Premium suite, Rayong Marriott

The hotel has quite a wide range of room types, from hill view, sea view, premium, corner suite, 1 BR suite...etc.  The premium suite is about US$15 more, but the size is almost double of the standard one.  However, the view is quite narrow with just one balcony, as the room takes the diamond shape.  Then on their website, the premium suite is of some panoramic view.  So I asked for the change.  This room is just of our photo taking.

Marriott Rayong, SE Thailand

This resort is about 30km east of Rayong city.  It takes 2.5 hour car ride from SUV Airport.  Supposed we wish to avoid those Christmas atmosphere and the crowd.  Furthermore, the hotel didn't increase its hotel charge during the peak season.  Ended up the hotel is still in a holiday mood with large crowds of family.

Rayong open market, SE Thailand

This open market is opened every Monday and Thursday.  Quite local people come here for some bargain food, clothes and anything.  Saw a big bag of veggie at just THB10-20.  All these remind me of my childhood when I used to go for buy veggie, meat, fish...etc. with just HK$10.

The new CX lounge, Taipei Airport

This lounge is in the same theme of the lounge of Haneda (Tokyo) Airport and BKK.  Good that this time I could get some fresh fruits (used to be none) from this refurbished lounge.

Fresh Green, Nan Jin W. Rd. sec. 1, Taipei

Got curious about the green tea ice cream of this shop because of its downstairs shop which is a renowned Japanese dessert shop which placed the ad. for this ice cream shop.  The place is quite cozy  for a snack break though the ice cream isn't too impressive.   No complaint as it's just from TWD100-160 (aprox. HK$25 to 40).

5 minutes checking out - Mandarin Oriental Taipei

I believe this is the worst MO I have ever come across.  The deco. is a bit too ordinary but claimed to be noble European.  Originally I wanted to try their cafe lounge but found out it was too crowded with some local ladies with scanner eyes.  Yet, the cafe lounge looks like a fast food shop.  I did't take nay photos of it as I don't wanna give the impression of those scanner ladies thinking they are special.   As I wanna go try their MO Bar, it was closed.  Supposed MO Bar should be opened in the afternoon time.  However, as I looked inside, better not go trying it.  Then I just spent about 5 minutes in this MO and left without any regret.

Everything off, at the shower sauna room, Okura Prestige Taipei

The reception reminded several times about "getting all nude" in entering into the sauna area.  Then at the entrance of the place, it was further reminded again, and even asking for no towel inside, which turned out to be very annoying.  The problem is the shower is next to the sauna pool.  Then the place was quite cold that it's really not nice to go for a shower without a towel.  

This is one of the typical things Taiwanese would try to learn about foreign culture more than it should be.  Like Pasta with much too cheese, bread with much too butter, now this sauna going for super nudity that they might even ask for your skin off too.

微熱山丘 (Sunny Hills), Min Sheng E. Rd. Sec. 5, Taipei

I often share with the others about how one shop dares to bet on getting a return is the key to its success.  For example, the $1 chicken by Tao Heung HK and the free noodle by Kam Moon Ting...etc.  This time it's Sunny Hills offering a complimentary tea and a pineapple pastry, regardless if you would buy their products after the trying.  This aroused much noises from the media and the word-of-mouth.  The place isn't some places with no deco. but a nice garden with a patio and some cozy furniture.  So all these gave 5-plus to the complimentary tea and pineapple pastry.

Personally I couldn't take more than half piece as it would give me back my pimples. 

Breakfast at Okura Prestige Taipei

The hotel tried to resemble not just the hardware but also the software of their Japanese style.  The buffet closed at 10am and last entry at 9:30am.  So we got a bit stressed in catching the buffet timing that the next day we forwent it.  The food was at average and missing it wouldn't be a loss.

Standard room, Okura Prestige Hotel Taipei

CX package has a bargain sale for this hotel room.  The location is at the intersection of Chung Shan N. Rd and Nan Jing E. Rd.  Back behind this hotel is the boutique hotel I once tried.  So it's quite familiar to me.  So quick it has been then another 16 years.  Now this area is in a revival with more shopping and dinning places.  

The room is quite comfy and spacious with a Japanese electronic toilet bowl, but a bit too electronic that if you pass by it, it would be opened up or closed.  The curtain is also electronic powered.  I personally don't like too many things being electronically operated.