Having said that, several issues could be looked into to enhance the guest experience:

(1) Stop charging for bottled water.  I know of no other premium hotel that charge for factory distilled water beyond the daily “allowance” of two small bottles.

(2) Stop charging for requests for refreshing of toiletries supply.  Yes, the hotel uses L’Occitane, but the bottles are miniscule and to charge for requests for additional supplies beyond the daily “allowance” suggests stinginess.  In fact, prominently displayed in each apartment is an astounding list of 125 items from the sofa set to the desk lamp and their corresponding cost (just in case they go missing upon check-out).  Either the hotel is not quite attracting the premium travelers it claims to target or the management is paranoid.  Not good either way.

(3) Press the commercial operator of the fitness center to extend the operating hours to be more guest-friendly.  Closing at 9:00 p.m. on weekends and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays is quite unheard of.  Most premium hotels today have 24-hour gyms.

(4) Ventilate the corridors on the guest floors.   They are as warm as a sauna.

(5) Improve the breakfast offering.  Guests on diverse online travel communities have commented that the breakfast is pedestrian.

(6) Smile more?  The staff seem so stern-faced.

That is not to say that the Ascott Sathorn is inferior.  For business guests who plan to stay for weeks at a stretch and find the commercial business district of Sathorn convenient, the service apartment presents a viable option.  Regular holiday makers however may find other alternatives more attractive.

The overall feel of the place, from the architecture to the lobby decor to the guestroom furnishings exude an urbane, contemporary vibe without crossing into pretentiousness.  Hence, guests feel relaxed, welcomed, and at ease.

Andaz in Hindi means “personal style” and the host who checked me in thoughtfully asked if this was my first stay at the property, and when affirmatively informed, proceeded to switch the originally assigned room that was to face Hollywood Hill to one on a high floor (the 12th) that faced the city–a magical sight of the Sunset Strip at night with its glittering and shimmering lights, and on a clear day, the silhouette of downtown Los Angeles beckoning in the horizon.

The View King room I was so thoughtfully assigned to was one of the most spacious I’ve stayed in, and generously appointed.  In addition to a study desk, there is a section by the floor-to-ceiling window–partitioned by heavy curtains–a chill-out area featuring a chaise lounge and loveseat sofa. With the exception of alcohol, guests are free to partake of the minibar that is stocked with organic tea, orange juice, soda, and snacks.  The bathroom features delightfully-natural toiletries from Mill Valley, CA-based Pharmacopia.

There is an adequately-equipped gym on the mezzanine floor, but the best-kept secret is the rooftop pool offering panoramic views of the surrounds, from the gated abodes of the wealthy on Hollywood Hills to the gleaming towers of downtown LA and everything in between.

All-in-all, Andaz West Hollywood has been one of the more distinctive Hyatt properties I’ve stayed at, and I look forward to being able to return in the near future.

Located in downtown Palm Springs, the hotel is a stroll away to the quaint, eclectic collection of shops–from art galleries (there seem to be so many in Palm Springs!) to cafes to salons that line North Palm Canyon Drive as well as adjacent arterial roads–and a short drive to nearby attractions such as the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (a two and 1/2-mile ascent to the peak of Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness abroad the world’s largest rotating tramcars) and the Desert Hills Premium Outlets, a veritable capital of consumption, in neighboring Cabazon.

Rooms-wise, this is an all suites hotel, and upon check-in, I was upgraded to a premier king room, for which I was glad, because the living area windows of the regular rooms of the atrium lobby hotel face the corridor.  The room was spacious with a separate living and sleeping areas separated by a walkway and the bathroom.  There is a 42″ flat screen TV in both the living and bed rooms.  Bathroom amenities feature the standard White Ginger collection from Portico Spa, although it may be time for Hyatt to update the toiletries to something more contemporary.  The balcony was spacious with a splendid view of the surrounding hills and golf course.

A well-equipped gym greets fitness fiends.  There are elliptical trainers, treadmills, and weight resistance machines that target some of the core muscles, as well as free weights in the form of dumbbells.  The outdoor pool was heated to room temperature when I was there during the Christmas holidays, making it quite inviting.

The only downside of the hotel is that it is fairly old.  The decor is starting to look dated and stuffy, and the bathroom especially could do with better lighting.  The need for an update aside, the staff are friendly and efficient, and the well-appointed and fairly comprehensive amenities combine to make guests feel welcome and comfortable.  And at US$102 a night (including taxes) during the December season, I thought it was value-for-money.  For Hyatt Gold Passport Platinum members, parking, Internet, and in-room bottled water charges are waived.

The excellent location aside, during my check-in on Christmas eve, I found the front desk staff unfailingly polite and friendly, and I was upgraded to a Grand King guestroom, a contemporary, well-appointed facility whose highlights include a feature wall with swivel flat-panel TV that can swing to face the living or sleeping areaa, and a spacious white marble bathroom displaying toiletries from the bamboo creme collection of Pasadena-based Lather.

Although the property has a modest collection of 138 rooms, the sun-lit lobby that adjoins the all-day diner (AVIA Kitchen) and bar (AVIA Lounge) invites in plenty of natural light that expands its confines.  The fitness facility, comprising only five cardio machines and a set of dumbbells, is disappointingly small.  The rooftop pool however boasts delightful views of The Pike as well as the surrounding business area, including the historical Queen Mary–a luxury ocean voyager-turned WWII troopship-turned floating hotel.

Altogether, I found my stay very agreeable, and certainly look forward to being welcomed back by the hospitable staff and to be able to further explore the beautiful City of Long Beach.

