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My review of InterContinental San Francisco
Having been a software engineer for almost ten years, it’s weird that I’ve never been to San Francisco or the bay area. Now that I got laid off I finally have time to go on a pilgrimage 😛
Compared to LA, hotels in San Francisco are much more friendly priced, and you can find a pretty decent hotel for around $200. I decided to redeem my IHG BOGO voucher here, and there are two InterContinentals in the city – one in downtown for which I’m going, and the Mark Hopkins hotel at a less convenient location for tourists.
The hotel is about eight-minute walk from the Powell Street metro station, which takes you directly to the airport.
At 33 floors high, the hotel stands out in the immediate neighbourhood.
The entrance is small but elegant. The ground floor is a big open space with reception, bar and restaurant.
Like many other InterContinental hotels, or hotels in general in the States, the hotel has so many different rooms types that I lost count. I ended up booking Premium West Side View as it’s price difference from the entry-level room isn’t much. I was upgraded one-level to the corner room.
The receptionist greeted me warmly, and I didn’t have to ask about the Diamond breakfast benefit or 4pm late check-out.
Before I was let go, he went to the back office and returned with a bag of welcome gift. To my slight disappoint it’s only two bottles of water 😛 They also sent me a bottle of Evian the next day.
The corner room is quite impressive at first glance. The hues and finishes are soothing.
The highlight of course, is the 180-degree floor-to-ceiling windows and the views that come from it.
You don’t normally get a chance to be so up high in Europe. It’s a shame that San Francisco doesn’t have so much of a skyline, and the hotel isn’t close enough to the coast.
The curtains are electric and you only need to give it a pull for it to open or close by itself.
There is also a view from the bathroom. But beware of the construction workers on the crane!
One motivation for me to pick this hotel was its swimming pool and jacuzzi.
They are fine. But the hall is quite old and so small that no loungers can fit in. It’s weird that there’s not even any place to sit in!
The gym:
The club lounge:
I was given a voucher which entitles me to the breakfast buffet.
The whole buffet well, is spread across one single table.
There aren’t many choices as you can imagine, but they do offer congee which is a nice touch.
There is an a-la-carte menu but payable. According to the voucher taxes are not included, but I didn’t have to pay anything when I checked out.
InterContinental San Francisco isn’t the best hotel you can find in town, but I love the corner room and don’t miss out if you admire a view.
My review of W Hollywood
After a one-night transition at Courtyard Santa Monica I’m continuing my journey at the W Hollywood hotel. Although my friends recommend me to stay at the Beverley Hills / West Hollywood area, hotel rates there are extortionate and it’s hard to find reward availability, so I’m taking a compromise.
The W is very conveniently located on the Walk of Fame, and about 20 minutes walk to the Chinese Theatre. It’s built above a metro station, and with public transport you could visit places of interest like LACMA, Griffith Observatory and Beverley Hills rather easily.
If you arrive in car you’ll enter the hotel through its car park and back door. The logo is as flamboyant as the W brand usually implicates. The reception and lobby bar look very nice too.
My suite night award was declined… again! I’m upgraded to a corner room with Hollywood Hills view instead. However my room key suggests it’s located on the fourth floor, and I doubt I could anticipate any view from that height.
The room is just white and cold. I’m not saying it’s bad, but it’s totally the opposite of the standard W vibe which should be radiating passion and lust from every corner of the room.
The bed is unusually low, and comfortable enough. There is another… bed? on the windowsill which I assume is for kids.
As I suspected the room hardly has any view to sell, although higher floors (the hotel has 12 in total) should have a better chance of seeing the hill. The room doesn’t proof sound very well, but most of the time there aren’t many noises.
There’s no bathroom. The shower’s knob was stuck and I had to get someone to fix it.
They don’t have the most attentive cleaning team either. I had a coffee from the espresso machine, and neither was the paper cup replaced or capsule refilled the next day.
The rooftop pool and viewing deck is named WET.
Facilities are great – there are chaise lounges, cabanas and even beds, take your pick! You need to pre-book (not sure if for free) in peak seasons, but it’s getting cold in November already so not a lot of guests are around.
View is awesome. To my disappoint they don’t have a jacuzzi – I should have enjoyed my time back in the Courtyard!
By the way, the hotel charges a $29 daily destination fee, a notorious U.S. custom that you have to put up with. It includes $29 credit to spend at the WET bar so feel free to order a drink here. Other potentially useful perks include tickets for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Big Bus (red line only).
Titanium members get breakfast vouchers to use at the Daphne restaurant.
According to the voucher you must choose from a certain set menu. However you could also order anything from the “normal” menu instead, and have a $30 credit per person.
