My review of Hotel Bristol, Vienna
As my Amex Marriott £100 cashback is expiring soon, I start to look for a city with high-end Marriott hotels to spend a long weekend in. I choose Vienna in the end, the capital of Austria with a Ritz-Carlton and two Luxury Collection hotels.
Both Luxury Collection hotels are very well-renowned, although Hotel Imperial is a touch higher in reputation and also more expensive. I’ve gone for Hotel Bristol in the end though, since the location is more preferable.
Hotel Bristol is located on the edge of Vienna’s not-so-big city centre. Interestingly many hotels here have an entrance of the same style:
The lobby is not a grand one, but does look classic.
The elevator is quite fancy with mini-sofas inside.
I strongly recommend to walk up and down the stairs though. Each level is decorated differently, but they are equally breath-taking and it feels like strolling in the flow of the 19th century.
As you can imagine, most of the rooms here are not quite up to the modern standard. There are few refurbished rooms though, and be sure to book or request them if you have the preference. The Bristol Suite, for which you can redeem your suit night awards, is one of them.
I don’t have a strong desire for suite though so didn’t use my suite night award. I’m upgraded to a Junior Suite on the top floor.
There’s more than enough space for me, although furnishing is definitely on the older side.
Welcome gift are a bottle of white wine and a fruit platter.
The highlight is this small rooftop balcony.
The balcony may not be huge, but you can enjoy a great view of the State Opera.
The hotel has a small gym. No swimming pool is available, but if you are in need they could arrange you a complimentary visit to the Ritz Carlton to use their spa facilities.
Breakfast is served in the Bristol Lounge. It’s an amazing venue.
There is a limited buffet section.
And you could order the usual suspects in addition.
Food is good, but nothing to write home about. It’s more about the ambiance and experience to be honest.
Like many others I usually prefer to stay at a modern hotel, but Hotel Bristol is quite different in that it’s historic enough but in the meantime not “dated”. It’s an experience not to miss and, I’ll probably try out Hotel Imperial the next time I’m in Vienna.
Best Western Hotels UK 3-for-2 flash sale
Best Western UK has brought back its 3-for-2 sale, which may be worth a look if you are planning a vacation in the UK.
- Book by March 20
- Stay by December 31
- Book three nights and pay for only two (33% discount)
- Breakfast included
- Non-changeable and non-refundable
You can search for availability on the offer page, although it doesn’t seem to function very well. Here are some hotels and their offer rates (3 nights total):
- Queensway Hotel London – £311
- London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel – £173
- New Continental Hotel Plymouth – £214
- Cambridge Bar Hill Hotel – £199
- Birmingham Strathallan Hotel – £185
- Clementine’s Town House Hotel York – £227
- Liverpool Aigburth Hotel – £135
- The Queen at Chester Hotel – £204
- Edinburgh City Centre Bruntsfield Hotel – £161
- Glasgow Argyle Hotel – £240
There are some great deals to be had here, and remember that breakfast is included. However, bookings are non-refundable so be sure you have firm plans.
Match to Preferred Hotels Authority for free upgrade, breakfast and lounge access with Mastercard World Elite
We wrote about Preferred Hotels’ program update last year, as well as the status match opportunity to Elite with Mastercard at that time. The promotion has got even better now.
You could check out the offer on Mastercard’s site here. Until January 2023, select Mastercards issued in Asia Pacific qualify for special Preferred Hotels benefits:
- World Elite – match to I Prefer Authority
- Elite – match to I Prefer Elite
- Platinum & Titanium – match to I Prefer Explorer
- Others – 2,500 bonus points upon enrolment
Even if you are familiar with I Prefer, you may have never heard of Authority – it’s a new top-tier status introduced last July, and by invitation only.
Authority privileges include welcome gift, room upgrade, free breakfast and lounge access. It’s more or less on the same level with Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum and Hyatt Globalist, which is pretty valuable.
In order to apply for the match, all you need is the BIN (first 6 digits) of a qualifying Mastercard. However, after submitting my application, I received a reply asking me for a photo of my credit card, including the key information.
9Once that’s sorted, you’ll want to create an I Prefer account first. You may use my referral link which will give you a 1,000-point sign-up bonus. My quota is already filled so won’t earn anything myself, but the referred should be fine, and feel free to post your referral link in the comments.
Then you need to send an email to [email protected] with the title Mastercard Offer – Authority Tier, content following the template provided on Mastercard’s offer page. You should receive a reply within seven business days, and if approved the status is valid for a year.
Here are some Preferred Hotels in the UK:
- Royal Lancaster, London
- The Bentley, London
- The Beaumont, London
- The Stafford, London
- L’oscar, London
- Sea Containers, London
- The Lowry, Manchester
- The Grand, York
- The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast
And there are plenty more in Europe and all over the world. The match is very easy and benefits are substantial, so it’s worth a few minutes of yours to submit an application. Remember that the status is only valid for one year, so you may want to apply nearer the deadline if you have no immediate travel plans.
Radisson hotels 25%-off sale and 2,000 bonus points
Radisson hotels is running a sale in Europe, Middle East and Asia. You can check out the offer page here.
As a Radisson Rewards member, you save up to 25% on stays at participating hotels (non-member saves only 15%). You also earn 1,000 bonus points on 2-night stays, or 2,000 bonus points on 3-night stays or longer.
When booking the sale rate, you’ll also get 25% discount in the Middle East and Africa, or 20% discount in Central / Southern Europe on food and drinks spend.
