Trip Report: AirArabia, Sharjah to Almaty; Bishkek to Sharjah (September 2024)

 Trip Report: Air Arabia, Sharjah to Almaty; Bishkek to Sharjah
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I wanted to travel from Pakistan to Central Asia on a visit to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.  In looking for options, online searches came back with FlyDubai but there was a really long layover in Dubai which did not seem appealing so I continued to look and that is when I looked into FlyJinnah and AirArabia.  I have reviewed the FlyJinnah portion in a separate review (found here) as for this review I will forcus on the AirArabia portion.  AirArabia is a low-cost carrier based out of Sharjah in the UAE (Sharjah is the Emirate located next to Dubai).  They had a big network covering AirArabia Middle East, AirArabia Marob, and now FlyJinnah covering Pakistan.  Because they are all part of the AirArabia family, you can book multiple sectors and connecting flights on one ticket.  Even though I was flying FlyJinnah + AirArabia, I could and did book my travel on AirArabia's website and selected the flight in which the Pakistan to Sharjah and Sharjah to Pakistan flights were to be operated by FlyJinnah and the Sharjah to Central Asia flights operated by AirArabia.  

 

AirArabia is a low-cost carrier meaning the base ticket includes a personal pack plus a carry-on, everything else needs to be charged for.  I choose to pay for my seats as I prefer certain seats on the plane and I paid for luggage.  The seat costs were not bad and I was able to get an aisle seat near the front of the plane for not a high cost; the luggage charge was also not that high and included a checked bag of 30kg which is a generous portion.  Once I booked my ticket, I could use the same confirmation code on either site to manage my booking.  This review will be a compilation of my two flights on AirArabia - from Sharjan to Central Asia and from Central Asia to Sharjah - as both were operated by the same aircraft and both had a similar experience.  For the check-in experience, I only experienced AirArabia check-in on the outbound.  I arrived at the airport 3-hours in advance to ensure check-in went ok; the process was chaotic with little organization but I received both boarding passes and my luggage was tagged to my final destination.  I had talked about some of the security and other issues that I had experienced on my flights with FlyJinnah, and some of the issues continued with my flight on AirArabia.   

AirArabia's policy is that boarding is supposed to be in groups, starting with the rear of the aircraft.  As was my experience with FlyJinnah, on AirArabia for both sectors this was only mildly adhered to as once the plane got halfway full everyone was allowed to board to ensure an on-time departure.  Both operating aircraft was an Airbus A320 which had a cabin laid in a 3-3 seat layout.  Both flights were not completely full so the chaotic boarding ended, manual safety demonstrations commenced, and we pushed back for an on-time departure.  The seats itself were basic and decent for a low-cost carrier, not padded seats but there was decent amount of legroom.  For both sectors I luckily had the entire row to myself but if there was another passenger next to me, that could be uncomfortable as the seat width was narrow.  For both sectors, the flight time was a bit over 3hours and after the second/third hour you got to feel the uncomfortableness of the seat.  On both sectors, most of the announcements were done by prerecorded statements which were done in Arabic and English.  On both sectors, the attendants seemed not interested nor caring in neither their job.  For my low-cost carriers, paying for a seat is big business so many are strict as to ensure passengers do not sit in a sit they did not pay for; this was not the case with AirArabia.  On both sectors, many passengers who had not paid for seats and thus were allocated seats in the back moved up in the middle of the flight to the front of the plane where seat selection came at a costs.  

As detailed earlier, AirArabia is a low-cost company which means there is no inflight complimentary service.  You can preorder meals and drinks, and certain upgraded tickets come with meals, but generally everything is buy on-board.  As soon as we reached cruising altitude, the FA's came down the aisle for you to purchase snacks or drinks.  My first flight departed at 9pm so coming by within the first hour of the flight made sense; the return flight left at 3am so most of the passengers were sleeping.  Instead of waiting until the end to conduct the service, thus ensuring more revenue, the FA's came around at the beginning when most passengers were sleeping.  Also, service was only conducted once and within the first hour even though both sectors were 3hr+; other low cost carriers would've come back towards the end of the flight to increase revenue and purchase of items.  Despite it being a low-cost airline, complimentary entertainment was provided through streaming to your device.  Once you connected to the internet, you can stream movies, TV shows, and other programs for free.  Other airlines also showed a flight map, the inflight menu, or other items when you are connected to the entertainment but AirArabia only had the entertainment. 

Overall, how was my experience on AirArabia?  Similar to FlyJinnah, it was not very good.  Positives were that you are able to book multi-country journeys on one ticket and there was no issue with that.  Another positive was the consistent product with similar planes, similar seats, and similar service.  Last positive was that complimentary entertainment was provided which is a nice gesture for a low-cost carrier.  Negatives were the lack of support/padding on the seats, the lack of attention from the FA's, and generally the chaotic boarding and nature of how the airline operated.  Did we depart ontime, yes; did I and my baggage make it to my destination, yes.  Was it comfortable, definitely not.  For this route, I had a choice between AirArabia or FlyDubai; AirArabia was less expensive and had less overflight time but if I had to choose again, I would probably choose FlyDubai as they seem less chaotic and better overall product.

