Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre is in a central location in the city, sitting right in front of the entrance to Bujeon Subway station, with numerous amenities within minutes walk from the hotel. However, if one is coming with large luggage, the entrance to the subway station with lift facilities lies across the road from the hotel. The hotel is also well connected by numerous bus lines, providing additional convenience for its guests to explore the city. In terms of amenities, there is the traditional Seomyeon market just across the street from the hotel, and there is no lack of 24-hour convenience shops, restaurants and cafes within a stone’s throw from the hotel. There is even a Starbucks cafe on the ground floor of the hotel. Despite being located one subway stop from the hotel, it takes us about 5 minutes to walk to the large Lotte Department Busan Main Shopping Mall from the hotel. The check-in reception is on level 17 of the Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre.
Facade of Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre
Concerige counter on the ground floor of the hotel
Check-in counters on 17th floor of Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre
Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre signage on ground floor
Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre looby on 17th floor
The Room
We checked into the Deluxe Room, one of Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre’s largest rooms. Occupying 30㎡ of real estate, there is only one Deluxe Room on every floor.
Layout of the Deluxe Room in Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre
Entryway
The entryway of the Deluxe Room in Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre gave us a good glimpse of the room’s decor. Although the Deluxe Room did not scream of luxury but functionality, we still found it comfortable and clean. The entryway has simple furnishings, with a full-length mirror on the wall opposite the bathroom entrance.
The Deluxe Room entryway
Bathroom
The bathroom in the Deluxe Room at Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre is large, taking up about â…“ of the real estate of the room. Like the rest of the room, the white tiled bathroom was not luxurious but functional. The standalone sink is positioned in one corner of the bathroom, with a large mirror placed above it. The bathroom is mainly illuminated by the pair of wall lights mounted on the sides of the mirror, which, surprisingly, were bright enough to light up the bathroom. There was not much countertop space at the sink, but the hotel placed a glass ledge above the sink, which gave us sufficient space to stow our toiletries. As Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre is a 3-star hotel, bathroom amenities such as dental kits, shavers and facial pads are not provided. There is a hairdryer mounted on the wall next to the sink. Sitting between the sink and the bathroom entrance is the toilet bowl, where I was surprised to find a Japanese-style bidet toilet fitted. The walk-in shower occupies most of the space in the bathroom, opposite the sink and by the entrance. The space afforded by the walk-in shower, which is only fitted with a regular shower head, was excellent. The hotel provides good-quality bath amenities instead of the all-in-one shower amenities, which we would have seen in similar category hotels. The only flaw in the bathroom is the lack of hanging space, especially for used bath towels.
The sink and toilet in the bathroom
The walk-in shower in the bathroom was sizeable
The sink in the bathroom
The hotel provides good quality shower amenities
Sleeping Area
A single-seat armchair and a small coffee table next to the full-length mirror in the entryway mark the beginning of the sleeping area. This beige coloured leather armchair provides the Deluxe Room’s occupants with an alternate place to sit other than the couch in the other corner of the room. The wardrobe is placed a little further into the room from the armchair, occupying the space at the corner of the room. The wardrobe facing the room next to the coffee table is meant to be a utility wardrobe. Designed with four tiered shelves, this is where we found the in-room safe, mini bar facilities and minifridge. With these facilities taking up three of the four shelves, we can only use the top shelf to place our stuff. The other wardrobe, facing the side of the first wardrobe, is fitted with a hanging rack. We found the space afforded here a little small, but it did not bother us as we did not bring too much clothing for our one-night stay at the hotel.
The entryway is fitted with only a full-length mirror and is where the bathroom entrance is located
The wardrobe that is home to the in-room safe and the minibar facilities
Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre supplies two bottled water in the mini fridge
The wardrobe where were hang our clothing
I like how Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre maximises the space in the Deluxe Room. Instead of having standalone furniture that takes up the space, almost all of the furniture in this room is fitted on the wall. The work desk in the Deluxe Room extends from the wardrobe to the TV cabinet and is placed in front of a window. The long, narrow work desk provides sufficient space for some work. There is also a power outlet fitted on the work desk to keep laptops juiced up. Along the wall, next to the work desk, sits the TV cabinet. Placed facing the king bed, we found entertainment on the TV is limited to mostly local Korean channels, with a handful of English channels. A red leather couch took up the rest of the space along the wall next to the TV cabinet. This long couch, which we mainly used to place our backpacks on, provides extra sitting space for guests. There are some drawers fitted below the couch to provide guests with additional storage options.
The work desk in the Deluxe Room extends from the wardrobe
There is a couch at the other end of the wall that provided seating space for its occupants
The TV console and the work desk in the Deluxe Room
The king bed sits opposite the TV, flush to the wall. A tree artwork above the headboard of the king bed decorates the otherwise plain wall. I found the sleeping quality on the king bed to be surprisingly good. Despite the mattress being a little thin and the pillows not being as firm or fluffy as I preferred, I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. I’m not sure if the tiredness we felt the night before contributed to the good quality of sleep I got from the king bed. A couple of bedside tables are mounted onto the headboard on both sides of the bed. I found these bedside tables to be a little small, and they only had space to hold our mobile phones. Only one of these two bedside tables has a power outlet underneath.
The king bed in the Deluxe Room sits opposite the TV
One of the two bedside tables
Service
The service we experienced at Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre was good, which exceeded my expectations for a 3-star hotel. There was a queue during our check-in as one of the guests was holding up the line with some issues. Upon seeing the situation, another staff quickly popped out from behind the reception and invited the guest to the other counter so the check-in line could move. Throughout her interaction with the guest, I witnessed the staff being patient and providing some solutions to the problem (I only heard something that had to do with printing an email). The staff who checked us in gave us a warm welcome to the hotel and was apologetic for the wait (despite not being his fault). He efficiently processed our check-in and explained the breakfast timing and room allocations. He also recognised my friend’s ACCOR status and took the time to explain how to redeem our welcome drink. The staff we interacted with during our short stay at the hotel were welcoming and always had smiles on their faces.
Hotel Facilities
Breakfast @ Taste
Breakfast is served in buffet style at Taste Restaurant on the 17th floor of the hotel, opposite the reception. The restaurant is very thinly manned during breakfast, with one staff member at the entrance confirming our room numbers and another two running the restaurant. The restaurant is operated in a self-service manner, where we had to look for an empty seat and clear our table ourselves. The restaurant feels like a cafeteria and is jam-packed with guests, as a Taiwanese tour group was staying at the hotel during our stay. We had difficulty looking for available seats and had to share the table with some from the Taiwanese tour group. Breakfast served at Taste was fairly simple and had rather limited options. A small section has some bread selections and five warm food options, with one being porridge. There is also a section where cold cuts, pots of coffee, and tea are located. Due to the number of restaurant guests, topping up food is a tad slow. Our breakfast experience was somewhat marred by the tour group, who were often seen cutting queues. Although chaotic and underwhelming, the breakfast was decent for a 3-star hotel, which filled us sufficiently to explore the city of Busan.
Breakfast is served in Taste Restaurant on the 17th floor of the hotel, opposite the reception
Taste Restaurant has a cafeteria vibe
The seating in Taste Restaurant during breakfast
Food is arranged by the wall during breakfast
Fruits and cold cuts served during breakfast
Cold cuts served during breakfast
Fries and porridge available during breakfast
Bread selection during breakfast
Some hot food options durng breakfast
Overall
Our one-night stay at Ibis Ambassador Busan City Centre was decent. The room decor looks like a typical motel, but still comfortable. The Deluxe Room was sufficiently large (Ibis hotel rooms can be very small), and the sleep quality was surprisingly good. The hotel is very central with excellent public transport connections, and the service we received was good.
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is located north of the Han River in the Dongdaemun shopping district, two subway stops from the city’s shopping mecca of Myeongdong. There is no lack of restaurants, cafes and 24-hour convenience shops in the vicinity of the hotel. There are three 24-hour convenience shops within minutes of the hotel: one diagonally opposite, and the other two are in the buildings to the left and right. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is also very well connected by public transport, with the nearest bus stop next to the hotel, and the nearest Subway station, Dongdaemun History & Cultural Park, is a mere 3 minutes from the hotel. On top of that, Airport Bus #6001 calls at the stop next to the hotel. With these public transport options being so close to the hotel, we found staying in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences was great for us to explore Seoul.
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences entrance
Check-in reception in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is located on level 20
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences lobby on level 20
The Suite
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has two wings: the Hotel Wing and the Residences Wing. We checked into the 44㎡ Premier Suite, located in the hotel wing. Despite being the highest category room, the Premier Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has a Junior Suite layout.
Layout of the Premier Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences
Entryway
The entryway of the Premier Suite is home to the only wardrobe interior suite and the entrance to the bathroom. Despite having two panels, the amount of space afforded in this wardrobe was limited. The left panel was designed for guests to hang their clothing, while the right panel features a short hanging rack with three drawers. The hotel populated the left panel with bathrobes and ironing equipment, which took up a bulk of the area in the panel, leaving little room for us to hang our clothing. The space afforded by the right panel of the wardrobe is even smaller, as this is where we find a three-tier drawer. The presence of this drawer took up space, resulting in t-shirts and shirts that can be hung here. Only two of the drawers can be used as the top drawer houses a fairly large in-room safe. Fitted next to the wardrobe is a ledge that was meant for us to place our luggage. I thought having only one luggage rack was insufficient for a suite of this size, as we did not spot any other luggage rack in the suite.
