My first ever TR: Jumbo Stay Arlanda and SQ25 Suites

[SQueeze]

Introduction
I have always been fascinated and inspired reading all the trip reports here but have always procrastinated in creating my own and before I know it, the trip is stale already . But this time, I decided to muster enough time and energy to organise, sort, and mask our faces. Yes, I am not keen on being seen on the web sitting in Suites as my boss may be lurking somewhere - hahaha. Kudos to those who frequently post here, I now see how this takes a lot of effort.

Background
This is a short 1-week vacation to Northern Europe (Copenhagen and Stockholm). The focus of this report is an unusual stay at a converted Jumbo Jet in Stockholm airport at which I spent a night and the return flight on SQ25 from FRA to SIN (in Suites). The first half of the trip (SQ322 to LHR unfortunately has no photos as I was not planning to make a trip report here).

Part 1: Jumbo Stay Arlanda
After 3 days in Copenhagen, basking in wonderful crispy sunny autumn weather and a memorable lunch at Noma (a separate thread would be required to show the experience here), it is time to go to Stockholm. Initially, I was planning to take the train which would have brought us directly from Central CPH to Central Stockholm but then I stumbled across Jumbo Stay while searching for accommodation on expedia.com. Now this is a hostel at Arlanda Airport and is one of the 2 accommodation at ARN (the other being the Radisson Blu). It is a hostel so it is very reasonably priced by Stockholm standard (about USD135 for a room with shared toilet). There is a variety of rooms in their website including an interesting cockpit suite but because I booked this at the last minute, it was taken already . How can I miss a stay in a 747, right? So I grabbed one room straight away and decided to fly SAS (on an MD-81) from CPH Kastrup to Stockholm ARN and experienced this unique form of accomodation.


Jumbo Stay parked at ARN airport


The layout.


The first class cabin converted into a breakfast room. I like the retro 70s decor as if we stepped out onto the age when the 747 first flew the skies.


Staircase leading to the cockpit (which is an occupied suite, it is out of bounds to us )


The photo of the cabin with bunk bed. It has a basic decor but it has a real bed with mattress and there is plenty of space, so it is more comfortable than Suites.


The rear of the aircraft is the toilet area. There are 3-4 of them.


Breakfast: on plastic plates with plastic cover. Worse than any economy class meal


A little bit of history: SIA is actually its first owner


More readable details: it also used to be Kuwait Airways, Garuda, and Cathay Pacific

[SQueeze]

As SIA


As PanAm


Up close and personal with the wheel


First time touching the belly of a plane


Wing and former engine

[SQueeze]

Part 2: Stockholm


View from my room at Sheraton Stockholm


Stockholm on a glorious day, seen from the waters around the 14 islands


View from the Djugarden ferry


Grand buildings in Ostermalm. Stockholm is more stately and has more grandeur than Copenhagen


More grand buildings in the same area (Ostermalm). It's bustling and has a lot of buzz. I thought that Stockholm was a sleepy northern town. Now I know it does have the energy and buzz comparable to bigger cities like Barcelona. Oh, and the shopping here is good (for interior products). We will definitely be back here in some time




Stockholm old city (Gamla Stan) in the early morning




Early morning is my favourite time to explore and take photos. I love deserted streets, lit streetlights with a daylight background


More of the old town (Gamla Stan)


The palace area

[SQueeze]

Part 3: SQ25 Suites

After 3 days in Stockholm which we found to be barely enough at all (we would need another 3), it is time to fly back to Singapore via Frankfurt. In my research, I discovered no reasonably-priced one way fare between the 2 cities. So I decided to go with Germanwings, a low-cost carrier which flies between ARN and CGN (Cologne). We stayed one night there and then took the DB high speed train to FRA the next morning.

This is not the first time we flew Suites. The other time was in May when we flew to New York. Most of the pics here refer to the recent SQ25 flight but there are 1 or 2 from the previous flight because that was the first time we flew in Suites and we took more photos then.

The IFS who led the crew in our previous Suites class experience also led this flight and she recognised us, and also another passenger. She recognised us in a good way - we behaved very well onboard with no more than 1 glass of Krug each

Flight: SQ25
Aircraft: A380-800
Registration: 9V-SKA
Seat: 2C/2D
Load: 5/12 pax


The area right on the first door of the aircraft looking down the aisle towards the Suites


The staircase going up to business class and which is cordoned off. But I went under the rope and explored the entire business class cabin, down the other staircase at the rear then back up again through the economy section


Our friendly LS taking meal orders. I have never felt that comfortable with them having to kneel while talking to F pax. I think I am ok with them standing and taking orders.


