EDELWEISS AIR, SWITZERLAND

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HAVANA – ZURICH

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I flew on an Edelweiss Airbus 330 with a configuration of 27 Business Class and  298 Economy Class seats.

There was a long check-in queue line for Economy Class passengers at Havana Airport but the Business Class counter was free and check-in was a breeze (There were only 11 Pax booked in C-class)

The Edelweiss Airbus 330 features the same Business Class seats as offered by  SWISS/Austrian with a full flat sleeping option and the same layout as well.

I found the Edelweiss in-flight service very pleasant. There was a pre-dinner drink service followed by a first course, a main course and cheese and dessert. All return flight food items were catered in Zurich so the quality and taste was very good. After a good sleep a nice breakfast was served and the famous swiss Biberli (Biber cake) were handed out before landing.

I enjoyed the service from the Edelweiss crew a lot. They were attentive and charming and, of course, the flight being half empty made it a very comfortable experience.

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http://www.flyedelweiss.com

 

CONDOR GERMAN AIRLINES

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FRANKFURT – HAVANA

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Condor is a German airline with a long history. The airline used to be part of the Lufthansa Group but is now owned by Thomas Cook International. While the Condor aircraft tails carry the Thomas Cook heart  on them, the airplanes show the Condor name on them and many things reminded me of the Lufthansa times. The crew uniforms are still LH-style, the menu cards and the service still show the signature of Lufthansa.  Condor is also part of the Miles-and-More program. This makes it easy for collecting and spending miles and getting good connecting flights as well as a check-through bag arrangement.

My flight to Havana boarded from a bus gate at Terminal B in Frankfurt and when boarding the airplane through the aircraft steps a true holiday feeling came up because many passengers were taking pictures and everything was very relaxed.

The aircraft was a 21-year old Boeing 767-300. The Business Class seating was 18 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration. The seats were angle-flat but reclinable to 170 degrees. Economy seating was: 237 in 2-3-2 configuration.

After a welcome drink, menu cards and immigration forms were handed out. The purser took the menu choice and after take-off they served the first course right away. After the first course, the entire tray was cleared and the hot dish, cheese and dessert were served separately. Then duty free sales was done, followed by ice-cream and a rest period before another meal was served. The landing in Havana was on-time and after walking from the aircraft to the terminal building immigration was done in a matter of minutes.

I enjoyed my flight with Condor very much despite the lack of wifi and the rather “vintage” seating. The  crew was very pleasant and I felt well being taken care of. Condor offers a solid product at very competitive fares.

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http://www.condor.com

HYATT REGENCY, CREEK HEIGHTS, DUBAI, UAE

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Gym:

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I booked a suite at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights through one of the big online booking platforms. The choice of hotels and rooms in Dubai is countless and special offers are always available. I have done a couple of reviews in Dubai already and with the recent opening of the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights at Dubai Healthcare City, I wanted to add another hotel of the Hyatt Group.

The hotel is located mid-way between the city and the airport near the Dubai Creek and offers a hotel and a residence building and accommodations. The World-of-Hyatt priority counter was unoccupied so I checked-in at the regular reception desk. It was done quickly, although no upgrade or lounge level was offered.

The suite was large 69 sq m. with a separate living room, a guest toilet, a large bedroom with walk-in closet, and a large bathroom with a separate shower and bathtub. The window shade in the bathroom was broken and I could not open it. I requested it to be fixed two times during my 3 nights stay but they were not able to fix it for some reason. (I never actually saw anybody working on it or trying to fix it)

I found the service at the Hyatt Regency to be below average. There was no welcome greeting card, no welcome fruit or anything. There were a couple of free soft drinks in the minibar which were complimentary as well as a coffee maker but the capsules were not refilled on two days without requesting it from housekeeping. Housekeeping in general was held to a minimum. There was no daily turn down service and the bathroom amenities such as bottle water or shaver were never refilled during my stay. This is not the usual service that I expect at a Hyatt Regency hotel.

There are 3 food outlets in the hotel. A Mexican restaurant, a local/international mixed restaurant and a Deli plus a small ice cream shop in the lobby. I ordered a room service meal on the first night which was promptly delivered and tasted OK.

There is a huge gym which offers lots of good equipment including a separate fitness room for body building. There is a beauty parlour and a Spa available as well. Taxi and Uber Taxi are available 24 hours so it is easy to move about.

If traveling to Dubai there are endless possibilities where to stay and I would not recommend this hotel and not return to it. The hotel needs substantial service improvement and the touch of Hyatt Regency is totally missing.

