.

Just before Christmas, I headed over to Paris to try Hotel Lutetia. The hotel website is here.

The only Palace hotel on the Left Bank

Hotel Lutetia has one key selling point for the high-end traveller. It is the only ‘Palace’ hotel (a Government distinction for uber-luxury French hotels) on the Left Bank / Rive Gauche.

Or, as a Londoner would say, ‘south of the river’.

I’ve stayed in Paris over 30 times in my life, admittedly mainly for just 1-2 nights each time, but it’s only in the last decade that I’ve really started to appreciate the Left Bank. For shopping it is the Parisian equivalent of Sloane Street in London, with the same high end brands as Bond Street but in smaller, less touristy boutiques. You are just as close to the major museums as if you were staying in a luxury hotel near Opera.

Hotel Lutetia sits directly opposite, across a small park, from the Le Bon Marche department store. It was originally built in 1910 by the owner of Le Bon Marche so his customers and suppliers had somewhere to stay. It sits on Boulevard Raspail, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of the 6th arrondissement.

If you’ve ever visited the Hermes store in Paris which is inside a historic swimming pool (yes, it’s as weird as it sounds) …. this used to be the Lutetia’s pool. Don’t worry …. they built a new one!

Inside Hotel Lutetia

The hotel reopened in 2018 after a top-to-toe €200 million refurbishment, although the lovely Art Deco / Art Nouveau exterior from 1910 is fully intact.

Off the ground floor, the rooms were apparently totally reconfigured. The total dropped from 233 to 184, very impressive soundproofing added (the hotel is on the corner of two roads) and new technology introduced. It was first time I’d ever had a hotel room with a Crestron automation system installed.

There is an impressive level of craziness about what has been done here. It runs from aggressive statements of modernity (the corridors and ceilings have a reflective black laquered look which is quite blingy) to lots of low key luxury.

The desk in my room, for example, had a marble top. The bathroom, as you will see, is almost entirely marble including the bath. I was told the hotel had to be reinforced during rebuilding because the weight of all the marble was causing structural issues.

I was given a small suite on the corner of the building. This came with its own little balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower:

…. and who wouldn’t want this?

Here’s the inside of my suite (more of a Junior Suite in reality):

and from the other side:

What you can’t really see from the photos is that everything is of the highest quality. The furnishings were virtually all commissioned for the hotel. The curtains are automated, as you’d expect at this level, but what I didn’t expect was a wardrobe lightly scented with Culti fragrance!

And when you go to bed, you get this …. I’d heard about hotels that do this for regular guests but never seen it in action:

There were no shortage of welcome gifts, including champagne, fruit, pastries, fresh flowers and a huge chocolate ship in the shape of the hotel logo. I saw these being delivered to other rooms so it wasn’t done just for me.

The hotel also offers a shoe shine service in association with Berluti, which has a large boutique opposite the hotel.

Here is the ‘so much marble it’s a little crazy’ bathroom:

and

The shower is in a separate space at the back, almost out of sight in the photo above, and the loo is totally out of shot. Toiletries are by Etro.

Step out of the room and you have those incredibly atmospheric reflective black walls and ceiling:

…. and when you step out of the lifts on my floor you get this:

The lifts were moved to the exterior of the building as part of the rebuilding and are glass walled. This creates a real contrast during the day when you move from corridor to elevator.

The pool and spa

As I mentioned earlier, the historic pool is now an Hermes boutique – inside a listed pool! The hotel has built a rather cool – albeit narrow – new pool:

There is also a jacuzzi, sauna and the usual bits and pieces you’d expect. There are some smart loungers by the pool but, as its underground, it’s not really somewhere to hang out.

The shop

Hotel Lutetia has a lovely little bookshop / concept store:

Food and drink at Hotel Lutetia

As with all grand hotels, the public areas are substantial and beautiful. I believe that major changes were made during the refurbisment although you’d never guess – an internal garden was built where there wasn’t one before, for example, although it isn’t in use during the winter.

The lobby is shown in the second photograph from the top. At the rear is a library which looked impressive but was locked when I tried to go in.

Apart from the library the layout is actually very simple. You enter, the lobby is in front of you, and if you turn immediately to the left you are in a long corridor:

…. which leads to all of the bars and restaurants.

Le Saint-Germain

If you’re looking for the wow factor, you need to choose between the bar (see below) and Le Saint-Germain. This is basically the ‘all day dining’ and afternoon tea salon, featuring an astonishing painted glass ceiling. The website is here.

and

I had a lobster roll – see below – which, at €44, was decent by uber-luxury hotel standards and given the environment.

Bar Josephine

Directly across from Le Saint-Gerain is Bar Josephine, named after Josephine Baker. This is another lovely space, and worth a visit if passing. I believe that there is live jazz on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Here is a photo I took of the main bar:

…. and here is a PR shot of the broader space:

Bar Aristide

I must admit that I never expected to find something like Bar Aristide here. It is tucked away up a flight of stairs with only minimal signage.

It is a tiny bar which deliberately harks back to the early years of the 20th century. It was very busy when I went in, and given that many people had coats they were clearly locals and not hotel guests.

It’s a lot darker and moodier than my photo suggests (I took this the following morning) and the space includes a cigar lounge. Even if you are not staying at the Lutetia I’d recommend popping in here if you are nearby.

Brasserie Lutetia

Finally you have Brasserie Lutetia, which sits on the corner of Boulevard Raspail and Rue de Sèvres and is very much a neighbourhood restaurant. As well as this large indoor area, there is a conservatory on the edge of the street – I’m not sure if this is open air in summer.

Here is a PR image:

Breakfast is also served here. It is a reassuringly expensive €58, including one cooked item:

It isn’t the largest buffet but you can’t argue with the quality.

Life could be far worse than sitting on the terrace with your breakfast and watching the world go by:

For lunch and dinner, Brasserie Lutetia has a dedicated seafood bar:

…. which I tried out very happily on my first night:

Conclusion

It is surprisingly difficult to review an exceptionally high level hotel like the Lutetia. There is so much to talk about and so much I could show you but I could never squeeze it all in.

As the only Palace hotel on the Left Bank, Hotel Lutetia has a unique selling point. The sheer quality of the renovation in 2018 means that it is well worth considering, even if only to pop in for a drink in Bar Josephine or Bar Aristide.

Through Global Hotel Alliance – click for our introductory article – you can earn and redeem Discovery Dollars (GHA’s cashback currency) on your stays here.

Be aware, though, that a stay at Hotel Lutetia doesn’t come cheap. Rooms start at €1,400 per night (so on a par with rates at Raffles and The Peninsula in London) although the website does have ‘4-4-3’ deals. It is proportionately better value for a suite, with a Junior Suite offering a lot more space and starting from €1,700.

Thank you to Eliot in London and Mathilde in Paris for their help.

Hotel offers update – January 2024:

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Want to buy hotel points?

• Hilton Honors is offering an 80% to 100% bonus when you buy points by 12th March 2024. Click here.

• IHG One Rewards is offering a 100% bonus when you buy points by 2nd February 2024. Click here.

Hilton’s weekend sale is now on as you can see from our article here. We are reviewing a couple of Hilton hotels in the sale which may inspire readers to book a stay themselves.

Between Christmas and New Year we published a review of The Trafalgar St James hotel in London, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. For this review I headed over to Germany on an icy cold Monday.

We booked for cash via hilton.com but we will be reimbursed. Hilton has not seen or approved this review.

The Hilton Berlin website is here.

Where is Hilton Berlin?

The key selling point of this hotel is its location. Hilton Berlin is right in the city centre – to the extent that Berlin has a centre – opposite the Gendarmenmarkt.

You have the Deutsche Dom (German Cathedral) and Berlin’s Konzerthalle (Concert Hall) on your doorstep. Brandenburger Tor, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Holocaust Memorial, Alexanderplatz and the Cold War Museum are just a few of the sights which can be reached on foot. You have very easy access to public transport via the U-Bahn station Stadtmitte which is literally outside the hotel’s front door.

I arrived at the new Berlin Brandenburg airport and took the S-Bahn (S9) to Friedrichstrasse rail station. The fare is only €4.40 and took roughly an hour. From the station it is a 15 minute walk along Friedrichstrasse to the hotel which was fine for me as I had only very light luggage.

If you want to take a train to the front door, Stadmitte U-Bahn would require a change at Alexanderplatz.

The Hilton Berlin is a huge building and impossible to miss:

Inside Hilton Berlin

The entrance opens up to an impressive hall which has been divided up into various designated spaces.

To the right are the reception and concierge desks:

To the left is a large lobby area with seating. The picture below also shows the entrance to the Executive Lounge on the right.

The centre of the entrance hall is reserved for “listo” – the cafe / bar / restaurant. From here stairs lead to a mezzanine level where the breakfast restaurant and conference facilities are located.

Next to the reception desks is a self-service shop with a very good selection of drinks and snacks. It’s admittedly handy but does give the impression that you are in a ‘select service’ hotel.

Rooms at Hilton Berlin

I had a booked a Deluxe Room with club access overlooking Gendarmenmarkt and was upgraded via my Gold status to a Junior Suite on the 5th floor.

The walk to my suite led along a dark corridor with brown doors which frankly has seen better days. You enter your room by sliding your card through a card reader – no smartphone mobile keys here – from which the metal paint had already nearly flaked off.

However, when I entered my suite I was pleasantly surprised. It was very homely with a blue velvet sofa and carpet.

As a welcome gift I received two bottles of still water, a bottle of red wine, some grapes and a sweet in the shape of an edible flower pot on chocolate soil and cake spilling out.

and

The view from my window was fabulous despite the area around the Dom undergoing some landscaping work. Once this is done it will be even better.

The bathroom is not exactly state-of-art design but was spacious with a single sink and shower-integrated bath tub. The amenities were from Crabtree & Evelyn and come in large bottles.

Inside the club lounge

The Executive Lounge leads off the lobby and is one of largest I have seen. There is lots of sofa seating and also tables to eat or work on.

and

The lounge doesn’t serve breakfast. Instead, an area of the main breakfast restaurant is cordoned off for those with lounge access. This was unnecessary on my stay but I suspect that it helps guarantee immediate seating when the hotel is full. You eat from the same buffet wherever you sit.

Dinner in the lounge is served from 18.00 and was well attended when I popped by. It offered a multitude of cold options:

There were two hot options – a mushroom soup and meatballs with potatoes:

There were a number of cheeses to choose from as well as some sweets for dessert and, of course, lots of wine and beer as well as non-alcoholic drinks:

There is more than enough to act as a full meal here if you want to eat quickly or casually before doing some work or heading out into the city.

The gym and pool

The spa and the gym are also located on the ground floor, accessible from the lobby or via a separate lift.

I was positively surprised how big they were given that this is a city hotel. I didn’t have a spa treatment but it is an Elemis-based treatment list. The pool is a good size with a number of loungers but has a bit of a functional feel.

The gym is large, excellently equipped and has daylight. If you are looking for a hotel with a good fitness centre then you will be happy here.

and the other end:

Food and drink at Hilton Berlin

The hotel has only one restaurant/cafe and bar, “listo”, which is based in the centre of the lobby. I had dinner here but alternatively could have also eaten in the bar area as a simpler option.

It is noticable that the hotel makes an effort to source ingredients locally.

For starter I had the tartare of Mecklenburg beef filet at €18 (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the state north of Berlin on the Baltic coast and is where I was brought up).

For my main I had the Brandenburger Pikeperch fish (Brandenburg is the state surrounding Berlin) at an admittedly chunky €37 (not pictured) and a warm chocolate cake for dessert at €14.

As you can see from the images, the food is well presented.

This is the bar area where you can sit and eat from a more casual menu of burgers etc.

and

Obviously, given the location of the hotel, there are plenty of other eating options in close proximity.

Breakfast

Breakfast is offered in the Beletage Restaurant on the mezzanine level of the entrance hall. The space is huge with large windows overlooking the front of the hotel on the Dom side.

Breakfast is served entirely from the buffet, including hot drinks. There is plenty to choose from, both cold and hot. Below you can see the cereal bar:

There are various breads and pastries, cold cuts, yogurts, salads and salmon. There is also German sparkling wine if you want a sip.

There were a number of jams on offer, including homemade apple and honey jam as well. The hotel even provides a leaflet with the recipe to try at home. I thought this was a cute touch and I took one with me.

There is no a la carte table service for hot items, but there is a live cooking station where you can get eggs made to order:

If you fancy a coffee-to-go on your way out there are cups provided, which I thought was helpful.

Conclusion

The main selling point of Hilton Berlin is its excellent location. It is the perfect starting point for business, sightseeing, shopping or cultural destinations such as Friedrichstadt-Palast or Museumsinsel (Museum Island). Anything which isn’t walkable can be reached via the U-Bahn station 10 metres from the front door.

I also thought the gym was outstanding and the swimming pool impressive for a city centre hotel. The large lounge means that this is also a good choice for Hilton Honors Diamond members who get free access.

The downside is that the hotel does feel dated in places, especially the corridors, but this is reflected in the price. If you can get a room overlooking the cathedral then you should have a pleasant time.

You can find out more, and book, on the Hilton Berlin website here.

Remember that the Hilton sale is currently running with discounts on weekend stays until 8th April. Full details are in this HfP article.

Rooms for a Saturday night in February and March cost from €110 or 35,000 Hilton Honors points. You will also earn 2,000 bonus Hilton Honors points per stay up to 1st May if you register here for their current promotion.

Berlin remains very cheap by the standards of European capital cities. This hotel is a particular bargain for Hilton Honors elites – you could pay €110 and still get free breakfast as a Hilton Gold and free lounge access as a Hilton Diamond.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Hilton’s weekend sale is now on as you have probably seen from our article yesterday. We will be reviewing a couple of Hilton hotels in the sale which may inspire readers to book a stay themselves.

First up: The Trafalgar St James hotel in London – click for the website.

We booked for cash via hilton.com but we will be reimbursed. Hilton has not seen or approved this review.

You may or may not know that Hilton now has six Curio Collection hotels in London (a seventh one, Lincoln Plaza at Canary Wharf, remains closed post pandemic).

As one of Hilton’s ‘collection’ brands, Curio brings together independent boutique properties, letting you earn and spend Hilton Honors points and enjoy your Hilton Honors status. Curio hotels are of a high standard but do not have to meet strict Hilton ‘brand standards’, allowing the operators to exercise their creativity. We’ve generally been very impressed by the Curio Collection hotels we’ve visited.

After reviewing The Westminster in 2021, I managed to review a further four London Curio’s this year. In addition to The Trafalgar St James, I’ve also been to:

• The Gantry in Stratford (review)
• Hart Shoreditch (review)
• Lost Property St Pauls (review)

That leaves just one Curio Collection in London remaining – 100 Queen’s Gate – which I will try to look at next year.

This time, it was the turn of The Trafalgar St James.

The Trafalgar St James location

It’s difficult to be more central than The Trafalgar St James, which as its name suggests sits directly on Trafalgar Square, opposite Canada House. The hotel is in good company, with a number of properties around here including Hyatt’s Great Scotland Yard and The Corinthia a stones throw away.

Meanwhile, the new Waldorf Astoria, which is being built inside Admiralty Arch and the surrounding buildings, is literally behind The Trafalgar. It should open in 2025 if everything goes to schedule.

If you’re a tourist, the location is fantastic. The South Bank is literally a 5-10 minute walk across the river. Trafalgar Square with the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery is on your doorstep whilst Leicester Square, Chinatown and Soho are all a ten minute walk away. Buckingham Palace and St James Park are just a stroll down the Mall.

When it comes to public transport, Charing Cross station offers connections onto National Rail as well as the Bakerloo Line and Northern Line; the Circle and District Line are marginally further at Embankment Station.

Inside The Trafalgar St James hotel

The hotel is currently refurbishing its lobby, although the work is exceptionally discreet. The only reason I knew it was happening was thanks to a disclaimer when I made my booking.

The lobby is fairly small, with a ground-floor restaurant taking up most of the space. This will change when the rest of the lobby reopens.

On the left, you have a couple of concierge desks whilst the check-in area is a few steps up (there’s a ramp too).

I was checked in very speedily at 2pm and my Hilton Diamond status acknowledged.

Suites at The Trafalgar St James

I booked very last minute and the lowest room available was a Trafalgar King with View room. Normally, there are a couple categories below this including the Trafalgar Queen room. On arrival, I was upgraded to to the Landseer Suite, which I believe is the top category.

The Landseer Suite is more of a junior suite really – it is open plan – and sits on the first floor corner of the building, directly facing Nelson’s Column.

Note that the soundproofing is good but not perfect: I could still hear a very faint background hum of traffic outside, although it really is very quiet. The air conditioning in many hotels is significantly louder.

It is suitably big, with a large entry hall / wardrobe first:

There are at least three wardrobes here, with two dressing gowns, a safe, ironing board etc.

The room itself is triangular, with the king bed set in the middle and enclosed by a lovely dark wood headboard:

A narrow desk is behind the bed, as you can see.

The bed itself is very comfortable and I slept very well – the pillows were just right for me. There are USB-A and mains sockets on both sides.

and

On the left is a round dining table as well as the mini bar:

A Nespresso machine was available as well as what must be the most Nespresso capsules I’ve ever seen in a hotel room. Normally you get four capsules – here you get about 20!

There are bottles of still and sparkling water as well as Coca-Cola and Diet Coke in the fridge, which are complimentary. Tea bags and shortbread biscuits are also provided.

In front of the bed is a sort of living space, with sofa and coffee table. The TV is wall-mounted on one side:

and

Meanwhile, on the right hand side, you have a chaise-longue as well as the bathroom.

To the left is a small bar cart with two decanters with whisky and cognac, enough for 3-4 glasses each. This is complimentary, and I assume a benefit of the suite.

Compared to the rest of the room the bathroom feels small:

There are two wash basins, although they feel a little squeezed in:

A large bathtub sits in the window and features a TV screen which you can control with a waterproof remote control. Of course, I had to put this to the taste and am happy to report it was delightful, although (as you would expect!) the audio is a bit muddy with all the hard surfaces. There is underfloor heating here which was very pleasant on my bare feet at night!

The toilet and shower room are in separate, frosted glass cubicles:

Toiletries are from Molton Brown in fairly large mini-bottles, with plenty by the bath and in the shower.

As this was a cash stay, I didn’t have the opportunity to take a formal tour of the hotel or see other room categories.

The Rooftop at The Trafalgar

The Trafalgar St James has two restaurants: Rockwell, on the ground floor and The Rooftop on, well, the rooftop. At least in Winter, neither is open seven days a week and they alternate. During my visit, on a Monday, Rockwell was closed.

Regular readers may know that The Trafalgar hosts an annual London Pride after-party on their Rooftop terrace, with tickets available for Hilton Honors points. The good news is the Rooftop is open all-year round; with a semi-permanent retractable roof it remains very warm in the winter. We were even able to enjoy dinner ‘outside’ thanks to the gas fires dotted in the outdoor bit. The view is good, with the London Eye, Shard and Trafalgar Square all visible.

When it comes to food, the Rooftop is more of a snack bar whilst Rockwell has more traditional mains. We decided to share a handful of the small plates, which aren’t quite as small as you might think! Here are the crispy prawns, truffle croquettes, glazed chicken and caeser salad:

The food is relatively pricey; three small plates can be had for £38 or a double cheeseburger for £25. You are paying for the location here and I imagine it is lovely in summer with the awnings retracted.

Breakfast at The Trafalgar St James

Breakfast is also served on The Rooftop, albeit in the dining section:

(Again, in the summer, the roof is fully retractable here and opens right up. But it was perfectly toasty for breakfast and I could easily have gone up in my t-shirt!)

There is an a la carte menu which complements the small buffet that is also available. Of course, I went for the eggs royale:

Unfortunately, the eggs were a little overcooked and closer to hard boiled eggs, which was a shame. However, not wanting to waste food I soldiered on!

When it comes to hot food, the buffet only features items for a Full English – scrambled / fried eggs, mushrooms, sausage, bacon, baked beans etc.

There’s a small pastry selection and salad bar:

As well as cereals, yoghurts and some sweet treats:

Conclusion

If you’ve come to London to see the sights then you’d be hard-pressed to find somewhere better located than The Trafalgar St James, with so many iconic destinations within a quick walk.

When I saw that the lobby was undergoing renovation I thought the hotel might be a bit tired, but that wasn’t the case at all. The lobby is lovely (if small, for now) and the rooms feel modern and British.

I particularly enjoyed having breakfast on The Rooftop – it’s a lovely, light-filled space. You can’t escape the fact that you’re in London with that view.

Room rates start from £280 per night or 80,000 Hilton Honors points. The suite I was given as an upgrade is a rather more punchy £1,100. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

Remember that the Hilton sale is currently running with discounts on weekend stays until 8th April. Full details are in this HfP article. Click here to see our other sale-related review of Hilton Berlin.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

On the prowl for somewhere different for my recent stay in Hong Kong (my review of Cathay Pacific business class is here) I came across the AKI Hotel. This relatively discreet boutique hotel is part of Accor’s MGallery collection brand and features 20 Japanese-style tatami rooms.

Tatami rooms are a difficult concept to explain quickly, so I recommend you take a look at this website article which explains what to expect. ‘Tatami’ is the name of the thick, woven straw mats that were typically found in such rooms.

Having never stayed in one I thought “why not?”. It also gave me the opportunity to experience Accor’s new ALL PLUS Voyageur subscription programme, of which we were offered a trial.

The hotel website is here.

Our article from yesterday on how the ALL PLUS Voyageur subscription card works is here.

The hotel provided one night for free for review purposes. We paid for an additional two nights at the discounted rate for ALL PLUS Voyageur subscription cardholders.

Where is the AKI Hong Kong hotel?

The AKI’s location is excellent. Situated in the Wan Chai district on Hong Kong island, you are a tram-ride away from the buzzing dining and night-life hotspots around Soho. There are also plenty of trendy restaurants in Wan Chai itself as well as Lockhart Road Cooked Food Market, should you want something more local.

The Wan Chai MTR (metro) station is about five minutes away and will whisk you around the island on the Island Line. You can make easy interchanges to many of the other lines at Admiralty or Central just a couple of stop away.

The Exhibition Centre is a walk away whilst Central, a hub for banks, is also very close. It’s a 40 minute taxi to the airport, or you can take the Airport Express train to Central and change there.

The only downside from being on Hong Kong Island, in my opinion, is that you cannot see the famous skyline itself because you are in it. If that is a must-have for you then you will want to stay along the water in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) where you can find a Rosewood and the new Regent (ex InterContinental) hotels.

Inside the AKI Hong Kong hotel

The AKI Hong Kong is a modern building with 25 floors. It is relatively discreet at ground level, with a small car port and a mini lobby with lifts that whisk you up to the main lobby on the third floor.

Check-in is on the third floor reception, where you’ll also find a lobby lounge and co-working space:

and

Reception was always well staffed – at one point I saw five people, which I think was overkill. I was checked in immediately and offered a token for my free welcome drink thanks to my ALL Silver status, one of the benefits of the ALL PLUS Voyageur subscription card.

As you can see, the Japanese influence extends to the whole hotel, and not just the tatami rooms, with light wood walls and clean lines.

Tatami rooms at the AKI Hong Kong hotel

20 of the 173 guest rooms in the hotel are Japanese tatami rooms and occupy corner units on (I assume) most of the floors.

I was given one on the 19th floor. Very conveniently, your keycard automatically knows which floor to go to so you don’t even have to press anything in the lifts.

Rooms feature the same light-wood finish you find throughout the hotel. None of the rooms are particularly big, with entry-level rooms starting at a compact 16sqm and graduating to the 26sqm studio. The tatami rooms fall somewhere in the middle at 20sqm.

On first entry you are greeted by a small corridor with luggage rack and wardrobe on the left:

The room then opens out, with 270-degree views across the city thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

In the centre of the room is the bathroom, with a central island featuring two wash basins and mirrors hanging from the ceiling:

It’s a semi-open plan design with sliding doors on both sides that can turn it into its own little room, although it’ll never be completely shut off with a fourth wall effectively missing.

The shower and toilet are in separate frosted glass cubicles. The toilet is a classic Japanese TOTO toilet:

Toiletries are by Malin+Goetz in big pump bottles.

You’ll also find the mini bar here in a recess opposite the island, with Nespresso coffee machine and a kettle in the drawers below:

Half the room is raised up on padded tatami flooring. This creates a walkway around the back of the bathroom mirrors to the bed. As is traditional, this sits directly on the tatami floor:

You have room controls on both sides of the bed, including for the electric blinds (there are two options – blackout and privacy). There is also a tablet, which replicates some of the functions and also acts as a phone should you need to contact reception or housekeeping. To be perfectly honest, the light controls could have been a bit more intuitive.

Opposite the bed is the TV and a sort of side-table come desk thing:

And that, fundamentally, is it. Clearly, the tatami concept isn’t going to appeal to everyone, although I enjoyed trying something new. I did ask myself whether the layout was the best use of space, as I struggled to put my suitcase anywhere. There is also no real desk, although there is a good co-working space on the third floor.

I came to the conclusion that the tatami walkway along the window behind the bathroom is a waste of space: most of the time, I had both sliding doors fully open and therefore used the bathroom to get to and from my bed. I would have moved the island to the window and opened up the centre of the room and perhaps added a larger built-in luggage rack to boot.

Don’t expect too much when it comes to other amenities at the hotel, although there is a small gym on the 25th floor:

Restaurants and bars at AKI Hong Kong

Dining and drinking options are fairly limited in the hotel, with the TANGRAM restaurant on the second floor and Uncle Ming’s whisky bar on the 25th floor. That makes sense – there are plenty of restaurants and bars in the local area and there is no need to try and compete with them.

Breakfast is served in TANGRAM. There is a small buffet which is complemented by an a la carte menu. The buffet features the basics, including a selection of pastries, breads and other baked goods:

There are a handful of cereals, yoghurts, fruit, smoked salmon and cold cuts:

Hot options are fairly limited, given the a la carte menu, but include boiled eggs, baked beans, potatoes and tomatoes:

Meanwhile, the a la carte menu features items such as eggs benedict, breakfast salad, a healthy yoghurt bowl, signature cold noodles, pancakes, full English breakfast and roasted glazed chicken breast.

I tried the eggs benedict and cold noodles, both of which were delicious:

In the evening I also popped up to Uncle Ming’s, the hotel’s whisky bar on the top floor. There are, apparently, over 80 whiskies on offer and I enjoyed a delicious whisky cocktail. It is a lovely cosy bar with views across Wan Chai.

Conclusion

AKI Hong Kong is a serene hotel in the middle of Wan Chai. The tatami rooms and Japanese design of the public areas are a lovely place to come back to after a busy day exploring Hong Kong’s busy streets, and offer an interesting alternative to your standard hotel room.

Room rates generally start at around £200 per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

You can see the savings I got by holding an ALL PLUS Voyageur card in our article here.

Accor Live Limitless update – January 2024:

Earn bonus Accor points: Accor is not currently running a global promotion

New to Accor Live Limitless?  Read our review of Accor Live Limitless here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our analysis of what Accor Live Limitless points are worth is here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from Accor and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

During October half term we made a family trip to Oman. The holiday started off at the Jumeirah Muscat Bay beach resort for four nights. You can see Rob’s review here. I offered to write about the three nights we spent afterwards in the mountains.

