New Mandarin Oriental hotel and resort now open in Dubai

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

• Paul says:

  20 Feb20 February 05:07

  I’m in the Conrad Bali right now. As diamond upgraded from lowest room to private pool villa and free afternoon tea and then cocktails. Bring your mosquito spray though

  • Neil Donoghue says:

    20 Feb20 February 05:37

    +1 major construction going on as well which was due to end in August. See you for afternoon tea at 3pm

  • Nate1309 says:

    20 Feb20 February 07:21

    I’m there end of next month. Any tips?

    • Neil Donoghue says:

      20 Feb20 February 07:46

      Absolutely, ask them if there will be any construction going on and ask to be assigned a room away from the noise! Bring lots and lots of repellent. If possible, plan your day around afternoon tea 3-5 and cocktails 5-7. You will not be disappointed with afternoon cocktails, you basically have access to the entire bar free of charge. Overall very impressed with the place and would definitely come back. Will write a proper review when I get back.

      • Genghis says:

        20 Feb20 February 07:52

        Afternoon tea itself is average at best – not that I turned down free food but my wife did – but evening drinks were excellent (we found the lobby bar more lively with great staff than the lounge).

      • Crafty says:

        20 Feb20 February 15:05

        Your earlier comments read more negative! We dismissed it from consideration because of the construction – were we wrong? Still time to change. Currently doing Courtyard Seminyak instead.

    • Nate1309 says:

      20 Feb20 February 08:47

      thanks. got 4 days here and 4 days in Ubud, will stock up on bug repellent!

      • Craig says:

        20 Feb20 February 12:18

        Really enjoyed Ubud, checkout Ibu Rai and Three Monkeys.

    • Paul says:

      20 Feb20 February 09:43

      I’ve enjoyed walking down the beach, been been to Mr Bobs a few times for lunch which is good. Skipped afternoon teas most days, it’s nice but given I’m in Bali and I love local food I don’t have enough space for it mid afternoon. Cocktails are great though and come with snacks. Hotel must only be about quarter full

  • Pug206 says:

    20 Feb20 February 11:30

    Whereabouts in Bali is the Conrad? Need 3 nights at end of trip after the Gili Islands before flying home. Will be looking at last week of May.

    TIA

    • Genghis says:

      20 Feb20 February 11:59

      Nusa Dua. Google maps can probably pin point it better than any description I can give.

      • Pug206 says:

        20 Feb20 February 14:32

        Ah right, thanks. Already staying in Nusa Dua for first 4 days of trip. Probably will look at Seminyak area for last part.

    • Brian says:

      20 Feb20 February 14:06

      Please don’t think this is a criticism, but why would anybody ask a question like that in the comments here, rather than Googling it in the first instance? Does this mean that you will keep checking the comments until some helpful person has given an answer? Each to his own, but you might find it quicker and easier to type ‘Conrad Bali’ into Google maps…

      • Pug206 says:

        20 Feb20 February 14:33

        Move along please…

      • Ali says:

        20 Feb20 February 14:37

        Brian – I smiled.

  • Crafty says:

    20 Feb20 February 15:04

    How’s the weather? We’re supposed to be in Ubud and Seminyak in 10 days’ time but hesitating as the Google forecast (reduced to a single icon per day) looks dreadful. Hoping it’s more a case of a short storm each morning?

    • Shoestring says:

      20 Feb20 February 16:00

      @Crafty – We don’t actually need or benefit from reports on what the weather is like nor what it was like in the recent past, & my short storm this morning may be your downpour all day long in 10 days’ time.

    • Paul says:

      21 Feb21 February 04:33

      Forecast has said thunderstorms every I’ve been here but there has always been a good number of hours of sun until at least 2-3pm each day more other days and then rain or cloud. Very humid

• Stu N says:

  20 Feb20 February 06:33

  OT: just been in the new No.1 lounge in Edinburgh. Huge improvement over previous version, it’s about twice the size and has full height windows on both sides. Shame the views are obstructed by airbridges so you cant really see the apron from most of the window seats.

  The F&B offering is about the same as before but more space so better presented. I’d say much nicer space than Aspire but the breakfast isn’t as good. Still, nice to have a choice. Probably about 20 people in and feels very empty.

  Absolutely no issue getting in with lounge access card. Worth a look, certainly.

  • Alan says:

    20 Feb20 February 07:50

    Cheers for the update, sounds positive!

  • Liam says:

    20 Feb20 February 09:50

    Thanks for this. I’m due to be flying to/from Edinburgh in April, so this is good to know.

  • Aslan says:

    20 Feb20 February 10:21

    Had issues getting in to this on PP on a Saturday afternoon/evening – they were only letting in customers on the Emirates flight until 18:30, after which we could get in.
    Appears to be less seating in the new lounge, but larger overall space. Agreed on the walkways blocking views – very quiet given proximity to apron.

    • Stu N says:

      20 Feb20 February 20:40

      Useful intel re Emirates/ evening flights, thanks.

  • Rob says:

    20 Feb20 February 10:26

    Thanks. Am there in early April so will do a review.