Entryway to the Premier Suite
The wardrobe and luggage ledge in the entryway
The storage space in the wardrobe of the Premier Suite is rather limited
Only two of the three drawers in the wardrobe can be used. The top drawer houses the in-room safe
Bathroom
Decked out in earthy stone grey with some woody elements, the bright and spacious bathroom in the Premier Suite of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is functional and aesthetically pleasing. Despite being fitted with two sizeable sinks, there is still plentiful sink countertop space for the suite’s occupants. The open shelving space below the sink, which the hotel used to place towels for its guests, further adds to the space afforded to the suite’s occupants. A large bathtub sits by the window at the end of the bathroom, allowing guests to soak away the fatigue accumulated from the sightseeing and shopping in Seoul while being treated to a view of Namsan from the bathroom.
Glimpse of the bathroom from its entrance
The bathroom in Premier Suite is fitted with two sinks and a long countertop that offered us tons of space to stow our toiletries
Bathroom amenities provided by Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences at the sink
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences does not provide complimentary dental kits, they are available for sale at the reception
The bathroom is fitted with a large deep seated bathtub next to the window
Opposite the sink countertop, lined up on the right side of the bathroom, are two equally large cubicles encased in glass. These sizeable cubicles house the toilet and walk-in shower. The hotel equipped the toilet with a Japanese-style bidet, while the walk-in shower is fitted with a regular and rain shower head. I like the generous space allocated to these cubicles, especially the walk-in shower. The Deep Nature spa shower gel and shampoo smelled refreshing and had a very nice fragrance. These bath amenities left our skin feeling soft and refreshed.
The walk-in shower in the bathroom of the Premier Suite
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences provides its guests with Deep Nature Spa bath amenities
The toilet cubicle in the bathroom is fitted Japanese-style bidet
There are translations in the toilet to use the bidet
Sleeping area
The sleeping area in the Premier Suite
The sleeping area occupies the rest of the space in the Premier Suite. The first thing we saw in the sleeping area is a cabinet that houses the minibar, next to the luggage ledge which extends from the wardrobe. The minibar is equipped with a kettle, a Nespresso coffee machine, some glasses and mugs placed on top of the cabinet. A large drawer in this cabinet reveals the mini fridge, stocked with sodas and mineral water. A little further from the minibar was the slim designed work desk, sitting in one corner of the suite. This work desk was sizeable enough for guests to do some work on, and the power outlet fitted onto the wall ensured laptops are always charged up.
The minibar in the suite is located next to the luggage ledge
The fridge is hidden in the cabinet
The hotel equips an air purifier in the suite
The tea and Nespresso machine sits on top of the mini bar cabinet
The in-room literature on top of the work desk
The work desk in the Premier Suite
In the centre of the sleeping area was a large king bed and a bed-end bench, placed by a wooden wall, which took up most of the space here. The sleep quality on the king bed was excellent, leaving us feeling refreshed the next day, but the pillows were too soft for my liking. Since we were only staying in this suite for one night, we did not bother requesting firmer pillows from the pillow menu. I like the addition of the bed-end bench, which provided us with an additional place to sit and a place to put our stuff. The bedside tables on each side of the king bed were designed as an extension of the king bed. However, the space afforded on these tables was a little small. Populated with a huge tablet that controls the lighting and the facilities on one of these tables, and a tissue box and alarm clock on the other table, we found little space left to charge our mobile phones overnight.
The king bed in the Premier Suite provides excellent sleep quality and is furnished with a bed end bench for additional sitting space
The bedside table is designed as part of the king bed
The other bedside table is equipped with a tablet that controls the lighting in the suite
Facing the king bed, sitting on top of a large wooden cabinet, was a 55″ LED TV. A good mix of English and Korean and a handful of Chinese channels kept us entertained. The TV placement was perfect for us to watch while lying on the bed. I thought including the cabinet where the TV sits was great, giving us additional space to stow our stuff. Nestled in the innermost part of the Premier Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences, between the floor-to-ceiling window and the king bed, was the lounging area. This small lounging area was furnished with one dark grey leather armchair, a two-seater light grey fabric couch, and a small round table. This lounging area gave us a place to relax and watch the liveliness of Seoul zipping past below the hotel.
The TV is placed on a cabinet facing the king bed
A two-seater couch is placed in a corner of the suite
The couch area in the Premier Suite sits by the window
Service
The service at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongaemun Hotels & Residences throughout our stay (this one and our subsequent stay) was a mixed bag. The staff at the concierge desk on the ground floor were welcoming and ready to assist guests having trouble finding their way around the hotel or within the hotel. They were always seen wearing smiles on their faces and even volunteered to deliver our luggage to the reception on the 20th floor where we check-in. However, I find it weird that we were made to wait at the concierge desk while one of the staff punched in our reservation details into their system to confirm that we had a reservation before inviting us to proceed with the check-in on level 20.
While the concierge desk staff on the ground floor make good efforts to provide good service and impression, the same cannot be said of the staff at the reception on the 20th floor. As we arrived slightly earlier than the official check-in time, there were no signs at the reception on level 20 to indicate where the check-in line was. When it was our turn to be served by the only staff at the reception after queuing up, the staff directed us to move to one side and proceeded to serve the guest behind us instead, stating that the guest was checking out. There was also no recognition of ACCOR status, as though the ACCOR sign was there for show. Both our check-in experiences were slow, and the staff took their time to check us in. As we checked out of the hotel after a one-night stay and would return to the hotel after spending one night in Busan, we did not plan to bring our luggage to Busan and requested that the hotel store our luggage. Instead of helping us with our luggage, the staff at the reception on the 20th floor told us to go to the ground floor with our luggage and leave it with the concierge without rendering any assistance with our luggage.
Fortunately, the poor service was only isolated to the reception. The rest of the staff around the hotel, from the fitness centre staff to the staff at the lounge bar and even the staff at the restaurant, made us feel welcome. The staff at Food Exchange were observant and seemed only to appear when we left our table for more food to clear the plates. We were also warmly welcomed every morning at the restaurant during breakfast. The staff at the lounge bar was personable and friendly when we approached her to redeem our welcome drink. Overall, the service was good, but could have been better if not for the reception staff.
Welcome fruits in the suite
Hotel Facilities
Breakfast @ Food Exchange
Our stay includes a complimentary breakfast served at Food Exchange, located on level 20 of the hotel. The restaurant has a large seating capacity, and we had no trouble finding seats. There is a good variety of Korean and Western choices for breakfast. I like how the food is spread out in the restaurant during breakfast to disperse the crowd. Breads and pastries are found on a kitchen island in the centre of the restaurant, where the hotel serves up a variety of breads and pastries and accompanying jams. I was pleasantly surprised to find soy milk and Chinese fried fritters served at the bread station during breakfast. The cold cuts and salads had a station next to the bread station. Here, we found various salad vegetables and cold-cut meats. The hot food section is right at the back of the restaurant, where we found various hot food, from eggs to bacon to sausages. There is even a made-to-order noodle bar here. However, the restaurant does not serve made-to-order eggs; only scrambled and sunny-sideup eggs were available during breakfast.
Entrance to Food Exchange on level 20 of the hotel
There are tables by the window in the restaruant
The general sitting arrangements in Food Exchange
The cereal bar is right at the entrance of the restaurant
The bread station in the restaurant
Salad bar counter in Food Exchange
Hot food section in the restaurant for breakfast
Gym
A small gym is located on a corner of level 20, in the direction of the Residence wing lifts. Despite the small setup, the gym is well-equipped with machines allowing guests to do cardio and strength workouts. I like how the hotel arranged the cardio machines, like treadmills and stationary bikes, facing the window, allowing guests to look out into Seoul during their workout. The strength machines are placed facing a large mirror, allowing guests to check their postures during their workouts. There is a good variety of machines that work out every muscle group, and even a free weight area. The gym is also fitted with sauna facilities in the changing room.
Entrance to the gym
Cardio machines are arranged by the window
Overview of the gym in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongaemun Hotels & Residences
The free weight area in the gym
The strength workout machines in the gym
Swimming Pool
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has not one but two swimming pools on the top floors of the hotel. The indoor heated swimming pool is on level 20 of the hotel, next to the gym entrance. This indoor pool is rather sizeable, allowing guests to do serious laps in the marked-out swimming lanes. There are eight deck chairs for guests to rest in between laps. We also found a jacuzzi at the entrance of the indoor pool. One point to note: guests must don swimming caps when swimming in public pools in Korea, which can be purchased from the staff at the gym. Another outdoor swimming pool is on the hotel’s rooftop (level 21). This pool is accessible via a flight of stairs from the indoor pool area. However, we did not visit the outdoor pool or the rooftop area during our stay as it was closed.
The indoor swimming pool seen from the hotel lobby
There is a jacuzzi at the entrance to the indoor pool
Executive Lounge
As guests of the suites and the highest tiered member of the ACCOR group, we had access to the Executive Lounge in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The lounge is perched on level 19 of the hotel, accessible from the hotel wing lifts. The hotel serves afternoon tea and evening cocktails at the lounge, but due to our schedule, we only managed to visit the lounge to take a brief tour after we checked out. The lounge felt cosy and serene during our visit (perhaps we were the only ones there). There is a good mix of seating arrangements catering to small and large groups. Outside the afternoon tea and evening cocktail hours, the lounge serves up drinks, fruits and pastries.
