Searching for Turtles Underwater in Turtle Bay, Bandar Jissah, Yiti, Oman

Posted on April 22, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Asia + Oman + Region Visit + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report

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We’ve had the fortunate opportunity to be able to snorkel at many locations in the world; Dahab in Egypt, Makena Beach in Maui, United States, the atolls of Hadahaa in the Maldives, and the reefs of Le Morne in Mauritius to name a few. It’s not often you get the opportunity to experience some really large fish absent of any larger predators. We happened to find success in Bandar Jissah off the Coast of Yiti in Oman with some excellent turtles and tropical parrot fishes.

This post is one chapter on our second Round the World trip via Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Poland. This trip was redeemed through Air Canada’s Aeroplan and through Starwood Preferred Guest (Marriott Bonvoy) loyalty programs. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Activity: Searching for Turtles Underwater in Bandar Jissah, Yiti, Oman.

This post is about our experiences snorkelling with Turtles in Bandar Jissah in Oman. You are invited to see these posts our experiences staying at the nearby Shangri-La Bandar Al Jissah Resort and Spa and visiting the Darkness Muttah Souq in Muscat, Oman.

Every trip, we usually take the trouble of packing our snorkel gear with us in our suitcases. This is usually followed by a discussion on arrival between MrsWT73 and I about whether to take a snorkeling excursion or not. Trade offs involve missing a day on the beach, and having a whole day tied up on a boat, and sometimes a car, while we travel to the boat and the snorkel site. Our only miss (as in experience let down) has been snorkeling in Bali, and we’ve otherwise had great to excellent snorkelling in the Hadahaa Reef – Maldives, Makena Beach- Maui, USA, Le Morne, Mauritius and Dahab, Egypt.

Today’s adventure was organized by the hotel provider Extra Divers Qantab. Our half day tour was to take us to Turtle Bay for 16 OMR with own equipment ($41 USD) or 20 OMR ($51 USD) without equipment. The tour offered 1 hour of snorkeling in one spot, as reflected by the accurate and not so accurate map.

The trip out was from the nearby marina just outside of the hotel gantry gates. The marina was 10 minute walk, and also accessible “on request” by the hotel property shuttle.

Our ride out was with a group of about 15 other persons which is a nice manageable group. The scenary through the khors was excellent as can be expected from this area.

Snorkelling in the Bays off Bandar Jissah:

I’m happy to report that the snorkeling experience was excellent. This area appears to be unique as the fish were exceptionally large. The corals were also nicely developed and not stepped on like some other higher traffic areas. I’d estimate that there were probably only about 30 people visiting a day in this region, including the 15 on our boat.

The visibility was not as clear as it could be but outweighed by the size fish. We were informed by the dive master that there were few predators in this part of the world and as a such, the fish were really big. Many of them were just enormous. We rated it right behind the south Maldives as best snorkeling we’d ever experienced. You can judge the reef for yourself by these photographs.

Swimming with Turtles in Oman:

This part of the world is known for its turtles. There are many varieties in Oman with the country being known for a friendly home of these animals.

After about 30 minutes in the water, we set out to try and find some. Little did we know one was right beneath us. As you can see they really camoflage well with the surroundings, you really have to pay attention. We’ve only been lucky enough to see turtles here at Turtle Bay in Oman, and at Kanapalli Beach in Maui, USA.

We were able to follow this particular one around for about 10 minutes without him getting too spooked at our presence. You’ll also note the absence of any other persons getting close to him / her as well.

What an absolutely special adventure to be able to swim with these turtles in their own environment. The surroundings were quiet and unexplored leaving us the ability to enjoy these wonderful creatures without interference and other visitors.

Overall, it was a fantastic snorkelling experience and like Muttrah Souq, as yet to be discovered by the rest of the world. The peace and beauty of the surrounding was further highlighted by our trip back to the resort. This included a spin through the natural arch.

From the Water: The Shangri-La Bandar Al Jissah, Oman

We retired that evening on our last night with a glass of cold white wine to a lovely view from our deck at the Shangri La Bandar Al Jissah Resort and Spa. A perfect day drawn to a close.

Sunset Views at the Shangri La Bandar Al Jissah

A truly special day.

My Thoughts on our Dip in the Waters of Bandar Jissah, Oman:

What a special day to experience some time on a boat in Bandar Al Jissah’s remote sea side coves of Oman. The contrast of desert mountains and ocean, made for a very memorable experience. The fact that there were so few tourists and other travellers at the snorkel point made for a very intimate experience that felt very private. This was reflected in the amount of fish that were there, including some of the most engaging turtles we’ve had the opportunity to see during our travels.

Tags: Extra Divers Worldwide, Snorkeling, Turtles, Underwater Photography

Shopping for Frankincense at “The Darkness” Mutrah Souq and Walking the Corniche, Muscat, Oman

Posted on April 21, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Asia + City Visit + Oman + Region Visit + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report

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The Middle East has many great trading markets or Souq’s to experience. It’s an entirely different way of shopping as many markets develop their own personalities reflective of the countries that they are situated in. They may be areas that are commercial and urban, or quieter and more laid back representing local communities. Our day out at the Darkness Souq in Oman, was a neat window into a time of years past.

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Activity: Shopping for Frankincense at “The Darkness” Mutrah Souq and Walking the Corniche at Muscat, Oman

This post is about our stay visit to the Darkness Muttrah Souq in Muscat, Oman. You’re invited to see these posts our experiences staying at the nearby Shangri-La Bandar Al Jissah Resort and Spa and Snorkelling with Turtles at Bandar Jissah near Yiti Beach, Oman.

The Shangri La Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa offered a complimentary shuttle to the Mutrah Souq near old Muscat. The timings were at 15:30 and 16:30 hours for 2 hour visit on a daily basis. The bad news is that the shuttle is actually a full size tour bus coach, making the experience less intimate. The good news is that the Shangri La is the only resort hotel in the area and that the coach was the only one at the souq. This meant for less people limited to those on our bus.

Our travels there took us along the coast towards the Corniche. Once we were dropped off, we were treated to pleasant views of the Corniche with an entirely local population. Today was the only cloudy and cooler day of our visit.

Walking The Corniche:

The Corniche in Muscat Oman was nicely maintained and provided a nice walk along the waterfront. There weren’t many out walking when we were visiting.

The Sultan’s boat happened to be moored in the harbour. The largest “yacht” that I have seen, I believe it had room for a helicopter on the back of the deck.

Visiting the Muttrah Souq Market:

Al Dhalam (Darkness in Arabic) Souq is the local name for the Muttrah Souq. The Muttrah Souq one of the oldest marketplaces in Oman dating back two hundred years. It is located adjacent to the harbor and Corniche of Muscat and has seen immense trade in the age of sail, being strategically located on the way to India and China. It was named after darkness because of the crowded stalls and lanes where the sunrays do not infiltrate during the day and the shoppers need lamps to know their destinations.

We wandered into the souq. Although there were the usual souvenir shops, there was were almost no tourists shopping in this area. The Mutrah Souq was unique because the ceilings at the intersections were inlaid with stained glass amid a wooden circular pattern.

The Alleyways of the Darkness Mutrah Souq

The shopping was a very authentic shopping experience with hardly any tourists in the area. It was a pleasant experience walking around without being haggled and being subjected to the usual high pressure sales tactics.

Frankencise was on sale almost everywhere. Most shops were selling it by the large bagful. I picked up a small container a little larger than a spice jar as a souvenir for 1.25 OMR ($4 USD)

Local Life on the Streets of Oman:

In a sight of local life, outside the market, some locals were also selling dates and playing dominoes of all things.

My Thoughts on our Visit to Muscat, Oman:

Overall a nice authentic experience to be treated to a local market. Our visit had no crowds and we were left pretty much unbothered as we wandering through the Mutrah Souq, thanks in part to the wonderful hospitality of the Omani’s. Our time in Muscat was much more regional and authentic thanks to an absence of regular tourists.

Tags: Al Dhalam, Corniche, Muscat, Muttrah Souq

Review: The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa, Muscat, Oman

Posted on April 20, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Hotels + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Shangri-La + Trip Report

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For our first visit to Oman, we were looking for a nice beach resort in order to base ourselves from in order to relax and explore the area. The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah was a spectacular location from which to spend a few days. While it was a true destination resort in its location, we were able to get off property several times between relaxing on the beach.

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Hotel Review: The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa, Muscat, Oman

“The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah is naturally and beautifully set in the Khors of Oman, between mountains and against turtle coves where excellent opportunities present for snorkelling”

This post is about our stay at The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa. You are invited to see these posts our experiences touring the Darkness Muttrah Souq at Muscat, Oman or Snorkelling with Turtles at Bandar Jissah near Yiti Beach, Oman.

Booking and Getting there:

We were looking for a nice place to stay but also wanted to take advantage of the beautiful Oman scenery. I did some research between the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and The Chedi. We decided on the Shangri La, thanks to its natural beauty and setting. We were not disappointed and really enjoyed our stay here.

