Shangri-la Ningbo

Shangri-la Ningbo is the newest and biggest 5-Star Hotel in Ningbo offering 563 rooms that overlooks the city's three rivers. Usually staying at Sheraton Ningbo, I decided to give it a try on my recent business visit to Ningbo.



Location
The Hotel is located right in the heart of the city and is minutes away from the city's famed Tianyi Square, a retail and dining center.


Facilities



Shangri-la Ningbo has all the facilities of a 5-Ster Property. From a full Spa, Gym, Full-Size Swimming Pool to even Tennis Courts they got it all.




Room



I wasn't given any upgrade but the standard Deluxe Room was big. The furniture had an Oriental Touch and the room had all the standard offerings that one would expect of a new 5-Star Property.



Contact Information:
Address: 88 Yuyuan Road, Jiangdong District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315040, China
Tel: +86-574-87998888
Web: www.shangri-la.com/en/property/ningbo/shangrila
Map:

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Hilton Bandung, Indonesia

My friend's Wedding was held at the Hilton Bandung which was where I stayed at for 3 days. This is the newest five star property in Bandung.

Location
The hotel is located in Bandung City Center which is very convenient. Restaurants, Shopping Malls and Night Entertainment are all within a few minutes drive




Facilities
This property boasts a brand new gym with the latest Life Fitness Equipment. A spa is also available with rates starting at USD $22 (if I recall) which is very cheap! The swimming pool is also very nice with custom-made sun-beds.




Room
This is actually my first Hilton I've stayed in. I politely asked for a complimentary upgrade but I wasn't given any. Our deluxe room was quite spacious and it did not have any carpet.





Contact Information:
Address: 259 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok,10110, Thailand
Tel: +(66)(2) 207 8000

Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok

Westin Grande was the first hotel I stayed in when I first visited Bangkok. Having not stayed here for almost a year and a half I decided to come back for a visit.



Location
Westin Grande is located in the prime Sukhumvit area and is just right outside the BTS Station Asok. Major shopping malls are just a couple of stops away and so are most of the major night life spots such as Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy.

Facilities
The gym is a little small but is equip with all the modern equipment including TV screens. There is a also a space for Yoga and dance classes.




There is also a club lounge for Platinum Members which offers a complimentary breakfast and cocktail hours.





The Spa (Vereena Spa) in the hotel is highly recommended and is one of the best I've tried in Bangkok. It is apparently owned by the Chairman of Thailand's Spa Association.

Room
I got a complimentary upgrade to a suite. The room wasn't as spacious as the other three SPG properties in Bangkok and is a little dated.





Platinum Member Benefits
Members here get the following:
1. Complimentary Breakfast at the Club Lounge only
2. Cocktail Hour at the Club Lounge
3. Room Upgrade upon check-in


Contact Information:
Address: 259 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok,10110, Thailand
Tel: +(66)(2) 207 8000

Le Meridien Cyberport, Hong Kong

I was in Hong Kong for a couple of days and managed to get a decently priced room at Le Meridien Cyberport. The hotel's design is very sleek and modern with a really funky lobby.




Location
Located in Cyberport the hotel is about 10 minutes from Hong Kong Centre. One would need to take a taxi which would cost around HKD 15-20 to get to the central business district. If I recall correctly there is also a complimentary shuttle bus that runs every 30 minutes.

The area is good if you like some peace and quiet. But if shopping and partying convenience is what you are looking for then this might not be the right place.


Facilities
The hotel boasts a state of the art gym whose cardio machines are equipped with TV screens. An outdoor swimming pool is also available but it is mostly for tanning.


Room
I did not get a suite but was upgraded to their ocean view room. The view was definitely very good with sweeping views of the ocean. It was also neat that they had a welcome snack.






Like most new Starwood Properties my room featured a flat screen TV, Ipod Deck and a relatively comfortable bed.




The bathroom was also pretty nice with a deep soaker tub.





Platinum Member Benefits

Members here get the following:

1. Complimentary Breakfast
2. Room Upgrade upon check-in

Contact Information:
Address: 100 Cyberport Road Hong Kong, Hong Kong China
Phone: (852) 2980 7788
Fax: (852) 2980 7888

Le Meridien Bangkok

It's been a while since I've updated this part of my blog. A couple of months back I stayed at Le Meridien Bangkok. This is Starwood's latest property in the city of angels and it is now my favorite.





Location
The hotel is located right opposite Patpong which is one of Bangkok's famous red light district. The BTS Station "Sala Daeng" is within a 5 minute walk. There are plenty of Japanese Restaurants, Street Food and shops that will keep you busy during the night.


Facilities
This is definitely a 5 star property. There's a spa, a very modern and fully equipped gym and also a swimming pool which I think is a little bit small but good enough for a few short laps.





Room
By far my most favorite suite. It is very modern and feels very cozy. What I liked most was their turn down service which provides complimentary chocolates and nuts every night.








Platinum Member Benefits

Members here get the following:

1. Free Internet
2. Free Breakfast
3. Cocktail hour at their Bamboo Chic Restaurant
4. Complimentary 2 pieces of pressing service upon arrival


Contact Information:
Address:SURAWONG RD, BANGKOK, 40/5, Bangkok, 10500, Thailand
Tel:+66 2 232 8888
Web: www.lemeridienhotelbangkok.com

Hotel Imperial, Vienna

Considered to be one of the most famous Hotel's in Austria if not the world. This hotel was home to numerous famous and infamous guests throughout it's 100 plus years history. Hitler, Mussolini, MJ, the emperor and empress of Japan and other head of states and famous figures have all stayed here when visiting Vienna.






With a hefty price tag of 400 Euros and up what does this hotel offer?

Location
Hotel Imperial is centrally located in the heart of Vienna. Most of the city's shopping and major attractions such as the State Opera are within walking distance.

Facilities
Being built over a 100 years ago definitely limits the space the hotel has for modern day facilities. The gym is small and equipped with equipment that is probably as old as the hotel itself.



There is no swimming pool but the hotel does have a sauna that could only fit no more than 2 people


Room
We got a complimentary room upgrade to a Deluxe Room and I must admit this is probably the nicest hotel room I've stayed in Europe. Our room was tastefully decorated with classical furnishings and was actually spacious.





The beds were plush and very comfortable and they even had a pillow menu where one could select a wide variety of pillows including one that is stuffed with horse hair.



The bathroom was also big with a deep bath tub and a separate shower. Amenities were top notch






Service was impeccable with a turn down service that included complimentary mineral water and chocolates!



Internet is available for a hefty 36 Euros per day by far the most expensive I've ever seen!

Platinum Member Benefits
There are no benefits for Platinum guests except for the room upgrade and late checkout.


Contact Information:
Address: # Kaerntner Ring 16 Vienna,1015, Austria
Tel: (43)(1) 501100
Web: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=97
Starwood Category 6 Property (Luxury Collection)