The eggs benedict and croissant are very good quality.
The hotel is located conveniently in Hollywood for tourists, and has a beautiful lobby, bar and swimming pool. The guest room may let you down though, but in general I keep my expectations low when staying at U.S. hotels.
My review of Courtyard Santa Monica
My US trip begins with Los Angeles and I’m gonna stay here for three nights. I’ve chosen Courtyard Santa Monica to spend my first night, reasons being:
- Santa Monica is an area recommended by my friends
- My flight arrives late, and Santa Monica is relatively close to the airport
- As it’s just a short transition before I head into the city, I don’t need a full-service hotel
It’s a quick 20-minute’s drive from the LAX-IT ride pick-up site. The hotel isn’t at the forefront of the waterside, but is only about 15 minutes to the beach and it’s easy to navigate on foot. Bus and metro can bring you to downtown LA and Beverley Hills easily.
The hotel has got a pretty big lobby and a business centre for browsing the Internet and printing.
I didn’t receive an upgrade this time. I could have used my suite night upgrade voucher for the Partial Sea View Suite, but redeeming it at a Courtyard seems to be a waste.
The room is simple but spacious. The corner sofa is a nice touch.
A Rest and Recharge kit is provided, containing a tea bag and some earplugs.
The Hampton Inn across the street appears to be a nicer property, as the exterior looks smarter and many rooms feature a balcony.
There is an outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi. I didn’t get to try them out but they look decent enough.
Also a small gym.
There is a small Starbucks outlet inside the hotel which serves breakfast. I chose $10 as my welcome amenity and paid $13 in addition for this:
How stupid I am! I should have just accepted the points instead…
My 4pm late checkout was granted when I checked in, however the cleaner and manager still came to knock on my door twice knowing when I was going to depart. Anyway, if you are looking for just a room in Santa Monica, this hotel does its job.
My review of Hotel Indigo Belgrade
Having stayed two nights at the very tired Metropol Palace, I needed some fresh air and thus moved to the Hotel Indigo, which opened in October 2021. It is very centrally located in the shopping district, neighbouring a Courtyard and a Radisson Individual hotel.
Unlike most hotels it’s not at the storefront. There is a small entrance that leads to an alley, where there’s an elevator that takes you to the lobby of the hotel. This is a very unique feature, and kind of isolating the hotel from the busy crowd outside.
The art pieces, paintings and other decorations are so beautiful. It feels more like a Kimpton than an Indigo in my opinion.
You can have a drink at the rooftop terrace.
My reservation was upgraded to Premium the second day, then to Queen Suite one week before but then downgraded to Premium again before my arrival. The hotel has only one suite, so not sure if it was booked or upgraded for someone else.
However, my Premium room more than does its job already. Unfortunately I can already see some wear and tear, but overall it’s a very clean, comfy and functioning room.
Unlike the Indigos that I’ve visited in the UK, minibar here isn’t free (or cheap). There’s a supermarket right in front of the hotel so I suggest to top up there.
The hotel restaurant, on the other hand, is very reasonably priced and I had a simple dinner here.
Breakfast is free for Diamond members, which otherwise would cost €15 per person. The spread may not be the richest, but it’s carefully curated and food quality is excellent.
You can order one item from the menu for free too.
The hotel is pretty small but still has a gym.
They also reserved a taxi to the airport for me, which cost only 1800 dinars by metre. I am very satisfied with my two-night stay and can highly recommend Hotel Indigo Belgrade if you visit the city. From what I learned the Courtyard has a similar vibe, but obviously if club lounge and swimming pool are important to you, you need to look elsewhere.
My review of Metropol Palace, Belgrade
I’m spending four nights in Belgrade and decided to split it into two stays. In terms of hotel chains there aren’t that many options in Belgrade:
- Crowne Plaza and Hyatt Regency are in the new town, so not ideal for tourists. The Hyatt Regency is a Category 1 property though so great value for spending points
- Hilton and Metropol are in the old town, both old and uninspiring from the pictures I’ve found
- Hotel Indigo and Courtyard are new and extremely central
- Square Nine (a LHW hotel) looks very fancy but also is very expensive
I went with two nights at the Metropol Palace and two nights at the Hotel Indigo in the end. The Metropol Palace, branded Luxury Collection, has been a very popular property with the Marriott audience for long time as it used to cost as low as 2,000 points in the good old SPG days.
It’s no longer that cheap though, and paying cash is often better as the rate usually hovers around just €100. If you book via the Marriott Stars & Luminous program you get €100 credit to spend as well which is fantastic.