Since Shangri La didn’t offer much incentive to book through their booking channels, and a rather pathetic 1,500 frequent flyer miles on a flat rate to be earned through their Shangri La Golden Circle program for this reservation, we ended up looking elsewhere. We ended up booking through online travel provider Rocketmiles who offered 11,000 Aeroplan miles for this booking (2,250 points per night) and a 3,000 point promotional first time booking bonus.

The Shangri La hotel offers three different hotel experiences within one general resort compound.

Al-Waha – family hotel. Rates starting at: 140 OMR ($360 USD) per night w/ breakfast.
Al-Bandar – business hotel: Rates starting at: 160 OMR ($415 USD) per night w/ breakfast.
Al-Husn – luxury hotel: Rates starting at: 212 OMR ($550 USD) per night w/ breakfast.

I did note that the rates went down quite considerably (as much as 35%) the closer to the booking. All the rooms in the lower categories were eventually sold out on our visit. I booked a refundable rate and locked in at the lower rate when it became available. The rates were also lower in the heat of the high summer.

The Shangri La Barr al Jissah hotel is located about 50 kilometres away from the Muscat International Airport. It’s situated on the coast line of the Gulf of Oman.

Instead of the hotel car service, we opted for a taxi to the hotel. I pre-paid 15 OM Ryals ($42 USD) for a 1 hour taxi to the Shangri La. We received a driver in a Toyota Camry who was a bit of a lead foot aling with a lead brake.

Surprising infrastructure for Oman. I certainly wasn’t expecting 4 lane highways along with fabulous views.

It was a beautiful drive in and we were looking forward to a great stay at the Shangri La Oman Barr Al Jissah Resort. After an easy 1 hour drive, we arrived to the resort.

Arriving to the Hotel:

On arrival at noon, it was clearly not the time to arrive at a hotel. Many people were at reception checking out. Many were destination tourists such as grandma and grandpa kettles and had their packages booked through tour operators. This made for a slower process at the reception counter. Some photos of the Al – Waha lobby after the masses had left.

Lobby of Shangri-La Al Waha Reception Desks

A neat local feature, Frankincense, the spice most commonly traded in Oman, was usually found burning in the lobby…

The Room: Al Waha – Superior Room King

Our room was not ready on arrival so we changed into swimwear and headed to the beach for the day. They asked for our cell number and indicated that they would call when the room was ready. Of course, the call never arrived, highlighting a trend here in the Middle East. I think this was as a result of dealing with a sheer volume of guests.

After the day at the beach, we moved into room #3439 on the top floor. Our bags were already in the room on arrival to the suite. I would have thought buying through a third party travel vendor like Rocket Miles would have given us the room next to the ice machine or the elevator shaft but we thankfully ended up on the top floor with a peek a boo ocean view.

The room was nicely decorated for a standard room.

A mini bar was also available. The resort was not all inclusive, so items from the mini bar were on a pay basis. Water was provided complimentary.

Mini Bar and Coffee Snacks (Shells and Granola Bars not included)

The room offered a spacious bathroom. While on the standard size, we didn’t find it to be all too small or constrictive.

Room with a View:

The room offered a small outdoor balcony. The small deck space had two seating chairs. It had a terrific view.

Around the Khors of the Resort:

The real star of this resort is the scenery of the khors (rocky inlets) that the hotel is situated in. The resort is situated in one of the only commercially developed Khors of Oman. Staying here made for an beautiful experience.

Beach Chairs at Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort

There were outdoor pools available if the ocean wasn’t your thing, or perhaps you were traveling with your family.

Exploring the Resort Walkways:

The resort offered a few pathways along the beach on top of the sea wall. These pathways took you along to the hidden cover of Turtle Beach inside a shallow, and the natural arch. The pathways were not long enough to have an exercise run on, but were pleasant enough for a short walk in between sun tanning.

The trails eventually led to the natural archway found at the point of the resort, between many of the turtle beach nesting locations.

The “On Resort” Turtle Beach:

The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa has a hidden turtle beach on the resort. It’s flanked by the Al Husn hotel on top of the photo. The beach was roped off, although there were no turtle eggs on this particular beach on our visit. Several visitors were seen taking a dip here. The resort has a turtle conservationist on site. Several areas of the beach were roped off in a small circle to protect hatching sites.

The Resort Beach:

The beach itself was split into two areas; the beach area and the grass area. For some reason, the loungers on the beach itself (on the sand) have no cushions on them. The loungers on the grass offered comfortable padding with good cushions.

I don’t know why there is this distinction but this led to a race of people saving chairs for later use during the day. On one day when we arrived at 12:30 PM, there were no padded chairs to be had. We got a bit sharper on the rest of the trip.

The beach itself was not anything special. Rather, it was special, but not as special as the price per night at the hotel. It had quite a few shells on it and wasn’t a beach with fine sand similar to the Maldives or Ko Phi Phi Don in Thailand. We stayed the majority of the time on the grass area, listening to the waves and enjoying the scenery.

Food and Beverage:

With the Shangri La- Barr al Jissah being a full resort property, the dining options off resort are limited. We enjoyed dinner on property each and every night.

MrsWT73 was able to stock up on Middle Eastern Snacks. While the dining was enjoyable, it wasn’t all that memorable. I’d attribute this to volume through the property which is a lot of people in the high hundreds.

After a great stay, the time came to check out. The night before the front desk proactively called our room to determine if there were any problems with our stay and to arrange or confirm taxi transfers. This was a nice touch.

At check out, the hotel pro-actively enrolled me in their reward program Shangri – La Golden Circle. I assumed that booking through Rocket Miles rate would not earn points but turns out we earned points on the food and beverage portion of the stay. To get back to the Muscat International Airport, we booked a public taxi to the airport through the front desk at the cost of 15 OMR ($38 USD).

After 4 days on the property, “nature’s broom” hit me like no tomorrow. I regretfully have to report that it was likely from the food or beverage from the Shangri-La hotel. I am confident is saying this as I did not any food off property for the entire 4 day stay. I suspected the foul medames that I indulged in at breakfast the morning that I left. There is something extra undignified about being sick while traveling.

I later wrote the Food and Beverage Manager surrounding this circumstance. He took note of the information but assured me by email that no other cases had been reported and that the food and beverage outlets in the hotel were HACCP certified. I was satisfied with this response and would chalk up the circumstance to bad luck. I wouldn’t let my experience deter you from staying here. I’d easily return.

My Thoughts on The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah:

Generally, the Al Waha side was full of kids. Al Bandar side was more adult. We took all our meals on the Al Waha side. Overall, I thought it was a great resort for kids.

If you were looking for exclusivity and privacy, then you’d need to book on the Al Husn side. It’s completely walled off from the other two resorts (including the beach access) where as you can pass freely between Al Waha and Al Bandar. As noted, our room over looked the family pool, although this was pretty quiet after 7 PM.

This particular resort isn’t the place for peace and serenity. There were large lines at buffet breakfast, which was included at any resort restaurant serving breakfast in our rate. The wait staff were primarily Asian which I found to be unusual for other Middle East resorts. We were recommended to make dinner reservations on some evenings. One staffer told us that there were over 1,000 guests on the property on one evening.

Overall, I enjoyed the beach get away. The setting of the resort was fabulous and memorable. We also enjoyed our visits to Muscat and on our snorkelling trip.

Tags: Hotel Review, Shangri-La, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, Shangri-La Golden Circle

Review: Etihad Airways Pearl Business Class A320-2, Abu Dhabi – Muscat

Posted on April 19, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Airbus 320 + Airline + Business Class + Etihad + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report

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Our flight with Etihad was like our earlier flights. It really set the stage for excellent flights throughout the Gulf Region. The on board product and catering were excellent. Our ability to access great business class inventory by transferring points into Etihad Guest frequent flier program made for great value redemptions.

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Review: Etihad Airways Pearl Business Class A320-2, Abu-Dhabi – Muscat

Booking the Flight:

As I had indicated earlier, after failing to put together a driving trip through the Gulf Region, I settled for a short flight instead. We ended up using the convenient Etihad Guest program in order to travel in a little bit of style.

As Etihad has a distance based reward chart, we were able to secure 2 tickets in business class, including the complimentary Eithad Chauffeur drive, for a reasonable 12,000 miles and 85 AED ($37 USD) taxes and fees per person round trip (that’s 6,000 miles per segment). Indeed with a few clicks of the mouse our flights were instantly booked. It was much easier than sorting out all the driving and immigration processes.

Etihad Airlines
Business Class
AUH-MCT (Abu Dhabi Terminal 3 – Muscat International Airport, Oman)
EY382 – Pearl Business Class (I)
April 21, 2014
9:05 AM – 10:10 AM
Booked: Airbus 320
Flown: Airbus 320-200

We left from the Etihad Pearl Business Lounge and proceeded to the gate. We arrived to gate 47 as the Pearl Business Class boarding commenced. Business class got a separate bus today, which left from the gate promptly.

A short ride out to remote stand where most of Etihad’s short haul aircraft were lined up under the hot sun.

A View of Gulf Air and Etihad Airframes on the bus ride

There’s always a great chance to see some interesting aircraft at airports around the world. I wasn’t really sure why this Thai Airways Airbus 380 was here since Abu Dhabi isn’t a normal A380 route for Thai. It was parked at a non operational position near a hangar. Maintenance perhaps?

