Easter Break

Hong Kongers enjoy a curious mix of public holidays and this last weekend was a prime example. Good Friday and Easter Monday were both public holidays, with Easter Monday this year clashing with Ching Ming (one of the two grave-sweeping days for the Chinese), which meant Tuesday is a day off!

Not really wanting to get on a plane, my hubby and I headed to Macau, the ex-Portuguese territory on the other side of the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong and just one hour away by hovercraft.

Taking advantage of a great package, which included the room at the Venetian, breakfast, ferry tickets, MOP500 worth of vouchers, a 45min spa treatment, a welcome drink at Boca, and a VIP shopping card, we had a really great three day break.

While hotels on top of casinos in general are not fabulous, I do like The Venetian given it's just so gloriously tacky! Very large rooms, a huge range of dining options, shows and a good number of shops in the canal labyrinth. What more could a girl ask for?

Bon Voyage!

Travel Tip: Hong Kong permanent residents have always only needed to use their HK identity cards to get into Macau. Now we don't even need to fill in an immigration form! The officer just swipes your card and hands you a printed slip that summarizes the details of your tourist visa.

Finally...for females

Just read the news that The Imperial Hotel in Delhi has launched its Eliza programme with rooms designed especially for the “single lady traveller”.

Apparently there are 12 rooms all located off one corridor of the hotel that are equipped with CCTV and room door cameras.

In-room facilities have been tailored as well to include a manicure set, women’s magazines, floral arrangements and some “special linen” (is this a euphemism for sanitary towels?). But, best of all, it promises female staff assistance and a screening process for all telephone calls. While I'm not so struck by the manicure set, mags and flowers, the last two mean I don't have to worry about calling for a late night snack when I finally reach my destination.

The Imperial dates back to 1931 and really is a lovely hotel given its wealth of art and artefacts and its cool, colonial-style interior. More importantly, it's right next to the fab Cottage Industries Emporium, where you can shop to your heart's content for everything Indian. Government-controlled, you don't get ripped off as you pay for what you get through the fair pricing structure and the jewelry is genuine.

My favourites are the juttis (the Indian bejewelled shoes) which are great for wearing on planes as your feet swell up, and beautiful mango boxes (which if filled with mini eggs and tied together with ribbon make v. sophisticated Easter gifts).

Unfortunately I'll never get to try the Eliza rooms as the hotel's not on our corporate list and if I therefore do stay, it'll be with my hubby! Perhaps though this will set the trend and other hotels will realise that there is a real demand for this option and follow suit.

Bon Voyage!

Travel Tip: If the hotel check-in clerk says your room number out loud when handing over your key and you're a "single female traveller", ask for another room and tartly tell the staff not to announce to everyone in the lobby where you'll be on your own overnight.

Mutterings about the M Hotel

Okay, so it's supposed to be a basic business hotel and it's not too far from Singapore's central business district, but if you're asked to stay at the M Hotel for work, say no!

My main bone of contention is the laundry service, but which I feel gives an insight into the way they try to make more than a little extra off their guests and keep their room rates low.

I needed a jacket dry-cleaned and immediately called housekeeping as I checked in. However as you can only check in the afternoon and the deadline for dry-cleaning is 11 a.m. you have to pay express to get your clothes back by 6 p.m. the following day. A 22-hour service in Asia is not express!

Unlike in the pictures, I only got one pillow on my bed, the mirrored front to the sink was chipped and they don't provide hair conditioner.

For a hotel that goes after every award up for grabs, they got a zero star rating in my book.

Not such a bon voyage!

Travel Tip: If you're a neat freak like me, resist the urge to throw away the rubbish after making your tea/coffee in the morning. Nine times out of ten, housekeeping won't spot you've actually used anything and so the next morning you'll be left short for your cuppa.