Entrance to the Executive Lounge on level 19 of the hotel
This would be where food will be served during afternoon tea and evening cocktail
Finger food is available at all times during the opening hours of the lounge
Beverage that are available all day in the Executive Lounge
Finger food area in the lounge
The seating in the Executive Lounge
Overall
We had a comfortable stay in the Premier Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The room was well designed and is of a good size, which does not feel compact. The sleep quality on the king bed was excellent, and the bathroom was large. What I like most about the hotel is its location, being close to the Dongdaemun shopping district and well connected by subways and airport buses. The service is generally good, except for the check-in staff.
View from our SuiteView of Seoul from our Premier Suite
Our Singapore Airlines flight to Seoul departs from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2. However, despite its refurbishment in 2022, this SilverKris Lounge still feels outdated. We checked in at Terminal 3, where Singapore Airlines also operates several rows of counters, since we prefer to use the flagship SilverKris Lounge in that terminal. Singapore Airlines dedicated the whole of Row 6, in the centre of the terminal, to its premium passengers to check in. Seven of the nine counters serve Business Class passengers, and one serves First and Suites Class passengers. Our check-in experience left much to be desired, where the ground staff at the counter took her time to check us in. We were made to wait for 10 minutes while she took her time casually punching our details into her computer without any explanation of what took her so long. She ignored our questions when asked what the issue was, and this time she hastened our check-in. The whole check-in process took us 20 minutes. After check-in, the ground staff only told us that our flight departed from Terminal 2 and did not provide information on the lounge or the boarding time.
Door 5 in Changi Airport Terminal 3 is the nearest door to Singapore Airlines Business Counters
Singapore Airlines dedicated the whole of Row 6 to their Business Class passengers
Row 6 in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3
There are seven counters for Business Class at Changi Airport Terminal 3
Singapore Airlines Business Class counters in Terminal 3
SilverKris Lounge (Terminal 3)
The escalator to the SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3 is about a 2-minute walk from the immigration checkpoints. One floor above the immigration, SilverKris Lounge, Singapore Airlines’ flagship lounge, is at the end of the corridor. Another escalator opposite Bacha brought us directly to the lounge’s entrance. The SilverKris Lounge exudes a relaxing vibe with its use of earthy themes, while the use of marble throughout the lounge gives it a luxurious vibe. The expansive four sections of the lounge ensured passengers would find a spot to relax while waiting for their flight. The section immediately to the right of the entrance mainly consists of lounging furniture and some bar tables. A bar counter is next to the entrance, where passengers can grab drinks. There is a buffet table after the bar where the limited choices of food and a fridge of beverages provide convenience for passengers utilising this part of the lounge.
The escalator opposite Bacha that took us directly to the entrance of SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3
Entrance to SilverKris Lounge
SilverKris Lounge serves passengers flying Business Class on Singapore Airlines and Star Alliance carriers
The right side of the lounge is filled with lounging chairs and a bar
The main and larger part of the lounge sits to the left of the entrance. The main dining area is dominated by a large number of dining chairs and tables stretching to the window with a view of the apron. A few lounging chairs before the main dining area provide limited seating for passengers who prefer to lounge near the food area. This area is also where the toilets and shower facilities are located. Food in the SilverKris lounge is mainly served in a buffet line that includes Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisines. A small section at both ends of the buffet line serves made-to-order food. I like the Laksa served in the made-to-order section, and always order this dish whenever I visit the SilverKris Lounge.
Bar seats by the window, great for passengers who wanted to get some work done
The lounging area in the main dining area
The lounging area is sitauted before the main dining area on the left of the entrance to the SilverKris Lounge
The main dining area with bar tables for larger groups
Most of the dining area is furnished with tables for two
The made-to-order food counters in the SilverKris Lounge
Salad bar in the lounge
The main dining area is located near the buffet line in the lounge
There are more tables at the back of the lounge
There is another section opposite the main buffet line, furnished with a mix of high-back lounge chairs and single-seater sofas for passengers to relax. This area was previously temporarily used as the First Class Lounge when it was closed for renovations. The high-back lounge chairs provide passengers with some privacy, which is great for those who want to do some work. There are 14 semi-enclosed sleeping pods in the SilverKris Lounge at Terminal 3, housed in a room at the back of the dining area. These pods are available on a first-come, first-served basis. These pods are furnished with rather comfortable leather lounge chairs (which the angles cannot be adjusted) and a small table for passengers to rest while waiting for their flight. Blankets and pillows can be obtained from the cabinet by the entrance of the sleeping room.
There is another lounging area opposite the buffet line
Entrance to the sleeping pods at the back of the lounge
The lounging area opposite the buffet line
One of the sleeping pods in SilverKris Lounge
The sleeping pods are housed in one of these cubicles
Seoul Incheon Airport
Check-in
Singapore Airlines flies out of Seoul Incheon Airport Terminal 1. The airline operates check-in counters D27-D34 at the end of Row D, located on the left of the terminal. The nearest door to these counters is Door 4. Singapore Airlines dedicated two counters to Business Class passengers, one to Krisflyer Elite Gold and Elite Silver status passengers, and four to Economy Class passengers. The check-in experience at Incheon Airport was very pleasant, a huge difference from our experience at Singapore Changi Airport. The ground staff welcomed us with a warm smile and efficiently processed our check-in. She also provided detailed directions to the SilverKris Lounge and where to go for our tax refund. She even gave us an estimation of the time it would take us to walk from the SilverKris Lounge to our boarding gate.
Singapore Airlines counters are located in Row D with the nearest entrance beig Door 4
Singapore Airlines has two Business Class check-in counters in Incheon Airport
Singapore Airlines Business Class check-in counters
Singapore Airlines check-in counters in Row D at Incheon Airport
Map showing the location of SilverKris Lounge in Incheon Airport
Asiana Lounge West
Seoul Incheon Airport is one of the handful of overseas airports where Singapore Airlines operates its SilverKris Lounge. Since we had previously been to the SilverKris Lounge at Incheon Airport and thought the lounge would be crowded, we opted to use the Asiana Lounge. Asiana operates several lounges in Seoul Incheon Airport, and the West Lounge, opposite Gate 29, was the nearest to our boarding gate. We thought the Asiana Lounge might be less crowded, and the queue for showers might be shorter. However, we spent about 1½ hours waiting for the shower room here. Asiana Lounge West adopted an earthy theme with the large use of dark brown wood on the flooring and the walls in the lounge. Right after the lounge entrance, opposite the toilet and shower rooms, are some bar tables with charging outlets, which seem to be designed as a work station for passengers.
Entrance to Asiana Lounge West in Seoul Incheon Airport
The front part of the lounge is furnished with bar tables and chairs great for passengers to do some work
The toilet and shower rooms are located at the front part of the lounge
There are some chairs furnished along the entryway of the lounge
Asiana Lounge West is segregated into the forward lounging section and the back dining area. The first thing that greeted us was a bar right after the entryway into the lounge, where passengers can help themselves to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The lounging area was furnished with armchairs that were oddly arranged to face the bar and entrance, providing little privacy. However, a limited number of cubicle pods are lined up at the side of the lounge. The last two of these pods are fitted with massage chairs. Due to their limited numbers and passengers tend to hog these pods, we could not find any available during our 2-hour stay at the lounge. The area at the back of the lounging area is furnished with armchairs and coffee tables, which cater to passengers who want a drink with a few friends.
The self-served bar in Asiana Lounge West
There are some dining tables and chairs for passengers to chill next to the bar
The main lounging area in Asiana Lounge West
The sitting arrangement after the main lounging area in Asiana Lounge West
There are a limited number of single seater pods lined along the windows that looked out into the terminal building in Asiana Lounge West
A feature wall separates the lounging and dining area in the lounge. Seats in the dining area are arranged in a 2 chairs to 1 table format, placed next to the buffet table. These seats are packed very close to each other, making assessing them a tad difficult. The food offering at Asiana Lounge West is rather disappointing. Being in their home port, I thought the lounge would be stocked with many food options. However, to my disappointment, we only found one meat, two vegetables and a pasta served in the hot food section. Perhaps the most Korean cuisine in the lounge was the cup noodles found at the beverage station. The salad section occupies the other end of the buffet table, and a selection of bread is in the centre. I thought the food offering at Asiana Lounge West was underwhelming for an airline in its home port.
The main dining area in Asiana Lounge West is located to the back of the lounge, next to the buffet line
The buffet line in Asiana Lounge West serves limited variety of food
Only four hot food choices were offered at the time of my visit to the lounge
The Aircraft
We flew on the Singapore A350-900, fitted with a medium-haul Business Class product for both legs of the flight.
Singapore Airlines A350-900 safety cardSingapore Airlines livery up close
The Cabin
Singapore Airlines A350-900 has a total of 303 seats, with 40 seats in Business Class and 263 in Economy Class. The Business Class cabin comprises two sections, the larger forward cabin housing 28 seats and a smaller aft cabin with 12 seats. Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class A350-900 is decked in cream and brown colour, together with the lilac lighting used during boarding, exudes a relaxing vibe. The dark brown colour is apparent from the Business Class seats from the shell’s interior to the cabin’s carpet. The design of the cabin’s overhead compartment provides a small footprint that makes the cabin look airy and spacious.
Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class cabinRegional Business Class cabin during boarding
Three lavatories serve the 40 passengers in Business Class, one in the front of the aircraft and two more between the two Business Class cabins. The lavatories felt small, and the use of white lights and mirrors did not make them feel any larger. The dark brown backsplash and grey marble patterned plaster flooring gave it a luxurious feel. Other than the dental kits and shavers which can be found in the drawers, Singapore Airlines also stocked its Business Class lavatories with Penhaligon’s eau de toilette, facial mist and hand lotion, which seem to be out of league with their newly launched Le Labo amenities kit.
Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class lavatory
Additional amenities in Business Class lavatory
Dental kits and shavers can be found in the lavatory drawers
The Seat
Singapore Airlines introduced its Regional Business Class seats in 2018. These Business Class seats are arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, ensuring all passengers get direct aisle access. These seats next to the window provide more privacy compared to the aisle side seats, but the high-back shell design in the seats enhances privacy for passengers in the aisle side seats. Singapore Airlines’s Regional Business Class seats have a pitch of 60″ and measure 28″ wide. These seats have armrests that can be lowered when the seat is in bed mode to increase the seat width slightly. Like all Business Class lie-flat seats, Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seats come with three standard modes: Upright, Lounging, and Flatbed modes, that can be adjusted using the touchscreen seat control buttons at the side table. The padding on these leather seats is sufficiently thick to provide comfort for passengers even in the Upright mode. The seat can also recline 180° with a touch of a button, turning the seat into a true flat bed. However, I find the headrest a little too low for my preference in flatbed mode, requiring me to use two pillows or tilt slightly upwards. I had a great 4 hours of sleep on both legs of the flight in flatbed mode. My favourite of all three modes is the Lounging mode, somewhere between the most upright and fully flat mode, where the seat is adjusted to an angle where I was able to dine and watch movies. I like how the seat angle can be further adjusted using the additional control buttons for passengers to customise to an angle of their preference.
Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class seats in upright mode during boarding
Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seat in lounge mode
Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seat in flat bed mode
Each seat is treated to two windows
Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class seat controls
Legroom is very good on these Reegional Business Class seats
Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seat back
Each Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seat is fitted with a cabinet with a sliding door by the side, above the side table. This cabinet was already full with headphones, a bottle of water, and the in-flight menu during boarding. Although the storage capacity of the cabinet was small, I welcomed this cabinet as it provided me with easy access to my 11″ iPad and power cables that I would use in-flight. The side table, mainly used as a cocktail table, can also be used to stow some items during cruising. The seat pocket is found near the floor at the exit of the seat. Apart from the storage cabinet, the space under the footrest can also be used to store carry-ons.
Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seats is fitted with a small side cabinet with fully closeable doors for storage
The storage cabinet is a little small
Seat pocket contents
Seat pocket in Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class
There is some space under the footwell where I could use to stow my backpack
I like how the airlines fitted a hook to stow the headphones when not in use
The Regional Business Class seat table is stowed under the IFE screen and can be deployed with the pull of a lever. It expands to a rather sizeable and sturdy table when fully deployed. However, due to its design, the seat table must be stowed away when getting in and out of the seat. Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seats are equipped with one international power outlet and two USB-A charging outlets inside the side storage cabinet. Due to the requirement to keep the cabinet door open when charging, the airlines purposefully placed the charging outlets so that the cabinet door cannot be closed when charging from the power outlet or the USB-A outlets. On top of the overhead lighting, Singapore Airlines Business Class seats are fitted with three additional reading lights on the headboard of the seat to provide illumination in all three seat positions.
Seat table is rather sizeable when fully deployed
Seat table when pulled out from its storage
The side table offered us additional storage space, but the one in my seat has seen better days
The default overhead reading lights
Singapore Airlines fits its Business Class seats with additional reading lights
The charging outlets in each Business Class seat
Singapore Airlines A350-900 is not fitted with individual air nozzles
Inflight Entertainment
Singapore Airlines fitted a large 18″ touchscreen TV in every one of their Regional Business Class seats. The picture quality of these screens was great without much reflection. The TV can be tilted downwards to allow passengers to watch movies from the KrisWorld while lying down. The IFE controller comes in the form of a phone-like device with a large, easy-to-use touchscreen. It also has this air mouse mode, which I never got used to using. Fortunately, the distance from the IFE screen still allowed me to use the responsive touchscreen function to select the movies I wanted to watch. Singapore Airlines supplies noise-cancelling headphones to all its Business Class passengers, which are very effective in blocking out the ambient noise. KrisWorld is Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system with a huge library of movies organised into an easy-to-navigate menu. The KrisWorld is loaded with numerous entertainment options, from the latest Hollywood movies to yesteryear movies to TV serials. There is even a games section in KrisWorld to keep young passengers and the young-at-heart entertained. Singapore Airlines also provides free in-flight Wi-Fi to its Business Class passengers and KrisFlyer members travelling in Economy Class. While the Wi-Fi speed does not allow streaming, it is good enough for communicating via chats and posting on social media.
Singapore Airlines fitted an 18" touchscreen TV in every Business Class seat
Singapore Airlines provides noise cancelling headphones to its Business Class passengers
Business Class IFE controller
The IFE controller is stored below the seat controls
My IFE was not working for the inital 1 hour of the flight
Fortunately it worked after a reset by the cabin crew. KrisWorld has tons of entertainment options
Meal
Back in 2019, when we flew on Singapore Airlines between Singapore and Seoul, we were served two meals for redeye flights. For this trip, we were only served one meal, which we had to choose to be served after take-off or before landing.
SIN – ICN
We opted to have our meals before landing to maximise snoozing time on this redeye flight. The cabin crew woke us up about 2 hours before landing to serve us our meals. Due to the short meal service time, we were only served mains and fruits as desserts in one setting. Flying out of Singapore, the airline has an extensive Book-the-Cook menu, giving us many more meal options. I heard good reviews on the Singapore Chicken Rice and pre-ordered this dish from the Book-the-Cook menu. The chicken rice portion was big and was as good as the reviews I read online. The rice was fragrant, and the chicken remained tender and moist. It went very well with the provided condiments, like the chicken rice, chilli sauce, and minced garlic. However, I was disappointed that Singapore Airlines did not serve its famous garlic bread during this redeye flight.
Business Class menu
The food on offer tonight
I was served welcome drink during boarding
My favourite mocktail, Midsummer Breeze
I also ordered a latte during breakfast
I opted for Singapore Chicken Rice from Singapore Airline's Book-the-Cook menu
ICN – SIN
Singapore Airlines also provided a limited choice of the Book-the-Cook menu for flights out of Seoul. I chose the Stir-Fried Pork Belly from the Book-the-Cook menu and opted for the meal to be served before landing to maximise my sleeping time on this redeye flight. Unlike our outbound leg, where the cabin crew would wake us up for meals 2 hours before landing, the cabin crew did not wake us up. It was about 1½ hours before landing when I woke up and had to request my meal. The meal service started with the main course, which I found the pork to be flavourful but a little tough. Fruits were presented as dessert after the cabin crew cleared my main. Like my outbound flight, garlic bread was unavailable during this redeye flight.
Singapore Airlines Business Class menu
Food on offer for tonight's redeye flight
The flight attendant got me some warm nuts and my favourite Midsummer Breeze when he saw me still awake
Fruits were served first during my breakfast
I ordered the Stir-Fried Pork Belly from the limited Book-the-Cook menu out of Seoul
Service
SIN – ICN
For this leg, we were warmly welcomed by the cabin crew at the door and pointed to the aisle where we would find our seats. The cabin crew came across as professional and welcoming throughout the flight, and requests were promptly acted upon. Like clockwork, a cabin crew came by shortly after we were settled into our seats to confirm our meals and check our preference for meal timing, while another crew came by with welcome drinks. Cabin crew were seen patrolling the cabin and serving drinks for those of us who were still awake. I like how the cabin crew gently wake us up about 2 hours before landing, giving us sufficient time to enjoy our meal and wash up. The lavatories were kept clean, and amenity kits were topped up. In terms of amenities, only slippers were found on our seats. Amenity kits were not present at the seat during boarding, we had to request the recently updated Le Labo amenity kits from the cabin crew. These amenity kits are only available for flights longer than 6 hours.
Only Slippers were available on the seat during boardingSingapore Airlines Le Labo amenity kit contents
ICN – SIN
Similar to my outbound flight, we were warmly welcomed by the cabin crew and directed to the aisle where my seat is located. During boarding, one of the cabin crew was so engrossed with confirming meals with another passenger that she was unaware that passengers were waiting for her to complete her task to access their seats. However, this cabin crew was observed to be friendly and diligent. Another male cabin crew member, Eric, was attentive and responsive. When Eric saw me still waking after take off, he took the initiative to ask if I wanted any drinks or any snacks and promptly brought my requests. Eric also took note of my preference for the mocktail and asked if I wanted another after spotting my empty glass. I couldn’t say the same level of service provided by another male flight attendant (a Leading Steward), who came across as rather rude. He was serving bread during our meal time, and instead of asking for our preference for bread, he just shoved the bread basket in front of our faces without uttering a word. This behaviour was observed to be constant when he served me or other passengers. Cabin crew did not seem to bother to top up the additional amenities such as dental kits and shavers in the lavatories.
On top of the slippers, socks and eye shades were already available on our seats during boarding.
Afterthought
Singapore Airlines’ Regional Business Class was a good product. The seats were comfortable, and the varied seating positions allowed all passengers to find an angle they deemed comfortable. In flatbed mode, the seat was so comfortable that I was able to get a few hours of sleep. The food was tasty and flavourful. The cabin crew (except for one of them) were generally welcoming and warm. However, there was some inconsistency on both legs when waking up for meals and the amenities at the seat.