Plenty of space below the ottoman to place 2 sizeable bags


The Suites in seating mode. I hate it. The Suites seat looks and feels too much like an office seat / car seat. I prefer 77W's F class seat which feels more plush and couch-like.


The menu booklet.


The IFE Screen. I don't like this either. It is too far because the Suites is verylong so the screen feels rather small. It is also built into the wall in front so it looks very airplane-ish. I prefer F class in this regard too because it is not that long so the screen appears much bigger. I also prefer to have the TV mounted on the table in front which looks just like a TV. Everytime I fly F class, I feel at home as if i were sitting in a couch watching TV - not that case in Suites


The flight was not full so I moved to the window seat to take some pics. There is a wide table between the seat and the window so it's not convenient to take pics of the outside.


I know I have been complaining a lot about the Suites. But now I am going to start praising it. I like it in this mode ( face to face dining). This photo was taken on my previous trip. My partner (on the right) was wearing the new Suites pyjamas with no gaudy yellow lining. On the latest flight, we were still getting the old ones.


This is my favourite part of travelling in Suites - the double bed. And I am sure it's everyone's favourite too. I was wearing Jet Airways's pyjamas - it is so much more comfortable than SQ's own and the colour matches the pillows, sheets, and surroundings

….will continue with meals on SQ25 Suites (after kapitan's post) ….

[kapitan]

Our company wanted to turn a car carrier into a student hostel and park the ship permanently in a Swedish town, but this was not allowed by the authorities.

[SQueeze]

Satay course of course


Caviar - doesn't look like there has been any change for the last many years. Same way of serving


The other starter: foie gras. It was really good but I thought it was a bit lacking in presentation. A little sloppy IMO.


One of the options: Tom Yum Goong. It was quite tasty although I prefer the clear version of this soup.


The other option: watercress soup with balk salmon. I prefer this one to the Tom Yum.


Salad


Panfried red snapper: This is from SQ's culinary panel (Georges Blanc). While the concept and flavour combination is interesting, its execution on this flight fell flat. Fish was dry. Yuks


Another option: Niu Rou Mian (beef noodles soup). I think it is better than the snapper. The soup was flavourful but not as good as the best hawkers in Singapore serving the same dish. It's one of the better meals onboard and I am beginning to believe that on the airplane the best options are the soups, curries, and stews.


Rum baba with strawberries, raspberries, and vanilla honey. I can't recall how it tasted which proves its mediocrity but I like booze in my dessert (or booze anywhere in fact - LOL)


So-called Coupe Jubilee which is described as warm brandied dark cherries with vanilla ice cream and pistachio. I don't recall the taste either so it is another mediocrity.

[SQueeze]

Breakfast started with juice, rolls, and fruit platter


Pretzel and croissant. They were not bad but croissant couldn't beat Air Mauritius's real fluffy flaky buttery croissants. This one deflated when hit by theknife.


Fruit platter which is quite standard


Plain yoghurt was next


Chicken and potatoes. I don't recall the taste either so this is another mediocrity


And wanton mee. Better than the chicken but can't beat the real thing in the city

Well, looking back, I think the experience is outstanding as always. The crew was great, and was extra friendly, perhaps because the IFS was serving us on our previous flight a few months before and she still recognised us. However, I think the food is mediocre. May be I was just having too much good food in London and Copenhagen the week before

[B727]

The Suites in seating mode. I actually hate it compared to F class seat. The Suites seat looks too much like an office seat / car seat. I prefer the F class seat which feels more plush and feels more like a couch

+1

Nice shirt. I can tell you love the color purple

[CarbonMan]

Excellent TR, SQueeze. Stockholm, one of my fav cities, but only in late spring and summer! Anytime else, too dang cold!

[SQueeze]

Thanks Carbonman,

This was in mid-September. not sure if they still consider it summer.
2 out of the 3 days were with gorgeous blue skies as seen in the pics. Temperature was about 13 degrees at noon. This is perfect for me as I dislike warm weather and beaches

The air is super clean too and what a noticeable difference when getting off at Cologne.

[aislealways]

All I want to do now is fly these suites so I can have a double bed with my partner. That would be a first. I'm now hooked on the idea...

[concept|infinit]

Lovely Suites report. Who'd want to get off the plane with that bed!
You're right about Jet Airway's pjs matching the Suites colours a lot better. They could take a tip or two from that!

[hsf]

Nice report! Looking forward to more from you.