With Oman Air joining the oneworld airline alliance in 2024, and therefore becoming an Avios-redemption partner, we thought you’d be keen to see what the country can offer.

The Alila Jabal Akhdar website is here.

Contrary to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar which are mainly city states, with Oman there is a whole country to explore. Your holiday can be as adventurous as you can handle. With beaches, deserts, ancient towns and mountains there is a diversity you won’t find in the UAE.

After four days by the beach, we decided to go to the famously beautiful mountain range of Jabal al Akhdar for the second half of our trip. There are two five-star hotels to choose from, Anantara (website here) and Alila. Anantara is closer to a town (although still on the edge of a steep cliff) whilst Alila is located higher up in the mountain and more remote. We booked Alila for three nights.

As this was a family holiday, the usual caveats apply to this review. We didn’t get an official hotel tour, we didn’t see other rooms apart from our own and we didn’t slavishly photograph every meal or activity. We paid for our stay at standard rates.

Getting to Alila Jabal Akhdar

The transfer from Jumeirah Muscat Bay to Alilia, using a luxury transfer booked by Alila (c£400) took nearly three hours. The road infrastructure in Oman is very good, including in the mountains, and it was less bumpy than we expected. For the final 45 minutes you are climbing up into the hills on roads which can only be driven by a 4×4. At the bottom there is a police check point to ensure that your vehicle is suitable.

When you approach Alila Jabal Akhdar it looks as if it is based on a high plateau. However, when you explore the area you realise that the hotel is built on an outcrop, with a near vertical descent on both sides. This makes for a spectacular setting. The picture above shows the top of the cliff where the hotels sits, but the drop continues for a few hundred more metres.

The hotel consists of various two storey buildings. They are clad in the regional grey stone and blend perfectly into the surroundings. The landscape is stony and rocky with lots of smaller trees and shrubs.

We arrived during heavy rainfall and in rather chilly weather (less than 20 degrees celsius). This was a stark contrast to Muscat Bay which had been just under 30 degrees celsius. It rained every day when we were there which seems to have been unusual for October, and the water was welcomed by the Omani staff.

We didn’t expect the difference in weather between sea level and Alila to be so extreme. A puffa jacket is definitely required here in Autumn …. except we hadn’t brought any. The weather is obviously hotter in the summer but the beach resorts are likely to be too warm at this time to make a two centre holiday.

There were doormen and reception staff greeting us with umbrellas and taking care of our luggage. This photograph was taken on a drier day!

You enter the hotel via a large lobby with lots of seating and a tastefully styled Omani interior. In the evening a fire was lit which was both eye-catching and, in October, necessary.

Walk across the lobby and you step onto a series of terraces at different levels with the mountain valley opening up in front of you.

It is a staggering view down into the valley:

and

Rooms at Alila Jabal Akhdar

The bulk of the accommodation is in small villas, with typically two suites on the ground floor and two suites on the first floor. Both have balconies or large terraces or even little gardens. Some villas have better views than others, but this is reflected in the pricing when you book.

Here you see the entrance to our villa. What you can’t see here is the magnificent view over the deep ridge on the other side.

The villas are relatively spread out. Our block was the nearest with a gorge view to the main reception. The photo below – taken outside our villa – shows a larger room block in the foreground and the main building in the background with the white sun umbrellas. If you have mobility issues then you should discuss your options with the resort before booking.

We had two rooms – a twin suite with a balcony and a king bed suite with a balcony and a terrace. The latter was an upgrade based on Rob’s Hyatt Globalist status, although literally the only physical difference to the other room was the terrace.

The rooms are spacious and in good condition:

…. although the highlight was clearly the (rainy) view from the balcony:

The upgraded room came with a very large south-facing terrace. The furniture was partly covered up in light of the rain and the low temperature, and to be honest we never used this space. If you are visiting in summer then it would be more useful but I wouldn’t pay the premium for the rest of the year.

and

Both of our suites had separate walk-in wardrobes. In our terrace suite we were given oriental scent sticks at night – there were some small service differences like this between the terrace suite and the no-terrace twin.

The bathrooms were very generous with bath tubs, shower and two sinks:

…. with the natural stone and wood creating a warm and comfortable ambience. The view from the bath is suitably impressive.

Food and drink at Alila Jabal Akhdar

There are not many eating options at the hotel, which is a little surprising given the lack of alternatives in the vicinity. There is a choice between the Rose Lounge – ie the hotel bar – if you want to grab a bite during the day or early evening, and the main restaurant Juniper.

One upside of only having one restaurant is that the menu is very extensive, running from traditional Omani dishes through to Asia, Europe and Lebanese sections. You can eat a different cuisine each night even if you are sitting in the same place, and the food was uniformly excellent.

Breakfast is a la carte. This can often lead to a long drawn-out meal but at Alila the table service was fast and the food offerings impressive. Fruit, pastries and cold cuts / pickles are delivered to the table – see below – before your chosen warm dish arrives. I recommend the pomegranate juice which comes from fruit grown locally in the mountains.

There is plenty to do in the hotel although sometimes I felt it came up short.

The indoor pool, for example, is relatively small as you can see below, even though the hotel is in an area where inclement weather is always possible. It’s not exactly overrun with sun loungers either.

The outdoor infinity pool is undeniably impressive and offers amazing views. This pool is heated but not enough, in my view.

There are more than enough sun loungers outside, as well as cabanas and two whirlpools. Again, these were not as hot as I would have liked:

The hotel also has a spa. I had a facial which I thought was nothing extraordinary.

In early morning there is a complementary yoga session on one of the outer terraces surrounded by spectacular views. At night, if the skies are clear, the hotel offers here free star gazing. Not only does the hotel have its own high powered telescope but it has an astronomer on the staff (who doubles up on the concierge desk and running the abseiling!).

One feature of the Alila chain is the ‘Alila Living’ boutique in each property. I was disappointed here though. It sold mainly arts and crafts from Asia with Omani products under-represented.

Out and about at Alila Jabal Akhdar

However, what makes this hotel outstanding – and makes up for any other criticisms – is the range of outdoor activities.

As well as hiking tracks around the area, the hotel offers two abseiling opportunities. One leads into a cave right underneath the hotel if you are seeking a bit of a thrill. Sadly I couldn’t talk either of the children into giving it a go.

and

There are many day trips available outside the hotel. The hotel concierge will give advice and can organise a guide with the necessary 4×4.

Here is a shot I took of the winding road down from the hotel on a misty morning:

The Nizwa cattle market takes place every Friday in the early morning. If your itinerary is flexible then I recommend arranging your stay at Alila so that you are there on a Friday and can visit. You do need to be driven all the way back down the mountain though.

The market starts off with goats being shown around and the potential buyers, who sit in a circle, watching them go past. When its the turn of the cattle everybody stands up and you soon realise why – bulls will run loose from their traders into the spectators! It’s a fascinating experience. Locals arrive with animals and hire an agent who will walk the animal around the market and negotiate with interested buyers in return for a commission.

Nizwa has a large souk and a historical fort, all in the same area, so it makes for an interesting morning. The souk is far less touristy than you would find in Muscat but has enough stalls aimed at the handful of foreigners who show up to ensure that you find something interesting.

Other popular activities are visits to abandoned villages – more interesting than it sounds – and the famous hanging gardens, irrigated by an ancient system called falaj. The terraces can grow fruit and vegetables but primarily offer roses and pomegranates.

Below is one of the abandoned villages. As you’d expect, you need to be in good shape to walk here as maintenance and safety measures are non-existent.

and

These are the terraces which you can explore. You get around by balancing on the edges of the water system channels.

and

Here are some pomegranates being sold at the road side:

Conclusion

Oman – and especially the mountains of Jabal al Akhdar – is nothing like the Middle East you may know from visits to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha. Alila’s spectacular setting in the mountains was a real treat and we loved our stay there, despite the chilly and wet weather for which we were ill-prepared.

Given that you will be in the resort for much of the day, Alila could do better in some areas. Evenings can be a bit montonous once you have eaten in the only restaurant, and even the star gazing requires clear skies which are not guaranteed. The bar is too dark for, say, sitting around a fire and playing board games. The indoor pool is too small and the outdoor pool isn’t warm enough.

That said, the rooms are large and cosy and the real joy is from the views and exploring the towns and villages in the area. We stayed for three nights and this felt about right, unless you are a committed hiker.

You can find out more about Alila Jabal Akhdar on its website here.

PS. The nearby Anantara resort was the star of an episode of the BBC’s ‘Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby’ TV series a few years ago. UK readers can watch it here on BBC iPlayer.

How to book

Alila is not cheap. For a midweek stay in January 2024, rooms start at £650 per night including taxes and service.

Hyatt has an exclusive booking programme for luxury travel agents called Hyatt Prive. Our partner Emyr Thomas (contact him here) is a Hyatt Prive approved agent.

Hyatt Prive, booked via Emyr, gets you the following benefits:

• $100 hotel credit per stay
• One category room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of booking
• Daily full breakfast for two
• Early check-in (from 9am) and late check-out (to 4pm) subject to availability
• Welcome gift

The guaranteed room upgrade offers real value. You can book one category below the room you actually want, knowing that the upgrade is virtually guaranteed. If for any reason it isn’t confirmed the next day, you can cancel or amend your booking as necessary.

You will pay the same as the flexible rate on the Hyatt website. You pay at check-out and earn World of Hyatt points as usual. Any elite status benefits you have will also be respected. It’s a no-brainer, to be honest.

World of Hyatt update – January 2024:

Get bonus points: World of Hyatt is not currently running a global promotion

New to World of Hyatt?  Read our overview of World of Hyatt here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on what we think World of Hyatt points are worth is here.

Buy points: If you need additional World of Hyatt points, you can buy them here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from Hyatt and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

We spent a week in Oman over October half term, split between beach and mountains. Whilst I don’t often write about family holidays, Oman is having a bit of a ‘moment’ at present. More importantly for HfP readers, Oman Air is due to join oneworld in 2024 and you will be able to redeem Avios on its flights.

In the meantime, you could do what we did and fly to Dubai on Avios – or elsewhere in the Middle East – and pay for a connection. You could even be driven from Dubai but at almost five hours I wasn’t keen. Muscat Airport is astonishing – imagine Heathrow Terminal 5 with two flights per hour and you’ve got it!

We paid cash for our Jumeirah Muscat Bay stay and the hotel did not know I would be covering it. The downside of this approach is that I didn’t see everything on offer.

We stayed here for four nights, after which we headed to the mountains for three nights at the Alila Jabal Akhbar resort, part of World of Hyatt. My wife will review Alila tomorrow.

A bit of background to Muscat and Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Muscat, and Oman in general, is nothing like the UAE or Qatar. With the law blocking tall buildings (10-12 stories seems to be the maximum), the majority painted white (the airport was the only glass walled building I saw all week) and the buildings tucked in amongst the mountains – Oman has a LOT of mountains – this certainly isn’t Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha.

The first luxury leisure hotel was the Al Bustan Palace, now run by The Ritz Carlton and part of Marriott Bonvoy. I reviewed Al Bustan Palace on an Oman Air review trip in 2019. The Al Bustan is fully refurbished and sits on an astonishingly wide bay, virtually alone, but the design and layout meant that it still felt dated to me. The rooms are also a little small.

It was that trip which encouraged me to return with my family, albeit the pandemic meant that it took four years to pull off.

I am a big fan of Jumeirah hotels, having stayed probably 100 nights across their Dubai and Abu Dhabi resorts over the years. As Jumeirah Muscat Bay is brand new (June 2022) it seemed an obvious choice. I also had £500-worth of points to redeem as well as Jumeirah One Gold status, although the value of that was limited beyond a free airport transfer.

Location

Muscat Bay is a new leisure development just outside Muscat. Set in its own private bay, it comprises the hotel – which sits directly on the beach – plus a number of homes and apartments in the hills around it. This is very much still a work in progress, but didn’t interfere with our stay at all. There is nothing of interest in the Muscat Bay development apart from the hotel, except for a small Spar grocery store.

The Shangri-La complex of three hotels, which is the other key resort option, is just across the bay. I’ve never visited this but I know it has its fans, especially as the three hotels offer more facilities between them than the Jumeirah or Al Bustan.

Arrival

As a Jumeirah One Gold member I was entitled to a free one-way airport transfer, so we had a driver waiting for us in arrivals. There is no shortage of taxis if you don’t want to pay for a hotel car.

As you drive into the Muscat Bay development it isn’t entirely clear what to expect, with empty new-build properties all around. Suddenly you turn a corner and the hotel is in front of you.

The lobby is actually on the fifth floor, meaning that as you walk in you get the astonishing view above through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s an impressive way to start your holiday.

Our rooms at Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Because we were a group of four, and because we wanted a bit of space, we had booked a Panoramic Suite with a connecting Deluxe Ocean Room.

As is usual with Jumeirah, the rooms connected externally, not internally. This meant that we could close off a door which, when opened, gave you access to the doors of both rooms which we kept propped open at all times.

The suite had a particularly large balcony which overlooked the entire resort. The furniture design is modern and obviously everything is brand new. I will spare you photos of coffee machines etc – this is a new, expensive, luxury property and all the mod cons you would expect are here.

Deluxe Ocean Room at Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Above is our Deluxe Ocean Room, which was very spacious as you can see from this angle:

There was a very classy bathroom including, out of shot, a bath tub as well as a standalone shower:

To be honest, if I’d known how spacious these rooms would be then I might have saved a few pounds and not booked the suite, since we didn’t fully utilise the seating area.

Panoramic Suite at Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Let’s pop next door into our suite. The key addition is this large living room with, as you can just about see behind the sofa, a dining table too – which became a storage area for the stuff we were taking out with us each day!

Because the bedroom was part of a suite, it was a smaller space than the Deluxe Room that the children had, but still very smart.

The bathroom was open to the bedroom, although could be closed off if required. Toiletries were the usual Jumeirah ‘Amouage’ brand and you have a range of extra amenities (shaving kits, toothbrushes etc) if you need them.

The bathroom included this H-U-G-E shower:

If I jump out onto the balcony you can see how the hotel is laid out:

This picture, taken from a public balcony a little further along, gives you a good impression of the beach and bay – the water view from our room wasn’t as good:

The white thing in the sea on the left is a floating pier, which you can swim out to if you wish. Snorkelling, turtle watching, cycling and other activities are available onsite if you are keen.

To the right of the photo above is a pier with a restaurant at the end – albeit a pier which doesn’t extend as far as the water! In the foreground is the adult pool, which you can see better in this photo I took from the top floor:

Facilities

There were a few things about the hotel which felt a little odd. None of these factors were huge issues but I did keep getting a feeling of ‘why did they do this like that?’. Jumeirah is usually so slick that I was expecting everything to be perfect, and it wasn’t the case.

The first oddity is that the main restaurant, Peridot, where breakfast is also served, only has around six outdoor tables. For a location where you can eat outside virtually all year, this was weird.

The second is that there are only a couple of sets of steps to get you from the pool / garden level down to the beach, about six feet below you, and none were in an obvious place. It was only a 30 second diversion each time but you felt the inconvenience.

The third oddity is the main adult pool, pictured above. This is very deep at its narrowest point – where you can only splash around – but far too shallow in the widest point where it should be swimmable. Instead of surrounding it with sun loungers the hotel put in a handful of cabanas, which led to people getting up incredibly early to ‘reserve’ one with a book or towel.

(For clarity, there was no shortage of sun loungers on the beach, but I think many would prefer to sit facing the main pool instead.)

Food and drink

Jumeirah Muscat Bay has a range of places to eat – the lobby bar, the main Peridot restaurant, Zuka restaurant on the pier and a fine dining Mediterranean restaurant, Brezza, on the top floor which also has a rooftop bar. If you have a suite, there is an executive lounge with the usual impressive Jumeirah lounge food spread.

We had lunch at Zuka on the pier on the day we arrived, which offers outdoor seafood-based dining in a very pleasant environment overlooking the sea. Here is a PR picture:

We never made it to Brezza and we only ate in Peridot on one evening, where there was an impressive buffet on the scale that is common in the Middle East. On the other nights we headed to the lounge and sat on the balcony with a plate from the free buffet, having had a good breakfast and a good lunch and not feeling the need for another formal meal.

The Shangri-La and Al Bustan Palace are a 10 minute taxi ride away if you want to try something different but don’t want to take the 25 minute drive into central Muscat.

The lobby lounge is here:

The spa and kids club

As it usual with Jumeirah, there is a Talise Spa. We didn’t book any treatments here due to a lack of suitable timeslots but we know from our experiences in Dubai that the company runs a very impressive spa operation.

The hotel also has a kids club. I did pop in and it was definitely one of the better ones I have seen. The shallow kids pool is opposite (not pictured anywhere).

Things to do outside the hotel

We don’t normally write about life outside the hotels we review, but as we were on holiday and doing the sights I will run through the options.

You’ll need a taxi whenever you leave the hotel but that’s not a point against Jumeirah since it would be the same wherever you stay. Uber does not work in Oman but there are some local taxi apps.

The ‘must see’ sights in Muscat are the astonishing Grand Mosque (PR photo below, women can rent appropriate clothing on site if necessary):

…. and the new National Museum. There are a couple of niche museums near the National Museum which are also worth seeing.

There is a souk on the corniche which is worth a visit although it’s not on a par with, say, Marrakech or Istanbul. There is little shopping of note – the only upscale mall we found was attached to the new Opera House and it wasn’t full. You’re in the wrong country if you want to visit a Louis Vuitton or similar.

Further afield, we booked a guided tour to Wadi Shab and the Bimmah Sinkhole, both of which offer unique swimming opportunities. You need to be in decent physical shape for Wadi Shab, which involves an hour long walk – partly along narrow unfenced cliff faces, partly through water – to a spectacular cave with its own waterfall.

The entrance to Wadi Shab is via a small local ferry boat:

Compared to Wadi Shab the Bimmah Sinkhole (a big hole in a park where an underground cave was exposed) is a far easier swimming option:

Conclusion

Jumeirah Muscat Bay sits on a lovely spot, with such a level of privacy being very rare in the Middle East. Even when all of the residences in Muscat Bay are sold I doubt it will make the beach noticeably busier day to day. If you are only used to Jumeirah properties in Dubai then this is on a far smaller scale, but large enough to have a range of eateries to keep you busy.

As with the Al Bustan Palace and the Shangri-La, Jumeirah Muscat Bay stands alone, needing a taxi to get around. Wherever you stay you can’t avoid that.

As I said above, there are a few quirks about the design of the outside areas which frustrated me. It was also cooler than I expected, but I think this was just bad luck – I’d be surprised if Oman was noticeably cooler than the UAE next door in late October.

Muscat itself is well worth a few days of your time although the list above is pretty much it in terms of key sites. It’s absolutely somewhere that you should visit, especially if you are more used to the UAE, although I’m not sure that it justifies repeat trips.

In terms of the hotel, I preferred Jumeirah Muscat Bay to the Al Bustan Palace because of the small rooms at the latter. You can read my Al Bustan Palace review here if you want to compare.

The way to ‘do’ Oman, however, is to combine a few days on the beach with a few days in the mountains. This is why we left Jumeirah Muscat Bay and headed off to Alila Jabal Akhdar – review to follow.

You can learn more about Jumeirah Muscat Bay on its website here.

Earning points at Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Jumeirah has its own loyalty scheme, Jumeirah One, which we reviewed here.

If you are booking direct you might as well sign up. It is a revenue based scheme, meaning that you will receive points worth just under 4% of your ex-tax spending.

These can be redeemed against a cash discount at check-out on your next Jumeirah stay. If you are London based, another option is to use them towards the cost of a meal at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower or Jumeirah Lowndes in Knightsbridge. You can also transfer out your points to Emirates Skywards, albeit at a very poor rate.

Your points are valid for two years. You can extend them every two years by popping into either of the London hotels and buying a cup of coffee!

How to book

I’ve not given detailed pricing examples in this review because, frankly, it is all over the place depending on the time of year. It is more useful to say that you will pay less than at a comparable resort in Dubai but more than you’d pay in Ras Al Khaimah.

Go next Friday 15th December and a Deluxe Ocean Room will cost you £517. A similar room at Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai will cost £938, whilst the InterContinental in Ras Al Khaimah is £235.

Jumeirah has an exclusive booking programme for luxury travel agents called Passport To Luxury. Our partner Emyr Thomas (contact him here) is a Passport To Luxury approved agent.

If you book via Emyr, your booking comes with free breakfast, $100 of hotel credit, late check-out / early check-in if available and an upgrade if available. You will usually pay the same as the flexible rate on the Jumeirah website, although on some previous Jumeirah stays Emyr has been offered a better rate.

I can say, based on past experience, that if you have any special requests such as connecting rooms then it is substantially better to book via Emyr than book direct. Jumeirah loves to say ‘if available on check-in’ for special requests and will rarely commit, but ‘Passport To Luxury’ agents have direct contacts in the hotels who can ensure these things are done and are prepared to put it in writing.

Hotel offers update – January 2024:

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Want to buy hotel points?

• Hilton Honors is offering an 80% to 100% bonus when you buy points by 12th March 2024. Click here.

• IHG One Rewards is offering a 100% bonus when you buy points by 2nd February 2024. Click here.

In August 2022 Rhys reviewed the new Hyatt Regency hotel in Stratford, formerly a Holiday Inn. The Staybridge Suites hotel in the same building was in the process of being turned into a Hyatt House but wasn’t finished at the time.

We promised to go back and we finally made it. HfP paid for its own stay.

The Hyatt Regency side, reviewed last year, is Hyatt’s upscale, full-service hotel brand. This hotel is more upscale than it was when it was a Holiday Inn.

The Hyatt House side, which we are reviewing here, is more mainstream and – looking at the pictures Rhys took last year – seems to be slightly lower spec. The reason to stay here is if you want cooking facilities, which all rooms offer, or a suite at a lower price.

You may also be attracted by free breakfast which (slightly oddly) is chargeable to Hyatt Regency guests, even though it’s the exact same breakfast in the same room.

Another reason to stay here is if you are chasing a free night via Hyatt’s Brand Explorer scheme. This gives you a free night voucher for every five different Hyatt brands you stay at, as this article explains. It is easier to earn the Hyatt Regency sticker elsewhere than the Hyatt House sticker.

Key facilities such as the restaurant, gym, laundry room and bar are shared with the Hyatt Regency. I reused some of the images of the communal areas from our Hyatt Regency review last year.

The Hyatt House London Stratford website is here.

Where is the Hyatt House Stratford?

Getting to the Hyatt House Stratford is a bit confusing because it is – literally – part of Westfield Stratford City shopping centre. I got lost and I’d been here before, back in the Holiday Inn / Staybridge Suites days.

The easiest way to get to the Hyatt House is to head up to the ‘outside’ street that bisects the mall and connects the tube station to Stratford International and the Olympic Park. If you’re coming from the tube, don’t go inside the mall. Instead, take the lifts or the stairs right in front of you as you exit.

You then want to walk all the way down the street, towards Vue and John Lewis, until you reach the place where three streets meet. When you get to Hugo Boss and Armani Exchange, stop.

On the corner, immediately on your left, you should see the entrance. This is VERY easy to miss – I know, because I did.

To check-in, take the elevators up to the third floor, where there is a shared reception for the two hotels.

The location is not as odd as you may think. Due to the investment for the 2012 Olympics, Stratford is ludicrously well connected to Central London. You have the Elizabeth Line, Jubilee Line and Central Line to whisk you into the West End, plus the DLR, overground and other underground lines.

Inside Hyatt House Stratford

The first thing that is immediately obvious as you step out of the lift is that this isn’t a Holiday Inn / Staybridge Suites any more. The hotel has had a top-to-bottom refurbishment that has transformed it from cheap-and-cheerful to a classy, sophisticated property.

Here is the lobby, with the lobby bar behind:

Rooms at Hyatt House Stratford

OK, I messed up. It does happen.

I have top tier Globalist status with World of Hyatt, which means I am entitled to a ‘standard’ suite upgrade if one is available. My plan was to book a cheap standard room on a quiet night (Monday) and get a suite upgrade, which was the room category I actually wanted to review.

It turns out that Hyatt House is excluded from the World of Hyatt Globalist suite upgrade benefit. This came as news to me.

I received other Globalist benefits, including a voucher for a free drink and snack at the bar – valid for 60 whole minutes, between 6pm and 7pm. I was given the guaranteed 4pm Globalist check-out the following day without question.

Here is what I received – a standard ‘King Studio’ room which isn’t very spacious:

It was also a little dark. This was partly because I’d been put on the lowest floor of Hyatt House rooms (floor 9 out of 12) and partly because the windows are just narrow slits. What you see in the image above is as wide as the window gets.

Here’s the view from the window – a couple of the post-Olympics apartment blocks which have been built around the park:

Bathroom

The bathroom is small, to put it mildly, and dull, with no sign of the black marble sink that Rhys had in his suite at the Hyatt Regency last year. There is no tub, only a shower:

Toiletries are by Antipodes:

Kitchen facilities

The reason to stay at a Hyatt House is to get access to in-room kitchen facilities. Whilst my room was small, I still got all this:

I won’t go through every drawer and cupboard, but here’s an example:

There’s a frying pan, toaster, oven gloves, tea towels, washing up bowl, saucepans, kitchen roll and plenty of cutlery. You also get a dishwasher:

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay that has all of this equipment, you’re sorted. If not, it’s just in the way, frankly. There is also a small Nespresso machine on the table.

Gym

There is a gym on the top floor. It’s a decent size given the scale of the hotel, and the running machines give you a good view of the Olympic Stadium:

Laundry room

If you’re planning to stay here for more than a couple of days – as is often the case at a Hyatt House – then you may need to do some washing. Guests of the Hyatt Regency can also access this. It’s on the 11th floor and a little tricky to find as the door is unmarked.

Bar and restaurant at the Hyatt House Stratford

With so many restaurants and bars in Westfield Stratford City the Hyatt House didn’t have to make an effort here but it does. You’ll find both on the third floor, next to the lobby.

Both are stylishly furnished. Here is the bar – there is a lot of additional seating besides what you can see here:

The restaurant, called Elondi, is fairly large and is also used for breakfast:

The restaurant spills onto an outdoor terrace, although it wasn’t open in late November.

Unfortunately, the new tower blocks obscure the view of the Olympic Park from here and there isn’t a view of any sort.

Hyatt House Stratford breakfast

Breakfast is served in Elondi. Interestingly, despite sharing the same buffet, Hyatt House guests get free breakfast whilst Hyatt Regency guests do not.

There is no a la carte menu, although the buffet does the job perfectly well. It’s a classy space – in fact one of the smartest buffet areas I’ve seen for a while. Some thought has been put into how each item is displayed.

I won’t bore you with pictures of fruit, cereal, smoothies, pastries etc, but it was all well done. Hot items included everything for a full English breakfast.

Elondi, as you can see above, is a classy place to sit and eat and it makes for a relaxing way to start the day. My only niggle is that coffee wasn’t brought to your table and you had to use two machines.

