[Accommodation Review] – Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae (Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed), Busan, South Korea (29 Oct – 2 Nov 19)

November 27, 2019 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is located one street away from the famed Haeundae beach. The hotel is around 7 mins walk from Haeundae subway station and 4 mins from Gunam-ro and Haeundae Market, where there is no lack of food options. There are numerous convenient shops around Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae, with the nearest in the next building and another one just across the road of the hotel. Busan Sea Life Aquarium is 3 mins walk from the hotel. Being located in Haeundae district, Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is rather far from Busan Train Station, which takes more than 1 hour by subway. The main lobby of Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is located on the 20th floor of the hotel. There is a relay lobby by the main entrance to the hotel, however, this lobby is never manned throughout our three nights stay at Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae.

There is a cafe on the ground floor of Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae

The lobby on the ground floor of Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae

The relay lobby that was never manned on the first floor

Reception on the 20th floor

The Room

The Standard Room with 1 Queen bed is the smallest room in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae with a total floor area of 20m². Despite staying in the room alone, the small room feels full after my friend opens her luggage.

Minibar

The minibar is located next to the door to the bathroom. The minibar fridge is placed in the bottom-most shelf in the open cabinet. Above the shelf where the fridge is where the in-room safe is placed, maximising the small space the Standard Room with 1 Queen bed. An electric kettle and complimentary coffee and tea are placed on the top of the shelf. There are two power outlets strategically installed by the top shelf for guests for boiling water as well as an alternative spot for guests to charge their lifestyle devices.

Minibar area in the Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed

Sleeping Area

As one walks into the room, space opens up to the sleeping area. The centrepiece of the sleeping area is the queen bed. The sleep quality on the bed is good, but the pillow is a tad too soft. Only two pillows are provided by Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae, however, one can always request for more pillows from the hotel concierge. Bedside tables are placed on either side of the queen bed, providing guests with space for them to charge their lifestyle devices. I thought the mounting of the bedside lamps on the headboard is a good move by the hotel as it frees up space on the bedside table for guests to put more things on. Above the bedside table are the powerpoint outlets with international plugs, meaning guests do not need to bring along an international adaptor.

View of the room from the entrance to the room

The Queen bed in the room

Facing the queen bed, mounted onto the wall, is a 42″ LCD TV allowing guests to watch TV whilst lying on the bed. The wall where the TV is mounted is painted with shelf graffitis, which makes the room feels cosier. A full-length mirror is found on the wall space next to the TV. By placing the mirror here makes the room looks larger than it is.

TV and a full-length mirror in the Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed

Tucked into one corner of the room is a small wardrobe. The wardrobe is so small that it is not possible to stow away clothing for two pax. The queen bed occupies a bulk of the room, leaving little space for one to walk around or even have their luggage opened up and placed onto the floor.

Wardrobe in the room

Sitting at the far end of the Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed, next to the wardrobe, is the work desk, placed by the only window in the room. The table is rather small but is sufficient for one to do some decent work on it. There is a table lamp and some powerpoint outlets fixed onto the wall by the work desk, allowing guests working on their laptops to charge.

Work desk by the window

Power outlet by the work desk

Bathroom

The bathroom in the Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is small but functional. One can see the entire bathroom from its entrance. The sink is located right next to the entrance of the bathroom with little space for guests to stow their toiletries. Next to the sink is the toilet with bidet function. Towels are found on the rack above the toilet. The walk-in shower surrounded by glass panels is located diagonally across from the sink. The walk-in shower is equipped with both a regular and rain shower head. The bathroom amenities provided Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is very basic and limited to the shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and toothbrushes. The hotel does not provide body lotion.

Bathroom in the Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed

Service

The service my friends and I received at Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae has more misses than hits. Before our arrival in Busan, I called up the hotel from overseas to enquire about a few things, one of the things that were brought up during my call to Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae was the possibility of an early check-in. I was assured by the staff whom I spoke to that our rooms will be ready by the time we arrive at the hotel at around 10.30am. However, we had a rude shock from the only female staff who was manning the reception on the 20th floor during our arrival at the hotel. She insisted that check-in was only possible at 3pm, the hotel’s official check-in timing. Despite telling her my previous conversation with one of her colleagues, she did not even bother to check and was adamant that we can only check-in at 3pm. At one point, she even told us to show email proof of the arrangement. I had to tell her a few times that the arrangement was done via phone call before she told me to show her proof of my call to the hotel. Without such proof, the staff refuse to check us into our rooms despite having an earlier arrangement. From the moment we met her during our arrival to our leaving the hotel to explore Busan, there was no smile on the said staff. She was pulling a long face throughout our conversation.

My friends and I returned later in the evening to check-in. As an Accor member, my friend is entitled to welcome drink. Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae was very miserable in handing our welcome drink. We had another rude shock to find out that the hotel only provides one welcome drink for the three of us. The reason given was that the welcome drink is only provided to Accor members. When we told the staff who handled our check-in that all three of us are Accor members, only that the rooms are booked under one of my friend’s name for the convenience of our arrangement for our trip to Korea. Only at this point, we were told by the staff that welcome drink is only given to the member whose name the rooms were booked under. My friend and I often stayed in Accor Hotels during our overseas trips, this is the first hotel we met that was so stingy in providing only one drink and expect us to share. The other hotels (including the hotel we stayed in Seoul during the same trip) give welcome drinks to the number of guests checking into the hotel. This gesture does not only show that Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae does not even bother about service, their action of giving only one welcome drink seem to suggest they only pay lip service (to the requirement of Accor Group) in providing a welcome drink. We end up leaving the hotel without even bother having the so-called welcome drink.

Having said that, there are staffs in the hotel who were understood what service is all about. The elderly staff at the carpark knows what is service. When we drove into the carpark, the staff not only guided us to a very good parking spot, with his limited knowledge of English, he gave us clear directions on what we should be doing with the parking ticket. On the next night, he assured us that we do not have to pay any more parking as he was told that we had made payment for two nights of parking. All these time, he interacted with us with an assuring and warm smile across his face.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

There is a small gym on level 20 of Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae equipped with a couple of treadmills, a step machine and a stationary bike. There are some free weights and weight machine as well in the gym. Despite its small size, guests are able to get some decent workout in the gym.

