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Q: What is it? A: A rustic and friendly outpost of great Norwegian service (yes, you did read that sentence correctly!) and a homey atmosphere, albeit with rooms on the smaller side.

The Fangstmannshotellet is located in the very heart of the not so densely planned Longyearbyen – or The Basecamp Explorer Trapper Hotel if you click on the English flag.

A regular room at the Basecamp Explorer, I suppose. Cozy, but not exactly a huge space. In fact, there’s room for three, if you are brave enough to use ladder to the loft.

Dear valued guests, please sleep over there… Yes, in that crammed little corner space. Absolutely, those are your beds, that’s correct.

Behind the door in the previous picture: The bathroom of room #10. With photo wallpapers and all. And when you got the hang of it: Hot water.

The Fangstmannshotellet is playing on their trapper image. Here’s the breakfast room (sometimes doubling as dining room). The white thing on the wall is not a velvet poster.

These tiny pieces of meat once belonged to a swimming mammal. It’s whale. Smoked mink whale. And I hate myself for writing this, but… it WAS delicious.

I arrived with an opinion. Shame on me.
Perhaps I should clarify, I didn’t arrive with an opinion about the hotel, but about Norwegian hospitality. Our friends and neighbors have had at least 25 years to impress me, but failed miserably. But on arrival to this hotel I instantly felt genuinely welcome! Yes… in Norway! If the Basecamp Explorer is a sign of the days to come – it’s a good sign. However, you won’t find the Basecamp Trapper’s Hotel on the Norwegian mainland. It’s situated right at the heart of Longyearbyen, north of the 78th parallel but it’s still managed and manned by Norwegians.

Sleeping like a log surrounded by… logs.
”…decorated in traditional trapper’s style” they say on their website. Very true, it’s more rustic than most. One guide also told me that the founder of this hotel ”borrowed” a lot of wood from the former mining settlement in Coles Bay. It might just be true. Much of the lodge seems to be constructed by real driftwood. It could look Disney-ish, but it doesn’t.
Rooms are nice (and of course rustic) not very spacious. The relative lack of space is OK. Worse is that they don’t offer you a lot of opportunities to store your stuff. Clothes will be piling up if you don’t maintain an almost military discipline. Room for improvement, dear Basecamp!

Saves the morning: Waffles!
Breakfast is what separates a good hotel from a great hotel and at the Basecamp Explorer they know how to pull it off. The expected selection of bread, cereal and juice is there along with various kinds of ham, cheese and even herring. Omelette or scrambled eggs? Fo’sho. And… Tadaa! Waffles! You will have to work the waffle iron yourself, but I don’t see it as a disadvantage. The breakfast may get a little crowded despite the relatively small size of the hotel, so sound the reveille early.
The restaurant Kroa shares the building with the hotel. You’ll get there through a convenient connecting door. The staff is very friendly and you’ll be able to feast on smoked mink whale (see above) and shellfish soup before attacking the catch of the day.

No television in the rooms?
This is not the place for those of you who’d like to follow Snooki’s adventures on the Jersey Shore but WiFi is free (waaay better than television, if you ask me). Also, there are no minibar in the room but free coffee and cookies in the lobby. As long as you adapt to the Longyearbyen tradition of taking of your shoes off, leaving them in the reception, you will feel very much at home at the Fangstmannshotellet. Most good vibes at this hotel can be traced back to its most valuable asset: The staff. A very special thanks goes to Marthe, who could definitely teach the folks at the nearby Radisson hotel a thing or two. She and her team showed that there’s hope for Norwegian hospitality. Yes, yes y’all and you don’t stop. Y’all definitely proved that.

For the record: Hunting whales is a highly primitive and irresponsible act and should be banned permanently.

Basecamp Spitsbergen
P.O.Box 316
9171 Longyearbyen
Norway

+47-7902-4600

Q: What is it? A: Modern. Streamlined. Luxurious. One of Bangkok’s very finest. But no matter how streamlined it is, I can’t but think that it’s lacking a little bit of… heart and soul.