A Thai Airways A380 seen visiting at Abu Dhabi

On Board Etihad Pearl Business:

The first thing you notice stepping on board Etihad Aircraft regardless of cabin, is the cabin pre-boarding music that they play. It is a nice contemporary piece and is among my all time favourites for airplane boarding music. It’s hard not to have a relaxing smile listening to this to set the mood at the start of an Etihad flight.

Etihad Boarding Music

On board, the Pearl Business Cabin on the Airbus 320 features a pleasant light green barca lounger style chair designed by Recaro. The seats are now showing a little bit of wear given their light colors.

Recaro Seats -Etihad Short Haul Pearl Business

The in flight entertainment is in a monitor stowed in the arm rest.

In Flight Entertainment: Showing a Desert Flight Map

Pre Departure Services:

Once settled into our seats, we were offered a pre-departure beverage choice of water, orange juice or lemon and mint. I had the lemon and mint which was delicious. We were taken care of by Carly, the Etihad Service Director on this short one hour trip.

We were also offered hot towel on a tray. This was a nice touch as it was a short flight. The towel services are usually saved for the longer business flights.

It was a quick boarding process thanks to the non gate position. We were underway in no time. We were able to spot the the cool Abu Dhabi air traffic control tower on our way to runway 15.

The Meal: A Light Breakfast

We were served the usual assortment of baked goods hot and cold. It was served along with a glass of champagne. It was fabulous catering for such a short flight and North American Carriers could take note of the stark differences in product.

Views on the Descent:

Flying in this part of the world always offers super interesting scenary. The approach into Muscat, Oman looked like flying into Tatooine – the fictional desert planet featured in the first Star Wars film (Episode IV) where Luke Skywalker discovers the hidden message inside R2D2. It’s okay if you didn’t know where Tatooine was – I had to ask my 10 year old son what the Star Wars island was called in the movie in order to compare it to the landscapes of Oman.

We had a quick touch down at Oman International Airport and parked at a non gate position. We had an Airbus from neighbouring Qatar next to us on the apron. We boarded a very short bus ride to the terminal.

Arriving into Oman:

Oman offered visa on arrival, with no ability to obtain a visa in advance for tourist purposes at an Omani Embassy or Consulate. We lined up to get the visa, conveniently located at the Currency Exchange Desk, and was asked if we came from Dubai this morning? Staying at the Grosvenor, we said yes. Apparently, being in the neighbouring Emirate state exempted us from needed a visa for the stay. We joined the passport immirgration line, and was partially processed, when we were advised we actually did need the visa as we flown out of Abu Dhabi. A bit of a mix up, we re-attended the currency exchange counter and got a visa. Duty free on arrival was also available.

We collected the bags which were off the belt by this point as we were the last ones and headed for the exit and X-Ray Screening. Customs asked us in queue how many bottles of liquor we had. We had 4 bottles (1 vodka and three wine) but I believe the X-Ray picked up MrsWT73’s empty metal vodka bottle packed in her suitcase. This didn’t lead to further questioning and after a few back and forth questions in English with the line building up behind us, we were waved on and out into the general arrivals hall at Muscat.

My Thoughts on Etihad Pearl Business Class:

Like our earlier flights, Etihad Pearl Business Class was quite impressive. The seating was comfortable and the catering was miles ahead of what we would typically expect for a short haul flight in the Americas. The catering continued to remain pleasant and the ability to add the Ethiad Chauffeur Drive to our tickets added even more value on an already discounted ticket. I would continue to highly recommend them for short flights around the Gulf.

Tags: AUH, Etihad, Etihad Guest, EY 382, MCT

Review: Etihad Airways Pearl Business Lounge, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Updated

Posted on April 18, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Etihad Airways Lounge + Lounges + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report

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Thanks to some surprise flight delays, we ended up spending more time in the Etihad Airways Pearl Business Lounge than we originally anticipated. Despite the high density seating, the lounge offered great food and beverage (including champagne); making it a worthwhile stop on any connecting travellers journey.

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Review: Etihad Airways Pearl Business Lounge, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Updated

“The Etihad Airways Pearl Business Lounge was well equipped with an open bar including champagne, a full buffet, and a free Six Senses spa treatment. While it was very busy on our visit, it eventually quieted down allowing for a more relaxing visit”

This is our second visit to this lounge. We invite you to see here for our previous visit to the Etihad Pearl Business Lounge in Abu Dhabi Terminal Three.

Getting from the United Arab Emirates to Oman:

Our First Experience Redeeming with Etihad Guest

I’ve always wanted to return to the United Arab Emirates for a driving holiday. We had a blast driving around on our last visit to Qsar Al Sarab and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Initially, I wanted to drive from the United Arab Emirates on the highway into Oman. However, reading reports on the internet about semi complicated border crossings, getting exit stamps, entry visas, purchasing additional Omani car insurance and sourcing a car rental agency that would allow you to travel across the border with their cars proved to be a headache. Add to this, the occasional Trip Advisor horror story of windshield rock damage on rental cars and we decided that it was just easier to fly.

Since Etihad has a distance based reward chart, we were able to secure 2 tickets in business class, including the complimentary Eithad Chauffeur drive, for a reasonable 12,000 miles and 85 AED ($37 USD) taxes and fees per person round trip (thats 6,000 miles per segment in Business Class). Indeed with a few clicks of the mouse our flights were instantly booked. It was much easier than sorting out all the driving and immigration processes.

Using the Etihad Chauffeur Drive:

Complimentary Airport Transfers:

We booked the included Etihad Chauffeur in advance through the Etihad website. The process requires a separate sign in, and completing of an online request up to 48 hours prior to travel. The information is then passed on to their transport provider, who is supposed to contact you to confirm your collection / pick up time.

On the day prior to departure, no confirmation call as promised was received from the Etihad Chauffeur Drive company to our North American area code cellphone. Since the Abu Dhabi airport is about 120 kilometers from Dubai, I wanted to confirm the travel arrangements so I wouldnt have to put together alternate transportation to the airport at the last minute.

Since Eithad doesnt provide a direct number to the service provider arranging the chauffeur service, I called the main Etihad Global Contact center in the United Arab Emirates. Our first call was at 1 PM the day prior to travel (you can see where this was going). I was told that the chauffeur provider would usually collect you 3 hours before. The chauffeur company will call you, or email maybe? The answer didn’t inspire a whole degree of confidence.

The day passed and we never received a call, (or email maybe…) Our second call to the Etihad UAE Glboal Contact Center again at 7 PM the day before travel. We were told that the Chauffer Drive would be there at 6:05 AM. I was read back the pickup address by Etihad and told not to worry. In the end, we never received a call from the transportation provider.

It was an interesting set up as we wouldnt have known the pickup time if I hadnt chased them down. For a service thats supposed to be catered towards business travelers that actually have less time, I spent more time chasing them down trying to get answers.

On the day of departure we arrived downstairs at the Grosvenor Hotel check out. The time of 6:05 AM rolled by with no sign of limo. Even the concierge staff at the door started to get worried. The Grosvenor House concierge proactively placed what was now a third call to Etihad to look for the limo. Im sorry their guest service center office are closed. Do you have another number ? While I was opening up my laptop, the car rolled up at 6:20 AM. The driver had told us that was the appointed time pick up time, but no one ever got a hold of us to inform us of that.

Todays transport was in a black Audi A6, which appeared to be common vehicle in the fleet for the Chauffeur Drive to and from Abu Dhabi.

Before we knew it, the Audi A6 was loaded up and we were headed down the A20 expressway to Abu Dhabi at 140 km/h (the posted speed limit) to Abu Dhabi Terminal 3. Etihad branded water was also provided.

We arrived to Abu Dhabi airport after 50 minutes. The driver was unclear about which terminal I was headed to. This was a bit strange for a Etihad Chauffeur service that was supposedly run (or contracted) by the airline. Luckily we had the information handy and not buried in the laptop back in the trunk of the car.

Ethiad Terminal 3 First & Business Class Check In

The car was unloaded the car curbside at Terminal Three and we were greeted by an Etihad Porter. Etihad uses porters for it’s business and first class travelers departing from Abu Dhabi. We were led in by the porter into the business class line. The porter acted much like a porter, and less like a Walmart Greeter or a host. The porter didn’t say much.

Checking into Etihad Business Class:

Initial impressions of the exclusive check in area was an area of chaos – people all over the place, kids running about and no real separation from the first and business class groups aside from a corridor.

Following our Porter to Business Class Check In

We were promptly checked in. Bags were weighed. Instead of being placed on a conveyer belt, the bags were left behind the counter and portered over to a conveyer belt just off the check in banks.

After check in, we were stamped out of the UAE immigration and joined the blended first and business queue at the dedicated security screening. Security was much more relaxed here with no laptops out and bottled water was allowed through the security screening.

We stepped over to the Etihad Business Lounge Terminal 3. The terminal is now showing its age. Thankfully a new one is coming along. We stepped into a cramped elevator along with a family of 5 for a ride up on floor to the business lounge.

Accessing the Lounge:

Etihad offers Pearl Business Lounge Access in Abu Dhabi Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport on a complimentary basis if you’re an Etihad Guest Gold member or flying in Business on an Etihad operated flight.