A small gym in the hotel

Weight area in the gym

Sauna

The signage Sauna as stated in the hotel’s lift lobby as well as outside the changing room is confusing. Instead of a sauna, I found a jacuzzi pool inside the changing room. There are no saunas found in the hotel.

Changing room beside the gym on level 20

Instead of sauna, there is a Jacuzzi inside the changing room

Overall

Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is well located in a very convenient spot in Haeundae, with no lack of restaurants, shopping and 24-hour convenient shops around. However, the hotel is far from the Busan Train station. The Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed ais comfortable but a tad small for two pax. The service is what makes us avoid the hotel should we decide to return to Busan. The staffs at the reception behave more like divas and only paid lip service to guests. Providing only one welcome drink to the three of us checking into the hotel felt like the staffs at the reception are only interested in putting a tick in the box to Accor’s requirements according to their members. I would not recommend anyone to stay at Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae lest one wants to be treated badly at the hotel.

[Accommodation Review] – Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae (Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed and Sofa), Busan, South Korea (29 Oct – 2 Nov 19)

November 23, 2019November 23, 2019 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae signage

Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is in a very good location in Haeundae, Busan

The relay lobby that was never manned on the first floor

Hotel directory

Main lobby on the 20th floor

Reception on the 20th floor

The Room

The room I stayed in is the Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed and Sofa in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae. The 45m² room is more like a small suite than a standard room as it has a living room with a separate bedroom. The Standard Room with 1 Queen bed and Sofa in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae comprises a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom and a separate toilet in the living room.

All rooms in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae have a no smoking policy

Living Room

The main entrance to the Standard Room with 1 Queen bed and Sofa in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae leads to the living room. From the main entrance, the entire living room decorated in wooden furnishing feels warm and cosy. The first thing that caught my eyes from the main entrance a wooden table that extends out from the wall. This wooden table is the main study table that also doubles up as a dining table for the two guests that stay in this room. Underneath the table, at the wall side is where one will find a minibar fridge. There are powerpoint outlets on the wall above the table. To the right from the main entrance, is where one will find the toilet as well as a wardrobe with an in-room safe.

Minibar fridge under the table in the living room

Coffee facilities on the table in the living room

Wardrobe in the living room between the table and toilet

Climate control panel

Further into the living room, past the table, is the couch area. The living room in the Standard Room with 1 Queen bed and Sofa in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is furnished with a three-seat couch and two large cushion stools. Opposite the couch is a 42″ LCD TV mounted on the wall that separates the living room and the bedroom. A coffee table sits between the couch and the wall-mounted TV. There is ample space in the living room for the guests to open up their luggage or to stow their luggage by the wall.

Couch area in the living room

The TV mounted on the wall separating the living room and the bedroom

We get a partial view of Haeundae Beach from the living room window

Toilet

The only toilet in the room is found by the main entrance, which is separated from the main bathroom. There is a toilet bowl equipped with a bidet and a small sink inside the toilet. I have mixed feelings on the separate toilet. Having a separate toilet allows guests to use without having to go into the room, which is great if the guests are hosting their friends over to the room. However, the glass door with the mid-section being frosted feels a little odd to use if there are other guests in the room. The separation of the toilet from the bathroom is also a tad inconvenient for guests staying in the room.

Toilet and the wardrobe in the living room

Toilet in the living room

Bedroom

The wooden theme of the room extends into the bedroom. At the heart of the bedroom, a queen bed awaits guests to rest upon itself. The sleep quality on the queen bed is good, however, the pillows are a tad too soft for my liking. As with most hotels, bedside tables are furnished on either side of the queen bed. These tables are large enough for me to set up my charging station to charge my lifestyle devices. International power points are located on either side of the bed, which means guests do not have to bring their international converter. On top of these powerpoints are bedside lamps mounted on the headboard of the bed, freeing up space for guests on the bedside tables.

Queen bed in the bedroom

Bedside lamp and an international power plug on either side of the queen bed

Opposite the queen bed is another 42″ LCD TV, where guests can be kept entertained in on the bed with numerous local and international channels, similar to that in the living room.

There is another TV mounted on the wall facing the queen bed

Another wardrobe in the Standard Room with 1 Queen bed and Sofa in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is found next to the queen bed. This wardrobe allows guests to hand out a few days of their clothing. Next to the wardrobe is another small table in the bedroom which allows guests to put their toiletries. However, I am a little confused about the purpose of this table as there are no power outlets to make it functional as a work desk, nor is there a mirror for it to be used as a make-up table. Nonetheless, the placement of another table here gives guests additional space to put away small items.

Wardrobe and a small table in the bedroom

Bathroom

Entrance to the bathroom in the Standard Room with 1 Queen bed and Sofa in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is next to the small table in the bedroom. A large countertop where the sink is placed on one side of the countertop allows guests to put a lot of their toiletries on. Next to the sink area is a large bathtub where guests can have a soak after a tiring day of exploring Busan. A separate walk-in shower cubicle is found at the far end of the toilet. The walk-in shower has both a regular shower head as well as a rain shower head. There is a lack of storage space in the walk-in shower for guests to place their toiletries. There is also a lack of racks in the bathroom for guests to hang their towels. With the amount of wall space, the hotel can easily install a towel rack onto the walls. The bathroom amenities provided Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is very basic and limited to the shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and toothbrushes. The hotel does not provide body lotion.

A large sink countertop in the bathroom

Bathtub for guests to soak away the fatigue of exploring Busan at the end of the day

Walk-in shower with rain shower and regular shower head

Bathroom amenities in the bathroom

Service

The service my friends and I received at Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae has more misses than hits. Throughout our stay in Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae, we never saw the relay lobby on the ground floor being manned, making the lobby a white elephant. The absence of staff manning this lobby also meant that guests wanting any assistance would have to suffer the inconvenience of having to take the lift to the main lobby on 20th floor before being able to gain any form of assistance.