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https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/united-arab-emirates/hyatt-regency-dubai-creek-heights/dxbhc

ETIHAD AIRWAYS BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGE, ABU DHABI, UAE

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The new and XL-lounge from Etihad Airlines has been open for about a year now. It is located in Terminal 3 which is dedicated to Etihad flights. The lounge has a very modern design, with a large cocktail/wine bar, a small coffee bar and 3 buffets with hot and cold food items. There is a nice dessert and fruit section as well.

Coffee/tea making facilities are to be found in about 5 different locations so you never have to walk far to get a drink.

The lounge is kept very tidy and clean at all times and staff are is ready to help at any time.

Seating area is divided into a dining section, a sofa/rest area, and a Business Centre. A Six Senses Spa is available for guests who have longer transit stops.

 

I found the new Etihad lounge very pleasant and if you are lucky to catch a not-so-busy time this is certainly a good place to relax and unwind for a while.

Etihad Business Class guests get a separate bus transfer to the aircraft if parked on remote bay:

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Free Etihad Bus Service from Dubai to Abu Dhabi:

SUNBORN YACHT HOTEL, LONDON, UK

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I stayed in at the Sunborn London Yacht Hotel because I liked the idea of trying something different to the usual city hotels. London offers a great variety of hotels and accommodation so I found this a welcome change and was happy to try something new.

The Sunborn London Yacht Hotel has been stationed in the new London Docklands area since 2014 and has been operating as a hotel since then. It is frequently booked for weddings, anniversaries and other events. The Sunborn has its own bar and a restaurant.

I stayed in an Executive Suite with river view. It was a large hotel suite with a small balcony which had enough space for 2 chairs. The suite had a flatscreen TV, an espresso maker, kettle, a refrigerator with free mineral water, and all amenities a luxury room would normally offer. The bathroom was small but had a good layout and a heater for towels. The decoration of the suite was elegant with a lot of warm wood tones and I really appreciated the small balcony to let some fresh air in during the night. The bed was comfortable with plenty of pillows and I slept very well.

I had a drink at the upper deck bar and it was nice to sit there and see people move by and taking pictures. The restaurant made a good impression, it was nicely set up and small but good choice of food was available.

The entire Yacht is nicely decorated  and my pictures show images from the suite, the restaurant and the hotel bar as well as the upper deck bar.

What I was not impressed about was the staff working there. They seemed to be more interested in chatting among themselves than taking care of their guests or giving information about the area or restaurants nearby. I also sent 2 e-mails with different inquiries to the hotel prior to my stay, but both of them were left unanswered. I find this behaviour very unprofessional and it does not give the guest a positive impression from the staff and management. Overall, it was a good stay but leaves lots of room for improvement to make their guests feel truly welcome.

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https://www.sunbornhotels.com/london/

QATAR AIRWAYS, Q-SUITES

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DOHA-BANGKOK, B-777-300ER

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Qatar airways sells its new business class under the slogan “First in Business” with a new concept called Quad suites. There are forward and backward facing suites which can be combined into a “family suite” when the TV panels are pushed away.

If used alone, there is a generously large suite waiting for you where you have a large TV monitor,  a seat that turns into a full bed and a door to close for complete privacy. Various mood lighting and nice pillows are also waiting. The famous dining anytime service is available and is enhanced with “candle lights”, a choice or hot and cold towels and warm desserts. (pyjamas are also available)

I found the suites very private and comfortable, and I loved the setting with the private door. The service was excellent and the product offered to Qatar Airways business class passengers is considered First Class on other airlines.

In my opinion this is the best business class product on the market at the moment.

 

 

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-hk/homepage.html

PRIMECLASS LOUNGE, ZURICH-AIRPORT, SWITZERLAND

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The Turkish Ground Service provider TAV has opened a new Primeclass Lounge at Zurich Airport. It is located on the top floor of the Non Schengen Terminal E.

The lounge is 862 m2 with a capacity of 134 seats (116 indoor and 18 outdoor) a bar, a hot/cold buffet, wifi, shower facilities, a business corner and private suites. The lounge spreads out from one side of the terminal to the other so there is a fantastic view of the airport on both sides and of the Swiss Alps on one side. The lounge is decorated in a very modern way, with blue designer chairs and conventional seating in dining table style.

The lounge is fairly new, so it does not cater to many airlines yet. It is open to several lounge pass holders, such as Priority Pass etc. Entry into the lounge can also currently be purchased at CHF 50 for a 3 hour stay.

 

http://www.primeclass.com.tr/en/Services/Pages/Zurich-Airport-Lounge.aspx

SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES, ZURICH AIRPORT (LOUNGES)

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SWISS International Air Lines has recently re-opened  the revamped Business Lounge and a new Senator Lounge at Zurich Airport. The new lounges are in addition to the recently opened Business Lounge and Senator Lounge at Terminal/Dock E serving Intercontinental flights.