Trip Report: FlyJinnah, Lahore to Sharjah; Sharjah to Islamabad (September 2024)

 Trip Report: FlyJinnah, Lahore to Sharjah; Sharjah to Islamabad
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I wanted to travel from Pakistan to Central Asia on a visit to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.  In looking for options, online searches came back with FlyDubai but there was a really long layover in Dubai which did not seem appealing so I continued to look.  That is when I looked into FlyJinnah and AirArabia - FlyJinnah is a new Pakistani-based airline which was started in partnership with AirArabia.  They use AirArabia planes and their branding is in the AirArabia style, and recently FlyJinnah started flying to Sharjah which is the hub for AirArabia.  Because FlyJinnah is part of AirArabia, you can book connecting flights for both airlines on each other websites.  I booked mine on AirArabia website and selected the flight in which the Pakistan to Sharjah and Sharjah to Pakistan flights were to be operated by FlyJinnah and the Sharjah to Central Asia flights operated by AirArabia.  I will focus on the FlyJinnah portion here as I will have a separate post for the AirArabia portion (found here).

Because they are both part of the same AirArabia organization, you can book the FlyJinnah portioneither on FlyJinnah's site or AirArabia's site.  Both sites look similar and you can book the same itinerary, including connecting portions, on both sites.  I choose to book my travel on the AirArabia site because of trust of sites as well as currency conversions (AirArabia charges in Dirhams while FlyJinnah charges in Pakistan Rupees).  In  booking my journey, the portion from Pakistan to Sharjah and from Sharjah to Pakistan was to be operated by FlyJinnah.  Both are low-cost carriers so the base ticket includes a personal pack plus a carry-on, everything else needs to be charged for.  I choose to pay for my seats as I prefer certain seats on the plane and I paid for luggage.  The seat costs were not bad and I was able to get an aisle seat near the front of the plane for not a high cost; the luggage charge was also not that high and included a checked bag of 30kg which is a generous portion.  Once I booked my ticket, I could use the same confirmation code on either FlyJinnah and/or AirArabia to manage my booking.

This review will be a compilation of my two flights on FlyJinnah - from Pakistan to Sharjah and from Sharjah to Pakistan.  Both were operated by the same aircraft and both had a similar experience.   For the check-in experience, I only experienced FlyJinnah check-in on the outbound as for the return I connected to FlyJinnah.  For the outbound, I could check-in either on the FlyJinnah or the AirArabia site, but after check-in I was only able to get the AirArabia boarding pass and I would need to check-in at the counter for the FlyJinnah portion.  I proceeded to the airport and was able to check-in, receive my boarding pass, and get my bags tagged all the way to my final destination.  At the check-in counter, I saw a lot of passengers being 'upgraded' for free even though they did not pay for the seats; this does not seem like a good practice for a low-cost airline and it was the first of many issues that I noticed throughout my flights with FlyJinnah.

Boarding for both FlyJinnah sectors were chaotic.  Boarding was supposed to be in groups starting with the rear of the aircraft but for both sectors this was only mildly adhered to as once the plane got halfway full everyone was allowed to board to ensure an on-time departure.  Both operating aircraft was an Airbus A320 which had a cabin laid in a 3-3 seat layout.  Both the outside and inside of the plane resembled AirArabia; the only markings of FlyJinnah were the seat covers and the boarding pass.  Both flights were not completely full so the chaotic boarding ended, manual safety demonstrations commenced, and we pushed back for an on-time departure.                                                                                                              The seats itself were basic and decent for a low-cost carrier.  The seat was not very wide nor very padded but there was decent amount of legroom.  For both sectors I luckily had the entire row to myself but if there was another passenger next to me, that could be uncomfortable as the seat width was narrow.  For both sectors, the flight time was a bit over 3hours and after the second/third hour you got to feel the uncomfortableness of the seat.  On both sectors, most of the announcements were done by prerecorded statements which were done in Arabic, English and Urdu.  On both sectors, the attendants seemed not interested nor caring in neither their job nor the safety nor security of the plane nor passengers.  On both sectors, basic safety and security standards such as ensuring everyone had their seatbelt on for takeoff and landing or ensuring the seat was upright were not adhered to; on both sectors the lavatory was not maintained in terms of cleanliness nor restocking even though the FA's were conversing in the galley right next to the lavatory.  Also, seat selection in the front came at a higher cost and most other airlines would prevent passengers from changing seats for both safety as well as monetary reasons; FlyJinnah did not seem to care as midflight many passengers moved up as they saw empty rows and seats near the front.

FlyJinnah, similar to their parent company AirArabia, is a low-cost company which means there is no inflight complimentary service.  You can preorder meals and drinks, and certain upgraded tickets come with meals, but generally everything is buy on-board.  As soon as we reached cruising altitude, the FA's came down the aisle for you to purchase snacks or drinks. Even though they were supposed to accept card, they preferred cash and even though it was over a 3hr flight, they only came by within the first hour to sell items; other low cost carriers would've come back towards the end of the flight to increase revenue and purchase of items.  Despite it being a low-cost airline, complimentary entertainment was provided through streaming to your device.  Once you connected to the internet, you can stream movies, TV shows, and other programs for free.  This was a great option and the selection was actually very good so this was a plus point for FlyJinnah.  Other airlines also showed a flight map, the inflight menu, or other items when you are connected to the entertainment but FlyJinnah only had the entertainment. 