Etihad Guest Silver members are welcome to use the Al Reem Lounge in Terminal 1.

More recently, Etihad has also offered pay per use access for access to their lounges. The rate is based on the amount of time that you want to stay. At the time of publication was 2 hours for AED 370 ($100 USD), or 14,100 Etihad Guest Miles, 4 hours for AED 550 ($150 USD) or 21,100 Etihad Guest Miles, 6 hours for AED 730 ($200 USD) or 28,100 Etihad Guest Miles or 8 hours for AED 920 ($250 USD) or 35,100 Etihad Guest Miles. For some of those prices, it may be worth getting a hotel for the layover.

Our access was provided courtesy of an Etihad Pearl Business Class ticket.

Inside the Etihad Pearl Business Lounge Abu Dhabi – Terminal 3:

This was our third visit to this lounge. Every time we have visited, the lounge has always been stuffed full. The only time the lounge was empty, was on our last visit when we were stuck here at 3 AM as a result of a mechanical issue on our flight to Doha. Today was somewhat similar, hardly anywhere to sit with many wandering looking for chairs.

Even the Tables and Chairs were fully occupied

Food and Beverage in the Lounge:

What Etihad loses out on in space, they make up for in catering. Lanson Champagne was available on pour and a full English Buffet Breakfast was out on offer. I have to say that aside from some Lufthansa First Class Lounge experiences in Frankfurt, or the Thai Royal First Lounge in Bangkok, the Etihad Business Class Lounge offered among the nicest feature food catering that I’ve ever experienced in a Business Lounge.

We settled in waiting our flight. Given our late arrival and all the lines at check in, immigration and security, we only had 30 minutes in the lounge. We didn’t get the opportunity to use the Six Senses Spa this visit, although many therapists (if you can call them that) appeared to be waiting around for customers to use their services. Instead, we enjoyed a little Etihad Champagne from the bar.

We did enjoy a few morning airside views under the Middle East glare.

My Thoughts on our Return to the Etihad Pearl Business Lounge:

The Etihad Airways Pearl Business Lounge was just as busy on our second and third trip through its hub in Abu Dhabi. It’s difficult to find this a relaxing place. However, what it lacks in seating space, it makes up in ample food and beverage with one of the best business class food spreads out there. The food alone in enough to bring us back on our travels through Abu Dhabi. The fact that it also offers actual champagne at the bar is another bonus, making this a worthwhile visit when passing through, even if it is only for a quick stop.

Tags: AUH, Etihad Lounge, Etihad Pearl Business Lounge

Trading at the Old Markets of Dubai, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Posted on April 17, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Asia + Attraction + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report + United Arab Emirates

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The city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is known for its glamour and exotic attractions. A seven star hotel? Fantastic water parks? World class shopping? Yes – it has all that. It also has one of the more original markets that existed in the Middle East that is often overlooked by it’s millions of visitors. We set out today to look at the old markets and souq’s of Dubai in Deira; Dubai’s original city center and home of it’s traditional roots.

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Activity: Trading at The Old Markets of Dubai, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The region of Deira is the traditional historic center of Dubai. It represents an area of Dubai that still functions without the commercial gilts and glamour that is represented in new Dubai. While it is similar to markets like the Souq Wahif in Doha, Qatar, it’s still an interesting perspective on life in Dubai. For a taste of old Dubai, we made it a point to visiting Deira, Dubai for a taste of yesterday.

Getting to Deira, Dubai:

We took the Dubai Metro from The Grosvenor House over to the Deira area of Dubai. From the metro, it was a short walk to the old market.

Visiting the Deira market:

The market contains almost four hundred stores. Many of the stores are related to the gold trade in the area and the appropriately named Gold Souq. The market is mostly of an open air variety, with many streets, lanes and alleyways where trading occurs.

There are some areas of the market that offer covered streets. This is great for beating the warm sun of the Middle East. There is also an opportunity to see the configuration of the older buildings with the built in air conditioning through roof top vents.

Market Areas with Traditional Rooftop Cooling

In addition to Gold, there are a variety of fresh spices that are available. These are traditionally displayed in appealing containers outside of the individual stores. While the displays can get elaborate with cylindrical towers, at most places they were in the traditional bulk bins.

Riding an Abra Water Taxi – Deira Ferry Ride:

A visit to Deira also offers one of the best local ferry rides in Dubai. Similar to riding the Star Ferry in Hong Kong, any visitor to Deira can ride the local Abra local ferry ride. The fare is typically 1 AED (0.28 USD), making it the best value transportation in Dubai.

The ride starts with hopping on the Abra from the market side, and taking it across the river. It’s a first come first served type of transportation, so you can be expected to squeeze on with your neighbours.

Once you get underway, there are better views on the water. It’s always a little cooler from the city heat out on the water and this river was no exception.

The rewards for getting to the other side, are fantastic falafel and hummus restaurant at Al Medina. We previously visited on our last trip through the area and enjoyed ourselves greatly.

My Thoughts on a Visit to Deira, Dubai:

The streets and alleys of Deira represent a time long ago in Dubai. It’s a more authentic experience that can bring the traveler back to what Dubai may have been like prior to all of the glamour and luxury that the United Arab Emirates brand represents today. While it may not be the first item on anyone’s sightseeing list, if you’re looking for a more traditional experience, this would be among the better places to start.

Tags: Walking Tour

At the Top, Visiting the World’s Tallest Building, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Posted on April 16, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Asia + Attraction + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report + United Arab Emirates

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The Burj Khalifa was constructed as the worlds tallest building in order to transition the United Arab Emirates from solely and energy based market place into a world market place where more international recognition would be bestowed on the city. Visiting the observation deck at the Burj Khalifa was an experience we were keen to try, in this city of man made attractions. Our visit allowed us the ability to experience what it felt like to stand on the one hundred and twenty fourth floor of the world’s tallest building.

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Activity: At The Top, Visiting the World’s Tallest Building, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Burj Khalifa has been the tallest skyscraper and free standing structure in the world. It is a well known structure that has made it’s way into the landmark books of skyscrapers around the world. It was designed to be the centrepiece of large-scale, mixed-use development, which includes the elegant Dubai Mall. The decision to construct the building was based on the government’s decision to diversify from an oil-based economy, and for Dubai to gain international recognition.

The building has a total height of 829.8 meters 2,722 feet, or some 154 floors including 9 additional floors for maintenance. The building cost over 1.5 billion dollars to construct over 6 years. I can’t imagine the amount of construction mess that this took to build, but it’s certainly a sight to see after it’s completed and ready for viewing.

Booking “At The Top”:

The booking for the world’s highest observation deck is completed on line. The reservation windows opens ninety days in advance. The access is time controlled, meaning that a time slot is required to be selected for your visit. The reservations were fully booking up about 3 weeks out at the time of our visit. I left it a little late and was unable to get my first choice sunset time, instead ending up with a 3:30 PM time.

The tickets announced “Get ready to enter the record books”. Get ready to enter the record books alright- the internet advance purchase admission price of 125 AED ($40 USD) is much better than the walk up price of 400 AED ($125), the most expensive observation deck ticket I’ve ever purchased. Indeed, these tickets can escalate like plane tickets if you don’t purchase early enough.

Arriving to the Burj Khalifa:

The Burj Khalifa is in the middle of a mixed Commerical Residential area with a whole variety of things that could keep visitors (and residents) of Dubai entertained.

The entrance to the Burj Khalifa is accessed through the Dubai Mall. We walked over to Dubai Mall after arriving by Dubai Metro from our stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road.

Accessing “At The Top” at the Burj Khalifa:

The Burj Khalifa At the Top observation deck is accessed by elevators. The building holds several world records with the elevator construction including world’s highest elevator construction and worlds longest travelled distance elevators.

After a short wait, we entered onto a double decker elevator and took the ride all the way up to floor 124. It’s a bit surreal seeing “124” as the floor when you step off.

Viewing “At The Top” at the Burj Khalifa:

Once you’re At the Top, you’re pretty much free to roam around for your reservation time. The attraction recommends a two hour visit, and we pretty much took that amount of time on our stay. It is especially weird viewing from so high up on floor #124; just surreal being on top of all the other buildings.

There were great views of the Dubai Fountain and surrounding complex area.

Views of Dubai Fountain from the At The Top

Views looking towards the Dubai Aquarium (left)

There were also views of the business district along Sheikh Zayed Road and the E 11 highway, which is the main through fare for Dubai and part of the primary highway that criss crosses the coast line of the United Arab Emirates. It stretches to Saudi Arabia at the Western side and all the way to Oman at the other Eastern side.

The Business District of Sheikh Zayed Road

Views Along Shiekh Zayed Road, including construction yet to begin

While the views towards the central business district and it’s towers, I thought that the views of the man made Dubai Fountain on the reverse side were the star of the viewing platform.

My Closing Thoughts on At The Top at the Burj Khalifa:

Much like some other attractions in Dubai, the At The Toop Burj Khalifa falls into the category of “I’m happy I did it”. It was a visit to the world’s highest observation deck.

