- Introduction: From Iceland To The Residence Via Cambodia!
- Review: Icelandair Saga Business Class Boeing 737 MAX (JFK-KEF)
- Review: Torfhus Retreat Iceland (Pricey, Mostly Charming, Unique Location)
- Review: The Reykjavik EDITION, Iceland (Well-Rounded Marriott Property)
- Review: The Retreat Hotel At Blue Lagoon, Iceland (Shockingly Stellar!)
- Review: Courtyard By Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport (Clean & Convenient!)
- Review: Icelandair Saga Premium Lounge Keflavik Airport (KEF)
- Review: Icelandair Saga Business Class Airbus A321LR (KEF-LHR)
- Review: Air India Business Class Airbus A350 (LHR-DEL)
- Review: Holiday Inn Express Delhi Airport Terminal 3 (Airside Convenience)
- Review: Air India Business Class Airbus A320neo (DEL-KUL)
Welcome to my next trip report series, which will be a long one! That’s because it covers a combination of a vacation in Iceland, plus a review trip tagged onto the end, which took me through India, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, the UAE, Ireland, and more! This was a super fun trip on many levels, in terms of destinations, airlines, and hotels.
In this series, you can expect flight reviews on Icelandair, Air India, Singapore Airlines, Etihad, and Aer Lingus, plus hotel reviews from Iceland, India, Malaysia, and Singapore. Of course there will also be several lounge reviews!
In this post:
Why I took this two-part trip
For planning purposes, this was a two-part trip, so let me explain the order in which we planned things. For years, Ford and I had wanted to visit Iceland together — I had been once over 10 years ago, while Ford had never been.
To be honest, we had kept pushing off a trip to Iceland due to my mom’s very long battle with cancer, as it was just never a priority. However, when my mom passed, we eventually felt like we needed to just get a change of scenery for a bit, and we decided to finally plan that Iceland trip on short notice.
Admittedly the middle of fall maybe isn’t the ideal time in terms of the most pleasant weather, but the whole thing sounded cozy. But still, we had the time, so we figured we might as well go with it, in hopes of enjoying some nature, and possibly seeing the Northern Lights.
Since we were leaving our kids with family, we tried to minimize the amount of time without either of us home.. So at the conclusion of our time in Iceland, Ford and I parted ways — he flew straight home to Miami (MIA) on Icelandair’s new seasonal flight, while I decided to tag on a review trip, with all kinds of products that have been on my list for some time.
The timing seemed perfect, since it was a relatively calm time for our family, after a rough several weeks. I was excited to check out everything from the new Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (one of the highest hotels in the world), to Air India’s new A350 business class, to Etihad’s A380 The Residence…
The airlines I flew on this trip
On this trip, I flew a total of 12 segments, covering 23,748 miles. Let me explain exactly how I booked each segment, in chronological order of travel (I’m not covering my positioning flights from my home airport, since there’s not much to report there).
For the first portion of the outbound, I flew Icelandair’s 737 MAX Saga Class from New York (JFK) to Keflavik (KEF), and then after a six day stopover, I flew Icelandair’s A321LR Saga Class from Keflavik to London (LHR). For context, Saga Class is Icelandair’s premium cabin, and think of it as being somewhere between business class and premium economy.
Icelandair has reasonable Saga Class fares, and I love how you can have a stopover in Iceland at no extra cost (perfect for the purposes of my trip), so I booked the following for $1,116.24 (I redeemed Chase points at the rate of 1.5 cents each toward airfare, back when that was possible, meaning I paid around 74,000 points):
10/24 FI618 New York to Keflavik departing 11:10PM arriving 8:55AM (+1 day)
10/31 FI450 Keflavik to London departing 7:35AM arriving 10:50AM
After six incredible nights in Iceland, it was time to continue the journey, and I flew Air India’s A350 business class from London to Delhi (DEL), and then Air India’s A320neo business class from Delhi to Kuala Lumpur (KUL).