A new First Class check-in experience and a lounge has also been recently been introduced. First Class passengers can now also enjoy the long awaited Meet and Greet pick-up service from long haul flights. Passengers will be escorted to a separate passport and security control if they have connecting flights, or to the baggage claim area if Zurich is their final destination.

I am featuring these photos courtesy of Mr. Tim and Mr. Christoph of Frankfurtflyer.de. You can see their reviews on the links below. (german language only)

 

BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGES:

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FIRST CLASS LOUNGES: 

Check-in 1 / A :

 

 

Terminal E:

 

 

https://www.frankfurtflyer.de/vorstellung-swiss-business-class-lounge-in-zuerich-terminal-a/

https://www.frankfurtflyer.de/vorstellung-die-neue-swiss-senator-lounge-zuerich-terminal-a/

https://www.frankfurtflyer.de/review-swiss-first-class-lounge-e-zuerich/

https://www.frankfurtflyer.de/review-die-neue-swiss-first-class-lounge-a-zuerich/

https://www.swiss.com/CH/EN/fly/airport/lounges-zurich.html

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GRAND VILLA ARGENTINA ESTATES, DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

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Villa Orsula – Grand Villa Argentina – Hotel Argentina – Villa Glavic

 

 

Villa Orsula

 

Grand Villa Argentina

 

 

 Hotel Argentina

 

Fitness and indoor pool

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The Villa Argentina Estate in Dubrovnik consists of four buildings which are interconnected. The mainbuildings are the Grand Villa Argentina and the hotel Argentina and the Villa Orsula. Across the street is the Villa Glavic which is a separate building but guests can use all the facilities of the Hotel Argentina.

The Grand Villa Argentina was built in the early 1920’s and became a luxury hotel a few years later. Its unique location makes this hotel a fantastic place to stay. Rooms and Suites offer a superb view of the Adriatic sea, the small island of Lokrum and the medieval city of Dubrovnik with its small harbour. The entrance to the old town is only 10 min walking distance away which makes it a wonderful place to stay, go and back to town whenever one feels like doing so.

The Villa Argentina has a magnificent garden which offers many relaxing spaces to sit down, read a book, or just simply watch the beautiful  Adriatic sea. A small swimming pool, a gym, a barber shop and a beauty spa are available. The hotel has a large bar, an indoor restaurant and an outdoor restaurant. I had breakfast and a dinner at the hotel’s restaurant and food tasted delicious and was plentiful.

There is also Villa Orsola which is no doubt one of the most luxurious places to stay in Dubrovnik. It consists of only 14 suites, all with a contemporary design. The Villa Orsula has been completely renovated and offers the highest luxury standards.  There is also a separate gourmet restaurant, a luxury bar and a lounge area. Guests at the Villa Orsula have a separate entrance with a small reception where a staff member is available 24 hours.

Dubrovnik offers many small hotels and accommodation. Those located in the old town might be a bit difficult to access as there are many steep stairs and small alleys and the old town tends to be very crowded if not overcrowded when the large cruise ships arrive and flood the town with their passengers.

I would highly recommend one of the Adriatic Luxury Hotels (14) as they are professionally managed and their staff are well trained, friendly, and helpful at all times.

 

 

https://www.adriaticluxuryhotels.com/en

 

PRIVATE JET EXPERIENCE

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This review is about the growing private aviation industry. There are numerous private airlines operating all over the world, from the smallest 4 to 6 seater aircraft to the larger up to 12 passengers aircraft which can fly long-haul.

I recently tried a German carrier called Hahn Air. They operate a fleet of aircraft which are available for hire on a charter basis. They can be chartered for short flights as well as longer trips. Some of these private airlines also operate scheduled flights on a seasonal basis. Hahn Air offers flights from Düsseldorf to Palma de Mallorca once a week and some scheduled flights from Düsseldorf to Luxembourg and return.

On my flight there were only 2 passengers and the captain gave us a safety briefing before take-off. The aircraft was a six seater Cessna Citation and there was a small monitor on which flight information was displayed. The cockpit door remained open and some pre-recorded  announcements were played before take-off and landing.

There is no flight attendant on board but there is a catering box which has soft drinks, coffee and small snacks for self-service.

The flight was short and the large windows offered a nice view. It was a unique experience for me as I am used to commercial aviation only. I liked the comfort and exclusivity as well as the ambiance and the feeling of being a VIP.

Private aviation is a costly business so careful planning is necessary. According to the company’s website, they offer nice deals for smaller groups or regular customers.

HahnAir

 

https://www.hahnair.com/en