Hyatt House Stratford lunch

I wasn’t around for dinner, but was there for lunch the following day. (Rhys had a full dinner last year which he covered in his Hyatt Regency review.)

I sat in the bar and took a salmon bagel (from H Forman’s, the local-but-world-famous salmon smoker), some fries (which hadn’t arrived when I took the photo!), burrata and a glass of English sparkling wine. Despite the ‘bar snack’ approach to it all, it was surprisingly well done and clearly all freshly prepared. Even in the bar, you feel that you are somewhere which is a cut above the average.

Conclusion

This review didn’t quite work out as I was expecting. My plan was to get a Globalist upgrade to a suite so I could see how suitable the rooms would be for a family or for someone who was looking for a room for a week or two. I really should read the Globalist suite upgrade rules next time ….

The ‘studio’ I got didn’t really do it for me. I don’t see the point in putting a kitchen into a room so small. You can’t fit any children into the space, so it is no good for families, and I doubt anyone staying for than a night or two would want a room this size.

If you take one of the larger suites, however, I can see how the concept works. You would get a decent amount of space for not much more than the cost of a standard hotel room – there is even a 2-bedroom suite if you need one. The cheapest suite was only £70 more than the cost of the room (‘studio’) I booked.

Throw in the kitchen, the laundry room, the decent breakfast, access to everything in Westfield (you are literally seconds from a Vue cinema and a huge John Lewis), access to the Olympic Park and access to the amazing transport links at Stratford and I can see why you’d want to stay here.

If you are comparing pricing between the Hyatt Regency (floors 4-8) and Hyatt House (floors 9-12) remember that Hyatt House guests get free breakfast. The Hyatt Regency rooms appear to be done to a higher specification. You pays your money and takes your choice.

World of Hyatt regulars may well take the Hyatt House purely to tick off another brand for the ‘Brand Explorer’ promotion, which I admit is part of the reason I agreed to do this review myself! If you’re a Globalist member, however, you want the Hyatt Regency if you want a suite upgrade.

You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

World of Hyatt update – January 2024:

Get bonus points: World of Hyatt is not currently running a global promotion

New to World of Hyatt?  Read our overview of World of Hyatt here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on what we think World of Hyatt points are worth is here.

Buy points: If you need additional World of Hyatt points, you can buy them here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from Hyatt and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Although it sits as part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio, the EDITION brand is a bit of an outlier in that Marriott does not have full control.

The EDITION is a pet project of Ian Schrager. Schrager, you may know, was co-founder / co-owner of Studio 54 and Palladium in the 70s, followed by an extensive career as hotelier. He is credited with introducing the concept of “boutique” hotels to the world.

In 2008, Schrager partnered with Marriott International to introduce EDITION, a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel brand. Over the past few years the brand has been growing rapidly, with the aim of having 30 EDITIONs open by 2027. This will probably be it, as Schrager has announced that he wants to move on to new projects.

I’ve now stayed in a number of EDITION hotels, including in Barcelona (review) and Tampa (review). One thing that strikes me is that it offers, by far, the most consistent experience of any hotel brand I have stayed at.

Some EDITIONs are in towers; others are in historic buildings (such as The London EDITION on Berners Street) but virtually all share the same minimal modernist interiors and statement staircases. At a time when most brands claim to be consistent in one way or another, EDITION actually delivers.

Of course, this also means that one EDITION is very similar to the next. There are very few local influences, which may or may not be what you are after when staying at a boutique hotel.

Anyway, let’s take a look inside The Shanghai EDITION.

The hotel website is here. Marriott Bonvoy very kindly arranged my stay for review purposes, but all other expenses were mine.

Where is The Shanghai EDITION?

The Shanghai EDITION is located just a couple of blocks behind the Bund historic waterfront along the Western banks of Shanghai’s Huangpu River. This is a largely historic area, and in fact part of the EDITION occupies the former art deco offices of the Shanghai Power Company. This now houses the Shanghai Tavern restaurant, bar and spa.

Getting to the Shanghai EDITION is a little finicky, because the entrance is on a pedestrianised portion of Nanjing East Road. Staff walk you and your bags from the cul de sac on one side to the main entrance.

If you are arriving on a weekend, expect it to be extremely busy; this is a high traffic area for locals and tourists alike, and there’s a big mall just opposite the hotel.

Nanjing East Road MTR station is just opposite on the corner, which gets you onto Lines 2 and 10 of the Shanghai metro system. Line 2 gets you to the Maglev station to Shanghai Pudong Airport, although it takes over an hour. By car, with light traffic, it’s about 45 minutes.

Inside The Shanghai EDITION

The lobby is divided into two spaces. On the left hand side is the connection between the old art deco building and the modern new tower, which has the guestrooms. There is a skylight which means it is always very bright.

Next door, in the base of the tower, you have the lobby bar with more casual seating and a moodier darker atmosphere, as well as a giant glowing ball suspended in the centre like the sun.

At the far end (in an even darker part of the room!) is the hotel reception, with the bank of lifts in almost pitch-dark.

We arrived early and our room was (as expected) not ready, but the staff took our bags and I signed the paper work. When we returned a few hours later it was good to go.

Rooms at The Shanghai EDITION

As I mentioned above, consistency is one of the defining characteristics of EDITION hotels, and nowhere is this more visible than in the guest rooms. They feature a super minimalist design characterised by sleek wood panelling and an artfully draped faux fur blanket on the bed. It is undeniably striking.

First up is a large hallway space, connecting to the bedroom and bathroom. The wardrobe and mini bar are hidden behind floor-to-ceiling wood panels:

There is a Nespresso machine, fully stocked fridge and assortment of snacks available.

To the left is the large marble bathroom with double wash basins and a standalone bath tub:

The shower and toilet are in separate, frosted-glass cubicles.

Toiletries are the typical Le Labo custom for the EDITION – a favourite of mine:

The bedroom is also huge.

There is a seating area immediately on the right:

…. plus a good desk in the window overlooking the city:

Speaking of the window, the reason it’s that shape is that the tower has been designed to give as many of the rooms as possible views of the skyscrapers in Pudong. This means that around 50% of the rooms have fantastic views. A particular highlight is that the view is visible from bed:

Speaking of the bed, here it is:

Room controls were very simple, in contrast to some of the other hotels I stayed at on this trip. There are also controls for the electric curtains. A Bluetooth speaker and lots of charging ports round out the offer.

The TV is wall-mounted on the side – I didn’t try to see if it pops out.

Pool and gym at the Shanghai EDITION

The pool and gym are on the 5th and 7th floors, respectively. There’s only one way to describe the pool area, and that’s “architectural”. It’s a massive, open space with raw concrete walls and ceiling. It feels a bit like stepping into the lair of a James Bond villain, albeit with much more natural light. The photos don’t do it justice:

There’s also a hot tub in the corner:

The gym is a bit more discreet. Here is approximately one half:

Breakfast at the Shanghai Tavern

Almost every EDITION hotel has a Tavern; in the London EDITION, it is called Berner’s Tavern after the street.

In this case, the Shanghai Tavern is located in the ground floor of the art deco Shanghai Power Company building:

Breakfast is a combination of a la carte and buffet style. You can order as many items from the a la carte menu as you wish; they are quite small which lets you sample a range of items. Of course, I had to have the eggs royale which was excellent:

The xialong bao were less impressive – I had better in Taipei!

The buffet features cold / ambient items such as cereals, yoghurts, fruit and the like. It was beautifully and abundantly arranged:

and

Conclusion

If you’ve been to an EDITION hotel before then you’re not going to be surprised by anything at The Shanghai EDITION.

Opened in 2018, it is very much representative of the EDITION brand. Slick, minimalist rooms are the order of the day with wood panelling on virtually every wall. It’s classy.

The Shanghai Tavern serves up an excellent breakfast – definitely one of my favourites on the trip, thanks to its hybrid buffet/a la carte style. If you want something more ‘wow’ then the Punch Room cocktail bar and Roof rooftop lounge should suit, with views across to Pudong.

After two nights at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, review here, the EDITION’s minimalist residential atmosphere was a welcome contrast to the glitz and glamour of the former.

Room rates start at around £175 per night, whilst Bonvoy redemptions are from 42,000 points per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Note that this is one of two Ritz-Carlton hotels in Shanghai; the other is the Portman Ritz-Carlton which is located on the other side of the river in Jing’an.

Although I haven’t visited the Portman, I believe the Ritz-Carlton in Pudong is more of a ‘destination’ hotel thanks to its fantastic views of the Oriental Pearl Tower and Bund.

The hotel website is here. Marriott Bonvoy kindly arranged my stay for review purposes.

Where is The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong?

As the name suggests, The Ritz-Carlton is in Pudong. This is the district east of the Huangpu River and extends all the way to the coast, well beyond Pudong Airport.

The Ritz-Carlton is not that far out, obviously. It is in a large meander of the river in Lujiazui which is also home to the financial district. The Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, World Financial Centre and Jin Mao tower are all within a block or two of the hotel, which sits as part of the IFC Mall development.

The benefits of this location include being part of the iconic Shanghai skyline, with one half of the hotel overlooking the Oriental Pearl Tower. You are also on the right side of the city for Pudong Airport which is about 40 minutes away by car.

If you’re in the market for some luxury shopping then the IFC Mall has plenty of choice. It also has the integrated Lujiazui MTR station with access to Lines 2 and 14, the former of which will take you to the Maglev connection with the airport.

Inside The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong

The Ritz-Carlton shares the South Tower of the IFC development with HSBC. The top 18 floors (39-55) are dedicated to the hotel and the hotel’s rooftop bar.

From the ground floor, a bank of lifts whisk you up to the 52nd floor which is where the hotel reception is located. Guest rooms are on floors 51 and below.

In addition to the hotel reception, the 52nd floor is also home to Scena di Angelo, an Italian restaurant, and Aura bar, which often has a live jazz bar in the evenings.

If you have booked a Club Room, or have Club Lounge access, then your check-in is processed on the 49th floor rather than in the main hotel reception. Arriving quite late, at 11pm, we were checked in quickly and transferred to our room on the 48th floor.

Rooms and suites at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai

We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a suite. I also managed to take a look at the a standard room – keep reading to see how they compare.

Rooms feature more traditional luxury styling. This isn’t normally my personal style but it is impressive here, with a big ‘wow’ factor when we first checked in.

First up is a small square hallway connecting to the bathroom and living space:

On the left is the mini bar which features a Nespresso coffee machine on top and mini fridge underneath.

To the right is a small toilet cubicle with access to both the hallway and the bathroom on the other side via two pocket doors. This features an automatic toilet:

Head straight ahead and you are in the open-plan living space. This features a sofa and coffee table on the left plus a recliner chair in the window to admire the view:

and

In between the living room and the bedroom is a floor-to-ceiling console table with TVs on both sides. To the left of this monument is a desk that doubles up as a dining table:

The king bed takes centre stage, and there’s also another recliner chair in the window.

Each side of the bed features a pull-out panel to control the lights and curtains, which are electric.

You also get a universal mains socket and two USB-A sockets. There is also a Bang & Olufsen bluetooth speaker.

To the right of the bedroom is the impressive bathroom. The orange marble looked even more golden in the evening light:

There are two wash basins, one on each side of the room, whilst the large bathtub faces out towards the bedroom and, by extension, the view.

A shower is on the left with large pump bottles of Diptyque’s Philoskyos toiletries.

Next to the bathroom, with access from the bedroom, you’ll also find a mini walk-in wardrobe / luggage room.

Last but not least is the view. We were given a Bund view room, but no matter which side of the building you are on you will have spectacular views across the city. We could, just about, see the Oriental Pearl Tower if we got right up to the window but the Bund was well in view. This is what it looks like from bed:

Standard rooms

If you’re worried that standard rooms will be significantly smaller, don’t be. They’re clearly not as palatial as the suites but they are still big rooms, with a table and chaise longue in the window:

and

The bathroom is smaller, but not by much. You still get the large tub and two wash basins:

Overall you’ll be comfortable no matter which rooms you’re in.

Pool and gym

One of the selling points of The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai is the large pool facility on the 53rd floor. The pool is big enough to swim laps in, whilst there’s also a large hot tub adjacent:

There are a number of cabanas around as well as loungers. The gym is on the same floor.

The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge

Anyone who books a room with Club Access gets access to The Ritz-Carlton Club on the 49th floor. This is NOT a benefit of Marriott Bonvoy elite status – lounges at Ritz-Carlton hotels are excluded from the benefit which allows automatic access to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador members.

The lounge comes with a busy programme of events throughout the day, far more than your usual Club Lounge. This includes:

• Breakfast (6:30am – 11am)
• Light lunch (11:30am – 2pm)
• Afternoon tea (2:30pm – 5pm)
• Hors d’ouevres (5:30pm – 8pm)
• Cordials & desserts (8:30pm – 11:30pm)

For an additional charge, you can bring in additional guests should you want to – the cost is between 175 yuan – 325 yuan (approx. £20-£35) depending on which ‘slot’ you want.

There is food and drink available throughout the day. We managed to check it out before dinner one evening. It is a long space along the windows facing the Bund with a range of arm chairs, dining tables and sofas:

It just so happened that on the Friday evening we were there they were serving caviar and champagne. Apparently this is a weekly occurrence – I imagine there are different themes on other nights, too.

A range of beers and wines plus a relatively extensive food section is also available. There was a live laksa station as well as a range of hot and cold items including fish, beef and more. Sushi was also on offer. Nobody is going to starve here.

Restaurants and bars

Should you be hungrier then you have a few more options to choose from at The Ritz-Carlton, including Scena de Angelo and Jin Xuan, which has a Michelin star.

Scena di Angelo

Scena di Angelo is an Italian restaurant run by Italian chef Chef Angelo Aglianó. At breakfast, it operates as the hotel’s buffet, view views across the city.

Breakfast here is lovely, with the buffet spread over numerous tables throughout the restaurant. There are obviously all the usual things you expect to find at a hotel buffet, including pastries:

Western-style breakfast was mainly represented by bacon, baked beans, sausages and potatoes:

There is a noodle bar, eggs made to order and a range of fruit juices, yoghurts, cereals and cold cuts.

What surprised me, however, was a handful of German items including proper mini pretzels:

…. as well as paprika lyoner, a type of german sausage meat which I have never ever seen outside of Germany! It’s always nice to be surprised with a small taste of home.

For dinner it transforms into an a la carte Italian restaurant. Both the service and food were excellent, including the salmon carpaccio starter:

Lobster linguine:

…. and a delicious beef main course:

During our meal we entertained ourselves by watching an official convoy head to the Oriental Pearl Tower for a (presumably) private visit as part of the massive International Import Expo in town that weekend.

By the end of it we had to roll ourselves out. I wasn’t expecting to eat such fantastic Italian cuisine in Shanghai, but it was a lovely counterpoint to the rest of our trip.

Flair rooftop bar

After dinner, it is worth popping up to Flair, the cocktail bar on the 58th floor. This is a moody, atmospheric bar with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Oriental Pearl Tower. The view is jaw-dropping:

As it gets a little chilly in Shanghai this time of the year the majority of seating is indoors, but I believe the space is opened up in the summer thanks to the folding doors. I imagine this is one of the premier rooftop bars in Shanghai – I can’t imagine how you could find anything better.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a destination hotel in the heart of Shanghai then you are unlikely to do better than The Ritz-Carlton. Perched on the top 18 floors of the tower you have some of the best views in the city.

The only downside from the location is that the surrounding neighbourhood is largely commercial. It’s a bit like staying in Canary Wharf: everything around is very clean and manufactured, there’s no real neighbourhood feel at street level.

Other than that The Ritz-Carlton is an excellent hotel. Service was uniformly excellent and I was impressed by the food. Overall, I’d definitely rank it amongst the top hotels I’ve stayed at anywhere.

Room rates at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai start at around £220 per night. Marriott Bonvoy redemptions start from 60,000 points per night.

If you book via our luxury hotel booking partner Emyr Thomas at Bon Vivant, you will get the following extra benefits:

• complimentary breakfast for two
• $100 of in-hotel credit
• welcome amenity
• upgrade, early check-in and late check-out if available

You can contact Emyr via the form here. You pay the same as the Best Flexible Rate at marriott.com and pay on departure as usual.

You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

As I said yesterday, with the HfP team tied up at World Travel Market, I (Conny, Rob’s wife) jumped at the opportunity for a two-night stay in Vienna to visit two Marriott Bonvoy properties.

Yesterday I looked at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna – my review is here.

The next day I walked 200 metres down the road to the Hotel Imperial. Thank you to Marriott for arranging both stays. As usual, HfP paid for all other expenses including flights.

The Hotel Imperial website is here.

Where is the Hotel Imperial?

Hotel Imperial is located on Kaerntner Ring, part of the famous Ringstrasse. The name Imperial raises expectations of something grand and glamorous and it doesn’t disappoint.

The location is excellent for anything you might want to do in Vienna but it is particular well situated for music lovers. The famous Vienna State Opera is across the road and the equally famous Musikverein Vienna (Vienna Music Society) is just behind the hotel. The Vienna Musikverein is the venue for the world-renowned New Year’s Concert but also hosts a multitude of other concerts, balls and events. It needs little imagination to picture yourself in Hotel Imperial donning a smart outfit and waltzing off to dance the night away at the Musikverein next door.

The Imperial was built in 1863 as a residence for a German prince and his wife, an Austrian archduchess. At that time the Ringstrasse project was a construction site with only a few of the grand buildings which line it today completed. Perhaps the young couple became fed up with the noise and dust, because the palace was sold and converted to a hotel, opening in 1873 in time for the Vienna World Fair.

Its grandeur established the hotel as the finest address in Vienna and this year marks the hotel’s 150th anniversary. The hotel has published a glossy jubilee magazine which is available in every room where you can read up on its history.

A quick tour of Hotel Imperial, Vienna

I should say upfront that this review will have shades of Rob’s recent review of the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville, also part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection. Both hotels are exceptional historical buildings, and well worth staying at for that reason, but you will be sacrificing some mod cons in the process.

Before I was shown my room I got a tour of the hotel, which is in a many ways one of the finest museums in Vienna. The emphasis was on the long colourful history which includes a stay by Queen Elisabeth II in 1969. One corridor has the ‘path of history’ with multiple information boards like this:

The interior is largely preserved as it was built and is ludicrously sumptuous. This is the Royal Staircase – you’re clearly not staying in a Holiday Inn Express here:

…. and here is the astonishing Fuerstensuite (Royal Suite). This suite and other top category rooms come with butler service.

and

My room at Hotel Imperial

I stayed in a duplex maisonette suite on the fifth floor, but I also took a look at a standard room as you will see below.

My suite was under the roof in an extension to the original building. The suite was divided with a bedroom and bathroom on one floor and a spiral staircase – which is always novel in a hotel room – leading up to a mezzanine balcony room.

Here is the bedroom area. The limitations of the historical building became clear when I realised there was no free plug next to my bed and I had to unplug the bedside lamp to charge my phone. (I found out later that the alarm clock on the other side of the bed contained a wireless charging plate.)

Clearly this style of decor isn’t for everyone. If you stay at Hotel Imperial, you need to be willing to fully immerse yourself in the period experience. If this look isn’t for you, take a look my Ritz-Carlton review instead.

The mezzanine contained a sitting room with sofa, armchairs, coffee table, another TV and a desk. Whilst it makes maximum use of the ceiling height the space was quite dark.

The room had access to an outside balcony – perhaps not big enough to sit on but wide enough to take in the stunning views over Vienna. Enjoying the sunset here was one of the highlights of my stay. The foreground below shows the Musikverein.

The marble bathroom was very spacious with two sinks, bath, shower and a separate toilet. The amenities are from Byredo.

and

Standard rooms at Hotel Imperial Vienna

I was also shown a Classic Room. This is the lowest room category.

The room was very elegant with antique furniture and heavy gathered curtains in keeping with the rest of the hotel.

and

…. with a similar style of bathroom to the suite, still with two sinks and Byredo toiletries:

If this look is a little too ‘classic’ for your tastes, the next category up – a Deluxe Room – has a slightly more modern design as you can see here (this is a website photo):

Gym and leisure facilities

Not entirely surprisingly, given its age and building restrictions, the hotel has only a small gym and few other leisure facilities.

As you can see below, whilst the gym contains all of the key machines you need, I would say that more than four people working out at any one time would be enough. There is also a sauna.

Unfortunately the hotel has no spa or pool although the concierge is happy to arrange a visit to The Ritz-Carlton 200 metres away if you want a swim (see my pool photos here).

Food and drink at Hotel Imperial Vienna

I felt a bit peckish when I arrived and as my room was not ready (I was early) I did the expected thing and headed for coffee and cake in the Imperial Bar. For cake I had an Esterhazy Schnitte – a traditional Hungarian hazelnut vanilla layer cake – which was lovely.

Again, as you can see below, this is not your average hotel bar:

In the evening I met with a friend in the bar for dinner, who was blown away by the three enormous sparkling chandeliers decorating the room.

In theory the bar offers small plates but when my Wagyu burger came it was full size and very tasty. The service was impeccable and the atmosphere suitably luxurious.

The bar also offers afternoon tea and Friday jazz nights and by the time you read this it should be sporting a grand Christmas tree.

There is also Opus, a gourmet restaurant on the ground floor. This restaurant is only open on certain days (it was open when I was there and well attended) and is relatively small.

Café Imperial

The main restaurant, used for breakfast, lunch, coffee / cake and dinner, is a Viennese institution in itself – Café Imperial.

Vienna is famous for its Kaffeehauses and Café Imperial is one of the best known. It has been a key part of the Vienna music and literature scene since it opened and is now a protected monument – I was told that they can’t even change the way that the tables are arranged.

Feel free to come here on your own – it has these slim tables for one which I loved, although the view to the street is sadly screened off, presumably for privacy reasons:

If you come here you should try the well-known Imperial Cake (Imperial Torte). It was invented for the Emperior Franz Joseph I on the occasion of the hotel opening. The recipe is apparently a secret but it is delicious – a sample box of different flavours was in my room on arrival.

Breakfast

Breakfast is also served at Café Imperial. As well as standard international items it has Austrian specialities such as Gugelhupf, with champagne and cakes on offer too. Egg dishes, porridge and pancakes can be ordered a la carte.

Whilst The Ritz-Carlton does not offer free breakfast to Platinum and higher members of Marriott Bonvoy, the Hotel Imperial does provide it to elites.

Whilst the food was excellent I felt that the presentation was a bit bland in places. These jam jars, for example, are just thrown into baskets rather than being left out on tables or smartly racked.

As you’d expect from an Austrian cafe, the daily newspapers are all available – but only if you read German!

My stay also included lunch at Café Imperial. The menu is traditional Austrian food and besides schnitzel it has Viennese sausages, tafelspitz (boiled beef) and hirschragout (venison ragu) as well as fish, soups, sandwiches, ice-cream sundaes and cakes.

I went for the Original Viennese Schnitzel, although the Kaiserschmarrn (scrambled pancake with plum compote) was very tempting as well.  My plate actually came with two pieces of schnitzel plus parsley potatoes and a mixed side salad. It is a simple cafe dish but sometimes simple is best – the schnitzel was beautifully thin with a lovely butter coating.

Other dining options

If you are at Hotel Imperial on a Sunday, you can book in for the regular Sunday champagne brunch in the Marble Hall:

I also took a peek into the Festive Hall, another elaborate ceremonial room:

If you head to the ladies (and possibly also in the gents) during your meal at the hotel, you will experience something that I had never seen before.

The Hotel Imperial-branded hand towels have clearly proved a little too attractive to customers in the past. As you can just about see below, the bathrooms contain a stack of cotton hand towels, each with a hole in the corner. The towels are then looped through the holes around a metal tube.

You pull up the top one, dry your hands and then loop the towel around the tubing until it drops into a hole in the marble!

Conclusion

The Hotel Imperial is a piece of history and a key part of the social fabric of the city.

It is very much an old school hotel – the female housekeeping staff still wear a black dress with a white frilly apron and a little white bonnet – and certainly not for people with a chandelier phobia.

What impressed me most was the level of service by the staff who were clearly proud to work here. I observed the concierge going well out of his way at one point to make something happen for a guest.

If you are coming to Vienna for a concert or to visit the opera, or just on a romantic getaway, then you can’t help but be wowed by the building. The furnishings mean that it won’t be for everyone but I think you will already have made your decision after seeing the photographs above. If you are a lover of historic hotels then you won’t be disappointed here.

How to book

Cash rates in a Classic Room run from €350 in January to €500 in July / August. Marriott Bonvoy redemptions can go as low as 50,000 points per night and seem to be capped at 92,000 points. This is line with the HfP valuation of 0.5p per point.

If you book via our luxury hotel booking partner Emyr Thomas at Bon Vivant, you will get the following extra benefits:

• complimentary breakfast for two with champagne at Cafe Imperial
• $100 of credit towards food and beverage
• upgrade, early check-in and late check-out if available

You can contact Emyr via the form here. You pay the same as the Best Flexible Rate at marriott.com and pay on departure as usual.

Thank you to Daniela and the Imperial team for their time during my stay.

You can find out more on the hotel website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

With the HfP team tied up at World Travel Market, I (Conny, Rob’s long suffering wife!) jumped at the opportunity for a two-night stay in Vienna to visit two Marriott Bonvoy properties. I think it’s seven years since I last wrote something here ….

Right at the start I must confess that I am a big fan of Vienna. I have a strong interest in European history and as the capital of the ex-Austro-Hungarian Empire there is a lot to do, see and taste here. After The Ritz-Carlton I walked down the street to the Hotel Imperial, review to follow.

The Ritz-Carlton Vienna website is here. Thank you to Marriott for arranging both stays. As usual, HfP paid for all other expenses including flights.

Where is The Ritz-Carlton Vienna?

The Ritz-Carlton is located on Schubertring. This is part of the famous Ringstrasse, a boulevard built in the mid-nineteenth century replacing the old city walls.

I took the City Airport Train (CAT) from Vienna airport to Wien Mitte which takes only 16 minutes. From there it was a 20 minutes stroll through the Stadtpark to the hotel and easily done with a small wheely suitcase. From the hotel the city centre and many of the main sights in Vienna can be easily reached on foot.

The hotel is a combination of four formerly separate historic buildings (three ‘palais’ and one casino) which are now joined together. The interiors, however, are very modern as you will see.

As a consequence, you will often find one or two steps in the corridors as you move between the various buildings and, yes, you can get a bit lost. Here is a picture where you clearly see three of the buildings – the hotel entrance is on the far left.

The entrance is a bit underwhelming, to be honest, as the doors are quite low and cut the first floor windows in half. However, once inside the space opens up as a large welcoming lobby.

I was there in early November and the Christmas decorations were already out giving it a warm glow. The doormen and check-in staff were very attentive and helped with my luggage.

This is the lobby by the entrance:

Down a few steps down are the check-in desks on the left:

Although the hotel buildings date back at least a century, the interiors of the hotel are modern with plain walls and low ceilings. Only a few original features are still visible, such as one gorgeous wrought-iron staircase. The hotel interior is well-maintained but you do notice that the hotel is now 11 years old.

Rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna

I was given a junior suite on the fifth floor, but I also took a look at a deluxe (standard) room which, in some ways, I preferred.

The junior suite room was an unusual shape. You walk through the entrance door into a corridor, with ornate wooden cupboards and pannelling to your left:

Off the corridor are two doors, one leading to the bedroom and one leading – via the toilet – to a large marble bathroom.  At the end of the corridor the space opened into a large sitting room.

The sitting room had a sofa, coffee table and armchair as well a desk and a shelf with the well-stocked minibar and coffee making facilities and snacks. All fairly standard for a hotel of this level. I did like that the still water was provided in glass bottles.

As a welcome gift I got a miniature ferris wheel with sweets, dried fruit and snacks in the gondolas which is not something you see every day. This was a thoughtful reference to the Prater amusement park, and potentially a nod back to the film of ‘The Third Man’.

The bedroom was surprisingly small given the overall size of the suite and not much bigger than the bed itself. It was, however, very classy.

The bathroom on the other hand was of generous proportions with two sinks, a bath and a large shower. The vanity mirror was flexible and fixed at a good height which I always appreciate.

The amenities were in large bottles and were from Diptyque. The large mirror above the sinks had a TV screen by ad notam built in which was quite funky, although I’m not sure it added much.

The standalone bath was a classy touch:

…. as was this sink unit, presumably designed for any visitors to your suite given the double sinks in the main bathroom area:

Inside a deluxe room at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna

The lowest category is a deluxe room, and I asked the hotel to show me one so that you can get a feel for a more typical room.

If I’m honest, I preferred this room in some way. It felt more harmonious and was very spacious (38 sq m) compared to the small bedroom in my junior suite.

Here is a deluxe room from the other direction. As you can see, it isn’t short of facilities.

The hotel is well maintained in general, given that it opened in 2012, but you can see some wear and tear in places. There were a few chips on this table:

The bathroom in a deluxe room is similar to the junior suite, except for the single sink.

The Club Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna

The Ritz-Carlton chain is well known for its club lounges. It takes them very seriously with multiple food and drink ‘presentations’ throughout the day. Unfortunately, lounge access is NOT a Marriott Bonvoy elite benefit at The Ritz-Carlton.

I didn’t eat here but did pop in. The Club Lounge is on the seventh floor and when I came by it was late afternoon. Refurbished in 2021, it is a classy space with plenty of space for working or relaxing.

The buffet looked good with a number of small starter options / afternoon snacks and one hot dish on offer. I suspect the offering changes later in the evening.

Spa and wellness

In the basement you will find a surprisingly impressive swimming pool for a city centre property.

It is 18 metres long and 1.4 metres deep with underwater music and a number of loungers around the sides.

It had a pleasant atmosphere and, despite the lack of natural light, I could imagine sitting here to relax even if you didn’t go in the water. It is also possible to book spa treatments but, with just a one night stay, I didn’t have time to try anything.

The gym was very well equipped with, for example, three running machines. When I peeked around the corner in the afternoon it was well attended but not overcrowded. I could only photograph this corner but the space is far larger.

The rooftop bar

Apart from its excellent location, one key reason to stay here is the roof terrace.

In summer this operates as a rooftop bar, but one week before my arrival the hotel had opened its Urban Aprѐs-Ski area.

Five real ski gondulas from Salzburg were transported up here (no idea how!). They are heated and can be booked for raclette evenings. Tables were set for six but I reckon you can squeeze two more people in if necessary.

There is also a rustic hut selling mulled wine, punch, hot chocolate and more. You can also order Austrian specialities lsuch as “Buchteln” (sweet fluffy yeast rolls) with vanilla sauce.

The view over the rooftops and down to the ice-rink behind the hotel are pretty spectacular. Once all the Christmas markets in Vienna are open too I can imagine that this will be a great place to hang out.  The ice rink is visible in the centre of the picture below:

As well as the rooftop bar you also have the newly refurbished D-Bar on the ground floor which I didn’t get around to visiting.

Restaurants at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna

The hotel offers two restaurants. First up is the Dstrikt Steakhouse (not a typo). As well as beef it offers chicken, fish and Viennese Truffleschnitzel, albeit the latter costs €55.

The other option is the Sicilian restaurant Pastamara – Bar con Cucina. This restaurant is in the lobby, slightly screened off. There is a central bar with tables arranged all around, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

I had dinner at Pastamara. This is a fine dining Italian, and before my first dish arrived I received an amuse bouche. Yes, that’s a solitary green olive you see, but filled with marzipan (something used a lot in Austrian cakes). It was strangely delicious.

I ordered an impressive Insalata di Mare for starter …. (click to expand):

…. and Parmigiana di Melanzane as my main, which is absolutely not the version of this dish that used to be offered by Pizza Express!

Both of my courses were very tasty and the restaurant seems to attract a lot of people from outside (easy to spot as they were wearing coats) as well as hotel guests.

Breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna

I must say I was looking forward to breakfast. From many skiing holidays in Austria I know that the hotels here pride themselves on offering a wide variety and The Ritz-Carlton certainly delivers.

Breakfast is served in the Dstrikt restaurant which has a lovely ambience. The very large buffet includes Austrian goodies like Gugelhupf and Linzer cake. I even had some herring bites, although Austria is a long way from the Baltic!

There is an additional menu of hot dishes including various egg options, Austrian crepes, avocado (with wasabi crème) and lobster benedict. As it typical for Austria you can have champagne for breakfast too.

Breakfast costs €45, which includes one ‘cooked to order item’ (some items such as the lobster attract a surcharge). It is fully worth it if you have the time and appetite to take it all in over an hour or so and make a morning of it. This being Vienna, of course, there are no shortage of cafes nearby if you want a lighter bite, including the famous Cafe Imperial at the Hotel Imperial.

Remember that The Ritz-Carlton, as a chain, does NOT offer free breakfast to Platinum and higher members of Marriott Bonvoy.

Conclusion

The Ritz-Carlton Vienna has a lot to offer. The location, on the Ringstrasse, is as good as it gets for the key tourist sites. You get a modern interior, including a lovely pool, inside an attractive period building. If you are planning to visit Vienna for the Christmas markets, the rooftop bar is a good place to spend time before or after your shopping trip.

The entry level deluxe rooms are spacious and offer everything you need. In many ways I preferred the layout to my junior suite, although it’s fair to say that – looking at the website – junior suites come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

What you don’t get at The Ritz-Carlton is a heavy dose of Viennese history. If you want to feel like you’ve stepped back in time by 150 years, you need to do what I did next and check into the Hotel Imperial, 200 metres away. This review is coming soon.

How to book

Room rates vary considerably, although Vienna remains cheaper than London and Paris. You can pay from €350 in January, rising to €600+ in peak season. Reward nights are from 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night and appear to be capped at 90,000 points.

If you book via our luxury hotel booking partner Emyr Thomas at Bon Vivant, you will get the following extra benefits:

• complimentary breakfast for two
• $100 of credit towards dining or spa services
• welcome amenity
• upgrade, early check-in and late check-out if available

You can contact Emyr via the form here. You pay the same as the Best Flexible Rate at marriott.com and pay on departure as usual.

You can find out more on The Ritz-Carlton Vienna website here.

Thank you to Julia and her team for their help and hospitality.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

After a long weekend in Taipei it was time to leave one city for another, albeit a much quieter one.

Yilan is on Taiwan’s east coast and is a popular destination for locals thanks to its proximity to Taipei and the abundance of hot springs and various other outdoor pursuits. We had just two days so it was perfect, although if you have more time and can head further south you’ll find much more spectacular scenery.

The hotel website is here. Thank you to Marriott for arranging my stay for review purposes.

Where is the Westin Yilan hotel?

Yilan is the northeastern-most county in Taiwan. Yilan City, in the North of the country, is the capital and lies on the wide delta of the River Lanyang.

This is one of the few flat areas in the country, with the terrain quickly becoming mountainous outside of the delta. Drive just over an hour and you can quickly be up at 2,000m altitude in the mountains (and, more often than not, in the clouds).

Like the rest of Taiwan, Yilan is readily accessible via public transport including train (about 90 minutes from Taipei) although ideally you need a car to be able to explore the area independently. The drive takes roughly the same amount of time, depending on the traffic in the tunnels from Taipei.

The Westin Yilan itself is located on the outskirts of Yilan City in an area called Yuanshan. Like the rest of Yilan City, it’s a low-rise area with plenty of rice paddies interspersed between larger houses, although there’s a small high street too.

If you do come by car (and I recommend you do) the resort does offer free parking.

One thing I recommend is the Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area. This is about an hour’s drive from the Westin Yilan in a former logging area. Once inside it’s a big climb full of switch backs to the various attractions including the hot springs (where you can boil your own eggs!) as well as to one of the most famous small walks in Taiwan along the former moss-covered logging railway.

Other notable attractions include the Beihou Temple and the Kavalan Whisky Distillery, both within a 10-20 minute drive (if that).

Inside the Westin Yilan hotel

The Westin Yilan is a relatively small resort with just 85 rooms and suites. The resort is set back just slightly from the road – don’t expect a winding expansive grounds or a winding road, as it is a fairly compact site.

Check-in takes place in a large dedicated building with gables:

and

Apart from check-in / check-out there’s little reason you’ll be in here, especially if you take the lifts down to the underground car park and drive out.

Rooms and suites at Westin Yilan

Rooms are set over three floors – ground, first and second – and there are also six villas at the rear.

We were given a junior ‘studio’ suite on the second floor. This is an open-plan suite at 43 sqm. The door opens onto a large living area, with sofa mini bar and counter top:

The mini bar is stocked with some rice milk, juice boxes and a couple of cans of water and cola, all of which are complementary and replenished daily.

and

To the very left is the wardrobe – this features a luggage rack, ironing board, safe and dressing gowns.

With just one window, the room does feel quite dark, although we also arrived on a particularly dingy and wet day which I’m sure didn’t help.

Opposite the sofa is a half-height partition. This features TVs on both sides – one facing the sofa and the other the king bed on the other side. Annoyingly, only the sofa-side TV was smart – we weren’t able to stream to the bed TV from our devices.

This is clearly an older hotel because there are only charging sockets on one side of the bed. There is also some sort of AI voice assistant in place, although this couldn’t connect to the wifi during our stay.

The bed was very comfortable and there were four pillows – two firmer and two softer.

In the corner of the main living room you’ll find a round table and two chairs.

Behind the sofa is an open-plan bathroom. I know this is not going to appeal to everyone, although the toilet and shower are in separate cubicles. The toilet is an automatic (but not TOTO-branded) toilet with heated seats etc.

and

Toiletries are Westin’s ‘White Tea’ brand, and there are also two wash basins.

There’s only one thing left to show you and that is the balcony, which features a massive two-person bathtub that’s fed with water directly from the hotel’s hot springs:

The Westin Yilan hot springs

Speaking of hot springs …. these are a huge part of the appeal of Westin Yilan. On the ground floor, you’ll find the hot springs facilities. As is typical in Taiwan, these are gender-separated and you are expected to bathe in the nude.

The facilities, whilst not huge, are relatively extensive and feature a variety of pools. Indoors, you have two hot / warm pools as well as a cold plunge pool, whilst outdoors there’s also a large, naturalistic pool:

There is also a steam room and sauna, as well as a relaxation room:

The springs are open until 10pm daily and make for a lovely way to end the day, although beware that some of the pools are very hot.

Gym, pool and kids club

On the lower ground floor you’ll find further facilities including the gym, outdoor pool and kids club. The pool is relatively big and faces a big water wall:

The gym is just behind it:

There is also a kids play area and a number of table tennis / pool tables:

Breakfast and dinner at the Westin Yilan resort

Despite its small size, the hotel has multiple food and beverage options including its buffet restaurant, Seasonal Tastes, on the ground floor.

The decor is perhaps a little to reminiscent of a school cafeteria:

…. but apart from that it is decent, with a bigger selection than you might think. There are cheeses and cold cuts, including smoked salmon:

…. and a salad bar, a variety of hot items including congee, noodle soup, dumplings and more as well as eggs made to order, hash browns and a variety of other western flavours:

The pastries are less accomplished, particuarly the croissants, but there’s also a range of fruits, cereals, yoghurts and more.

A buffet dinner is also served at Seasonal Tastes, which included a variety of sashimi and sea food as well as a lovely hunk of roast beef which was sliced for you on request.

Mai Japanese restaurant

If you want something a la carte then there is also a Japanese restaurant upstairs called Mai.

It was a bit of a challenge deciphering the menu: fundamentally, you get a choice from what appear to be six identical set menus, albeit each one at a different price. When we asked what the difference was it came down to the two main courses – the top one featured beef and lobster – but in reality, the higher priced menus came with more extensive (and larger) portions for every course.

The meal started off with an excellent appetiser and sashimi:

The tempura and main courses weren’t quite as good, with the tempura not quite as crispy as it should be and the main course (in my case pork) a little on the cold side. Dessert and seasonal fruit follow.

and

Late night snacks

Between 9:45pm and 10:15pm the hotel puts on a small spread of food as a late night snack.

This is free for everyone and usually consists of noodles or other local slow cooked food. It’s nothing fancy but a fun option to have should be you be peckish at that hour.

Conclusion

I enjoyed my stay at Westin Yilan. It is definitely aimed at the domestic market: I was one of the few Western guests staying, but to me that simply added to the charm.

It’s arguably more functional than luxurious, although the fantastic hot springs lift it up. Don’t come expecting marble bathrooms or world-class dining: this is more of a country resort, although even ‘resort’ may be pushing it given its small size – it’s on a much smaller scale to the ones you’d find in South East Asia.

Room rates at the Westin Yilan start from around £150 per night or 41,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

After two nights closer to Ximen in Taipei (at Hilton’s Hotel Resonance, reviewed here) we ventured downtown to the commercial hub of Taipei.

W Hotels have a mixed reputation, but what I like about them is that they always have character. Each location is unique and you can always rely on a W to say something – even if it isn’t to your tastes! Our guide to W Hotels is here.

The hotel website is here. Marriott provided my stay for review purposes but we paid for all other expenses.

Where is W Taipei?

On paper, the W Taipei’s location is excellent: slap bang in the middle of Xinyi, Taipei’s downtown-come-financial district. Taipei 101 is just a block away; a multitude of malls are within a few minutes walk.

That’s on paper. In reality – whilst I loved the views of Taipei 101 – this is a very commercial area. It’s good for shopping and in-mall dining but if you want a taste of the real Taipei you need to venture a little further into the residential districts. This is just one of the reasons I preferred the location of the Hotel Resonance.

Of course you can never have everything, but it is worth considering what you value more – local neighbourhoods or the glitzy shopping and office district of Xinyi.

Getting around from the W is easy enough: City Hall MTR station is just around the corner and will whisk you East or West on the blue Bannan line. A taxi from the main Taoyuan Airport takes around 40 minutes whilst public transport is over an hour. (Get a taxi or an Uber – it is much cheaper than in London.)

Inside W Taipei

Step inside the ground floor lobby – really just a temporary holding room for the lifts up to the ‘real’ lobby on the 10th floor – and it is immediately striking that the W Taipei is more mature (and dare I say it understated) versus other W hotels in the region.

Floors 2 – 9 are largely meeting spaces, conference rooms and ballrooms. On the 10th floor is the main lobby, a large restaurant as well as the outdoor pool (which W calls the ‘WET Deck’).

We arrived at a busy time – check out – and had to wait a few moments to be seen. I was fully expecting to be told that our room wasn’t ready but they managed to accommodate us after all.

Rooms at W Taipei

We were given a ‘Spectacular Room’ with views of Taipei 101 on the 27th floor (there are 31 in total). Due to another building only very few rooms on each floor have views of the tower so this was a nice surprise.

(In W nomenclature a Spectacular Room is roughly middle of the pack, sandwiched between entry level rooms and suites.)

There are 405 rooms in total, making this one of the larger W Hotels out there. Spectacular Rooms are 43 sqm and it shows. First up is an interesting and surprisingly spacious entry hallway:

This includes a double sided wardrobe, with access from the bathroom as well. There is a separate room for the TOTO automatic toilet (heated seats and automatic flush!)

The bathroom features a walk-in shower next to a large bathtub:

…. plus a single basin. Opposite is a unique towel rail ladder – finally someone gets it!

Toiletries are by MOMO and /skin regimen/.

From the bathroom you can walk straight into the bedroom via a sliding door:

Here you’ll find a large king bed with light controls and sockets on both sides. The right hand side of the bed has a particularly large bedside table/shelf-thing.

and

Opposite the bed is the TV and, underneath, a long spacious desk.

Meanwhile, by the window, is a padded seating area for two plus a mini bar, tucked away in the white cupboard. This is fully stocked with mini bottles of spirits, wines and beers.

and

Interestingly, no coffee machine is provided. Instead, you get a rather nice cafetiere / French press.

Other features include a phenomenal Bose speaker system with dedicated subwoofer – by far the best sound system I’ve had in any hotel.

Overall the room is warm and modern, with fairly neutral tones and lovely wood panelling. It’s almost understated to the point that you could forget you are in a W!

Pool, gym and more at W Taipei

Facilities at the W Taipei are extensive, as you would expect from an international five-star brand. These are mostly located on the 10th and 12th floors. The outdoor rooftop pool is on the 10th floor, next to the lobby, and is a substantial size:

There are plenty of loungers around as well as a large terrace at the rear. Based on the layout and DJ booth, I imagine is used for pool parties during summer months (this is a W after all!)

Access to the changing rooms and spa are via the main elevators or, if you’re by the pool, you can take a dedicated lift that avoids you trekking through the hotel lobby.

Inside the changing rooms you’ll find gender-segregated saunas, hot tubs and relaxation areas. As is typical in Taiwan you are expected to strip down to your birthday suit to use these facilities.

You’ll also find a large gym on this floor – probably one of the larger hotel gyms I have seen – so you should be able to get a decent work out in!

Breakfast at the W Taipei hotel

There are two restaurants at the W Taipei – one on the 10th floor by the lobby and another on the 31st floor at the top of the hotel called Yen.

To give them credit, breakfast is served in Yen, so if you don’t have a view of Taipei 101 from your room you can see it from up here.

The breakfast buffet is spread throughout the room, so it is worth having a wander before you settle on anything. It includes a table dedicated to salads and cold cuts, including smoked salmon:

The usual pastries and breads, as well as honeycomb honey:

Yoghurts, fruits, cereals and more are also available. When it comes to hot items, there’s an egg station, congee station and Taiwanese noodle soup station whilst bacon, sausages and pre-made eggs benedict are all out.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a hotel with a bit of personality in Taipei then the W Taipei is a great option. The hotel scene in Taipei is not the most exciting for a city of its size (although an Andaz is coming, which should give the W a run for its money) and the W does the job.

As W hotels go, the W Taipei is a mature and considered approach to the brand, offering classier style than some of its more garish counterparts.

What I think it does really well is combine the personality of the W brand without going overboard and veering into tackiness. It feels sophisticated.

You might want to consider the W even if you’re put off by some of the other Ws around, and indeed the hotel seems to be equally popular with business travellers during the week days and partygoers / weekend trippers at the weekend.

Rates start at £215 per night whilst Marriott Bonvoy redemptions are from 65,000 points per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Eager to visit before, erm, geopolitics intervened, I recently spent ten days in Taiwan and Shanghai. This is the first of a number of hotel reviews we are publishing from my trip.

If you have never been to Taiwan, I highly recommend it. I’m not sure the tourist board does a great job of promoting the island as a destination, despite Taipei being a fantastic city and having some beautiful scenery nearby.

Sometimes it felt like we were the only Western tourists around, which brings its own challenges and delights (and lots of sign language / use of translation apps!)

The hotel website is here. Hilton provided my room for review purposes, but I paid for all other expenses.

What is Tapestry Collection?

If you’re not familiar with Tapestry Collection, it is a sister Hilton brand to Curio Collection. Tapestry Collection hotels tends to have fewer facilities or are slightly less luxurious.

Both Tapesty Collection and Curio Collection are aimed at independent hotels of a high quality which want to be part of the Hilton ‘system’ but don’t want to be beholden to a huge manual of ‘brand standards’.

We have generally been impressed by the hotels we have reviewed which belong to Tapestry and Curio. IHG’s Vignette Collection, Marriott’s Autograph Collection and Hyatt’s Unbound Collection work in the same way. The only downside is that the brands have a fairly high degree of churn, as hotels are locked in for a shorter period than they would be under a full franchise agreement.

Where is Hotel Resonance Taipei?

If you’ve never been to Taipei, it’s a bit of an odd-shaped city. Numerous rivers bisect it, creating distinctions between New Taipei in the West and ‘old’ Taipei in the East. The main downtown area and financial district – home to the famous Taipei 101 tower – is off-centre in the East of the city, enclosed by a small range of mountains.

This means that whilst there are plenty of hotels in the Xinyi District with its skyscrapers and malls, including my next review of the W Tapei hotel, there are plenty more along the numerous East-West roads that span the core metro area.

This includes the Hotel Resonance, which sits pretty firmly in the middle between Xinyi and Ximen by the Tamsui River – the Soho of Taipei. It is literally outside Shandao Temple MRT station, which is served by the blue Bannan line which connects to both Xinyi and Ximen via Taipei Main Station.

I fell in love with this location and, if I am perfectly honest, prefer it to staying in Xinyi simply because it is in the middle of all the main attractions and so well connected. It also has a lovely residential feel to it, versus the endless malls around Taipei 101, with plenty of local restaurants and convenience stores within a very short walk.

It is about 45 minutes by taxi from the large Taoyuan Airport and a bit longer via public transport.

Inside the Hotel Resonance Taipei

Hotel Resonance is a new hotel in a newly built 14-storey tower. It opened in 2020.

What I like about it is that the building itself is set back from the street, with a small, leafy public garden / park running along its entire length. Coupled with the double-height glass lobby, you forget you are in the city:

The effect was somewhat spoiled by the sheer amount of luggage behind reception – perhaps they don’t have a luggage room?!

Reception desks are in the middle, with seating on either side:

and

There was a bit of a queue when we arrived with two or three people in front of us, and the staff apologised for a slow check-in. My Hilton Honors Diamond status was acknowledged.

Rooms at Hotel Resonance Taipei

We were given a standard King room on the 15th floor – the top floor of the hotel. (As in the US, Taiwan counts ground as the first floor.) It took a while to get up as the lifts were bizarrely slow.

Rooms are decorated in fairly neutral greige tones with warm yellow accents and lighting:

Overall it was very spacious at 30 sqm, with plenty of room around the bed. On the right you have an open wardrobe above a luggage rack:

The king bed is in the centre, with good connectivity on both sides as well as a Bluetooth speaker:

There is a chaise long, round table and mini bar by the window:

The mini bar is complimentary and features an apple juice box, bottle of iced tea and local snack that’s replaced daily.

A Nespresso coffee machine plus tea bags and a kettle are also there.

Opposite the bed is a big 55″ TV:

To the left, you have a small toilet cubicle with a TOTO automatic toilet and handwash basin, whilst, on the other side, is the bathroom. This features a separate shower and bathtub with views across the city thanks to the window:

Toiletries are branded by the hotel in large pump bottles, but it smelled pleasant.

Here is the view – we had a southerly aspect:

Other amenities at Hotel Resonance

The hotel doesn’t offer a huge number of amenities – it doesn’t even have its own restaurant, although there is a Starbucks on the ground floor. If you have free breakfast benefit as Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond you are given a 500TWD (~£13) credit to spend in Starbucks. You also get a 10% discount on further purchases.

On the second floor you’ll find a small gym. It mainly features cardio machines but it does have some pleasant views:

Also on this floor is a self-service laundry room that is totally free for guests. This was certainly a novelty for me – the first time I’ve ever seen a free laundry room for guests – although I didn’t end up using it. Detergent etc is automatically added when washing – there is no need to purchase anything.

There isn’t an official Club Lounge but the hotel does have something called ‘The Portal’ on the ground floor at the back of the lobby. This is for Hilton Diamond members or those who book a room which includes access. This is a separate room and would be a good place to work – it was very quiet when I was there.

Some basic snacks and soft drinks are available throughout the day, for free, whilst beer and some alcopops are available during happy hour in the evening.

There is no pool, no room service or other amenities.

Conclusion

The lack of amenities – and breakfast – may put some of you off, but I really enjoyed my stay at the Hotel Resonance.

The location was, for me, excellent, and within easy access of where I wanted to go. Being on the blue Bannan line is very convenient.

The rooms are modern and spacious. After a slow check-in the staff were helpful, and even lent us a USB-C cable which was very convenient after we had problems with our own.

Room rates start from around £133 per night or 60,000 points per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Until the end of November, American Express is offering £100 off £400 spend at a number of independent London hotels. This includes Sea Containers (which we reviewed here) and Hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street.

If you are targetted for this offer, you will see it on the statement page of your American Express card. Remember to check each card that you hold.

To promote the offer, Hotel Cafe Royal invited me to stay and experience the hotel myself. The hotel is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance loyalty programme – click here for our guide to GHA. It belongs to a small chain called The Set Collection which includes the Conservatorium hotel in Amsterdam reviewed here and Hotel Lutetia in Paris, reviewed here.

The hotel website is here.

A brief history of the Hotel Cafe Royal

As a hotel, Cafe Royal doesn’t have a long history, having opened in 2012. But as a cafe, bar and members’ club it has a rich heritage to draw on, having entertained the likes of Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, Bowie, Muhammad Ali etc etc.

The property originally opened in 1865 as a cafe – albeit not in the sense as we would define it in 2023. It was founded by a wine merchant owned and operated by a Frenchman who had to flee France due to bankruptcy. Fortunately, his luck changed and the Cafe Royal became very successful; in the 1890s it was the place to be for artists and writers.

Since then it’s had multiple lives, including as the home for the National Sporting Club after World War 2. Olders reader may remember it as a Forte-owned restaurant. It closed for a four-year renovation in 2008 to turn it into what it is now – the Hotel Cafe Royal. This involved taking over the adjacent buildings on the corner of Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street, restoring many of the historic features (including the facade and various rooms) as well as adding a second entrance and modern addition around the side, on Air Street.

Where is the Hotel Cafe Royal?

You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotel in London that’s more centrally located, that’s for sure. It is virtually on top of one of the busiest tourist hotspots in London: Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street, and on the intersection of the Bakerloo and Picadilly lines. Soho and Chinatown are a hop skip and a jump away.

You are obviously close to key shopping areas – Regent Street, Oxford Street and Bond Street – whilst Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and even the Mall are within a ten minute walk.

All of this is to say that you are in a very busy area: this is not a particularly quiet location. The hotel is rather more discreet, and I imagine thousands of tourists pass it by without ever realising there is a hotel here. Bar a small entrance on Regent Street, the remaining ground-floor units are let out to other retailers and cafes.

In addition to the historic entrance on Regent Street, there is a second entrance on the modern extension on Air Street if you are arriving by car.

Inside the Hotel Cafe Royal

Your first taste of the hotel will vary depending on which entrance you take.

Whilst stunning, it is a bit of a wiggle to get to the main lobby from the historic Regent Street entrance, although the hotel usually has doormen here to guide you in the right direction.