Flying over Jeju IslandWe are arriving in Singapore.
Since I covered the location and service in my previous post (link to my previous post can be found here), this post will only review the Superior Room in Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna.
Hotel Am Konzerthaus facade
The Room
The Superior Room at Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna has a total floor area of 23㎡. It comprises the bathroom and a sleeping area, with most of the real estate set aside for the sleeping area. The Superior Room adopts a contemporary decor, and with the wooden flooring coupled with the warm lighting, the room exudes a cosy vibe.
The layout of the Superior Room at Hotel Am Konzerthaus
Entryway
The entryway of the Superior Room houses the wardrobe and the entrance to the bathroom. The spacious two-panelled wardrobe provides occupants with ample space to stow their clothing. The storage space in the wardrobe is expanded by the shelf space on top of the hanging rack and the four-tiered open shelf, which occupants can use to put away smaller clothing items. The in-room safe sits high on the shelving space on top of the hanging rack.
Bathroom
The bathroom entrance in the Superior Room is in the entryway, opposite the wardrobe. The sink sits in the centre of the bathroom and is the first thing that welcomes the occupants of the Superior Room. I found the countertop space was large enough to place our toiletries on. Like the Masetro Suite, Hotel Am Konzerthaus provides most bathroom amenities except dental kits and shavers. The walk-in shower is on the right of the sink, fitted with a rain shower and regular shower heads. I like the small hole carved out of the wall, creating space for us to place our toiletries on. The toilet is situated to the left of the sink with a heating rack, which is very useful for drying our towels in winter.
Sleeping Area
The sleeping area sits at the end of the entryway and occupies a bulk of the space in the Superior Room. The minibar is the first thing that caught our eyes in the sleeping area. Housed in a black standalone cabinet next to the wardrobe, Hotel Am Konzerthaus equipped the minibar with a small Nespresso machine and an electric kettle so guests could enjoy the coffee and tea in the minibar area. The mini fridge is tucked inside the cabinet below the Nespresso machine. I thought it was generous of the hotel to provide complementary items inside the fridge for guests to enjoy, which are replenished daily.
Further into the sleeping area, the king bed sits in the middle of the sleeping area. Resting against a charcoal coloured velvet headboard, the king bed provided excellent sleep quality. The sleep quality is further enhanced by the pillow menu that the hotel provides to match guests’ preferences on the pillow’s firmness. A mix of floral paintings and mirrors on some diamond-shaped panels on the wall next to the king bed tastefully decorated an otherwise dull wall. The use of lighting behind the headboard and the floor lighting next to the window gave the sleeping area its cosy characteristic. I like how Hotel Am Konzerthaus eliminated bedside lamps to free more space on the two stool-like bedside tables on both sides of the bed. The power outlets and switches are found on the side of the bed.
A large flat screen TV is mounted onto the wall in a circular metal decorative piece opposite the king bed. There is a lot of entertainment on the TV, but the entertainment options are limited unless one can understand German. A work desk is furnished in a corner next to the TV. The work desk is rather sizeable, and power outlets allow one to keep their laptops powered up while working at the desk. A small round table with a single chair is furnished between the bed and the windows. I thought the table was a good addition, as it not only did not take up too much space but also allowed us to dine in the room.
Overall
I thought the Superior Room in Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna was very well appointed, with the various spaces well designed. The room is very comfortable, and the quality of sleep in the bed is superb. There are just sufficient furnishings in the room to make one feel comfortable.
Hotel Am Konzerthause is situated in a good location. Located in 3rd District – Landstraße, Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna is near the sights in the Historic City Centre of Innere Stadt of Vienna. The hotel is also very well connected with tram lines that ply through part of the Ringstraße, where most landmarks such as Belvedere Palace, St Charles’s Chuch, the Vienna State Opera and Parliament Opera are situated. There is a subway (U-bahn) station about a 3-minute walk from the hotel, allowing us to visit further away sites (such as Schönbrunn Palace and Stephansplatz). In terms of amenities around the hotel, the nearest supermarket is about a 7-minute walk from Hotel Am Konzerthaus. Other than the in-house restaurant, we found some restaurants near the hotel.
The Suite
We stayed in the 56㎡ Maestro Suite, the highest-category room in the hotel. At the time of booking, we found the rate of the Maestro Suite cheaper than the smaller standard Suite, so we figured it made sense to book the Maestro Suite. There is only one Maestro Suite in the hotel.
Layout of the Maestro Suite at Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna
Entryway
The entryway to the Maestro Suite does not have any furnishings; it merely acts as a pathway from the main entrance to the rest of the suite. Here is where the door to the powder room is located. It is a pity that the entryway was not fitted with hooks allowing us to hang our winter jackets.
Powder Room
Nestled at the entryway is the powder room. Fitted with a toilet bowl and a small sink, the powder room is brightly lit with the ceiling light and the two other lightings at the mirror. This powder room not only provided us with an alternate place to use the toilet if we were too lazy to walk into the bedroom to use the toilet in the bathroom from the living room, but it also allowed the other guest to use the toilet if the main toilet in the bathroom was occupied.
Living Room
The living room is where we first saw tributes to the Capital of Music dotted in the ornaments around the suite. From the entrance, the bright red high-back armchair in the living room corner immediately caught our eyes. Despite the weird location (the chair is positioned to face the rest of the living room), I thought this chair was a great place for us to place our backpacks and to sit while looking out of the window at the street scenes of Vienna. I thought the decor of the suite looked beautiful. The charcoal colour walls painted with blue flowers and the diamond-shaped mirrors sparsely occupying parts of the wall were tastefully done. The floral theme is not limited to the mural on the wall, we also spotted flowers on the coffee table, the work desk and the small table at the far end of the living room. The living room is also furnished with a light grey armchair, large enough to sit three comfortably, and can be converted into a sofa bed to house another two guests in the suite. Between the red chair and the sofa are two coffee tables, one larger than the other. Other than a vase of flowers on this coffee table, the hotel also placed a bottle of wine in a saxophone-shaped wine holder, paying tribute to the musical theme in the suite. A large flat screen TV is mounted onto the wall inside a metallic ring opposite the sofa. Despite the many channels on TV, only a handful are in English, limiting the entertainment we can enjoy.
A work desk is placed behind the sofa. Topped with a black marble top, the spacious work desk gave us lots of space to do our work on. Besides the electric kettle, Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna also equipped the Masestro Suite with a small Nespresso machine. I like the musical note teaspoons at the mini bar, yet another way the hotel reminds us that Vienna is the capital of music. A mini fridge with complementary drinks and snacks is hidden in the cabinet beneath the work desk. Behind the work desk is a small round table accompanied by two chairs. We used this dining table as an alternate place to stow our smaller items. It is interesting to find a functional vinyl player placed on top of a small table sitting in this corner of the living room of the Maestro Suite. Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna placed some vinyl records on the two racks mounted on the wall beside the vinyl player. These additional classical music records are playable, besides being ornaments.
Walk-in wardrobe
The Maestro Suite has a walk-in wardrobe next to the bedroom entrance. Fitted with three large panels, the wardrobe space in the suite is very generous. The two wardrobe panels on the left gave us ample space to hang up to one week’s clothing, but the number of hangers the hotel provides limits the amount of clothing we can hang here. The in-room safe is found on one of these shelves, which I find a little too high to access. The inside-most wardrobe has a five-tier shelf design that vastly increases the number of things we can put away in this part of the wardrobe. The three sliding wardrobe door panels are fitted with full-length mirrors, which not only allowed us to check our dressing but also made the walk-in wardrobe appear larger than it is.
Bedroom
The bedroom felt rather spacious as there was no unnecessary furniture that swallowed up precious space in this part of the suite. The king bed, placed against the wall with a dark grey leather cushion headboard, provided excellent sleep quality on the firm mattress. The pillows on the king bed are a tad too soft for my liking. Fortunately, Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna has an extensive pillow menu, and I was able to select a firm neck support pillow that left me feeling refreshed every morning. The two stool-like bedside tables provide a small area for us to place our lifestyle devices to be charged overnight. Not installing a bedside lamp and mounting the reading light on the headboard was a great decision made by the hotel, as it meant more space for us to place our stuff. I find that installing the light switches and power outlets on the side of the headboard was a great idea as it made the headboard look clean.
The bedroom is also fitted with a TV mounted onto the wall facing the king bed, which allows us to lie on our beds and watch TV programmes. However, like the TV in the living room, we can watch very limited English channels on the TV. I like how the hotel tastefully placed a music sheet stand with a music score in the corner of the bedroom next to the TV, reinforcing the suite’s music theme. I also like how the hotel designed the lighting in the bedroom. Instead of having lighting hanging from the wall, the hotel has lighting fitted onto the headboard of the king bed and behind the ring panel surrounding the TV. Surprisingly, these lights were sufficient to illuminate the bedroom.
Bathroom
The Maestro Suite at Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna has a huge, well-designed bathroom. Using black tiles for most of the bathroom gives a classy and luxurious feel. A black door that leads into the toilet cubicle is sitting immediately after the entrance to the bathroom. Despite housing only a toilet bowl, I thought the cubicle was sizeable. Another glass door to the right of the toilet leads to the walk-in shower. Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna also allocated a good amount of space in this walk-in shower, fitted with a rain and hand-held shower head. There is a ledge carved into the wall at the walk-in shower that gave us space to stow our facial washes and dental kits. The water pressure from the shower heads is good, and the hot water heats up pretty fast.
