- Introduction: A Two-Part Birthday Trip To The Golden Triangle
- Review: British Airways Lounge Miami Airport (MIA)
- Review: American Flagship Lounge Miami Airport (MIA)
- Review: Qatar Airways Qsuites Business Class Airbus A350 (MIA-DOH)
- Review: Qatar Airways Qsuites Business Class Boeing 777 (DOH-BKK)
- Review: Rosewood Bangkok, Thailand (Solid, Second Tier Luxury City Hotel)
- Review: Capella Bangkok, Thailand (City Oasis, Ranked World’s Best Hotel)
- Review: Four Seasons Bangkok, Thailand (A World-Class Urban Resort)
- Review: Aman Bangkok, Thailand (One Of The World’s Best City Hotels)
Welcome to my next trip report series, covering a trip that I just wrapped up. Usually when I travel, I write “live” updates, and then I publish a trip report two to three months later (just to space things out, and look at an experience from a couples of angles).
However, this time around I wrote almost nothing about the trip while I was on it (aside from a couple of rants about Royal Jordanian), while now I can share the full trip report shortly after returning home. This actually ended up being a two-part trip, with the first part being with Ford, and the second part being with my dad, as I sort of planned this trip as it evolved. Let me explain.
In this post:
Why I took this trip
Ford and I try to plan a trip around each of our birthdays every year, not because we actually care about out birthdays, but just because it’s an opportunity to plan something in advance that we might not otherwise do.
This year we decided to go to Thailand for my birthday. Ford hadn’t been in Southeast Asia since before the pandemic (though we have visited Japan several times), and had also never visited Thailand. So we figured this was as good of a time as any to plan such a trip, especially with the hotel market constantly reaching new heights (and it still represents a relatively good value).
While we left our sons with family, we didn’t both want to be gone from home for too long, so I flew out first so I could check out a couple of hotels that have been on my radar, and then Ford joined me for our visit to Bangkok and Chiang Rai.
After that, Ford returned straight home (to be with our kids), while at the very last minute I decided to route through Germany, so I could also spend a little quality time with my dad. That’s kind of just how award availability worked out at the last minute. So my dad was (pleasantly) surprised when I called him and asked if he wanted to meet me in Germany the following day.
You can find the routing that I flew in the end below, as it covered eight segments and 22,928 miles.
The airlines I flew on this trip
Let me share the exact itinerary that I booked, including sharing how much I paid. I’ll be sharing it in the chronological order in which I traveled, which roughly lines up with the order in which I booked things.
To kick off the trip, I flew flew Qatar Airways’ Airbus A350-1000 Qsuites business class from Miami (MIA) to Doha (DOH), and then Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777-300ER Qsuites business class to Bangkok (BKK). I booked the following for 95,000 Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios plus $298.10 in taxes & fees:
4/14 QR778 Miami to Doha departing 7:40PM arriving 4:50PM (+1 day)
4/16 QR836 Doha to Bangkok departing 3:30AM arriving 2:15PM
You of course can’t beat that value, and while some might say “great, another Qatar Airways review,” I actually hadn’t reviewed Qatar Airways Qsuites on the A350 since 2019, and a lot has changed since then, including the rollout of Starlink, so I thought it was time for an updated review.
Then we had to travel roundtrip between Bangkok (BKK) and Chiang Rai (CEI), and we ended up flying Thai Airways’ brand new Airbus A321neo business class in one direction, and the carrier’s recently retrofitted Airbus A320 in the other direction. We booked the following in business class for $330.24 in business class (that was about $50 more each direction than economy, at the time we were booking):
4/21 TG132 Bangkok to Chiang Rai departing 11:35AM arriving 1:10PM
4/25 TG131 Chiang Rai to Bangkok departing 10:10AM arriving 11:40AM
Next up, I decided to fly to Germany, so I flew Royal Jordanian’s Boeing 787-8 business class from Bangkok (BKK) to Amman (AMM), and Royal Jordanian’s E190-E2 business class to Frankfurt (FRA). I booked the following for 75,000 American AAdvantage miles plus $80.40 in taxes & fees:
4/26 RJ183 Bangkok to Amman departing 11:00PM arriving 4:40AM (+1 day)
4/26 RJ125 Amman to Frankfurt departing 10:25AM arriving 2:45PM
Lastly, to finish off the trip, I flew Lufthansa’s Airbus A340-600 first class from Frankfurt (FRA) to New York (JFK). I booked the following for 90,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus $219.35 in taxes & fees:
5/02 LH400 Frankfurt to New York departing 10:55AM arriving 1:35PM
While my goal was to fly SWISS Senses first class, that didn’t work out. The good news about flying Lufthansa first class is that I could experience the carrier’s brand new “FOX” soft product, which only recently launched. That ended up being a good experience.
