Intercontinental Jakarta

I had been many times to Jakarta, but this was my very first time @ the Intercontinental Midplaza and I have to say I am quiet impressed. I did got a very good deal online with a travel agent on a room only base in a standard room. During Check In I upgraded on the spot to Club Floor for a nominal fee. Room was in a good layout and comes with a huge flat screen TV, comfy beds, a huge bathroom with bathtub and shower stall as well as complimentary internet access, breakfast, snacks and drinks in the lounge during the day. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The Location of the Hotel depend on where you have to go in Jakarta- I found it very convenient as taxis are cheap and the Trans Jakarta has a stop next door. Pool, Gym and Sauna Area are well done. I will return in a few weeks!

Conrad Bangkok

A vibrant city like Bangkok is always worth a visit even so it is just for one night on your way to your final destination. The hotel market in Bangkok is as vibrant as the city, so there are many place to choose from. This time I opted for Conrad a classy hotel in the heart of Bangkok (Wireless Road). As I arrived late and planned to fly out early I opted for a standard room rather than preferred Club Floor. Check in was a swift and I had been escorted to my room immediately. To be honest I did not expected much, but the service received and the layout of the room was indeed nice. Very comfy bedding and the bathroom was inviting enough to think about taking a bath. The breakfast buffet at X2 is alright- but nothing special as I do not like the overall layout of the venue. There is enough to choose from for most people, but it was indeed not my cup of tea in the morning. After breakfast I checked out the "flyers" in the hotel room and found an advertisement for an "old school" barber shop in the lobby. Right when I entered the venue I was simply impressed- as it is a mix of a cigars lounge, a whiskey bar and of course a barber shop!!! If you are seeking for a special service the gentlemen's should think about a brief visit.
Right before taking a few laps in the pool I asked for a brief viewing of the club lounge. Michel, a very friendly women from FO showed me around, explained everything and even offered to show some more accommodation options in the hotel. From my point of view I would opt for a deluxe corner room on club floor. The room gives you not such a boxed feeling (Michel's words) and while taking a bath you can enjoy the amazing skyline of Bangkok as the bathtub is next to the window.
Conrad will be my place of choice when I need my next hair cut in Bangkok!

NU Hotel Brooklyn

As I stayed last time in Manhattan I was looking forward something special with a certain kind of NYC vibe for my recent stay in New York. After some research on the web I thought Brooklyn might be a good option and indeed it is! I felt in love with the area and the hotel from the very first moment. The hotel is easy to reach from LGA by taxi for about 30USD- from JFK you could easily take the MTA. The subway is within walking distance- just 5 minutes and it will take another 3 minutes to downtown Manhattan!
Check In was a swift- Justin even recommend a diner across the street, called New St.Claires (its worth a visit) and helped me out with a dental set. Staff at all was very friendly and kindly helped with every request. The whole property is a boutique hotel- which is well done for people who know how something like that should look like!
We stayed in a Standard Queen room on the third floor- very quiet with a view to the backyard. Bed was very comfy as the whole ambience of the room. Wifi was included in the room rate as well as the continental breakfast in the morning which is a very good start as the coffee, freshly baked pastries, juice and fresh fruits are delicious! If i wanna a huge buffet breakfast- I would choose a Shangri La e.g.!
If they keep the quality on this level I will return for sure!

I am getting older

It has been a long time since I went out at night for so called party in Berlin. My stay over in Berlin is longer than expected, so I followed the invitation of my little princess Copacabana Else to join her for a party in Kantine @famous Berghain. So far so good, as I do like Panorama Bar and the whole location indeed. Due to the fact that Niki and I where a little tipsy thanks to the Champagne in another "cool" venue in K-Berg, we took a taxi to be dropped at the main entrance of Berghain. I never had been to Kantine before so Niki asked for directions and to bad we couldn't join the crowd as we had to meet up with the others @the fairly empty Kantine party on left hand side of Berghain.
The location is not bad at all as there is a kind of outdoor area in front to chill out an a rather medium sized dance floor inside. Personally I would rate the party as interesting as a Beck's could be. People tend to rate places or situations as sexy or not- this was definitly unsexy at all. If you are seeking for a sexy night out- join the "main" crowd at Berghain next time!
To be fair its not about the music at all, as it is always interesting to listen, but people makes the difference indeed. I am not sure whether it is due to the fact that all these guys know each other, even me or they are all as stiff as a poker.
The so called party could be described as a get together with people you know since your childhood, standing around and having a drink! Its not to bad to meet up and have a chat, but its pain in the ass if you are seeking for hedonist nightlife. Copacabana Else tried really hard and found a dancing queen in form of her power shopper.

Stay tuned and join the "main" crowd at Panorama Bar/ Berghain next time!

Hot Spots

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Bar Contest

Last night I had a couple of Singha, my well loved refreshing drink besides Bintang. Today I recognized that Singha in cooperation with Lonelyplanet is seeking Your favorite spot to hangout and cool down. So vote for your favorite watering hole! To bad that the "erotic knucklebone lady" from the night hawker in Sala Daeng Rd. is not listed.

Get ready for some fun!

To Niki

Happy Birthday!

Travel the world

I completed planning so far for my upcoming trip. If you are around for example in Shanghai, London, Istanbul, Jakarta or Singapore please drop me a line.
Stay tuned for my fresh reports on traveling the world!