The Peninsula at night. It measures 495 ft or 151 meters in height and has a nifty little heli-pad on the rooftop.

View from a room: The river. The State Tower with its golden dome. The Shangri-La Hotel. Could be much worse.

Spacious. Extremely well thought out. And a bed made to almost military perfection.

The sleeping area shot from a different angle. Prior to taking this pic, I picked up a dead cockroach from the floor. The insect proved me with some kind of relief: A sign of life!

It’s actually way, way larger than it looks in this picture: My bathroom. It had everything. Tub. Shower. WC behind frosted glass. Plus; every amenity you could ever think of.

It’s not that common for me to take pictures of closets in hotel rooms. The Peninsula Hotel was a notable exception. It was also a very large closet.

Outdoor dining? Fo’sho! The Thiptara restaurant. Its greatest advantage: It doesn’t at all feel like you’re dining in a huge metropolis. The food is much better than OK as well.

Let’s start with some fair and balanced reporting here…
Several times while writing this, I’ve asked myself: How grumpy should I get? How can I not just appreciate perfection? If this was an objective review, the Peninsula should get a higher rating. It really should. I’ve rarely stayed at a place where everything has been so incredibly well thought-out. Every little detail in every room is designed, fitted and positioned for your convenience. That’s good. All rooms come with a river view. That’s good. A little connector for a pair of headphones is placed just behind the couch, should you feel like watching TV while your roommate wants to sleep. That’s good. And so the list goes on…

Even the location is close to perfect.
The view from my room on the 18th floor is a killer. I also have a small balcony. The pool area is incredibly wet and offers several options for you to plunge into. The bar near the water is exactly where I should put a bar, had I been the architect. The Thiptara restaurant is way better than most (TripAdvisor-ranking: # 88 out of 5,350 restaurants in Bangkok). The hotel is racking up good things and still I am only giving it three lousy stars!?
I’m trying to find imperfection. I don’t find it until I’m searching for an outlet to charge my laptop. By accident I open a panel marked ‘fax’ by the writing desk in my room. There’s the fax. There are a number of outlets and there’s also… a tiny cockroach. Dead. But it’s most definitely there. Instead of disgust, I feel somewhat relieved. Almost a sign of life. A pity it had to end through the effects of a strong insecticide.

It’s problem: Being too well thought-out and aiming to be too… perfect.
I’m trying to put my finger on it, but… this hotel is like a German manufacturer of house appliances. It opened its doors in 1998 but it still looks shiny brand new. Don’t get me wrong, I choose a squeaky-clean over a dirty one every day, but I tend to avoid perfection that is approaching the antiseptic. The Peninsula works so hard on achieving perfection, that members of the staff lose their warmth. They’re on duty. Perfectly drilled but… no, I am not buying into the concept completely.
On arrival a jazz band were playing in the lobby. They weren’t that good but they, along with the cockroach, proved to be some necessary dents in the Peninsula perfect paintwork. It’s still a very good hotel, rated # 4 out of 718 Bangkok hotels. It’s just happens to be not entirely my kind of Bangkok hotel.

The Peninsula Bangkok
‪333 Charoennakorn Road
Klongsan, Bangkok 10600
Thailand‬

+662-861-2888

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Tags: "Chao Phraya", Bangkok, exclusive, helipad, luxury, modern, pool, riverside, skyscraper, Thailand

Q: What is it? A: A truly classic Asian hotel on the east side of Chao Phraya river. Sleeping quarter for folks like Graham Greene, Joseph Conrad, yours truly and Bryan Ferry.

Not collecting any awards for exterior design. Behind the trees to the right, there’s the tiny original building from 1876 combined with what looks like a hospital from circa 1974.

In this photo it resembles a pimped up airport terminal but you will feel nothing but welcome when entering the spacious lobby at the Mandarin Oriental. No stuffiness here!

Here we are in room #912, a west-facing corner suite, meaning that it’s slightly larger, slightly more fancy with a very, ahem… multi-colored carpet, like someone tore up a bag of Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts.

Feel the flow! Just let the words come to ya! An inspiration for any writer; brownish water, commuter boats and an occasional piece of junk floating by every now and then.