Overall, how was my experience on FlyJinnah?  Not very good, especially since they are a new airline and new airlines are generally better.  Positives are that you are able to book a journey on FlyJinnah and AirArabia on one ticket and there are seamless and hassle free transitions between the two.  Also, the complimentary entertainment was also a nice gesture.  Negatives were the lack of support on the seats, the lack of attention or detail to safety and security, the lack of caring by the FAs for their job or towards the passengers, and the chaos of boarding the flights.  As I stated before, my options for this sector were either FlyJinnah + AirArabia or FlyDubai and if I had to choose again, I would probably choose FlyDubai.

Trip Report: SCAT Airlines, Almaty to Astana (September 2024)

 Trip Report: SCAT Airlines, Almaty to Astana
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling domestically in Kazakhstan and needed to fly from Almaty to Astana.  There are generally three airlines to choose from when flying Kazakhstan - AirAstana, FlyArstan, and SCAT Airlines.  AirAstana is the more well-off and defined airline of Kazakhstan, with FlyArstan being their LCC arm.  SCAT Airlines has less of a defined reputation and is generally known for poor service, poor planes, poor on-time departures, and generally not as put together.  I was going to fly AirAstana from Astana to Bishkek via Almaty (check out the review here), and FlyArstan did not operate a flight on the day I wanted to travel so I decided to book a flight with SCAT Airlines.                                                                                                            SCAT Airlines is an airline which operates domestic as well as regional flights from Kazakhstan, but their operations and flight timings are limited meaning they may only operate one or two times a day or week for that sector.  For the sector and date I was flying, there was either a morning flight or an evening flight between Almaty and Astana so I decided to book the evening flight.  I booked my flight directly through the SCAT website for a couple of reasons: 1) I wanted to ensure the flight option I selected came with a checked bag, and 2) sometimes when I have booked on third-party sites the ticket does not always translate and that can be an issue especially if there are cancellations and/or delays.

The flight that I booked was scheduled to depart Almaty at 5:25pm and arrive Astana at 7:05pm with a scheduled flight time of 1hr40min.  The ticket that I booked came with a 23kg checked baggage allowance, 10kg hand luggage allowance as well as seat selection.  The operating aircraft was scheduled to be a Boeing 737 with a 3-3 seat configuration.  24hrs prior to the flight I was able to check-in online and receive a mobile boarding pass, and I went to the airport well in advance to check in my luggage and to confirm the flight was going to be operating that day (I had heard of SCAT canceling a lot of flights).  There were a lot of people at the check-in desk and it was very chaotic but everything was checked in and I went to security and the gate.  Even though the gate was assigned, we were not allowed to go near the gate until the flight was ready for boarding; so it was a lot of waiting in cramped and uncomfortable seating until the boarding time.  Once the boarding announcement was made, it was a 'come one, come all' boarding with no clear instructions nor order.

The operating aircraft was a Boeing 737 with a 3-3 seat configuration.  The plane looked like an outdated Southwest plane and there had been little to no updates to the plane.  The seats were changed but they were not updated and the seats were old, uncomfortable, offered little to no legroom, and some were broken so the back had some recline while others it was hard to recline.  Scheduled departure time was 5:25pm and to my surprise the aircraft was boarded and we pushed back on time; I say to my surprise because literally every other SCAT flight that day from Almaty was delayed by a minimum of 3-4 hours.  Manual safety demonstrations were done and then we taxied and took off for Astana.

Once airborne, the inflight service commenced.  SCAT is a low-cost airline which includes buy-onboard so first the flight attendants came through offering items for purchases.  Once that was concluded, they came back and offered complimentary bottles of water; it was a nice touch and that was the only thing complimentary offered.  After that, it was up to the passenger to bide the time as there was no wifi nor no inflight entertainment.  Many passengers reclined their seat to nap, but since the legroom was already tight having them reclined basically put the front passenger in the rear passengers lap.  Flight time was 1hr and 25min and after a bit we started our descent into Astana and concluded the journey.                                                                                                                        Overall, it was an interesting experience with SCAT.  I am glad the flight took off and landed on time and they got me and my luggage safely to Astana.  Was it the best airport or onboard experience I have had, definitely not and I can see where the criticisms come from.  Also, have experienced Air Astana on the return and seeing what a difference both on the ground and in the air they can be; I can see more of the criticism and difference.  However, there sometimes can be a significant price difference so if you know what you are getting into then you can deal with it for a short domestic flight.  I would definitely not recommend it for anything international nor longer flights though.  

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Express Almaty, an IHG Hotel (Almaty, Kazakhstan - September 2024

Stay Report: Holiday Inn Express Almaty
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling to Almaty and was looking for a decent but inexpensive place to stay.  I also was arriving early in the morning so needed to book an extra day to ensure the room was available, so keeping all this in mind I found the Holiday Inn Express Almaty.  I generally do not stay in Holiday Inn Express in the States because their quality is generally an issue, but overseas their quality seems to be better and I recently stayed at one in Warsaw which was very nice (review here).  I was able to book the reservation through the IHG website and was able to manage the reservation through the app.  I was able to communicate with the hotel via email, but the communication was a challenge and I will expand on that a bit later.