I booked the following for 80,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus $398.23 in taxes & fees (the cash component was so high because of the steep UK Air Passenger Duty, for technically “originating” in the UK on this ticket):
10/31 AI112 London to Delhi departing 1:00PM arriving 4:00AM (+1 day)
11/01 AI2384 Delhi to Kuala Lumpur departing 1:30PM arriving 9:40PM
Then after a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur, I made my way toward Cambodia, and I flew Singapore Airlines’ A350 regional business class to Singapore (SIN), and then Singapore Airlines’ 737 MAX business class to Phnom Penh (KTI).
I booked the following for 25,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus $109.65 in taxes & fees (that includes an extra 5,000 points for having a stopover of more than 24 hours in Singapore):
11/03 SQ105 Kuala Lumpur to Singapore departing 10:30AM arriving 11:45AM
11/04 SQ156 Singapore to Phnom Penh departing 12:45PM arriving 1:45PM
The whole reason I positioned to Phnom Penh was to originate there for a reasonably priced first class fare, which would allow me to fly Etihad’s A321LR first class to Abu Dhabi (AUH), and then Etihad’s A380 The Residence to Paris (CDG), which are Etihad’s two premium products I’ve most been wanting to review.
For a bit of background, to fly in The Residence, you need to be on an Etihad first class ticket issued through Etihad (and not a partner airline), and then there’s an upgrade fee, which in this case was around $1,600.
I booked the following for $2,701.12 (I redeemed Chase points at the rate of 1.5 cents each toward airfare, back when that was possible, meaning I paid around 180,000 points, which was substantially less than Etihad Guest was charging in its own points currency):
11/04 EY437 Phnom Penh to Abu Dhabi departing 7:50PM arriving 12:45AM
11/05 EY31 Abu Dhabi to Paris departing 2:30AM arriving 7:10AM
From Paris, my goal was to get home relatively quickly, while trying something new, which required positioning. I flew Aer Lingus’ A321LR AerSpace cabin from Paris to Dublin (DUB), which is the carrier’s regional premium product, and it’s much better when a flight is operated by an Aer Lingus long haul aircraft.
There’s no way to redeem points directly for this product, but I paid $212.11 for the following flight in AerSpace:
11/05 EI521 Paris to Dublin departing 10:30AM arriving 11:15AM
Lastly, I flew Aer Lingus’ A330 business class from Dublin to Boston (BOS). I booked the following for 45,000 Alaska Atmos Rewards points plus $41.43 in taxes & fees:
11/05 EI137 Dublin to Boston departing 4:45PM arriving 6:55PM
In addition to flight reviews, you can expect reviews of the following airport lounges:
- Icelandair Saga Lounge Keflavik (KEF)
- Plaza Premium Lounge Phnom Penh (KTI)
- Plaza Premium First Lounge Phnom Penh (KTI)
- Etihad The Residence Lounge Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- Delta Sky Club Boston (BOS)
The hotels I stayed at on this trip
In this trip report series, I’ll be reviewing a total of seven hotels, including four in Iceland, one in India, one in Malaysia, and one in Singapore. I’ll share the basics in this post, and then I’ll talk about what we paid and the booking process in the individual installments.
When we landed in Iceland, we first spent a couple of nights at Torfhus Retreat, which is a pretty secluded property in Iceland’s Golden Circle, ideal for sightseeing and enjoying nature. It was super cozy, though it’s definitely a quirky property.
We then spent a couple of nights at the Reykjavik EDITION, arguably the best property in Iceland’s capital. All things considered, I really enjoyed this hotel, much more so than the typical EDITION property. That being said, this is Marriott, so there were still some aspects to the experience that weren’t seamless, and had more friction than they should.
Next up, we spent a night at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, the ultra luxury property at Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon. This place is very expensive, and going in, I had no clue whether this would be a massive tourist trap, or actually be a high quality hospitality experience, given the lack of reviews. Well, let me say that I was blown away by my stay, and can’t recommend this property enough, if you can swing it.
Then I had an extra night in Iceland after Ford left to fly back home, as I was departing early the next morning. So I spent a night at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport.
During my Air India journey from London to Kuala Lumpur, I had an extended layover in Delhi, and was hoping to get some rest. I booked the Holiday Inn Express Delhi Airport Terminal 3, which is located inside the international departures zone. In theory I was hoping to sleep, though unfortunately this layover went completely sideways due to an issue with my phone.
Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I was ridiculously excited to stay at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, which recently opened, and is one of the highest up hotels in the world.
Lastly, I had one night in Singapore, and decided to stay at the Singapore EDITION. I should’ve probably stayed elsewhere, because while there were some good aspects to the property, it was peak, generic EDITION vibes. My bad… that’s on me.
Bottom line
I had a really enjoyable adventure in Iceland, followed by a lovely review trip where I got to check out some airline products and hotels that have long been on my list. As you can tell, this is one of the more drawn out trips I’ve taken, in terms of combining a vacation with a quick sprint around the world.
I had some really great flights and hotel stays, and also some that disappointed a bit, so stay tuned, as I have a lot to cover. Thanks for reading!
I'm not a fan of EDITION properties because of the decor and service attitude. I would prefer other luxury Marriott brands instead.
How about providing reviews of the flights and lodging other than brief word or two? Boring article, basically just pictures of plane interiors.
@ KRT -- This is the introduction to the trip report series, to explain the basics. What will be following is VERY detailed reviews of each flight and hotel.
Nice. I flew on the apartment on the A380 just a few days ago.
You should not be promoting #Scambodia on this blog!
I’d like to ask @Ben, why not stop in Phnom Penh for at least one night? It’s a great city with some very nice hotels.
@ Cam -- Totally fair question. I've been to Cambodia, and would love to return. The short answer is that this was already a really long trip, and with two small kids at home, I try to minimize the amount of time I'm away. So in this case it just wasn't a priority, and I was just trying to knock out as many flights/reviews in as short of a time as possible, after several days enjoying Iceland.
Now I know why they were so puzzled at Techo International Airport when you transferred in Phnom Penh, Ben! The idea of international transfer in Cambodia, let alone between two different airlines, is probably something new for a city that mainly sees travellers just arrive.
As a Khmer I thank you for for taking that plunge! And as someone will be heading to Phnom Penh to see family on my way down to Australia, I'm...
Now I know why they were so puzzled at Techo International Airport when you transferred in Phnom Penh, Ben! The idea of international transfer in Cambodia, let alone between two different airlines, is probably something new for a city that mainly sees travellers just arrive.
As a Khmer I thank you for for taking that plunge! And as someone will be heading to Phnom Penh to see family on my way down to Australia, I'm jealous you got to see the new airport already!
Would love you see you review premium product... or at least try... a Cambodian airline! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TUPNtIC_Y4
@Ben, looks like your connection @LHR was well under 24 hours so you shouldn’t have had to pay UK APD. Last year, I flew CPT to LHR on VS (mileage award ticket issued by VS) and onward from LHR to JFK the next day but within 24 hours on AA, separate ticket issued by AA. I presented my VS boarding pass to AA to prove I’d been in the UK less than 24 hours &...
@Ben, looks like your connection @LHR was well under 24 hours so you shouldn’t have had to pay UK APD. Last year, I flew CPT to LHR on VS (mileage award ticket issued by VS) and onward from LHR to JFK the next day but within 24 hours on AA, separate ticket issued by AA. I presented my VS boarding pass to AA to prove I’d been in the UK less than 24 hours & they refunded the APD charged when they originally issued the ticket. Looking forward to the detailed reviews, sounds like an amazing trip!
Where and how did you "present" your boarding pass to AA? I've never knew this was possible, but would definitely like to take advantage of it as I often fly AA through London. Thank you!
@ TheOtherDavid -- It's an interesting question, because based on all the research I've done, it's not possible to be reimbursed for the APD, realistically. Can you explain more about the process you had for getting the APD reimbursed? Fascinating...
@Ben, you keep writing about the 1.5c Chase UR point redemptions with the "back when it was possible" caveat. Didn't they grandfather existing points for a couple of years, so 1.5c redemptions are still available to those who had point balance on their Reserve card at the time of conversion?
@ SBS -- Yes, you're absolutely correct. Sorry, I should've probably been clearer about that. Yes, people are indeed grandfathered in for a bit if they are existing cardmembers, but I didn't want to add too many caveats, which would otherwise be necessary.
