Bangkok, Thailand: The Metropolitan's Chic Bargain

While it may be the dead of winter, it’s summertime south of the equator, baby! So you know what that means? It may be brisk and windy outside, but somewhere on the planet the deals are hot, hot, hot. Like its counterpart in London, the Metropolitan Bangkok is cutting travelers a break. A City Room (normally $260 per night) can be had for just $99 per night – 62% off! Similar savings are on hand for a Studio Room, now $119 down from $300 (60% off), and a Metropolitan Room, now $150 down from $320 (53% off).

From the modernist façade to the staff’s Comme des Garçons uniforms and DJs spinning tracks at the trendy Met Bar, this is a hotel with serious style. The Metropolitan is ground zero in Bangkok, a sultry city that’s become a go-to spot for flocks of hip international travelers, Tucked away on South Sathorn Road in the city’s Central Business District, the hotel is minutes from the city’s main shopping areas and a 40-minute drive to the International Airport.

The offer, valid through the end of April, is subject to availability. Room reservations must be booked and fully paid seven days prior to arrival; while payment is non-refundable, it can be changed or revised subject to availability. To secure these rates, one must book for a minimum of two consecutive nights, and rates are room only (exclusive of breakfast) and subject to 10% service charge and 7% government tax. The offer cannot be combined with any other offer.

www.metropolitan.como.mz/bangkok

Tokyo, Japan: Shop Til You Doroppu

A Ganguro Girl - Tokyo, Japan

Doesn't she just look precious? Almost like a Japanese version of Jessica Simpson... on acid... in an Anime porn. We love her so. We also can't seem to get enough of Tokyo. Can you tell? Apparently, neither can our Devi Goddess Heroine Gwen Stefani. So here goes. Together, with Guest Contributor, Adam Fuller, your guide to the best spots to shop 'til you doroppu (at least we think that's how you say it in glorious Nippon).

TOKYO SHOPPING

HARAJUKU
(JR Harajyuku station/Omote sando station/Yoyogi koen station / Meiji Jingu mae station)

This is where Gwennie found inspiration for her line, Harajuku Lovers. Just think... you might even leave looking like this Cosplay girl:

Cosplay, short for 'Costume Play,' is where teens and young adults dress up to look like their favorite Anime characters. Go on a Sunday around Harajuku Station - that's the focal point for this fun fad. Though Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street), check out the Meiji Shrine nearby and Kiddy Land, one of the most popular toy stores around.

www.japan-guide.com/e/e3006.html

SHIBUYA
Get ready for sensory overload. The busiest intersection in Japan, this is the place you’ve most likely seen in movies or commercials with tons of people, lights and huge TV screens on the fronts and sides of skyscrapers blaring advertisements and announcements to the masses. Shibuya is one of (if not the most) popular places in Tokyo for trendy restaurants, shopping, bars and nightlife.

Shibuya 109 Building (ichi-maru-kyu)
A trendy shopping center filled with clothing boutiques. This huge, grey building with a big 109 sign on the top is a landmark. You should see it or run right into it walking away from Shibuya station and veering to the left. Shopping in Shibuya is plentiful. Your best bet is to check out this site for a rundown. Though most people I know just love to wander around and find the gems on a whim.

PARCO
(c) www.sparklette.net

This department store sells everything from trinkets from stalls, to food, and fashionable clothing. Don't get confused by all the crazy naming... the one above is parco part-2, but there's also parco part-1 and parco part-3 nearby.

Seibu Department Store (03-3462-0111)

Akihabara (JR Akihabara station)
This is also the center of Japan’s electronics with over 500 shops. About 30% less than the regular prices, and yes, you can bargain your little heart out.

Aoyama (Tokyo Subway Gaien-mae station or Aoyama ichome station)
Japan Traditional Craft Center (03-3403-2460)
Here you can find traditional crafts from all over Japan. Prices are high, but it's well worth the visit.

Tsukiji Market (Tokyo Subway Tsukiji station) Okay, so maybe you thought all the shopping was just for clothes, but this is the biggest wholesale fish market in Japan.

International Arcade (03-3571-1528) at Hibiya station is another cool place to go.