I arrived early in the morning so I wanted to prebook a car pickup but unfortunately due tocommunication issues this was not possible.  Communication continued to be a challenge at check-in and throughout my stay with the front desk as English was not their language of communication.  The hotel itself is located on the outskirts of the city, approximately 45mins away from the airport, but within walking distance to many sights and shops including about a 5-7mins walk to the Forum and a 20min walk to Kok Tobe.  From the outside, the hotel is a very tall building and looks like a converted Soviet-esque building that was remodeled into the Holiday Inn Express.  Inside, the hotel looks recently updated and newish.  As you enter the building, straight ahead are the check-in desks and a small waiting area.  The elevators are the to left and as walk through you pass more seating area, the bar area, the 'business center' and next to the elevators is the dining area where the breakfast is served.  Due to the communication issue, check-in took some time but I finally got my key and went to the room.

As I opened the door, the room looked updated and resembled the modern layout of the HI Express room.  As you entered the room, on the left was the entrance to the bathroom and straight ahead was the main room.  The bathroom was a bit tiny and was more along the European size of the bathroom and contained a toilet, a sink, and a shower.  The sink had Dove hand wash and Dove products were also in the shower.  The bathroom was decent but tiny and compact.  The room itself though was not compact and had enough room to maneuver around and for the luggage.  Just next to the door to the bathroom was an open closet and next to the that was a luggage stand with a safe underneath.  There was a small nook across from the closet on the other side of the room that contained the iron and ironing board.  Further into the room, along the left side of the wall was a table/desk plus chair and the along the wall was the bed with a nightstand on either side.  The bed was a decent size and comfortable enough for a good nights sleep.  The table/desk was small but big enough to get some work done and there were charging ports and plugs near the desk which were convenient.  Across from the bed, along the other side of the wall, was a TV mounted on the wall and underneath was a stand for additional storage, the coffee maker, and complimentary bottles of water.  The complimentary bottles of water was a nice touch and each day the bottles were replenished.  Overall it was a decent if not compact room; the bed was comfortable and provided a good nights sleep and there were enough charging ports that were easily accessible.

Holiday Inn Express hotels are not full service hotels but they do provide some amenities.  This hotelincluded complimentary wifi, complimentary breakfast, a business center which contained two computers in the lobby, plenty of seating area in the lobby, and a bar area.  The wifi was decent and you could connect as many devices as you wanted.  The breakfast was complimentary and included complimentary tea and coffee, but the selection was a bit limited and not as plentiful or varied as the one in Warsaw.

Overall, it was an average and comfortable stay at the Holiday Inn Express.  The room was a decent size and provided a good nights sleep; the wifi was decent and could connect many devices; and the hotel was within walking distance to sights and shops.  Negatives included limited variation for the breakfast and communication issues with the front desk.

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Atlanta In Buckhead (Atlanta, Ga - January 2024)

  Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was going to be in Atlanta for one day and I have a free night at a Hyatt property so decided to try out the Grant Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead.  My only experience with a Grand Hyatt before was with the Grand Hyatt in Bogota (review here) so this was my first experience with the hotel in the U.S.  It was easy to book the room through the app and the day before check-in we received a welcome note from the Manager.  

We arrived at the hotel late at night and the first thing you notice is the size, the hotel is very big in terms of height and size.  The hotel is made up of two towers with the first couple of floors being the base and then the two towers rising above.  There is a lower level entrance which is mainly the entrance for the meeting rooms.  At the main entrance is the valet stand and as you enter the hotel, you climb up some stairs and immediately enter the bar/lounge area in front of you.  The check-in desk and elevators to one tower are to the right, while the restaurant and elevators to the other tower are to the left.  It is a very grand hotel and it is very easy to get lost as there is minimal signage to direct.  As we arrived late at night, check-in was easy and we quickly received our key.  We then had to go back downstairs as the incorrect room was given; when given the correct room I believe we may have been upgraded as the room was very spacious.

The room was on the 22nd floor and had lots of space.  As you entered into the room, there was a long hallway on the right which contained the closet as well as a space to put your luggage/makeup/storage on the other side.  The closet was huge and contained lots of space to store things as well as the safe, iron, ironing board, as well as slippers and a robe (the slippers were of low quality though).  This hallway was on the right side, on the left side of the room was the entrance to the bathroom.  The bathroom was also massive and contained a long countertop with a sink, a jacuzzi tub as well as a stand shower.  There was a separate entrance to the toilet and overall there was lots of space and lots of amenities next to each item including bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and little bars of soap.