Before our arrival in Busan, I had called up the hotel from overseas to enquire about a few things, one of the things that were brought up during my call to Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae was the possibility of an early check-in. I was assured by the staff whom I spoke to that our rooms will be ready by the time we arrive at the hotel at around 10.30am. However, we had a rude shock from the only female staff who was manning the reception on the 20th floor during our arrival at the hotel. She insisted that check-in was only possible at 3pm, the hotel’s official check-in timing. Despite telling her my previous conversation with one of her colleagues, she did not even bother to check and was adamant that we can only check-in at 3pm. At one point, she even told us to show email proof of the arrangement. I had to tell her a few times that the arrangement was done via phone call before she told me to show her proof of my call to the hotel. Without such proof, the staff refuse to check us into our rooms despite having an earlier arrangement. From the moment we met her during our arrival to our leaving the hotel to explore Busan, there was no smile on the said staff. She was pulling a long face throughout our conversation.

The unsung heroes who made up our room every single day were diligent in their job, ensuring we have a clean and tidy room every night of us returning to our room. The room was made up to such perfection that it felt as though the room was ready for guests who first check-into the hotel. It is a shame that we never met these staffs who ensured we have a clean room to return to every night.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

A small gym in the hotel

Weight area in the gym

Sauna

Changing room beside the gym on level 20

Instead of sauna, there is a Jacuzzi inside the changing room

Parking facilities

As we rented a car during our trip to Busan, we were glad that the hotel has (limited) parking facilities in the basement of the building. Guests of the hotel do not get free parking, we were required to pay for parking charges at the hotel premises. I do find the parking charges to be reasonable at KRW5000 per night.

Overall

Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae is well located in a very convenient spot in Haeundae, with no lack of restaurants, shopping and 24-hour convenient shops around. However, the hotel is far from the Busan Train station. The Standard Room with 1 Queen Bed and Sofa is comfortable and very spacious by Ibis standards. We had a good night sleep on the queen bed every night. The service is what makes us avoid the hotel should we decide to return to Busan. The staffs at the reception behave more like divas and only paid lip service to guests. Providing only one welcome drink to the three of us checking into the hotel felt like the staffs at the reception are only interested in putting a tick in the box to Accor’s requirements according to their members. I would not recommend anyone to stay at Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae lest one wants to be treated badly at the hotel.

View from the view in the bedroom

[Airline Review] – Korean Air B737-800 (KE1002) – Economy Class, CJU-PUS (29 Oct 19)

November 20, 2019March 4, 2020 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Check-in

Jeju Airport has sections for both international and domestic departures. Passengers travelling on domestic routes are to use Gates 1 to 3 to check-in for their flights. Korea Air occupies counters 1 to 14 in the domestic section of the airport, located near Gate 3 in the middle of the terminal building. There are four queues for Korean Air in Jeju Aiport: one for passengers travelling on their Business Class, one for Korean Air elite status frequent flyer (Morning Calm), one for passengers who have performed online or self check-in, and another for passengers who have not completed any form of check-in. There was a small queue at the time my friends and I were at the airport, however, we did not have to wait too long as we were directed to the Morning Calm counter for our check-in. The staff at the Morning Calm counter was very friendly and kept smiles on her face throughout our interaction. She processed our luggage with speed and gave us our boarding pass together with information on the boarding gate as well as the time of boarding. All international passengers travelling on the domestic routes from Jeju are subjected to additional visa checks, resulting in a long queue at the immigration area.

Jeju Airport

Domestic departures are through doors 1 to 3

A huge queue for foreign passengers taking Domestic flight in Jeju Airport

Queues for Business Class and Elite status passengers

The queue for passengers who have completed online check-in

The Aircraft

Korean Air deploys the narrow-body B737-800 for this flight from Jeju to Busan.

Korean Air B737-800 up close

Korean Air B737-800 safety card

The Cabin

There are a total of 12 Business Class seats and 135 Economy Class seats on the Korean Air B737-800 jet. Economy Class seats are arranged in a 3-3 configuration. The use of orange lighting in the Economy Class cabin exudes a feeling of warmth and comfort, which is perfect for this early morning flight. Seats in Economy Class are decked out in blue fabric, which is the same as other Korean Air aircraft.

Korean Air B737-800 Economy Class cabin

Korean Air B737-800 Economy Class cabin

I did not have the chance to visit the Lavatory as seat belt sign remained turned on throughout the entire 1 hour flight time from Jeju to Busan was on throughout the entire flight.

The Seat

Seats in the Economy Class on Korean Air have a 33″ pitch and 17″ wide and are rather comfortable for a short 1-hour flight from Jeju to Busan. Seat reclined button is located on the side of the armrest of the seat, which allows seats to recline to a maximum of 113º. The legroom of the Economy Class seats on the B737-800 is quite good for a narrowbody aircraft. The seats look rather dated and scream of a need for refreshing.

Business Class seats onboard Korean Air B737-800

Seats in Economy Class onboard Korean Air B737-800 is decked in blue fabrics

Legroom in Economy Class is quite good

Seat recline button is found on the armrest of each seat

Each seat comes with a single-piece tray table which is large enough to place a 15″ laptop on. However, these tray tables seem redundant as no food is being served on this short domestic flight. There is a cup holder fixed on the back of the tray table, allowing passengers to place their cups without having the need to deploy the tray table. Reading lights and attendant call buttons are located on the ceiling above the seats. This is where air vent for each seat is also found.

Tray table being stowed away

The tray table onboard Korean Air B737-800 is quite large

Cup holder behind the tray table

Lights and air vents are located on the ceiling above eat seat in Economy Class

The seat pocket onboard the Korean Air B737-800 is big enough for passengers to place their tablets into. Each seat pocket comes with a small compartment inside the seat pocket, which is great for passengers to store smaller items into. The seat pockets contain the usual inflight literature and aircraft safety card.

