Rydges Hotel
75 Featherston Street
Pipitea
Wellington 6011
New Zealand

https://www.rydges.com/accommodation/new-zealand/wellington/


Business Hotel In The Business District

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Visited: Sep-2016
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $370 per person.
- $270 Accomodation 4D3N
- $100 Room Service


Nearby Attractions: Museum Of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa, Courtenay Place, Cuba Street Mall, Mount Kaukau, Mount Victoria Lookout, Wellington Botanic Garden, Matiu / Somes Island, Wellington Zoo, Space Place At Carter Observatory, Massey Memorial, Plimmer's Ark, The Beehive Parliament Building, Zealandia, Wellington Cable Car, Frank Kitts Park, Queen's Wharf, Brooklyn Wind Turbine, Wrights Hill Fortress, Red Rocks Reserve, Princess Bay, Museum Of Wellington City & Sea, City Gallery, Katherine Mansfield House, Colonial Cottage Museum


Hotel Facilities: Business Centre, Free Wi-Fi, Conference Rooms, Gymnasium, Laundry Service, 1 Restaurant (Portlander Bar & Grill), Swimming Pool, Sauna, Cable TV, Games Room, Kitchenette, Lobby Lounge, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Meetings, Swimming, Sauna, Cooking, Games


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Introduction
Located about 20 minutes drive away from the International Airport in Wellington, the Rydges Hotel Wellington is a sophisticated 4-star hotel in the city, offering a unique combination of harbour views and city outlooks. With its location in the business district, comfortable amenities, and modern business facilities, Rydges Hotel is well poised to serve business travellers.


Ambience
Ambience at Rydges Hotel is clean, simple, modern, and minimal. Bright marble tiles against dark wooden panelling in the lobby, spotlit grey walled corridors against a vibrant carpet, minimal decor. Functional but not very attractive, and somewhat confusing.


Room
Rooms at Rydges Hotel have a small, but cozy and well laid-out floor area. The beds are comfortable and clean, the large working desk doubles as a dining table, and the small kitchenette is functional. The bathroom is spacious and clean, well stocked with amenities. Felt the wardrobe is small, and the heater takes up quite a bit of space. I also wish there were more cable television channels available.


Food
Food at Rydges Hotel is provided by the award-winning Portlander Bar & Grill. Dishes are hearty, large in portion, with good taste. Rustic, down to earth, made with fresh ingredients, simple execution, but big on flavour. The variety of items at their buffet breakfast is small, not very worth it, but the lunch and dinner menu here is extensive. Prices are comparable to most other restaurants in town.


Service
Service at Rydges Hotel is friendly, but not very memorable. Staff are able carry out requests, but don't go out of their way in personalising or creating memorable experiences. Seems to operate with cold, mechanical efficiency, they hit all the right notes, but there is no sense of warmth.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Rydges Hotel is limited. While I commend the fast, stable wifi internet connection, there is little for non-business travellers here. The conference rooms and meeting rooms are well equipped and clean, and there are many events held here, a good testimony to Rydges Hotel. The indoor swimming pool is heated, but the gymnasium is barely even worth mentioning, with only a few pieces of exercise equipment. Several hairdressers are located just beside the hotel, and within walking distance are several waterfront restaurants, a supermarket, and the Railway Station.


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Wellington Shops

Some examples of the shops in Wellington, whether along the streets or within the shopping malls.

Wishbone

Some notable ones include:
BurgerFuel, a popular gourmet burger restaurant chain throughout New Zealand, with an automotive theme
Monsoon Poon, a popular restaurant in Wellington that serves Southeast Asian food, well-known for their signature spicy dish called Firecracker Chicken
New World Supermarket, a full-service supermarket chain established in Wellington in 1963, with over 130 outlets across New Zealand
Prince Barbers, a traditional men's grooming shop in downtown Wellington
Z Harbour City, a petrol station and convenience store with outlets across New Zealand
The Co-Operative Bank, with over 30 branches throughout New Zealand, this bank's goal since its founding in Wellington in 1928, is to create prosperity for its customers

Bay Audiology

BurgerFuel

City Pharmacies

Istana Malaysia Restaurant

Istana Malaysia Restaurant

Istana Malaysia Restaurant

Istana Malaysia Restaurant

Istana Malaysia Restaurant

Istana Malaysia Restaurant

Jacques Hair Design

Monsoon Poon

Monsoon Poon

Monsoon Poon

Monsoon Poon

Monsoon Poon

Monsoon Poon

Monsoon Poon

New World Supermarket

New World Supermarket

New World Supermarket

New World Supermarket

New World Supermarket

Prince Barbers

Trenery

Wellington Seamarket

Z Harbour City

Zibibbo

The Co-Operative Bank

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Gryphon Tea Company
Online Website Store

Selected Retail Partners

251 Pandan Loop (Office Headquarters & Factory, No Retail Store)
9am - 5pm Mon - Fri, Closed Sat - Sun

http://www.gryphontea.com/


Some pictures / images here in this post are sourced, and credited, to Gryphon Tea Company. I am an actual customer of this brand, and personally paid for several of the products listed here.

Artisan Selection 'Treasures' Tea Box (SGD $18.50)

Maziga Cafe & Bollywood Club Tasting Session
3C River Valley Road
#01-10 The Cannery @ Clarke Quay

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 1am


http://maziga.com.sg/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Heat Branding, Daniel Food Diary, Hazel Diary, and Fundamentally Flawed.