Separating this part from the room was a little nook that contained a bar top with the coffee maker on top and a decent size fridge underneath.  The spaciousness continued in the main room which contained the two beds along the right side of the wall.  These were two spacious queen-size beds which were very comfortable and provided a greats night sleep.  There was a nightstand in between the two beds which contained an alarm clock with USB port and plugs on top of it.  There was lots of space between the two beds as well as between the bed and the nightstand.   Along the left side of the wall was the TV mounted on the wall and underneath was a chest with drawers for additional storage.  There was a chair and extender next to that, and alongside the other wall was a standard-size desk with a chair as well as plugs and USB ports on the desk.  In between the chair and the desk was the entrance to the balcony, which was nice and a good size and had two lounge chairs on it, but the only negative is that there waw a window in the bathroom which shown onto the balcony and that limited privacy somewhat.  Also, the furnishings and the building looked like an older building which meant there was a lack of plugs and USB ports around room; however, the comfortability and spaciousness of the room made up for any shortcomings.

They are a full-service hotel so amenities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, valet, fitness center, pool (currently closed), self parking, wifi, business center as well as a hotel lounge.  I was only there for one night so was not able to but I did try the wifi, the hotel lounge, and the self-parking.  The self-parking is located in a garage down and across the street from the hotel; it looks like a regular garage that the hotel partnered with and while there are signs that this is for the hotel, the signs are minimal as are the lights at night.  The wifi was strong and we were able to connect multiple devices with no issues and were able to stream videos and social media with no interruptions.  We also had access to the hotel lounge so we took advantage of that for breakfast.  

The lounge is located on the 24th floor and is open from 6:30am-10pm serving breakfast, snacks, and hors d'oeuvres.  As you enter into the lounge, there is a couch and sitting area in front with tables towards the back next to the window.   To the left, in a little nook, is the business center with two computers and a printer.  There is a huge TV mounted on the wall, and towards the right is the coffee maker and food items.  We went during breakfast time so they had oatmeal, cereal, light snacks, some fruit and salmon as well as bread and bagels available; coffee and tea were also available with a variety of milk in the fridge along with juice and water.  While a decent selection, it was more of a medium-size snack versus breakfast; my previous experience at hotel lounges have all been outside of the U.S. where generally the selection is more so I am not sure if this is standard for U.S. hotel lounges.

Overall, it was a great stay at the Grand Hyatt.  The room was spacious and there were lots of amenities for the guest to enjoy.  The beds were really comfortable and provided a great nights sleep; and even though our interaction with staff was minimal, what interaction we did have was good and they provided good customer service.     

Trip Report: Sun Country Airlines, New Orleans to Minneapolis (July 2024)

Trip Report: Sun Country Airlines, New Orleans to Minneapolis

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling to Minneapolis from New Orleans and generally there are two options available - either Delta or Sun Country Airlines.  I have flown Delta but have never flown Sun Country and was curious to decided to try them out.   From New Orleans, Sun Country flies one flight a day and the timings change; luckily for me the day I wanted to fly out they flew in the evening at the exact same time the Delta flight was heading out.  When I did research, Sun Country is a leisure-based airline that operates mainly to vacation and leisure destinations so I was not sure what to expect when booking the ticket or when onboard.  

You can book the ticket either through the website, the app, or directly at the airport.  When I booked online, the website and the options reminded me of ULCC, Spirit and Frontier, as there was a basic charge for the ticket and then there were fees for everything else from the carry-on to selecting your seat.  If you book online, they charge a 'passenger convenience fee' which can range in price, and online research said you can avoid this fee by booking at the airport yet no one could tell me if you could book the bundle of seat + carryon at the airport.  I paid for the bundle and the total for everything for my one-way flight was $110 which was a very good price.                                                                                                                                                          24-hours prior to my flight I checked in online and received my boarding pass so when I got to the airport I went directly to my gate.  The plane had just come from Minneapolis and was turning around to go back; and boarding was done by groups but the process was slow and more akin to leisure carriers rather than ULCC carriers.  The operating aircraft was a Boeing 737-800 in a 3-3 seat configuration.  The first couple of rows were premium seats which contained more legroom and complimentary snacks during the service.  The remaining aircraft was in a standard 3-3 configuration with slimline-esque seats but they did have a recline and an adjustable headrest.  The seats were basic as there was a literature compartment up top, a tray table underneath, a pocket below that, and USB ports were available below the seats.  There was no seatback entertainment but you could connect to the wifi to stream movies, TV shows, and audio (there was no moving map no flight path so you could not figure out where you were).

Even though we were boarded ahead of the pushback time, there was no rush from the staff to close the door and depart early; again their attitude and pace of movement was more akin to leisure carriers versus ULCC even though their booking and other items were similar to ULCC.  We pushed back, manual safety demonstrations were conducted, and we took off for Minneapolis.  Once we reached our cruising altitude, the in-flight service commenced.  Sun Country offers complimentary drinks including soda, water, tea and coffee but everything else needs to be purchased onboard; premium seat members did receive a complimentary pack of snack but also had to purchase everything else.  The complimentary drinks were a nice touch and akin to leisure carriers, but not giving a snack and having a buy-on-board was more like ULCCs.  After the service finished, the FA's were rarely seen in the cabin for the remainder of the flight; no additional water nor trash collection was conducted and they only came back once they were preparing the cabin for landing. 