On the other hand, the Air Street entrance opens right onto reception, with a cascading chandelier of interlocking glass links in the centre:

There were four or five staff at the big brass desks when I arrived and I was immediately attended to and offered a glass of Veuve Cliquot whilst I was checked in. Once everything was complete I was shown to my room.

Rooms and suites at the Hotel Cafe Royal

Whilst offering a range of different room types, the Hotel Cafe Royal primarily deals with suites and the ‘all in one’ sale of entire wings. Rooms range from Deluxe Rooms all the way to thirteen bedroom wings for utmost privacy and exclusivity.

I was given a junior suite during my stay, which is probably about middle-of-the-pack for this hotel.

The corridors feel very Eastern, with floor-to-ceiling wood panelling and beautiful, Japanese inspired lightwells:

The rooms are vast, despite being in one of London’s prime locations. First up is the large dressing room / hallway / wardrobe area:

You are immediately struck by the scent in the rooms thanks to a large Culti Mediterranea reed diffuser. It smells fantastic.

Wardrobes to the right feature everything you might need, including another set of robes, a luggage rack, safe, slippers and more. The only thing not there is an iron, which they will set up for you if you call.

To the left is the mini bar with Nespresso Vertuo coffee machine, a small wine fridge and plentiful snacks and spirits (these are chargeable).

On the other side you have the bathroom. If you prefer to have a little more privacy you can close the double doors either side.

The bathroom is clad in chunky, chamfered edge marble blocks reminiscent of the Portland stone exteriors of Regent Street; a theme repeated in the bedroom to great effect.

There are two wash basins and a gigantic bathtub:

Once again, I need to highlight the fact that there are no towel rails for hand towels in here, or indeed hooks to hang them on. I will never understand how designers can seemingly omit these, unless they expect all guests to simply chuck towels on the floor after a single use?

A shower and toilet are located separately.

Toiletries are provided by Etro in mini bottles and smell luxurious:

From the hallway / dressing room we then pop into the junior suite itself:

It’s not what you were expecting, is it?

Whilst the hotel preserves many of the original features from the original Cafe Royal and the building, the guest rooms are a fabulous departure. The modern, minimalistic design seems to be confluence of Far East, mid-century and British influences. Not a combination I would expect to work and yet, somehow, it does.

As in the bathroom, the designers have turned the room inside out, with huge beige blocks evoking the Portland stone exterior. I think it works to great effect, although if you’re American you might be reminded of the whitewashed walls of your student residences! Personally, I love the contrast to the rest of the building.

I loved the retro, physical dials and nobs of the room controls throughout the suite, which felt like a 1960s control room:

Annoyingly, the lighting all appears to be controlled globally; I couldn’t work out a way to turn up the lights in the hall without them getting brighter in the bedroom too, for example.

In the centre of the room is seating area:

There are a number of magazines available, including Vogue, Conde Nast Traveller and Wallpaper*.

A large, square freestanding TV is to one side. I’ve never seen a TV like this: the top 2/3rds are the screen whilst the bottom is an excellent Bang & Olufsen sound system. You can use the remote to electronically turn the TV to face either the living room suite or the bed; when you turn it off, it automatically goes into the most discreet position. The TV itself is not the most modern but you can cast from your phone, which is always a useful feature to have.

The bed is huge, although not a true king in this case; it was definitely two mattresses pushed together. A UK mains socket is on both sides.

Opposite the bed, on the far wall, is a long desk:

If you’re lucky, you get a view of Regent’s Street and Picadilly Circus:

Akasha Spa at Hotel Cafe Royal

Down on the lower ground floor of the hotel you’ll find the Akasha Spa, a multi-level facility with hamam, jacuzzi, sauna and 18m pool:

The hamam is clad in stone whilst the sauna is architectural, with a vaulted ceiling of curved wood. It looked beautiful although appears to be less than practical and appears to have been repaired (not very well) since opening – my only real criticism.

Equally, the pool area is clad in lovely smooth stone which becomes exceptionally slippery when wet. This causes such a problem that the floor immediately around the pool has been covered with a non-slip matting you sometimes see at commercial pools, slightly spoiling the effect.

Relaxing here is all the more delightful when you remember the hustle and bustle of Piccadilly Circus above you, with tourists jostling for space whilst you relax slap bang in the centre of London.

The lighting is very dark – you won’t be able to read a book in here, unless you have a Kindle with a back-lit screen. There were only a few other people in the pool area whilst we were there.

You can probably count on one hand the number of hotels in central London (actual central London) with spa facilities of this scale, so this is a real selling point.

Dinner, breakfast and afternoon tea

There are a number of restaurants, cafes and bars at Hotel Cafe Royal, including the two Michelin Star Alex Dillings.

We decided to take room service, which is a novelty for me.

This is a formal affair, with the staff trollying in a round table with table cloth. The food was, I thought, good – about as good as you can expect given it needs to be trundled up from the kitchen, and I enjoyed the tuna tartar and filet steak:

Annoyingly, it took them a bit too long to collect it all once we were finished and I had to call twice – somewhat defeating the convenience of it all. When they did finally turn up they asked how long we had been waiting so someone, somewhere probably got a talking to ….

Breakfast is served in The Gallery restaurant on the first floor. This is a square balcony overlooking the central lobby chandelier which is very cool:

Depending on your package it seems you either get an a la carte continental or cooked breakfast. I went for the eggs royale:

and

If you are celebrating a special occasion then it’s well worth checking out the historic Grill Room for a traditional afternoon tea. This is a Grade II listed room in gilded rococo revival, and allegedly a favourite of Oscar Wilde. It is a fabulous space with a pianist tinkling away in the background:

The afternoon tea is available from £70pp (or £80 with a glass of champagne) with a selection of four finger sandwiches as well as a number of sweet treats, including scones. I particularly loved the earl grey jelly which was delicious.

Conclusion

Clearly, a hotel of this standard (and in this location) isn’t going to be cheap, and unsurprisingly room rates start at a punchy £800 per night. It is competing with the likes of Rosewood and the newly opened Peninsula and Raffles Old War Office.

What I like about the Hotel Cafe Royal is that it is not necessarily what you expect on the inside, especially if you associate it with the architecture of the Grill Room. Whilst many period features have been retained – the Regents Street entrance, staircase, the delightful lifts and the Grill Room – the rooms are completely modernist. Somehow it all works.

You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

However, we recommend getting a quote from our ‘preferred partner’ agent partner Emyr Thomas. You will pay the same as the Best Flexible Rate online, you pay on departure as usual (so you can use the Amex cashback too) and you will get valuable extra benefits, including:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100 equivalent food & beverage credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
• $100 equivalent spa credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
• Early check-in / late check-out subject to availability

You can email Emyr via the form here.

If you are targeted, the American Express ‘Amex Stays’ ‘£100 back on £400 spend’ cashback offer runs until 30th November.

Hotel offers update – January 2024:

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Want to buy hotel points?

• Hilton Honors is offering an 80% to 100% bonus when you buy points by 12th March 2024. Click here.

• IHG One Rewards is offering a 100% bonus when you buy points by 2nd February 2024. Click here.

I stayed here using ‘purchased points’, saving 55% on the cash rate, and this is a trick that anyone can use even if they don’t previously have any Hyatt points.

Regular readers will know that I am a fan of Park Hyatt and consider it the best hotel chain owned by a multi-group brand. This means that I would place its hotels above St Regis, Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and The Ritz Carlton.

Park Hyatt New York is based in one of the new ‘super skinny’ skyscrapers overlooking Central Park on West 57th Street.

Before you get too excited about the views from the tower above, note that only the bottom third is the hotel. There are 210 rooms in total. This building was the first of the ‘super skinny’ towers near Central Park and, frankly, the ugliest.

The hotel website is here.

I stayed here on points that I bought

This is not a cheap hotel. It was $1,495 per night for a standard room on the nights I was there. That said, it was $1,995 when I was there last May so the trend is downwards.

I used 90,000 World of Hyatt points for the stay which I bought during various promotions for an average of around 1.4p.

It meant I paid £630 per night vs £1,400 ($1,495 + tax) if I’d paid cash. This is a saving of 55% although, of course, it is still quite a lot of actual cash.

For a little more perspective, for the coming Wednesday night the three available 3-star Moxy hotels in Manhattan – Chelsea is sold out – are between $750 and $800 per night (£615 to £660) including taxes, for a standard room of around 20 square metres. This is what I paid for the Park Hyatt where rooms are 2.5-3x the size and far better equipped.

You can book for fewer points than I used. The three price bands are 35,000, 40,000 and 45,000 points per night. It was unfortunate that I was there on a peak night and paid 45,000.

You won’t get a Globalist suite upgrade here

I was gifted Hyatt Globalist status for the year which lets me comment on elite treatment here.

One of the key benefits of Hyatt Globalist is that you receive a ‘standard’ suite if one is available at check-in. You don’t get one here, at least on a reward night. Reward stays are only upgraded to a King City View room, which is a base room but on a higher floor. Last year I was given a sheet which confirmed this in writing, although I didn’t this time.

The other key Globalist benefits are given:

• 4pm late check-out (very important if you have a late flight back to the UK, which was a key reason I stayed here)
• free breakfast, via room service or in the restaurant, for up to four people in a room (one cooked item, one juice drink, one hot drink)
• free bottled water and premium internet

I would also have received free parking if I’d been crazy enough to drive. Globalist members don’t pay resort fees on redemptions, but this hotel does not charge them to anyone.

It’s a bed factory, albeit a bed factory for the rich

The biggest difference between ‘historic’ hotels and modern ones is usually the lack of public space in the latter. Public space costs money – because it doesn’t make money – so building multiple lounges etc doesn’t happen.

This area:

….. is the full extent of the public space at Park Hyatt New York.

Even the bar and restaurant is small. I doubt it seats more than 50 people, hence the ability to have your elite member free breakfast via room service.

If you like to spend your time seeing and being seen, don’t stay here. You’ll have a lot more joy at The St Regis or, when it reopens, the Waldorf Astoria.

The rooms at Park Hyatt New York are big

The rooms at Park Hyatt New York are bigger than many New York apartments, with standard rooms coming in at between 500 and 620 square feet according to the website.

Not only are they large, they are beautifully designed. Park Hyatt hotels generally have oversized bathrooms and Park Hyatt New York does not disappoint.

However …. this room wasn’t as cool as the one I had last year.

In turns out that, due to the narrow width of the building:

• rooms facing north – as I had last year – are at the larger end of the 500-620 square foot range and have the bedroom and bathroom side by side, so there are windows running the full length of the room and bathroom, ie:

and, also from my 2022 stay:

• rooms facing south, as I had this year, are at the smaller end of the 500-620 square foot range and are of a ‘standard’ layout, ie the bathroom is at the back and has no windows, eg

There is no difference – at all – in terms of facilities between the two layouts, but the north facing ones are far more pleasant due to the extra square footage, a second window in the bedroom and the window in the bathroom. You also get a tiny Central Park view from the higher floor north facing rooms, and get more light because you are overlooking shorter buildings.

Let’s have a look at some of the key features.

The bathrooms are particular impressive. Everything you want is here – two sinks, lots of toiletries (you even get bath salts and a loofah!) and a box containing all the bits you might have forgotten such as a toothbrush and toothpaste. Toiletries are by Le Labo and come in small bottles.

and

It’s the little things that stand out at this hotel. Electrically powered curtains and shades, a B&O speaker system, a huge desk with all the sockets you need, an impressive mini-bar, Nespresso machine with ample capsules and milk, fast wi-fi etc. Everything just works. Whatever you need, it will be here.

It’s hard to describe how much money has been spent on this hotel. Everything – every piece of flooring, every piece of art, every cabinet – feels expensive and classy.

This chest contains the safe, laundry bags etc for example:

Despite what you might expect, the hotel wasn’t exclusively filled with bankers and their clients. There were a lot of families with young children too.

The stunning pool at Park Hyatt New York

If the hotel has one stand-out feature, it is the swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna on the 25th floor. It is on the wrong side of the building to see Central Park, but it is still a great experience spending time here.

Here is a picture from last year when I literally had it all to myself:

Here is a 2023 shot taken from the jacuzzi which shows the height of the space – it is hugely impressive:

There is also a spa, gym and hairdressers on the 25th floor which I didn’t investigate.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in The Living Room, which is basically an all-day eatery. It starts at 7am.

It’s an impressively decorated space but small – the bar is also part of this area – which is probably why the hotel encourages you to have your breakfast via room service.

If you’re not getting free breakfast, you may prefer to give it a miss. Not only is it expensive, but from 8am it starts to fill with groups of business people holding breakfast meetings who don’t appear to be hotel guests.

I took what I was allowed to order for free under the Globalist benefits – one hot item (eggs royale on both days), a coffee and an orange juice. The bill – which was wiped from my final invoice – came to $74 including 18% service and taxes. If you were a family of four without Globalist status you definitely wouldn’t have got change from $250. The staff are great, of course, and – like the rest of the hotel – it is all very civilised.

Conclusion

Park Hyatt New York is a supremely classy hotel which oozes wealth from every pore.

That said, it is – still – a bed factory. If it wasn’t for the pool, jacuzzi and sauna (there is also a gym and a spa), there would be virtually nothing to do in the hotel.

Would I stay here again? Absolutely, if I can buy Hyatt points and save over 50% on the list price.

To be honest, when I arrived in my room and found it wasn’t as large or bright as the one I had last May, I was disappointed. Once I’d settled in and remembered how classy and impressive everything is, I felt better – although I’d try to insist on a north facing room next time with more windows.

It’s worth noting that Hyatt’s Thompson Central Park New York hotel – reviewed here – is virtually opposite the Park Hyatt and requires far fewer points. I stayed there again over Easter with my family because of the location. This hotel also plays games with Globalist benefits, however, because the higher floors are treated as a ‘hotel within a hotel’ and not available for upgrades.

The World of Hyatt loyalty scheme has two great benefits. Unlike Marriott, Hilton and IHG, it guarantees that you can book a reward night as long as standard rooms are bookable for cash. World of Hyatt has also retained an award chart so there is always a cap on the points cost even when cash rates go crazy.

The last offer for buying World of Hyatt points is outlined here but ended on 10th October. A new one will almost certainly be along soon.

The Park Hyatt New York website is here.

World of Hyatt update – January 2024:

Get bonus points: World of Hyatt is not currently running a global promotion

New to World of Hyatt?  Read our overview of World of Hyatt here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on what we think World of Hyatt points are worth is here.

Buy points: If you need additional World of Hyatt points, you can buy them here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from Hyatt and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

When I first started travelling heavily in my early 20s, I would visit cities, walk past – or often pop inside – the main luxury hotel and decide that I would return one day when I had some money. Over the years I have been lucky enough to tick off most of my list, but I’d never made it back to Seville to stay in Hotel Alfonso XIII.

A few months ago (yes, this is a heavily delayed review) I made it down there. I deliberately picked two nights when the hotel seemed quiet with many suites available for sale, knowing that I had some Marriott Bonvoy Suite Night Awards to use up. My plan worked and the upgrade cleared into what I think was a Premium Suite.

I paid for my stay and the hotel did not know I was reviewing it. As I didn’t get an official tour I didn’t see any other rooms and didn’t eat any meals except breakfast and one light lunch in the hotel. The hotel website – click here – has a lot of images showing what I don’t cover.

The history of Hotel Alfonso XIII

There are many smaller cities in the world which have one huge historic hotel, something on a scale and grandeur that nothing else in the city can come close to matching. The Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville is one of these.

Sometimes these hotel are exceptionally faded (eg the Grand in Scarborough!) since they can never charge enough to cover the maintenance required to keep them in top condition. Hotel Alfonso XIII just about pulls it off – it doesn’t have all the mod cons but you wouldn’t want to miss the experience of staying here.

The hotel was built for the World’s Fair of 1929. To quote Wikipedia:

The building is in the Neo-Mudéjar style. This style is historicist and, in this case also has an aspect of Andalusian regionalism. Initially designed in 1916, it blends in with the overall aesthetics of the buildings planned for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Its façade and its overall construction display a significant wealth of decorative elements and details, built from materials that could well be considered as frugal or simple: mostly brick, plaster, wood and ceramics.

The interior puts forth a display of wealth and status: arches and columns, decorated with elaborate coffered hanging lamps and fine carpets from the Royal Tapestry Factory. Ornamented ceramic tiles (azulejos) decorate walls, ceilings and all manner of structures. The luxurious rooms were designed to accommodate kings, presidents, celebrities and other guests of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. The floors are marble and wood.

A stay here is like stepping back in time, in a generally good way.

In terms of location, it can’t be beaten – directly in the city centre and just a few steps from the Alcazar.

Inside Hotel Alfonso XIII

Instead of going through the usual check-in etc story, I just want to show a few photos from the hotel website. Frankly, if you like the look of what you see you’ll want to come, and if you don’t then nothing I can say about the number of USB sockets will change your mind.

The images above and immediately below are of the astonishing lobby:

You’re very much not in a Holiday Inn Express here ….

Whilst there are lifts, if you are empty handed you’d be crazy not to enjoy taking the stairs to your room:

…. with a separate lobby on each floor:

The heart of the action is the hotel courtyard, which is covered by blinds when the sun is at its peak:

…. although you can also eat around the edges inside:

One thing that surprised me was the large swimming pool, which you can’t see from the street or on your way into the hotel:

The pool makes the hotel into a real urban resort and means a short break here feels like a proper sun holiday in season.

Let’s move on to a few of my own photographs, which look rather poor by comparison to the official ones. Here is breakfast in the courtyard, from a ‘good but not great’ buffet:

Here’s another shot of the afternoon tea area:

Here is an utterly OTT lobby area on my floor if you are taking the stairs down:

My suite at Hotel Alfonso XIII

I had booked a standard room – discounting the cost via the American Express / Marriott cashback offer that ran over the summer and which included this hotel (it is NOT included in the current version of the offer) – and used two Suite Night Awards to request an upgrade.

(You receive five Suite Night Awards for 50 Marriott nights in a calendar year and another five for hitting 75 nights. This HfP article explains more.)

As you’d expect, a historic hotel like this has a disproportionately high number of suites. The chances of a Suite Night Award clearing are good as long as there are a lot of suites still for sale when you book. Out of peak season, suites are also proportionately good value for cash.

The rooms are all different so don’t get too hung up on any particular aspect below. In particular, the hotel photo gallery online shows multiple different bathroom design schemes so don’t let mine spook you!

My suite consisted of two rooms. There was one large sitting area which took up 50% of the space:

…. with the bedroom and bathroom combined taking up the same area. The furnishings are an acquired taste, to put it mildly:

…. and the bathroom design was something else:

and

What you can’t see clearly in the photographs is that the stripes are bronze, not purple or brown, creating an interesting reflection everywhere. The shower was over the bath (you’re not in a Four Seasons here, albeit not paying their prices either). Toiletries were Byredo in large bottles.

I don’t want to give the impression that this hotel is hugely luxurious because it isn’t. There were clear maintenance issues, such as this cracking by the door:

More bizarre was the coffee machine in my room. I’m used to having to request milk for my coffee, but this was the first time that I had to call down to reception to get coffee itself, plus some cups. It still hadn’t arrived after I went out for a couple of hours and I had to chase it.

Housekeeping is also happy to leave waste from the rooms sitting around in the corridors on shelves for hours on end:

Conclusion

This is not your typical HfP hotel review – no talk of coat hangers, eggs royale or USB sockets here – because Hotel Alfonso XIII is not your typical hotel, and all the better for it.

It’s not perfect, by any means, but hopefully the pictures give you a feel for what I felt when I first popped in for a look 25 years ago, and why I wanted to go back.

Seville, of course, is a lovely city. It has been astoundingly hot this summer – over 40 degrees at times – so best experienced out of season when the hotel is also better value. For a weekend in late November, rooms start at €450 with a suite like mine around €900 per night. You can knock around €100 off per night for a midweek stay.

You can find out more about Hotel Alfonso XIII on the Marriott website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

On Monday Rob reviewed the relatively new Hilton hotel in Bournemouth – click here.  I was staying next door in the Hampton by Hiton with four others, all courtesy of Rob’s Hilton Honors points, on the proviso that I updated the review I originally wrote back in 2017!

The last time I wrote something for HfP in November 2022 when I went down to Madrid for the Thompson Madrid hotel launch event. This wasn’t quite as glamorous, admittedly, but Hampton Bournemouth is still worth a visit.

The Hampton Bournemouth website is here if you want to find out more.

Hampton by Hilton properties are positioned as a ‘midscale’ brand, compared with the mainstream Hilton hotels which are considered ‘upscale’. When I first stayed here in 2017 I was unsure what to expect. Having stayed in many British seaside town hotels over the years (some awful and some truly awful), I was anxious to see whether Hampton Bournemouth was another similar property.  I was pleasantly surprised by what I found and the hotel has kept up its standards in the intervening six years.

The hotel is conveniently located just a five minute walk from the sea front or ‘Bournemouth’s world famous seven-mile promenade’ as it states on the Hilton website.  We were able to quickly pop down and enjoy a rather spectacular view of the sunset from the beach once we had checked in. There are plenty of restaurants and bars within short walking distance.

The Bournemouth International Centre is also just a few minutes walk away if you are heading to Bournemouth for an event.

We drove, but Bournemouth train station is a short taxi ride or a one mile walk away – I don’t recommend the walk if you have luggage.

The Hampton has an underground public car park which is shared with the Hilton hotel next door. You cannot book this but we found a space quickly on a Friday afternoon. I’d note that, for a new-build car park, the spaces seemed a little narrow given the width of modern cars. Parking costs £15 for 24 hours, added to your hotel bill.

Whilst the outside architecture is fairly bland and generic, walking back into the foyer after six years it still looks as good as new.  It was bright, spacious and clean and there was new artwork scattered around.

Check in was quick and easy and staff were friendly and welcoming. The rooms were booked in Rob’s name and because of his Hilton Diamond status we were all offered complimentary drinks and snacks.  Given that there were five of us spread over three rooms, none of which contained Rob who had headed to the Hilton next door in search of a suite upgrade (which he got) this was a generous gesture.

Rooms at Hampton Bournemouth

On exiting the lift and heading to our third floor twin room, the corridor continued with the bright and spacious vibe. You could tell that some effort had been made to avoid the sterile feel you often get when first discovering your room. Unfortunately I didn’t get a (admittedly marginal) sea view this time.

The Hampton by Hilton Bournemouth has 120 rooms. Queen rooms have a 150cm x 200cm bed. Queen family rooms have an additional fully sized sofa bed. Twin rooms have two 120cm x 200cm beds. Queen accessible rooms are also available.

Remember that the adjacent Hilton only has one room (I think) that allows more than two people per room, so if you want to share a room with your children then you need to go for the Hampton.

Our twin room had a modern crisp feel.  The colour scheme was agreeable throughout and the large floor to ceiling window allowed in plenty of sunlight to make the room feel welcoming.

In the corner at the foot of one bed there was a small desk with a smart looking turquoise chair which I was quite fond of. The room was not especially wide and when sat at the desk, it meant there was no room for someone to get by to look out of the window.

We were travelling light but two people with suitcases may have struggled for space, especially if staying for more than a couple of nights. There was a small luggage rack though:

The twin beds were equipped with soft crisp white bedding and were separated by a small set of drawers. Each bed had a power socket and reading light within reach.

I found the bed extremely comfy and slept well. This was helped by the fact I never heard another guest during the night or early morning. The room doors did not slam and I assume the corridors are well insulated. This was impressive as the Hampton seems to attract a lot of adult groups in town to have fun – although most guests last weekend were there to run the half marathon on Sunday.

The room had a 32-inch LED TV, tea/coffee making facilities (no biscuits!) and an alarm clock radio.

Free wifi is available throughout the hotel and was perfectly adequate for streaming purposes.

Inside the wardrobe were a handful of hangers, a hairdryer and a laundry bag. There was also an ironing board and iron.

Bathrooms at Hampton by Hilton Bournemouth

The bathroom was an adequate size with a large walk in shower. There were plenty of towels but only one hook to hang clothes or wet items. More of these would be useful in a twin room.

Toiletries, branded with Spa Therapy, are contained in wall dispensers and did the job.

Breakfast at Hampton by Hilton Bournemouth

As with all Hampton properties, breakfast is included in the price of the room. It is served from 6am to 10.00am on weekdays and until 11.00am on weekends. There are signs noting that breakfast can be very busy at weekends from 9.30am but that is no great surprise.

The breakfast area was situated directly next to the foyer reception and was busy with a mix of families and group of friends when we arrived at 9.30am. However we commandeered a table for five without any trouble and looking around I realised it was a good size dining area.

The selection of buffet hot and cold food on offer was excellent with the usual cereals, pastries, cold meat and cheese, muffins and fruit available alongside all the traditional ‘full English’ cooked items.

My favourite item was the ‘make your own waffle’ table which instantly brought back memories of hotel breakfasts in the USA. The lashings of maple syrup managed to distract me from my hangover, albeit only temporarily.

Staff were very good at refilling the various dishes so we didn’t miss out or have to wait long for a particular choice. You need to get coffee from one of the machines provided – there is no table service.

Other amenities available included a 24 hour snack bar (there is no mini bar in the room) and a small fitness centre.

Conclusion

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Hampton Bournemouth.

It is in a good location and would be a perfectly good place to stay for a long weekend or if attending a conference at the BIC. Whilst last weekend was expensive (£170) due to the half marathon, you can get a room for next weekend (20th) for £102 at the time of writing.

If you are looking for a romantic getaway and want to avoid families with children then the Hilton next door may be a preferable choice. It is certainly the hipper of the two hotels with its funky reception area and Skybar. But if you want a modern, functional hotel at a good price for the area, with a chance of a sea view, then the Hampton comes highly recommended.

The price premium at the Hilton seems to vary between nothing and £40 per night, with £20-£30 being most common. You would also need to factor in the cost of breakfast (not free at the Hilton) unless you had Gold or Diamond status in Hilton Honors.

The Hampton by Hilton Bournemouth hotel website is here if you want to find out more or book.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Guests of the hotel who are staying in a suite can have VIP boarding onto their Eurostar, with luggage directly taken onto the train by a porter and fast-track check-in provided.

This article will include a review of a stay at the St Pancras Renaissance, along with an overview of the Suite to Seat experience.

We were invited by both Eurostar and the St Pancras Renaissance hotel to trial this service. Thanks to Dorette, Eva and Lara for their kind hospitality during this trip.

The hotel website is here.

First impressions of the St Pancras Renaissance hotel

As any reader who has attended a recent HfP summer party will attest, the St Pancras Renaissance has one the most memorable hotel exteriors in London. A huge Gothic cathedral of a building that integrates into St Pancras station, the hotel is an iconic landmark and has featured in many a film and tv shows including Batman Begins, Harry Potter and of course, the Spice Girls’ Wannabe video.

The hotel has a dedicated entrance on Euston Road with a sweeping driveway for drop-offs, often featuring a pink McLaren for some reason. The hotel’s lobby doubles up as its afternoon tea / cocktail lounge and is situated in what was once the cobbled and covered entrance to St Pancras station. Reception desks are situated on the right side of the large space and seemed well staffed when I was there.