Despite all the marketing and packages that can be sold to enhance a visit, our visit was perfectly pleasant without “luxurious beverages” or other enhancements. The experience of taking photos at the top, while memorable, won’t ever make it i

It’s still pretty cool to be on the 124th floor of any building. I think this makes the visit the most memorable part. Either way, we were happy to have visited and to have made this destination one of our attractions while visiting Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Tags: At The Top, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall

Indulging in Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Posted on April 15, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts + Asia + Attraction + Restaurant Review + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report + United Arab Emirates

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The Burj Al Arab has developed a reputation as one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. It has been described by travel writers as one of the view world’s “seven star” properties. With room rates starting at over $2,000 USD per night, it remains an exclusive place to be. While it doesn’t allow walk in visitors, there is a way of visiting the hotel by enjoying it’s afternoon tea or a meal in one of it’s fine restaurants. We set ourselves up for a visit with afternoon tea at the Skyview Bar, amid spectacular views over the Dubai shoreline.

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Activity: Afternoon Tea at the Burj al Arab, Skyview Bar, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

On our last visit to Dubai, we missed out on afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab on our last trip through. Naturally, it was high on our list to try out on our second visit to the city. In a city of escalating costs, The Burj Al Arab have recently increased the Afternoon Tea price up to 580 AED ($157 USD) with a glass of champagne in the Skyview Bar rooftop restaurant. They also had a lower priced offering in the Sahn Eddar lobby bar at 510 AED ($138 USD) with champagne or 450 AED ($122 USD) with unlimited non alcoholic drinks. The lobby bar doesn’t have any water view at all, and doesn’t match the views from the Skybar. If you are going to partake in this over the top experience, I’d highly recommend having tea in the Skybar.

The Burj Al Arab Hotel – Home of the Skyview Bar

Booking an Indulgent Afternoon Tea:

We booked on line via the hotel website. We booked about 30 days in advance and had our choice of availability. We aimed to start the experience right at the start of the first tea time seating at 1 PM – 3 PM in order to get the better window tables. There is also a seating time at 4 PM – 6 PM as well. The Burj Al Arab hotel has recently monetized the tables near the windows at an extra 100AED ($27 USD) per table, which seems like an easy decision if you’ve come all this way.

We had to provide an advance credit card along with a photo identification for the reservation. The reservations were handled promptly and professionally.

Arriving to the Burj Al Arab:

We arrived to the hotel by taxi from The Grosvenor House in Dubai Marina. We had to show a printed emailed reservation slip at the front gate. This was cross checked by a security guard using a wrist attached iPad. There were heaps of onlookers at the front wanting to take photographs of the building. Several (a small busload of) tourists were outside gawking at the whole experience so it’s plain to see why the security screening is enforced.

Security Gates and On Lookers at the Entry to the Burj Al Arab

Our taxi dropped off at front of hotel where the hotel staff had no issues with us taking photographs. Several guest or house cars were parked at the front, including several Rolls Royces.

The Burj Al Arab Hotel: An impressive structure to arrive to

Arrival Fountain at the The Burj Al Arab

Inside the Burj Al Arab Hotel:

We entered into the lower lobby and were personally greeted by a host who explained where to go. The lower lobby has a large fish tank as a feature. The lobby was a bit of a scene. It was full of tourists gawking like us, who happened to have restaurant reservations. There were indeed quite a number of tourists which was were slightly less than the amount outside. I think this would be expected considering that the hotel is a bit of a tourist attraction in itself.

Fish Tanks on the Escalator Ride to the Upper Lobby

Dancing Fountaints – As one does in a seven star hotel

We self led ourselves up the escalators to main lobby. A lot has been said about the décor of this property. Although it’s not personally to my liking, I can understand the challenges in decorating a property that needs to make a statement and to have its guests remember the experience. The Burj Al Arab does that in spades.

The Outlandish Lobby at the Burj Al Arab

The building itself is hollow as there is a large atrium, making it able to see almost to the top floor inside the cavity of the structure. All the hotel rooms appeared to face the water. There was also the Sahn Eddar lobby bar, which faced the land side and vehicle entrance. There were also several interesting water features.

Views of the Lobby from the Elevator Access

Arriving to the Skyview Bar:

The Skyview Bar at the Burj Al Arab is situated on the seventh seventh floor of the hotel. Given the expense of the tea, I was keen to get us a window seat in the Skyview Bar. We approached the visitor access elevator to the Skyview Bar at 12:30 PM and was turned away. “Come back at 1 pm.” It’s worth noting that the early tea is at a set 1 PM reservation time. We returned to the lobby and waited around. We returned to the elevators at 1245pm, explained the aim to get a seat by the window and were permitted access.

We rode up an outside elevator up to a very small holding area that was the reception for the restaurant. We were held here along with everyone else until a few minutes after one o’clock. We were then seated in order of arrival. A bit of an amusing experience as many people just walked into the restaurant thinking that they own the place and the staff do their best at frantically keeping people to hold in the reception area. Do these people really think that twenty people are standing around waiting here in the lobby just for fun? (Laughing). There was one Chinese woman who arrived and walked in without listening to any instructions. Within about 2 minutes, they had a staff member speaking to her in Chinese to prevent her from wandering about the restaurant. Overall, it was quite impressive on how Jumeriah dealt with the situation professionally and sensitively. In the end, it seems she had gotten lost from her tour group, which shows you how exclusive this place really is (or isn’t).

Eventually, we were led to our seat. We were fortunate enough to be seated near a window, which is really best part of the whole experience. On our visit, the restaurant was configured with 6 seats on the right hand side (East facing) of the restaurant that has double seats angled outward at ninety degrees with both seats faced toward the window. With the other tables of two in the north side of the restaurant, one sesat faces the window and the other seat faces inward toward the middle of the restaurant. If you want a window facing seat where both of you are facing the window, make sure you get there early as the restaurant only had 6 tables for two that were configured this way on the east side on the date of our visit.

The Bar at the Skyview Bar – The Burj al Arab

The Setting for Afternoon Tea at the Skyview Bar

The Indulgent Afternoon Tea Menu:

As mentioned earlier, the Afternoon Tea set menu was offered at 580 AED ($157 USD), including a glass of champagne. Since we’re on the topic of price, there was no mention of included gratituity but there was a spot for it at the end of the bill. I thought it was a bit over the top asking for gratuity on a set menu $400 bill without it being included. Most places I’ve experienced at this price point have it included. There was also a live classical piano playing music throughout the service.

Afternoon Tea – a six course affair:

The service started with Louis Roederer Brut NV champagne and some “off menu” fresh welcome dates.

Louis Roederer Brut NV and welcome dates

The Table Setting for Afternoon Tea at The Burj Al Arab

Views of the Dubai Skyline from the Skyview Bar

The Burj Khalifa as seen from The Burj Al Arab

We had peek-a-boo views of the Palm Jumeriah in the distance…

As the food service got underway, our first course was a berry tart.

Followed by the Chef’s Carvery of the Day. Today was Roast Beef served with mashed potatoes. It was perfectly cooked at medium rare.

Chef’s Carvery of the Day: Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes

The third course was an etagière of finger sandwiches and soft buns. All were tasty with delicate unique Middle Eastern spices and influences.

An etagière of finger sandwiches and soft buns with middle eastern spices

The fourth course was a second etagière of home made scones with Devonshire clotted cream and home made jams. The jams were super tasty and we each quickly found our favorites.

Part way through the festivus of food, the champagne had gone down awfully well. We had to indulge in another drink. MrsWT73 had a Cosmopolitan, where as I had a Tom Collins decorated with a rose petal.

An indulgent Cosmopolitan Martini and a Tom Collins

For the fifth course, we enjoyed a lychee and rose sorbet, along with a choice of teas.

Afternoon Tea and Lychee and Rose Sorbet

Of course, things wouldn’t be complete the visit without take away chocolates.

Overall, the food was very good but not of excellent quality. The service matched this as being very good but a bit “assembly line” in nature. For example, many dishes were brought on on etiagères and it would be common for staff to bring out more than one etagière on their arms, rush through the explanations of the dishes holding the other etagiere at an awkward angle, then move directly onto the next table to repeat the process. One would expect that at a hotel of this caliber that the service would have been the top of the class. Needless to say, I was expecting a little bit more at this price point. I happened to mention this in a after the fact e-survey and received several apologies from the hotel property.

The two hour service was taken leisurely. As can be expected, it was too much food. The best part of the experience was the view and the pleasure of a dining in a unique experience and atmosphere. It’s best reserved for a special occasion. If you are coming, aim to arrive early for one of the better tables. Those on the inside were not as enamoured with the view as we were, and left much earlier.

My Closing Thoughts on Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab:

There are travel attractions around the world that fall into the category of “I’m happy I did it”. The Burj Al Arab fits into that category quite nicely.

While the Afternoon Tea itself was exceptionally pleasant, it wasn’t over the top memorable. The memorable portions of the visit included the over the top lobby, the indulgent views from the Skyview Bar, and the concept of eating in one of the world’s most exclusive hotels. The setting was lovely and the food was pretty divine. Initially, I thought that while we enjoyed the experience, we’d likely never be back. Now, with the passage of time, I actually look back on this afternoon as a memorable travel occasion well worth celebrating.