In addition to flight reviews, you can expect reviews of the following lounges:
- British Airways Lounge Miami (MIA)
- American Flagship Lounge Miami (MIA)
- Royal Jordanian Lounge Amman (AMM)
- Plaza Premium Lounge Amman (AMM)
- Lufthansa First Class Lounge Frankfurt (FRA)
- Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt (FRA)
I know some people may have questions or be skeptical of my decision to travel through the Middle East on this itinerary. I’m happy to write a separate post about how I thought through that decision, but it’s not something I did without thought (though I realize some people may arrive at a different conclusion than I did). And for what it’s worth, Ford and I flew separately, because in the event one of us did get stuck, we didn’t want it to happen to both of us.
The hotels I stayed at on this trip
This trip included quite a few hotel stays, in both Thailand and in Germany. In Thailand, we stayed at five different hotels, while in Germany, we stayed at two hotels.
Bangkok is known for being one of the most competitive and best value luxury hotel markets out there, and in particular, the bar has been raised a lot in recent times. Over the years, I’ve only reviewed the points properties in Bangkok, ranging from the Park Hyatt, to the Ritz-Carlton, to the Waldorf Astoria.
This time around, I decided to check out the top end of the market, while getting a value that I think many will appreciate:
- I first spent a night at the Rosewood Bangkok, which only cost around $300 (and I booked using my Amex Platinum $300 hotel credit, so I paid almost nothing out of pocket for my stay, plus received all kinds of FHR perks)
- I then spent a night at the Capella Bangkok; after my recent stay at the Capella Taipei, I became a huge fan of the brand, and couldn’t help but check out this hotel, especially given that on The World’s 50 Best Hotels list, it took the number one spot in 2024, and the number three spot in 2025
- Then I met up with Ford and we spent a few nights at the Four Seasons Bangkok, which is actually in the same complex as the Capella; this hotel took the number two spot on The World’s 50 Best Hotels list for 2025
- Then on the return we had one more night in Bangkok, and decided to stay at the Aman Bangkok, the newest addition to the city’s luxury hotel portfolio, as I was curious how it compared to the existing top options
Our other destination in Thailand was the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle. This was my first time in the Chiang Rai area, and we had an incredible time.
I also can’t wait to share the story of what’s possibly the most interesting and unexpected day trip I’ve ever taken from a hotel in my life. We couldn’t help but be fascinated the second we saw a certain something from the Mekong River, and eventually we talked the hotel into taking us there, even though apparently nobody has made such a request in years. Bonus points to anyone who can guess what it is. 😉
In Germany, my dad and I were initially going to get more creative with where we’d go, but the Frankfurt area just had the most uncharacteristically beautiful late April weather imaginable, which is such a rare treat, so we decided to just stay in the area.
Specifically, we checked out two relatively new Hyatt properties in the area, which have been on my radar. First we stayed at Kennedy 89 Frankfurt, Hyatt Unbound Collection, a new Hyatt property that I’ve been particularly excited about.
Then we also spent a couple of night at Brunfels Hotel Mainz, Hyatt Unbound Collection, another Hyatt property that opened within the past couple of years (it was previously a Hilton, but underwent a full refresh).
I can’t wait to report back on all these experiences, as we had some really lovely hotel stays.
Bottom line
I recently wrapped up a great trip to Thailand and Germany. This included flights on Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and Lufthansa, with products both old and new. Beyond that, I stayed at some pretty cool hotels, especially in Thailand, but also Hyatt affiliated ones in Germany.
Stay tuned and thanks for reading, as I’ll be publishing this trip report over the coming weeks!
Hi Ben - I am looking forward to a post about flying through the ME these days. I have just booked two trips to SE Asia (both work trips, cash tickets) and in both cases decided not to transit through the ME, although that would have saved a significant amount of money.
Why? I'm not overly concerned about the risk of being hit by a missile (the Gulf countries have excellent air defence). Also...
Hi Ben - I am looking forward to a post about flying through the ME these days. I have just booked two trips to SE Asia (both work trips, cash tickets) and in both cases decided not to transit through the ME, although that would have saved a significant amount of money.
Why? I'm not overly concerned about the risk of being hit by a missile (the Gulf countries have excellent air defence). Also being stuck is not my greatest concern.
But the reason for flying around is really insurance or I should rather say the lack of it. There are travel warnings in place, which means travel insurance won't pay. Even if what happens to you is completly unrelated to the geopolitical situation (e.g., slipping, falling and breaking a bone).
It could have been a Mekong giant catfish or the giant freshwater stingray, or a dolphin, as somebody mentioned it below
What did you do during the layover in Doha? That's a long time to spend in lounges ...