A relatively large area to the left of the toilet is occupied by the sink area, where the hotel fitted his and her sink with a generous amount of countertop space. Bathroom amenities are placed in the centre of the two sinks. However, dental kits and shavers are not provided by default. I am not too sure if they will be available upon request. The other weird thing I found in the bathroom is that only the right sink is equipped with hand soap, while the left sink only has body lotion. Despite predominantly using black in the bathroom, I found the sink area very well-lit. A large bathtub sits opposite the sink, by the wall with the toilet. The bathtub is perfect for soaking away the fatigue from exploring Vienna.
Service
I found the service in the hotel to be lacking. Staff does not seem to display interest in providing good service. It felt like they were merely doing their job, processing check-ins/check-outs and clearing tables. Despite walking past the reception area daily, none of the staff were interested in greeting guests. Despite staying at the hotel’s only highest-tiered suite and my friend being the highest-tiered member of the hotel group, the staff did not give any mention of my friend’s membership status. We even had to enquire about the complimentary breakfast on weekends (which was part of the benefit) as the staff checking us in did not seem interested in providing such information. A staff member we observed was very friendly towards Western guests but was cold when attending to Asian guests. The only saving grace was Sebastian, who was genuine and the only one we found providing any service. One of my friends commented about the toilet in her room. Sebastian patiently listened and even showed her the room before helping her swap her room. He also recommended places to dine and how we could get there. Sebastian was the only one at the reception who would always greet guests whenever we or other guests walked past the reception. Such greetings were absent when Sebastian was not working.
Breakfast @ Apron Restaurant
Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna serves daily breakfast in the Apron restaurant, the only restaurant in the hotel, located on the ground floor. The selection during breakfast was rather simple. The hot food selection has five options with the usual eggs, bacon and beans in the buffet section, while the cold food selection has a good variety of greens and cold cuts. The bread is also served at the cold food selection. While thin in the variety of food available during breakfast, the delicious taste of these foods more than makes up for it. The croissants were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and the bacon and eggs were well seasoned.
Overall
The hotel is in a good location, with public transport just a few minutes walk away. There are several reasonably priced restaurants around the hotel that open pretty late. The suite was very well appointed and tastefully decorated. The Maestro Suite paid tribute to Vienna being the music capital of the world by having small ornaments placed around the room. The bed is very comfortable, and the pillow options are excellent. The Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna staff seemed only interested in providing minimal service. I would have thought service was non-existent if not for Sebastian, the only employee interested in ensuring guests were taken care of.
Hotel Mercure Graz City is located in the Lend district, a trendy and artistic neighbourhood in Graz, west of the River Mur. It is on the same side of the river as Graz Hauptbahnhof, about a 15-minute walk from the train station. The hotel is also about a 12-minute walk from the sights in the Innere Stadt across the River Mur. There are several amenities in the vicinity of Hotel Mercure Graz City. There are four supermarkets near the hotel, with two just right below the hotel and another two in a 5-minute radius from the hotel. There is no lack of restaurants near the hotel where one can find a restaurant that matches one’s budget. In the morning, a market on the square next to the hotel sells fresh produce sourced locally. There are also two bus stops, with one directly in front of the hotel, making the hotel very accessible via public transportation. One of the bus stops serves buses heading to the train station.
The Suite
Hotel Mercure Graz City offers its guests two suites: the Junior Suite and the Executive Suite. The difference in price between the two suites is less than $50, so we booked the larger 46㎡ Executive Suite.
Layout of the Executive Suite at Hotel Mercure Graz City
Entryway
The entryway to the Executive Suite revealed the contemporary decor of the suite. Here, we found a set of five hooks mounted onto a wooden feature wall, which made it very convenient for us to hang our winter jackets. A full-length mirror is installed at the entryway so we can check our appearance before heading out. Also in the entryway is a tall cabinet with a glass panel section revealing the coffee cups and glasses. The other cabinet sections are mainly empty, which we use to stow our stuff. We found one of the two mini fridges stocked with chargeable beverages in one of the cabinets on this shelf. Beside the tall cabinet is another waist-high cabinet that gave us more storage space.
Living Room
The living room of the Executive Suite has rather simple furnishings. The first thing that caught our eye was the two fabric armchairs, which were capable of being converted into single beds. There are no sofas furnished in the living room of the Executive Suite. These oversized armchairs are very comfortable to laze on while watching TV mounted onto the wall opposite it. Despite having over 70 channels on TV, most of these channels are in German. We only found a handful of English channels, limiting the entertainment we could receive from the TV. A large table with two chairs can be used as a dining table and a work desk. As a work desk, Hotel Mercure Graz City fitted a power outlet at the table enabling us to keep our laptops charged while working. The standing lamp at one corner of the living room provides additional lighting and an ornamental piece to make the living room feel less empty.
There is a small pantry in the living room of the Executive Suite at Hotel Mercure Graz City. The pantry is equipped with a microwave oven, a Nespresso machine, an electric kettle, and two induction cookers. A kitchen sink is also fitted in the pantry, but the hotel does not provide dishwashing detergents. We thought that having the sink next to the Nespresso machine gave us the convenience of topping up the machine’s water tank. We also found a set of china and cutlery and some cookware stowed in the drawers under the cooker. Hidden in the cabinet beneath the Nespresso machine is another functional empty mini fridge, where we used to stow the drinks we bought from the supermarket below the hotel.
Bedroom
The simple contemporary decor is also seen in the bedroom, consistent with the design language in the living room. I like the way Hotel Mercure Graz City fitted a row of lighting at the headboard that is bright enough to illuminate the bedroom without the need to fit any ceiling lights. The king bed is fitted by the wall facing the entrance to the bedroom. The Graz city skyline motif hanging above the headboard of the bed not only gave an artistic flare to the bedroom but also constantly reminded us of the landmarks we can visit in Graz. The sleep quality of the king bed was excellent, and despite the soft pillows (I usually prefer firmer pillows), I got a great night’s sleep. A couple of bedside tables are mounted onto the wall on both sides of the bed, with limited space for us to place our lifestyle devices. Even with the reading light mounted onto the headboard and the absence of bedside lamps, we still find the space a tad tight. European power outlets are fitted onto the wall on both bedside tables.
Sitting next to the king bed is a luggage rack, which is large enough for only one luggage. The hotel does not provide an additional luggage rack, meaning one of us has to lay our luggage on the floor. A large two-panelled wardrobe is fitted next to the luggage rack. The left panel of the wardrobe has a shorter hanger space due to shelving where the hotel places the in-room safe, while the right panel has a longer hanger space. I thought the amount of space offered by the wardrobe was rather limited, as there is little shelving to put on smaller clothing.
The TV in the bedrooms is slightly bigger than that in the living room, having the same channel options. Mounted on the wooden feature wall in the bedroom facing the king bed, the position of the TV allows us to watch TV whilst lying on the bed. A long table is mounted to the wall underneath the TV and has two chairs. This versatile table can be used as an alternate workplace for guests as the hotel fitted power outlets at the table. We mainly used this table to place our smaller items and things we bought from the city.
Bathroom
The bathroom is perhaps the weakest part of the suite. I found the bathroom a tad small for the suite, but I liked that the bathroom floor was heated. The toilet bowl was the first thing that caught my eye the moment I opened the bathroom door. It is fitted on the left side of the bathroom next to the entrance, while the sink is fitted opposite the toilet bowl, occupying the space to the right of the bathroom entrance. Due to the limited space, there is little countertop space at the sink. It does not help that the hotel fitted a rather large sink in the bathroom. Situated at the end of the bathroom and occupying about half the space is the walk-in shower, which is only fitted with a regular shower head. I did not quite like the design of the semi-open walk-in shower, as we found water splashing out of the shower cubicle. Regarding amenities in the bathroom, Hotel Mercure Graz City only supplies shower amenities. The other bathroom amenities, like dental kits, vanity kits and shavers, are available upon request. Nonetheless, I quite like the “Elemental Herbology” branded shower gel and shampoo provided by the hotel. It has a nice woody smell and feels refreshing after use.
Service
My first impression of the service at the hotel was mediocre. The staff processing our check-in seemed more task-focused than taking the initiative to build a relationship with the guests. There were no smiles or greetings from the staff, who we felt just wanted to quickly get the check-in process over with and send us to our rooms. She only briefed us on the breakfast timing and cost but not the rest of the facilities or services the hotel provides. However, she warmed up when we approached her after settling into our rooms to ask for in-room slippers (yes, the hotel did not even put these in the room, and we had to ask for them). Most of the time, we did not see the reception being manned, even when we headed out in the mornings to see the city. We met another staff member who seemed to multitask while manning the reception and the bar at the same time. He was friendly and made an effort to engage in small talk with us. Unlike most Accor hotels, Hotel Mercure Graz City did not offer us welcome amenities.
Hotel Facilities
Gym
Hotel Mercure Graz City has a small gym on Level 1 with limited workout equipment. The gym has only one treadmill, one elliptical machine, and two stationary bikes for cardio exercises. There is only one strength-building machine and some free weights for guests who want to do strengthening exercises. However, I was surprised to find a sauna room and a separate infrared sauna room, together with three benches, in the space at the back of the gym.