I was checked in swiftly by a helpful team member who carefully explained how to find my room.

The suites at St Pancras Renaissance all run across the Chambers Wing of the hotel, mostly overlooking either the Eurostar platforms or towards Euston Road.  My suite was one of the exceptions and situated at the very end of the wing, so instead looked out over the front of Kings Cross station.

The door to the room opens into a wardrobe section, with a large console in front of a mirror on the left. The wardrobes were sizeable and well stocked, with plenty of hanging room, plus a separate cupboard of shelves. One of these shelves contained the tea-making facilities and extra cups. It was a bit of a strange place for these, simply because the coffee machine was situated above some empty drawers in an entirely different part of the room.

The Chambers suites are described as reflecting the hotel’s ’distinct heritage’ with the key features being the vast ceiling height and windows, which really are impressive.

The bed was very large, a super king I believe with soft linens and plump pillows. Both sides had a well-sized bedside tables, although the socket situation would have enraged Rhys – there was just one socket, which I had to rummage around behind the bedside table to find.

The large desk however has plenty of sockets to pick from, all recessed into a hidden panel and still leaving plenty of work space.

The bathroom is a ‘room within a room’ that runs along the back of the bed, with a deep bathtub and separate shower. It was very roomy and functional, with double basins and plenty of space around them for washbags.

Toiletries were The White Company’s ‘Noir’ range. I still prefer large wall-mounted shampoos and shower gels from both a sustainability perspective and because I find the little bottles a bit fiddly, but they smelt lovely.

Décor was simple but luxurious, with some eye-catching elements such as a huge gold mirror, green marble fireplace and a glitzy desk lamp.

Spa and wellness at St Pancras Renaissance

Tucked away under the hotel lies the hotel’s spa, gym and pool. None are huge, this is central London after all, but it’s all very well designed and rather luxurious.

The pool has a hammam-inspired vibe, with low lighting and a whirlpool at one end of the pool. You won’t be getting any serious lengths in here, but everything about the space is relaxing and tranquil. There’s also a steam room and sauna nearby.

The gym is well-equipped, with treadmills, rowers, bikes and cross-trainers plus weights. It was really busy when I visited, hence the use of hotel photography.

A wide range of spa treatments are available and they use a brand called 111SKIN. I had a massage and facial whilst there (paid for by myself) with a lovely therapist called Moona, which was very relaxing.

The Chambers Club

All suite guests have access to the hotel’s executive lounge – the Chambers Club.

Access from the suites is down a sweeping staircase, as you can see above.

The lounge has views both over the station and to the front of the hotel. It’s another high-ceilinged Gothic room, all claret walls and intricate ironwork, with an array of seating including some cosy booths and restaurant-type tables for eating at.

I popped in during happy hour and there was no shortage of drinks, with several red and white wines on offer, along with beers and soft drinks. I rather boringly opted for a soft drink, but very much enjoyed the freshly-baked banana cake which was truly delicious. There were a number of sweet and savoury snacks available too with crisps and nuts and some homemade truffles and nougat.

Impressed by the happy hour snacks, I decided to have breakfast at the Chambers Club instead of heading down to the restaurant. The cooked breakfast elements looked appealing, and I noticed the self-service platters were regularly stocked up with fresh batches from the kitchen.

There were plenty of continental breakfast options too along with a bread corner and a separate sweet bakery area.

It was all plentiful and fresh, although I would have liked to have seen a bit more fresh fruit. I spied a bowl of tinned peaches, which, whilst I have nothing against the humble tinned peach, felt a little on the basic side, particularly in September when things like British strawberries and raspberries are still available. Nitpicking aside, the breakfast was great, and the baked goods were again a particular highlight.

If you are rushing to catch a train, the Chambers Club is the closest part of the hotel to the platforms and you can make a swift exit through the club to the Eurostar end of the station.

Breakfast for the rest of the hotel is served in The Booking Office, St Pancras Renaissance’s main restaurant. I would encourage anyone visiting the hotel to pop in to The Booking Office, even if only for a drink, as it is pretty fabulous.

Housed in what had been the station’s 19th century ticket office, the restaurant channels 1930s opulence with towering palm trees and glass chandeliers and offers a decent menu that isn’t as expensive as the surroundings would lead you to believe.

Suite to Seat

Following a good night’s sleep and breakfast, I was able to experience the full Suite to Seat experience.

I was booked onto the 9.31 Eurostar to Paris. Around 8.40 my luggage was collected by a helpful concierge, Gabor, and I was met by a ‘VIP escort’, a lovely lady called Mercedes.

Mercedes accompanied me from the hotel and down to the Eurostar entrance, with Gabor and the luggage keeping pace. I say pace, but it can’t have been more than 5 minutes at a very leisurely walking speed.

If you have been in St Pancras station in midsummer, you will have seen the snaking queues to the Eurostar terminal. The key benefit of the ‘Suite to Seat’ experience is that you bypass all of this and are taken straight to a dedicated check-in.

I had been asked to download the biometric authentication app iProov and upload my picture and passport details in advance of the journey. I was therefore able to use Eurostar’s contactless Smart Check. It took seconds to scan my face and check my details, after which I was able to walk straight through to French passport control (this time manned by an actual human).

Usually Smart Check is only available for Eurostar Carte Blanche / Etoile holders or those travelling in Business Premier, however, all ‘Suite to Seat’ guests will be able to skip the queues and use the Smart Check lane, even if they are travelling on a Standard Class ticket.

Gabor and Mercedes are part of a handful of St Pancras Renaissance staff who have special passes that allow them to easily move in and out of the Eurostar terminal so were able to accompany me all the way to the train.

Gabor had sped ahead, taking my luggage through security. Once I boarded the train, I found he had already neatly loaded my bags onto the correct carriage, close to my reserved seat.

From suite to seat must have taken less than 20 minutes, although the hotel encourage guests to give themselves about 45 minutes just in case.

A similar service is also available for anyone travelling on the Eurostar from Paris to London and staying in a Chambers Suite at the St Pancras Renaissance. In these cases, guests are met by a porter at the train door, who will take the luggage and guests are personally guided to the hotel.

Conclusion

I used to commute home through St Pancras and the regular sight of the seemingly never-ending queue to the Eurostar terminal was so off-putting, I’ve rarely travelled on the Eurostar.

I really can see the benefits of the ‘Suite to Seat’ service that the St Pancras Renaissance offers, particularly as it also includes a stay in one of the more memorable hotels in London. I appreciated not having to lug my bags through security and can imagine that anyone travelling with children would especially appreciate the rapid check-in.

I’ve visited the hotel many times now, twice as a guest and plenty of times in preparation for the HfP summer parties. I have always found the service to be very professional and friendly and the rooms comfortable, but it’s the architecture and first impressions of the hotel that really are hard-to-beat.

Suites at the St Pancras Renaissance start from £675 per night. The Suite to Seat service is also available for guests who have booked a Chambers Suite using Marriott Bonvoy points. Rates start at £350 plus 70,000 points for a cash upgrade or 140,800 points for a points upgrade

The hotel website is here if you want to book or check pricing.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

I spent the weekend in Bournemouth playing golf with friends.  An added benefit was that I could take another look at the relatively new Hilton and Hampton by Hilton hotels, which we first reviewed just after they opened.

We split ourselves across the two hotels.  A review of the Hampton will follow in a few days.

You can find out more about Hilton Bournemouth on its website here.

Overview

The Hilton and Hampton by Hilton hotels are part of the same mixed use complex, which includes private apartments.  Some apartments are built into the Hilton and there is a separate lift inside the lobby.

Whilst you might think of Bournemouth as a touristy seaside town, it actually has a lot of financial services activity to justify a ‘business’ hotel.  Big employers include JP Morgan and Nationwide Building Society.  It also has The Bournemouth International Centre, a major conference venue, which is literally 30 seconds walk from the Hilton.

The hotel is not aimed at the family holiday market.  There are no rooms with bunk beds or built-in kids beds, for example, and no rooms take more than two people.  (EDIT: as per the comments, there is now one room that has an extra bed in it.) On the nights I was there, there were a lot of adult groups staying although I would expect that the Hampton next door attracts the boozier crowd.

Bournemouth is a sprawling town with no real gap between Bournemouth, Christchurch and Boscombe.  The central location of the Hilton is a real benefit, as many hotels are further up into the town in converted Victorian buildings.  It is a 3 minute walk from the lobby to the pier and beach although very few rooms at the hotel have a view of the sea.

The picture above shows the Hilton, with the Hampton curling around the corner at the right.

Check-in

The hotel looks fantastic, by the standards of UK seaside hotels.  The exterior is good, with the Hilton part being mainly glass wall.

It has even managed to make the corridors look attractive, using different fonts for the numbers on each room and lining the corridors with different shaped mirrors.

The room decoration is surprisingly modern.  I doubt the furnishings are substantially more expensive than usual but they are very well chosen and really give the place a lift as you will see. When I stayed back in 2017 there was a price list in the rooms to allow you to buy any of the pieces you liked, but I assume most are now out of production.

If you are arriving by car, both hotels share a car park which is also open to the public.  The overnight rate for hotel guests is £13 per day midweek and £15 at weekends.

My room at Hilton Bournemouth

I was upgraded, as a Hilton Diamond, to a one-bedroom suite. I was also upgraded back in 2017 although when I returned with my family in 2018 – when I could really have done with the extra space – I didn’t get one! 

The suites sit on the ‘prow’ of the building (far left in the photo) and are the only rooms which actually face the sea – although, as I was on the second floor, I only got the tiniest glimpse.

Last time I reviewed this hotel I got a lot of reader feedback that the higher floors suffer from noise from the Level8ight Sky Bar. There was no disturbance at all in my 2nd floor room. I’d certainly try to avoid the 7th floor if you can.

As you can see, the decor was very smart.  Amusingly I got exactly the same suite as I had in 2017 but I’ve redone the photographs anyway even though literally nothing is different:

and

The living room:

and, showing the dining table at the back:

The suite came with a second loo and a Nespresso coffee machine.  There was also a kettle with tea and coffee bags.  The mini bar was, oddly, empty although some water had been left out.

There is also a wrap-around balcony:

Whilst not shown in my pictures, there was a full size desk in the bedroom with easily accessible plug, HDMI and USB A sockets. All in all, for a ‘higher end but not luxury’ UK hotel it’s not bad at all.

Here is the shower:

and a shot of the bath from the other angle:

Nothing to complain about here. Toiletries are Crabtree & Evelyn in mini-bottles.

Note that, as this was not an official review trip – I paid for my room (cashing in two of the current Hilton / Amex cashback deals for 18,000 bonus Membership Rewards points!) – I wasn’t in a position to see other rooms for comparison.

The Executive Lounge at Hilton Bournemouth

…. is now closed at weekends, which means Friday (presumably after breakfast) through to Sunday.

This was an unwelcome surprise, even after I was bribed with vouchers for four free drinks at the bar.

However, when I went up to take a look, I realised why. It has been totally gutted. Moved to the first floor, it is about 2/3rd smaller than it was. It is literally smaller than the suite I had with only a couple of tables. Whilst the serving area is large, I’ve no idea how you’re expected to eat anything with virtually no seating. Apparently if the meeting room adjacent is empty then you can sit in there, but if not I assume you are meant to use the chairs I saw in the corridor outside.

I’m not sure when the change happened. The floor plans in the HIlton app still show it on the 2nd floor, but the space has been replaced by two additional bedrooms. The new space seems to have once been a meeting room.

This photo is literally the entire space, apart from a small reception desk, taken through the locked door:

The reader comments below suggest that this is actually a ‘Diamond lounge’ and that no rooms are sold with access.

Breakfast at Hilton Bournemouth

I didn’t eat in the Hilton Bournemouth’s main restaurant, Schpoons & Forx, for lunch or in the evening but it is a smart venue on the ground floor:

The bar is smart too, albeit low on seating:

The breakfast buffet (7am to 10am weekdays, 7.30am to 10.30am Saturday, 8am to 11am Sunday) was not the biggest I’ve ever seen but certainly did the job with a good selection of hot and cold items, including a pancake machine.  There are chefs available if you want an omelette to order – I’m not sure they can do anything else.

Whilst coffee cups are on your table, good luck getting any. I had assumed that you had to do self-service drinks from the machines, as during my first morning no-one offered me anything. On my second day, after I had finished eating and was just about to leave, someone did turn up at my table offering me coffee. If this is meant to be part of the service, the hotel needs to learn that having one person doing a quick tour of the room with a coffee pot once per hour is not the way to do it.

One benefit of the Hilton vs the Hampton is that breakfast is not rammed. Because you have to pay for it, unless you have elite status or you paid extra to bundle it with your room, a lot of people will go out elsewhere or simply not bother. At the Hampton next door, breakfast is free and everyone piles in.

The Hilton Bournemouth Level8ight Sky Bar

I never made it to the Level8ight Sky Bar on this trip. Based on previous visits, it is a classy but expensive – and fairly noisy – place.  It is not the sort of bar where you would sit and unwind with a newspaper and a glass of wine at the end of the day.

As well as being open at night (until 12.30am on Saturday nights) you can also go there for afternoon tea from 12pm to 3.30pm.

Here is a PR picture, although most people will be visiting in the evening when it is dark outside. The lighting is generally kept low and it is a totally different atmosphere to the one conveyed by this image.

Spa

The spa looks good with 25 different treatments on offer. These range from standard manicures (40 minutes, £40) to salt scrubs! Most use Elemis products.

The spa has a pool:

…. as well as a sauna, steam room and gym. Children are allowed in the pool from 8am to 11am and 3pm to 6pm, which I would say is a reasonable balance.

Unfortunately the pool isn’t very successful. It is about twice as long as my photo shows. There is very little seating around it and it is very dark. You don’t come down here for fun, even though there is a whirlpool. Pop down, swim a few lengths (there is a lane cordoned off) and leave.

One upside is that the pool is very warm, in fact one of the warmest hotel pools I’ve even used.

Conclusion

Hilton Bournemouth is a smart, modern hotel with impressive rooms, an executive lounge (midweek only), good food and – if you like that sort of thing – a pricey designer rooftop bar.  Just be careful to ask about noise from the bar before taking your key from reception.

The cash price obviously moves around a lot depending on season, day of the week and whether there are any big events at the conference centre next door.

Our review of the adjacent Hampton will appear in a few days.  Oddly the pricing when we were there was very similar so, if you have Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond status and get free breakfast, the Hilton is a no-brainer. If you don’t have status then you need to decide whether you value free breakfast over the Hilton pool and spa – obviously you can use the Hilton restaurant and bar regardless.

The Hilton Bournemouth website is here if you want to find out more.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

IHG launched its luxury and lifestyle brand Vignette Collection back in 2021.

As a ‘collection’ brand, it allows boutique hotels to join the IHG system without having to make sweeping changes to conform with exacting brand standards. It is meant to compete with Hilton’s Curio Collection, Hyatt’s The Unbound Collection and Marriott’s Autograph Collection.

Convent Square Lisbon is one of the first Vignette Collection hotels to open in Europe. More are planned in Portugal, Germany, Hungary and the UK, and these ‘collection’ brands tend to grown quickly once they get momentum.

I thought I would check out Convent Square as I needed to be in Lisbon for World Aviation Festival. Rob headed to the Corinthia because he is exploring the Global Hotel Alliance programme – more to follow on that.

The hotel website is here.

IHG kindly provided my room for review purposes.

Where is the Convent Square Hotel in Lisbon?

The hotel is located in Baixa, Lisbon’s historic neo-classical neighbourhood at the centre of the city. It is sandwiched in between the Praça de Rossio and Praça da Figueira:

This is a good spot. You are right in the centre which is where most people want to be, although Lisbon is more spread out then you might expect. You are also on the metro with the Green Line serving Rossio Station literally just outside.

This is a big benefit as most of Baixa is unserved by the underground metro, so you would either have to walk or get on a bus or tram if using public transport.

You can get to the airport on the Green and Red lines in about 45 minutes, although with Uber as cheap as it is in Lisbon it probably isn’t worth the effort. I paid around €9 for the journey from the airport. Note that you will be dropped on either Rossio or Figeuira Square, as the road directly in front of the hotel is pedestrianised. It is about 20 metres from either one.

Inside the Convent Square Lisbon – Vignette Collection hotel

True to its name, Convent Square is a brand-new conversion of a 13th century convent, with the hotel having only opened in August.

Despite its size (121 rooms) the hotel has a very modest lobby with an undulating reception desk clad in copper stone:

There was no wait and it didn’t take long for the hotel staff to check me in when I arrived at around 3:30pm.

Rooms at Convent Square Lisbon

There are just three room types at the hotel: Standard, Premium and Suites.

I stayed in a Premium room on the fifth (top) floor. If I were being polite, I would say that the rooms are ‘London sized’. They are very much on the smaller side, with Standard rooms at 19sqm and Premium at 20-23sqm. Suites are double this, at 40sqm. Clearly, if you are after space, this hotel is not for you.

There’s no denying that the room is tight. This is what it looks like with a queen bed:

There are bedside tables on both sides, as well as light switches, dual USB-A ports and a European-style mains socket:

In the window, as you can see, is a small armchair as well as tiny desk:

You can just about fit a 13″ MacBook on this but that’s about it. If you are serious about working in your room, again, this hotel is not for you.

Opposite the bed is the TV, a small ledge and tea and coffee-making facilities including a Nespresso machine:

The TV is behind mirrored glass which is an odd choice. I like it when it’s off, as it isn’t a black hole, but it’s certainly much more reflective if you want to watch anything.

Behind the TV you’ll find the bathroom, which is clad in similar pink/copper stone to the lobby. I think it looks great and something a bit different from your more monochrome bathrooms:

and

Inside you’ll find a toilet, bidet as well as separate shower and over-shower bathtub. Given the size of the room I’m surprised that they put in two showers, which seems unnecessary. I would have preferred a slightly more compact bathroom and a bit more space in the room.

The water pressure is good and the toiletries are Karl Lagerfeld Murier et Santal:

A small wardrobe is off the corridor connecting the room and bathroom:

Inside were some of the fluffiest bathrobes and nicest hotel slippers I’ve ever used. They were excellent if a little on the small side for me.

A stocked mini bar was also inside.

Whilst the rooms are small, I liked how they were styled. It felt like the designers had incorporated the buildings history whilst still keeping the hotel modern and fresh, and the copper / pink colours running throughout the hotel tie it all together.

I was surprised (and delighted) to find the hotel operates a turndown service, which I wasn’t expecting at a property of this level.

Spa and gym at Convent Square Lisbon

Also on the fifth floor is the gym and wellness centre. Reign in your expectations: like other parts of the hotel, this is, shall we say, cosy. The pool is more of a plunge pool:

There are, yes, just two loungers.

A wood-clad sauna next to it, which I enjoyed. Both overlook the internal courtyard and the roofs of Lisbon, making it nice and bright.

There is also a small gym with about 3-4 pieces of equipment in total:

Breakfast and dinner at Convent Square Lisbon

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available at Capitulo, the hotel’s bar and restaurant. This is at the back of the hotel, past the internal quad and in one of the most historic parts of the hotel. There is some outdoor seating here:

…. as well as a beautiful bar and internal seating:

I’ll start with breakfast, which is a combination of a la carte items and a self-serve buffet. The a la carte menu includes eggs benedict / royale / florentine, omelettes, pancakes and other hot bits and bobs.

The breakfast buffet features a range of pastries including Pasteis de Nata:

…. plus your usual selection of cold cuts, cheeses, cereals and fruit:

and

I asked for the eggs royale on my first morning only to be told they didn’t have any smoked salmon, although it seems they were re-stocked the following day. That said, the eggs benedict I had instead was very delicious:

As you would expect, fresh orange juice was also on offer.

I also enjoyed dinner at Capitulo one evening and spent over three hours in the charming company of Pedro, one of the newest bartenders at the restaurant. Pedro was phenomenal – chatty, charismatic and generous – a true entertainer. I’m sure he will be very successful and Convent Square is very fortunate to have him!

I enjoyed a couple of delicious cocktails as well a few bits and bobs from the restaurant menu. I wanted to try a few different things so ordered a handful of starters rather than a main and a starter. These were served in succession. My favourites included the gazpacho:

The prawn cocktail salad:

…. and the squid:

Note the portions are very big. The salad could almost be a main!

At around 10:30 I stumbled up to my room for my early start at World Aviation Festival the next morning ….

Conclusion

If the room size doesn’t put you off, then Convent Square Lisbon is an excellent city-centre hotel. It is a world away in charm and location from the 25-storey Corinthia hotel in the business district where Rob stayed, well away from the tourist sites.

Whilst the facilities may be small, it gets things right when it comes to character, with lovely real stone finishes and stylish design features setting this hotel apart. If you have IHG One Rewards Diamond status, for free breakfast and potentially an upgrade to one of the larger Premium rooms, then even better.

The icing on top is the excellent service I received, particularly from Pedro in the bar.

Rooms start from €166 off-season, with redemptions from 33,000 IHG One Rewards points per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

IHG One Rewards update – January 2024:

Get bonus points: Our article on IHG’s January 2024 bonus promotion is here. You will receive double base points on every cash stay between 1st January and 31st January 2024. Click here to register.

New to IHG One Rewards?  Read our overview of IHG One Rewards here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on ‘What are IHG One Rewards points worth?’ is here.

Buy points: If you need additional IHG One Rewards points, you can buy them here.

You get a 100% bonus when you buy IHG One Rewards points by 2nd February 2024. Click here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from IHG and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

After three nights by the beach in Sanur at the Andaz Bali (review here), it was time for a change of scene – a trip to the Balinese uplands where lush rainforests, rice terraces and Hindu temples converge.

Marriott is well represented in Bali with 15 different brands available, including Westin, W, St Regis, Sheraton and Renaissance. Disregarding the Bulgari hotel, which doesn’t take part in Marriott Bonvoy, Mandapa is undoubtedly the most luxurious of the lot.

The hotel website is here. Marriott kindly provided my room for review purposes.

What is a Ritz Carlton Reserve?

Before we go on I want to quickly explain what a Ritz Carlton Reserve is, as it’s not a brand you have likely heard of. Ritz Carlton Reserve is a sub brand of The Ritz Carlton with just six properties worldwide, including Mandapa and Phulay Bay, a resort in Krabi, Thailand which I reviewed here.

Historically Ritz Carlton Reserve was one of two Marriott Brands – alongside Bulgari – that did not participate in Marriott Bonvoy. This changed in 2022, and you can now earn and spend Bonvoy points at these six resorts as well as have your status recognised.

Ritz Carlton Reserves are also part of the Marriott STARS program which lets you net various benefits during your stay if you book via a ‘preferred partner’ agent such as our partner Emyr Thomas.

Where is Mandapa?

Just north west of Ubud itself, Mandapa descends into the lush valley of the Ayung River which meanders around its Western edge. It is off the main thoroughfare and accessible only via a narrow, single lane alley past local homes before a discreet entrance signposts your arrival.

Ubud traffic is notoriously bad and you should budget over an hour to get here from the airport. Even Padang Bai, where most of the ferries and boats to other islands depart, is 75 minutes away.

The centre of Ubud is about 5km from the resort but it will take you 20 minutes or more to make the journey. Mandapa operates a number of free shuttles throughout the day.

The roar of the river is a constant background hum at the resort, punctuated by the occasional whoops and shouts of rafters, an activity I highly recommend whilst you are here. The hotel even has its own dock so that you can exit straight into the resort.

Arriving at Mandapa

Mandapa occupies an unusual site. It starts very high up, at town level, before dropping off very rapidly towards the river. The lobby, if you can call it that, is at the top with some impressive views across the valley and to the cliffs on the opposite side of the river:

and

On arriving, we were offered a welcome drink as well as a temple bracelet meant to protect us.

After admiring the views, we were buggied down to our suite in one of the main buildings where checkout was completed. This is all done by your assigned butler who looks after you throughout your stay.

Suites and villas at Mandapa

Mandapa is an all-suite and villa resort with 35 suites and 25 pool villas.

The suites are located in two terraces: a higher terrace, closer to the top of the resort, as well as a mid-level one overlooking the main pool.

We were given a corner suite at mid-level which was, frankly, palatial.

First up is a large hallway that connects the living room on the left with the bedroom on the right – they are also connected via the bathroom behind the hallway. This is a bit of a wasted space and could do with a higher ledge for key cards, sunglasses, hats etc as you come in and out.

On the left is the living room:

There is a large side-table which contains the mini bar, fridge and tea and coffee facilities. The mini-bar is chargeable:

Next to it is a round dining table, should you want to work or eat in the room:

After this you have a couple of armchairs, a coffee table with fresh local fruit and a sofa in the bay window:

There is a large wall-mounted TV opposite and there are also some sockets and USB ports within easy reach, should you need to charge anything whilst lounging here.

If you keep going, you’ll find yourself in the bathroom which also connects to the bedroom:

There are two washbasins here, one on each side. Don’t get confused by the mirrored walls! The washbasins are made of teak – I don’t want to know how often they need to be reoiled / lacquered but they are certainly unique.

In the centre by the window is a gigantic bath tub:

…. whilst the toilet and shower are opposite in separate cubicles. Amenities are unbranded in ceramic pump-bottles.

A mirror image of the living room, the bedroom is equally vast and features a large king bed at its centre:

There is another TV opposite. There are plugs on both sides, including USB ports. As with other hotels in Indonesia, these are all fitted with universal sockets so you don’t need to use an adaptor.

To the left of the bed, you’ll find an armchair and leg rest:

…. whilst on the right is a walk-in wardrobe with massive luggage rack, robes, safe and other essential bits and bobs as well as a pool bag with suncream, insect repellent and aloe vera cooling gel:

A large balcony runs along the entire suite from living room to bedroom and overlooks the rest of the resort. There are a table and chairs as well as a day bed here:

and

Overall, the suites are impressive. Furnished in dark wood, they are complimented by wall murals and Balinese art for a more traditional design. The only oddity are the light controls, which take a bit of getting used to.

This is also the sort of hotel where you come back after dinner and turndown service has put tiny handkerchief-sized napkins under all the belongings you’ve scattered throughout the room ….

Exploring the rest of the resort

Because of the size of the resort, and the huge changes in terrain, the easiest way to get around is by calling a buggy to pick you up, which you can do at any time.

Fortunately, our suite was closest to the main pool so we could walk down the 30-odd steps within a minute or two.

There are two sides to the pool with one slightly warmer than the other. Both are infinity pools and overlook the surrounding rice terraces which have been here since before the hotel.

There are a range of loungers and day beds to choose from, and the staff will bring you a welcome amenity including a fresh coconut and local fruit every time you arrive:

Every hour or so they’ll also bring other complimentary amenities including fresh ice cream and other treats.

The pool is very attractive but it feels quite exposed with both the Pool Bar restaurant and The Library restaurant overlooking it.

As it turns out there is another pool tucked away on the roof of the spa which seems to be a bit of a hidden gem, although unfortunately I only discovered this the night before check-out.

Speaking of the spa, I enjoyed one of the best massages I’ve ever had here. Like any spa, they ask you for your preferences and any particular areas of concern. However, unlike other spas the massage therapists actually take this into account and respond to your requests as well as any areas of tension in your body.