SHIMOKITAZAWA
Forget the crazy consumerism of Shibuya for a day and check out the hippest part of Tokyo. Retro pop vintage stores, music clubs and noodle shops, this is Tokyo’s Greenwich Village. With clubs like The Village Vanguard Diner, Haight Ashbury, Las Vegas, and Mojo Rising, you’ll get a hint of the homage to all things Western too. A maze of music and art, catch sight of the area while you can. Word on the streets is that developers are pushing for a road that will split the cool area in two ☹
DAIKANYAMA
Brazilian born Alexandre Herchcovitch has his hot store in this fresh area.

La Foret (03-3475-0411) – tres chic and packed with fashionable goodies

FLEA MARKETS
Togo Shrine Flea Market is a great place if you’re looking for antiques. Go on the first, fourth, and fifth Sundays

Yoyogi Park Flea Market - Sunday

Last, but not least, we found these handy websites for true shopaholic:

www.angelfire.com/id/croon/nikki/shibuyashopping.html

www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/tokyo/tokyo_shopping.html

Adventures in Bhutan: COMO's Uma Paro

Welcome back, kiddies! It's been a long holiday, but we're back from all the eggnog, champagne, latkes, holiday hams, and cakes to give you news on the one of the hottest locations for yogi starlets and young lovers… the always beautiful Bhutan.
The Terrace at COMO's Uma Paro

So, as sugar levels start to stabilize, the new year leaves us hungry for something invigorating, authentic, and meaningful. That leaves us with Uma Paro’s eleven Adventure Retreats that are sure to shake off the post-holiday blues. Expanding from the nine programs in its inaugural season last year, the series includes two new itineraries – A Multi-Activity Adventure (August 1-8) and Bhutan Through a Lens (November 21-28). In the former, thrill-seekers may choose from any or all of the following: whitewater rafting, fly fishing, a round of golf in the grounds of Trashi Choe fortress, an overnight camping trek, mountain biking, and a Bhutanese archery tournament while the latter has guests traversing the beautiful kingdom with camera in tow. Aspiring photographers could not ask for better subjects than the landscapes, prayer flags, monasteries, and villagers of the region; however, guests will want to save a few frames for the Uma Punakha lodge. This retreat will be the first to utilize COMO’s new 11-room lodge that’s complete with a restaurant and COMO Shambhala spa and is a five-hour’s drive from Uma Paro.
Bukhari Restaurant at COMO Uma Paro

Rates range from $3,280 - $6,112 for single occupancy to $5,292 to $10,054 for double, depending on the package selected. All rates include 7,10, or 12 nights accommodation at a combination of Uma Paro and other tourist standard hotels or camps previously set up for trekking adventures. Meals, excluding beverages, are included as well as picnics and mineral water on days out. Government taxes, royalties, visas, and entry permits are all arranged by Uma Paro in advance; these costs are factored into the published rates along with all transport within Bhutan.

Sign up now while there’s still space!

www.uma.como.bz/paro/default.asp?section=545

Tokyo, Japan: Sightseeing & The City

This week, Guest Blogger and Jaunt Contributor, Adam Fuller, takes us to Japan where picked up his belongings and went on a whim to live in a foreign land with little more than a travel book and a hankering to learn about the culture. In this installment on his Tokyo series, he gives us a hint of the local sights. A graduate of the Arizona State University with a degree in Journalism, he’s currently in Santiago, Chile writing for The Santiago Times. Where does he get his great love of travel? “I spent significant chunks of childhood living in countries throughout Africa (Mali, Sudan, Chad and Rwanda) and studied in Spain and Japan. Foreign culture is a way of life, as well as a passion.”

TOKYO SIGHTSEEING
SENSOJI TEMPLE: ASAKUSA
Wandering the narrow, sometimes dark, sometimes lantern lit, sometimes neon lit streets in Asakusa you realize you are officially in Japan. Asakusa was the center of Tokyo a few decades back, now giving way to the more modern and trendy areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya, but still maintaining its traditional and charming character. It hosts a great selection of restaurants and plenty of places to buy souvenirs.

