Destination Trip Reports Europe Reviews

June 2025: Croatia-Poland Trip – Introduction

We are going back to Europe in June for a 1.5 week trip to Croatia & Poland.  We plan to visit Krakow and Warsaw in Poland and Split, Plitivice lakes park, island of Vis and Dubrovnik in Croatia. There will be quite a few reviews on this trip. Airline Review: LOT Business Class from Los Angeles to Warsaw Hotel Review: Hampton by Hilton Krakow Airport Hotel Review: Hotel Wielopole, Krakow Trip Report: Krakow, Poland Hotel Review: Novotel Warszawa Centrum Hotel Review: Pansion Breza, Plitivice Park Trip Report: Plitvice Lakes National Park Hotel Review: AC Hotel Split Hotel Review: Vila Rosa, …

Airline Reviews Cathay Pacific Reviews

Airline Review: Cathay Pacific – Business Class (Boeing 777-300 ER with Lie Flat Seats) : Hong Kong – Los Angeles (CX 880)

Flight:  Cathay Pacific CX 880 from Hong Kong to Los Angeles Duration: 13 hours 15 minutes Aircraft: B773(Boeing 777-300ER) Class: Business Seat: 16K (Window seat with direct aisle access) Seat Specification: Safran Cirrus II seats, True Flat Bed, length: 79 “. Seat width: 20 “ Cathay Pacific Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER is my highest number of flown business class legs of any airline. 10 years ago, it probably was my top 5  favorite business class carrier but post-covid the catering standards have fallen quite a bit and it is no longer in my top 5. However, the seat is still …

Hotel Reviews Marriott/SPG Reviews

Hotel Review – The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok

The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok 259 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok is located about 25 km from the Suvarnabhumi Airport in the popular touristy Sukhumvit area. Its located within 1 minute walkking distance to the BTS Asoke Train station (as well as MRT Sukhumvit station). I stayed there for 1 night using the free Marriott night certificate (35,000 Marriott rewards points). The hotel has 2 lobbies – on the ground floor where you enter the street to the building but the main lobby is on the first floor where the …

Airline Reviews EVA Air Reviews

Airline Review: EVA Airways – Business Class (Boeing 777-300 ER with Lie Flat Seats) : Taipei – Los Angeles (BR 16)

Flight:  EVA Air BR 16 from Taipei to Los Angeles Duration: 12 hours 15 mins Equipment: B773(Boeing 777-300ER) Class: Business Seat: 8 D (Aisle) Seat Specification: Flat bed seats with seat width: 20″ MilesPointsTravel Disclaimer: This review is solely the work of Karen. I personally did not fly this segment.  EVA Air is the one airline that I have flown the most of any carriers on long-haul routes. The 1 – 2 – 1 configuration with all seats having direct aisle access is the widely accepted standard (before we move on to privacy doors some day :)). The business class cabin …

Airline Reviews Reviews Thai

Airline Review: Thai Airways – Business Class (Boeing 787-8 with lie flat Seats) : Kolkata – Bangkok – Taipei (TG 314/TG 634)

Flight:  Thai Airways flight TG 314 from Kolkata to Bangkok and flight  TG 634 from Bangkok to Taipei Duration: TG314 (2 hours 30 mins), TG 634 (3 hrs 45 mins) Equipment: B787(Boeing 787-9) Class: Business Seat: 11B (Aisle), 12 F (Aisle) Seat Specification: Flat bed seats with seat width: 20″ MilesPointsTravel Disclaimer: This review is solely the work of Karen. I personally did not fly these 2 segments.  I have flown the Thai Airways on these same 2 sectors (CCU – BKK, BKK – TPE) before and during those times the seats were mainly recliner seats in 2 x 2 x …

Hilton HHonors Hotel Reviews Reviews

Hotel Review – Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa

Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa Wolmar, Coastal Road MU, Flic en Flac 90503, Mauritius Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa is located in the Flic en Flac neighborhood, on the western part of the island, about 50 km from  Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. This is a beachfront resort that we booked 5 nights for 80,000 Hilton Points per night (5th night free). Check-in was quick and we all got a tasty welcome drink. During check-in both me and Karen got a voucher booklet for both the rooms we booked. We only ended up using the free drink coupons from the …

Africa Destination Trip Reports

Trip Report – 5 Days in Mauritius

Day 1: We arrived at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Mauritius on our flight from Mumbai fairly early in the morning. The airport is located in the south-east part of the island and located 50 km (about 1 hour drive) from the Hilton Mauritius resort. The resort is in the western part of the island in Flic-en-Flac neighbourhood. We had rented a car through Budget which allowed us to have the flexibility and convenience to drive around the island at our leisure. After checking in and having breakfast we hit the beach. For dinner we ate at the Ginger Thai …

