W Singapore Sentosa Cove W シンガポール セントーサ コーヴ

W Logo with different colors at the entrance of W Singapore Sentosa Cove

 

 



In Nov. 2015, I took a vacation and traveled to Singapore. I stayed for a couple of nights at W Singapore Sentosa Cove for the first time.

 

My flight from Guangzhou arrived at Singapore Changi Airport in the early morning. Took MRT to Chinatown for a nice local breakfast to start the day. Then, moved to Sentosa.

 

Getting to Resort World Sentosa, there are a few ways.

By Singapore Cable Car, by Sentosa Boardwalk, by Sentosa Express (I took this one when I visited there for the first time in 2013 (See→Trip to Singapore シンガポール小旅行) or by Car/Taxi.

This time, I took a taxi from Vivo City straight to W Singapore Sentosa Cove.



 

Exterior of the hotel during the day time (left), Entrance of the hotel (left)

A harbor and residential area at behind the hotel (left), The Residences at W Singapore (right) 

It takes about 15minutes drive from Vivo City to W Singapore. The hotel is located at the edge of Sentosa island, the Singapore's most luxury residencial area at the right in front of the ocean. It's isolated from the busy city jam, surrounded by nature and quiet neighborhood..., it's a perfect spot for a weekend getaway from the city. Of course, inside of the hotel was very gorgeous but it was also nice to walk aound the harbor side and feel the fresh air.

Day time look of Woo bar  (left) and Living room (right)

Lobby -day time- (left), Elevator hall at guest room floor (right)

The facility of the hotel was very unique, fashionable and chic,  just like every other W hotels.

Especailly, it was so much fun to see the contrast of it looks, between the day time and the night time.
Both the public areas -Lobby, Living room, Woo Bar, Wet- and the room.

Night time look of Lobby (left) and Woo bar (right)





I stayed there on Sunday and Monday nights. So, there weren't so many people at the bar but many families at Wet, the swimming pool, during the day time of Sunday.
I enjoyed hanging around Wet after dark (It's 24 hours open!). Not many people around, quiet and no heat... COOL!



Day time look of outside terrace (left) and Wet -swimming pool- (right)

Night time look of outside terrace (left) and Wet -swimming pool- (right)

 Wet -swimming pool- at night

 

 Wet -swimming pool- at night

 

W Logo with different colors at the entrance of W Singapore Sentosa Cove

 

Task Force Doha, Qatar ドーハ出張 -2-

While I was in Doha, I could take a day off to discover a tiny part of the city.

I am not sure about the other cities in the Middle East, but I can say, it was very different from any other countries I have visited before...  

 

Fanar - Qatar Islamic Cultural Center 

 

There are many new & fancy shopping malls in the city. You can buy everything and eat any kind of food over there (except pork and alcohol). Those places are, of course, with air-conditioning which is very nice but luck of character...  

 

One of my friends who used to work in W Guangzhou, now works in the kitchen of W Doha, took me to a place called "Souq Waqif".

 

Souq Waqif 

 

 

 

Souq Waqif 

 

 They also sell Falcons!

 

In this place, you can find everything in here from clothes, spices, paintings, souvenirs, accessories and jewelries to food. It's not as big as Istanbul's Grand Bazaar but nice thing about this place was nobody push you to buy stuff. I could just relax, take my time and walk around window shopping.

Also, because I was there at the best time of the year (in Jan) and best time of the day (6-8pm), I had no problem walking around the place.

There are many nice restaurants and cafe at the Souq, but I have tried their traditional food from the street vendors and the small tiny restaurant inside the Souq.
The BBQ grilled lamb & chicken with green leaf salad and some bread (?? something like Indian Naan bread but thinner). It was good. Much better than I have imagined, though the meat was bit too dry for my taste.

Street vendors come out and selling food at the evening

 Souq Waqif

 

Traditional Middle Eastern food

 

Many nice luxury 5star hotels in the city of Doha. Didn't have enough time to visit those hotels but I know for sure, W Doha was extremely busy. Not only for the rooms, but also their restaurants and the bars were crazy everyday. They don't have a big banquet space but busy with outside catering. They told my they are the busiest B&F operation in all W hotels in the world!!

 

Kempinski (top left), Marriott Marquis City Center (top right),

W Doha (bottom)

 

 

View of Doha at night. Office buildings and shopping malls.

 

 

Task Force Doha, Qatar ドーハ出張 -1-

First time in Middle East.

Beautiful view of CBD Doha


I have been in W Doha, from January 21st to 31st on a Task Force assignment.
To oversee and train the staff in their sushi and sashimi section of their restaurants by Jean-Georges, all day dining restaurant "Market" and Asian restaurant "Spice Market".

In this time of the year, the weather in Doha is perfect.
Not hot at all. During the daytime, I could walk around outside with T-shirt, and after sunset, just with light jacket over the T-shirt.

Doha is an exciting city. A capital city of Qatar, with fast-paced economy growth, it has been hosting major international events and building many skyscrapers for residences, shopping malls, hotels and offices. Also a national museum of Qatar, located at south Doha, has been under construction.
Getting ready for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar!