It’s a half-an-hour ride from the airport by taxi. The location isn’t super central as it takes you about 20 minutes to walk into the town centre, however it’s by the main road so easy to find a restaurant or shop etc.
The hotel building and its lobby look very “retro”. Online reports suggest wide range of welcome amenities including fruit basket, wine and spa voucher but I didn’t receive anything.
They don’t accept Marriott’s suite night award, but it’s a very big hotel so upgrade tends to be generous. I received a Family Suite in the end, which is one level above Junior Suite. It’s essentially still a Junior Suite but slightly larger.
It’s very dark so pictures probably don’t fully do the room justice, but trust me they are not much better in real life.
The bathroom has a long and narrow shape which is strange. There is no bathtub.
My room is on the third floor with no view. I read some reviews afterwards and some of the rooms have a great view of the old town. I probably should have enquired about a better room at check-in.
Breakfast on Sunday morning is total chaos. I’m basically on my own trying to find any empty seat and cutleries.
Food is also mediocre at best and not replenished quickly enough, which is disappointing as it’s a five-star hotel serving hundreds of guests. The only highlight is probably the Prosecco, which you don’t see often on a breakfast table.
It’s much more organised the next day when the breakfast is less busier.
The hotel has a rooftop restaurant but I didn’t try it. When I arrived in the evening I was fairly hungry, and the in-room dining menu looks reasonably priced so I ordered beef soup, croquettes and beef linguine. They taste good and the total is about £28.
The spa is one main reason I chose this hotel. The swimming pool is very cool:
The jacuzzi is a bit too small and fits only three people.
Steam room and sauna:
In summary I think the Metropol Palace meets my expectations as a cheap-ish old five-star hotel, and if you have a booking with $100 credit it’s a great deal. However, in my mind the Luxury Collection should be on a par with St Regis and Ritz Carlton, but the Metropol Palace is obviously a long shot from that standard.
My review of Bankside Hotel, Autograph Collection
My Amex Marriott card has a nice Spend £250 Get £100 back offer for booking Marriott hotels, so I’m ready to try out another new Marriott hotel in London. I need to be near the Shard for dinner (burning my expiring Shangri-La voucher), so the Bankside Hotel stands out.
The hotel is roughly 8 minutes from either the Blackfriars or the Southwark tube station. The south bank is perfect for walking along the Thames and exploring the likes of Tate Modern, Tower Bridge and London Eye, but not as convenient in terms of public transport.
The hotel is new and chic.
Titanium members get 1,000 points as a welcome amenity, and can choose between breakfast and an £8 F&B voucher in addition.
All guest floors feature a vending machine, plus a refill station with both still and sparkling water.
I received a one-level upgrade to an Ample room, which isn’t particularly generous. I submitted my suite night award for the largest suite, but it was unfortunately declined.
The room is pretty smart.
Popcorns, bottled water and a small chocolate bar are complimentary. There’s also a small plate of deserts as my welcome gift.
Breakfast is served in the restaurant on the ground floor.
The buffet is good.
You can pay a £5 supplement for the a-la-carte items, which is a fair price.
I like the hotel and its location. However, being a boutique hotel it has no gym, pool or club lounge. If those are important you should probably consider the Hilton instead.
My review of Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh
There is only one Waldorf Astoria hotel in the UK, and it’s not in London! When my Mum visited me in 2018, we spent two nights in Edinburgh and one of them was in the Waldorf Astoria The Caledonian hotel. Many things have changed since, and the hotel has undergone a lot of refurbishment, so I’m excited to be back.
After yet another pleasant stay at the Kimpton, I moved myself across the street to the Waldorf Astoria. My initial choice was the Hilton Carlton as I’ve never stayed there, but then I was put off by the reviews on Flyertalk and don’t want to take the risk anymore. WA Edinburgh’s award night costs 95,000 points (used to be 70k or 80k), which is hardly a bargain.
The hotel is sat where the West End and Princes Street meet. It’s not super close to the railway station or Edinburgh’s main attractions, but still convenient enough. It’s built in 1903 as the old Edinburgh Railway Station.
The lobby is very beautifully refreshed and looks much more welcoming than it was four years ago.
I’m given an upgrade to Queen Premier Room with Castle View, which appears to be the norm for Diamond members.
The room’s been repainted, and furniture replaced. Nothing fundamental has been carried out though, probably due to the listed status of the architecture. Beware that windows are only single-glazed, so it doesn’t shield you much from the street noises.
Great castle view through the window.
Then I receive what may be one of the best welcome presents I’ve had in Europe – a box of chocolate assortment, two bottles of water and a large bottle of Laurent Perrier. I’m actually quite surprised, as when I stayed here last time on Amex FHR the champagne only came in a small bottle.