Air Mauritius Airline Reviews Reviews

Airline Review: Air Mauritius – Business Class (Airbus A350-900 with Lie Flat Seats) : Mumbai – Mauritius (MK 749)

Flight:  Air Mauritius flight 749 from Mumbai to Mauritius Duration: 5 hours 40 mins Equipment: A359(Airbus 350-900) Class: Business Seat:  5J (Window), 1F (Middle Aisle), 5 E-F (2 Middle Aisle) Seat Specification: Seat pitch: 76″, Seat width: 20″ This was our first time flying Air Mauritius so we were excited trying out a new airline. Air Mauritius A350-900 Business Class has 28 seats (7 rows of 1 – 2 -1 seating). The window seats alternate between having side table facing window (odd rows) and facing aisle (even rows). The even rows provide a bit more privacy than the odd ones. I had …

Air India Airline Reviews Reviews

Airline Review: Air India – Business Class (Boeing 777-300 ER with Lie Flat Seats) : London – Mumbai (AI 130)

Flight:  Air India flight 130 from London to Mumbai Duration: 9 hours Equipment: B773(Boeing 777-300 ER) Class: Business Seat: 11K (Window) Seat Specification: Seat pitch: 73″, Seat width: 20″ MilesPointsTravel Disclaimer: This review is solely the work of Karen. I personally did not fly this segment.  This was my first time flying Air India and I was excited when I found out it would be the aircraft from the Etihad fleet that joined Air India service as the airline waits to take delivery of new orders. The business class consists of 10 rows of 1 – 2 – 1 seats with first …

Airline Reviews Reviews United

Airline Review: United Airlines – Polaris Business Class (Boeing 787-9 with Lie Flat Seats) : Los Angeles – London (UA 923)

Flight:  United Airlines flight 923 from Los Angeles to London Duration: 10 hours 30 minutes Equipment: B789(Boeing 787-900) Class: Business Seat: Window Seat Specification: Seat pitch: 78″, Seat width: 20″ MilesPointsTravel Disclaimer: This review is solely the work of Karen. I personally did not fly this segment.  This was my first time flying United Polaris class although my hubby has done it twice (SFO – FRA and LHR – DEN). I had selected a true window seat with arm-rest facing the aisle. This seat provided a lot of privacy. The duck was quite tasty and had good smoky flavor. I forgot …

Airline Reviews Cathay Pacific Reviews

Airline Review: Cathay Pacific – Business Class (Boeing 777-300 ER with Lie Flat Seats) : Los Angeles – Hong Kong (CX 883)

Flight:  Cathay Pacific CX 883 from Los Angeles to Hong Kong Duration: 14 hours 45 minutes Aircraft: B773(Boeing 777-300ER) Class: Business Seat: 16K (Bulkhead Window seat with direct aisle access) Seat Specification: True Flat Bed, Seat pitch: 81.0 “. Seat width: 21 ” I have flown Cathay Pacific Business class on Boeing 777-300ER plenty of times before (and on this exact route nonetheless) so I knew what to expect as far as seating goes. I always opt for the bulkhead window seat if available and this time was no exception. Cathay Pacific allows you to pre-order from an expanded online menu but unfortunately …

Africa Destination Trip Reports

December 2024: Mauritius Trip

For my yearly December trip to India this time I had planned a side trip to Mauritius with Karen and my parents. Mauritius does not require any visas for Indian or US citizens and so travel is a breeze. There will be quite a few reviews on this trip. Airline Review: Cathay Pacific Business Class from Los Angeles to Hong Kong Airline Review: United Airlines Business Class from Los Angeles to London Airline Review: Air India Business Class from London to Mumbai Airline Review: Air Mauritius Business Class from Mumbai to Mauritius Trip Report: 5 days in Mauritius Hotel Review: …

Airline Reviews Ethiopian Airlines Reviews

Airline Review: Ethiopian Airlines – Business Class (Boeing 787-9 with Lie Flat Seats) : Addis Ababa – Rome – Chicago (ET 574)

Flight:  Ethiopian Airlines ET 574 from Addis Ababa to Chicago via Rome Duration: 15 hours 45 mins (6 hrs 10 mins + 9 hrs 35 mins) Aircraft: B789(Boeing 787-900) Class: Business Seat: 2D-2H (Middle row aisle) Seat Specification: Collins Super Diamond seats, Flat Bed All our previous Ethiopian Airlines flights were operated at best at 2 x 2 x 2 flat bed configuration and this was the first time we experienced a 1 x 2 x 1 configuration. Ethiopian is notorious in swapping aircrafts at the last minute and even a few days before the flight it showed a 2 …

