Park Hyatt Milan

The Park Hyatt Milan is centrally located, on the outskirts of the GalleriaVittorio Emanuele II, full of upscale shops, and the Piazza Duomo and the Duomo Cathedral.

Upon entering the hotel, the front desk is located to the left.

Park Deluxe King

Check-in was quick and all Hyatt Diamond benefits were clearly explained.  I was upgraded to a Park Deluxe King room on the fifth floor.  I was given one of the few rooms with a slight view of the Galleria Vittorio II.  The front desk agent escorted us to the room and explained all features of the room.

Welcome Amenity

Prosecco

A welcome amenity of some petit fours, a bottle of Proseco and two bottles of water were waiting in the room.

Hallway

Upon entering the room, there is a small hallway to the left which opens up to the rest of the room.

View to Room

There is a small shelf/cabinet in which to place your keys if so desired.

Bathrrom

The bathroom is to the left which is very large.

Shower & Tub

There is a separate tub and glass encased shower.

Sink & Amenities

There is only a single sink, however there is ample counter space.

Laura Tonnato

There are Laura Tonatto branded bath amenities.

Toilet & Bidet

The bathroom also features a toilet and bidet.

Open Closet

The closet is located in the bathroom with ample space to hang your clothes and to store your luggage.

Desk/TV

The bedroom itself is on the smaller side and feels somewhat cramped, as there is a large desk which features an illy coffee maker.

Sitting Area

There is a sitting area which features a small sofa, chair and table.

Bed

The bed is on the firm side, but still comfortable.  There are nightstands on each side of the bed which also have outlets which are very convenient and much appreciated.

Turndown Treat

If getting turndown service, several bottles of water along with a "treat" is left by the bed, along with refreshing the room.

Breakfast for Diamond members is served in La Cupola.  There is a small, but high quality buffet with meats, cheeses, fruit, pastries, bread, cereal, yogurt and the ability to order an entrée off of the menu.

The main feature of La Cupola is a glass dome over the main portion of the dining room.

Service at the Park Hyatt Milan is friendly and professional, but somewhat stuffy.  All employees are cordial but not overly engaging.

Given it’s central location I would not hesitate to stay here again.  I redeemed 22,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points per night, as rates were nearly $900 per night during my stay.  If planning on staying at this property in the future using points, make sure and book your room now before it goes up to 30,000 points per night on January 7, 2014.

Kempinski Hotel Munich Airport

Airport Atrium

The Kempinski Hotel Munich Airport is conveniently located within the airport between terminals 1 and 2.

Hotel Sign

Although I’m generally not a fan of airport hotels with a 6:00 AM departing flight, this seemed to be the best option.  I booked the room through PointsHound and picked up an extra 600 miles which is always a welcome bonus.

Elevator to Hotel

Once you make your way to the hotel, you will need to take the elevator up to get into the hotel.

Hotel Atrium

Hotel Elevator

Hotel Lobby

Restaurant

The lobby has an open atrium with the restaurant near the front desk.  The walls of the hotel are all glass to allow great views of the airport.

After exiting the elevator, the front desk is to the right.  Check-in was quick and efficient.

Bathroom

Shower/Tub combo

Toilet

Bath Amenities

Upon entering the room, the bathroom is to the left.  The bathroom is fairly spacious with a shower/tub combo and Kempinski branded bath amenities.

To the right of the entrance is a small area where you can store your luggage or bags.

Bedroom

Bed

The bed is very comfortable and comes complete with plush linens.

Desk

There is a small desk which is functional.

Sitting Area

There is also a sitting area with two chairs.

Wi-fi is achingly slow to the point where it was nearly impossible just to check your email.  After explaining this to the front desk upon check-out the amount I did pay for wi-fi was refunded.

Although not the luxury hotel that Kempinski is known for, this is a great option if arriving very late or departing very early as it takes at least 25 minutes to get into the city from the airport.

Steirereck Restaurant - Vienna, Austria

SteirereckRestaurant, located in Stadtparkin Vienna Austria has been named the #9restaurant in the world for 2013, and holds 2 Michelin Stars.