Big is sometimes beautiful and the folks at the Mandarin Oriental knows: Big bathroom is beautiful bathroom where the shower shares the same compartment as the WC, (no worries, they are divided by a glass wall).

Are you too suffering from CESB, compulsive excessive sandwich behaviour? When the going gets tough, you will still have eight different types of marmalade to choose from…

All hail the chefs! There are at least half a dozen of them delivering anything from omelette at 7 AM to teppanyaki at 11 PM on the Riverside Terrace at the Mandarin Oriental.

The Authors’ Lounge, named after all the authors who have stayed here since 1876. So, anyone fancy a nice cup of tea?

This hotel was my first glimpse of Thailand.
A gentle driver in a long white coat, sporting a matching uniform cap the size of a family pizza, sliding the door open to his Toyota Ventury Majesty, offering bottles of chilled hotel branded mineral water to tired travelers. Twenty-five minutes later, I’m in the lobby of one of the most friendly places on earth. An hour later I’ve crossed the river. I’m in the Mandarin Oriental spa, getting an outstanding massage. Life could definitely be worse.

Anyone for breakfast?
Behind the counter of the Riverside Terrace the soccer team-strong band of chefs will cook you anything from pancakes to miso soup. The selection is rather impressive: Eight different types of marmalade. Fifteen or so different kinds of juices. A seemingly endless selection of cereal and then there’s the bread… They even offer you cold or iced chocolate (with ice cubes), iced tea and smoothies and frosties made to order. Make no mistake, among hotel breakfasts this hotel breakfast is in the elite hotel breakfast league.

There are numerous hotels in the neighborhood. Why is this different?
The original building, making it Thailand’s oldest hotel, is now called the Authors’ Wing. A few large suites are still there, but you are more likely to enter that part of the hotel for afternoon high tea, a private event or a very expensive handbag. Their more recent wings look a little bit like a Swedish hospital, circa 1974.
Their reason-to-be is their impressive 1,300 staff catering to 396 rooms. No, that’s not a typo. You’re loking at the highest staff to guest ratio in the industry. Most work there for 16 years on average and they do know service. The fact that out little group is arriving just minutes after sunrise isn’t turned into a problem. They don’t even mention their actual check-in time. They just make us all feel very, very welcome.

Who is it for?
I’d say the Mandarin Oriental is for everyone. Despite its high rankings and its touch of money, fame and royalty it doesn’t feel like a discriminating place. There’s room for disappointment if you enjoy very modernist spaces. You will not be taken away by the interior design (rooms are fine without being overly traditional, but you will remember the view from the balcony, rather than any special details).
Breakfast aside, what will make you fall in love with the Mandarin Oriental, is the charming staff. The lady, probably in her late 50s, who was our butler on the ninth floor, remembered names and never stopped smiling. I honestly, seriously believe those smiles came from the inner regions of her heart.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
48 Oriental Ave,
Bangkok 10500, Thailand ‬(Bang Rak)

+662-659-9000

Click here to book the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok through TabletHotels.com!

Tags: "afternoon tea", "amazing breakfast", "amazing service", "Authors' Lounge", "Chao Phraya", "Mandarin Oriental", Bangkok, classic, five-star, luxury, river, riverside, service, Thailand, top-class

Q: What is it? A: Probably the best choice in Stockholm if you’re looking for an izakaya-meal, minus the heavy drinking. Very, very good Japanese food. Very kind to your wallet.

Shake no saikyouyaki – 鮭の西京焼 – my favorite at the Blue Light Yokohama – salmon marinated in sweet miso soup and sake, sweet and salty at the same time.

A restaurant’s relationship with their miso soup is a sign of their culinary ambitions… Often miso in Stockholm means dirty sea-water. At BLY, it means perfection.

A pre-tatsuta warm-up. Left: Shrimps on glass noodles. Right: A slice of mackerel + an abused piece of shrimp on vegetables.

