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JW Marriott Hong Kong Review

By
Jayce
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4

On our Luxury Round-the-World trip, we made a stop in Hong Kong to get over some serious jet lag and to check out the city.  One of the decisions that needed to be made was where to stay during our time in Hong Kong.  As a Platinum Marriott Member, I value the quality of the hotel but one of the most important things was how we would be treated as Platinum members and the benefits associated with that status.

I was torn between staying at the JW Marriott and the Ritz Carlton, properties that fell under the Marriott brand.  When doing my due diligence in deciding between the two hotels, I called the Ritz Carlton and inquired about the benefits that I would receive a top-tiered member of the Marriott Rewards Program.  While Ritz is part of the Marriott family, they are distinctly separate and Ritz has been known to not convey the same benefits that Marriott Platinum members have come to know and love.  The Ritz Hong Kong confirmed that as a Platinum Member, I may be provided a room upgrade at check-in but would not be given access to the Ritz Lounge nor provided breakfast, a benefit that I value dearly.  Being that the Ritz was out of the question, I chose the JW Marriott and I am definitely glad that I did.

The Property

The JW Marriott is conveniently located near the Pacific Place Mall (actually it’s connected) in the Admiralty area of Hong Kong.  The MTR, Hong Kong’s subway, is directly connected to the mall and offers a convenient way to get to other parts of Hong Kong, thus making the JW an excellent home base.

Much of the hotel is new, save the rooms but we’ll get to that part in a minute.  The JW has invested a hefty sum into to rejuvenation of the common areas of the hotels including its many restaurants as well as their ballroom, which is spectacular.  The JW has invested more than $10M USD into this new area and it of course shows.  While I doubt many of you will be using the JW as your wedding venue, it is certainly well set up for those types of events.

The Room

The rooms at the JW are to be quite honest, a bit dated.  It’s not to say that the room is “worn out” in any way because it’s not, it’s just that the decor harkens to an older time just simply isn’t as modern looking compared to many other hotels that I have visited.  That being said, it’s perfectly serviceable and quite comfortable.  In particular, the bed, the duvet, and the down pillows really helps to ensure a great night’s sleep, something that was quite important to get over our jetlag.  I have been told that the hotel is due to have its rooms to be updated sometime in 2018.  Once that is done, this hotel will be simply perfect!

Here is a walkthrough of our room, 3116

As you can see, the room itself is quite simple but provided us with everything we needed in a room.  Of note, the water pressure in the room was spectacular and sure not to leave a dirty spot on your body 🙂

 

 

The Lounge

This is where the JW SHINES!

The JW Lounge is located on the 33rd and 34th floors of the hotel and offers some amazing views of Hong Kong.  Not only is the lounge beautiful and spacious, the food is out of this world!  There are multiple services at the lounge including:

  • Breakfast from 6:00 AM – 10:30 AM
  • Afternoon Tea from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
  • Hor’dourves from 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
  • Evening Snacks from 9:00 PM to Midnight

Each setting was different in terms of the food on offer.  I’m sad but yet happy to report that many of our meals were taken in the lounge rather than in and around Hong Kong.  The food was just too good to pass up and the price was right 🙂

I found out later that the lounge is serviced by the same kitchen that prepares the food for the JW Cafe, a very popular casual dining establishment in the hotel.  While the similarities are quite apparent, there seems to be much more selection in the JW Cafe and that’s saying a lot as there is a ton of food on offer in the lounge.  One of my favorite items was the freshly made dim sum, in particular, the Pork Sui Mai was out amazing … I think I may have had 12 or so 🙂

The times that we were in the lounge, it was not overly busy so seating was not an issue nor was the noise, which is not something that every lounge can claim.  Even when people were in the lounge, there was a certain reverence for the room that almost kept people quiet … I don’t know … it’s hard to explain.









The Service

In a word, the service was excellent.  Every single person we encountered at the hotel was very adept at their job and completed their tasks with pride.  Everyone from the check-in staff to the doorman that opened the connecting door between the JW and the Pacific Mall, everything was on point.  The JW is a luxury brand hotel and it definitely shows in the way the staff goes about their business.  I was very impressed.