You’ll also find the gym in the spa complex in a light-filled pavilion, and there are also regular yoga and guided meditation programs on every day.

Breakfast and dining at Mandapa

There are a number of restaurants throughout the resort that you can choose from. including:

• Sawah Terrace offers local Balinese and Indonesian dishes for lunch and dinner
• The Library serves afternoon tea overlooking the pool and is open until 6pm
• The Pool Bar serves a menu of burgers, salads and other pool snacks until 6pm
• Kubu is the fine dining restaurant serving European cuisine with nine private cocoons on the banks of the river
• Ambar serves Japanese fusion from its position high up on the cliff next to the hotel lobby

Breakfast is served at Sawah Terrace, which overlooks the Ayung River and probably wins for best breakfast view at any hotel I’ve stayed at!

Breakfast service is a hybrid buffet and a la carte service. The buffet stocks a range of pastries, breads and other baked goods:

As well as various smoked and cured fish, including salmon:

Fresh fruit, cereals and a small hot buffet are also on offer. The bacon looked a little, erm, crispy?

There is also a noodle bar and an egg bar.

You can order as much as you like from the a la carte menu which includes items such as crab benedict, nasi campur, Martabak pancakes and many other options. Portions are small so you can sample multiple dishes such as this:

At sunset it is well worth enjoying a cocktail from Ambar, although sadly on both nights I was there it clouded over.

The views across the valley are nonetheless stunning and there are some excellent drinks to be had as well as some lovely soft live music in the background.

Dinner at Kubu was also lovely and we enjoyed a delicious tasting menu with beef wellington as the main dish:

Conclusion

Mandapa is probably the closest I’ve come to staying at a Four Seasons-style resort. Whilst not quite as intense as when I was at the Four Seasons Langkawi (review here), the staff make an effort to address you by name and will remember you if you return. Everyone is exceptionally friendly and our butler did an excellent job finding some last-minute seats on the fast boat to the Gili islands.

The resort itself is unique thanks to its unusual topography, although it does mean it is not easily walkable. The entire resort is beautifully landscaped and it feels like a small village perching on the side of the river valley.

The suites were lovely with their traditional Balinese decor and design which lends them an air of timelessness. You certainly won’t be running out of space!

Suites start at the Mandapa at £750 per night. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

However, we recommend getting a quote from our ‘preferred partner’ agent partner Emyr Thomas. You will pay the same as the Best Flexible Rate online, you pay on departure as usual and you will get valuable extra benefits. You can email Emyr via the form here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

After a few days in Jakarta exploring the capital (see my The St Regis Jakarta review here) it was time to head to the beach …. and relax. Bali is the obvious choice: this Indonesia island has become a tourist hotspot and is now one of the most-developed tropical destinations in Asia, beloved of backpackers and luxury travellers alike.

Bali isn’t for everyone. For one, it is very much ON the beaten track. This is not a hidden gem and you’re not going to find pristine, untouched beaches where you’re the first person to place tracks in the sand that day. (Gili Meno, our third stop and a 2.5 hour boat ride away, is much more off-grid.)

However, what it lacks in quietness it more than makes up for in the sheer number of value-for-money luxury resorts and hotels, with virtually every international brand represented here. And there are still plenty of charming, quieter corners outside the backpacker-party hotspots of Kuta and Seminyak.

…. which brings me to the Andaz Bali, which opened in 2021. The hotel website is here.

Hyatt kindly provided my room for review purposes.

Where is the Andaz Bali resort?

Andaz Bali occupies a beach front plot along Sanur beach on Bali’s east coast:

It is a 30-45 minute taxi from the airport – expect to pay less than £15.

It is right next door to the Hyatt Regency Bali, the island’s first international hotel. Both resorts are cross-chargeable, effectively extending each resort’s restaurants and amenities to the other (gym and spa are shared). Together, they occupy about 400m of beach front.

Despite being the location of the first international hotel, Sanur has lagged the more popular west coast areas of Bali including Seminyak and Kuta. This is, in my opinion, a good thing; Sanur is significantly smaller and quieter, making this a much more relaxing area to explore.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of local restaurants and bars around offering a wide variety of cuisines to keep you busy.

The distance from the party capitals of Bali means it is much more popular with families and, erm, boomers: there were far fewer people in their twenties and thirties here. It’s definitely noticeable if you head out to the local restaurants and bars, which also all seem to close at or before midnight.

That said, it is perfectly possible to head into Seminyak for the night. It is a 45-minute taxi away (less at 3am when the roads are empty!) which costs less than £5 each way. I recommend using ride hailing apps Grab or Gojek, which also let you select moped taxis.

I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather stay in a quieter area of the island and pop into the bigger towns if/when I feel like it than vice versa, and Andaz Bali offers exactly that.

Arriving at Andaz Bali

The taxi drops drives about 50m through some lush tropical jungle before dropping you off at the Andaz’s car port. Your luggage is quickly whisked away and you are taken to the open-air lobby via a courtyard with reflecting pond:

The buildings have largely been constructed out of local materials including red brick and teak to create an authentic, local atmosphere.

After being offered a seat and a welcome drink:

…. reception staff came to us to process our check in which was quickly sorted. Your keycard comes in this fun little pocket book:

They also explained the concept of the resort, which is modelled after a traditional Balinese village and centred around the village square, which in this case anchors the Andaz Bali with a number of restaurants as well as an open green space used for evening entertainment.

Whilst often these descriptions are more marketing guff than reality, it does ring true here: the ‘village square’ at the Bali does act as a central spot in the resort with the rest of the facilities fanning out. It feels much more residential than the Hyatt Regency block next door, which is a much more typical concrete construction from the 1970s.

In the mornings at breakfast you’ll often find local musicians playing music whilst in the evenings a range of activities take place.

Rooms at the Andaz Bali resort

The resort never feels big wherever you are, despite it occupying a fairly large site and fielding 149 rooms, suites and villas.

In total there are 15 room categories, including four large beachfront villas and 18 garden villas as well as a variety of rooms and suites, some with swim-up pools:

We were given a king room with pool view, which is just about middle of the pack for rooms. The majority are in four-unit pavilions with two rooms on the ground floor and two on the first floor.

The rooms are stunning and by far the highlight of the Andaz Bali, in my opinion. At 50sqm, including a spacious balcony, you have plenty of room to spread out.

Like the rest of the resort, the design is influenced by local traditions and culture. Overall, the aesthetic is darker and offers a counterpoint to the bright, sunny days outside.

Immediately upon entering you’ll find a walk-in wardrobe with large luggage rack. I loved this, as it kept the mess of the suitcases out of sight. There was an open clothes rail as well as an iron and ironing board, safe and some drawers.

The toilet is directly opposite in a small room separate from the rest of the bathroom, which is also on the left and features two wash basins, a walk-in shower and a large, free standing tub:

and

Bizarrely there were no bath salts or bubble bath provided, which was a shame. I had to take the bottle of shower gel from the shower but it didn’t do a good job of creating bubbles!

The washbasins were fashioned out of raw stone and were beautiful:

The rest of the bathroom was also clad in stone, with some stunning tiling in the shower:

Toiletries were Andaz-own branded in larger pump bottles.

On the other side of the bathroom wall is the bedroom, with one of the biggest beds I have ever seen. It must have been about 3m wide:

The head board features batik motifs. There are plug sockets on both sides, as well as two USB-A ports each, and the controls also allow you to dim the lighting to suit your needs.

Opposite the bed is a large wall-mounted TV, whilst the mini bar is underneath. This includes a Nespresso coffee machine as well as a kettle and tea bags, plus a selection of snacks, soft drinks and beers in the fridge.

Remember that as this is an Andaz, the snacks and soft drinks are free and are replenished daily. This is an Andaz brand standard and a nice touch, with sparkling water, coconut water, coca cola and a local cold tea all available. Snacks included some delicious salted banana chips, dried fruit and peanuts.

The room also features a large day bed and coffee table:

There is another day bed on the very spacious balcony which overlooks the quiet, adults-only pool:

Overall, I thought the rooms were stunning. The combination of locally-inspired design, high quality materials and modern fittings (plenty of plugs around!) is just what I look for in a hotel room.

Pool, beach, gym and spa at Andaz Bali

The grounds of the Andaz Bali form a lush tropical jungle. I’m told that few if any mature trees were felled to accommodate the resort facilities, with the architects choosing to construct the hotel around them in order to preserve a more natural-looking landscape.

This is an approach we’ve also seen taken at the Conrad Tulum in Mexico (review here) recently. Personally, I prefer it to the manicured lawns of many properties in the past which always felt very artificial to me. I’d much rather hotels and resorts embrace their local environment than try to fight it.

There are three pools at the hotel: the main infinity pool by the beach:

Next door to which you’ll find a very shallow kids’ (baby, really) pool:

The third pool is not designated as adults only but is called the quiet pool. This is tucked away and shaded by a beautiful tree whose branches reach out across virtually the entire thing to create a lovely, dappled shade:

The pools were lovely, although I do think the distinction between kids/quiet pools is quite blurred. Because the designated kids’ pool is so shallow (about 30cm I’d say) it’s only really useful to families with very young children. Older children prefer to splash about in the deeper waters of the main pool, whilst the quiet pool is mostly shaded and therefore less useful if you’re trying to get tanned.

One annoyance at the pool was that it was basically impossible to get free water. Despite the hotel providing plenty of bottles in the rooms every day, anyone at the pool has to cough up and pay which seems a bit stingy. I ended up just bringing the refillable glass bottles from the room, which is clearly not ideal near a pool.

As mentioned above, the Hyatt Regency and Andaz share a fairly long stretch of beach. It’s worth noting that there are no private beaches on Bali and there is a two metre wide public boardwalk between the hotel and the beach which stretches for 5km up and down Sanur beach.

Both the gym and the spa are next door in the Hyatt Regency – a five minute walk through the gardens. The gym is in its own pavilion and quite spacious:

Whilst the spa sits above a number of water lilly ponds:

There’s also a kids club at the Andaz Bali, with all in-house guests getting two hours of free childcare per day.

Breakfast and restaurants at Andaz Bali

There are five restaurants at the Andaz Bali, although as I mentioned above you can cross-charge any of the Hyatt Regency restaurants too.

At the Andaz you have a choice of:

• Wok Wok (Indonesian)
• Blue Oven (Meditterenean)
• Fire Fox (steakhouse)
• Fisherman’s Club (no clues needed)
• as well as a deli and bakery

You also have a little coffee shop serving free teas and coffees all day long:

Most of the restaurants, bar Fisherman’s Club, are around the Village Square. For breakfast, these are all combined into a single entity with the Andaz serving an unlimited a la carte menu rather than a breakfast buffet. It’s basically everything you’d expect at a buffet, but brought to you rather than available to self-serve.

Virtually all the dishes are relatively small, which lets you try a whole range of things, including a large range of local and Asian dishes:

We also ate at Wok Wok and Fisherman’s Club. Wok Wok was delicious, serving local Indonesian food:

Whilst at Fisherman’s Club we enjoyed the sunset and had the sea food platter featuring spiny lobster, prawns, mahi mahi, tuna and more:

and

There are no fine dining restaurants at the resort – it’s all fairly casual, which matches the laid back style of the resort and the number of families here.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed my stay at the Andaz Bali resort. It’s a beautifully designed resort nestled on the beach; the rooms are spacious and well laid out.

I loved the quieter side of Sanur – there was enough going on that it was interesting but not so crazy it felt you were overwhelmed and being hounded in the streets.

Bear in mind that it is very family-friendly – don’t expect an adults-only idyll, although for the most part the kids are well behaved!

Rooms start from £200 per night whilst redemptions will set you back from 15,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

If you are booking Andaz Bali, I’d strongly recommend using Hyatt Prive which comes with great extra benefits at no extra cost, with all rooms being ‘pay on departure’.

Our luxury hotel booking partner Emyr Thomas is a Hyatt Prive agent – full details of Hyatt Prive and our booking scheme are here.

You can find out more on the hotel website here.

World of Hyatt update – January 2024:

Get bonus points: World of Hyatt is not currently running a global promotion

New to World of Hyatt?  Read our overview of World of Hyatt here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on what we think World of Hyatt points are worth is here.

Buy points: If you need additional World of Hyatt points, you can buy them here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from Hyatt and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

After a brief one-night stopover at the Fairfield Jakarta Airport, we made the St Regis Jakarta our base for the remaining 2 nights in the city. I arrived shortly after Indonesian Independence Day so the city was kitted out in red and white.

The St Regis brand is generally well represented in major Asian cities. The St Regis Jakarta is one of the newest in the portfolio, having opened in December following a conversion from the Four Seasons. I’ve also stayed at the St Regis Bangkok (review here.)

St Regis is arguably the hotel chain with the most character and history at Marriott – our guide to the St Regis brand is here – but usually you can expect dedicated butler service as well as a number of ‘Rituals’ including afternoon tea and champagne sabering (weekends only here, unfortunately).

The hotel website is here. Marriott generously provided my room for review purposes.

Where is The St Regis Jakarta?

Before I begin, it’s worth reminding ourselves that Jakarta is a city with a metro population of over 30 million. It is a big place, and traffic can be challenging, so it is worth staying close to where you need to go,

The St Regis Jakarta is located in the city’s Golden Triangle. This is the central business district for the city and also where you’ll find the majority of the international hotels and embassies.

Traffic-permitting, the hotel is about 45 minutes from the main international airport. The hotel is not currently easily connected to the metro, although I believe that will change in the future as they are extending the network.

Note that the hotel is not in a particularly walkable neighbourhood.

Inside The St Regis Jakarta

First impressions of The St Regis Jakarta are bombastic, with a stunning golden entrance that truly impresses as you exit your vehicle. The photos really don’t do it justice:

and

This has got to be one of the most beautiful hotel entrances I have ever seen!

The St Regis Butler team are on hand to assist with any luggage whilst you make your way through the security scanner, which seems to be common at international hotels in Indonesia.

You then head through a mini marble-clad atrium with concierge and digital ceiling art before entering the hotel lobby proper:

This is a beautiful space with a grand piano and custom-designed mega-chandelier at the top. This is called the ‘Sound of Light’ and is synchronised to the music of Indonesian composer Andi Rianto, with a special light show at 6pm every day.

A pianist plays on the piano in the afternoons. Here is a view from the top:

Whilst there are check-in desks on the right, the staff come to you at one of the tables. Cold towels and a welcome drink of coconut water, rose and tonic was also provided, which was very tasty.

Rooms at The St Regis Jakarta hotel

Whilst previously a Four Seasons hotel, a full top-to-bottom renovation took place when it became a St Regis.

I was given a Grand Deluxe room on the 17th (top) floor. This is the a category up from the entry-level Deluxe rooms which come with either king or twin double beds.

You certainly aren’t short of space here: plenty of hotels would sell this room as a junior suite.

St Regis hotels tend to feature more traditional luxury styling as you can see from the chandelier with locally inspired batik motifs.

Up on the left is a large marble bathroom with wash basin, bath and separate shower:

It seems like a missed opportunity not to squeeze another basin in here, but it does at least mean there is plenty of room for toiletries!

There were bath salts and a loofah for the bath. Toiletries were a little muddled, with three different brands: REN Skincare hand soap, Sodashi Botanical body wash and Sachajuan hair products. I’m not quite sure what the logic behind that is.

Annoyingly, there were almost no towel rails or hangers in the bathroom – a pet peeve of mine.

The room itself is equally spacious. Overall, Grand Deluxe rooms are 49 sqm with a large king bed at the centre:

I find the St Regis bed to be exceptionally comfortable, and the St Regis Jakarta is no different. There are sockets on both sides.

To the left of the bed is a built-in luggage rack and wardrobe space, including dressing gowns, safe and a steamer. There is no ‘proper’ ironing board but The St Regis Butler Service will press two items of clothing per person, for free.

On the right hand side of the bed is a chaise longue:

Opposite the bed you’ll find a Nespresso machine and fully stocked mini bar underneath the 65″ TV:

I do mean ‘fully stocked’. There are a range of soft and alcoholic drinks, including spirits, as well as snacks (all chargeable).

Whilst, to the left is a small round table perfect for room service or as a desk to work at:

As far as I know, all the rooms come with balconies. These are winter gardens, with separate windows that can be opened and closed. Here is the view:

Overall, the rooms are impressive: more on the traditional luxury side but still modern and well equipped, with features like electric curtains that you only tend to find at the upper end of luxury rooms.

Butler service

The signature St Regis Butler Service is available in all rooms and suites at the St Regis Jakarta. (This is not always the case – at some St Regis hotels only certain room categories get Butler Service).

There are generally three things the butler can help you with:

• Beverage service: you can ask the butler to bring you tea or coffee on your arrival, and to come after your wake up call to open your curtains, deliver your tea or coffee and bring the day’s papers and weather forecast
• Unpacking service: you can ask the butler to unpack (and repack, at the end of your stay) your luggage
• Pressing service: you can ask the butler to press up to two items of clothing per person per day, free of charge. This is done promptly.

Whilst you don’t get a specific butler assigned to you at The St Regis Jakarta, I do find them useful when it comes to ironing clothes and sorting out small things as well as answering any queries I have.

Pool, spa and gym at The St Regis Jakarta

There are, of course, extensive facilities at The St Regis Jakarta. Let’s start with the large outdoor pool on the ground floor, which is in the beautifully landscaped gardens around the hotel:

There were plenty of loungers and cabanas to choose from, with only a couple of other guests ever there at the same time.

There is a swim up bar as well as in-pool jacuzzi loungers. The wall-mounted statues also spray a fine mist.

Also on the ground floor is the extensive spa, which spreads over two floors. In addition to the usual assortment of treatment rooms it also features gender-segregated saunas, steam rooms and hot tub.

The gym is on the third floor and features plenty of cardio machines as well as some weight-training equipment. There are windows, although you’re basically facing a landscaped wall:

Restaurants at The St Regis Jakarta

The St Regis isn’t short of dining options. Anchoring the offering is Bel Etage, which offers a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet.

This is supplemented by various outlets throughout the hotel including:

• The Drawing Room lobby lounge which serves afternoon tea
• Rose Gourmand Deli
• St Regis Bar
• Pool bar
• and JJA, the a la carte fine dining venue.

Breakfast and dinner at Bel Etage

Breakfast is served at Bel Etage is is impressive, with a full buffet supplemented by a la carte options (included in the price). Bel Etage overlooks the gardens (and features some outdoor seating, should you want that):

There is a huge range of hot and cold Asian and Western choices served from a series of buffet tables. The pastries were top notch:

…. as was the rest of the selection, with a range of cold cuts including smoked salmon and mahi mahi:

Grilled vegetables and sushi, salads and cheeses:

and

When it came to hot food, there was a full range of local dishes as well as a noodle bar, plus a selection of Western options including beef and pork bacon, sausages, potatoes and more.

Fruit juices were artfully displayed like so:

…. whilst staff would routinely circulate around the tables offering additional items to guests.

The a la carte menu featured items such as poached egg crab royale:

Bel Etage also serves an excellent buffet dinner for 688,000IDR per person (just under £35). That is, frankly, exceptional value given you have a full selection of fresh sea food including oysters, prawns and lobster:

There is lots to choose from at the buffet and I won’t go into full detail. You can also choose from one of the signature mains in the a la carte menu which includes eight Indonesian options ranging from duck to sate to steak or barbecue short ribs. There are a number of East Asian options and a handful of Western choices including chicken supreme, an Angus ribeye steak and Tasmanian salmon. In short, you won’t be going hungry.

JJA – fine dining

If the choice at Bel Etage is overwhelming then you can also dine at JJA, which offers a more select, Meditternean cuisine and is the hotel’s signature restaurant.

It sits on top of the St Regis bar with a stunning, jazz-inspired chandelier that connects both floors and lets the live music from the bar filter up:

It is a nice space, although we were the only guests there which was a bit odd.

The focus is mostly on meat and sea food. We had the steak tartar and the scallop carpaccio:

And, to share, the lobster:

The food was good although, to be perfectly honest, I preferred the buffet at Bel Etage. Service was slow at JJA, especially given we were the only people there, and I thought the food in the buffet was just as good.

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is one of St Regis’ signature ‘Rituals’ which you’ll find at every St Regis hotel. In this case, the afternoon tea is inspired by local Indonesian flavours with a selection of sweet and savoury canapes:

It was very delicious, although I did leave craving a classic cucumber sandwich!

Conclusion

This is my third stay at a St Regis hotel and I have to say the brand consistency is very good. I know that when I stay at a St Regis I am getting service that goes above and beyond the standards of most internationally branded luxury hotels. The signature butler service, in particular, can be a big help.

The rooms, freshly refurbished, are luxurious and spacious and befit the heritage of the St Regis brand; public spaces are equally impressive, particular the large lobby with the ‘Sound of Light’ kinetic chandelier.

The staff are universally excellent, with the butler team particularly good. The Indonesian service is friendly and professional – everyone is very welcoming.

Room rates start at around £150 per night in January with redemptions as low as 33,000 points. At those prices, you certainly can’t complain!

The hotel website is here if you want to learn more.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

I recently spent a week in Indonesia, in Jakarta and Bali. This gave me a chance to take a look at some of the interesting new luxury hotels and resorts which have opened up. I’ll be covering these over the next week.

My trip started a little less glamorously. With a late arriving flight into Jakarta I thought it was easiest to spend the night locally and heading into the vast city the morning after. After a brief search online I came across the Fairfield, which had opened just a few weeks before. It is Marriott’s only hotel at the Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) airport.

This is our first review of a Fairfield property although the brand has over 950 hotels worldwide. One reason we haven’t given it much coverage is because it has not had a presence in Europe. The first European Fairfield is due to open in Copenhagen this year.

The brand is more established in the US (where it originally launched in the 1980s) and appears to be growing significantly in Asia. It is pitched at a similar level to Marriott’s Courtyard and Hilton’s Hampton brands. In other words, this is a select service brand or, in the industry parlance, ‘midscale’ (whatever that means!)

The hotel website is here. Marriott kindly provided my room for review purposes.

Where is the Fairfield Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport hotel?

The hotel isn’t inside the airport but on the boundary, right next to the main access road.

It is less than ten minutes by taxi (try Grab or the Indonesian GoJek for ride hailing services) and costs less than £5.

Inside Fairfield Jakarta Airport

I arrived around midnight and the staff had my booking ready to go. Unusually for a select service hotel, we were greeted at the entrance and a porter offered to take my luggage up to the room.

Check in was very brief with the assistance of some very friendly staff.

Although it isn’t obvious at night, the lobby is lovely and bright with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Rooms at the Fairfield Jakarta Airport

There are just three room types at the Fairfield – Deluxe King rooms, Deluxe Twin rooms and Deluxe King Corner rooms.

I was given one of the corner rooms on the second floor. The primary difference between this and the other two room types is space – an extra 7 sqm, for a total footprint of 29 sqm.

That’s not massive but does give you plenty of room for a couple of suitcases with room to spare.

The rooms are, as you’d expect, fairly spartan with white walls and wooden laminate flooring:

No complaints here: it looks smart and neutral. The walls look a little plain and empty, especially above the bed – it would have been good to hang something here.

The designers did put an interesting design feature in the bathroom in the form of this wash basin:

and

Overall the bathroom was spacious with a nice large shower. Toiletries are Anarygya and lemon and lavender scented.

Opposite the bathroom there is an open wardrobe with a sizable luggage rack in the corridor space. The photo makes it look smaller than it is – that is my large checked bag, not cabin bag that you see. You also get tea making facilities and a fridge.

The bed itself was very comfortable, and there were universal sockets on both sides of the bed so I didn’t even have to get my adaptor out. This seems to be common practice at international hotels in Indonesia:

The only other amenity worth mentioning is the gym on the second floor. This features a handful of cardio machines as well as a rack of weights and overlooks some of the local undeveloped land:

Breakfast at the Fairfield Jakarta Airport hotel

Breakfast is served downstairs in the lobby, with space set up with tables and chairs:

A small buffet is available. Hot items include a selection of Asian and Western items, including bubur ayam, an Indonesian chicken congee, as well as crispy tofu, a curry and, of course, nasi goreng.

and

Western items include hash browns, chicken sausage and beef bacon. Jakarta is a majority Muslim area so pork, whilst available, is not hugely prevalent. Eggs are cooked to order. The buffet items generally appear to be cooked in small batches and so were very fresh throughout.

A selection of fruit, basic cereals and a fridge of fruit juices, yoghurt and salad is also available:

Conclusion

The Fairfield is a good choice if you need a hotel at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport. It is clean and modern and ticks all the boxes for a short stay on your way to somewhere else.

As with all of Indonesia, the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful which elevates this from your average budget UK hotel. The luggage porter was an added benefit.

Room rates start at around £39 whilst redemptions seem to be priced at 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points on most nights, well above our target 0.5p valuation.

You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Long term readers will know that I don’t accept many hotel review trips – the last one was Andaz Prague in December 2022. I obviously review other hotels but those are generally places I visit with my family (and pay for) or where I am staying as part of a conference or flight review.

I made an exception for Carlton Cannes, however. Not only is it one of the most high profile hotel openings of 2023, but I had never visited a Regent before. I had also stayed at the Carlton just over a decade ago, when it was well into its decline as an InterContinental, and wanted to see what ‘a few hundred million Euro’ had done to the place.

A lot, is the answer. Do go.

The photo above is taken from the hotel’s beach club.

The hotel website is here.

A quick word about Regent Hotels & Resorts

IHG acquired Regent Hotels & Resorts in 2018, see here, paying just $39m for an initial 51%.

Whilst the brand has been around for a long time, it had only six hotels at that point. Whilst high end they were not ultra-luxurious. The only European hotels were in Berlin, where it had taken over the Four Seasons, and Montenegro.

Whilst the Regent Seven Seas cruise line shares the same logo as Regent Hotels & Resorts, there is no longer any connection between the two.

IHG’s first move was to announce that InterContinental Hong Kong would reopen as a Regent after refurbishment, which it did this summer. This was a nod to the history of that property, which originally opened as a Regent before joining IHG.

IHG seems keen to position Regent above InterContinental. I suspect that InterContinental Amstel in Amsterdam (same Qatari ownership) may also swap brands when it is refurbished, and InterContinental Paris Le Grand would seem another obvious target. The snag with this strategy is that if you strip away its best properties, the overall InterContinental brand weakens.

From a loyalty point of view, you can earn and spend IHG One Rewards points at Regent as with any other IHG brand. Regent is NOT part of InterContinental Ambassador which means that Ambassador is diminished every time a top InterContinental hotel is rebranded.

The history of Carlton Cannes

The Carlton is the most famous hotel in Cannes, sitting directly in the middle of La Croisette, the beachside promenade. Opened in 1911, and extended to its current frontage in 1913, it has been part of IHG in its various guises since the 1960s.

The freehold was sold in 2006 and is now owned by an arm of the government of Qatar. There were press articles announcing an imminent refurbishment as far back as 2012, but work finally got underway in September 2020. The hotel reopened in March 2023.

Major changes have been made. Additional wings have been added to both sides of the hotel, containing long term ‘residences’ (apparently these may be sold off at some point, retaining access to the hotel facilities). An impressive spa and conference centre was included in the new wings.