Spa needs to be pre-booked, and it’s a long walk from the first floor.
Facilities are great, although I’m not convinced by their design choice. Shower and sauna are downstairs whereas the pools are upstairs, so it’s a bit of a journey to travel back and forth.
Breakfast is served at the Peacock Alley. I had my afternoon tea here last time to use the $100 FHR credit.
There’s no buffet at all and you order anything from the menu, which is great. The eggs benedict is really disappointing though – too much salt and the muffins are too tough to bite.
Now here comes the drama. At 5.30am the (false) fire alarm suddenly went off, and then lasted sporadically for an hour or so in my room and some other guest rooms, and which understandably ruined my sleep. I’m speechless as the exact same thing happened in 2018 – what’s wrong with me and this hotel?!
I raised a complaint when checking out. The staff told me it would be brought to the attention of their supervisor and I’ll get some points as compensation, however two weeks have passed and I’m yet to hear anything.
Anyway, when staying at Edinburgh my top choice is probably the Kimpton, given its lovely boutique vibe and good rate (on points or BOGOF). Sheraton on the other hand has the best Spa in this country and is definitely worth a visit as well. If you’d love some history, the Waldorf Astoria is not to be missed either.
My Review of Kimpton Charlotte Square, Edinburgh
(Updated in September 2022)
I visited this hotel again to use my Amex £100 cashback offer. I booked a single room with BOGOF at £274, and then they announced the Queen’s lying-at-rest which shot up all hotels’ rate – lucky me!
I love their boutique vibe and nature-inspired setup.
I’m upgraded to a double room, which is similar to what I got last time. Very lovely and cosy.
Complimentary breakfast for Diamond. It’s mainly buffet with a few cook-to-order dishes.
Gym and spa:
Sadly they don’t have a jacuzzi.
(Originally posted in August 2020)
I was in Scotland for a week a couple of weeks ago, as my “Escape trip” from London 🙂 My second stop was Edinburgh, where I stayed for three nights.
For the first two nights I booked the Courtyard hotel in the centre – you really can’t beat their flash sale, thanks to which I paid a total of £79 for two nights. This is an incredible deal, as the regular rate you expect for late July and August in past years was usually £150+, if not more.
I needed to find something for the third night though, and decided to give the new Kimpton a try. This was one of the two Principal hotels in Edinburgh, and the other converted into an InterContinental instead, in George Square.
I redeemed 25,000 points for a one-night stay, which was pretty good. An alternative would have been £165 via Amex FHR, which I’ll talk about at the end of this article.
The hotel is located near the West End, which is at the edge of the city centre. This is still a good location right next the the Prince Street, but you should expect moderate amount of walk to the train station and Royal Mile etc.
On the day of arrival, I received an SMS in the morning asking if I needed anything for my stay, which is very rare in Europe.
There are a retro bike and some other cute items at the hotel entrance, which I find really adorable. The restaurant has also got a very unique look, that makes you feel like being in a greenhouse.
I had no problem checking in at 1pm. Due to sanitary concerns only half of the rooms were open at the moment, however the hotel could still get relatively busy during weekends.
I got a one-level upgrade from Standard room to Superior as Spire elite. I’m not sure what the differences are, but it does feel very specious at least. A friend (Platinum) booked via Amex FHR and got the same upgrade, which we find not very generous.
Again I quite like the retro deco in the room.
As the fitness room was not open at this point, yoga mat was provided in each guest room. I was quite impressed by its quality.
Complimentary “Social Hour” is offered at the hotel bar from 5pm to 6pm daily, during which soft drinks and house wines are provided to all guests for free.
When the hotel just re-opened and this was not permitted due to the circumstances, I think they comped all guests’ breakfast instead, which is probably more valued by someone like me 🙂
I find all the hotel staff I interacted amicable and professional. My 4pm late check-out request was also granted, although it took some time to confirm.
In general this Kimpton is probably my favourite hotel in Edinburgh so far. I’ve stayed at the Waldorf Astoria which is two minutes’ walk away, and although the latter does have more history and great castle view, I prefer Kimpton for its very comfy refurbished guest room.
If you want to book this hotel, using points may be an excellent option. Paying cash, Amex FHR is great especially for one-night stays as you pay the best flexible rate and also get privileges like free breakfast, $100 hotel credit, room upgrade and guaranteed 4pm late check-out – none of these is included as IHG elite benefits except room upgrade.
If you don’t have Amex Platinum card, you could also book via an agent who participates in IHG’s Luxury Collection programme, which offers almost identical benefits to FHR, except that late check-out is only guaranteed at 2pm. Virtuoso is probably the most convenient platform for this.