You need to book my March 30 for stays between April 1 and May 31, 2022.
IHG’s new loyalty program launch is delayed to April
We wrote about the breaking news of IHG revamping its program back in January. You could also read the official announcement here, and the new program was initially planned to launch sometime in March. However, it appears to be delayed now.
Here’s a memo recently sent out in China, regarding the program launch:
You probably have received an email from IHG yesterday asking for donation of IHG points, quoting “the events involving Ukraine and Russia”. It sounds weird to me but the same reason is quoted to explain why the program launch is delayed, and it is now set to happen in April.
The staff training courses aren’t scheduled until mid April, so it looks like we’ll have to wait till the end of April to see the launch – although details of the new program should be revealed sooner.
My review of Cathay Pacific First Lounge, London Heathrow Terminal 3
After returning to the Qantas Lounge after more than two years, I spent the most of my afternoon in the Cathay Pacific Lounge, since I could only enter the American Express Centurion Lounge from three hours before my flight departure.
Cathay’s Lounge is coded Lounge C, situated to the left of the Qantas Lounge. I have been here quite a few times, and it’s probably my favourite lounge at Heathrow.
Thanks to my BA Gold status, I could access its First Class Lounge. They share the same entrance, but once you are in you either head straight for Business, or turn right for First.
The lounge itself is, to be honest, quite compact.
With a selection of snacks and drinks on the counters.
The actual thing that stands out is its restaurant service, which isn’t available in the Business Class Lounge.
If you fancy sitting down for a proper dinner, it’s a good place to be at. There are a bit more food choices here than in the Business Class Lounge, but not significant.
I’m quite impressed by its wine list, which I forgot to take a photo of.
After lunch, I quickly moved myself to the Business Class Lounge for the rest of the afternoon. To be honest I favour it heavily over the First Class Lounge, as it’s much more spacious, plus has a proper bar and multi-purpose seating areas. If you only have access to the Business Class Lounge – don’t worry, you haven’t missed much.
My review of Qantas Lounge, London Heathrow Terminal 3
Heathrow Terminal 3 is a great place for lounge hopping if you are flying a Oneworld airline. Prior to trying out to new Amex Centurion Lounge, I spend some time in the good old Qantas Lounge and Cathay Pacific Lounge too.
Qantas Lounge is labelled Lounge B.
The ground floor is closed at the moment, which used to be the beloved restaurant and bar.
There’s also a bar upstairs, although not quite as fancy.
Seats next to the bar are best for runway view.
There’s enough room on the first floor. What I don’t like is they spread out everything across the floor, and there’s no separation between dining area, business centre or relaxation area etc.
It could be tricky to find a private place for making phone calls or working quietly.
Breakfast / Lunch buffet is served at the time.
The chicken tikka masala is pretty good.
The most popular feature of the Qantas Lounge is a-la-carte dining in the ground-floor restaurant, which is missing for now, and I don’t know for how long. Considering this, I don’t really see a reason of choosing Qantas over the Cathay Lounge, although food-wise it seems that Cathay never changes their menu, so Qantas could be a refreshing alternative.
My review of American Express Centurion Lounge, London Heathrow Terminal 3
Without any specific planning, I came to realise that my BA flight departs from Heathrow Terminal 3 in the booking process. In terms of (Oneworld) lounge situation Terminal 3 is much more preferable than Terminal 5, given the lounge choice between British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. And even better, American Express just opened its new Centurion Lounge in October 2021, so it’s a great opportunity for me to check it out.
Amex has now opened a handful of Centurion lounges globally outside the United States. I’ve visited the one in Hong Kong a couple of times pre-pandemic and really liked it.
I have the whole day to myself at Heathrow so spend some time in the much loved Qantas and Cathay lounges too, which I’ll write about later. T3 feels much smaller than T5 or even T2, but the signage is a bit confusing and it takes me a while to find the Amex Lounge.
It’s nicknamed Lounge A – turn right after security, and you’ll find a lift towards the end.
One level up and the lounge entrance is right in front of you. There’s a kid’s club on the left but I didn’t check it out.
Entry rules are as follows:
- Amex Platinum card members can bring up to 2 guests
- Amex Centurion card members can bring up to 2 guests, or the entire immediate family (spouse and underaged children)
- You are allowed entry from three hours prior to your flight departure
The guest rule is generous enough, however unlike airline lounges, you can’t show up anytime on the day even if it’s way ahead of your departure. Amex card, passport and boarding pass are needed for verification.
The interior is mainly wooden or beige.
There’s a business room immediate to your left. Small cabins are provided which are very convenient if you need to attend a phone call or video conference.
Move forward to see the bar and dining area.
With a very delicate afternoon tea set at the side.
And a semi-private relaxation area.
That’s about it. Size-wise the lounge is nowhere near how the Qantas one measures, not to mention the huge space Cathay occupies. However it’s really new and tastefully furnished. You may have noticed the London map in the picture above already, and there’s also a display of cricket bats:
What I love most is this turquoise retro display made of books and suitcases:
Food is arranged in small plates and feel free to take all you can eat.
There are chicken, beef and vegetarian options. Presentation is really nice and so is the taste. The Japanese soba noodles are quite good.
Don’t forget to grab a drink from the bar too – they have cocktail menus.
Usually I’d say Cathay Pacific Business Lounge is my favourite at Heathrow, given its various dining and super comfortable seating options. Comparatively, the Centurion Lounge is much smaller, but feels more upscale and is slightly better in terms of food. The next time you are at T3, don’t forget to reserve some time here.