The seat pocket onboard Korean Air B737-800 Economy Class is quite big

Inflight literature in the seat pocket

In-Flight Entertainment

There are no In-Flight Entertainment System installed on this Korean Air B737-800 jet. There are drop-down screens installed on the ceiling of the aircraft, mainly used for playing safety videos. These screens are not in use throughout the 1 hour flight time from Jeju to Busan. There seem to be some radio facilities installed on the armrest of each seat, but no earphones are being distributed nor are these radios being turned on. The only form of entertainment onboard this Korean Air B737-800 are the inflight magazines found in the seat pocket.

Dropdown screens mainly used for showing of safety videos before take-off

Some kind of radio in the armrest, but it was not turned on for this flight

Beverage Service

As soon as the aircraft reached cruising altitude, the air stewardesses went around distributing beverages. No food is being provided to passengers flying this domestic route.

Each passenger get a cup of beverage during the flight

Service

Despite being a domestic flight, the service on Korean Air B737-800 is rather good. Pursuers are seen helping passengers locate their seats and stowing their carry-on baggage in the overhead bin. Beverage distribution is always done with a smile on the faces of the pursuers. The pursuers are also seen patrolling the cabin several times during the 1-hour flight, helping passengers clearing the used cups. At the end of the flight, the pursuers thanked the passengers for flying with Korean Air with a warm smile at the door as we deplane.

Pursuers getting passengers during boarding

Pursuers going around for beverage service

Afterthought

The Economy Class onboard Korean Air B737-800 is good for a short. 1-hour flight. The seats are comfortable and the legroom is good. The lack of Inflight Entertainment did not bother us as this is a short flight and time pass by very quickly onboard. Pursuers are friendly and seen to be helping passengers. For a short flight, flying on this Korean Air B737-800 does the job of transporting us from Jeju to Busan.

Arriving at Busan

[Accommodation Review] – Airbnb – Myeongsu’s Apartment (2-Bedroom Apartment), Jeju-do, South Korea (26 – 29 Nov 19)

November 16, 2019November 23, 2019 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Myeongsu’s apartment is a little isolated, on a quiet part of Jeju (Airbnb link to Myeongsu’s apartment). There are some orange plantations near Myeongsu’s apartment. However, if one is driving around Jeju, Myseongsu’s apartment is great for exploring Jeju as it is near a highway. The apartment is located around 15 to 20 mins drive from Jeju Airport and around 30 mins drive from Jeju City. There is a convenient store at the end of the street, about 15 mins walk from the apartment. I like the peacefulness created by the quietness in the surroundings of Myeongsu’s apartment.

Myeongsu’s apartment is located in this building in Jeju

The Apartment

Myeongsu’s apartment is a 2-bedroom apartment with two toilets, large enough to fit a party of six. The modern decor apartment has a total floor area of 99m² and is very comfortable to stay in.

Patio

Entering through the main door in Myeongsu’s apartment is a patio with large cabinets for our shoes. The patio is fitted with senor which lights up whenever we are in this area of the apartment. Another screen door separates the patio to the living room.

Living Room

The living room in Myeongsu’s apartment is minimalistic decored and is very spacious. The living room is decorated with wooden floorings and stone feature wall that makes this part of the living room feels very cosy and comfortable. There is only one three-seater couch that can be converted into a sofa bed and a TV mounted on the wall. At the far end of the living room is a three-panel floor to ceiling glass window, which allows a good amount of natural light into the living in the day. At night, the living room is brightly lited with the combination of lighting from the ceiling lights and the feature wall where the TV is mounted. A fake wall cum shelving separates the living room from the kitchen and dining room.

Living room in Myeongsu’s apartment

Kitchen and Dining Room

Separated by a semi fake wall that doubles up as a shelf, the dining room is well equipped with everything one needs to cook up a decent meal. There is a large fridge at the entrance that provided us with more than sufficient space to store the drinks we bought during our stay in Myeongsu’s apartment. A small dining table with seats for four pax is placed in the kitchen where we had our snacks at night. Inside the kitchen, next to the fake wall is the entrance to the indoor laundry yard. Despite being in Korean, the washing machine cum dryer is intuitive to use. Myeongsu also provided washing detergent for guests should they want to wash their clothing.

Kitchen and dining room

Indoor laundry yard next to the kitchen

Master Bedroom

The Master bedroom in Myeongsu’s apartment is fairly large. The master bedroom is furnished with one queen-size bed and one single bed allows up to three pax to be accommodated in the room. The sleep quality on the beds is superb, allowing us to rest well after a tiring day of exploring Jeju. Opposite the beds are three large wardrobes where one can put away one week’s clothing for three pax. Myeongsu is also very thoughtful in providing ample hangers in the wardrobe. There is no lack of power outlets in the master bedroom. All power outlets in the room are well placed for guests to charge their lifestyle devices. There is also a good amount of lighting both from the natural lightings, thanks to the large windows in the room, and from the ceiling lighting.

Master bedroom in Myeongsu’s Apartment

Second Bedroom

The second bedroom in Myeongsu’s apartment is located next to the kitchen, to the right from the patio. The second bedroom is furnished with a queen-size mattress laid on the heated flooring, ensuring guests stay warm during colder months. There are two wardrobes in the second bedroom, allowing the two guests staying in the room to hang out one week’s worth of clothing. Similar to the master bedroom, there is no lack of power outlets in the second bedroom and all power outlets are very well placed for guests to charge their lifestyle devices.

Second bedroom

Bathroom

Master Bathroom

Entering a door that separates the master bathroom from inside of the master bedroom is a small powder room for guests to put their cosmetics as well as to doll themselves up. Some shelvings in the powder room give guests ample space to stow their cosmetics. Through another door inside the powder room leads guests to the master bathroom. The bathroom has both a wet and dry area. The bathroom has both a shower booth, with both rain shower and regular shower head, and a toilet as well as a sink area. Myeongsu provides the shower essentials for guests staying in the apartment.