The remainder of the flight was uneventful and you could pass your time watching entertainment onyour screen, sleeping, or staring out the window.  The seats were decently comfortable but started to get uncomfortable towards to the end of the flight.  The legroom was also decent and similar to what you would find on a leisure carrier and not that of ULCC.  Once we landed there was no rush to get to the gate or deplane as fast as you can, instead there was a leisure pace to deboarding.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                After my experience, I am perplexed with Sun Country Airlines.  Part of their model resembles ULCC - from paying for seat selection, carry-ons and snacks - while other aspects resemble a leisure carrier - complimentary onboard drinks, decent legroom and being able to recline your seat.  It was an interesting but uneventful flight and got me to Minneapolis on time (the Delta flight that was scheduled to leave about the same time left early and got to Minneapolis early as well).

Stay Report: Royalton CHIC Antigua, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort (Antigua - July 2024)

  Stay Report: Royalton CHIC Antigua
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We are looking for a summer place and during the booking I encountered the Royalton Chic Antigua.  I had never heard of the Royalton brand but I decided to book it for the following reasons: 1) this was now part of the Marriott Autograph Collection and we are a Silver Elite member in Marriott Bonvoy so I thought this would be better; and 2) I went online and the reviews both on TripAdvisor and YouTube generally seemed good so I booked the stay.  Booking my stay at this resort and choosing Antigua was the biggest mistake I made in my life.

The hotel is an all-inclusive which means that you pay one price and everything is included - food,drinks, and supposedly some activities.  The room that we booked was a "Luxury Pool View, All-Inclusive, Guest room, 2 Queen beds".  Most of the rooms allow upto 3-guests per room but all the reviews say that they allow 4 people for an extra charge; we were 4 people so decided to follow upon that and proceed to book through the Marriott website.

There are two Royalton resorts in Antigua - one is the Royalton Resort and the second is the Royalton Chic with the later supposedly the more upscale and better version of the resorts.  The entrance to the Royalton Chic does not look very chic at all and the service from the gate attendant was minimal, but once past there you proceed down the hill towards the main entrance.  There is a circular driveway at the main entrance with a small parking lot located next to the main entrance.  We had a car so we stopped by the main entrance before proceeding to park; when we got to the main entrance we were greeted by a bellman who was inquiring about our luggage.  I was a bit confused as there was no instructions nor details about what was happening or the direction in which we had to go but rather just wanted us to answer his questions; it was very confusing and not a great start.  

The main entrance is where you have the bellman and then you walk halfway down the building to the check-in desk on the right side.  At other all-inclusive I have been to there is someone at the main entrance/bell stop guiding you through the process or there to assist; no one was there here.  When we got to the check-in desk, there was no greeting, no welcoming us to the property, and generally no version of any type of customer service.  We were asked about the passports and whose name the reservation was under - and during that time no mention of the membership status, nothing - and when they said we have 4 people the response was 'our policy is 3 only so you have to book another room which I cannot do so you either have to call reservations or go online'.  The lack of customer service, the lack of engagement, the lack of caring was outstanding throughout my entire journey but especially at check-in.  After lots of back and forth, lots of miscommunication and lies from the staff, the hotel miraculously changed their policy and allowed a 4th person to be in the room for some extra money.  

After check-in, we all got wristbands tied to our hand and were told so sign multiple documents and when we asked about a resort map or details of what was included the response was 'everything is on the TV' and when we asked if there were paper maps or details, the response was 'no'.  That was the lack of customer service we experienced.  The bellman who took our luggage from check-in to the room did not interact with us, did not share anything about the resort, and was more interested in connecting with his coworker friends than the guest; at every other resort the bellman were always interested in talking and sharing details about the resort as this was their policy but it also increased their tip.

When we got to the room, it looked like a standard 2-queen bed room and did not look luxurious at all.  As you entered the room, there was a hallway which led into the main part of the room and in that hallway was the bathroom on the left and closets on the right.  The closet was divided into two parts with the first part to hang clothes and contained the luggage rack and robes, while the other side contained the safe as well as the shelves within the closet.  The bathroom was basic and tiny and contained a small sink, toilet as well as a rain shower.  Bathroom toiletries including body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion were included but no bar soap was included and there was no place to put these items in the shower.  

In the room itself, along left side were the two queen beds with a nightstand in the middle.  Along the right side of the wall was a stand that had the coffee maker and water on top, and below was the fridge plus drawers.   Continuing along the wall was the mounted TV and then there was a countertop with two chairs which could be used as a dining table.  The beds were decent and were spacious enough to accommodate two people and comfortable to provide a decent night sleep.  There were outlets along the wall and on the nightstand so you could charge your devices.  The best part of the room though was the balcony, which opened up to the view of the pool and the ocean in the background; contain two chairs and was big enough to comfortably sit outside and/or dry your clothes.  Overall, the room was a small-to-decent size and I have been in bigger rooms at resorts (see Aruba Hyatt review) but I have been in smaller rooms so the room was decent for 3-4 people but the bathroom was definitely smaller.    