Tags: Afternoon Tea, Burj Al Arab, Jumeriah

Review: The Grosvenor House, Apartment Suites, Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Updated

Posted on April 14, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Hotels + Luxury Collection + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Trip Report

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For our second visit to Dubai, we decided to return to the Dubai Marina area. It was situated in a nice neighbourhood with access to nearby Jumeriah Beach. It also had reasonable access around Dubai thanks to being close to the Dubai Metro less than 10 minutes walk from the property.

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Hotel Review: The Grosvenor House, Apartment Suites, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Updated

Booking and Getting there:

This was our second stay at this property after having previously stayed at The Grosvenor House on our last stay to Dubai. For more information on how we ended up chosing this property, I invite you to read our earlier post on our past stay.

Like before, we booked directly on the Marriott website. The property was chosen as it was in the modern newer part of Dubai. It was also situational near the Dubai Marina and Jumeriah Beach, the property was set back 1 block from the beach area. The property also offered a courtesy shuttle to the Royal Meridien Jumeriah Resort and access to its beach facilities and restaurants.

We were able to locate a rate of AED 1,150 per night and adding municipal tax at 10%, and a service charge of 10%, the total rate per night came to AED 1,380 ($375 USD) per night for a three night stay.

The Grosvenor House is located in the thick of all the towers in the eastern edge of the Dubai Marina.

It is an impressive first impression as you arrive to an area full of towers and luxury condominiums.

On arrival, we were led in from the street up the escalators to the lobby. Each time we had arrived here, check in is usually done completed on the lobby couches. The lobby always contains a beautiful fresh flower display. Today’s colors, as with last time, were yellow.

Beautiful Yellows made up a Fantastic Floral Display

A welcome drink was provided while our check in was completed on the lobby couches.

Welcome Beverages at the Grosvenor House Check In

We had originally booked a superior king size non smoking room. Regretfully, on our arrival at 11 PM, we were informed that they did not have our room type available. The hotel attempted to offer us two doubles instead. I wasn’t super keen on it and MrsWT73 made some comments toward the host who was handling our check in. This process worked and by the time they returned with the keys, we had received a complimentary upgrade to an Apartment King Suite in Tower One.

The Room: An Apartment King Suite in Tower One

There are two types of rooms at the Grosvenor House: hotel rooms and apartment rooms. There are also two towers at the hotel: Tower One and Tower Two. Both towers contain hotel food and beverage outlets. Tower Two is closer to the Jumeriah Beach views and appears to contain mostly apartments. We’ve stayed (by choice) in Tower One on each of our visits.

A Large Living and Dining Area:

Overall, the room had a nice living area and was quite large. The living area had a nice stereo that we used to tune in a little Dubai radio.

Apartment King Suite Living Area (and Dining Tables)

A Spacious One Bedroom King:

The bedroom was quite large and spacious, with plenty of room for our bags.

A comfortable wall mounted television in the master bedroom

The Apartment Suite contained one and a half bathrooms, with a wonderful rain shower that was the best of our trip.

A Full Kitchen:

The Apartment King Suite was equipped with a full kitchen, refrigerator and freezer.

The kitchen was useful to store our duty free wine, since you can’t actually purchase wine with any ease inside the United Arab Emirates. The high ceilings made the living accommodations look large.

A Kitchen with a Peek a Boo window into the living room

The Apartment King Suite hallway was large enough to feature its own hallways with doors, and another ensuite.

A Room with a View:

One thing that I have found with hotel upgrades is that they are never as good when you know that there are excellent rooms available in the system and your upgrade isn’t one of them. Although the apartment upgrade was a much larger footprint, the view was not as nice as our last stay here. Our view had a peek-a-boo view toward the Dubai Marina.

Separate Building Access:

The Grosvenor House also had a separate discreet entrance on the side for the Apartments in Tower One. We ended up using this side entrance most often. It was ideal for longer term stays so that guests were not exposed to the hustle and bustle of the regular main lobby.

The Recreation Facilities:

We used the recreation facilities on our second stay. The Grosvernor House offered a hotel pool. Being a luxury building, it’s a pretty small pool. It’s also on the shady side of the building for most of the day.

The shaded pool area at the Grosvenor House

The real pool to visit if you’re staying here is at the sister property of the Grosvenor House. Guests at the Grosvenor House get reciprocal privileges at the Royal Meriden Dubai Marina Hotel. The hotel is situated right on the Jumeriah Beach. A complimentary shuttle runs between the two properties every twenty minutes. We spent a day here on this trip and again it was a lovely experience. The Royal Meridien Dubai Marina is right on the public Jumeriah Beach, and is a great gathering spot to check out the sunset.

On the Royal Meridien Dubai lawn near Jumeriah Beach looking back towards Dubai Marina

Around the hotel:

The hotel is located in the Dubai Marina and there are ample restaurants a short walk from the hotel. We were able to take several dinners off site and off hotel hotel pricing. We also used the Dubai Marina walkways for early morning runs amid the spectacular towers.

There is lots here to keep you entertained with walkways that stretch around the Dubai Marina and it’s residential neighborhoods for miles.

The Grosvenor House Overall:

Despite the lesser suite view, and the slight smoking smell to our room, we had a very comfortable stay at the Grosvenor House in the Apartment Suite King. We are fans on the Dubai Marina neighborhood, which is a trendy upscale area that is maturing quite nicely. The visit privileges to the Royal Meridien Dubai Marina make this hotel an easy one to stay at, given that you can access the beach at a great resort at any time.

Of interest is that unlike other Starwood / Marriott properties on this trip, the Grosvenor House rates stayed pretty much the same over the four months prior to our booking.

We would stay here again in a heartbeat if returning to the Dubai Marina area. As a result, I would highly recommend a stay here.

Tags: Dubai Marina, Hotel Review, Jumeriah Beach, Marriott Bonvoy, Partial Sea View, The Grosvenor House, The Luxury Collection

Review: Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class A330-3, Bangkok Survharnabhumi – Dubai

Posted on April 13, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Airbus 330 + Airline + Business Class + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Thai Airways + Trip Report

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Thai Airways is one of the more unique carriers to grace the Star Alliance network. It generally has great reward seat availability, a unique in service product that involves elaborate costume changes on the part of it’s flight attendants, and world class transfer services at Bangkok Survharnabhumi airport that include massages for all Business Class and First Class travelers. This flight certainly set the mood for our inbound flight connecting through Bangkok on our way to the United Arab Emirates.

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Review: Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class A330-3 Bangkok Survharnabhumi – Dubai

“Thai Airways offers one of the most unique flying experiences by offering traditional Thai Hospitality, Thai oriented cuisine on board and the most purple themed aircraft around“

After a wonderful time at the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa and time spent in the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge, It soon came time for our next leg. From the lounge, we headed over across the hall to Gate D1A, the gate that is usually used for bus departures.

Shell of the Bangkok Survharnabhumi Airport

Thai Airways International
Royal Silk Business Class
BKK-DXB (Survarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport – Dubai International Airport)
TG517 – Business Class (I)
4:15 PM – 7:40 PM
April 17, 2014
Booked: Airbus 330-300
Flown: Airbus 330-300

After a short wait, boarding started from Gate D1A. There was another big line crush when the initial boarding call was announced. Thai ground staff actively enforced the boarding priority, which was good on them since it’s much easier for gate staff to “forget”.

We hopped the bus as one big group out to our Airbus 330 that was parked at a close by remote stand. Double door boarding was used with stairs at the front and rear of the aircraft from the apron. It’s never fun to have a bus gate and Bangkok, even with all its gates, seems to have to use them sometimes.

On Board Thai Airways Royal Orchid Business Class:

The seating configuration of the Airbus 330 was almost identical to that of the Royal Silk product on the Boeing 777 that we had flown in on Thai Airways Seoul – Bangkok. The configuration in business was 2-2-2.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class – Airbus A330-3

Thai Airways Angle Flat Business Class Seats

The seating configuration is pleasant for relaxing and the seats had ample room between themselves and the passengers in the rows in front and behind you.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class Cabin

The entertainment system was controlled by a wired remote control. The seat back featured the same adjustments as on the Boeing 777-200 configuration. The angle flat seat was great for relaxing but not so comfortable for sleeping.

Wired Remote Controls and Seat Adjustments

Thai Royal Silk Business was a full cabin today with a blend of people typically associated with flying to and from the Middle East. This meant customers of all races, shapes and sizes. It was a contrast from the homogeneous Asian countries we had just visited. Our seats, 12 K/ 12H, were surrounded by a family of eight Asians traveling with two children. One of the children, aged about 9, took a special interest in us and actually invaded our seating area on two occasions, having to be physically pried back by the nanny and grandparents. These incidents prompted masses of attention as they tried to sort things out and occurred mid sleeps or during meal services.

Pre Departure Service:

Today’s service started with Piper Heindsek champagne and cashews. Thai was actually opening the expensive stuff on the ground in Thailand (as opposed to a cheaper sparkling wine) as evidenced by the actual PH champagne bottle that was brought around on the refill while we were parked at the remote stand waiting for boarding to finish.

It was so good, I actually had a second one.

A Second Pre-Departure Beverage Champagne.