Golgappa Chaat With Chilied Jaljeera Oxide (SGD $12.90)

Zi Char - JB Ah Meng
2 Geylang Lorong 23

Zi Char - JB Ah Meng Flat Lay

Aura Restaurant
1 Saint Andrew's Road
#05-03 & #06-02 National Gallery Singapore

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 2:30pm (Lunch), 6:30pm - 10:30pm (Dinner)


http://www.aura.sg/

Aura Restaurant Bar

Novotel Platinum Pratunam
220 Petchburi Road
Pratu Nam
Ratchathewi
Bangkok 10400
Central Thailand
Thailand

http://novotelbangkokplatinum.com/


Modern Family-Friendly Hotel In The Shopping District

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Visited: Aug-2016
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 6
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $480 per person.
- $450 Accomodation 5D4N
- $30 Room Service


Nearby Attractions: The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, Jim Thompson House Museum, Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Bangkok Art And Culture Centre, Museum Siam Khet Phra Nakhon, Lumphini Park, Khlong Bang Luang Floating Market, Taling Chan Floating Market, The Ancient City / Ancient Siam, Baiyoke Sky Hotel Observatory, Bang Pa-In Palace, Bangkokian House Museum / Bangkok Folk Museum, National Museum Bangkok, Bank Of Thailand Museum, Benjakitti Park, Bangkok Butterfly Garden And Insectarium, Chatuchak Weekend Market, Wat Pariwat Ratchasongkram / David Beckham Temple, Erawan Museum, Erawan Shrine, Thai Human Imagery Museum, Jesada Car Museum / Jesada Technik Museum, King Rama I Monument, King Rama IX Park / Suan Luang Rama IX, Bangkok Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Science Center For Education Bangkok Planetarium, Thailand National Art Gallery, Phra Sumen Fort, Pratunam Market, Queen Sirikit Park Botanical Garden, Victory Monument, Pak Khlong Talat / Flower Market, Wat Saket Ratchaworamahawihan / The Golden Mount, Wat Pho


Hotel Facilities: Business Centre, Free Wi-Fi, Conference Rooms, Gymnasium, Laundry Service, 1 Restaurant (The Square Restaurant), Swimming Pool, Sauna, Shuttle Service, Massage Service, 2 Lounges (Platinum Lounge, Executive Premier Lounge), 1 Bar (Bar9 Beer Garden), Cable TV, Shoe-Shine Service, Children's Play Room, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Meetings, Swimming, Sauna, Massage, Shopping


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Introduction
Located about 50 minutes drive away from the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Novotel Platinum Pratunam is a contemporary, 4-star hotel in the center of the city's fashion and shopping district. Conveniently situated directly above the Platinum Fashion Mall, and within 7 minutes walking distance from CentralWorld shopping plaza, and The Palladium World Shopping Mall; the Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam hotel lives up to the Novotel brand name, with a good blend of comfort, personable service, and affordability.


Ambience
Ambience at Novotel Platinum Pratunam impresses with its high ceilings, ample natural lighting, plush carpeted floors, and shiny marble tiles. The well air-conditioned environment balances out the heat outside, while modern Thai art pieces lend a touch of elegance, yet keeps the local spirit. Windows on each level offer great views of the Pratunam fashion and shopping district, while the corridors are clean, odour-free, and warmly lit. The lobby is comfortable and inviting with ample space, and quirky modern furnishings. However, I did feel the elevators were slow, and the wifi connection in the lobby is weak.


Room
Rooms at Novotel Platinum Pratunam are of a decent size, clean, and warmly lit. We stayed in the Executive Room, which has complimentary access to the Executive Premier Lounge. The room has good wardrobe space, a medium sized working desk, and the bathroom is well stocked with amenities. Beds are comfortable and plush, with sufficient pillows. However, I felt the cable television channels were limited, and the standing shower in the bathroom is only partially screened, which causes the bathroom floor to be wet when water splashes.


Food
Food at Novotel Platinum Pratunam is provided by The Square Restaurant. They excel at their Continental Breakfast Buffet, which offers a wide range of tasty dishes. Items that stood out for me include their range of eggs, sausages, pastries, Thai milk tea cake, and the caramel banana crepe. There is a good variety of cuisines offered, however, there is a noticable lack of local Thai flavours. Worth dining here for breakfast! Their dinner buffet however, wasn't as good. During my visit, it was a Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork buffet. The skill of the chef doing the grilling is poor, as the requested medium rare wagyu beef turned out well done and tough several times. The only outstanding item for us was the juicy, tender Kurobuta pork, the rest of the buffet dishes was underwhelming. Unsatisfiying dinner we had here.


Service
Service at Novotel Platinum Pratunam is friendly and personable. Staff will greet guests, and hold open doors for you. They also check for feedback on the overall experience. Requests are carried out decently, at a slightly relaxed pace, so don't expect speed here. I like that staff will help to arrange public transport (taxis) for you, and will speak to the driver on your behalf to negotiate prices. Very commendable! The only time when service isn't good is during crowded peak periods (at check-in & check-out times), guests usually will have to wait awhile to be served.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Novotel Platinum Pratunam are suitable for business, leisure, or family travellers. The Conference Rooms and Business Centre are modern, clean, and well-equipped. The Gymnasium has a good variety of equipment, and personal trainers are available on request. The infinity swimming pool is a decent size, clean, and functional, not the best I've experienced, but at least there's a view of the city below. For little ones, there is a small Children's Play Room with a ball pit, and The Square Restaurant offers them whimsical ice cream popsicles. And the excellent location of the Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam hotel is hard to beat.


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The Public Izakaya By Hachi
100 Tras Street
#01-09 100AM

16 Enggor Street
#01-14 Altez

http://www.hachi-group.com/?page_id=124&lang=en

Wagyu Beef Rosu (SGD $28)

RedDot Brewhouse
25A Dempsey Road

33 Boat Quay

http://www.reddotbrewhouse.com.sg/

Moo-sician (SGD $33)