Citybox Hotel (Oslo, Norway)

Citybox Oslo
Prinsens Gate 6, 
0152 Oslo, Norway
Phone: + 47 21 42 04 80
Email: oslo@citybox.no
Website
The head photo is a cortesy of Citibox website

THE GOOD
+ Centrally located, a a short 5 minute walk from the Train Central Station, Bus Station, the main shopping area in Oslo, and the new Opera House, and about 10 minutes walking distance from the main sights in the city. 
+ Very clean rooms and common areas. 
+ Spacious simple rooms, bigger than expected, minimalist and practical, still cosy. Very Scandinavian style indeed. 
+ Bed, desk and chair were really comfortable. 
+ Heated bathroom floor.
+ Many power points in the bedroom to recharge your gadgets. 
+ Common areas are great, with two large seating areas and large flat screens, one showing programs in Norwegian and another in English. They have plenty of small seating areas, really stylish and comfortable, some vending machines, tea and coffee facilities, a fridge, a microwave, sink and rubbish bins. 
 + The staff were lovely and very helpful. There isn't reception as such, but sometimes they get out a sort of stand that works as such. Otherwise, you have electronic concierge in the lobby, and you can always ask one of the guys at the hotel office in the lobby to give you a hand with anything. I found them very friendly, helpful and welcoming, one of the best staff I found in Norway.
+ After checking out, you can leave the luggage in their deposit room and come back to pick it up afterwards. Just ring the button in the checking in area to ask a staff member to open the main door for you. 
+ Environmentally friendly. 
+ Good value for money taking into account the utterly ridiculous pricing of most hotels in Oslo. We stayed in another hotel, two minutes walking distance from this, paid double and it wasn't as good or comfy as this one.
 + A bakery-cafe is next door to the hotel and opens long hours.  

SO-SO
= Checking in/ out is automatized, but very easy to do.
= Free WiFi all over the hotel but it was temperamental and the line dropped several times during the day.
= There are ramps for people with mobility problems, that is great, but I found, that the joints between rooms and between the common spaces and the lifts had a metallic sort of elevated lining that were a bit of a hassle to roll the suitcase, but I guess a wheelchair might have no problem. 

THE NOT SO GOOD
# No reception as such.
# No safety box in the room.
# No TV in the room.
# No phone in the room. 
# No minibar in the room. 
# No room service. 
# No toiletries, just soap dispensers. I have no problem with that, but a body milk dispenser and a hair conditioner dispenser would be a great addition.  
# No wardrobe or any storage area, just a hangers rack, which seems to be traditional in Scandinavian hotels. OK if you stay a night, it might be a problem if you stay for several days.  
 # You need to to ask for a hair drier or extra towels, waiter boiler or an extra heater at reception. There was a lonely towel in my bathroom and not especially big.
# Curtains not thick enough for all day daylight. I personally have no problem sleeping with these curtains, but other people do as the material doesn't completely block clarity at night.
# Ugly views depending on the room,  and plenty of construction going on in the surrounding area.  
# The supposed 10% discount in the attached cafe applies just after 11am. 

MIND
>  The key card also activates the power in the room. When checking-in, you will be asked whether you want one or two keys. Take the two to have the power always operational. 
> If you stay for more than a day they won't clean the room as this is why the hotel is way cheaper than similar hotels in Oslo; it just saves money. There is a visible notice in the lift about this and it is also mentioned in the check-in sheet you get. This policy is very much of my liking, but it might not be of yours. If you stay for several days and want your linen changed regularly or daily you need to arrange this with reception beforehand before arrival by email and discuss pricing. 
> This a non-smoking hotel. If they catch you smoking, you'll be fined 1000 Nok, which is about AU$160. 
> The attached café serves breakfast from 7-10 on weekdays and 8-11 on weekends. They serve lunch and dinner as well.  

 ***

Overall a simple modern comfy hotel in the heart of Oslo at half the price you find for similar hotels in the same area. Lovely hotel and staff. I will definitely go back.   

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Ibis Budget Málaga Centro (Málaga, Spain)

Ibis Budget Málaga Centro
Calle Calvo, 4 
29007 Málaga, Spain
Phone:+34 951 21 38 54