The Amenity Kits: by Porsche Design

Thai Airways has now switched to a very slick and err… “purple” Porsche Design amenity kit. It was stuffed full of items, tooth paste, mouthwash, combs and Bogner branded lip balm and creams along with eye shades. I still prefer the traditional black color of Porsche Design although I’m sure Thai Airways feels differently.

A Thai Airways collared Porsche Design Amenity Kit

It was among the better designed kits I’ve received in my travelling lifetime

Time to Take Off:

The Menus were dropped off just prior to the taxi. The wine list was the same as from our Incheon – Bangkok flight.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Menu BKK-DXB

The drink list was also presented. It featured wines exclusively from France: two whites, two reds and one Champagne. It was exactly the same wine list from our earlier Incheon – Bangkok flight.

There was some terrific plane spotting as we taxied and climbed out of Survarnabhumi today. We also had some great views over Bangkok and the winding Chao Prayha river, in addition to the Scirroco Sky Bar in the Lebua hotel made famous in the Hollywood movie “Hangover 2”.

Views of Bangkok on the Climb to Altitude

A pre-dinner drink was offered today, as served off the cart. I decided to mix it up and went for a Gin and Tonic this time. The Thai Airways flight attendants were displaying their beautiful in flight dress that Thai flight crew wear while flying. Regular Thai fliers will be aware that the flight crew change outfits once on board and have an in flight outfit, and a ground outfit.

The Meal Service: A Four Course Dinner

Today’s crew seemed to struggle with keeping up with the full passenger load in business. The dinner service was a bit rushed and there wasn’t much sticking around for pleasant conversation. The appetizer nuts would come out but drinks wouldn’t turn up until 15 minutes later. These aren’t bad things, but rather the crew seemed to be a bit stressed about the execution. Despite this, the crew managed to bring the bread basket around twice.

Today’s starter was a marinated salmon loin, beef loin, jellied tomato gazpacho with a potato salad and a mixed green salad with Italian Tizano dressing.

Today’s main was a New Zealand Lamb Cutlet with a tarragon tomato concaisse, roasted potatoes with rosemary and roasted vegetables on the side.

The meal concluded with another gluttonous double dessert of a fruit and cheese plate and a serving of walnut cheese cake.

After the dinner, we settled into the seat and tried to relax. First world problems here: but aside from the old-fashioned business class barca-lounger seats, these are the worst business class seats ever for long haul travel. After 11 total hours in the angle flat seats between the two flights, I have to conclude that the Thai configuration really isn’t super comfortable for long haul flights; especially where sleeping is involved.

They don’t lie flat or any further than 138 degrees (Seat Guru statistics) or recline, which results in the dreaded slide down the seat as time passes. As a taller person, I also find the seats a little tight. On my particular seat, the foot rest flap was also broken on the lower seat rest with one side detached- hanging off the seat lopsided. This wouldn’t be a key issue, but the flap is integral as it was supposed to prevent you from sliding down the slope on the business class seat.

MrsWT73 didn’t find the seat very ergonomic either. When I asked what she thought of Thai Royal Silk compared with our last experience on Thai Royal First, she commented “It’s by no means horrible, and those dinky little wine glasses. Every drink is a shot”. Top it off with lots of galley noise as well on this particular segment and it make us look forward to getting off the plane and into Dubai.

Entertainment on Board:

I settled into the Thai Video on Demand, which had a large selection of movies of all kinds.

The Second Service: A light sandwich snack

About ninety minutes before landing, we were offered a second service. The service was typical Thai Airways snacks – sandwiches in a cafeteria style with cello wrap. I opted for juice to go along with this.

Throughout this last flight, we had 60 km/h headwinds that added an hour to the flight. We had a quick landing and a short taxi to the terminal at Dubai.

Arriving to Dubai International Airport:

On arrival in Dubai, we disembarked and walked through a very narrow arrivals hall on an elevated concourse. The design must have been a bit older, as it was clearly not designed to handle wide body jets. There was lots of congestion with crowding with slow walking families walking 5 abreast with kids.

We eventually made it down the escalators and over under the aprons to the older Dubai Terminal along the underground moving walkway. There was a long 25 minute wait for immigration to get stamped in. Sadly, there were no fast track services available tonight. We eventually hopped a quick and efficient taxi to the Grosvenor house for 92 AED, ending our 16 hour travel day.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class Impressions:

Overall, there was not much difference between the two Thai Airways flights. Thai Airways plays well in Star Alliance by offering great reward availability, and a pleasant transfer experience at the older Survarnabhumi Bangkok airport. Unfortunately, their soft product service seems to vary greatly and their hard product is starting to get really dated in comparison to the flat beds that other carriers are offering. The amenity kit doesn’t make up for these deficiencies. One could argue that the Royal Orchid Spa, depending on your mood, either does or does not make up for the product in flight. I guess it depends on what you value in your travel and whether the travel is fully paid or a reward ticket.

Tags: BKK, DXB, EK 6201, TG 517, Thai Airways Royal Orchid

Review: Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge, Bangkok Survharnabhumi, Bangkok, Thailand

Posted on April 12, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Lounges + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Thai Lounge + Trip Report

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Thai Airways operates one of the most unique features in air travel today at is home airport of Bangkok Survharnabhumi. Thai Airways has set up a full, purpose built, airline spa to compliment it’s premium traveller lounge services. For passengers lucky enough to be traveling in business or first class, they are able to access a fabulous facility for a complimentary treatment.

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Review: Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge, Bangkok Survharnabhumi, Bangkok, Thailand.

This review is of the Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Lounge Bangkok Survharnabhumi. This post should be read in tandem with the review of the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa at Bangkok Survharnabhumi, as if you have access to the lounge, you may have access to the spa – depending on which carrier you are flying.

“One of the world’s longest Business Class Lounges end to end, with liquor and wine only available at the opposite end”

With our hair sideways from the massage, we crossed the street to the Royal Silk Lounge. Both times I’ve been here, I’ve never been able to get the sign to photograph well. This is the view of the back door of the lounge.

The Back Door – Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Lounge

Locating the Royal Silk Lounge Bangkok:

The Lounge is very centrally located for Bangkok departing passengers. The lounge shape occupies a massive rectangular shape in the central part of the Bangkok terminal. After you clear security and departure immigration, the lounge is located at the bottom of the escalators.

It’s a bit dis-orienting for Bangkok connecting passengers as the primary entrance to the lounge is located in an areas away from the connecting security check points. The best advice I can provide is to orient yourself towards the central part of the airport by Concourse “D” for access.

Accessing the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge:

In order to access the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge, you need to be departing on a Star Alliance flight in Business or First Class. If you are a member of Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Gold Status Member (over 50,000 status miles per year) or higher tier, you also get complimentary access.

Our access today was courtesy of a Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class ticket on our Bangkok – Dubai flight scheduled for later that afternoon.

Inside the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge:

Last time on our visit, we were fortunate enough to be in the Thai Royal First Lounge. Being my first visit to the Thai Royal Silk Lounge, it took some time to get oriented with the configuration of the lounge.

The Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge is a massive facility at 2,410 sq.m (25,940 sq ft). It’s elongated foot print makes it essentially a very long and rectangular lounge with several different food stations throughout the lounge. It has the ability to accommodate 275 passengers when fully occupied.

The Long Rectangular Royal Silk Business Lounge

Food Station (left) next to Lounge Chairs

Having arrived to the lounge by the back door, we eventually located the main entry to the lounge and the sole bar.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge Main Entry

Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge Entrance and Bar

There was also a small work area with computers available tucked into the back of the lounge, for those that needed internet connectivity.

Workstation Areas with Available Computers

Food and Beverage:

The lounge advertised a Buffet Bar with a selection of hot small servings, snacks and refreshments. It was a bit of a strange offering. It was a pretty preserved and packaged style offerings, that didn’t appear overly appealing or attractive.

The food was definitely more along the “snack” lines, rather than being able to substitute for a whole meal. This was a bit surprising since Thai Airways has positioned itself as a connecting airport for Asian and Australian travellers.

Having entered the through the lounge back door, it took us a little time to locate the bar service.

At each food station were fridges with Singa and Heineken beer. Despite trying my hardest, I couldn’t find any wine or hard spirits. We initially considered heading to the nearby Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge but didn’t bother to make the trek or search it out. MrsWT73 wasn’t too particularly pleased with the lack of wine, but having just had a massage and being in relaxation mode, we weren’t displeased enough to leave and make a lounge switch.

After about 30 minutes, I located the bar at the main entrance to the lounge across the escalator well where you board the golf carts to get to the Royal First Lounge. The escalator area feeds down from the Bangkok Business and First dedicated immigration counters so it would be somewhat easy to miss the bar since the lounge is on the other side of it in an open concept format.

The Sole Bar in the Thai Royal Silk Lounge

The Bottom Line: The Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge

Thai Airways offers a pretty unique suite of connection features which include the longest lounge I think I’ve ever been in, and a suite of massage offerings at their nearby spa. While the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge isn’t going to blow you away, it’s a relaxing place to spend some time in prior to any flight. The Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa is the feature that’s not to be missed, so make sure you arrive early for your spa treatment if you are eligible.