Powder room

The dry area inside the master bathroom

Shower stall inside the master bathroom

Second Bathroom

The second bathroom is accessible from the living room, next to the second bedroom. Similar to the master bathroom, the second bathroom has both a wet and dry area. The shower booth is larger than that in the master bathroom and is equipped with both rain shower and regular shower head. The dry area in the second bathroom has both a toilet and a sink. There is ample space for guests utilising the second bathroom to place their toiletries. Myeongsu also provided all the shower amenities needed for one to shower in the second bathroom.

Second bathroom

The Host

Myeongsu is an excellent host. He is very responsive to communications via the Airbnb app. Months before our trip to Jeju, I have been communicating with Myeongsu, generally enquiring about the apartment. Myeongsu replied within minutes of my messaging with answers that cleared my doubts. Myeongsu also texted me via the Airbnb app giving clear instructions on how to get to his apartment and how can we gain entry into his apartment on the day of our arrival. He was concerned if we had any problems in getting to his apartment and if we were comfortably settled in. Myeongsu even remembered that we wanted to have Korean BBQ that I have mentioned to him months ago and recommended some restaurants with maps and directions on how to get to these restaurants when we got to Jeju. I messaged Myeongsu at around 11pm regarding some of the facilities in his apartment on our first night and Myeongsu responded almost immediately.

Overall

Myeongsu’s apartment is very cosy and comfortable. The apartment is large enough to host up to six guests comfortably. There are numerous TV programmes on the TV in the living room, however, most if not all are in the Korean language. Myeongsu’s apartment is a tad far from the nearest town or city, but a convenient shop about 5mins drive allows guests to get some essentials. The apartment is near expressway, making it a good base to explore Jeju by car. Myeongsu’s apartment has ample parking space for guests to park their rental car. Myeongsu is an excellent host who is responsive to messaging via the Airbnb app. I would recommend one to consider Myeongsu’s apartment only if one is planning to explore Jeju via driving around.

[Airline Review] – Korean Air A330-300 (KE1229) – Economy Class, GMP-CJU (26 Oct 19)

November 13, 2019 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Check-in

Check-in counters for Korean Air is located on level 2 in Gimpo Domestic Airport. The airlines occupy counters 27 to 42 and are not difficult to locate. There are three lines at the airport for passengers: one for baggage drop for passengers who have completed online check-in or used one of the self check-in kiosks, one for Business Class passengers (the airlines termed their Business Class queue Sky Priority Prestige), and one for Economy Class passengers who have not performed any form of check-in. Since we have already done online check-in via the Korean Air mobile app, my friends and I headed for the baggage drop queue where there is hardly any queue. We were served promptly by the ground staff, who processed our baggage efficiently. The ground staff passed us our boarding passes (looks more like a receipt) and gave us details on the boarding time and departure time. Passengers with check-in baggage are required to wait at the counter for the baggage to pass through the x-ray machine before we can leave the counter.

Check-in counters for Korean Air occupies counters 27 to 45 in Gimpo Airport

Counters dedicated to passengers who have completed check-in

Self check-in kiosks shared by all the airlines operating out of Gimpo Airport, including Korean Air

The Aircraft

Korean Air uses a mix of A330-300 and B737-800 to ply between Gimpo and Jeju. For our flight between Gimpo and Jeju, Korean Air uses the A330-300 aircraft.

Korean Air A330-300 safety card

The Cabin

Korean Air A330-300 comes in two-class service: Prestige and Economy. There a total of 24 cacoon type Business Class seats that can be fully reclined into flatbed and 252 Economy Class seats segregated into two sections. The cabin is bright and the use of blue fabric on the Economy Class seats exudes a feeling of calmness. Seats in Economy Class are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.

Quick peek into the Business Class cabin as we walked through it

Economy Class Cabin onboard Korean Air A330-300

Lavatories for Korean Air A330-300 Economy Class passengers are located in the mid and aft part of the aircraft. The lavatory is basic but clean, thanks to the use of white colour on the walls that makes the lavatory look bigger than its actual size. The amenities in the Economy Class lavatory onboard Korean Air A330-300 is very basic with only tissues, hand soap and paper cups.

Tissues are found on the wall of the lavatory

Sink area in the Economy Class lavatory

Large mirror in the Economy Class lavatory

Toilet in lavatory

The Seat

The Economy Class seats onboard Korean Air A330-300 Economy Class shows signs of ageing with a hint of yellowish on the seats. All Economy Class seats come with a standard 32″ pitch, however as I was sitting at the bulkhead seat, I was treated with a seat pitch of 33″. All Economy Class seats measure 18″ wide and have seat recline of 118°. As this is a short domestic flight, no pillows or blankets are available in the Economy Class seats.

Economy Class seat onboard Korean Air A330-300

Legroom is very good at the bulkhead seat onboard Korean Air Economy Class

As I was seated at the bulkhead, the tray table is stowed in the armrest of the seat. The bi-fold tray table is large enough to cover the entire width of the seat. Seat pockets are installed on the bulkhead with the standard inflight shopping catalogue and Korean Air’s inhouse magazine – Morning Calm. The reading light is found on the ceiling of the seat.

Tray table for bulkhead seats are stowed in the armrest

Tray table can be used in folded mode

The tray table is quite large when fully deployed

Seat recline button in the Korean Air Economy Class seat

Reading light in Economy Class seat onboard Korean Air A330-300

Seat pocket contents are the only entertainment we have got for the flight

In-Flight Entertainment

Each seat in the Economy Class is equipped with a 10.6″ Personal TV, as I am sitting in the bulkhead seat, the TV is stowed at the side of the seat. Deploying the TV is a breeze with a press of a button and swivel the TV to the angle for viewing. the Inflight Entertainment (IFE) controller is found on the inner side of the sit. The controller looks old school and has some very easy to use buttons. On top of controlling the IFE, the call buttons and reading light buttons are also found on the IFE controller. On the back of the controller is where one can find a qwerty keyboard and some action buttons. I find these buttons are a tad too small to be useful. Despite being fitted a Personal TV, the entertainment system is not turned on for the 70 mins flight from Gimpo to Jeju. The other only entertainment might be the inflight radio channels which we were not able to listen to as no earphones are being provided. We can only rely on the inflight magazine as the only source of “entertainment”.

