All posts filed under: Review

Boston Spotlight: Finding Hidden Sushi Gems

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After getting a thorough education on sushi during my time in Japan and my 8 years living in NYC, I considered myself knowledgeable enough on quality sushi.  Ever since I moved to Boston three years ago, I have been on a mission to find quality sushi around the Boston area. My definition of quality includes freshness, authenticity and creativity. I am a purist so I generally stick to only sushi or sashimi and always try to go for an Omakase.  Boston doesn’t lack the abundance of sushi restaurants, but good quality sushi is hard to come by.  I spent hours trying to find the “hidden gems” and scouring “Eaters Boston” and “Yelp” for recommendations and coming back a little disappointed each time.  The sushi god has  finally led me to 2  worthy restaurants that can go “toe to toe” with the best of them.  They have the killer combo of amazing sushi or sashimi and a reasonable price point. Cafe Sushi (1105 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138; Cafe Sushsi Website) After eyeing this restaurant for quite some time, …

Hotel Review: Hotel Nikko Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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Hotel Nikko Saigon is a modern and minimalist five star hotel from a Japanese conglomerate located on the outskirt of District 1. It takes approximately 15 minutes to get to city center in a taxi so the location is close enough to get where you need to go. However, it is not completely in the center of all the action. I had an opportunity to stay twice at this hotel while I was in town for business. The hotel left a great impression on me and I look forward to coming back. Here is my assessment from my two visits. Address: 235 Nguyen Van Cu, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam Website: http://www.hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn/ Pros: This is a new hotel with luxury modern amenities. The room has a gorgeous soaking tub and  a large bathroom. Room size is large even for the standard deluxe room. Customer service is what one would expect from a 5 star hotel. Price is reasonable for a 5 star hotel in Ho Chi Minh City with nightly rates ranging between $120-$150 for a standard room. Cons: …

Hotel Review: Millennium Bailey’s Hotel (London)

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I am a huge fan of BBC shows that showcase 18th century London scenery. There is something ultra romantic about the ornate mansions and row houses around the city. I can imagine the Victorian ladies with their lace parasols taking a stroll around the block. For my trip to London, I decided to stay in a converted mansion instead of the usual hotel chains.  Millennium Bailey’s Hotel came up during my search and  I fell in love with the impressive 19th century London mansion that is situated in the affluent Kensington area.  Let’s find out if the interior and hospitality are just as impressive. Address: 140 Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4QH, United Kingdom PROS: The hotel is perfected located for sightseeing. You can walk to the Natural History Museum, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and of course, the Palace. It is conveniently located across the London tube Gloucester Road station. The rooms are recently renovated and has a highly stylized decor. It conveys a the hip boutique hotel vibe. There are plenty of mirrors and good lighting for girls to …

Review: Framebridge

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When I moved into my new office this spring, I decided that I needed to make this space less sterile. The easiest way to make an office warm and personal is to hang up art pieces. The process of framing art has always been expensive and tedious. I did some research on framing options and found Framebridge. This is a review of my experience after having four pieces framed at this e-commerce site. Framebridge.com launched in 2014 by Susan Tynan, CEO, to “to make it easy for everyone to frame the things they love.” Background The process to get your art framed is as followed: The pricing is based on certain size and includes free delivery. There are currently 37 frame options available. Instead of glass, Framebridge uses high quality acrylic. Timeline: Experience My experience overall have been very positive. I started with a small poster (9” x 12”). I uploaded the art and chose the Irvine Slim with no mat. The item came promptly. I paid $69 ($79 standard price with $10 off coupon for new …

Hotel Review: Hansar (Bangkok, Thailand)

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Hansar Bangkok is a unique 5 stars boutique hotel in the heart of Bangkok. Hansar’s objective is  to provide for an “authentic and unpretentious luxury experiences in an intimate environment where your privacy is achieved through our boutique size.” The hotel offers 94 rooms which are very spacious, and the rooms are the epitome of modern luxury. We had two opportunities to stay at the Hansar while in Thailand. We will be reviewing our experience staying at the urban room and the studio. Positives: Central location and step away from most activities. The rooms are spacious, luxurious and homey at the same time. The service is excellent and the staff really tries their best to get you everything you would need. Unlimited free snacks and minibar in the room. Fresh fruit plate every day. The bathroom is gorgeous and I would love to have a bathroom like that one day. Breakfast is mostly made to order and is locally sourced. Free Wifi everywhere in the hotel. Intimate feel in an international style hotel. Negatives: There wasn’t a …