KAPPABASHI STREET
Known as 'Kitchenware' street, is full of stores selling traditional Japanese bowls, sake glasses, and chopsticks. It's also the street that sells fake food displays that restaurants use in their front windows so foreigners who can’t read the menu know what they’re getting into – truly funny gifts. The vendors lining the walkway to Sensoji Temple (while very crowded) have lots of cool stuff to take home. The streets and alleyways in the Asakusa area have shops for almost anything – kimonos, swords, trinkets, clothing, food, electronics…the list goes on. The dollar stores in Japan (hyaku-yen: 100yen) are also clutch sources of cool, cheap, “authentic” gifts. Great for your Uncle Leo who’d never know the difference anyway.

UENO PARK
Located right next to the Ueno train station is huge, pretty, and packed with about 300 stalls selling fish, vegetables, bags, shoes, watches, clothes, you name it. Museums, a zoo, street performers, concert hall, merry-go-round, and a baseball diamond where local recreational teams and friends playing for “fun” – the players take it very seriously and the result is hilarious. It’s gorgeous when the cherry blossoms (Sakura) are out – usually the last couple weeks in March. If you shop here, you can also save some money.

SHINJUKU GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN
Large, serene park and garden – a very Japanese experience. The Shinjuku area is also a very popular place for shopping, bars, restaurants, nightlife.

Stay tuned for next week's picks for where to shop in Tokyo!

Tokyo, Japan: Hip Hotels and Sweet Deals

This week, Guest Blogger and Jaunt Contributor, Adam Fuller, takes us to Tokyo where he picked up his belongings to live in a foreign land with little more than a travel book and a hankering to learn about the culture. Where does he get his great love of travel? “I spent significant chunks of childhood living in countries throughout Africa (Mali, Sudan, Chad and Rwanda) and studied in Spain and Japan. Foreign culture is a way of life, as well as a passion.”

I left for Japan in March 2007 to teach English in Koga, Ibaraki – a small town an hour and a half north of Tokyo. I knew no Japanese (except for domo arigato Mr. Roboto), bought a travel book (that I never read) and got on the plane just looking for a change. Why Japan? Why not? It was easy to find a good paying teaching job, I’d never been before and figured Japan’s about as big a change as you could get. I had no idea what I was getting into.

The transition and adjustment to such a different way of life was pretty tough. It’s a very regulated and restrained society with a surplus of rules, both spoken and unspoken. Seats are assigned at movie theaters, looking people in the eye is sometimes disrespectful, and etiquette often takes priority over logic. There’s a lot of work, very little relaxation and “the system” tends to make things (of any nature) take a while to get done. On the other hand, Japan is incredibly safe, virtually crime-free and clean. The subways and trains are spotless and ALWAYS on time. The crowded streets are remarkably quiet and the people are polite, helpful and once they open up to you, they’re some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.
I left Japan a year later, proficient in basic Japanese, with a Japanese girlfriend (who speaks NO English and was the main motivation for me to become proficient in Japanese), and a love and appreciation for one of the most unique and strangely appealing countries I’ve ever been to.

It’s obviously impossible to experience all aspects of Japanese culture on a vacation. However, a nice two week trip is enough to have fun, get a good feel for the country and get back home before going crazy from culture shock. Here are some helpful tips on where - and how - to stay.

TOKYO HOTELS

THE CAPSULE HOTEL
Ikebukuro Plaza

Claustrophobics need not apply.
2-12-3 Ikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Near JR line Ikebukuro Station in the Ikebukuro area of Tokyo
Phone: 03-3590-7770
Price: 3,500 yen/night ($35) includes your own sleeping capsule which:




• Is a bit longer than a coffin and tall enough for you to sit up and crawl around in.
• Contains a futon mattress, alarm clock, radio, TV, small reading light, pillow and blanket.
• Is arranged with other capsules in rows, stacked two-high in the sleeping rooms on each floor of the hotel.
• Your own locker in an adjacent room on the same floor as your capsule.
• Bathroom (sinks and toilets) on the same floor as your capsule and locker.
• Access to the public bath/shower/spa/sauna located on the bottom floor of the hotel – very relaxing and refreshing.
• Your own kimono for the night

Pros: A cool, very unique Japanese experience. Clean and quiet, it’s cheap, convenient, fast check-in, and no curfew. They’ll even accept guests as space permits. I checked in at 11:30pm with no reservations and no hassles. Located in the center of Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo’s most popular, fun and vibrant areas. It’s initially weird when you walk into the overpopulated, dark and humming sleeping room of your floor, but once you’ve crawled into your capsule and shut the curtain, you’re off to slumberland. Only in Japan can you be stacked among hundreds of people and still feel alone.