It is supposed to be an all-inclusive resorts so all food and activities should be included.  There were two pools available, one near the main entrance which had the swim-up bar and where most of the staff were, and another smaller pool near our section which was quieter and almost never had any staff come by and check.  The beach was decent and there were chairs and lounges available, and the beach for this resort connected to the Sandals beach resort so it made for a nice walk along the beach; also on the beach we barely saw any staff attending to or inquiring about guests.  There was a bar that was near the beach but that was never staffed; there was also another bar near the restaurants but that was only staffed at night.  If you were at the beach and you wanted something to drink, you had to walk to the main bar near the main entrance to get anything; and the resort long width wise so it took a bit of time to walk from our section near the end towards the main entrance, especially if you were elderly or had mobility issues.

There were supposedly multiple restaurants serving meals throughout the day and night, but which was open and when was never clear even though we asked multiple staff members.  The information on the TV was not correct and no staff member knew of any of the openings; the advice we got was 'just walk around see what was open.'  There was a Caribbean restaurant, a steak restaurant, an Italian restaurant, a sports bar, a Mediterranean restaurant, a food truck serving burgers, a coffee shop and a buffet restaurant.  The Mediterranean restaurant was never open the entire time we were there; we went to the steak restaurant one night and waited over 2-hours and still never got our food; we went to the Italian restaurant and waited 1hr30min only to be told that a party that came in after us was going to get the food before us; we went to the food truck which did not have a menu so you had to ask what was available and they it took almost 30-45 minutes to get your food.  Overall, the food quality and quantity was poor as each restaurant we went to they served starters and then a main course but the portion and quantity were so small it seemed more like a tasting rather than a meal.  The quality and lack of seasoning was also something that stood out as the food was bland and lacked seasoning and/or taste.

If there were other amenities included in the resort, we had no idea since we were not given any

information and no staff was willing to provide any details.  As I mentioned at the top, the main issue was the lack of service.  From the time we entered the property to the time we left, we encountered staff who did not care, were not courteous, some were downright rude, dismissive and borderline racists.  We shared this feedback with Management who kept saying 'thank you for your feedback but that is not my department' and nothing seemed to happen after that.  There was complimentary wifi available and complimentary parking.  You could also order food from the TV and then it was brought to your room, we did this to order food and additional drinks so there was no service by the pool nor the beach.

Overall, it was a complete waste of time and money at this resort.  My recommendation is to not go here, do not waste your time nor money to experience such a bad resort that does not care about its guests.  I have reviews of other all-inclusive and/or resorts in the Caribbean, check those out and go there instead.  

P.s..this is just my experience and my review.  While at the resort, we did talk to individuals who either themselves or their friends had similar experiences in terms of negative staff experience, rude/dismissive staff and overall a negative experience at the resort.

Stay Report: Radisson Hotel Baku (Baku, Azerbaijan - May 2024)

 Stay Report: Radisson Hotel Baku
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

When traveling to Baku, there are many hotel options available covering all price ranges.  I was traveling with a friend so I was looking for a hotel that was near them but also affordable.  I found a couple of options and when I went to communicate with them, the Radisson is the only hotel that responded in a timely manner and provided good communication (one hotel never even responded).  I have limited experience with the Radisson brand as my first experience was with Radisson hotel in Brunei (see review here) and my other experience was with Radisson Blu in  Stockholm (see review here); both of the experiences were average or underwhelming so I had low expectations of my room and stay. 

I had booked the hotel through the Radisson website.  It was very easy to book and manage the hotel through the website, and there are member-only rates available online or through the app.  As I mentioned before, the hotel was very communicative in responding to queries and provided a lot of good information and that is something I greatly appreciated.  The hotel did offer airport pick and drop at an additional costs but I did not avail of this option.  The hotel is located on the main boulevard in Baku and has a small driveway for car drop-off.  From research, the hotel used to be a Park Inn by Radisson but then changed to Radisson (on some ride-hailing apps it is still listed as Park Inn).  From the outside, you climb up 5 steps (or take the ramp) and enter the hotel.  

From the outside the hotel looks very big but the lobby is narrow and does not have a lot of space to sit nor congregate; if there is a big group checking in then it gets very hard to navigate in the lobby.  There is a narrow lane of sofas in the middle of the lobby and to the left are the check-in desks while to the right is the restaurant.  Straight ahead, beyond the sofas, are the elevators.  I checked in at 8am in the morning so there was no one in the lobby; however, when I left at 5pm a group had come in to check-in and it made navigating the lobby very difficult.  I checked-in, received my key, and proceeded to my room.

The room was in the middle of a long hallway;it seemed that the elevators were at the beginning of the hallway and the rooms proceeded that.  Once I entered the room, there was a small entryway for the door before getting into the main part of the room.  In the main part of the room, on the left was the entryway to the bathroom while on the right a closed closet which contained places to hang your clothes, the iron and ironing board, and I believe a safe.  The bathroom contained a sink with a long counter, a toilet, and a shower stall with refillable amenities.  The bathroom was basic and the size was bearable but a bit on the cramped size; and even though I had just checked in some of the refillable amenities - body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion - had not been refilled.  Once you entered into the room, there was the queen-size bed on the left with a nightstand on each side.  Across from the bed, on the right side, was the TV mounted on the wall.  Further along into the room, on the right was a couch and a table while on the left was a nice size desk with a chair and the tea station.  There was a huge window that looked out onto the street and it was actually a small balcony so you could open up and enjoy a breeze or the view from the outside.  The space of the room was good, decent for 1-2 people and plenty of room to store your luggage.  The bed was comfortable enough and provided a good nights sleep.  Overall it was a comfortable bed in a decent size room and good enough for the price that was being charged.  Was the room worth a higher price, no and that is because it was the little things that made the room feel more like a 3-star hotel including the quality of the furniture, the not refillable of the amenities, and other such small things.  Its a basic and decent room but keep expectations at check.  