The time I was there, they had "Handball World Championship" in the town

View from the car, on the way to work

  

Because W Doha was fully booked during the time I was there, I had to stay in the staff dormitory....
It was actually a great experience though. I could feel how the life in Doha is like!

Outside of the apartment building I have stayed 

(very dark during the night time and looks bit scary...)

My room

Special welcome amenity delivered by W Doha team (left), living room (right)

Bed room (left), kitchen (right)
 





 Kitchen (left), Bathroom (right)

 

 

 

 

Le Meridien Cyberport, Hong Kong ル メリディアン数碼港、香港

Le Meridien Cyberport has completed and opened in March 2004.
It is located at the Cyberport in the Southern district of Hong Kong. The location itself isn't a perfect spot for shopping or any other entertainment center. However, the hotel provides free shuttle bus ride between the hotel and the Hong Kong station in every hour. It takes about 20 minutes ride between the two destinations.

 "Smart Room" with one king bed

 

Bathroom with walk-in rain shower

Room with mountain view (top left), elevator hall on the guest room floor (bottom left), 

snacks & souvenirs (right)  



 

I stayed in a "Smart Room". It was very clean, nice modern design, got a view of the mountains and the ocean. Though, once thing I didn't like about the room was it didn't have a bathtub... (Japanese people love bath!)

 

 

Swimming pool

 

Cyberport park (left), outside of "Prompt" -the all day dining- (top right), 

picture of the ocean view taken from the room (bottom right) 



I was there over the weekend and saw many families with kids enjoying the meals in the restaurants, swimming pool and running around the park just outside of Prompt -the all day dining restaurant- .

Also, there is a shopping mall locates next door. You can get some snacks in a super market, enjoy the latest movies in cinemas and select what you want to eat from their restaurants in the food court.

All these, you can just relax, get it done stress-free,without any hustle on getting the movie tickets or finding a table at the food court.

So, I think this is a perfect weekend getaway destination from the stressful city life!

Hotel exterior in a day time (left), hotel front desk (middle), hotel lobby (right)

"Umami" Japanese restaurant + bar at grand floor

Business lunch sets in "Umami" Japanese restaurant

 

 "Umami" Japanese restaurant + bar

 

Hotel exterior in a night time (left), hotel front desk (middle), hotel entrance (right)

Elevator hall on the grand floor (left), public area on the grand floor (right)

Elevator hall on the grand floor (left), inside the elevator (middle),

corridor on the guest room floor (right)

 

See more detail →Le Meridien Cyberport Official Web Site

 

"Sakura" Spring break in Tokyo '14, 東京にて春休み

"Sakura" -Cherry Blossom- in Nokano, Tokyo

 

 

In Tokyo, Sakura trees blossom in between the end of March and the beginning of April.

I haven't been back to Tokyo in this time of the year for long time until this spring... it was so beautiful and very nice to see those Sakura blossoming everywhere in Tokyo, including my hometown, Nakano. Mild weather in Tokyo those days while I was there, almost like being in Guangzhou, though it can be much colder.

  

 

Sakura on the street of Nakano

Sakura on the street of Nakano

Sakura in the garden of temple in Nakano

 

Sakura in a small park in Nakano 

 

This time, I went to see the new symbol of Tokyo, "Tokyo Skytree" in Sumida.

Skytree has opened 2 years ago in May 2012 as the tallest tower in the world, 2nd tallest structure in the world and the tallest structure in Japan.

It was on a weekday in the afternoon, not too many people were there but I still had to queue up for about an hour to buy a ticket of the observation deck.



Tokyo SkyTree

 View from the observation deck (left top), inside observation deck (left bottom),

"See-through" glass floor (right)

New "Kabukiza" theatre, East Ginza

 

 

Around the JR Nakano Station, there are so many restaurants to choose from.... Ramen noodle shops, Sushi restaurant, Chinese, Asian, Italian and more!

Among those restaurants, there is one place consider to be a formal fine dining which is quite rare in Nakano, is in the top floor of  "Nakano Sunplaza ".

Nakano Sunplaza was built in 1973 as a cultural complex center. It has a hotel, banquet halls, offices, a concert hall, restaurants, swimming pool, a bowling alley, fitness center, tennis courts...

 

 

 Symbol of Nakano "Nakano Sunplaza" (white building on the right)

 

 

On the 20th floow of the building, you can choose Japanese cuisine in "Nakano", or Western cuisine in "121 Dining". Both restaurants have got a great view ("Nakano" is facing North -Nerima, Ikebukuro side- and "121 Dining" is facing South -Suginami, Shinjuku side).

This time, I chose Japanese cuisine in "Nakano". It is not too fancy as dining in the 5 star hotels or some expensive restaurants in Ginza. It was just perfect for my family lunch. And, of course, the food and serves were very good as usual.

 

 

Seasonal Lunch Set

 

Lunch Bento Box Set

 

Pork Cutlet Lunch Set