Trip Report: Virgin Atlantic, London Heathrow to Atlanta (August 2019)

Trip Report: Virgin Atlantic, London Heathrow to Atlanta
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling from London Heathrow back to Atlanta.  I had booked the ticked through Delta with the outbound sector being operated by Delta (check out that review here) while the return was being operated by Virgin Atlantic.  Once the ticket was booked, I was able to go onto Virgin's website and/or app and manage my booking which included preselecting my seat, adding special meal requests as well as adding other special requests.  Delta and Virgin Atlantic have a joint venture in which they share and market flights between the U.S. and Europe.  This joint venture was indicative throughout our return as the flight was marketed as a Delta flight number that was being operated by Virgin Atlantic (even the Virgin Atlantic boarding pass indicated this).  24-hours prior to my flight I was able to check-in and receive my boarding passes (mobile boarding passes only though, I was never able to receive an electronic copy of my boarding pass - neither through the website nor the app).  As part of the joint venture, they have a separate Sky Priority lane at the Virgin check-in desks in London so that is where we went to drop off our luggage.  Check-in process was fairly quick and we then proceeded to to the gate for our flight.  In the check-in area, Virgin was offering complimentary ice cream for its passengers, which a nice gesture as it was hot outside but generally it was a bit extra customer service.  

When we went to the gate, the plane was there and the screen had the Virgin Atlantic sign but the flight number was the Delta flight number (I still found this odd, that I had to search for the Virgin flight number).  The operating aircraft was an Airbus A330 in a 2-4-2 configuration.  The red distinct color of Virgin was prevalent throughout the cabin, but the plane did look a bit dated.  The seat also looked a bit dated, especially with the red fabric.  The seat itself was decent, not too narrow but not too wide either and the seat pitch was decent enough for the flight time.  The seatback contained a small PTV with a remote next to it, a USB port, a tray table, and a pocket which contained the safety card and airline magazine.  Each seat also contained a wrapped blanket, a pillow as well as complimentary headset.  Once boarding was completed and the doors closed, a safety video was shown and we took off for Atlanta with a scheduled flight time of 9hr 15min.  Even though Delta provided an amenity kit, no amenity kit was provided on Virgin's flight.

Once we reached cruising altitude, the attendants came back to hand out menu cards.  There were many announcements throughout the flight of Virgin trying to go green, so instead of passing out menu cards why not just put the menu on the PTV as other airlines do?  While the menu cards were a nice gesture, they seemed to be a waste of paper (in my opinion).  The first service was drinks only and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were served along with pretzels, in Virgin's distinct color glasses.  The second service was the main meal service, with special meals served alongside regular meals.  Virgin's claims its meals to be healthier and incorporate better ingredients than its competitors, but the portion was small.  I ordered a vegetarian meal and that came with a small main dish, a salad, and dressing (the main meals did not come with much more).  While it was nice and healthy, it was neither flavorful nor substantial at all.  Water and drinks were available in the back cabin throughout the flight, but there were not as many snacks available on Virgin as were available on Delta.  About 2 hours prior to landing, an English Tea Service was provided which was a small sandwich, a dessert, as well as coffee or tea.  The Tea Service was definitely tastier than the meal service, but again it was small in portion size.  

In between the meal service, passengers could do what they wanted to occupy the time.  As it was a day time flight - the flight departed London at 10:10am and arrive into Atlanta at 2:40pm - most passengers were up and occupied their time with the entertainment system.  There was a nice variety of movies and TV shows and it was enough to cover the 9hr flight time.  The flight attendants were also always present throughout the flight, either walking down the aisles, talking to passengers, or relaxing in the back. 

Overall, it was an average flight with Virgin Atlantic.  Based on their reputation and branding, I expected to be wowed but I was not.  Positives were good customer service, friendly FA's and decent entertainment system.  Average were seat pitch and seat comfort, while negatives included small food portions and no amenity kit.  The ultimate decision maker is whether I would fly them again - and the answer while I would not avoid Virgin, they wouldn't be my first choice either.  Both them and Delta were nice, but it was an expensive ticket so what was paid for and the reputation I expected something great and what I received was a bit above average.