Airline Reviews Ethiopian Airlines Reviews

Airline Review: Ethiopian Airlines – Business Class (Boeing 787-9 with Lie Flat Seats) : Victoria Falls – Gaborone – Addis Ababa (ET 823)

Flight:  Ethiopian Airlines ET 823 from Victoria Falls to Addis Ababa via Gaborone Duration: 6 hours (1 hr 10 mins + 4 hr 50 mins) Aircraft: B789(Boeing 787-900) Class: Business Seat: 1D-H (Middle rows) Seat Specification: Collins Diamond Parallel Seat, Flat beds Ethiopian operates a variety of configuration on same aircraft. We have experienced good flat beds in 2 x 2 x 2 configuration as well as angled flat 2 x 2 x 2 both in Boeing 787 aircraft before. This one was the better one with flat beds. The flight is short enough that it wouldn’t have mattered that …

Africa Destination Trip Reports

Trip Report: Day Trip to Chobe National Park, Botswana

One of the most popular excursions available from Victoria Falls is a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana. Plenty of tour companies offer this all-inclusive service of round-trip pickup/dropoff  in Victoria Falls,  drive to Botswana border where they hand it over to their contracted Botswana tour company that transport you round-trip to Chobe National Park. The game drives occur in 2 parts, one in a vehicle on land and then on boat. Between the 2 we stopped at a resort for lunch. We paid 170$ USD per person for the entire package (which included Park entrance fees). The …

Hotel Reviews Independent/Non-Major Chain Reviews

Hotel Review – Nkosi Guest Lodge, Victoria Falls

Nkosi Guest Lodge, Victoria Falls 504 Acacia Crescent, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe Nkosi Guest Lodge, belonging to Bayete Collection of Hotels , is located just outside the Victoria Falls town, about 21 km from Victoria Falls Airport (VFA). I had read excellent reviews of this property on Tripadvisor as well as booking.com and was very happy at the end to have made this choice. This is an excellent property with amazing customer service and a phenomenal chef!! We arranged transportation from the airport to the hotel through the front desk itself. Our nightly rate included breakfast but we ended up having …

Africa Destination Trip Reports

Trip Report: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

We were staying in the Zimbabwe side of the Victoria falls town and took a cab (all rides $5) from our hotel to the park entrance. We paid for the entry fee with credit card. After entering the park, we looked at the map and realized that the view points were like an arc that extended along the ridge. There are 2-3 to the left of the entrance and the rest to the right. We spent about 4 hours in the park going from end to end. After our visit, I changed my clothes in the restrooms in the park …

Africa Destination Trip Reports

Trip Report: Victoria Falls, Zambia

We were staying on Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls town. We took a cab from our resort to the border post (all cab rides $5). After passport stamping, we crossed the border to Zambia side. We walked across the Victoria Falls bridge (about 15 minutes walk) to the Victoria Falls Park entrance. Just a fair warning, there are a lot of touts on the way from the border post to the park and they will pester  you to buy knick-knacks but not that aggressive so it was not much of a concern for us. After paying the entrance fee we …

Hilton HHonors Hotel Reviews Reviews

Hotel Review – Hilton Garden Inn Windhoek

Hilton Garden Inn Windhoek Rev Michael Scott St, Windhoek, Namibia Hilton Garden Inn Windhoek is located 44km from Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek. Its a fairly easy drive and takes about 35 minutes. We stayed here for 1 night each on 2 different stays (at the beginning and the end of our Etosha National Park visit) and paid cash rates for both stays. There are actually 2 Hilton properties here located adjacent to each other, the Hilton Windhoek and the Hilton Garden Inn Windhoek. Check-in was fairly smooth. The front desk notified us that the secure parking garage located …

Africa Destination Trip Reports

Trip Report: Etosha National Park, Namibia – Day 3 & 4

Day 3: We started our day early by leaving Okaukuejo camp. Our plan was to drive eastbound in Etosha park and reach Namutoni camp by evening while stopping at Halali camp for lunch for a couple of hours. After reaching Halali camp for lunch, we stopped by the Halali waterhole and saw a huge herd of elephants come in. The rest of the drive to Namutoni camp was fairly uneventful besides seeing mostly herbivores. What we were mainly hoping to see was some big cats but this was not to be on this trip. Day 4: This was our last …