The Cost

The JW Marriott is a Marriott Category 9 Hotel due to the quality inherent with the JW brand, the ideal location of the hotel and the fact that it is in one of the most expensive cities in the world.  Category 9 hotels are the top offering that Marriott has outside the Ritz brand of hotels so the cost is expectedly high at 45,000 points a night.  While that may seem high, it really isn’t, especially because most Canadians will be converting SPG points to Marriott points to make the redemption.  If you remember, you can convert SPG to Marriott at a 1:3 ratio so essentially, you are really only redeeming 15,000 SPG per night.

I converted 30,000 SPG points to 90,o00 Marriott points in order to stay 2 nights at the JW which often retails for over $500 a night.  During my stay rooms were going for $570 per night, so the redemption value was quite high.

Here’s some math for you.

If you went ahead and got yourself the American Express Personal Platinum card, would receive 60,000 Membership Rewards points upon meeting your minimum spend requirements.  You could then convert your Membership Rewards points to SPG at a 2:1 ratio, leaving you with 30,000 SPG.  You could then convert those SPG points over to Marriott at a 1:3 ratio, giving you 90,000 Marriott points, enough for 2 nights at the JW Marriott Hong Kong.  Doing so would save you $1,140 for the cost of the American Express Annual Fee of $299 ($699 but you receive 2 x $200 Annual Travel Credits for a total of $400).

Spend $299 to save $1,140 … that’s pretty good math by my standards.  You would also receive additional benefits like Priority Pass Lounge access, which is quite a value onto itself.

You could, of course, do this with any of the American Express cards that provide Membership Rewards as a reward currency.  These cards include the following (don’t worry, the link will direct you to my review of the card … it’s up to you whether the card makes sense for you or not):

Conclusion

We were only in Hong Kong for a short period but were quite pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed our stay at the JW.  I have absolutely no regrets in choosing the JW over the Ritz Carleton.  If you are ever in Hong Kong, I would highly recommend checking it out, especially after the rooms are refurbished sometime in 2018.

If you are either a Gold or Platinum member of Marriott Rewards, you definitely do not want to miss the lounge and the benefits it provides.

Cathay Pacific First Class Review – LAX-HKG – Boeing 777-300ER

By
Jayce
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12

We had the good fortune of being able to reserve 3 seats in First Class for our LAX-HKG flight, which was a whopping 15:50 flight.  What makes this even more unbelievable is that Cathay Pacific’s 777-300ERs only have 6 seats in first class!  With a good amount of luck we were able to secure these seats and what’s more, we were the ONLY PASSENGERS IN FIRST CLASS!  This meant that with the Purser and two Flight Attendants, we literally had 1:1 attention the entire flight.

In order to secure these award seats, I used Alaska Airlines Miles which provides fantastic value as I only had to redeem 80,000 Alaska Miles per passenger and that got us to Hong Kong in First Class AND to New Zealand in Business Class!!!  The only reason we didn’t fly First Class to New Zealand is that Cathay uses their new A350-900s on that route, and that plane does not have a First Class cabin, thus we had to “settle” for Business Class.  Regardless, Alaska Miles redemptions on Partner Airlines continues to be the best value in redemptions in the world!

If you want a TLDR version of what I will be covering, take a look at the video below but if you want the gory details, keep reading.

The Experience

The moment we stepped aboard CX885, we were warmly greeted and made to feel special.  The ways they did this are too numerous to list but one very good example is that we were invited to the cockpit to speak to the 4 pilots of the plane that would be shuttling us to Hong Kong.  We spent a good 5 minutes talking to them and I can’t tell you how over the moon I was to be able to do that.  Ever since I was a kid, getting to have a glimpse into the cockpit was a treat, even if it was from 8 rows back.  To be able to spend that kind of time with the crew prior to takeoff was a dream come true.  This is not the standard operating procedure for most airlines.

Our flight attendants, Tammy and Cheran were always pre-emptively providing service, making it clear that there was absolutely nothing to worry about while on board and under their care.  Either they were there as if they read my mind or by my seat within 5 seconds of my pressing the call button.  The service was top notch and the best I have experienced on any airline.

The Food

Scrumptious, delicious, delectable … the adjectives don’t do it justice.  I was incredibly impressed with the quality of the food and there wasn’t a single thing that I could fault except that the beef filet was a tad dry, though I would expect that this was because of the fact that the steak was about 2.5 inches thick and our flight attendants had an oven to work with.  The taste of the food was great and really one of the most defining parts of the entire experience.