The hotel is a full-service hotel and thus provides the following amenities: free wifi, airport pickup and drop-off for a charge, fitness center, meeting rooms, restaurant and bar where breakfast is served (you can book a room with breakfast or add it later for a charge), and luggage hold.  I did try the wifi which was decent and you can connect as many devices as you would like, and I did do the luggage hold as they were very strict on the check-in and check-out time and were not authorizing either early check-in or late check-outs without charging for them. 

Overall, it was a decent stay at the hotel.  The room was clean, a decent size, and provided a good nights sleep as well as providing complimentary wifi and luggage hold.  The service was a bit lackluster and the other finishings and services were minimal; but given the price it was a decent nighs stay.  If you keep your expectations to a minimal, you will have a good nights stay.

Trip Report: AZAL Airlines, Lahore to Baku (May 2024)

  Trip Report: AZAL Airlines, Lahore to Baku

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was in Pakistan and looking for a place to travel so was looking at direct flights from Lahore.  Recently, AZAL Airlines started direct flights from Lahore to Baku and Azerbaijan has been on my list so decided to check out the airline, the city and the country.  I booked my ticket online through the AZAL website directly and since AZAL is a full-service airline, each ticket came with a free seat selection, complimentary meals as well as complimentary 23-kg checked baggage.  You could add additional baggage online if needed (I did need it and it was convenient to have this process done online prior to the airport so that airport check-in is easier).  During the booking process, I was able to select my seat - there were regular seat selection as well as priority seat selection; later on I figured out these were exit row as well as in the front of the plane seats that required costs to select them. 

The flight was scheduled to depart at 2am and arrive into Baku at 5:40am and was to be operated by an Airbus A319 for a flight time of 4 hours.  The flight only 2-3 times a week so its essential to make the flight.  I got to the airport 3-hours in advance, quickly checked in and received my boarding pass, and went to the gate.  Boarding was to commence at 1:15am but it started late and was a bit chaotic but we ended being boarded for an on-time pushback.  The plane is an Airbus A319 with a small business class upfront in a 2-2 configuration and economy in the back in a 3-3 configuration.  The first 3 rows of economy as well as the exit row were designated as premium - so even though some of them sat empty they would not allow people to move there unless they paid an upgrade.  There was a family separated and instead of rearranging seats to get the family to sit together as well as accommodate other passengers, the airline insisted everyone take their assigned seats and kept the family separate throughout the entire flight!

The seat itself was basic as it had an adjustable headrest, a tray table, as well as a storage pocket but that was it.  There was no USB nor charging ports and no additional amenities.  The legroom was decent, not great but not terrible, and the seat comfort was ok for the first 2 hours but then it got uncomfortable afterwards for the remaining two hours.  Service onboard was average as they were not mean but were not nice, and communication in English was definitely an issue.  AZAL provides a complimentary meal on all their flights - and that is a nice gesture especially in today's time.  You can preorder special meals based on religious and/or dietary restrictions.  On this leg, one meal service was going to be conducted; we took off on-time and it was a late night flight so instead of serving the food quickly and letting people sleep, or letting people sleep and then serve food before we landed into Baku, the airline decided to keep the cabin dark for an hour, let everyone sleep, and then an hour after takeoff start the meal and drink service.  It was a really odd choice and after the meal service coffee and tea were offered, and again that took a while so hour 2-3 of your flight was taken up by the meal service.

The meal provided was basic but decent and for my special meal included a salad, fresh fruit, the main dish, as well as a piece of bread.  The main meal was a smaller portion but decent for the 4-hour flight but was a bit bland and needed some flavor; the bread was not warmed but was decent.  Complimentary drinks, including alcoholic drinks, were served and coffee and tea were offered afterwards.  After the meal service, the lights were turned off again for the remaining flight time to do what you wanted.  They did have screens above that showed the flight map, and you could connect to the entertainment system on your own device.  The entertainment system was present but extremely limited as it only offered a handful of movies and other programs; it was basically bring your own entertainment. We landed in Baku on time and quickly exited the plane and cleared through customs and immigration.

I took AZAL again when flying between Baku and Tbilisi and the overall experience was the same but there were a couple of differences.  The plane operating this route was an Embraer E190 and it was newer so the seat pitch and comfort were better; all regional flights operate out of Terminal 2 which is the older terminal and you can definitely feel that; and the Embraer did not have the 'stream to your device' entertainment option.                                                                                                                                                                    In the end, it was an average and basic flight was AZAL.  There are some things that were good including the price which was not expensive, each flight took off and landed on-time, the complimentary seat selection and luggage allowance, and the complimentary meals and service on both flights.  Service could have been better but airlines within this region are not known for their service; generally if they get to your destination on time in a clean and comfortable space then they did their job and AZAL does the job.