Overall
I thought the Executive Suite in Hotel Mercure Graz City was large and comfortable, but the furnishing of two armchairs in the living room rather than a sofa does not seem to invite guests to relax in the living room. The table in the living room took up a good amount of space, and might be the reason behind the absence of a coffee table. The bed has great sleep quality, but the bathroom is a tad small. The service we received was a mixed bag, with one staff who seemed more task-oriented and the other a little more people-orientated.
The House Zell am See is about a 2-minute walk from Postplatz, the centre of the alpine town of Zell am See. The apartment was also close to the main transportation system, about a 4-minute walk from Zell am See Bahnhof. There are numerous restaurants and three supermarkets within a stone’s throw from the serviced apartment. As the town of Zell am See is relatively small, the shops and attractions are no more than a 15-minute walk from the apartment.
The Suite
The House Zell am See has a good variety of apartment types, ranging from Studio to 4-bedroom suites. We stayed in the 60㎡ 2-bedroom suite that is fitted with the amenities of an apartment.
The layout of the 2-bedroom Suite at The House Zell am See
Entryway
The entryway to the 2-bedroom Suite at The House Zell am See immediately shows its alpine interior design through the use of natural wood seen throughout the entire suite, from the flooring to some of the furniture in the bedroom. The House Zell am See has incorporated industrial design into the apartment decor, mainly seen in the interesting choice of lighting. The entire apartment exudes a cosy vibe, which is especially pronounced in this cold winter. The entryway is furnished with a shoe bench with racks to place our shoes at its bottom. Here, we find two sets of hooks mounted onto the wall to hang our winter jackets. The bedrooms are immediately in sight at the end of the entryway.
Bedroom 1
The bedrooms are a little confusing, but I would consider Bedroom 1 as the master bedroom as it comes with an ensuite bathroom. The nature-themed interior decor flows into Bedroom 1. This bedroom is furnished with two single beds pushed together to form a king bed with a black velvet headboard. The bed provides us with great sleep quality, and surprisingly, despite the soft pillows, I slept pretty well on them. On both sides of the bed are a couple of bedside tables furnished with an industrial-designed bedside lamp. The space on the bedside tables is a little tight, but we find sufficient space to place our lifestyle devices for charging. The lower open tier on the bedside table gave us additional space to stow our stuff. I like that The House Zell am See installed two power outlets on each side of the bedside tables, although one is meant to power up the bedside lamp.
The rest of the furnishings in Bedroom 1 are rather simple. A large wooden wardrobe sits in one corner of the bedroom next to the floor-to-ceiling window panels that can be opened into a French balcony. The wardrobe has sufficient space (and hangers) for us to hang our clothing on one side, and the other side is fitted with shelves to place our smaller items on. Sandwiched between the wardrobe and the door to Bedroom 1 is a dresser fitted with two shallow but long drawers. It seems like this dresser was supposed to be a TV cabinet, as we found some TV cable ports mounted onto the wall at the dresser. However, there is no TV installed in this bedroom.
Ensuite Bathroom
The ensuite bathroom in Bedroom 1 is laid with sand-coloured tiles on the floor and part of the walls, which does not seem to contrast the nature theme in the suite. A sink with limited countertop space was the first thing we saw upon entering the bathroom. The ledge above the sink expanded the countertop space where we could stow our toiletries. A walk-in shower stall is tucked in a bathroom corner next to the sink. The shower is fitted with both regular and rain shower heads. I find the space in the walk-in shower a little tight. I like how The House Zell am See fitted a soap dish at the shower head, which we mainly used to stow our facial wash. The toilet is fitted next to the walk-in shower. The only thing I dislike about the ensuite bathroom is the lack of hooks to hang our clothing. Other than the shower gel cum shampoo, hand soap and body lotion, The House Zell am See did not provide any other bathroom amenities.
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 2 has the same design and layout as Bedroom 1, except for the missing ensuite bathroom. Similar to Bedroom 1, in the centre of this bedroom is a king bed, which is also two single beds pushed together to form a king bed. The sleep quality is also great on this bed, but the gap between the two beds can be felt when occupied by a single person. On either side of the bed are a couple of bedside tables, identical to those in Bedroom 1. Similar to that in Bedroom 1, we found two power outlets on each side of the bedside table.
Opposite the bed is a wooden table with a single long drawer, which also seemed to be a TV console, as the TV ports are also visible on the walls at this table. A wardrobe sits in the corner of the bedroom next to the wooden table by the floor-to-ceiling window. For single occupants, this wardrobe has generous space to hang up at least one week of clothing on the right side of the wardrobe. We found the only in-room safe on the bottom of the wardrobe of this bedroom. On the left portion of the wardrobe is a set of five shelving spaces for guests to stow small clothing items.
Bathroom
The bathroom is situated opposite Bedroom 2. This bathroom also uses sand-coloured tiling, creating consistency with the natural vibe seen throughout the suite. I thought the size of the bathroom was quite large. On the left side of the bathroom sits a shower/tub combination. Only a regular shower head is installed in this tub/shower combination. The sink sits next to the bathtub, directly facing the entrance to the bathroom, with limited countertop space. The toilet is situated next to the sink. The right side of the bathroom is a large unused space. Like the ensuite bathroom in Bedroom 1, we did not find any bathroom amenities other than the shower gel cum shampoo, hand soap and body lotion in the bathroom.
Living Room
The living room, which comprises a lounging area and a kitchenette, occupies the most real estate in the 2-bedroom suite.
Lounging Area
The lounging area has a cosy feel, mainly due to a combination of the lighting and the natural wood theme throughout the entire suite. There are two sofas furnished in the lounging area. A grey leather sofa was placed by the wall facing the TV and the floor-to-ceiling window panels. This sofa is large enough to accommodate three adults and can convert into a bed, which explains why we found extra bedding in the wardrobe in Bedroom 2. Another blue velvet sofa sits in front of the floor-to-ceiling window panels that can also be opened into a French balcony. This sofa is slightly smaller and can seat only two adults comfortably. The velvet material of this sofa is especially cosy in the cold winter. I was delighted to find a rocking chair in the corner of the lounging area next to the blue sofa. Another single-seater armchair is in the lounging area opposite the grey sofa, which increases the sitting capacity. A couple of metallic coffee tables are in the middle of the lounging area. The TV sits in a corner tilted to face the two sofas, resting on a blue wooden cabinet that has numerous small drawers designed into it. Despite being able to use these drawers, I felt they were more for decorative purposes. Besides the local Austrian channels (in German), we also found many more English channels playing on the TV.
The living room in the 2-Bedroom apartment of The House
Dining Area and Kitchenette
The dining area is sandwiched between the lounging area and the kitchenette in the 2-bedroom suite at The House Zell am See. It is furnished with a large black glass-topped round table and five dining chairs. I find the table a little too large for the size of the dining area, as we always bump into it when we open the door to the balcony.
The dining table in the kitchenette areaI thought the dining table was a little too big for the area
The 2-bedroom suite at The House Zell am See is fitted with full kitchen facilities, housed in a natural wood set of cabinets sitting on the wall in this part of the living room. We found an oven cum microwave sitting on the open shelf above a full-size fridge hidden inside the wooden finished cabinet. The fridge is large enough for the suite’s occupants to store one week’s food. A large sink, electric hub, and hood can be found on the kitchen countertop. The House Zell am See also furnished the kitchenette with a Nespresso coffee machine, toaster and kettle on the kitchen countertop. I was surprised to find a dishwasher in the kitchenette, which The House Zell am See has thoughtfully provided dishwashing detergent and capsules for its occupants to use with the dishwasher. We also found a full set of china and cutlery for six and some cookware in the kitchenette cabinets.
Balcony
Other than the French balconies in the bedrooms and the lounge area, the 2-bedroom suite has a balcony next to the dining area. The balcony is furnished with a metal table and four chairs, allowing the suite’s occupants to enjoy the fresh alpine air from the comfort of the suite. From the balcony, we can see the ski slopes behind the service apartment.
Service
Our interaction with the staff was rather minimal at The House Zell am See. We only met staff at The House during check-in and check-out, and in the mornings, we headed out to explore Zell am See. The reception is only manned from 8 am to 8 pm daily. The staff we interacted with during check-in and check-out were welcoming and warm. The staff who checked us in gave us a very detailed brief of the facilities, how things work around the accommodation, and the cost of things like the self-served drinks, breakfast and laundry pods. He also briefed us on the ski shops and restaurants around town and the discounts we could receive by showing the accommodation card. I was surprised to receive an email about registering the Zell am See guest card, which offered us some discounts in Zell am See, thanks to the diligent staff at the accommodation who registered our arrival with the town’s app. However, I find it weird that the House charges €30 per housekeeping service during our stay.
Overall
The House Zell am See is situated in a very good location in Zell am See. It is close to Zell am See Bahnhof and Zell am See Postplatz, where we can catch buses to the sights outside Zell am See. The House is also very close to the sights and amenities in the town and town centre. The accommodation felt very cosy, comfortable, and very well-equipped. The sleep quality on the beds was excellent.
Since my previous post (click here for the post) shared the location and the service we experienced at AC Hotel Innsbruck, this post focuses on reviewing the room.
AC Hotel Innsbruck facade
The Deluxe Room
The Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck has a floor area of 28㎡and is decorated in nature-coloured tones.