The personal TV being deployed

IFE controller is stored inside the seat

The front side of the tiny IFE controller

Back of the IFE controller

Beverage Service

As this is a short flight, Korean Air does not serve any food onboard. As soon as the seat belt sign was switched off, the stewardess went around serving drinks. We were given a choice of tomato juice, orange juice, Pepsi or plain water.

Passengers are served with a cup of drink during this flight

Service

The service onboard Korean Air is good for a 70 min domestic flight. We were warmly greeted at the door by the cabin crew. The service rendered by the cabin crew in Economy Class was good. Cabin crews were seen with smiles constantly hanging on their faces, despite being a full flight. They were also seen helping passengers from stowing their carry-ons in the overhead storage bin to offering help to parents whose child spill water on herself. They were constantly checking with the parents if they need help. The crew was also seen checking with a mother if she needs help in calming her crying baby. The cabin crew in Economy Class offered a second round of drink upon seeing our cups are empty.

Friendly Cabin crew greeting passengers during boarding

Afterthought

Despite showing signs of ageing, the Korean Air A330-300 is sufficient for a short 70 mins domestic flight from Gimpo to Jeju. The seats are comfortable for a short-haul flight. Perhaps due to the short flight, the IFE was not turned on. The personal TV screen remained blank throughout the entire flight. The crew onboard offered good service despite being a short and full flight in the Economy Class.

Korean Air A330-300 flying over South Korea

Korean Air A330-300 flying over the sea heading to Jeju

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines B777-300ER (SQ612) – Business Class, SIN-ICN (26 Oct 19)

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 / kktong76 / 1 Comment

At the Airport

Check-in

SQ612 departs from Terminal 3 of Singapore Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines has a dedicated check-in counter located at Row 6 (by door 5) for passengers flying on Business Class. There aren’t any queue lines at Row 6, instead, passengers would go to any counters with the shortest queues. My friends and I was behind another couple who were being checked-in and we did not have to wait for too long before our turn to check-in. Check-in process was efficient and the ground staff processing our check-in was courteous and professional in her interaction with us. The check-in process took less than 5 mins before the ground staff handed us our boarding pass and invited us to SilverKris Lounge while we wait for our flight. She not only gave us directions to the lounge the ground staff also gave us information on our gate and how to get from the lounge to our gate as well as the boarding time at the gate. We could feel the premium class service at the check-in with the efficiency and pleasant.

Row 6 is located at Door 5 of Changi Airport Terminal 3

The entire Row 6 is dedicated for Business Class passengers flying with Singapore Airlines

Business Class check-in counters in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3

My friends and I at the Business Class check-in counter

SilverKris Lounge

SilverKris Lounge is located about 3 mins walk from the immigration gate. There were ground staffs welcoming guests at the entrance of the lounge. There are two sections to SilverKris Lounge, the section for Business Class passengers is on the left after the main entrance to the lounge, where First Class or Suites passengers would use the lounge on the right. The lounge is decorated in brown earthy theme, which feels cosy and comfortable. The lounge was busy at the time we entered the lounge, the crowd toned down after 1 hour of us in the lounge as most of the passengers have already left the lounge for their flight. Despite the number of passengers using the lounge, we had no problems finding seats as the lounge has plenty of seats to handle the number of passengers. The lounge is also rather quiet for the number of passengers in the lounge at the time of our visit, this makes the lounge a great place to relax, especially for passengers with connecting flights.

Business Class passengers flying with Singapore Airlines can use the SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3

The entrance to SilverKris Lounge

Business Class passengers section

Entrance of SilverKris Lounge

Inside the Business Class section of SilverKris Lounge

The lounge is busy at the time of our visit

Earthy tone decor in the lounge makes it feels cosy and relaxing

Food is offered in buffet style, laid in four rows of marble counters, with mainly local food and some limited international cuisine. The food offered in SilverKris Lounge is rather limited with the last row dedicated to bread selection. Food is constantly topped up in the lounge and is rather tasty. Drinks can be found in the fridge by the side of the food buffet area, and also a smaller beverage section not far from the food area in SilverKris Lounge. On top of the usual beverages like soda and canned juices, local and international beer are also offered in SilverKris Lounge.

Food counter in SilverKris Lounge

Wide selection of Beverages

Food is served in buffet style

Food selection in SilverKris Lounge

Four rows of food counters in SilverKris Lounge

Beverage section in SilverKris Lounge

SilverKris Lounge is equipped with shower facilities found inside the toilet, which is located at the entrance to the Business Class section of the lounge. Passengers who wanted to use the shower facilities just need to walk into any shower cubicles that are not being occupied. The toilet and shower facilities are kept clean by the industrious staffs working at the lounge, who ensured that passengers have a clean toilet/shower to use at all times.

Shower cubicle in SilverKris Lounge

The shower cubicle has a wet and dry area

Wet area in the shower cubicle

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines mainly uses their medium-haul aircraft to ply between Singapore and Incheon Airport, except for one flight where they use the long-haul aircraft. I deliberately chose to fly on SQ612 which is serviced by the B777-300ER for this route. Space onboard B777-300ER in Business Class is more generous than the A350-900 counterpart which is used for other timings, perfect for a red-eye flight.

Singapore Airlines uses B777-300ER for this SIN-ICN route

Our flight departs from gate B6

Dedicated entrance for First and Business Class passengers

The Cabin

The Singapore Airlines B777-300ER is configured with four classes on board: First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy Classes. There are a total of 48 Business Class seats on the B777-300ER configured in two sections. The smaller Business Class cabin right behind the First Class configured with 12 seats and a large business Class in the back section configured with 36 seats. All Business Class seats have direct aisle access and are arranged in 1-2-1 configuration. For this flight, we chose the seats in the smaller forward Business Class cabin.