Cons: The front desk speak very little English, female guests are not permitted. Some capsule hotels have women-only floors and take female guests, however many others (like the one I stayed) don’t. These restrictions are definitely something to keep in mind and inquire about when searching for hotels in Japan. I’ve found that it's usually the cheaper places such as capsule hotels and hostels that have this Men Only policy.

Not much space, but if you have to have a big area to stretch out in:
• You shouldn’t be in Japan
• You shouldn’t be at a capsule hotel in Japan

Don’t be surprised that you must take off your shoes and put them in a locker in the lobby before you enter the hotel. From then on it’s all socks and slippers. Get used to taking your shoes off upon entering most semi-traditional/traditional indoor places in Japan – it’s a sign of respect.

Here’s a good listing of capsule hotels in Tokyo: http://gojapan.about.com/cs/accommodation/a/tokyocapsule1.htm

ASAKUSA CENTRAL HOTEL
1-5-3 Asakusa, Taitou-ku, Tokyo
Asakusa area of Tokyo – see website for map/access
Phone: 81-3-3847-2222
Email: ach@pelican.co.jp
www.pelican.co.jp/asakusacentralhotel/eng/index.html
This was the first place I stayed when I arrived in Japan and it was perfect - especially since my company was paying the tab for all us new hires. It’s a nice hotel in a great location. The Asakusa area is one of the most popular locations for tourists and locals. It’s comfortable and convenient, no curfews, quiet comfortable rooms, friendly front desk staff that speak enough English to answer any questions and ensure a pleasant stay.

Single rooms start at 9,135 yen/night ($90) includes: dorm-sized hotel room with your basic hotel amenities (twin bed, desk, chair, TV, closet, phone, private bathroom/shower, room cleaning), internet modems are available and there’s wireless access in the lobby. Access to public bath/shower/spa/sauna (men only).

CONRAD HOTEL TOKYO
1-9-1 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-7337
Phone: 03/6388-8000
Housed in the Shiodome Building, this 222 room hotel houses four restaurants, 2 Gordon Ramsay, China Blue, Kazahana for Japanese fare, and a swanky bar and lounge called TwentyEight. Accents of dark oak with space age style. Japanese lighting with blue and green hues, motorized blinds, dual sinks, rain shower heads, an indoor pool, and plasma screen TV’s, bring modern East meets West flair.

www.tokyo.conradmeetings.com

MANDARIN ORIENTAL - TOKYO
What many consider the ‘tops’ when it comes to swanky digs and superb service, the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo has floor to ceiling windows and views overlooking the Imperial Palace garden to the West and Tokyo Bay to the Southeast. The opulent hotel’s location has direct subway access via Mitsukoshi-mae Station on the Ginza line to all major points of the city. Tokyo Station, the world-renowned Ginza shopping district, and the Tokyo Stock Exchange are all within 5-10 minutes walking distance. Creating a distinctive ‘Sense of place’ is a core guiding principle of the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, located in Nihonbashi, the centre of the city formerly known as Edo. Japanese designer Reiko Sudo utilized the idea of‘ Woods and Water’ to form the underlying design construct.

www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL TOKYO AT MARUNOUCHI
1-11-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku
Phone. 800/332-3442
Japan: 03/5222-7222
Next to Tokyo Station, this property is intimate and convenience at it’s best, providing a small enclave away from the Tokyo madness.

www.fourseasons.com/marunouchi

IMPERIAL HOTEL
1-1, Uchisaiwai-cho 1-chome
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8558
Reservations: 81-3-3504-1251
This hotel came in at #22 out of the 50 Asian Hotels in T+L’s latest World’s Best Awards. T+L tends to play it safe, but here’s what you’ll find here. Over 12 different places to dine, all French, Japanese, and Chinese. So, if you want to spend $400/night on a conventional-looking, yet modern with conveniences room, this is a good spot.

From around $422/night - 45,150 yen

www.imperialhotel.co.jp

HOTEL NEW OTANI
4-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyuda-ku, Tokyo (see website for map/access)
Phone: 81-3-3265-1111

Snazzy, Luxurious, upscale digs, it has a stunning 400-year-old Japanese garden that once belonged to a feudal lord on 10 acres with waterfalls, ponds, latticed bridges, and bamboo groves. Everything is brand new and it’s a beautiful hotel in a great area. Way out of my league as I haven’t actually stayed here, but I had friends visiting who did and they loved it. When the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s came to Japan for the 2008 MLB season opener, this is where they stayed – big league baby!