@Ben,
Which location did you see the Lights?
@ justindev -- We saw them twice in Iceland, once at the Reykjavik EDITION (surprisingly!), and once at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon.
The St Regis in Singapore is awesome.
Raffles is our preferred option and has been since before most who post herein, were merely twinkles in their father’s eyes.
Remind us, how did you get access to the Delta Sky Club in BOS?
I'd imagine his positioning flight from MIA was on DL and he got access on arrival with and AX Platinum or DL Reserve by AX card.
You mean his flight to MIA from BOS…his positioning flight was from MIA to JFK…
@ Aaron -- Yeah, on the return flight I flew Delta back to Miami, so I used the Sky Club with my Amex Platinum.
DRAFT DODGER TRUMP (DDT).
On the right side of the pond it is felt that the person who currently holds the office of The President of the United States, has severally tarnished the name of the U.S. For a reported five times draft dodger, who has no concept of military conflict, history or the role played by British Forces in Afghanistan, he is an excellent example of the ignorance of some American citizens.
Should he...
DRAFT DODGER TRUMP (DDT).
On the right side of the pond it is felt that the person who currently holds the office of The President of the United States, has severally tarnished the name of the U.S. For a reported five times draft dodger, who has no concept of military conflict, history or the role played by British Forces in Afghanistan, he is an excellent example of the ignorance of some American citizens.
Should he be my Chief of the Armed Forces, I would be utterly ashamed of any association with that creature. He has displayed his unmistakable cowardice, by not having the courage to stand up and apologise to the members of the British Armed Forces, or, the families of those who sacrificed themselves in the war on terror. DDT’s words were crass, untrue and unwarranted remarks.
Trump has certainly earned his “Draft Dodger (DDT)”, nickname and the unmitigated consequences of his cowardice. Time will tell, but it certainly looks as if the cowardly DDT, will drag the American military into serious conflict before the end of his term in office. One can only pity those who will suffer for the creatures ignorance and crass stupidity.
One is convinced that all those self respecting U.S. service personnel who know the truth, are truly ashamed of their Commander in Chief.
P.S. HANDS OFF GREENLAND, DDT.
Ben, serving and veteran U.S. forces personnel. I make no apology for the aforementioned missive. Until DDT, finds the courage to admit his failures, I will feel compelled to berate the creature. A coward is a coward and he has blotted his own copy book.
Pal, I'm with you on not liking Trump, but, what are you even trying to do here?
As you have never served, or, ever taken incoming, you will never be able to comprehend the dismay, disgust and utter contempt, which that creature has brought upon his cowardly self.
Please take this to a POLITICAL website, not a TRAVEL website. THANK YOU for all 100% of readers who want to take a respite from politics AT LEAST HERE.
No! Not on your life Lukas.
There are many readers of this blog who probably have no concept of the depth feeling which DDT has unleashed. Only a veteran would appreciate the hurt such crass comments from a five times draft dodger has invoked.
So, until you have served for a full career and taken incoming, suck it up like a self respecting human being should.
Sure..but we are talking about points and travel. Learn to read the room. Everyone needs a break from the political bs. Nothing will change from posting political messages on here. Nothing. Leave political thoughts out of Omaat. Please.
Did you mean Clinton the draft dodger who escaped to Canada???
Thank you…im tired of the political bs. Go to a political website for posts about government.
Share what you wanna share, but, I do not think this is going to change many minds, or even motivate those who agree with you.
Like, we're dealing with a lot over here right now; if his personal paramilitary can murder a white, male nurse who works at the VA, and get away with it... they'll do the same to any of us in due time, unless we stop them, ballots or otherwise.
Now, that's a real concern, not mere name-calling.
You folks voted DDT, into office and now we are all reaping the whirlwind. One day people will wake up and smell the coffee.
Whatever happens, don’t try to silence free speech just because you don’t like what others around the world are saying. It would appear that DDT, is following the scenario predicted by George Orwell, in his book Animal Farm …. when the pigs take over running the farm. Is there much...
You folks voted DDT, into office and now we are all reaping the whirlwind. One day people will wake up and smell the coffee.
