Round The World and other travels

A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries

This is: The Portuguese Connection (2012)

Third time lucky

A final Executive Lounge breakfast, some quick last touches to the packing, and we were ready to go on another leg of the journey! We had the good fortune to leave just as the Airport Express shuttle bus H1 was pulling up outside the hotel, so it was an easy matter to hop aboard for a free transfer to Hong Kong Station. The train whisked us effortlessly and comfortably to the airport, where passage through the various formalities could hardly have been more straightforward. Once again, Asia was showing the way in building transport infrastructure that actually delivers. We had already gone from one the best examples of an airport train service into one of the world's top airports and were now ready, once again, to sample one of its finest airlines.

FAR LEFT: Lounge reflections

LEFT: SQ lounge at Chek Lap Kok		 RIGHT: The world's 10th busiest airport, looking calm and spacious

FAR RIGHT: Asiana A330-300 at HKG

(Link to flight log in side panel)

Incheon International Airport was now starting to feel thoroughly familiar! Almost unbelievably, having never previously set foot in Korea, I had flown in for the third time in 2012. And for the first time, I was now destined to make it to Seoul itself. With the help of staff at an information desk, we soon found the bus stop for the connection to Times Square, the location of our hotel. When the coach turned up, it was only about half-full, but almost everybody seemed to be travelling alone and many people had extra bags on the seat next to them. We squeezed in as best we could and I transferred to an empty double when one became available. The vehicle was like an oven on wheels: terribly overheated and, much worse in my opinion, really stuffy.

It was an easy matter to find the Courtyard upon arrival in Times Square, thanks to good signage. The entrance was somewhat unconventional and reminded me of arriving at a hotel with an underground car park: the first step was to use a dedicated bank of elevators to reach Reception, from where things proceeded as normal. At least, that was the idea. On this occasion, we did in fact run into a little hitch at check-in.

To our complete surprise the check-in agent, with the manager's backing, refused to honour Bruce's normal status benefits as a member of Marriott Rewards, on the grounds that the booking had been made using a travel industry concessionary rate. The rule book was even produced to back up the decision. Regardless of the rules, this was the first time that such a thing had happened in practice. Most properties are keen to make a good impression on anyone who has the ability either to send business their way in quantity, or to place it elsewhere. Not this one - apparently sticking to the letter of the law was considered more important. Oh well, I'm sure they knew what they were doing.

So we settled into our basic room (which was actually fine) and had a drink and a bite to eat in the attractive lobby bar / cafe (again, no point in cutting off your nose to spite your face!)