Disclaimer: I was invited by Sands Macao to enjoy one night at Conrad Macao, as well as dine at the Portuguese restaurant Chiado, and the Chinese restaurant Jiang Nan. Following a nice Cantonese meal earlier this year at The Venetian Macao, I was looking forward to seeing what else the massive Sands Macao development — […]
Tourism
Hotel Review: The Hari, Hong Kong
Disclaimer: In exchange for a 2-night stay, I am writing a review of The Hari hotel in Hong Kong. Having been a former (albeit brief) Hong Kong, and Shenzhen resident, I seem to make it to HK once or twice a year. Somehow, HKG is still my 2nd-most used airport, even though it has been […]
JR Hokuriku Arch Pass and Gassho Architecture in Toyama, Japan
Contemplating a trip to Tokyo and Osaka, but unsure about where to go between the two visits? Why not get a JR Hokuriku Arch Pass to appreciate the UNESCO World Heritage gasshou-style (合掌造り) architecture in Toyama? Skip to: gassho, what’s that? First, let’s briefly delineate the Hokuriku area. The three mainstay prefectures are Fukui, Ishikawa, and […]
Hotel Review: Park Hotel Tokyo
Disclaimer: In exchange for a 2-night stay, I am writing this review of Park Hotel Tokyo. Before we jump into particulars, you might be interested to learn more about the concept behind the hotel. Art Much like its sister property the Shiba Park Hotel, there is a core theme at the Park Hotel Tokyo. Whereas […]
Hotel Review: Shiba Park Hotel, Tokyo
Disclaimer: In exchange for a two-night stay at Tokyo’s Shiba Park Hotel, I am writing this review. At the other end of the frenetic Tokyo spectrum, we have the 76-year old Shiba Park Hotel; you wouldn’t be surprised to know that the hotel is just a few minutes walk from the eponymous Shiba Park, and […]
Hotel Review: Shinjuku Prince Hotel, Tokyo
Disclaimer: I am writing this review in exchange for a one-night stay at the Shinjuku Prince Hotel. There is probably no single Tokyo hotel that I’ve walked by more than the Shinjuku Prince Hotel. Why? One, it’s in a cliché photogenic neighborhood, Kabukicho: Two, I’m a frequent visitor to the Shinjuku Batting Center, home of […]
Oita Airport in Japan has One Unusual Amenity
London Heathrow, Frankfurt, and Vienna have airport supermarkets. Singapore Changi, a butterfly garden, swimming pool and jacuzzi, and yes, they, too have a supermarket. But Oita Airport in Japan? Try a foot bath. Oita Airport is the sole commercial airport in Oita prefecture, whose primary destinations include the eponymous capital, and a pair of hot […]
A Visit to Saratoga Springs, New York
Disclaimer: In early October 2024, I was invited by Travel Alliance Partnership and Discover Saratoga to experience an historical tour of Saratoga Springs, New York. I’m ashamed to say that I don’t know my state that well. Sure, I can locate all of the prominent cities and attractions — and food destinations — but ultimately […]