Tags: BKK, Star Alliance Gold, Thai Airways Royal Orchid, Thai Lounge

Review: Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa, Bangkok Survharnabhumi, Bangkok, Thailand

Posted on April 11, 2021 By World Traveller 73 in Lounges + Round The World #2 via Oman, UAE, Japan and Poland in ANA, Thai, Turkish and Lufthansa Business Class + Thai Lounge + Trip Report

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If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.

Read More from This Trip

Review: Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa, Bangkok Survharnabhumi, Bangkok, Thailand.

This review is of the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa at Bangkok Survharnabhumi. This post should be read in tandem with the review of the Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Lounge Bangkok Survharnabhumi, as if you have access to the lounge, you may have access to the spa – depending on which carrier you are flying.

This won’t be news to many of you frequent travelers but here it is; Thai Airways offers complimentary massage services for Thai Airways premium passengers in business and first class. Business Class passengers are offered a thirty minute neck and shoulders or foot massage. First class passengers are offered a sixty minute full body oil or thai massage. We experienced the full sixty minute massage the last time we were through Survarnabumi on our last Round the World Trip flying Thai Airways First Class Bangkok – Madrid, and it was a terrific unique way to spend some time immediately prior to your flight.

As described from their website:

THAI has recreated the fine art of the Thai spa in our home airport, offering our guests a relaxation and rejuvenation experience that’s found nowhere else in the air travel industry. Meticulously decorated in quieting Thai aesthetics colours and themes, and insulated from the noise and bustle of the airport around it, the Royal Orchid Spa is a multi-sensory oasis that brings the art of the journey to new heights. Enjoy a full menu of Thai, foot, or oil massages that use aromatherapy and gentle music to ease you into supreme relaxation, or take an herbal steam or sauna treatment to ease the aches out of your travel-weary body. Finish with a cleansing shower and a fine meal, and you’ll emerge from our spa in an almost impossibly refreshed state, ready for the next travel adventure.
Thai Airways

Locating the Royal Orchid Spa Bangkok:

After we disembarked, we entered into the older Survarnabhumi Bangkok airport. We passed through a security check and up one level and we were on the main departure concourse.

Bangkok Survharnabhumi Departures Level: After Transfer to Secure Side

With some assistance, we found the Thai Royal Orchid Spa. This was our second visit to the spa, but the first visit on the business class side.

The services are made available on a first come first served basis (no advance appointments accepted) and I had no idea how busy the spa was going to be. We decided to get the massage right away, instead of landing at the Royal Orchid Lounge where we might get too comfortable to get up again.

I dig the detail on the door handle pulls

Accessing the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa:

In order to access the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa at Bangkok Survarnabhumi airport, you need to be departing on a Thai Airways Flight in Royal First (First Class) or Royal Silk (Business Class). If you are a member of Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Platinum Status Member (over 80,000 status miles per year), you also get complimentary access. Unfortunately, if you are departing on another Star Alliance Carrier or are a member of Star Alliance Gold level, this does not entitle you to access to the spa.

Our access today was courtesy of a Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class ticket on our Bangkok – Dubai flight scheduled for later that afternoon.

Inside the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa:

On arrival, we appeared to be the only ones in the spa aside from the staff. Thai Airways Royal Silk Passengers are offered a choice of “Neck and Shoulder” and “Foot Massage”, both at 30 minutes in length. First Class Passengers are offered a Touch of Silk Massage (Full Body Oil Massage) or a Royal Thai Massage (Full Body Massage), both at 60 minutes in length.

In order to complete the registration, the usual information form was filled out. We both opted for the thirty minutes neck and shoulders massage.

We were led to a semi private walled area– I was somewhat expecting a row of boiler room chairs for some reason. MrsWT73 and I were separated for this experience as we enjoyed our 30 minute massages.

Bright and Cheerful : Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa

The neck and shoulders massage was of Thai variety (think lots of stretching without massage oil combined with very strong pressure). I found it very relaxing. The pressure was much stronger than expected for a free massage. Not knowing the protocol, I provided a $5 USD tip but the masseuse seemed a bit embarrassed to accept it.

After the massage, we enjoyed a lemongrass tea in the lounge afterwards. The Royal Orchid Spa area is air conditioned as it’s in an enclosed space, whereas the Royal Orchid lounge is not since it’s in an open air format with the concourse.

Seating Area – Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa

The usual comment cards were also provided.

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa Comment Cards

We eventually transitioned over to the main Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge at Bangkok Survharnabhumi to spend the rest of our connection time.

The Bottom Line: The Thai Airways Royal Orchid Spa – Bangkok:

The Thai Royal Orchid Spa is probably one of the most unique ways in the world to spend a flight connection. I especially like that they perform a full service- a 30 minute neck and shoulders massage or a full 60 minute full body massage. It’s a much more “value add” than the smaller Spa services that Etihad offers in their Six Senses Spa in Abu Dhabi (15 minutes) or Elemis offers in their British Airways First Lounges at JFK New York or Heathrow, London (also 15 minutes).

Tags: BKK, Thai Airways Royal Orchid, Thai Lounge

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Activity: Searching for Turtles Underwater in Bandar Jissah, Yiti, Oman.

Snorkelling in the Bays off Bandar Jissah:

Swimming with Turtles in Oman:

My Thoughts on our Dip in the Waters of Bandar Jissah, Oman:

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Activity: Shopping for Frankincense at “The Darkness” Mutrah Souq and Walking the Corniche at Muscat, Oman

Walking The Corniche:

Visiting the Muttrah Souq Market:

Local Life on the Streets of Oman:

My Thoughts on our Visit to Muscat, Oman:

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Hotel Review: The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa, Muscat, Oman

Booking and Getting there:

Arriving to the Hotel:

The Room: Al Waha – Superior Room King

Room with a View:

Around the Khors of the Resort:

Exploring the Resort Walkways:

The “On Resort” Turtle Beach:

The Resort Beach:

Food and Beverage:

My Thoughts on The Shangri-La Barr al Jissah:

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Review: Etihad Airways Pearl Business Class A320-2, Abu-Dhabi – Muscat

Booking the Flight:

Etihad AirlinesBusiness ClassAUH-MCT (Abu Dhabi Terminal 3 – Muscat International Airport, Oman)EY382 – Pearl Business Class (I)April 21, 20149:05 AM – 10:10 AMBooked: Airbus 320Flown: Airbus 320-200

On Board Etihad Pearl Business:

Pre Departure Services:

The Meal: A Light Breakfast

Views on the Descent:

Arriving into Oman:

My Thoughts on Etihad Pearl Business Class:

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Review: Etihad Airways Pearl Business Lounge, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Updated

Getting from the United Arab Emirates to Oman:

Our First Experience Redeeming with Etihad Guest

Using the Etihad Chauffeur Drive:

Complimentary Airport Transfers:

Checking into Etihad Business Class:

Accessing the Lounge:

Inside the Etihad Pearl Business Lounge Abu Dhabi – Terminal 3:

Food and Beverage in the Lounge:

My Thoughts on our Return to the Etihad Pearl Business Lounge:

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Activity: Trading at The Old Markets of Dubai, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Getting to Deira, Dubai:

Visiting the Deira market:

Riding an Abra Water Taxi – Deira Ferry Ride:

My Thoughts on a Visit to Deira, Dubai:

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Activity: At The Top, Visiting the World’s Tallest Building, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Booking “At The Top”:

Arriving to the Burj Khalifa:

Accessing “At The Top” at the Burj Khalifa:

Viewing “At The Top” at the Burj Khalifa:

My Closing Thoughts on At The Top at the Burj Khalifa:

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Activity: Afternoon Tea at the Burj al Arab, Skyview Bar, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Booking an Indulgent Afternoon Tea:

Arriving to the Burj Al Arab:

Inside the Burj Al Arab Hotel:

Arriving to the Skyview Bar:

The Indulgent Afternoon Tea Menu:

Afternoon Tea – a six course affair:

My Closing Thoughts on Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab:

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Hotel Review: The Grosvenor House, Apartment Suites, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Updated

Booking and Getting there:

The Room: An Apartment King Suite in Tower One

A Large Living and Dining Area:

A Spacious One Bedroom King:

A Full Kitchen:

A Room with a View:

Separate Building Access:

The Recreation Facilities:

Around the hotel:

The Grosvenor House Overall:

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Review: Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class A330-3 Bangkok Survharnabhumi – Dubai

Thai Airways InternationalRoyal Silk Business ClassBKK-DXB (Survarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport – Dubai International Airport)TG517 – Business Class (I)4:15 PM – 7:40 PMApril 17, 2014Booked: Airbus 330-300Flown: Airbus 330-300

Etihad Airlines
Business Class
AUH-MCT (Abu Dhabi Terminal 3 – Muscat International Airport, Oman)
EY382 – Pearl Business Class (I)
April 21, 2014
9:05 AM – 10:10 AM
Booked: Airbus 320
Flown: Airbus 320-200

Thai Airways International
Royal Silk Business Class
BKK-DXB (Survarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport – Dubai International Airport)
TG517 – Business Class (I)
4:15 PM – 7:40 PM
April 17, 2014
Booked: Airbus 330-300
Flown: Airbus 330-300