The new additions – which are designed to minic the design of the original building – have fully enclosed the space which used to be a car park behind the hotel. This has been transformed into a garden and an outdoor infinity pool.

Arrival at Carlton Cannes

Getting to Cannes from Nice Airport is a bit fiddly. The easiest public transport option is the train, which involves wandering through the airport car park and beyond to the nearest suburban stop. I recommend having the hotel pick you up, or taking a taxi. The drive is around 30 minutes in decent traffic.

As I walked into the huge lobby I got a jolt of recognition from my previous visit, but everything was just ….. lovelier. The old layout has been retained except that reception has been pushed back into a new area overlooking the garden, keeping people out of the main lobby area.

Everything looks new, except it’s not. The hotel was keen to show me frescos and other bits of decoration which had been hidden for years and had appeared during the renovation – see the picture above as an example. It will never have looked this good, even on the day it opened in its current form back in 1913.

The dominant theme is white or light. With the Mediterranean just across the road, the designers seem to have decided not to compete with bright colours. It’s going to cost a lot of money to keep everything looking this white, but hopefully the hotel can manage it.

My room

The hotel had given me a top floor suite with a terrace and a partial sea view. I wasn’t going to turn this down, clearly, but I did visit a standard room as you will see below.

I should say that suites are decent value at the Carlton, compared to the cost of a standard room. The cost per square metre was lower for a suite on the dates I checked – which is rare – and the views should be better too. If you are just coming to Cannes to chill at the hotel, splurging for a suite is not a bad option.

Here are some suite pictures. The photos make the white and cream look bland, but in reality the sheer quality of everything shines through.

…. and the large living room:

…. and the huge bathroom:

The shower and loo are to the left as you look at the picture, with the loo having a door. Toiletries, as the eagle eyed may have spotted, are 75ml bottles of Acqua di Parma products. Standard rooms also have Acqua di Parma but in smaller bottles.

I won’t spend too much time talking about the terrace, since only a handful of rooms have them, but as you can see from this photo:

…. it wasn’t a bad place to hang out, helped by the bottle of wine in an ice bucket helpfully waiting for me on arrival. I saw other rooms get this too – it wasn’t a media perk for me. The terrace also had a sofa which is not shown.

Inside a Premium room

Here are a couple of pictures of a twin bedded Premium room. This is one step up from the very cheapest room category, and a little larger.

As you can see, the decor of the room and bathroom is very similar to that of my suite, just obviously on a smaller scale. There is a standalone shower out of shot in the bathroom.

The pool and inner courtyard

Here is a view from the 7th floor looking into the courtyard. On the left and right are the new wings with the ‘residences’. Intriguingly, the building at the back directly overlooking the pool is not owned by the hotel – it is primarily full of short term holiday lets which get a great view of the pool and garden but can’t use it!

In early September, the pool was in shade until noon, and remained sunny into the early evening.

The grass, as you can just about see in the picture, has yet to fully bed in, presumably not helped by the very hot summer.

The loungers and cabanas around the pool were never full. There is a reason for this – they are not free. The September pricing is €50 for a day and €30 for a half day. This is cheaper than renting a lounger at the beach club as Part 2 will show. The hotel does not make it clear that you need to pay which may lead to some confusion.

Once you’re sat down by the pool, you’re looking at €14 for a diet coke from the cute pool bar:

The pool is lovely – heated, long enough for laps and rarely busy – and is free.

The back of the original wing is a little boring, as you can see, but this is because it was never meant to be seen by guests. This used to be a car park remember!

Regular readers will know that I’m not a gym person, but the amount of equipment available here is impressive. Heck, there is even a boxing ring:

There is also a small spa in one of the extension wings which I didn’t visit.

It’s the little touches ….

As I went around the hotel I found myself taking photographs of little things that stood out, all of which add to a sense of style.

Here are the interiors of the lifts:

…. and above the elevators on the ground floor you get these old fashioned indicators:

The back of the wardrobes have these details:

My room had this lovely stationery box, should I fancy sending a letter (on Carlton headed paper, of course) or a postcard home:

The plexiglass wall of the pool is set up to cast shadows of the hotel logo onto the walkway:

…. and what can you say about this fully restored staircase?

As with Andaz Prague, the hotel has been careful to ensure that the wall of money behind this project didn’t force out individual ideas and quirks.

Do you realise what you don’t see? There are no Regent logos anywhere. None. At all. There is a small Regent plaque by the entrance and that’s it. Everything else is Carlton branded. If it swapped chains tomorrow the cost of the switch would be €50 for a new brass plate for the entrance!

In Part 2 of my Carlton Cannes review, click here, I’ll look at the beach club, bar and restaurants.

IHG One Rewards update – January 2024:

Get bonus points: Our article on IHG’s January 2024 bonus promotion is here. You will receive double base points on every cash stay between 1st January and 31st January 2024. Click here to register.

New to IHG One Rewards?  Read our overview of IHG One Rewards here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on ‘What are IHG One Rewards points worth?’ is here.

Buy points: If you need additional IHG One Rewards points, you can buy them here.

You get a 100% bonus when you buy IHG One Rewards points by 2nd February 2024. Click here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from IHG and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

For Hilton’s ‘Stay Longer and save up to 20%*’ promotion, Hilton asked me to take a whirlwind trip to visit two Hilton hotels that may inspire readers to book a stay themselves.

Last week I reviewed Hilton Frankfurt City Centre. After one night I packed up, headed back to the airport and took a Luthansa flight down to Barcelona.

Hilton provided our rooms but HfP paid all travel costs and Hilton has not seen or approved these reviews.

The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona website is here.

Located at the edge of the Sant Martí district, a 15 minute metro ride from Plaça de Catalunya or an hours’ walk from La Sagrada Familia, the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona is just outside the central part of Barcelona.

By taxi, the hotel is just 20 minutes from Barcelona El Prat airport (approx. €35). Public transport is a little trickier, particularly at the moment as there is major construction work on the tram line that would usually provide easy access to the city centre. You can get an airport bus to Plaça de Catalunya and then the Metro to El Maresme/Forum, after which the hotel is a short walk away.

The Diagonal Mar area is a largely residential district, with lots of large apartment blocks, a few big hotels and a huge shopping mall opposite the Hilton.

Probably the most important thing to note however, is that the hotel is a five minute walk to Platya de Llevant beach. A popular beach with Barcelona residents, it’s clean and tidy with shallow waters and is easily accessed from the hotel.

First impressions

The hotel is a huge 24 floor tower with a lobby, bar and the hotel’s Michelin starred restaurant Aürt taking up much of the space on the ground floor. It’s an impressive space although the heavy curtain that separates the bar and restaurant from the rest of the lobby, without signage, is a confusing barrier.

By contrast, the check-in area is perfectly easy to find and has three separate desks for check-in. It was, however, chaotic. I waited 25 minutes to check-in, despite there only being two families and a couple in front of me. The staff were very pleasant when I did finally get there and it was surprisingly efficient, so I can only assume family groups were more of an issue for the hotel.

A suite at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona

I was given a Mediterranean Suite room, situated on the 14^th floor.

The room was a distinctly strange shape, tucked into the corner of the hotel, overlooking the pool and towards the sea.

On opening the door, you walk into a wedge-shaped sitting area, with desk and sofa that can easily be extended into a bed. The desk is small but very functional and I found the chair pretty comfortable for a couple of hours’ work.

The ubiquitous Nespresso machine stands on the desk, along petite cups and four capsules.

The sofa and armchair were comfortable and there is a large TV opposite.

One element I really liked about the hotel was that each room is provided with a refillable 1l glass bottle and there’s a water dispenser by the lifts on each floor. I found this very useful and less wasteful than single use water bottles. You can take the bottle home for a fee, but if you leave it behind it gets cleaned and sterilised for use by another guest.

The bedroom is another unusual shape, with two sides of windows coming together in an eye-catching corner, complete with chaise longue and reading lamp.

It’s actually quite a fun spot to sit and look out of the window, with the beach in one direction and the city centre in the other. Unfortunately, the majority of the beach view is blocked by two chunky office blocks opposite, although you can see the sea peeking through on either side.

I wonder how it must feel working in those offices, with the beach in one direction and the Hilton’s pool below, filled with sunburnt tourists …..

The bed is vast, and very comfortable, with neat white linen. As well as two overhead lamps, there are small reading lights fixed into the leather headboard.

There are good options for charging your phone beside the bed, with a European plug socket plus USB on each side. Opposite the bed is another large TV and a mirrored bar area with a fridge containing mini-bar items plus an ice-bucket and glasses.

To the right of the bar you can find a full-length wardrobe, complete with ironing board, iron and robes and a further shelved cupboard for additional storage. It is probably enough for a family with one or two small kids.

The bathroom is long and narrow, with a shower bath to the left as you enter and a toilet and bidet tucked behind a half wall. Shower was very good, with decent pressure and no inconsistencies with hot/cold water.

Toiletries were Crabtree & Evelyn in their newly branded wall-mounted bottles.

There is a single basin in the centre of a long vanity unit, under a large mirror which leaves plenty of space for washbags. There’s also a long rail along the unit for handtowels.

Overall the décor was simple and functional. I found the sitting area a little drab, but the bedroom made up for it with the impressive views and funky chair.

Whilst I had a suite, I had a look at a standard room and the decor and design was pretty much identical. Here is a well lit panoramic shot from the hotel website which show it better than I could manage:

Dining at Hilton Diagonal Mar

The Hilton Diagonal Mar has three restaurants; Aürt, a 15-cover, one Michelin Star restaurant helmed by renowned Catalonian chef Artur Martínez (you’ll need to book this well in advance), Indigo, the hotel’s breakfast restaurant and Purobeach, the poolside bar and restaurant. There’s also Ma’i Snacks and Drinks, a cocktail bar with bar snacks situated next to Aürt.

I unfortunately did not make a booking for Aürt, and quite honestly would have found a 14-course tasting menu solo a little on the awkward side. I decided to try the poolside restaurant for dinner instead.

When I arrived, aside from a table of six tourists in one corner and four German lads downing beers in another, the large restaurant was empty. At 8pm. In Barcelona. This did not bode well for the food, so I sat down with some trepidation. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the food very good.

I was only in Spain for 24 hours, so I felt I had to order some patatas bravas, despite the lack of imagination. Crispy and with a fiery mayonnaise, they were delicious.

 A honeyed goat’s cheese salad followed which was also very good, full of fresh ingredients, dressed well.

The standard at breakfast in Indigo was also quite high. There are a large range of options, as you’d expect in a hotel like this.

Hot foods include bacon, eggs and sausages.

More unusual items are also available, like these vegetables in tomato sauce and a hot grain dish.

I liked these selections of mini smoothies.

I was also intrigued by this special kids section – bound to be a hit with the under 10s and guaranteed to lead to a sugar-induced meltdown before noon.

Executive Lounge at Hilton Diagonal Mar

The suite I stayed in gave access to the lounge, which I have to say was one of the highlights of the stay. The lounge is large open space on the 13th floor with a big balcony and a dedicated kitchen area.

The hotel is much more geared towards leisure than business and the lounge reflects that. There were quiet sections with desks and sockets, but most of the space was dedicated for people drinking and dining.

The food was surprisingly good quality for an executive lounge. I popped down at Happy Hour and there were some really decent snacks including cheeses, cold meats and chutneys/pickles, hot canapes, bread and salads.

There are also self-serve beers and wine available during Happy Hour. It was busy, although not unpleasantly so.

I also had a look at breakfast time. Whilst it doesn’t have the full array of the restaurant, there is plenty of choice if you wanted a quick breakfast with eggs and sausages, pastries and fruit along with yoghurts and Bircher muesli in the fridge.

If I’d stayed longer, I think I would have breakfasted here – it was a lot quieter than the restaurant and the balcony was a pleasant spot to start the day.

Gym, pool and spa at Hilton Diagonal Mar

The gym, situated behind the main pool deck, is very well equipped.

There are plenty of treadmills and spin bikes.

In addition, the gym has quite a few weight machines, plus loads of free weights, kettlebells and slam balls.

The pool is clearly one of the main draws for guests staying at the hotel. Surrounded by day beds and cabanas, it was seemingly the place to be seen. It is very busy throughout the day, although after lunch sunbeds do seem to open up.

There is quite a party vibe, with a champagne bar and cocktails downed left, right and centre, but that said, there were also plenty of holidaying families.

It is important to note that there is a charge for sunbeds by the pool, varying by month, as the area is managed by an external company and operates like a Med beach club. Non-hotel guests are also able to book in. You can use the pool without charge. (EDIT: a reader comments below suggest that some free sunbeds are allocated for hotel guests.)

I’ve had to use hotel imagery for this section as it was far too busy to take pictures properly.

The hotel doesn’t have a spa as such, but it does have a few treatment rooms and a number of therapists available. I had a massage with a lovely therapist called Kate, who did an excellent job of easing a painful shoulder.

Conclusion

The Hilton Diagonal Mar is an interesting concept. A large, beachside, resort-style hotel, but in a rather ordinary residential suburb of Barcelona. If you want to combine a bit of city culture and sightseeing, alongside a few lazy days by the pool or at the beach, I can see why the hotel appeals.

Whilst there were some teething issues at check-in, the rest of the hotel was run well and staff were unfailingly helpful and polite. My room was comfortable and well equipped for a longer stay, and I would imagine many of the guests stay for several nights.

I was impressed by the quality of the food and really valued the Executive Lounge which provided a relaxed space for a cold drink or a snack when the poolside became a bit too much. If I were to return, I’d be keen to try the hotel’s flagship restaurant Aürt as it looks very impressive.

Hotels such as the Hilton Diagonal Mar are perfect for Hilton’s ‘Stay Longer and Save’ promotion, where Hilton Honors members can save up to 20% when they stay for three nights or more. Non-members can get a 15% discount.

The Hilton Diagonal Mar website is here and you can see more about the ‘Stay Longer and Save’ promotion here.

Many thanks to Danielle and the team at Hilton for inviting me to stay.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

For Hilton’s ‘Stay Longer and save up to 20%*’ promotion, last week I took a whirlwind trip to visit two Hilton hotels that may inspire readers to book a stay themselves.

First up: the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre – click for the website.

Hilton provided our rooms but HfP paid all travel costs and Hilton has not seen or approved these reviews.

Location and arrival

As the name indicates, the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is in a very central location, a seven minute walk from the Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station. A train runs directly to Frankfurt International Airport from here and takes about 15 minutes.

The hotel backs onto Bockenheimer Anlage, a pleasant park for a walk, and is about a 5-10 minute walk to the main business district and many of the banks. There are restaurants in abundance nearby, along with one of Frankfurt’s busiest shopping streets.

The hotel is hard to miss; a large glass construction of 12 stories, with a large entrance and dedicated taxi drop-off lane.

The hotel centres around a central atrium that is the full height of the hotel, with rooms running along three sides.

A bar and restaurant take up much of the ground floor of the atrium, with a check-in area to the right of the hotel entrance. Check-in was quick and efficient and the hotel recognised me as a Hilton Honors member.

I had booked a King Hilton Executive room on the executive floor but was upgraded to a suite. I wasn’t told why – it could be due to my Hilton Gold status (Frankurt’s business district is not exactly busy in August) but the fact that we were reviewing the hotel cannot be discounted …. The room was ready on my arrival, even through I had arrived early.

Suites at the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre hotel

The suite I was given was on the 12th floor, part of the ‘Executive’ level, with automatic access to the executive lounge. The door opens onto the sitting area of the suite, which had a large, wide window and excellent views over Frankfurt.

On the left of the entrance is a small cubby that is designed to store luggage and hang coats. As it was 30c on the day I visited, I didn’t exactly need the coat storage, but I still appreciated this – I’ve often puzzled where to hang a large or damp overcoat in Western European hotel rooms.

A large drawer unit housing tea and coffee making facilities, the safe and the mini bar runs along the back section of the sitting room.

A Delonghi espresso machine is provided, along with six pods and a selection of teas with a kettle hidden in a drawer. Two small glass bottles of filtered water were provided, which didn’t feel quite enough even for a solo traveller like myself.

Immediately in front of this unit is an excellent desk, with a sensible yet stylish chair and a good desk lamp. The desk had a selection of socket options – two USBs, a European 2-prong socket and a UK three-prong socket, which was very useful.

I really appreciated the positioning of the desk so that you could enjoy the view. So often desks in a hotel are facing a wall and whilst I suppose it’s less distracting, it’s still a lot more pleasant to look out of a window.

The large sitting area itself has a small sofa and comfortable Eames-style chair with footstool, along with cushions along the large window seat. A TV is tucked onto a wall on the right.

The bedroom is situated through an entrance on the right and is a similar size, also with a large window and window seat running along the width of the room. Both rooms have heavy black-out curtains.

The bed is a super king, with smooth white cotton sheets and no unnecessary cushions to faff with.

As well as reading lights on either side, there are also two USB sockets and a European plug socket. Both sides of the bed have a decent bedside table.

Under a large mirror along the back wall runs a vanity unit and stool which was useful additional surface space.

Through the back of the bedroom area there’s a wardrobed-lined passage leading to the bathroom. There is plenty of storage space, with ceiling-height shelves behind one door and a double, full-length wardrobe meaning long dresses won’t get crumpled. The wardrobe also contains an iron and ironing board.

The bathroom is an unusual but clever hexagonal shape, with impressive marble and gold fixtures.

As well as a bath, there is a separate shower with a huge overhead showerhead, along with an adjustable smaller showerhead.

Toiletries are Crabtree & Evelyn, in the recently rebranded style. All were large wall-mounted bottles rather than the mini toiletries.

They did the job, although I personally find Crabtree & Evelyn products underwhelming. They aren’t particularly great at hair products and they smell pleasant but forgettable. I would prefer hotels to use local suppliers for something unique and unfamiliar, but I accept that branded hotels usually want conformity.

Overall, I really liked the design and styling of the suite. The design was relatively contemporary and brought some interesting colours and textures in, giving it quite a bit more personality than you get in some executive suites.

Whilst I had a suite, the decor of the standard rooms is virtually identical. Here is a PR shot of a standard room which is a carbon copy of my bedroom shot above:

Food and drink at Hilton Frankfurt City Centre

I ate at the hotel’s ‘New York inspired’ restaurant, Hudson Yards. It was a balmy evening and like all the other diners, I chose to sit on the restaurant terrace, which leads onto the park.

I’m not sure if it was because I dined quite late, but the restaurant was very quiet with just another two tables eating. The terrace was a calm spot to enjoy a drink and some dinner.

The menu features a lot of ‘New York classics’ (burgers) along with some Frankfurt favourites such as veal schnitzel. Prices are quite high – a burger is €24 and veal schnitzel is €31.

I ordered a mango and avocado salad with prawns and a side of chips.

The salad was quite sizeable and the main salad part was fresh and tasty.

I paid an extra €9.50 for three ‘king prawns’ with the salad, which felt a bit steep as they were small, overcooked and did not taste totally fresh. To be fair I was about 450 miles from the sea so perhaps there’s a lesson for me here ….

The breakfast buffet was excellent with lots to pick from, including a cooked-to-order egg station, lots of hot options, cold meats and cheeses and – as one would expect in Frankfurt – an excellent bakery array.

The Frankfurt apple cake was particularly good. There were also plenty of yoghurt, muesli and fruit options for a lighter breakfast.

At both meals the service was very good, with friendly and helpful staff.

Executive Lounge at Hilton Frankfurt City Centre

I had booked an executive level room as I’d anticipated not being able to go to my room for several hours (although it was actually ready on arrival) and wanted to use the lounge to get some work done.

The lounge is a good size and again, had more personality than you would typically see, with quirky desk separators and some statement vases and ornaments.

There was a happy hour between 5pm and 7pm where guests with access could enjoy alcoholic drinks and canapes. I didn’t go myself but walked past and there was quite a buzz during happy hour.

The lounge itself has lots of desk space and sockets so was appropriately designed for business travellers, although it couldn’t compete with the desk set-up and lovely view from my room.

Gym and pool at Hilton Frankfurt City Centre

The Hilton Frankfurt City Centre gym is actually housed in a Fitness First within the same building. Guests can easily access the gym through a dedicated door but it is shared with Fitness First members too.

Whilst the gym wasn’t really busy when I popped in, it was busy enough that photographing it would have been intrusive so I’ve resorted to the hotel’s own imagery here.

Any gym bunnies staying at the hotel will be happy. The gym set-up is very good, with everything you could possibly want, lots of classes and a massive pool. There is also a small spa here for beauty treatments.

Conclusion

The Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is a good option for anyone looking to stay in Frankfurt, particularly if you need to be there on business. Everything appears to run smoothly at the hotel, from the swift check-in and check-out, to the efficient and friendly service throughout.

With very good amenities such as the gym and pool, you have everything you would need for a stay, business or otherwise.

I felt the interior design was stylish and surprisingly warm for a hotel of its size and scale. I had a real wow moment when I entered my suite thanks to the impressive view – making the huge windows the focal point of the room, which really worked.

The Hilton Frankfurt City Centre website is here – click to learn more.

Hilton’s ‘Stay Longer and Save up to 20%’ promotion for Hilton Honors members is still live. Non-Hilton Honors members receive a lower 15% discount in the ‘Stay Longer and Save’ promotion, so sign up during the booking process to maximise the discount.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Long term readers of HfP may be having a wry smile. This is my 3rd review of this resort, and my fifth visit. We were last here in 2018.

Since this was our fifth trip, you would assume that we love the hotel.  That is not fully true.

Every time it turns out to be a slightly frustrating experience, although this is a very accomplished hotel in many ways.  JW Marriott always lets something slip through, but this was the best stay yet.

You can learn more on the hotel website here.

Let me explain why we return.  With kids, the mainland hotels (when I write ‘mainland’ I mean the main island) are not ideal – rooms are generally small and you won’t find a pool or outside space, let alone a kids club.  Hotels on their own islands (Cipriani, Kempinski and JW Marriott, plus the Excelsior on the Lido) have a lot more to offer.  The weather is also so hot in Summer that a private island is more attractive than the city centre.

Marriott Bonvoy has a feature which I rate highly – the ability to ‘buy up’ a reward night to a better room for a nominal sum at the time of booking.  Not all Marriott hotels offer this, but JW Marriott Venice does.

We paid €170 on top of 74,250 Marriott points per night for a Junior Suite which was selling for €850.  (Actually, we took two Junior Suites because there were four of us.)

This was a five night stay, so we triggered the ‘buy four, get one free’ redemption rule with Marriott Bonvoy. This means we paid an average of 59,400 Marriott Bonvoy points plus €170 per night for a Junior Suite selling for €850. This worked out at almost exactly 1p per Bonvoy point.

(Note that if you have two smaller children, you can get two rollaway beds into one Junior Suite and still have plenty of space for the sofa etc. We did this in 2018.)

My Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status also got us two breakfasts per day for free. In reality, the hotel comped all four breakfasts although you should not expect this. Points rooms do not receive free breakfast by default even though all direct cash bookings do.

I’m getting ahead of myself, however.

The JW Marriott in Venice opened nine years ago.  It is on a private island and requires you to take a free shuttle boat to and from St Marks Square.

It is a bit further into the lagoon than the Cipriani and next door to the island hosting the Kempinski, previously the St Regis. The fact that St Regis threw in the towel after just one year tells you how hard it is to make money here – the crossing from the mainland makes it an unappealing place to stay during winter storms.

From the airport you are looking at a fixed rate of €160 each way for a water taxi. The cheaper option is to take the public boat bus to St Marks Square and then get the free hotel shuttle across but this takes at least an hour longer.  If you are arriving by train you can also take a water taxi from the station which is fixed at €95.

My kids and I think that Venice water taxis – especially when speeding across the lagoon at full throttle – are the coolest thing in the world and we consider it €160 well spent.  The water taxi photo above is from an earlier trip.

Arrival

You can’t fail to be impressed by your arrival at the JW Marriott as you pull into the private dock:

Check-in was a lot slicker than in previous years. The staff have been given classy new outfits and there was no hard sell to pay for an upgrade. Note that you are very unlikely to be upgraded here as a Marriott Bonvoy elite member in peak season – it has never happened to me in five visits as Platinum or Titanium or its pre-Bonvoy equivalents – so you should book the room type you want.

Interestingly, the hotel offered to make all four room keys for our two rooms open both sets of doors. I have never had this before and it was hugely useful.

Our room

There are rooms scattered across the island.  The rooms in the outbuildings are more expensive and have private gardens or a plunge pool.  You are never more than two minutes walk from the hotel so don’t worry about being isolated if you book one of those.  We stick to the main building.

Your best choice with children is, in my view, one of the square Junior Suites at the back.  Even if there are only two of you travelling I would recommend taking one of these because they are well shaped compared to some of the other slightly confusing room layouts.

At one end of the suite is the bed.  The TV console is in the middle and, behind that, you have a sofa and table.  You can fit two rollaway beds in these – historically (I didn’t check this time) there was no charge if the children are under 12.

The TV set spins around so you can watch it from the sofa or bed.

The bathroom was very large, clean and modern with Aromatherapy Associates toiletries in large wall-mounted bottles:

and (note the doors to the bedroom can be closed):

The room had a large balcony overlooking the grounds as well.

I can’t knock it.  This was a very impressive room.  There is also an Illy coffee machine, not pictured, which is a step up from Nespresso albeit there are only two types of capsules – standard and decaf.

Historically this hotel has had a big problem with wasps. Whilst they are still around, it seemed to be less of an issue this year. That said, it’s unwise to keep your patio doors open and there are warnings to that effect in your room.

Kids club

The JW Marriott Venice has a kids club .  It costs €30 per day and accepts children aged from 4 to 12.

There is a VOLUNTARY resort package – I wasn’t offered it because our children are above kids club age – which bundles kids club access with some other bits and pieces such as bike rental.

It may be worthwhile if you have two or more children because the cost per room (it was €39 in 2018, not sure what it is now – the price is hidden from the website and the in-hotel app) is cheaper than paying for multiple children to go to the club.

The pool

Ah, the pool ….

The kids pool , which is in the hotel grounds, is in two parts. It is a bit weird – you have a WHOLE ISLAND to play with and you build a pool which is ludicrously narrow.

It is also far too deep.  No child under 12 can stand in it (my son is 5’8′ and was just about OK).  There is no shallow end.

The hotel addressed this a few years ago by building a good-sized paddling pool next to the main pool.  This is still not ideal because if your kids are beyond paddling age but shorter than 5’8′ or so they are stuck.

Back in 2018, additional sun loungers had been added on a new decking area near the pool. This relieved some pressure on the pool loungers by the pool for those who didn’t need to watch their children. These have now gone, weirdly, to be replaced by unshaded bean bags (used mainly for outdoor film screenings twice per week) which unsurpringly weren’t touched given the 32 degree heat:

There is also a parkour climbing course and some other outdoor toys for kids:

There is a fully shaded bar and restaurant by the pool with the usual burgers and salads you’d expect, as well as an ice cream cart. We had lunch here one day and it worked well.

That’s the end of Part 1.  To read the 2nd part of my JW Marriott Venice review, click here. 

The hotel website is here if you want to find out more.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)