Whatever happens, don’t try to silence free speech just because you don’t like what others around the world are saying. It would appear that DDT, is following the scenario predicted by George Orwell, in his book Animal Farm …. when the pigs take over running the farm. Is there much of a distinction between the Iranian Republican Guard, Hitler’s SS and ICE?
If that is name calling then so be it …. prepare for more reaction to his thoughtless, uneducated and nonsensical actions.
With you on everything, AeroB13a, until you say, "You folks voted DDT, into office..."
While we are a democratic republic, collective responsibility makes no sense. By that logic, I'd tell you that you voted for the Labour government of your bête noire Keir Starmer. That would also not make sense.
Your TDS is showing very badly.. Did you forget to take your meds??? this is a travel site not a political venue...Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
To those who dislike “Political” debate on this website, do tell that to all those other contributors who mention Draft Dodger Trump, the government, etc, etc, at every opportunity. Please remember, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander too, yes?
To some, obviously the truth hurts …. I am not in the habit of posting a ‘trigger warning’ for the sensitive readers, some would say that people need to grow...
To those who dislike “Political” debate on this website, do tell that to all those other contributors who mention Draft Dodger Trump, the government, etc, etc, at every opportunity. Please remember, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander too, yes?
To some, obviously the truth hurts …. I am not in the habit of posting a ‘trigger warning’ for the sensitive readers, some would say that people need to grow up. Furthermore, to those who were upset by my post, you need to spare a thought for the friends and family of those service personnel who are still suffering the loss of a loved one, killed in Afghanistan. Draft Dodger Trump, has not apologised for his crass comments, as he is undoubtedly a coward. Therefore, I believe it unnecessary to apologies for articulating my expressed disgust at the crass, uneducated creature.
This is not a politically motivated post. It is simply one sure way to express my total disappointment with the president of the United States. Veterans, serving military personnel, friends and families of military personnel lost in conflict, from many countries, (including the U.S.) are disgusted with the statement from DDT. If readers of this missive have no empathy for the crass statement, then you too are beyond my comprehension.
Ben this is fabulous. I feel like it's 2017 again. Looking forward to all of the posts from this trip!
What was your thought process in booking flights using Chase UR at 1.5 cents when you value them at 1.7 cents?
I’d assume cash would be the way to go, particularly for you, as it’d be a valid business expense?
@ Just Curious -- It's a fair question. It might not be the best redemption in the world on a cent per point basis, but this was a case where redeeming points as cash toward the cost of the ticket was a better price than an outright redemption with Etihad Guest points. I knew I wanted to take that itinerary, it was just a function of how I was going to pay for it.
I...
@ Just Curious -- It's a fair question. It might not be the best redemption in the world on a cent per point basis, but this was a case where redeeming points as cash toward the cost of the ticket was a better price than an outright redemption with Etihad Guest points. I knew I wanted to take that itinerary, it was just a function of how I was going to pay for it.
I wouldn't have felt great about spending $4,300 in cash on a one-way flight (since I was paying $1,600 to upgrade), while a combination of points plus the upgrade fee felt a bit more palatable.
I assume Ben also earns quite a bit of redeemable and status miles on this itinerary since it's considered a 'revenue ticket.' That may bring up the valuation closer to 1.7c.
@Ben, I'm struggling to come to terms with the fact that you still haven't covered TAAG's first ever route to the Far East two days after it was announced!
@ Throwawayname -- Hah! Fair point...
On a serious note, if you please Ben?
Do you accrue any points for the flights which you took on this trip?
@ AeroB13a -- Yes, I credited the Icelandair flight to Alaska Atmos Rewards, and the Etihad flights and Aer Lingus intra-Europe flight to American AAdvantage.
Thank you Ben, this ‘bear of very little brain’ finds it hard to understand how your points tally is accumulated.
I still remember the line you said when you were in the Blue Lagoon for 5 hours - you were looking and feeling like a prune! Hah.
…. and that was only what was occurring underneath his speedo’s …. Sorry Mike/Ben, I simply could not let that trigger line pass unremarked.
hell yeah