Add to the food the fact that we could dine on demand and you can quickly start to see why so many people rave about Cathay First.  I’m glad that other airlines are starting to embrace the dine on demand concept because it is so much better than having to eat whenever the airline deems it the right time to serve you food.

Oh, and did I mention you have all the Haagen Dazs Ice Cream you want?  Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry were available on my flight.  I managed to try the Strawberry and Vanilla.  I ran out of time to get me some chocolate ice cream.  One thing that you might find interesting … Cathay Flight Attendants use dry ice to flash freeze the ice cream so it comes to your seat like it was in the freezer for a week, which is a great treat while cruising above the earth 6.5 miles above the earth.





And yes … I am fully aware Hong Kong Style Milk Tea, Strawberry Ice Cream, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whisky is a strange combo.

The Seat

The seat is enormous!  My wife came and sat with me and we both easily fit on the main seat because it’s 36 inches wide!  My daughter easily fit in the “buddy” seat so the three of us actually fit in one seat!

While the seat is enormous and very comfortable, I will say that the cabin has become a tad tired.  You can tell that the seat has been enjoyed by many patrons and while it isn’t malfunctioning, it just feels a touch worn.  It’s certainly not a scathing criticism, simply an observation.  My guess is that Cathay will soon introduce a new First Class cabin to compete with the likes of their counterparts at Singapore, Etihad, and Emirates.

The Bed

When the seat is converted into a bed, it is incredibly comfortable.  It honestly feels like you are in your bed at home.  I didn’t feel like the bed was too small or uncomfortable in any way.  As a side sleeper, I often toss and turn and I can tell when a bed is too small because I’ll wake up when I try to turn over.  I didn’t have that issue with Cathay’s First Class seat.

I managed to get a good 4 hours of sleep in.  I could have easily slept more but limited my rest to try to catch up to Hong Kong time as quickly as possible, which meant that I needed to be tired when we landed in Hong Kong at 6:30 PM so that we could get to sleep at our normal time of around 10 PM.

One negative about the entire sleep experience is that Cathay notoriously keeps their cabins on the warm side, meaning that some people wake up wet with sweat … not that appealing.  Given that you have a high-quality duvet I’m unsure why the cabin is kept so warm.

Here’s a video of my thoughts on the quality of the sleep on board Cathay Pacific First Class.

The Goodies

Everyone that flies in Premium Cabins knows that you get some extra perks and that’s especially true of Cathay Pacific’s First Class.  One of the things that a lot of airlines are doing away with are pajamas.  Thankfully, Cathay is not one of those airlines.  I found that the pajamas fit me incredibly well and were very comfortable, so comfortable in fact that I intend on wearing these around the house when I get home.

Another perk that comes with flying in Premium Cabins is the amenity kit.  I will happily admit that I rarely use the lotions and potions included in these kits nor do I use the socks or eye mask.  Rather, I look forward to the bags/containers that these amenities come in as I repurpose them for storage of batteries, electronics or cables for when I travel next.

For those that care about the contents of the kit, you’ll be happy to know that you are provided some high-quality Aesop products including a Rosehip Seed Lip Cream, and a Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream.  Also included are a wooden comb, socks, eye mask, glass cleaning cloth, earplugs, toothbrush, toothpaste, and some welcome mouthwash.

I personally find the kit to be quite nice with some excellent amenities but again, I’m more about the case itself and I can tell you, it makes for a great place to store your GoPro and its accessories.

How To Do This For Yourself

If you are vigilant, it is surprisingly easy to book yourself a First Class seat on Cathay Pacific and it’s actually affordable if you look to use Alaska Airlines Miles.  I have a complete Series on how to book Alaska Partner Awards including how to do so with Cathay Pacific.

For Canadians, it’s very easy to quickly accumulate Alaska Miles by churning the MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard and you could pretty easily earn up to 100,000 Alaska Miles in a year and only pay $60 in annual fees.  Take a read through my review of the card (linked above).