@ Christ -- When I have a long layover, I just treat it like any other workday, so I was productive for most of my time in Doha. :-)
I don't know why is this introduction generating so much hate towards Ben.
You think an international travel to exotic destinations should be filled with local interactions only?
Then OMAAT is simply not a place you'll be looking at.
There are other bloggers who cater to your demand.
Most of the OMAAT audience is satisfied with Ben's style of travel.
You never were in Thailand if you only stayed at 5 star, foreign hotels.... no street food, no use of the transit system, no wandering through the neighborhoods, no meeting Thai people, no local experiences.... people that "travel the world", cocooned in 5 star hotels, drivers, taxis and guided tours never actually visit the country they went to
@ Fed UP -- "no street food, no use of the transit system, no wandering through the neighborhoods, no meeting Thai people, no local experiences"
Sorry, but why are you prescribing this narrative to me? So if one stays at a five star hotel, they're not allowed to wander through neighborhoods and explore?
You've given me some good tips for mileage value to/from US to SEA. Thks!
“a lot has changed since then, including the rollout of Starlink” …yawn…is it only bloggers like Ben that care so passionately about Wi-Fi on planes?
@ PJOC -- I think fast and free Wi-Fi is perhaps the one new amenity that airlines are adding across cabins that has the highest chance of increasing net promoter scores, and improving the overall perception of the experience. I understand it's not for everyone, but seriously, what's a more meaningful amenity that has been added for *all* passengers in the past couple of decades?
Guess it was the Chinese Casino enclave, Ben:) been there once, and it has been one of the strangest Experiences of my life. Guess you also got approached by the friendly Casino Manager, showing You the complex:)
Hope you got to see Myanmar & Laos as well on your 'Triangle' trip. What did you see? Poppy fields?
this sounds like an EPIC lineup of hotels. cant wait to read the reviews!!!
Ben, also stayed at Aman Bangkok. Their multiple level atriums with the sculpted sand were a beautiful interior design. Did you try the spa? The couples banya spa house was wild. Epic upper level restaurant and pool area with views. Can’t wait for your reviews!
@ 1990 -- Largely matches my impressions, happy to hear you had a great stay! :-)
While the four Bangkok properties aren’t points hotels, I do look forward to Ben’s meticulous review and see how they compare to the points hotel.
Many of them are in Chase The Edit and Amex programs. It can help us to see where to burn the annual credits.
Outside of the Aman they also don't have outrageous prices as a barrier to entry. If you're someone who doesn't like to use points for hotels they're not too unobtainable
Irrawaddy dolphin is my guess - always a special treat to get a sighting.
I am realy intrigued, what itinerary did Ford take and how did you book it? Thanks!
Elephant rescue? Painting with the elephants? It surely wasn't tromping around in canoes filming snake fish .
Ford and his team helped us book hotels in Thailand a few years back including the Four Seasons Golden Triangle. Fantastic trip!
@ Satya -- Happy to hear you had a great trip!
Nice to see Thai Airways' both narrowbody products being reviewed at the same time.
@ N17017 -- I really lucked out when I saw that the flights with the best schedule were also operated by two different planes, so I was quite happy about that.
If your day trip was to the Chinese gambling enclave in Laos... will be hooked to that review when it comes out ;)
@ quorumcall -- Well then you'll want to stay tuned! ;-)
Oh my gosh!! Has been on my bucket list for a while... nice!
That’s a long way from GTR :)
You saw a pink dolphin in the Mekong river
"We couldn’t help but be fascinated the second we saw a certain something from the Mekong River, and eventually we talked the hotel into taking us there, even though apparently nobody has made such a request in years."
Myanmar?
Honestly, might as well stay in the US with your sons if this is all for that...
Met the Capella Bangkok GM the other day. I didn't realize it's the same owners as the FS, and it was basically designed around feedback/criticisms from the FS property. It's everything the FS isn't (in a complimentary way). Fantastic hotel.
I don't know why anyone would stay at the Aman given how many terrific properties there are along the river, but I'm very curious to read that review.
@ pstm91 -- Indeed, I loved both the Capella and Four Seasons, but was amazed by how different they are. They truly have very different vibes, despite both being excellent.
Siri, plan a trip to Thailand, but isolate me from local people and culture as much as possible.
LOLOLOLOL in his defense, this is his job. I want to imagine he plans other trips to explore the local culture
Explore the local culture.... I suspect not. My scanning of these threads do not indicate this to be the case. But perhaps I have missed such information in my scanning of these articles.
Reminds me of the family I saw planning a trip to Japan but didn't want to eat any "exotic" food. So they ended up eating burgers and pizza for two weeks.
@ Mike -- Well, if you've seen any of my reviews from Japan, you'll know that I don't shy away from any food there...