THE GOOD
+ Scandinavian sort of hotel, with a basic stylish functional room deprived of anything that is not necessary, yet very comfortable and with anything you need for a short stay. The rooms are not as small as I thought by reading other visitors' comments, certainly they aren't large, but OK in size. If you have 3-4f XL suitcases it might be a problem. 
+  Zen style decor, minimal but very pleasing to the eye.
 + Bed, desk and chair were really comfortable. 
+ TV in the room.
+ Air-con in the room. 
+ Comfy large hard bed. 
+ Spotless clean rooms and common areas.
+ Free reliable Wi-Fi all over the hotel.
+ Snack and coffee machines in the lobby.
+ Small café area in the lobby. They serve a simple breaky at very cheap prices. You can order some snacks directly from reception, good priced and OK to fill in your belly if you are hungry and there is nothing open around when you get there. 
+ Great location in the centre of the city, very close to the Central Bus Station (walking distance if you have carry-on baggage) and a few minutes away by taxi (less than 10 Euro), just 6 Kms from the airport at a walking distance from some of the major sights

in the city.
 + Unless you arrive on a Sunday, there are plenty of bars, cafes and shops at a very short walking distance and around the hotel.
+ Great hotel for a short stay.  
+ Environmentally friendly. 
+ Great value for money. I have been in similar hotels in Scandinavia and they costed me triple the price. I have been to way worse hotels in Australia and they costed me triple the price.

THE NOT SO GOOD
- Minimal toiletries. If you need more, you need to contact reception.
- No safety box in the room.
- No phone in the room. 
- No toilet brush in the bathroom.
- No wardrobe or storage place, just a hangers rack. 
- Few power points.   
- No minibar in the room.
- The café is just a small dining area for a simple breaky, which is expensive for Spanish standards and has not many options. Make yourself a favour and go to the cafés around and nearby.
- The guys at reception are sometimes overwhelmed by the avalanche of customers, especially late in the evening when there is just one person attending to the cue, the phone an the cafe. It was stressful to witness. 
- Ugly views depending on the rooms. 

 ***

Overall, a good budget hotel that delivers what promises at ridiculously cheap prices. 
  

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Norwegian Airlines

I had an inter-European flight recently and the flights I could find in Australia were too expensive for my budget and the departure times too early in the morning to be convenient. I browsed the net and came across this airline on one of Expedia international sites. The company also sells tickets directly through their website. I searched forums because, truly, the last thing I want is to expend my money on a flight with an unreliable airline, but the reviews were good. So, I dived in and flew with them.  

My experience with NA was good taking into account that his is a low-cost airline. It was a 4-hour flight, and the plane was as good as those I have frequently taken with Suiss or Luftansa, tiny space even in Business Class, therefore, nothing anybody in Australia would get excited about.

The flight was punctual regarding departure and arrival.

Like Jetstar they don't give you anything free, not food or water, but they sell some hot and cold snacks and drinks. They are dreadful and very expensive, so avoid. On the bright side of things, they allow you to take your own water and food aboard, so you don't need to buy anything unless you really want.

Some of the staff were really helpful and friendly, while others did their best not to interact with customers and, when they did, they were like robots and unhelpful. So I experienced both sides of the Norwegian coin.  

The only in-flight entertainment was shown in those TVs that hang from the plane's ceiling -- a mix of cartoons and funny videos. Thank Gosh for my tablet.

Overall, Norwegian Airlines is good value for money. I would have paid way more for the same flight with a normal airline, get similar or identical seats, get (at best) a free snack and service would vary as well. So it was worth flying with Norwegian Airlines, despite some of the unfriendly staff being aboard with us humans. I will certainly fly with them again if the occasion arises.

Norwegian Airlines specializes in flights to/from Scandinavia, with regular inter-European flights and with some destinations in the USA as well. 

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Cathay Pacific Airways

7/10
I had never flown with CP until recently, but I was excited because a friend of mine has had a great experience with this airline. 

To be fair, my flight was an overnight flight, and most airlines have the dreadful practice of downgrading the service for overnight flights, so my first experience with CP might be affected by this practice. 

The plane looked modern, and it was pretty and clean, but the space in Economy Class was just tiny. First Class looked really as a million-dollar-buck First Class, but most people seat elsewhere. 

I thought the staff were friendly, ready to attend any request and help. However, I also witnessed some abruptness, like staff asking customers to let them pass when there was no need for them to ask that as they weren't passing with a trolley nor there was any turbulence. 

Other airlines have the staff running the aisles all night with trays with water and juice, while others have trays prepared in the crew area for you go and pick up a glass without having to ask for anything. Neither of this happened with my CP, flight until we were very close to destination, so you have to go and ask for a glass of water when you want one.

Food was surprisingly good, that always excites me when flying, although meals were not as bulky or complex as in other airlines, Qantas for example. 

The in-built entertainment program had very good digital screens and a good selection of Western and Asian movies. However, it was behind Qantas and other Asian airlines regarding volume and currency of the movies shown. 

Their duty free shopping catalogue is, perhaps, the best I have ever seen. I have flown with many airlines, and these days all of them seem to sell the same products, at the same prices. Corporations selling their thing. CP distinguishes themselves by selling luxury, really innovative expensive products, at prices that can be 1000+ bucks. Nothing I would or could buy, but at least they know what they want to sell and the products in their magazine are really amazing. 