Conclusion

I loved every minute of my 15:50 aboard CX885 and could have spent even more time aboard.  The time seemed to zoom by and ended too soon.  I look forward to traveling with Cathay in First Class more often and will have the chance to do so on our flight from New York to Vancouver at the end of our trip.

The only problem with First Class?  It’s really hard to go back to Economy and dare I say … Business Class?

 

Interview with JW Marriott Hong Kong

By
Jayce
-
0

As part of my Round-the-World trip, I reached out to the JW Marriott to provide some travel details associated with my trip as well as a couple simple request.  To my delight, the staff at the JW reached out and offered me a tour of the hotel while I was there.

I, of course, jumped at the opportunity and was provided some insights into the world of JW and got to know this beautiful hotel much better than I had as a normal guest.  The following is an interview that I conducted with Jerri Ho, Senior Communications Officer at the JW Marriott Hong Kong.  I was also provided a tour by the lovely Clavel Mui, Assistant Communications Manger.

Interview

First, thank you so very much for taking the time to answer some of my questions about the JW Marriott Hong Kong.  As you know, we are on a round-the-world luxury vacation and our first stop outside of North America is in Hong Kong, one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan cities in the world.  I’ve read some amazing reviews of the hotel but I’m curious about what you believe really sets the JW apart in Hong Kong.

I’ve been to Hong Kong once before but to be honest, I’m still a novice when it comes to the city.  There are so many seemingly great neighborhoods in Hong Kong but what makes JW’s neighborhood of Admiralty a perfect home base for visitors?

JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong (JWHK), is the flagship hotel of JW Marriott brand in Asia Pacific and has received numerous accolades such as Top 5 Best Overseas Business Hotels and World’s Top 100 by Condé Nast Traveller, 10 Best Hotels In Hong Kong in World’s Best Awards in Travel + Leisure, to name but a few.

Besides the reputable brand, the hotel’s iconic location also makes us the perfect choice for visitors. Being in the heart of the city’s CBD, our guests enjoy hassle-free and easy access to different parts of Hong Kong via Mass Transit Railway (MTR). The Starstreet Precinct, comprising Star Street, Moon Street and Sun Street, is just a stone throw away and lets you discover the passion of the city in a modern way from food and drink to the latest lifestyle, fashion and accessories.

Or take a 10-minute walk to the neighbouring Hong Kong Park that includes a greenhouse, aviary and the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, an elegant historical house where you can enjoy a selection of more than a hundred teas and learn China’s tea drinking culture.

Lan Kwai Fong, one of Hong Kong’s most popular nightlife hotspots, is just one stop away on the MTR. You can also find a host of world-class attractions and cultural landmarks nearby ranging from Ocean Park, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui.

As a Platinum Marriott Rewards Member, I base a lot of my stay decisions on the quality of the lounge.  I’ve heard great things about the Executive Lounge at the JW.  Can you tell me about some of the things that elite members can expect to find in the lounge?

Our Executive Lounge offers a perfect place to Platinum Marriott Rewards members during lunch, after work, dinner, or just anytime. The Executive Lounge provides not only complimentary food & beverage entitlements including breakfast, afternoon and evening cocktails with hors-d’oeuvres, but also a selection of personalized services such as re-confirmation of airline reservations, express check-out, as well as arrangement of China visas and tourist attractions.

Compared to other Executive Lounges in town that serves evening drinks for 2 to 3 hours, we serve cocktails up to 4 hours, making our guests’ evening even more enjoyable.

Members can also take advantage of the complimentary daily 2-hour use of the Executive Lounge conference room, for small meetings with business partners in high privacy.

I’m a lover of food and I understand that you have quite a selection of restaurants in the hotel.  I’m sure you’ve been to all of them but which one is your favorite and why?

Among eight of our food and beverage venues, I would recommend Man Ho Chinese Restaurant where serves exquisite Chinese specialties and creative dim sum using locally sourced produce and sustainable seafood from all over the world. Your visit to Hong Kong would not be complete if you leave without savouring a Cantonese menu!

Our Executive Chinese Chef, Jayson Tang strives to include only ingredients of the highest quality from the best producers in Hong Kong as he elevates classic Cantonese cuisine with modern, inventive twists. One of the must-try items is the deep-fried Kagoshima pork roll stuffed with foie gras, red onion and ginger, which was awarded the “Best of The Best Culinary Gold Award” by Hong Kong Tourism Board in 2016. The balance of flavours and textures in this dish are perfectly executed, exemplified by the richness of the foie gras contrasted with the tartness of the dried raspberries, both ingredients heightening the crunchiness of the deep-fried pig’s skin.