Layout of the Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck
Entryway
The only wardrobe in the Deluxe Room is found in the entryway to the room. The hotel fitted an open wardrobe with the right panel fitted with hanging racks for guests to hang their clothing, while the left panel is fitted with a couple of shelves and two drawers. These shelves and drawers are deep enough to fit a number of things and/or clothing. The in-room safe is found in this wardrobe, sandwiched between the shelves and the drawers. I find it weird that the in-room safe is just next to the main entrance to the room.
Bathroom
The bathroom entrance is next to the wardrobe in the entryway. The white wall tiles and the natural wood flooring used in the bathroom gave it a clean look. A single sink is installed in the bathroom, providing ample space for occupants to stow their toiletries. The toilet is installed next to the sink, while the walk-in shower with a regular shower head sits at the extreme right end of the bathroom. AC Hotel Innsbruck allocated a good amount of space for the walk-in shower. I like the small soap holder installed at the shower head, which we mainly use to stow our facial wash.
Sleeping Area
A bulk of the real estate in the Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck is assigned to the sleeping area. In the centre of the sleeping area, sitting by the wall, is the king bed. The king bed has a firm mattress that provides excellent sleep quality, but the pillows were too soft for our liking. The hotel provides a limited pillow menu (of three choices), and we found that even the foam pillow was too soft. A couple of bedside tables were installed on either side of the king bed. These bedside tables, fitted with two large drawers, gave us tons of space to stow our stuff and charge our lifestyle devices using the European head power outlets overnight. The bedside table nearer to the bathroom has two additional USB-A charging ports on top of the power outlet. It helps that the hotel thoughtfully mounted the bedside lamps and reading lights on both sides of the king bed onto the headboard, providing additional illumination and freeing up space on the bedside tables.
The TV is mounted on the wall opposite the king bed, allowing the Deluxe Room’s occupants to receive entertainment from the comfort of the king bed. There are numerous channels for us to choose from, but only a handful of English channels (mainly news channels). A table mounted to the wall beneath the TV houses the minibar. This is where we found the Nespresso machine and an electric kettle sitting on top of a wooden box housing the coffee pods and tea bags. The mini fridge with two bottles of water is installed below the mini bar table. A grey-coloured cushioned wooden ledge mounted onto the wall extends from the minibar table, which we used to stow our luggage.
Two chairs and a small round dining table are placed near the room’s window, which allows guests to look out into the mountain ranges that dominate the skyline of Innsbruck. This table is great for guests to use for dining or work, as we did not find any work desk in the room.
Overall
I thought the Deluxe Room at AC Hotel Innsbruck was very well designed. It gave the occupants space to move around and stow their stuff. However, the wardrobe might be a little tight for two occupants to hang one week’s clothing. The bathroom is bright and looks clean. The king bed has great sleep quality, but the pillows might be too soft for guests who prefer to sleep on firmer pillows. Overall, the room was very comfortable.
AC Hotel Innsbruck is located next to Innsbruck Casino
Location
The AC Hotel Innsbruck is situated in a very good location in the city of Innsbruck. The hotel sits next to the Triumphpforte, with a bus/tram stop in front. Both the Maria-Theresien-Straße, the main shopping area, and Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof are about 5 mins on foot from the hotel. Due to its proximity to the city centre and Innsbruck being a very walkable city, everything seems to be within a few minutes walk from the hotel. In terms of amenities around the hotel, there are a few supermarkets near the AC Hotel Innsbruck, one next to the St Anna’s Column, one inside the Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof, and another next to the train station. As the hotel is very close to the city centre, we had no problems finding food in the vicinity.
The Suite
The 1-Bedroom Suite at AC Hotel has a floor area of 53㎡, split across the living room, bedroom and bathroom. The suite perches on the top level of the hotel, giving us an excellent view of the city and the mountains.
Layout of the 1-bedroom Suite at AC Hotel Innsbruck
Entryway
The entryway in the 1-Bedroom Suite has simple furnishings, fitted with an open wardrobe and a full-length mirror. The wardrobe has a section with hanging rack and another with shelves fitted onto it. We mainly used the hanging rack to hang our jackets. The two-tiered drawers allowed us to put away souvenirs we bought in town. I find it weird that the only in-room safe is located in this wardrobe next to the main entrance to the suite.
Powder Room
The entrance to the powder room is located next to the wardrobe in the entryway. The powder room is fitted with a toilet and a sink, providing the suite’s occupants with an alternate toilet. I find the sink a little too small for the tap the hotel installed. I had water spilling out when I flicked the tap for water. The powder room also brings convenience for us to top up water for the coffee machine and wash our cups.
Living Room
The living room in the 1-bedroom Suite at AC Hotel Innsbruck is very spacious, and I welcome the absence of unnecessary furniture that would otherwise clutter the space. The decor in the living room looks contemporary, with a touch of nature. The natural wooden colour is the main theme in the living room, as seen in the floor and the furniture the hotel chose. The presence of a large plant sitting in a corner of the living room reinforces the nature theme. In the centre of the living room is a three-seater sofa decked out in grey leather, with a single seater armchair by the side. The nature theme also manifests in the top of the large coffee table in the centre of the living room. The side table beside the sofa gave us additional space to place our stuff.
AC Hotel Innsbruck has a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the sofa. Despite having many channels, we only found a handful of channels in English. Beneath the TV, a table with a natural wood finish is mounted on the wall. The hotel allocated this space as the minibar area. Other than the mini fridge stocked with two bottles of drinking water underneath the table, the hotel also equipped the minibar with a Nespresso machine. For those who prefer tea, AC Hotel Innsbruck placed an electric kettle with some tea in the minibar. A bench extends from the minibar table, and the grey cushioning suggests this could be used as an alternate sitting area. However, we used this bench as a luggage rack to stow our luggage.
A small wooden dining table and two chairs were placed by the window at the end of the living room. I thought this was a great idea, as we could look out into the snow-capped mountains from the large half-length windows next to the dining table. Since there are no work desks in the suite, we thought this table could be used as a work desk.
Bedroom
The entrance to the bedroom sits near the dining table in the living room. The nature-themed decor from the living room extends into the bedroom. A king bed sits in the middle of the room, placed by the headboard mounted onto the wall. The cushioned headboard uses the same colour as the sofa in the living room, creating consistency in the overall colour scheme of the suite. The king bed was very comfortable, with a firm mattress that provided excellent sleep quality. However, I find the pillows too soft for my liking. AC Hotel Innsbruck does provide a limited pillow menu, but even the foam pillow was too soft for my liking (it is a personal preference). A couple of bedside tables, fitted with two drawers, stood guard by the side of the king bed. I thought the space on these tables was generous, giving us ample space to charge our lifestyle devices overnight with the European power outlets. The drawers in these bedside tables also gave us additional space to store our things. The bedside lamps are mounted onto the headboard, freeing space on the bedside tables.
The flat-screen TV in the bedroom, the same size as that in the living room, is mounted on the wall facing the king bed. We were able to lie on the king bed and watch whatever English channel was on (mostly news channels). Similar to the living room, there is a table with an extended ledge with a cushion furnished beneath the TV. The hotel even fitted another mini fridge under this table. Like the living room bench, we used this ledge to stow our luggage.
The wardrobe is fitted next to the bathroom entrance at the end of the bedroom. It’s the same as in the entryway, with half the panel allocated for hanging clothing and the other half with three-tiered open shelving and two drawers at the bottom. This design has limited storage capacity for hanging clothes, but the deep shelves and drawers provide additional space for storing smaller clothing items.
Bathroom
My first impression of the bathroom was that it had poor illumination. The bathroom is only illuminated by three warm lights mounted on the ceiling above the sink, which is insufficient to light up the entire bathroom, especially the walk-in shower. The sink is fitted next to the entrance to the bathroom. Since the space allocated to the sink was limited, I thought it was a good idea that the hotel only installed one sink in the bathroom. This frees up more countertop space for us to stow our toiletries. A large deep bathtub is found at the wall, perfect for soaking away the fatigue we got from exploring Innsbruck. Between the sink and the bathtub is the porcelain throne. A separate walk-in shower is opposite the sink, fitted with a regular shower head. The space allocated to the walk-in shower was sufficiently large that I did not have to engage in an elbow war with the walls while showering. I like that the hotel installed a small holder at the shower head, which has sufficient space for us to place our dental kit and facial wash.
Service
The service at the AC Hotel Innsbruck was generally good. Despite arriving earlier than the set check-in time, we were still being checked in and given the keys to our rooms. The staff who checked us in was jovial and cheerful. She diligently ensured that our rooms were ready (by confirming with housekeeping) before handing us our keys. She even briefed us on the breakfast timing, the restaurant’s location, and the breakfast cost. Seeing that we have two reservations under the same name, I like how the hotel put extra effort into allocating our rooms next to each other, and we were assigned a connecting room. Despite being busy with housekeeping duties, the diligent housekeeping staff would greet us when we met along the corridor. We approached the reception the night before our check-out to see if we could have a late check-out. Instead of rejecting us outright, the staff checked on their system to see if rooms were available the next day and granted us a late check-out at 2 pm. She even volunteered to issue us new keycards to ensure that we would have access to our rooms after the standard check-out time at noon.
Overall
I enjoyed my stay at the AC Hotel Innsbruck. The hotel’s location made exploring the city ideal, as it was at the edge of the city centre and mere minutes from the train station. The suite was tastefully furnished with a natural wood finish and was very spacious. The bed was comfortable and provided excellent sleep quality. The staff at the hotel were super friendly and always wore their smiles. I would return to this hotel the next time I return to Innsbruck.