Rates start at $360 - 36,005 yen

www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/index.html

HOTEL SOFITEL
2-1-48 Ikenohata in Ueno
Tel. 800/221-4542
Japan: 03/5685-7111

This might be Tokyo's most unique-looking hotel built to look like five trapezoids stacked on top of each other. A boutique hotel with only four rooms on each floor it’s a secret stunner with views of Shinobazu Pond. Not in the most happening area, but decent and reasonably priced for a night or two.

HOTEL OKURA
2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku
Tel. 800/223-6800
Japan: 03/3582-0111
www.okura.com/tokyo

A classic, this hotel has refined atmosphere with rooms overlooking a small garden. Located across from the U.S. embassy, it’s always attracted U.S. dignitaries and celebrities, including the Henry Kissinger, Rolling Stones, and David Bowie.
www.okura.com/tokyo

PARK HOTEL TOKYO
Shiodome Media Tower
1-7-1 Higashi-Shimbashi
Minatoku
Tokyo 105-7227
Japan
Some of the best rooms in town. Sleek, chic, a member of Design Hotels, they even have a salon that uses more than 30 different varieties of 100% natural essential oils from Florame, a French company known as an expert in organic essential oils. They also offer something really unique. Constance Spry, a flower school that also serves the royal family. Responsible for national ceremonies, it’s the English authority with the longest history in flower arrangement. Ginza shopping district can be reached within 10 minutes walk and rooms are decorated with Moniques Le Houelleur’s natural artwork and features color coordinated curtains and bedcovers. Bathroom amenities include the THANN Aromatic Wood collection.

Rates from $161-$420/night

www.parkhoteltokyo.com

PARK HYATT TOKYO
3-7-1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S.
Japan: 03/5322-1234
Made famous by Lost in Translation celebrity, it’s one of the most stunning hotels in Japan. Rooms are large, views are incredible and food is known as being among the best in Japan. Not to be missed: the 66-ft. indoor pool on the 47th floor with views of Tokyo.

www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com

RYOKAN SHIGETSU
1-31-11 Asakusa
Tel. 03/3843-2345
Considered a modern, Japanese style Inn, Ryokan Shigetsu is in a great location in historic Asakusa, it’s right next to the famous Sensoji Temple. Moderately priced, old world meets new world with natural woods and artwork. Japanese inns often have you sleeping on a futon, but if you don’t want to do that, stay in one of Shigetsu's Western-style rooms. Frommer’s says not to pass up the public bath with views of the five-story pagoda.

FUJIYA HOTEL IN HAKONE
Tel. 0460/2-2211
Outside of Tokyo, this spot is great for a romantic getaway and considered one of Japan’s ‘most majestic’ properties. Established in 1878, it’s Japanese and Western architecture and romance at it’s best with a landscaped garden for moonlit walks.

Things to keep in mind when looking for a hotel:
Many hotels in Japan (especially the more traditional ones) have curfews and lock the front doors at a certain time each night. If you’re like me and are more inclined to grip-it and rip-it, finding a cheap place to sleep on the fly isn’t very difficult in the bigger cities (Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka), but if you end up in smaller cities and towns along the way don’t be surprised if you end up paying about 6,000yen/night ($60).

AKASAKA PRINCE HOTEL
Designed by Kenzo Tange, this 700 room plus hotel also features an impressive 13 restaurants. Only in Japan.

1-2, Kioi-cho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8585
Phone: 81-3-3234-1111
www.princejapan.com


As you can see, Tokyo is chock-full of hotels so, if you don't see anything you like above, here is a great Japanese website with plenty of photos, along with another list of hotels that may also be up your alley.

www.japanguidebook.com





More Recommended Hotels:
Shinagawa Prince Hotel 

Royal Park Shiodome Hotel 

Shiba Park Hotel 

Dai Ichi Inn Ikebukuro 

Shinjuku Prince Hotel 

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel 


Stay tuned for next week where we'll uncover what to see and where to shop in Tokyo!