Also we take pride in our award-winning culinary team including Executive Chef Stephen Doe – JW Marriott Global Chef of the Year 2007, Pastry Chef Andy Yeung – 2 Gold and 1 Silver Awards in IKA Culinary Olympics Competition 2016 and Assistant Beverage Operations Manager Bryson Rivera – Top 25 Bartenders Hong Kong and Macau by Drinks World Asia from 2014 to 2016.

When we went on our tour, I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful new ballroom.  I must say that it is truly beautiful.  How long did the renovations take and how much was spent to bring this idea to life?

The refurbishment of our ballroom took 10 weeks and over HK$64 million, making it one of the largest, newest and pillar-free hotel ballrooms on Hong Kong Island. With state-of-the-art facilities and elegant décor, our new venue is ideal for every special occasion from small meetings to grand wedding receptions, with a new level of luxury. Spanning over 8,000 sq. ft., the massive ballroom is equipped with top-notch facilities, cutting-edge lighting and has the flexibility to be divided into 6 individual salons with private entrances and LCD signage to create innovative events.

With the substantial budget and additional features, JW Marriott Ballroom is unparalleled to any other similar venues in the city, as it strengthens the hotel’s stance in becoming the best venue in town for all kinds of events with style and quality.

Are there any plans to follow up the new ballroom with additional hotel renovations?

We are very excited to have guestroom upgrade and new Executive Lounge in 2018, offering our guests an exceptional accommodation experience. Our Executive Lounge will be relocated to the fifth floor where offers approximately more than double capacity, extended food offerings, a new level of service which redefines luxury.

I noticed that the JW was voted by Conde Nast as one of the Top 5 overseas business hotels.  What makes this a great hotel for business travel and does that come at the expense of vacation travelers or families?

Riding on the unique selling points that I shared earlier about our neighbourhood, the prime location of our hotel allows business travelers an opportunity to explore the local and cultural aspects of the city after their busy days.

On the other hand, with direct access to the Admiralty MTR station and prestigious Pacific Place Mall, leisure guests can visit the shopping and entertainment complex with over 140 luxury brands to experience Hong Kong as a shopping paradise.

For both business travelers or vacation visitors, they will be delighted with our distinctive line-up of gastronomical offerings – be it a sumptuous and expansive buffet, a decadent afternoon tea set or exquisite set menu, or a relaxing weekend brunch, our talented culinary team has artfully arranged for you to enjoy our culinary excellence.

What’s one aspect of the hotel that guests may not notice initially but is something that shouldn’t be missed?  Put another way, what’s your favorite thing about this hotel?  What makes it great?

Tucked away on the lobby level, the hotel’s coffee and cake shop, Dolce 88, offers an array of delicious pastries and desserts as well as specialty cakes to complement any special occasion. Helmed by the award-winning Pastry Chef, Andy Yeung, he is dedicated to creating intricate and innovative pastries, cakes and desserts as well as signature specialty cakes like Hong Kong Opera Cake and New York Cheesecake.

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me.  Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share about the JW Marriott?

We believe true luxury is created by people who love and are passionate about what they do. Our 750 dedicated associates offer distinctive and personal services which are authentic, crafted, intuitive and warm. We also strive to cultivate enriching experienced based on our guests’ passions that deepen and shape their lives. That’s why our guests are able to experience authentically reflects the surroundings with a sense of well-being that delivers lasting memories.

Ummm … Where Are All Your Posts?

By
Jayce
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0
couple planning honeymoon

I know that I’m behind in providing you guys some inside looks into our vacation.  I’m guessing you are looking for my reviews on the First and Business Class flights as well as my review of the hotels in which we have been staying.

Trust me.  I’m working on it.  There is just so much to write and getting the pictures up has been challenging with the limited internet access I have had at times but don’t fret.  It’s coming!  Please bear with me and keep checking back.

In the meantime, you can check out my posts through Instagram, Facebook and Twitter:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pointsnerd/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/pointsnerd/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/realpointsnerd

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