...as well as showers...
...with self service towels and toiletries.
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There were bathrooms in the lounge...
...as well as showers...
...with self service towels and toiletries.
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The hot selections were impressive too...
Dim sum...
Stewed beef and stir-fried chicken...
Vermicelli and stir-fried vegetables with tofu...
More greens...
Steamed rice...
Rice congee, with traditional condiments...
...including salted egg...
The snack and dessert selection...
A local dessert of sweet gruel...
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The salad selection...
Deep fried spring rolls...
Fresh spring rolls...
Sushi!
Cheese and cold cuts...
Bread and pastries...
Fresh fruit...
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There was a noodle cart...
The bowls were pre-prepared with noodles, garnishes and meatballs...
Just add the hot soup stock and you were done...
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Once airside, I headed straight to the Song Hong Business Lounge, which was the designated lounge for SQ pax.
This was a medium sized lounge with nice decor and good airside views...
Ample seating was available in the lounge...
Individual seats with work tops...
From the large windows, it was possible to watch aircraft take off and land on the active runway...
There was a good F&B selection available...
The wine and liquor selection...
White wines and a sparkling Spumante...
Quite a number of different red wines...
Rum, and a choice of Russian or Vietnamese vodka...
Soft beverages...
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After lunch, I headed back to the JW Marriott, and had time for a quick dip in the swimming pool, before my late check out at 4pm.
I caught a Grab car to the airport (Grab operates in Vietnam -- and the same iPhone app that I used in Singapore could be used to book cars in Hanoi, although I had to make payment in cash.).
I arrived at Noi Bai Airport at 4.45pm...
The sprawling and modern airport terminal was not busy at that hour...
As SQ193 that day was operated by a 737-8, a fairly small aircraft, check in queues were minimal...
There were only a handful of flights departing over the next 2 hours, so immigration and security queues were super quick as well...
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When my meetings were done, my colleagues brought me out for lunch.
"Can we go to a local place?" I asked, and they were happy to oblige.
They brought me to Vua Chả Cá, to sample a Hanoi specialty of Grilled Fish (Chả Cá)...
The menu...
We ordered the special fish along with the fish guts, which my colleague explained were the intestines of the fish. These were cooked on a hot plate, and eaten as a shared platter, together with Vietnamese rice vermicelli, which was softer than the vermicelli you got in Singapore...
The fish slices, seasoned with turmeric and other spices, were cooked at the table, along with vegetables, including leeks and dill, along with the fish guts...
This was quite delicious!
After that, they served rice porridge...
...which was absolutely delicious as well...
Dessert was a healthy serving of fresh fruit...
A wonderful meal, at a very reasonable price too.Leave a comment:
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This was such a hectic trip that all my "sightseeing" was done while I was heading to and from my meetings...
On this trip, the parts of Hanoi I saw were newer, more modern areas of the city than the historic centre of town that I visited on previous trips...
I was struck by how much progress and development had taken place in recent years, with countless new commercial properties and residential developments...
...including many high end properties.
Of course, the old Hanoi was always just around the corner.
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A wider than usual selection of liquor...
...including both Campari and Vermouth, key ingredients for cocktails, which meant that guests could unleash their inner mixologist...
...and mix cocktails complete with proper garnishes...
...and mixers, and soft beverages...
Lots of fresh fruit...
I had a busy afternoon and only managed to get to dinner at 9pm, 30 minutes before the buffet was going to close, so the platters were less full than if I had come in earlier...
...but the staff were doing a great job of replenishing the hot main courses...
This was one of those lounges where one could have a full dinner, not just hors d'oeuvres...
Grilled chicken with spicy Korean sauce, and fried noodles...
Stir fried beef with black pepper...
Steamed white rice...
I spent the remaining 30 minutes of the buffet sampling a bit of everything, including several very satisfying drinks...
Overall, an extremely impressive Exec Lounge!Leave a comment:
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F&B in the Exec Lounge was very impressive...
The afternoon tea spread was beautiful...
Chocolate...
Sandwiches...
The all-day selection of fresh fruit was also quite impressive...
Cocktails and liquor service in the lounge were from 5.30pm - 9.30pm, with a full hot and cold buffet from 6pm - 9.30pm.
Juices, beer and wine (served in glass carafes)...
3 white wines...
...and 3 reds...
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The Executive Lounge at the JW Marriott Hanoi was really impressive...
This was a huge and beautifully styled lounge, with areas for lounging, work and dining.
Communal table with bar stool-style high chairs...
...and more secluded areas for more private discussions...
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I didn't have time to head out of the hotel in search of pho on this short trip, but I did order a bowl of pho from the JW Marriott room service menu...
This was quite tasty. Not the best I've had, but very satisfying nonetheless...
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There was also a gym...
...and a large and very luxuriously appointed spa...
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One of the most distinctive features of this hotel, was the swimming pool, which was located in the cantilevered section of the building...
I could not resist heading up there for a look...
What a wonderful place to go for a relaxing swim...
Lounge area with hanging chairs at the end of the cantilevered section...
...where there were great views of the surrounding area to be had...
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