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Bogota (Bogota, Colombia - August 2019)

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Bogota

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

A friend of mine was traveling to Colombia for work so I decided to join them.  Their work had put them up at the Grand Hyatt Bogota so that is also where I stayed.  Even though the hotel was booked through work, it was very easy to manage the reservation through the Hyatt app and website.  My friend also received a welcome email from the Manager prior to arrival and we could also contact the hotel regarding any preferences, and they were quick to respond.  That was a good sign to start the trip with.

The hotel is newly built, less than 1 year old, and is very tall so stands out amongst the skyline in the suburbs of Bogota.  The hotel is within walking distance of La Gran Estacion Mall, in walking distance of restaurants near Tryp hotel, and is about a 15 minute drive to the airport (without traffic).  As you enter into the hotel, the check-in desks are to the left against one wall with the concierge stand across from them.  In the middle are couches and a nice sitting area as well as a table/library nook in which you can have a small meeting.  To the right are the elevators and beyond that is the restaurant and some stores.  Overall, the lobby is grand but feels comfortable.  My friend had already checked in so I just picked up the key and went directly to the room (hint: English was not as widely spoken and understood by the concierge desk; it was easier and quicker to communicate in Spanish).

The room was located on the 6th floor and the hotel is layed out like an 8, with two round sides on either side and the elevator in the middle.  The rooms are located on the edge of the rounds with a large open atrium in the middle - while it looks aesthetically pleasing, it seems like a lot of wasted space (in my opinion).  You entered the room into a hallway that leads to the main part of the room.  As soon as you enter the hallway, on the left is a small ledge to put your key card.  Next, still on the left side, is a little nook that leads into the bathroom.  In the nook is the closet on the right - with an iron and ironing board - and on the left are drawers on the bottom and a space to put your luggage on top.  This is also where the complimentary slippers were provided as well as the safe.  The nook leads you to the bathroom, which was quite large.  In the bathroom, there is a jacuzzi tub on the right and individual stalls for the toilet and stand shower.  There was a double sink in the middle with lots of bathroom toiletries such as soap, lotion, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and complimentary bottles of water.  The bathroom was large and spacious and the toiletries smelled nice, the only issue was the water temperature which varied throughout the day.

The room itself was also large and spacious.  Against the left wall were the two double beds with a night stand on either side of the bed as well as a night stand in the middle of the beds.  There were plugs and outlets on either side of the bed as well.  The beds were comfortable, spacious, and provided a good nights sleep.  In front of each bed was a little ottaman on which you could either sit or lay your suitcase on.  On the right side of the wall was the TV, mounted on the wall, and further down was the desk.  The desk was large and it faced the room with the large window looking out at the city behind you.  The window was large and let in lots of natural light, but these could be closed for privacy.  The bedroom was spacious and the beds were comfortable, but when the window was closed there wasn't much lighting so the room was a little dark.

There were tons of amenities at the hotel for the guests to enjoy including a restaurant, a spa, a fitness center, pool, sauna, wifi, amongst others.  As I spent most of my day outside, I only got to experience the complimentary breakfast and the complimentary wifi.  The wifi was complimentary and it was fast and stable enough to stream videos, check email, and do basically whatever you needed to do.  The complimentary breakfast was an expansive breakfast buffet with lots of options for fruit, hot dishes, cold dishes, bread, cheese, etc.  Water, juices, tea, and/or coffee were also provided complimentary and there were plenty of wait staff to assist you.  I did not get to experience the sauna/spa/fitness center but I was told it was very large with lots of machines and areas for guests to enjoy.  


Overall, it was a nice and relaxing stay at the Grand Hyatt Bogota.  It is a full-service hotel and you get to feel the entirety of the full-service aspect with your stay.  The largeness of the hotel allows for the spacious bathroom and bedroom, both of which are appreciated.  Also appreciated is the hard separation between these two areas, as with some Hyatts they seem to like the 'open concept' where the bathroom and bedroom are all one room.  A nice stay in spacious rooms with lots of amenities for the guests to enjoy.