Euro Travel & More

I’ve worked in the hotel industry for the longest time – from the back office to the front desk and have also traveled to the West and to Europe a lot because of work.  Once a General Manager in Asia asked me how different is the service in asia as compared to the west and I cannot begin to describe what I feel about the Western hospitality.

If you have met any of the Westerners in the hotels that I’ve worked in – they are amazed at how well and respected they are treated – so much so – that they get spoiled in Asia.  Many businessmen who comes into the hotels that I’ve worked in – tells me that they don’t want to leave Asia and once upon a time I didn’t understand at all.

But after living in the West for so long and traveled around the West for so long – I can now fully understand the difference.  How different?  very!  while the receptionist in Asia tries their very best to accommodate your needs – in the West – the General Manager in a hotel – would never return your call even though you try to contact them for a reservation because the reservation department don’t answer their phones.

When you check into the hotel – there are no bell hops to help you – and when you ask for a late check out they can’t give you a straight answers.  While Asian hotels will negotiate the room rates – or long staying rates – our Western counterparts – don’t seems to care if the rooms are filled or not?   People in the hospitality industry in the West are less attentive to the needs of their customers it seems. And yes – i missed the Asian hospitality – and one can never explain to the West how they can treat their house guests better – because they don’t really care – so it seems.  What are your experiences?  care to share with me?

For those who don’t know this Singapore is my home and me being in Canada doesn’t mean that I don’t know a thing or two about the happenings in Singapore.  The niece who was invited to the launch recently sent me some beautiful pictures of her and her friends – the beautiful people of course – during the launch party.  I asked her if i could use a few of her pictures for this blog – to show you all what a beautiful and amazing place Singapore is.

This is an outdoor pool i think – and the rates are at USD $400 a nite.

As promised – i’ve shown you the outside of the CourtYard Marriot on the previous post and now for the inside of the hotel.  The bedroom given to us was a very nice room – spacious with 2 queen bed.  The receptionist at check in was very nice and polite – but the bell hop was helping someone else during check in – so we carried our own luggage – to our room.  But it was a lazy Sunday – so having only one bell hop is understandable and we didn’t have very much – just 2 luggages and lots of shopping bag with acne body wash that we had bought for a friend’s kid.

The view was very pretty – as you can see here.  And our fear that the road may get too noisy from the reviews that we read – were unfounded – we didn’t hear a thing outside of our room.

I thought we had read that our tv was going to be an LCD tv – therefore we had brought along our xbox 360 to be hooked up to it for our stay.  But alas – it was a normal tv and what made it even more frustrating was the tv didn’t allowed us to play our xbox 360 onto it.  But – the saving grace was the receptionist had offered to give us the one in the conference room if it wasn’t in used.  Now that was very nice of her – but it came with a huge rack and totally took up part of the room.  By then we were too tired to try and return it and just left it in the room because it was already late – 9pm.

This was the breakfast room – it’s located right in the lobby – a really small area – no restaurant or a drinking hole but the wait staff and the kitchen staff were great – they made a waffle for my kid even though they didn’t have it in the menu.  Very sweet indeed!

This is the hotel’s pool – it’s tiny!

Boy! i sure missed those pools in Asia! hotel pools in Asia are Olympic sizes.

Usually when we are in Halifax – we stay at the Econolodge – but this time due to some business we had to take care of – on some  mmf drawer for an early meeting – the next day – we decided to stay in downtown.  The Courtyard Marriot Halifax is located at Salter Street but try as you might for a reservation by phone – you will not get a reservation staff.

After trying for 2 days – i left a message with at the General Manager’s phone – to get him to call me back – but 48 hrs later (till today in fact – 3 weeks later) still no call from the General Manager. Yes! you heard me right.   When I tried to call again – the reception counter – told me she doesn’t take reservations and insisted on putting me to the reservations department once again – and again – i was put on hold and got cut off.

But we wanted to stay downtown – so we went online and booked online – the room rates were good – at $109 + taxes and not forgetting – valet parking at $19.95 – no complimentary breakfast – but wireless connection in the room.

The Courtyard Marriot Halifax is a very beautiful property from the outside as you can see – some of the room faces the sea – and it’s really beautiful – normally – you don’t get the price we got – but during the off peak season – it’s not bad.  We wouldn’t have bothered with the Courtyard if we didn’t have to be in the city first thing in the morning – not because we didn’t like the property but first impression do count – and both reception and reservation – sure did not seems to think it was important at all to keep a customer – well, I cannot say i am impressed with the General Manager either.

More on the Courtyard Marriot Halifax in another post – in which you will see our experience from inside the hotel.  Stay tuned.

Parking has always been free in the hotels i stayed in  when i was in Asia – therefore when I was told that I had to pay for parking – $20 – i asked myself – if i needed to tip the valet whenever i use our car.  Have i gone cheap or is it because – we usually use the $20 for tipping the valets – plus in Asia – you have the option to park yourself – but even then – we still tip the bell hop.