Conveniently located across the street from the Intercontinental Hotel, and minutes away from the Ritz Carlton Vienna stands this culinary landmark, which has been in the Top 100 for the last several years.

Ceiling

The ceiling of the restaurant looks like a more elegant version of the Bellagio lobby doneby Dale Chihuly.

Like most fine dining establishments, dinner is theater and the experience will likely last several hours.

Hot Towel

Service begins with a hot towel.

Bread Sticks

Next comes some paper thin breadsticks.

Amuse Bouche

An amuse bouche of figs with candied lemon peel and basil started off the night.  This dish was surprisingly not too sweet, being offset by the basil.

Amuse Bouche

A second amuse bouche was served, however I forgot to write down what it was.  I don’t recall this dish being spectacular in any way.

Next, the bread cart arrived with nearly 20 different types of bread to choose from.  With the vast variety there is something for everyone.

Mountain Trout

Mountain Trout

The Mountain Trout with Melon, Cucumber and Etiolated Pea Shoots was a good way to start off the meal.  The trout is firm and subtle in flavor, enhanced by the sweetness of the melon and pea shoots.  The cucumber helped to add some floral notes to the dish.

Venison

Venison

The Marinated Venison with Funnel Chanterelles, Wild Brokkoli and Black Walnuts is an absolute winner.  The venison has just a hint of gaminess which is accentuated by the earthiness of the mushrooms and brown butter.

Barbecued Sturgeon

Barbecued Sturgeon

The Barbecued Sturgeon with Kohlrabi, Quinoa and Elderberry was just an okay dish.  The sturgeon was firm and meaty, but the sauce was a little too sweet for my taste.  The dish just didn’t seem to come together for my palate.

Veal Sweetbreads

Veal Sweetbreads

The Cauliflower with Salted Plums, Romaine Lettuce and Veal Sweetbreads was another dish wasn’t coherent.  The sweetbreads were somewhat firm on the outside but tender in the middle.  The cauliflower and lettuce added some earthy tones, while the plums added some acidity.

Mallard

Mallard

The Mallard with Salsify, Red Cabbage and Chestnuts was another outstanding dish.  Although wild, the mallard did not have a strong taste.  The dish was a little overpowered in sweetness by the Isabella grape jus.

Apple Dessert

Apple Dessert

The Apple with Amaranth, Pine Needle and Mushroom Herb was a very surprising dish.  The apple was perfectly poached, tender yet still firm.  The amaranth, which had the appearance of a piece of bark, was ice cold and refreshing.  The contrast in temperature along with texture due to the apple tuile and amaranth crumble made this a light way to end the meal.

Urinal

No trip to Steirereck is complete without a trip to the bathroom to check-out their futuristic bathroom.  The urinal looks like a space pod that begins to flush as soon as you step onto the floor mat.

Communal Sink

Men's Bathroom

The sink, soap dispenser and trash can looks like a drum set from the future.  The soap dispenser is in the upper left.  Upon sticking your hand into the opening liquid soap will be dispensed.  Placing your hands within the interior of the yellow sink sends jets of water from all directions to rinse your hands.  The orange bongo drum is there for you to dispense your used towels.

I am glad to have eaten at Steirereck, but not sure if I would come back.  Service was superb at times, very lackluster at others.  At one point, the employee working the bead cart was acting as busboy and server to some tables.

There is a service charge to eat here which is not disclosed.  Although it is only €6 per person, this is not disclosed anywhere and seems very out of place in a fine dining establishment.

Food for the most part was very good to great, but some dishes really seemed to miss the mark.  Many people have complained about the cost of the restaurant.  At dinner, the 6 course tasting menu is €125, while the 7 course menu is €135 without the wine pairing, which I feel is very reasonable considering the cost of Vienna as a whole and that this is a 2 star Michelin restaurant.

I do like the fact that they present you with descriptions of each dish before presenting them so you know what you are eating, or can reflect back at a later time.