But how often do you speak to Japanese people who don’t work in your hotel or a service establishment? How many kilometers per day do you walk on your own without the assistance of a handler, or without being carted around in a taxi or Uber? Do you even have a Suica card?
@ Cletus -- When I travel, assuming it's not super cold, I average around 20K steps per day. Now could you answer the question I posed to you below, please?
These experiences are similar to the cruise ship crowd that actually go to interesting places, but never really see them. Example, they do a Mediterranean cruise and spend 4 hours in Rome, 6 hours in Athens and 5 hours in Barcelona with a in-depth tour of Dubrovnik for 7 hours..... Most of the time they are in the floating hotel eating their "regular" food and take short bus tours of these places, never to speak...
These experiences are similar to the cruise ship crowd that actually go to interesting places, but never really see them. Example, they do a Mediterranean cruise and spend 4 hours in Rome, 6 hours in Athens and 5 hours in Barcelona with a in-depth tour of Dubrovnik for 7 hours..... Most of the time they are in the floating hotel eating their "regular" food and take short bus tours of these places, never to speak to a local person. However, in reflection of reading these comments, I guess you can say that Ben does reviews of high end hotels and obsesses on how to get cheap upgrades to business or first class..... Youtube has lots of authentic real travel experiences by some really talented creators, so if you enjoy those types of videos, take a look.
While I would certainly avoid the local people and culture in some countries, neither Thailand nor Japan is a place you'll want to do so. Total waste of time and money.
This is how he always behaves when outside Amerika. Freaked out and scared of anything that doesn't have big international corporate gloss all over it. He's particularly weird (and racist) in SE Asia for some reason. Naive, sheltered, and isolated by choice, all those flight miles wasted. The request to Siri is absolutely spot-on.
@ Cletus -- I'm a little confused. So you believe there are no worthwhile experiences to be had in Bangkok, the Golden Triangle, etc.? Yes, I generally stay at major international chain hotels, because reviewing those is part of what I do for a living. But does that mean I can't have other interesting and meaningful experiences?
You've never provided evidence of having done so. You only ever stay inside your luxury hotel, and have highly-curated experiences there. You've never posted about interacting with a local person who wasn't serving you.
@ Cletus -- Sorry, I've never "provided evidence" of having interacted with a local anywhere who wasn't serving me? That's just ridiculous hyperbole, so here's an example to disprove your "never" claim:
https://onemileatatime.com/uzbekistan-train/
Hey, you're more than welcome to rib me for perceiving that I only stay in hotels. But just because my blog is primarily about a certain thing doesn't mean it's the extent of everything I do.
For example, if I go...
@ Cletus -- Sorry, I've never "provided evidence" of having interacted with a local anywhere who wasn't serving me? That's just ridiculous hyperbole, so here's an example to disprove your "never" claim:
https://onemileatatime.com/uzbekistan-train/
Hey, you're more than welcome to rib me for perceiving that I only stay in hotels. But just because my blog is primarily about a certain thing doesn't mean it's the extent of everything I do.
For example, if I go to Brunei or Qatar and hang out with locals who I know, does that qualify as being isolated from the local people?
And let me go on to ask you something. How do you go about interacting with locals in a way that's in no way transactional? So for example, if you visit a city for a first time, what's your approach to sightseeing, when you remove anything where there could be a financial aspect to it?
I fail to see why you are being so antagonistic over this. Whether you agree with the profession or not, his primary source of income and the content he posts has always revolved around flying the world and staying in hotels. What he does in the countries he visits outside of those places (on his own time outside of work) frankly should not concern you unless Ben is secretly a serial arsonist or something.
This blog is about miles and points and high level flight and hotel experiences, credit card reviews, and occasional articles about other interesting things. By no means can we assume the Ben does nothing outside of visit the hotels in a country he visits. Just because he does not share with the world an accounting of every moment of every trip does not mean you can assume that he does, or does not, do anything...
This blog is about miles and points and high level flight and hotel experiences, credit card reviews, and occasional articles about other interesting things. By no means can we assume the Ben does nothing outside of visit the hotels in a country he visits. Just because he does not share with the world an accounting of every moment of every trip does not mean you can assume that he does, or does not, do anything unless he specifically mentioned that he did or did not. For all we know, Ben eats McDonalds in every country just cause, or maybe he never eats at an American-brand fast food chain. The point is, we don't know and assuming makes you look like an idiot, @Cletus.
lmao 0/10 bait this troll is not even worthy of a response Ben. Cletus has never interacted with local people or culture either, he's just too poor to enjoy nice things and so he posted a negative comment. classic!
sounds awesome although what a jarring comparison to fly QR and TG followed by RJ lol
Surprised they pulled off the routings via ME during the war, too. Glad it worked out, but, like, no thanks for me anytime soon.