To me, the most important is that it is integrated with Plaza Indonesia, a gargantuan shopping mall that has a basement grocery store, bakeries, as well as an array of restaurants. Yes, it has it has Bally, Givenchy, Armani–the temples of consumption–but direct access to the more practical amenities are crucial for safety reasons in case one needs a quick dash to the grocery store grab for some daily essential or to a bakery for quick sustenance.
 

 
The other strength of the Grand Hyatt Jakarta is its fitness center. It has one of the best, most comprehensive, and wonderfully spacious hotel gyms I’ve come across yet. The gym–called Club Olympus–is open to non-guest members, but I’ve never seen it crowded. The pool, likewise, is huge, with swimming lanes as well as a play area for children.

I’ve also had the opportunity to taste the fares at all-day dining Grand Cafe, and the food is above average.

The rooms are spacious, featuring a neutral, clean-lined decor that cannot possibly offend (although one might on the other hand say they lack character). Room service is diligent and attentive, and generally, for a large all-rounder hotel that aims to cater to business as well as leisure travelers, the Grand Hyatt Jakarta does a creditable job.

The carpets are stained and strained, and the rooms are the smallest I’ve seen among U.S. hotels.  The door, when opened, misses the edge of the bed by mere inches.  And this is in Kansas, where there is a surfeit of land.  Even the Holiday Inn Los Angeles Airport feature larger rooms.

The air-conditioning unit works in fits, and does a rather poor job of cooling the miniscule room.  Even the toiletries, featuring a coconut-lime-verbena concoction from Bath & Body Works smell a little too much like a pina colada mixed by an over-enthusiastic bartender.

That aside, there were some obvious repairs that need to be done, such as the towel bar that is falling off the wall.  The choice to locate the electric breakers in the bathroom of all places was also a most curious choice, not to mention unsightly and potentially a fire hazard.

The sorry state of affairs at the Holiday Inn Downtown Wichita is a real pity, for I’ve had pleasant experiences at other Holiday Inn properties such as at the Holiday Inn Ontario Airport, Holiday Inn Columbus-Hillard, and the Holiday Inn Kansas City Airport in recent years.

Perhaps because of this lineage, Hotel ICON exudes a fresh, young, stylish vibe.  The staff look young, are personable, and helpful.  The hotel opened in mid-2011, and naturally, facilities are spanking new.  Because the interior design (by Hong Kong native William Lim) adopted a contemporary, understated language, I think the property will hold its age well over time.

The best part of the room is its spaciousness (my city-view room measured 36-square meters) and the floor-to-ceiling windows.  The next most welcome aspect is that everything in the mini-bar is complimentary, refreshed daily during morning housekeeping.  There is a thoughtful trove of stationery, and even an in-room printer and a supply of paper.  The secret delight is the generously-sized bathroom with glass-enclosed shower, deep soak tub (with a mirror that turns into a TV at the flick of a switch), huge mirrors, ambient lightning, and Leonard toiletries.  It’s amazing to have such a well-designed and spacious bathroom in Hong Kong where hotel rooms are notoriously small.

The facility I personally utilized the most was the gym, which faced the pool and featured a good selection of TechnoGym equipment in a spacious, high-ceiling environment that allowed in lots of natural light during the day.  Fitness enthusiasts will not have much to complain here.

The business center is on the 28th floor, but with free WiFi for hotel guests and in-room printers to boot, one would hardly need to make use of this facility.

The final amenity to note is a room on the 9th floor (same level as the fitness center, pool, and spa) called Timeless.  Featuring leather lean-back chairs and an array of beverages, fruits, and magazine, this is the sanctuary for guests who check-in before their room is ready or prefer to wait at the hotel before heading to the airport for their late flight.  A word of caution: the chairs look more comfortable than they actually are once you settle into them.

All said, I think Hotel ICON has the promise of an icon in-the-king.

And then it was gone

But the fragrance of the rain remains

Perhaps the staple diet of Canto pop while growing up had something to do with it.  Or perhaps I have yet to outgrow the libraries of TVB drama serials that in one way or another offered glimpses into the collective psyche of the Hong Kong people.  Heck, I even picked up Cantonese purely from these products of pop culture.

I’ve been mulling this question over the many years and numerous occasions that I’ve been able to visit the enigmatic, evocative city.  Well, some would argue that Hong Kong is being eclipsed by other more exciting cities on the ascent such as Shanghai.  To me however, even the darkly-lit backstreets of Mong Kok have an organic allure to them.

In the quiet moments of reflection, I’ve come to conclude that even as the breathtakingly resplendent Victoria Harbour represents the success of a city that has withstood the crucible of time, and the daily swirl of suit-clad office workers symbolizes the strong work ethics that Hong Kongers are renowned for, what I am ultimately drawn to Hong Kong is its hopeful, resilient people who have overcome adversity and taken on life’s challenges as they come, as well as the juxtaposition–and coexistence–of a city that is so modern and dynamic in its outlook and yet so traditional at its core.

Through his explanation of the subtext behind his songs such as Victoria, I was able to glean the deeper meaning behind his compositions.  But the highlight to me personally was his soul-baring rendition of Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band.”  At that point, I finally felt that I was starting to understand who Chet Lam is as an artiste, and felt privileged to witness someone who so exemplifies passion, tenacity, and commitment to his craft.  Strum on, Chet, the Leader of the Band.

Below is a YouTube clip of Chet’s epilogue and rendition of “Leader of the Band” (abt. 2:48 mins into the video) during the encore.