The former Relais Spa Hotel at Paris CDG Airport is now managed by Crown Plaza. It is a large hotel which caters for the crews of several Asian airlines. The rooms are a good size with a small kitchenette  including a microwave oven for warming food or drinks.

The hotel features all the normal amenities  that you would expect. There is a bar and a restaurant which never seem to be busy.  I had a meal at the restaurant and it was good and service was well done. There is a large Spa which has a sauna, massages and a heated indoor swimming pool. Computer stations are also available as well as free wifi. The area around the hotelcomprises other hotels and not much else. There has been a terrible robbery attack to a tourist group with gas sprays outside on the public street and they were all robbed. So better be careful.

Unfortunately, under the new hotel management, the hotel shuttle bus now stops at CDG Terminal 2 only and no longer stops at Terminal 1 and the Roissypole RER train station. In my view, this is a major oversight as Terminal 1 is served by many airlines, including all Star Alliance airlines, and the Roissypole RER train station is the gateway to downtown Paris and the Paris Metro system. Passengers travelling to Terminal 1, or the Roissypole RER train station, now need to take a taxi directly from the hotel, or travel via Terminal 2 and use CDG’s free CDGVAL train system. Both options are inefficient, as compared to direct transportation via hotel shuttle bus. The taxi option is an added expense and can be an uncomfortable experience as taxi drivers do not like the short trip to/from CDG airport.  I believe that management should address this oversight as soon as possible and update the hotel’s website with details of the shuttle bus arrangements.  UBER is another option. I used it and it was easy and cheaper than regular taxis.

Verdict: One of the many options at CDG, certainly not the highest standard but acceptable for 1 night.

https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/roissy-en-france/parca/hoteldetail

Club Lounge

I arrived at the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi in the evening and was escorted directly to the club lounge for check-in. The Thai staff on duty made a great impression and made me feel at home instantly. I booked a junior suite which was generous in size with a separate living room, a bed room and a large bathroom. There were floor-to-ceiling windows which offered a fantastic view over Abu Dhabi. The room was equipped with 2 flat screen TV’s, a Nespresso coffee maker, a tea kettle and a well-stocked minibar. The bed was nice and comfy and service from housekeeping staff was very attentive and friendly.

The Dusit Club Lounge was the true highlight of the stay. There were multiple food presentations, including breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea/coffee and a happy hour with a generous food buffet.

The service at the Club Lounge was impeccable and could not be faulted. ,The staff members were charming, sociable and helpful. The lounge is open from 6 am to 11 pm every day. I really appreciated the late closing time as many flights from the Middle East depart around/or after midnight. Nice to wait in comfort of the lounge rather than in the congested airport.

The Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi is located in a business district, away from the beaches. There is the Orchid Bar, the Urban Tavern Restaurant and the famous Benjarong Thai Restaurant.

I really enjoyed my stay at the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi. The hotel is nicely decorated, has a swimming pool as well as the Namm Spa.  All staff members that I met were charming and professional.

https://www.dusit.com/dusitthani/abudhabi/

The Victorian-Style Strand Hotel opened in 1901. The hotel faces the Yangon River to its south and is one of the most famous hotels in Yangon and South East Asia. The hotel is named after its address, at 92 Strand Road.

The Strand reopened in 2016 following an extensive renovation.  The hotel is now an all-suite, top-of-the range, boutique hotel. With teak and marble floors, mahogany furniture everything looks very fine and traditional.

I stayed in a deluxe suite which was 60-65 sq. metres with a spacious sitting room, a work desk, and a large bedroom. The bathroom contained  a double basin and deep soak bathtub with a separate shower.

The hotel has a 24-hour butler service available which can take care of literally anything. Frequent coffee and tea services as well as refreshing beverages are provided during the day.

There are 2 restaurants at The Strand. The Strand Café which is open all day and serves breakfast as well. The breakfast is an all à-la-carte menu where everything can be ordered from a special breakfast menu card. The Strand fine-dining restaurant was closed during my stay. The Strand bar is a nice place to meet with people for a quiet chat during the day and is busy with see-and-to-be seen people during evenings and nights.

The Strand’s staff were very professional, polite and eager to help and to please the hotel guests. It seemed that every wish could be fulfilled and I felt very much at home at the Strand.

Several big Asian and international hotel chains will open new hotel properties in Yangon soon but I think The Strand is very well prepared to face this new competition and stay a top-notch hotel in the Yangon market which will remain a first choice for many guests.

http://hotelthestrand.com

The Legend Chiang Rai is a contemporary Thai Lanna style resort located on the Mae Kok River in Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand. The resort is secluded from central Chiang Rai, yet is only a few minutes drive from the city centre. The grand architecture of The Legend Chiang Rai gives the feeling of a quiet tranquil resort hotel where time seems to stand still. The property has a panoramic view of the surrounding hills and mountains. The riverside location is rich with large rainforest trees and lush tropical vegetation. Facilities and services are offered with Thai charm and hospitality. The Legend is also the only hotel in Chiang Rai which offers large-size pool villas (1 or 2 bedroom villas are available).

I stayed in a 2 bedroom pool villa during off-season. Shortly before my stay I received an e-mail regarding planned construction work going on in the near vicinity of the pool villa. When checking back with the management they assured me that there would be no noise and ongoing work during my stay. They kept up to the promise and work was disrupted. I found that to be a good solution and was very happy about it.

The pool villa was quite large, with 2 full size bedrooms and 2 oversized bathrooms. Even though this is an older resort everything is very well maintained. The pool was cleaned daily and the gardens were kept clean and well manicured. There was a large main pool as well and a small gym was available. Breakfast was served daily at the al-fresco dining restaurant with river view and the choice was adequate. I also had room service twice and one dinner at Wine Casa. All the food was delicious.

The Legend Chiang Rai is Thai-owned and operated and I found all staff members were professional and friendly. The front office staff as well as the GM interacted nicely with the guests and I felt at home and comfortable at all times. Little problems such as electric glitches with the door operating system were solved quickly and efficiently.

In my opinion, the Legend Chiang Rai is a very good choice to stay in the city centre and offers a tranquil and restful place to relax and unwind.

https://www.thelegend-chiangrai.com