Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong located at Central offers an excellent service. It is a must for everyone to stay for at least once. Room rate per night is not cheap. I did find a weekend package rate from the hotel website; more than what I want to pay but being a quick getaway from all, it's worth it. You can book this hotel through Macau's STDM travel agency; for that, the rate is about $2,700 HK per night plus taxes. Though you get no choice of what room you get. Mine, booked via the hotel website, is a Harbour view one. As I am typing this, I am overlooking the Victoria Harbour. The hotel is only about a 7-minute walk from Macau Hong Kong Ferry Terminal over an above the street walkway. As well, this hotel is only a 2-minute walk from IFC Tower where the Hong Kong Airport Express station is. So, this hotel is strategically well located.

There are two outdoor swimming pools on the 6th floor. One is a lap pool and the other is an Infiniti pool facing the Harbour. Deepest end in the pool is about 1.2m. It is very interesting looking up from the pool to see all the tall buildings and behind your back is all those buildings up the hill. In the middle of Central, you get an oasis! Recommend time to spend at the pool, first thing in the morning at 630 am or 7am.

The hotel does not recommend you drink from the tab; it provides complimentary Fiji bottled water (500ml) as many as you want! I think Audrey and I have gone thru over 2L per person each day. There is nowhere in the hotel room telling you complimentary bottled water; I found it out by calling the frontdesk about drinking from the tab water.

The gym is quite nice; it's a 24-hour one. "manned" service is from 6am to 10pm. It was nice having the gym by youself at 530am! The complimentary freshly squeezed watermelon and Guava juice, bottled Fiji water and various tea are available for guests.

O, there is a complimentary shuttle service from the Hong Kong Airport Express station to the hotel; I recommend walking unless you have tonnes of stuff. The driving take longer than walking to the hotel.

Air Canada lounge at YVR, International side

This lounge is getting busy. Have all the basic requirement of a standard lounge. There's no hot food; only soup and salad; for those who have problem, namely constipation, take stock on the salad and eat!

Business travel must be increasing busy. With that, we have bonehead people pacing back and fore in the hall way talking loudly on the cellphones. Yes, we know how important you are. Or remind me not to buy any shares from that company. Other people have the ringer on so loud, I am sure the volume drowns out the sound of aircrafts taking off at over 4000lbs thrust. Insane! People need a bit of etiquette. Maybe rather than showing an emergency evacuation video, should supply the video with lounge access and phone etiquettes.

I nearly turned to this dumb ass and started yelling at him to sit down and shut the F*^*&( up.

Off to Hong Kong

OK, leaving for Hong Kong in two hours. I'll be meeting Audrey there for the weekend. Have to have a proper engagement celebration. Will stay at Four Seasons Hong Kong. See here: http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/. The room is expensive; however, if booked via Macau's STDM Tour office, you may get about 40 to 50% off the rate. Also, there is a free shuttle at the Hong Kong station (Airport Express). Once exit out of the gate separating the train and the Service Desk, go to your left and exit out....

In Hong Kong, we'll discuss wedding related items as well as shopping for summer work clothes. Mid-Summer sale. It's cheaper flying into HK and shop rather than do it in Shanghai.

That's about it for now.

*PS. For Michele, do I need to apply to have Rod bringing his clubs to Maui? I need to reach my 12 rounds a year requirement! :-P

Wedding annoucement: Feb 3, 2008 - Maui

OK folks. For those who actually reads my blogs, the wedding date and location are set; 3:00pm Feb 3, 2008 Sunday @ Maui. I am looking for a venue. Start planning.... I'll have a travel agent for the Regina people to use. She's away for a month and won't be back until August 9th. So will be in touch on Maui packages....

Wedding date set: Feb 3, 2008

OK, finally a date is set for the wedding; it will be Feb 3, 2008; location is not determine at this time. This date will be very close to Chinese New Year - Feb 7, 2008. And in about 3 from next year, the Chinese New Year will fall on Feb 3 as well. Man, talk about me having my birthday on Chinese New Year and now my wedding anniversary; how weird is that?

Stay tune for the announcement of a location. Most likely at Maui....

Hau Tree Restaurant, Honolulu

If you want to have a nice view and open air restaurant by Wakiki, Hau Tree restaurant (http://www.kaimana.com/dining/hautreelanai.html may suit you. It is located at Kaimana Beach Hotel; at the end of Wakiki, walk pass the Aquarium and the memorial; you will see the hotel; if you see the W Hotel, you are too far. I recommend walking if you stay at Wakiki. Exercise! And it helps digestion after a huge meal. Reservation is a must. Otherwise, you will not get in. Space is limited.

The view was beautiful. Food was ok with large portion. My Avocado crusted Mahi Mahi was a bit salty. The vegetarian stuffed tomatoes Audrey ordered was huge! It could have been a dinner for two. Two drinks, two appetizers and two entrees with no desserts came to $120.00, tip included. I gave it a thumbs up for view; food and service, a "OK".

WestJet & Premium Lounge @ YVR

Westjet has partnered up Premium Lounge for lounge access. All you need is a valid same day WestJet pass and $20.00+taxes. You get Internet, food, drinks, you know the normal stuff you get from a lounge. The lounge is new; computers look new; the furniture looking out to the runway are well appointed. Food wise, more Asian leaning. It's worth the $20.00 if you travel with couple hours layover; you get food and Internet; just food alone is close to $20.00 at the airport anyway. This Lounge is located just pass security at Temrinal A. You won't miss it as you will walk pass the lounge towards WestJet gates. Just a stone throw away.