Chicken tatsuta – チキン竜田揚げ – chicken, sprinkled with Japanese katakuro-ko (potato starch) before being deep-fried. This is the item on their menu that was most often getting ”I want more of that”-orders last year. And it’s certainly addictive.

The chef’s salmon variations. From left to right: Nigiri Svennebanan-style (don’t ask), sushi gunkan style with ikura (salmon roe that has been cured in soy sauce), a shake roll with (again) ikura, and a nigiri with grilled salmon. High quality but no surprises.

Fourteen little pieces. Selected by your chef. Fourteen quite little pieces that tasted fine, I should say. Just say 松 and enjoy!

Yakiniku in a small pan with some crispy salad, bulgogi-style. Simple! Super!

This sorbet is up there with the best of them, (and I consider myself an expert). Yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit provides the taste. Correct, this is very, very, very fresh!

Don’t get fooled by the nondescript exterior of Blue Light Yokohama, located on Åsögatan 170 in the Södermalm area. I’m lucky enough to live a mere three blocks away.

Since the early 90s, we’ve been hugging our little styrofoam trays…
Sweden, a tiny country at the end of the road. We, the folks inhabiting this itsy-bitsy nation always wanted to belong to the global village. In the early 90s, these ambitions was marked by raw pieces of fish on little chunks of rice.
Twenty years later, sushi has the status of pizza; a food commodity. Should you have it in Stockholm, brace yourself for mediocre food at a high price-tag. There has been very few serious attempts to claim the title ‘the best Japanese food in Stockholm’. But since mid-2011, we might have a contender.

Now, the Izakaya has arrived.
Sushi has been bad, but those of us who wanted a warm Japanese dish, haven’t been lucky either. We’ve been forced to order low quality meat, soaked in soy. For us, the arrival of Blue Light Yokohama to the Södermalm borough was a sign that The Dark Era of the Yakiniku was finally over.
After miso, I start every meal here with the Shake no saikyouyaki. This dish sends you and your palate on a mildly sweet and salty journey, enjoying a piece of salmon that ended its days being marinated in sweet miso soup and sake. I have had about a dozen of these (I live only a few blocks away from this restaurant) and so far, the texture has been perfect each time. A sensation. Trust me on that one.

That chicken didn’t die in vain.
The most ordered (and back-ordered) item on the menu is the Chicken tatsuta. These little birds were sprinkled with Japanese katakuro-ko (potato starch) before being deep-fried. Watch it! The meat is always hotter beneath the delicious little crust. It is also irresistible.
And then, there’s the abused dish that we mentioned earlier: The Yakiniku. The BLY-version is remarkably simple. Sliced entrecôte served in a small pan with some crispy salad, bulgogi-style. The secret is, of course, in the sauce, where the sweetness is carefully balanced by sake, mirin, sugar and garlic (I’m determined to get their recipe, or purchase buckets of the stuff). The meat is being gently hugged and caressed by this sauce and you will be too.

And now, back to raw fish:
Type ‘sushi’ in the Stockholm yellow pages and you’ll get 238 hits. Very few of these places have any culinary ambitions (if any at all). It should be noted that at Blue Light Yokohama you’ll find very good sushi. Not excellent sushi. Not anywhere near the dazzling performance art of Råkultur. But expect very good sushi served with respect for both ingredients and traditions. Refreshing in this city.
Speaking about serving… if there is any area where Blue Light Yokohama leaves room for improvement, it’s service. It’s often friendly but never flawless. Items continue to be forgotten, presentations are rudimental or even poor, which is a huge disadvantage as the restaurant prides itself of serving food that is ”Healthy, weird and tasty!”
And those who know me, will now be able to read between lines. Blue Light Yokohama gets four stars, despite these flaws. That, if anything, says something about how good their kitchen is.

Bonus: It should be noted that a meal here will not force you to sell your children or even your puppy dog. The value for money is nothing but excellent.

Weekdays lunch: 11.30 – 14.00
Weekdays dinner: 17.00 – 22.00
Saturdays and Sundays 12.00 – 22.00
Closed on Mondays.