Airline Review: Bangkok Airways

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Bangkok Airways is a regional boutique airline that services the local southeast Asian cities. I had a pleasure of taking a flight with Bangkok Airways from Siem Reap, Cambodia to Bangkok, Thailand and the flight was much better than I expected. In this review, I will give you my assessment of my experience flying on this regional airline. ‘ Value: Above Average The price for a one way flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok varies approximately $50 to $100 for a one way ticket depending on the time and date. It is slightly higher than other regional airlines but the service and quality are much better as well. Seat: Average The seat in coach was average in comfort and seat space. I am 5 feet tall and you can see that there was still a decent amount of space left after I sat down. Boarding: Average Boarding was orderly and efficient. This is actually a plus as I’ve been on many regional flights and boarding can vary from chaos to semi-orderly. Food: Above Average I was very …

Hotel Review: Pilgrimage Village Resort (Hue, Vietnam)

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Hue is Vietnam’s most historically significant city located in the central region of the country. Between 1802 and 1945, Hue was the imperial city under the Nguyen dynasty. The city is well known for historical sites such as the imperial city, the royal tombs and numerous temples. The city is still very rural compared to HCMC, Hanoi and nearby DaNang as most of the city was heavily damaged during the Vietnam War. The government continues to make progress to restore the city to its former glory but the process is slow.  Hue does not have world class accommodations that have been springing up all over the major tourist cities in Vietnam.  However, there is one resort in Hue that is worth checking out. Pilgrimage Village is an oasis on the outskirt of city center that provides a retreat from a hot and humid day of sightseeing. It is one of the few high end hotel catering to luxury jet setters. La Vie Partagee has stayed at this resort over the past few years and we …

Hotel Review: Hanoi Delano Hotel (Hanoi, Vietnam)

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Hanoi Delano is a new hotel situated in the heart of Old Quarter in Hanoi. I had the pleasure of staying there on two occasions in two different rooms. My experience varied a lot because of the location of the rooms where I stayed. This cozy and elegant hotel should be classified as a boutique hotel. The hotel is rated as a four stars hotel on Booking.com but it is really on par with 3 stars international ratings for boutique hotels. Overall I had a good stay for the price and the location but there is still room for improvements. Website: http://www.hanoidelanohotel.com/ Address: No.52 Bat Su Str., Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam Pros: The location is in the heart of Old Quarter. The hotel is new and has all the modern amenities. The staff tries their best to be accommodating. Breakfast option was very good for a small hotel. Cons: The rooms are very small and nothing like the size implied in the official photos. Noise insulation is very inadequate in this hotel so you can hear …

Review: Vietnam Airlines’ Business Lounge in Ho Chi Minh City

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I had the pleasure of visiting Vietnam Airlines’ business lounge in Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport during my recent Asia trip at the end of 2015. Stepping into the Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge feels like you just stepped back into the 1980’s. The lounge is very basic and is in need of a renovation. The lounge is also small for an international airport lounge but does have some basic necessities and free WiFi for its guests. There are power outlets in between the chairs which are convenient for those that need to recharge their electronics. The food options are adequate with choices of noodles,snacks and fruits. The taste of the food was decent but I felt that the food could have tasted fresher and better. Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge is not a bad option since you will get some peace and quiet before your next flight. The plus side is that you get to see a Hello Kitty plane which you would not see in other parts of the world. For related articles, visit the TRAVEL page. Author: Chau Hoang Featured Photo: …

Hotel Review: Lotus Blanc Resort (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

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On my recent 3.5 day trip to Siem Reap, I decided to check out a local boutique hotel instead of staying in better known international hotels. I combed through the offerings for 5 stars hotels on booking.com and other similar sites and decided to give Lotus Blanc Resort a try. I did not know what to expect from this hotel when I arrived in Siem Reap. There are some positives and negatives to staying at this resort. Even though the hotel is listed as a 5 stars establishment, it is really on par with 3.5 to 4 stars international rating. Overall, I rated this hotel 4 out of 5 stars as explained below. Website: http://lotusblancresort.com/ Room (3.5/5) The hotel was built approximately 10 years ago and recently changed owners.  All the rooms and public spaces were renovated two years ago.  I had the Landmark room that comes with a double bed and is very spacious. The room décor is a mix of modern with a lot of wood furniture that is typically seen at Asian resorts. Even though it was …