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REVIEWS


Emirates B777-300ER


EMIRATES B777-300ER


Business class Bangkok-Hong Kong An Emirates meal served on tableware


EMIRATES OPERATES A DAILY Bangkok-Hong Kong service on the back of its nonstop service between Bangkok and Dubai. By Craig Bright


CHECK-IN I was swiftly checked in by an amiable member of staff. Along with your boarding pass, business class passengers are given a Fast Track pass for getting through immigration and security. The member of staff had helpfully written down the location of the lounge in red pen on my boarding pass. If you find yourself getting lost, follow the signs to the Cathay Pacific or Miracle lounges, as they’re both nearby. BOARDING The announcement came at 13:22 and seven minutes later I reached Gate E7. Emirates reserves seats for premium class passengers and loyalty members, so boarding was swift.


THE SEAT The elephant in the room with the Emirates B777-300ER business class cabin is its layout – it’s in a 2-3-2 configuration. Among airlines in Asia-Pacific, this is pretty unheard of nowadays, and the cabin has a less spacious and exclusive feel compared to those offered by other airlines with a 1-2-1 or even 2-2-2 set up. Seat width is slim, owing to the configuration, with just 20.5 inches, and while the seat does recline to a lie-flat position with a fold-out footrest, it’s not quite a fully flat offering. BEST SEATS? Not E – for obvious reasons, avoid this middle seat in


LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB La Quinta, California


LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB is the oldest resort in California’s Palm Desert, built in 1923 to attract movie stars who were obliged to weekend within a short drive of their Hollywood studios and other movers and shakers. By Anthea Gerry


WHERE IS IT? The hotel sits on 45 acres, a 2 hour, 30 minute drive east of Los Angeles against the backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains. WHAT’S IT LIKE? La Quinta was a famous resort for decades before the acquisition by Hilton and Waldorf Astoria branding. It has morphed from celebrity playground to family hotel to wellness resort, the latter thanks to a large spa, golf course, tennis club, yoga studios and multiple swimming pools. Cottages and villas arranged in small


groups around their own pool and courtyard lend an intimate feel, as does a central plaza hub for multiple dining options. Morgan’s is grand but buzzy, TWENTY6 offers alfresco breakfast and all-day dining, there’s Mexican food in the Adobe Grill and separate offerings in the tennis and golf clubs. The Marketplace sells pastries, sandwiches and salads for those preferring to eat


140 MAY/JUNE 2019


on their terrace around the pool. Free activities include yoga, Pilates, meditation, fitness classes and walks. A new partnership


with Veuve Cliquot aims to restore the glamour of Hollywood’s golden age, with a champagne-fuelled “Apres Swim” experience in the Adult Plunge Pool. ROOMS You don’t sleep in a room at La Quinta but in a casita – a cottage rich in Spanish detailing of terracotta, ceramic tiles and dark wood. It’s set around a pool and courtyard shared with a handful of others. The 617 casitas are spacious –


from 37 to 43 sqm – with 161 villa suites providing multi-bedroom accommodation. My casita had a huge bathroom with separate dressing area and a corridor connecting bedroom and


bathroom fielding a counter with coffee machine and a fridge beneath. The traditional feel of the decor was somehow not disrupted by the giant TV screen facing the bed and a table and chairs by the window offered a naturally-lit space for working. BUSINESS There’s a business centre, meeting rooms catering for up to 100 and several ballrooms which can accommodate 500 to 1,800 guests. Given the beautiful climate most of the year, outdoor parties are a speciality. VERDICT A historic and atmospheric leisure-oriented resort in an outstanding location.


buyingbusinesstravel.com


the 2-3-2 layout. Aside from that, I’d recommend one of the window seats (6A-11A/6K-11K). At 6 foot 5 inches, this isn’t something I typically recommend, but for such a short hop – and with the aisle seats being quite exposed – it’s easy to make peace with being a bit more hemmed in as the cost of getting more privacy. THE FLIGHT Crew were warm and welcoming, with a professional but light-hearted touch to their duties. We were offered a choice of orange juice, apple juice or Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial NV champagne followed by our meal orders. Unfortunately, I ran into a problem with my IFE system after take-off. I let the cabin crew know as soon as the seat-belt sign went off


and they gave the system a hard reset, which temporarily fixed the issue. The curry I picked was pleasant with a strong flavour, and set out nicely on tableware. Also served with the meal were bread, fresh fruit, and coconut and lime cheesecake. ARRIVAL Landing was on time despite a 30-minute delay taking off. Having not checked in baggage in Hong Kong, I was able to take the tram to the main part of the terminal and speed through immigration without a hitch. VERDICT For the competitive price, reasonably sized seats, quality of service and lounge access, I’d book this routing for future trips between Bangkok and Hong Kong. FLIGHT TIME 2 hours 55 minutes


La Quinta Resort & Club’s casitas with a shared pool and courtyard


HOTEL


FLIGHT


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