By Martha Rhodes, Covington Business Travel Advisor

Last month I had the privilege of traveling to Seoul, South Korea and Hong Kong on an educational familiarization trip hosted by Korean Airlines and Shangri-La Hotels. While this kind of opportunity is often seen as a perk of my profession, gaining first-hand destination knowledge, inspecting hotels and making personal connections with travel suppliers is also a responsibility of being a professional travel advisor. This type of continuing education allows us to provide Covington travelers with insider tips and exclusive benefits that can only be gained through personal experience and networking. In that vein, I’d like to share what I learned about Seoul and Hong Kong.

Getting to Seoul and Hong Kong was a treat in Korean Air Business Class

Our group flew non-stop from Washington Dulles to Seoul on Korean Air. To my delight, the 777-300ER aircraft had just been refitted with Korean Air’s new Business Class Prestige Suites. The seating is staggered so every pod has aisle access. Very comfortable lie-flat beds are a dream and a small shelf and pocket storage keeps personal items handy during flight. The in-flight entertainment has a decent selection of movies, TV shows and music; the flight attendants are very attentive and the menu offers a nice variety.

The First Class pods are slightly wider than business class, although the actual seat appeared to be the same width. They have a larger screen, more shelf and pocket space and arm rests. Coach class seats are configured 3-4-3, but didn’t appear to be overly cramped.

Our return flight was on the same type of aircraft, but it had not yet been refitted. In this 2-3-2 Business Class configuration you have to step over your seatmate to get out if you’re in the middle or window, but the seats still convert to comfortable lie-flat beds. Martha’s tip: The lie-flat beds of Business Class are definitely the way to go for long flights so you arrive refreshed and ready to do business.

The Korean Air Lounge in Seoul has a large Business Class Lounge with showers and bathrooms, although it is not as fancy as some others I’ve visited. Two large rooms offer drinks and food, as well as rows of seating overlooking the runway. The Korean Air Lounge in Hong Kong is quite small. They offer a selection of snacks and drinks, but there are no restroom facilities inside the lounge. You have to exit to the main terminal if nature calls.

Seoul, South Korea

We stayed in the Grand Hyatt Incheon, a 5-star property that is just a five-minute shuttle ride from the airport and about an hour’s drive into Seoul. Martha’s tip: Korean Air offers a free night’s stay at the Grand Hyatt Incheon for First and Business Class travelers who have a connection time of nine hours or longer.

The hotel has two wings: The original East Wing that is in a traditional style and houses a casino. The new and very sleek West Wing, attached by skywalk, is where in-transit passengers stay. The rooms are very roomy and modern, with soundproofed floor to ceiling windows and large bathrooms. The hotel has a nice health club with an indoor pool so you don’t have to disrupt your exercise regimen while you travel. We had dinner and breakfast in their West Wing restaurant where plenty of attractive food choices are served buffet style.

We enjoyed a visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace in the heart of Seoul. It is a city within the city and a great place to get a feel for how Korean royalty lived. Martha’s tip: Seeing Gyeongbokgung Palace only takes about an hour, so it’s an excellent excursion for those with limited leisure time. Next we thoroughly enjoyed a 10-course lunch – yes, really 10 courses – of Chinese and Korean deliciousness. And what trip anywhere would be complete without a little shopping time?

The streets of Seoul are horrendously congested and the general air in the city is hectic. Seoul’s subway system is the best option for getting around on your own, especially since stops and maps are clearly marked in English. Martha’s tip: If you take a cab, don’t bother showing the driver an address, because no one but postal workers and delivery people will recognize it. Give him the name of a nearby landmark or building instead.

Hong Kong, China

Next we flew with Korean Air to Hong Kong and checked into the beautiful, 5-star Island Shangri-La for two nights. It’s located in a skyscraper in the financial district on Hong Kong Island, directly above the subway and a 200-store shopping mall. The Hong Kong Park, the Peak Tram terminal and star ferry are all within walking distance. The rooms were very big with huge bathrooms and floor to ceiling windows. My room on the 47th floor had an incredible panoramic view of Victoria Harbor.

The Island Shangri-La staff is friendly and attentive. The eighth floor has workout facility and spa, along with a very nice outdoor pool and a small restaurant with outdoor seating. Eight other restaurants offer a variety of dining options.

Our last hotel stay was at the Kowloon Shangri-La for one night. It’s a beautiful 5-star hotel located on Kowloon Peninsula almost directly across Victoria Harbor from the Island Shangri-La. The location is good for both business and vacation travelers – a vibrant area near shopping and restaurants, with a pleasant harbor walk across the street.

The top three floors of the 11-story hotel are dedicated to the Horizon Club where guests enjoy a private check-in, lounge and restaurant. The rooms are really big with large bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows, a bit more modern than the Island Shangri-La. Again, I had a spectacular harbor view! The hotel has four restaurants, a very small fitness center with workout pool and Jacuzzi. Spa treatments are offered.

In addition to Shangri-La hotel inspections, we did some sightseeing. The Jade Market was a fun place to haggle for souvenirs and small gifts. Marth’s tip: Fine quality jade is very expensive and only in upscale galleries and boutiques, not at the Jade Market.

We also visited the Sam Tung Uk Museum, a 200 year old walled, rural agricultural village that was restored to be a museum, and had lunch on the internationally known Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant, a must-see for visitors.

The 8-minute ride on the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak is also top attraction for the spectacular view overlooking the harbor and city. At the top, the Peak Tower houses restaurants, shopping and entertainment venues, as well as a 360° viewing platform.

We toured the small winding streets of Soho, a chic, multicultural neighborhood full of funky boutiques, antique stores, fish markets, swanky bars, and trendy restaurants. There the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system carries people a half mile (800 meters) up the steep hillside on the Central – Mid-level Elevator.

I also indulged in a quintessential Hong Kong experience – I had a custom-made dress designed. Our tour guide took me to a tailor where I chose my fabric and he sketched a design. He took my measurements and got to work. The next day I returned for a fitting. The tailor will finish the dress and mail my one-of-a-kind, custom garment to my home!

Martha’s tip: It was easy to communicate in English throughout Hong Kong, even in rural markets. The subway system that runs between Kowloon and Hong Kong is privately owned and is clean, efficient, cheap and easy to use with signs in English.

This educational trip was fast paced – I experienced a tremendous amount in just five days and four nights. But the first-person knowledge and connections I made are invaluable for my next Seoul- or Hong Kong-bound traveler.