Lime Travel

Hong Kong Travel Report

Lisa Metzl — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:50:48 +0000

Virgin Atlantic & Langham Hotels

Earlier this month, I was invited to travel to Hong Kong to experience flying with Virgin Atlantic and staying with Langham Hotels.

It had been over 10 years since my last visit to Hong Kong, so it was great to see the new airport and also how much the city had developed. So much cleaner and much more cosmopolitan that I remember. There are still the very traditional parts of Hong Kong, but also the more modern too.

Virgin Atlantic
Sydney to Hong Kong – Upper Class
Hong Kong to Sydney – Economy class
Fabulous! What can I say …. When we got on board, we were personally taken to our seats and shown how to use it. Up, down, back, forward, table, light – and BED! Then a hot towel, amenities pack and a “Sleeper Suit” (pj’s) – all before pushing away from the gate. Upper Class has a bar area where you can stretch your legs, order a drink and chat with other passengers. On demand movies and even ice-cream during the flight. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, Upper Class passengers are given an Express card – meaning no queues when passing through immigration. Travelling in economy class on the way home was still a great experience. Seating configuration is 2-4-2, with the same on demand entertainment system and tasty meals. Service was still great and I even though I have sold Virgin Atlantic numerous times previously, I am confident that should you decide to travel with this airline you will have a great experience.

Langham Hotels
Only two nights in Hong Kong and they were spent at The Langham Hong Kong Hotel on Kowloon. This hotel is totally five star! The rooms were beautifully appointed and very spacious. There are no views from this hotel as it is located in the city, so all rooms face buildings. The little touches in the room made all the difference. We were even surprised with a “chocolate slipper” that was fully edible. The other hotel inspected was the Langham Place Mong Kok. Again impeccable! The hotel is located next door to a huge shopping mall and food court and the MRT is right at your doorstep. Those after the market experience, the hotel is located within walking distance from the Ladies Market and Temple Street Market. Both properties have pools and offer Club Lounge facilites.

If you are after anymore information about Virgin Atlantic or Langham Hotels, please contact me on lisa@limetravel.com.au

Do you book online rather than booking through a licenced travel agent?

Lisa Metzl — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:54:42 +0000

Lately I have heard so many “horror” stories about travellers booking their own overseas accommodation on-line. Thinking that the hotel they have booked is the one that they want to stay at. To confirm the reservation they advise their credit card details and then wait until their arrival.

Day of travel comes around and they arrive at their destination and try to check in at the hotel they have booked. This is where the nightmare starts – I have heard cases of:

the hotel that they booked and paid for does not exist
the pictures of the hotel on the Internet were a 5 star hotel and not a 2 star one they see when they turn up
the property is not in the location that they thought

Unfortunately these things happen and it is really disheartening to hear. Holidays for most people are something that they save a while for, and this type of occurrence can ruin your trip and also end up costing you a whole lot more.

If you are ever unsure about the hotel link/website you are booking on – STOP – don’t book. You may just save yourself some heartache not to mention the extra money that you may need to spend when you arrive to book the hotel that you actually want.

You wont have any of these “horror” stories happen to you if booking via a travel agent.

Getting Hitched?

Lisa Metzl — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:16:22 +0000

Come and and say “hi” to us this weekend @ Mingara. This Sunday, 20th June 2010 from 10am – 3pm, Lime Travel will be exhibiting at the Getting Hitched bridal expo being held at Mingara. Come and talk to us about your honeymoon plans - we would love to hear where you want to go and we can help you get there. If your after something truly special, we’ll have some fab honeymoon packages for you to look at . Not to mention information on our free Honeymoon Resgistry service and also a great giveaway on the day.

So drop by for a chat and enter to win a great prize.

10 Reasons why you should use a Personal Travel Manager rather than booking on the Internet

Lisa Metzl — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:19:05 +0000

SECURITY & PEACE OF MIND – we are a licenced travel agent and a member of the Travel Compensation Fund. If you book online, there is no way of knowing who is sitting at the other end of the computer or how reputable they are.
USE OF REPUTABLE SUPPLIERS - I have head horror stories of people booking on line and arriving at the hotel, only to find out that the picture of the one of the website, is not the one that they booked. We always use reputable suppliers who can recommend their properties through personal inspections.
PRICE – for when you want to travel – no use in quoting you the “cheapest fare” if it is not available for the dates that you want to travel. I will always check the schedules and your quote will be based on actual availability for the date requested.
CHOICE – I am not biased towards any particular airline/hotel/tour company. I will provide you will the best option for your travel needs, budget and itinerary.
FULLY INCLUSIVE PRICE – your price will be fully inclusive of all taxes and fees. If there are any further surcharges you will advised at this. The internet may not quote you a fully inclusive price and additional money may be required by the suppliers – this could be a nasty surprise.
CHANGES – what happens if you need to change or cancel and you have booked online? Who do you call? If you book though a travel agent, you always have a point of reference, someone to call when things don’t go to plan or you need to change your plans.
RULES & REGULATIONS – travel agents are experience in the fine print of airfare rules and regulations. No need for you to try and interpret. We will do this for you.
TENTATIVE BOOKING – unlike booking on line, travel agents can generally hold a tentative booking for flights for a couple of day whilst you are in the planning process.
SPECIAL REQUESTS – we can look after your special requests like seating and meal requests on the flights, to special occasions when you are overseas.
CARE – we care about you and we want you to have a fabulous trip.

WITHOUT A TRAVEL AGENT YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.

The Ghan – Darwin to Adelaide – March 2010

Lisa Metzl — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:28:49 +0000

Tick it off your bucket list! Just last week, I was able to travel on The Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide. It was such an awesome experience to travel by rail through the Red Centre. Although at the moment it is not very red due to all the recent rain.

Our particular train was over 900metres long with over 38 carriages. Offering Red Seats, Red Sleeper, Gold Service and Platinum, where it caters to a variety of all budgets. All rooming is either twin or single and many have their own ensuite facilities, although space is limited. Each section of the train has their own Lounge Car and Restaurant Car. With 2 meal sittings, dining is a la carte with a great choice at each meal.

On the journey, The Ghan make stops at Katherine and Alice Springs. During these “Whistle Stops” you can book yourself on a short tour. Katherine Gorge River Cruise was my choice of tour for the quick Katherine stop. Travelling down the gorge was amazing and the scenery beautiful. So peaceful and serene. For the Alice Springs “Whistle Stop” I chose the Helicopter Tour. Wow! From the air, a great view of Alice Springs township, Pine Gap, McDonnell Ranges and Simpsons Gap – along with all the surrounding mountains and plains.

So many people I have talked to about this Ghan trip have all said “it is on the list of things I want to do”. I can definately recommend the journey, and that travelling by train is almost like forced relaxation. If you have access to Facebook, become a fan of Lime Travel and have a look at the photos from my awesome trip.