The West and the East – so much difference – back in Asia – you have room service door hangers you can use to order your breakfast – in the morning – but even at the Marriot in Canada – there wasn’t any room service for breakfast.  No wonder the westerners don’t want to leave Asia as soon as they’ve experienced the Asian hospitality.

So to tip or not to tip?  We did tip at the end of our stay  – but it was so unfair to the valet whom had taken our car on the first day – but he didn’t provide any bell hop services and the check out valet was only nice to us when we tipped him $5 – so all in all we paid $25 per day for parking – it could be worst.

With the Universal Studio in Singapore officially opened – the Casino resort is also up and running from what I hear.  My reading up on joint health supplements had to hold because someone commented on a forum that Singapore was working hard on increasing the amount of tourists that comes into its country.  For someone from Singapore – it’s a really funny comment because isn’t Singapore full of tourists already?   Anyhow – coming back to the Singapore Casino resorts – i am wondering if they are anything like Las Vegas where rooms are not that expensive to entice the people to come gamble?

The Crockfords Tower is also home to Resorts World at Sentosa’s Casino, where private gaming rooms, lavish suites and a sweeping designer gaming floor offers guests the chance to live the high life and enjoy pampering hospitality and the city’s finest cuisines.

When we were in Amsterdam – we stayed at the Grand Hotel Krasnopolsky – unfortunately the spa there did not do any anti wrinkle treatments when i enquired, so i was unable to book some spa time there.  But this hotel is located centrally and has 400+ rooms and right in the middle of Dam Square.  It was pretty convenient to get to everywhere – for they have shops and eateries around the hotel.  Although my travel agent said it was a 5-star hotel – i beg to differ but it is not the prettiest hotel in Amsterdam as we later learned.  The rooms were alright and nothing to shout about – and i was pretty glad we didn’t stay there for too long.  For reasonable price and a better hotel i wouldn’t really choose Hotel Krasnapolsky anymore but the being centrally located was actually a good thing.

Andara Hotel @ Phuket unlike any Fort Myers rentals was still a pretty good experience overall, the suites were pretty awesome.  But first for those who are not aware of this, Phuket is a little island away from Bangkok – well not so little since the last time I was there but very touristy if you asked me.  You will find even a Hard Rock Cafe there but they were already there since like 15 yrs ago i think.

There are many bedrooms in the suite, so you can actually fully utilized the whole suite room and share the cost with friends or family – just not much privacy.

The master bedroom over looking a awesome seaview was what I want for the rest of my life if I can.  Hahaa! really the stay there once made me long to go back again.

And your very own private pool and sun deck – do just about anything you want – swim naked or sun tan any which way you wish.  The suite consist of a full kitchen with coffee machine and the works but make no mistake because you don’t have to lift a finger if you chose not to because room service is 24hrs.

I’ve been to Macau several times for work and pleasure and I must say the hotels are awesome.  Not only are they priced right. .they have such huge and magnificent rooms – almost majestic .. and really huge.  The office furniture in the study are specially ordered and each room themed differently.

Staying at the Venetian in Macau cost us like $250USD .. but it was worth every penny.  The Royale Suite that we were in was huge..!!!!  the king size bed was very nice and soft.   Then they have the living room with couch to watch your tv on .. with LCD screens .. executive work area.. for those who are there for business.  Of course, high speed internet at no extra cost or the all in one fax machine with printer and copier too.  The mini bar was fully stocked.  We were in for a good start when I entered the huge reception counter.

An awesome and huge bathroom and dressing room – unlike the hotels in Japan.

Huge area for brushing and washing up.

The staff are friendly.. although they seems to have an awful time understanding us.. .and with what little mandarin i knew.. i was just glad .. they didn’t give up on us.  The Venetian Macau reminds me of Las Vegas.. and of course it is no surprised.. because i heard the owners are the same.  With 3000 suites to offer to their hotel guests.. and many programs and event.. and spa, gym and even a kid’s club – for those bringing the whole family.  They also have 5 chinese restaurants in house – several Western delights and of course a Portugese restaurant too – 2 japanese restaurants and many entertainment within the hotel.   Truth be told, one don’t even need to get out of the hotel for anything.  But of course, we need to explore the outside – just a word of caution .. to be weary when you are buying jewellery or silk – most of them are faked.

The entrance of Hyatt Hotel, Bangkok

Hyatt Regency was definitely the place to stay .. when one is in Bangkok. It is in the middle of the city.. and you can just go about anywhere you want from the Hyatt, there is also the train station nearby, so you can even hop on the train instead of the tuk tuk.  The hotel was awesome.. with concierge services.. and even office supplies in the rooms that we were in.

And yes.. the receptionists all does speak in English… and they do have a great concierge department. Talk to them.. for any kind of tours you want to go to. They don’t have their own private arrangements.. like some smaller hotels and everything is very professional.

The courtyard, where you can have a evening drinks.. and some snacks. Internet access, business centers, convention rooms or meeting rooms for smaller business meetings. They also have 6 restaurants.. and had done extensive renovation since i was last there. Overall, i found the Hyatt in Bangkok a really good choice for the money.

Their rooms are pretty huge.. and they have very nice and comfy beds too.