Forward Business Class cabin onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER

Ambience lighting in the cabin

B777-300ER safety card

There are a total of three lavatories for Business Class passengers, all located between the two Business Class sections onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER. The lavatories feel no larger than those in the Economy Class cabins. Some touches make the lavatories feels a little more premium such as leather toilet seat covers and the placement of a fake flower. The lavatories are well stocked with amenities that are usually not found in Economy Class cabins such as cloth napkins and quality shavers and dental kits. On top of these, Singapore Airlines uses Quercus brand from the UK for the facial mist, hand lotion and Eau-de-toilette in the Business Class lavatories. I liked the small touches in the design of the lavatories like the sensor tap and the step pedal for bin covers in the lavatories, which makes it more hygienic to use.

Sink in the lavatory

Toilet with leather cover in Business Class lavatories

The clever use of large mirrors in the lavatories makes it feel large than it is

Small vanity mirror in the lavatory

Amenities rack in the lavatory

Mouthwash, facial mist, hand lotion and eau-de-toilette in the lavatory

Other amenities can be found in the drawer in the lavatory

Paper and cloth napkins are also offered in the Business Class cabin lavatory

Step pedal for the trash bin in the lavatory

Flower that gives the lavatory a more premium look

The Seat

The seat onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER Business Class is huge! All Business Class seats have direct aisle access and come with a generous 55″ pitch and measure 28″ wide. The seats onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER Business Class provides passengers with a great amount of privacy, thanks to the large cacoon designed seat shells. These seats feature a Lazy Z design, which has the footrest slanted to one side of the seat. The seats in Business Class cabin are capable of transforming into a full flatbed that measures 78″ pitch. There is a storage area under the ottoman large enough for me to place my carry-on backpack. On the seat waiting for passengers are a large pillow as well as amenities like slippers, socks and eyeshades. Singapore Airlines does not provide amenities kits to their Business Class passengers. To transform the seat into a full bed, passengers would have to release a latch at the back of the seat, where bed linens, blanket and additional pillows are stowed. I find the design of the seat in flatbed mode a tad uncomfortable as the leg well in flatbed mode is slanted to the side which I usually do not sleep on. It also makes tossing and turning during sleep difficult, as the design of the Lazy Z is great for passengers who usually sleep on one side. I do find the two pillows provided in each Business Class seats comfortable to sleep in as they are not too soft.

Business Class seat onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER

Business Class seat in takeoff/landing mode

Business Class seat in lounging mode

Singapore Airlines Business Class seats in Full flatbed mode

Leg well where passengers can stretch their leg into in the Business Class seat

Storage under the ottoman large enough for me to place my backpack

The legroom is generous in the Business Class seat

My friend and I in the Business Class seats onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER

Singapore Airlines do not give out amenities kit to Business Class passengers. Business Class passengers get a pair of socks, a pair of inflight slippers and an eye mask

Seat control buttons are found on the aisle side of each seat which allows passengers to adjust the seat up to lounge mode. On the same panel of control buttons, one can adjust the overhead reading light, dimming lights in the seat, call buttons, as well as TV off buttons. The huge table is stored in the armrest on the side away from the aisle. I like the design of these table as they can be slid back and forth and moved to a position that allows passengers to leave the seat without putting away the table. The adjustable height feature for the table allows me to place the table in a comfortable height depending on which seat mode I am in.

Seat controls and one of the two headphone jacks in the Business Class seat onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER

The table can be pushed to an angle allowing passengers to leave the seat without putting it away

A large table in the Business Class seat

I like the plentiful storage space (there are a total of three storage compartments) in the Business Class seats onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER. There is a small cabinet beside the TV screen where I used to store my passport and my phone. A small cocktail table for one to place their drinks or to use as additional storage space where one can store some of their small items, There is another storage compartment on the side of the seat which is large enough to swallow an iPad while charging. There is yet another cabinet next to the table storage where one can store small items in. A small mirror is found beside the TV in every seat. All seats on Singapore Airlines B777-300ER Business Class cabin comes with an international powerpoint and some ports for passengers to charge their lifestyle devices. Two headphone jacks are found in each Business Class seats, one located above the powerpoint outlet, and another next to the seat control buttons. There are a total of three reading lights, one on the inside of the seat, one above the seat and a set of three lights that are angled to the mode of the seat located on the aisle side of the seat. The seat pocket is found under the inside armrest with the usual inflight reading materials.

Storage space next to the TV screen onboard Singapore Airlines Business Class

A larger storage space beside the seat that one can use to place their iPad in with charging outlets and the other headphone jack

Storage space on the armrest

Another set of reading lights in the seat onboard Singapore Airlines Business Class

Seat pocket located in the inner armrest onboard Singapore Airlines Business Class

Seat pocket contents

The coat hook is found next to the TV screen

In-Flight Entertainment

All Business Class seats onboard Singapore Airlines B777-300ER is fitted with a massive 18″ HD Personal TV screen. These screens are not touch-sensitive which I am not complaining about as the screen is rather far from the seat, thanks to the massive legroom in the Business Cabin, which makes touchscreen impractical. These massive screens make watching movies enjoyable as though one is in a personal movie theatre. The screens can be tilted to the angle and are still visible even when I was lying on the flatbed in the seat. Entertainment choices on the In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) System have to be made via the IFE controller, which is similar to a smartphone. The menu system on the IFE controller is intuitive, making scrolling through entertainment choices a breeze. One can use either the touchscreen function on the IFE controller or the physical buttons to operate the IFE system. Singapore Airlines offers Business Class passengers noise-cancelling headphones that are very effective in cancelling out cabin noises. The headphones are very comfortable to wear due to the thick sponges that cup one’s ears. These headphones are so effective that I had to remove the headphones whenever the stewardess spoke to me.

