I went to lunch at Kozue, the Japanese restaurant at the Park Hyatt Tokyo. The restaurant is made up of rich amber wood walls, floors, and tables. The tableware is all unique. The restaurant has a breathtaking view out towards Mt. Fuji from its 40th floor perch. The menu, much more affordable at lunch than dinner, offers both individual choices (to which you can add rice, miso soup and Japanese pickles) and set course meals (beginning at JPY3900 at lunch and I believe JPY12000 at dinner, our meal was JPY6200). Our first course consisted of several items: Kelp Flavored Snapper and Fresh Seaweed with Vinaigrette Soy Sauce; Marinated Tofu, Konnyaku and Deep Fried Puffy Bread; Simmered Short-neck Clam, Yachiazami and Fuki Greens; Conger Eel and Seri Greens with Sesame Sauce. Everything was delicious, especially the…
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Hilton Tokyo for US$3 a Night
After quickly clearing customs and picking up our bags, we walked over to the Airport Limousine Bus desk in the arrivals hall and bought our tickets to the Hilton Tokyo. We paid our JPY3000 apiece for the ride and went outside of baggage claim. We had to wait half an hour until the next bus would be headed to the Hilton. No problem, it was nice to walk around outside and stand up for a spell. Standing nearby the pickup spot for our bus we were questioned by police who asked for our passports as an airport security measure. They wrote down passport numbers and asked our occupations, but I must admit this was the friendliest questioning by police I’ve ever experienced and I didn’t mind a bit (though the thought did cross my mind,…
ANA’s First Class “Super Style” Washington DC to Tokyo
Friday, April 14 Washington-Dulles to Tokyo NH Flight 1: Scheduled Departure 12:20pm / Scheduled Arrival 3:20pm Seats 2A, 2C Left home at 9:45 and we were at Dulles at 10:30am. There was one person at each of the coach, business, and first class lines. Ironically, everyone waiting in the business and coach lines were checking in before us. The woman who began checking us in stopped in the middle to take care of the crew and then left the business class CSR to handle us. ANA leaves out of B41, and the B concourse no longer requires the people mover. The underground concourse is fine, but a couple of the moving walkways weren’t functioning. That place is sure deserted a bit before 11am! And it’s such a dreary walk, you’d think they’d spice it up…
United Eviscerates its Award Chart
Apr
21
2006
I’m pleasantly ensconced in the Diplomatic Suite at the Intercontinental Bangkok, but this news is important enough to say some things about before I head out to dinner. United has announced changes to its frequent flyer program, which are pretty much all bad. They begin by announcing new “Domestic Short Haul Saver Awards” — these are short flights that require 15,000 miles in coach instead of 25,000 miles. United has actually been offering these for some time now, and the announcement is that the benefit is being reduced not introduced. Previously the reduced mileage was applicable to flights of 750 miles or less. Now it applies only to flights of 700 miles or less. What difference does 50 miles make? Just ask New Yorkers. LaGuardia-Chicago is 733 miles. Newark-Chicago is 719 miles. Since the awards…
More Information on Starwood Upgrade Program Speculation
Yesterday I posted about a disturbing development with Starwood, where they were apparently testing a change to Platinum upgrade benefits — providing a one room class upgrade instead of upgrade to best available room at checkin, including standard suites. This morning I posted on Flyertalk Starwood is within its rights to change the Terms and Conditions, but frankly changing elite benefits shouldn’t ever be done without substantial notice — people earn their status with butt-in-bed based on the promise of perks the following year. A decision made now to change benefits ought to be implemented beginning in 2008. However… if there is a ‘test’ to provide something other than the best available room at checkin, including standard suites then the test is in violation of Starwood Preferred Guest’s terms and conditions. Starwood writes the T&C.…
1000 Bonus American Per Night at Hyatt
Mar
09
2006
In addition to Hyatt’s offer of 1000 Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles per night, they’re also putting the choice of 1000 American Airlines points per night on offer as well from March 15 through June 30.
Freddies Voting has Begun!
Voting for the Freddie Awards is now open and will last through February 28. I voted for United as program of the year and best elite level. It has a truly industry-leading award chart — fewest miles for the best international premium class awards (think 90,000 miles for business class to Australia) — and its 1K program can’t be beat for international upgrades from reasonable fares without a co-pay. On the other hand, not a single one of my votes went to Northwest, Delta, or Continental. Together they’ve been increasing mileage costs on premium-class awards and (Continental and Northwest especially) offer generally poor award availability. Skyteam really is the leftover alliance, with equally stingy partners Air France and KLM. On the other hand, best redemption has to go to American… (with a nod to all…
Why are fewer hotels participating in Starwood’s Cash & Points?
Starwood posted its Cash & Points award hotel participation for 2006 yesterday. Well, sort of, since hotels in Asia aren’t listed yet. This has been a long time in coming, I understand from Flyertalk that they were trying to get this up much earlier but a glitch in the process delayed it until January 30. They even moved back the date to look for it on the website a couple of times. I don’t really know what the glitch was, but posting a full year of participation by the end of January is actually an improvement on past practice. Starwood used to list these awards only one quarter at a time, and the listing would usually be posted no earlier than a few days into that quarter. Last year they moved to show a full…
Why are fewer hotels participating in Starwood’s Cash & Points?
Starwood posted its Cash & Points award hotel participation for 2006 yesterday. Well, sort of, since hotels in Asia aren’t listed yet. This has been a long time in coming, I understand from Flyertalk that they were trying to get this up much earlier but a glitch in the process delayed it until January 30. They even moved back the date to look for it on the website a couple of times. I don’t really know what the glitch was, but posting a full year of participation by the end of January is actually an improvement on past practice. Starwood used to list these awards only one quarter at a time, and the listing would usually be posted no earlier than a few days into that quarter. Last year they moved to show a full…
Why are fewer hotels participating in Starwood’s Cash & Points?
Starwood posted its Cash & Points award hotel participation for 2006 yesterday. Well, sort of, since hotels in Asia aren’t listed yet. This has been a long time in coming, I understand from Flyertalk that they were trying to get this up much earlier but a glitch in the process delayed it until January 30. They even moved back the date to look for it on the website a couple of times. I don’t really know what the glitch was, but posting a full year of participation by the end of January is actually an improvement on past practice. Starwood used to list these awards only one quarter at a time, and the listing would usually be posted no earlier than a few days into that quarter. Last year they moved to show a full…