• krys_k says:

  20 Feb20 February 06:48

  Singapore not included in Hilton sale. Shame as have quite a few visits planned there.

• Tom1 says:

  20 Feb20 February 06:59

  Question for the Asia experts.

  Best way to get back as a one way?
  I know hkg on BA or VS.
  No availability for when I’m traveling end of march.

  Any other creative routes – even indirect? Like hkg-pek-lhr etc?

  Thanks for any ideas!

  • Chris says:

    20 Feb20 February 07:12

    Depends on how you define best; comfort, service, sleep, champagne … Singapore Airlines Suites?

    If price scoots current promo to Athens / berlin if you can make the dates work.

    Collecting Avios; fly BA from Singapore,
    Redeeming avios; lcc to India and redeem from there

    • Craig says:

      20 Feb20 February 07:18

      Don’t forget to factor in the visa costs for India if you are making separate bookings.

    • Tom1 says:

      20 Feb20 February 07:35

      Good point – looking for best value on points for business class redemptions using the amex Mr transfer partners.

      I would normally fly economy on cash (sorry Rob!) so looking to use points to best use to travel better than I would normally.
      Hence why I was looking at VS from HKG in upper is 53k points +£30.

  • Marcw says:

    20 Feb20 February 07:52

    Iberia Shanghai – Madrid

  • rob says:

    20 Feb20 February 09:23

    Tokyo is also cheap on fees for avios redemptions and availability is always quite good.

    Also look at Singapore to Istanbul. Then onwards to London. Very cheap redemption rates (although I know Singapore have just increased them, not sure about virgin’s redemption chart but was 40k points) Also fees there are incredibly low.

  • Aslan says:

    20 Feb20 February 10:26

    Checkout Singapore’s Krisflyer Spontaneous Escapes – reduced points cost (only 38,000) from Singapore to Barcelona or Rome in Business.
    Haven’t checked availability myself but needs to be booked by the end of the month.

    • Tom1 says:

      20 Feb20 February 12:27

      Yes thanks – I’m trying to get there fco-sin in J for 38k. Just need to get back!

  • BJ says:

    20 Feb20 February 20:15

    £800 cash on Sri Lanka business class BKK-LHR earns avios and TP. Finnaur about £1100. Check MAS at OLTA. Check Thai for specials although these tend to be on specific dates. Oman and Gulf worth a look.

• Steve Davids says:

  20 Feb20 February 07:44

  OT. I’m flying TAROM as a surface sector from Athens to Bucharest on a roundtrip from LHR on BA. Does anyone know if there’s complimentary goodies in economy or it’s buy on board?

  • Concerto says:

    20 Feb20 February 09:15

    Complimentary

• Jovanna says:

  20 Feb20 February 08:11

  The 3 for 2 rate was only about 10% cheaper against the advance purchase rate when I was looking at the IC Dubai Marina yesterday.

  It must be 3 for 2 on a flex or semi flex rate.

  • Aron says:

    20 Feb20 February 10:54

    From the T&Cs

    “Offer is valid with booking of 3 consecutive nights at our Best Flexible Rate

    A deposit for 1 night of the stay is payable at the time of booking, and is non-refundable in the event of cancellation or no-show.”

• Shoestring says:

  20 Feb20 February 08:16

  Flybe news:
  Flybe rejects attempt to disrupt Virgin takeover
  Airline dismisses investors’ offer of £65m capital injection
  Troubled UK regional carrier Flybe has rejected a proposal from investors including a US airline and a hedge fund to replace its current takeover deal.
  In January Flybe accepted a 1p-a-share takeover from Connect Airways, a consortium including Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Air, which is due to complete on Friday February 22. The deal valued Flybe’s equity at £2.2m and included working capital of £20m.

  Mesa Airlines of Arizona and New York-based Bateleur Capital would make a capital injection of £65m at 4.5p a share, according to Sky News, which first reported the offer.
  Flybe said that Andrew Tinkler, its second-largest shareholder, had supported the new proposal. This week Mr Tinkler called Connect’s offer “an insult”.
  Flybe, which has drawn £15m in working capital from Connect, said: “It continues to regard the arrangements entered into with Connect Airways as being the only viable option available to the company which provides the security that the business needs to continue to trade successfully.”

  • marcw says:

    20 Feb20 February 14:54

    @Shoestring,, does de amazon amex code still work?

• Justin says:

  20 Feb20 February 08:27

  If I book a club room do I automatically gain Club Lounge access.
  Only reason I ask is that when you get to checkout page for a club room at Tokyo Bay you get offered different rates.
  The 3 for 2 rate doesn’t specify breakfast.
  There is a separate Club Intercontinental rate which does specify breakfast. This rate is more expensive.

  • Saira says:

    20 Feb20 February 10:03

    I usually book the IHG rate club room in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and that includes club lounge access (and breakfast in the lounge as well as the main restaurant). It should specify that you have lounge access in the room description although it doesn’t specifically mention breakfast. If you want to check if it includes breakfast in the main restaurant as well, I’d recommend calling them. I don’t think I’ve ever booked the Club Intercontinental rate (as it can be considerably more & my trips are all self-financed).

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.