Blue Light Yokohama
Åsögatan 170
116 32 Stockholm
Sweden

+46-8-644 68 00 (currently the only way to book a table)

Tags: authentic, award-winning, Åsögatan, Izakaya, japanese, Södermalm, SoFo, Stockholm, sushi, value for money

Q: What is it? A: Constantly top rated. Beautiful building in the heart of Riga’s Old Town, but surprisingly non descript rooms. Also, some staff members should change careers to… ticket handlers.

Hotel Neiburgs from the outside. The Art Nouveau building was constructed in 1903 from the designs of the well-known Baltic German architect Wilhelm Bockslaff.

Lower floor: The surprisingly dull living room. Someone was hired to furnish a lot of space and didn’t really know what to do it. Kitchenette at one end. TV in the other.

A little WC next near the entrance of the rather spacious 2-Storey Suite. There’s also one on the top floor so that you won’t have to stumble down the stairs if nature calls…

Upper floor: Not too airy but it comes with its own air conditioning. From the foot-end of the very comfy bed, the room extends to the reading corner pictured below.

Upper floor: Instead of sealing off this part of the room, someone installed a roof window. Now it’s a reading space that on a hot day doubles as sauna.

Report from the upper floor: The ‘real’ bathroom of the 2-Storey Suite. Comes with a tub.

A little library. Complete with an Archimoon Soft floor lamp (designed by Philippe Starck in 1998) and, what is that? Are those two Ingo Maurer half-domes?

Hotel management must have done their internet homework.
When this is written, this hotel is listed on TripAdvisor as #2 in the Latvian capital. The hotel prides itself to be a ”Brand new 55-suite luxury hotel in the heart of Old Riga” as well as boasting ”friendly and hospitable service”. Behold, hotel management! It may have been one of the least enthusiastic greetings from front desk I’ve experienced in a decade. Wooosh! Star gone. I’m sent to my room with a key. ”Thanks”. Nobody cared to explain how the climate control worked. ”Thanks”. No attempts to assist with the luggage. ”Thanks”. Not even a ”Have a nice stay with us!” To be greeted is not a luxury. It’s common sense for anybody who rent out rooms per night.

The room is not a room but a suite and it’s quite ginormous.
First of all; this stunt had been impossible to pull off in, say New York or Amsterdam. This is a 90 square meter, two-storey suite at the price of a tiny bunk room in London. But it’s safe to say that they let quantity rule over quality. No exposed wooden beams can compensate for the dull-Scandinavian-business-to-business-advertising-agency-circa-2003-feel. The upper floor is cozier with a super-comfy bed and wall-to-wall carpets. However, I’m still puzzled by the reading corner at the end of the attic, (see picture above). In the summer it’s a solar-heated area where pineapple and mango would grow nicely. All in all, design is not what will attract the masses to this hotel.

At breakfast, this hotel rises from the ashes:
A nice and generous buffet! Attentive and friendly staff! A pleasantly designed space! Hadn’t it been for the loud-mouthed Russians across the restaurant, I might even have enjoyed eating there. Those folks made the phone an unnecessary invention, shouting at each other (and in their phones), just like teenage boys do. Cute. In all fairness, no hotel could insure themselves against loud guests, but every hotel manager could ask them to kindly shut their gobs. I would have intervened immediately as tattoos and ugly Dolce Gabbana jeans don’t scare me.
Some say that ”with a few more hotels of this caliber, Riga could be next in line for ‘next Prague’ status”. I don’t think so. Not yet. And if front desk at Hotel Neiburgs is a sign of the times, there may be another decade until smiles come automatically.

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And while we’re at it: Dolce Gabbana jeans. Russians seem to have a choice between a) stone-washed/almost-torn-to-pieces or b) ‘funky’ with four zippers on each leg. How could the denim market be so different? Could somebody please explain?

Hotel Neiburgs
Jauniela 25/27
LV 1050 Riga
Latvia

+371-6-7115522

Click here to book the Hotel Neiburgs through TabletHotels.com!

Tags: "Art Nouveau", Baltic, Bockslaff, cheap, historical, Old Town, renovated, Riga, suite