Singapore Airlines B777-300ER has a massive 18″ HD Personal TV in their Business Class cabin

The touchscreen IFE controllers are stored on the side of the sear

IFE controllers displaying flight information

All Business Class passengers are supplied with a noise-cancelling headphone on their seat

When it comes to entertainment options on the IFE System, Singapore Airlines has an extensive library of movies and TV shows to keep one entertained throughout the flight. There are also music libraries for those who prefer to listen to something as opposed to watching on the TV screen. For young passengers and those young at heart, there are games in the Singapore Airlines IFE system. On top of the extensive IFE library, all Business Class passengers get 100MB of free wifi access during the flight. Connecting to the wifi onboard is pretty easy,

Entertainment options in the IFE onboard Singapore Airlines

Logging into the wifi network was a breeze

Meal

Passengers are served pre-departure drinks as soon as we were settled into our seats. The pursuer came around and offered choices of juices or champagne for pre-departure drinks. They would ask if we want a second serving of drinks while waiting for the rest of the passengers to board the aircraft. As this is a red-eye flight, before departure, the stewardess would check with passengers if we would prefer meal to be served after take-off or before landing. I opted to have my meal before landing. After the seat belt sign has been turned off, the stewardess sprung into action and served passengers with warm nuts and our choice of drinks.

Flight Steward Jason offering my friend pre-departure drink

Warm nuts and beverages were served after the seat belt sign is turned off

I opted for orange juice for pre-departure drink

Warm nuts and beverages was served after the seat belt sign is turned off

Singapore Airlines has the Book the Cook service which allows First and Business Class passengers to choose from an extensive menu of local and international cuisine, some of which are created by renowned chefs. For this flight, I used the Book the Cook service and ordered Seared Nut-Crusted Veal Fillet designed by Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel Chef Carlo Cracco. Pre-arrival meals are served about 3 hours before arrival. The stewardess came around and lay the table with tablecloths and cutleries. Food is served course by course with the fresh fruit as an appetiser followed by a basket of bread for passengers to choose from. After clearing my fruit, the main course is served. The veal served was moist and tender and does not taste like your typical airline food. I particularly like the sauce which adds a little flavour to the veal fillet. The crushed potatoes that come with the veal is also very tasty. The stewardess told me this is the first time she seen anyone ordered the veal. For passengers who did not utilise the Book the Cook service has options of breakfast choices. Coffee was served after the main course during the flight.

Stewardess laid the table for meal service

Passengers were served with fruit and bread before the main course

The Seared Nut-Crusted Veal Fillet I chose from the Book the Cook Service

My meal was finished with latte

Business Class Menu

Meal option for passengers who did not use the Book the Cook service

Meal options for passengers

Meal options in Business Class

Service

The service we received onboard Singapore Airlines SQ612 from Singapore to Seoul was top notch. I felt we were well taken care of by the pursuers during the entire flight. The hospitality they displayed is what makes flying with Singapore Airlines in their Business Class product enjoyable. Upon boarding, not only were we warmly welcomed by Shirley the Inflight Manager, but she also got another stewardess to show us to our seat. Throughout the flight, we were addressed by our last name by the pursuers. As soon as we were settled into our seats, pursuers came around distributing warm towels and pre-departure drinks. The observant steward, Jason, even offered an additional glass of drink when he saw our glass was empty. As this is a red-eye flight, pursuers checked with passengers if we would prefer meal to be served after take-off or before landing to maximise our sleep time.

Emma is the stewardess serving the row I am seated. I am amazed by her warm personality and her attention to details. Emma is always around to ensure that we were well taken care of. During the flight, my friend and I wanted to have our seat made into the flatbed mode, upon seeing us trying to do it ourselves, Emma hastens by and volunteered to make our beds for us. Not only did Emma deployed our seats into bed mode, but she also makes up the seat to resemble a real bed so that we can rest on it. I am amazed by the efficiency of Emma when she transforms our seat into a bed. As we opted to have our meal before arrival, Emma constantly patrolled the cabin to ensure those passengers who are still awake are well hydrated. During meal service, Emma noticed of my mushroom allergy and assured me that the meal I have ordered does not contain mushroom.

Before the aircraft has landed, the Chief Stewardess Jenet and Emma approached me and my friend. She explained that they noticed we had some allergies according to our passenger records. Jenet explained that Emma took the initiative to write down our allergies in Korean in a note for us to show to the restaurants that we visit during our travel in Korea so that they can avoid putting them into the food we ordered. These are the small touches that make flying with Singapore Airlines fantastic.

Shirley, the inflight manager attended to my concerns. I had some issues with the seat selection during check-in on the ground. Somehow this has been made known to Shirley. Instead of being defensive and cook up with loads of excuses, Shirley listened to my concerns empathically. She was shocked at the description of my experience and volunteered to write a report to ensure Singapore Airlines look into the concern. Shirley was also at the door greeting passengers during boarding and disembarking.

Shirley, the inflight manager, welcoming passengers at the door

The amazing Emma doing her rounds

Emma set up my seat to full flatbed mode

Taking a wefie with Chief Stewardess Jenet and Flight Stewardess Emma before disembarking

Afterthought

I am glad that I chose to fly on the timing that Singapore Airlines uses B777-300ER to Korea. The seat is very spacious and the cabin feels luxurious. I also like the plentiful storage space in each seat. In the entertainment department, the huge personal TV made me feel as though I am watching the movies in my personal cinema. I am spoilt for choice with the massive library of entertainment options ranging from movies to TV shows to games. Singapore Airlines B777-300ER has excellent hardware. What makes this flight more memorable is the impeccable service that I have received onboard. The star of the flight would have to be Emma, who is warm, hospitable and go all out to ensure that I have a comfortable flight. Her attention to details and thoughtfulness makes me want to fly with Singapore Airlines on their Business Class product again. Kudos to Emma for such a memorable flight.

Flying over Korea