CP is a decent good-priced airline, just not comparable to Qantas, Thai or Singapore Airlines in the quality of the service. Things might be different for day flights, so I will report back when I happen to take a day flight with them.

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Lebara (Australia)

When Lebara landed on Australia and I saw their fees I frowned. Funny, because I was with Lebara Au as my main carrier for years both for International and local calls.

Herewith a wrap-up of my experience with Lebara.  

THE GOOD 
> They have the best rates for prepaid mobile in Australia to call landlines, mobiles and 1300 and 1800 numbers, the latter being the hidden trap of most Australian "cheap" carriers for prepaid and post-paid. Most services and utilities companies have one of those two numbers, and one can expend a lot of time on the phone when calling. 
> If you have family and/or friends living overseas and talk with them often, you will love Lebara because they offer ridiculously cheap fees to call landlines overseas (as cheap as a local call within Australia), very cheap fees to call mobiles, and the quality of the connection is fabulous most of the time. The only cheaper rates for calling overseas and having a good quality of sound I've found are Skype's. Last year, I spent  over an hour on the phone in a call from Perth to the a landline in the USA and paid less than 2 bucks! Calls to some European countries are more expensive, but as cheap as a local call within Australia.
> Their prepaid data packs are generous in size and very cheap. They used to be more varied and generous at the beginning, but they are still great.  Of course, they want you to pay for a plan, but they don't push you into it nor make things difficult so you do so. It is really up to you and your needs.
> Their data plans are valid for a month but, unlike other companies, they can be renewed without a problem if you use them before the end of the natural month. 
>  You can recharge and track your phone and data usage online.
> You can configure your Internet settings by going online providing your phone number and phone model, and the company automatically will send you an SMS with an auto-set-up thingie attached that configures  everything for you.  
> They have online chat help, something I always love because phone calls to customer service,  even if free is a waste of time, especially if you are working. 
> You can recharge online easily. If you register your credit card, recharging online, from your phone, is very easy and straightforward without having to introduce any personal info. 
> You can easily set up the auto-recharge.  
> Purporting number from a normal Lebara SIM card to a a nano Lebara Card is done without a fuss in about 1 hour.   
> The quality of sound in International calls is crystal clear and as good as I was ringing from a landline. some return sound is ocassionally found, though. 
> Coverage in Australia has improved a lot, especially in rural areas, and to my surprise I found my phone using the local network in some areas that I visit regularly, when there was no coverage before. 
> Lebara SIM cards are everywhere! In any small shop and even in Woolies and in many Post Offices. I would not bother ordering a SIM  online unless you are in a wheel chair and have mobility problems.  

DOWNSIDES
> Purporting a phone number from another carrier can be a bit lengthy. 
> If you use Internet without a plan, your prepaid credit will leak fast without you browsing much. It happened to me. These days, fortunately, they charge you for KB not of MB, but it is still expensive. You better pay for a data pack. 
> They don't offer the option of choosing from different phone numbers when you join, so you better choose a data pack with a number you like in advance. 
> Lebara uses the Vodafone network, so their Internet service is not the best in the Australian market, yet good enough for 3G and everyday use. Never had any problem with it at all and used it regularly.
> No International roaming whatsoever. 
> Although Lebara is in other countries, you cannot use your Lebara SIM card in any of those countries. 
> Chat help is really slow. I think the operators are attending several people at the same time because it takes then ages to reply. That or their plugging or chat program is outdated.   
>  Customer service can be idiotic and unhelpful at times especially if you present them with a problem or ask them something that isn't in their manual. At times they don't listen to what you are saying, or want to move on to the next customer asap, or they tell you something you know is incorrect to acknowledge that this is the case  only when you say you have the proof of that being incorrect; or they treat you like you are a half-wit. 
> Recharge online was hassle free first, no need to register your credit card, but then was impossible, plenty of problems, a pain in the butt, and last year was easy and possible but you need to have your card registered, something I never like. 

To my surprise, Lebara turned to be a frog turned into prince, which is the reverse of other companies I have been with. Not Telstra, that is for sure, but you are not ripped off on a daily basis either.

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Hairdresser Peluqueria Ganivet

Peluqueria Ganivet
Calle Ángel Ganivet, 9-11
GRANADA (Granada) 18009
E-mail: salonganivet@hotmail.es
Phone: 958 229 924

Timetable:
Mon to Fri 09:30 to 20:00 h.
Sat 09:30 to 14:00 h.
Sun Closed

I have visited this hairdresser salon twice during my visits to the city of Granada, and have been most satisfied with the friendliness of the staff, punctuality of the service, and quality of their work regarding colouring and management of my hair. Last time I visited I was suffering from a dreadful misscolouring due to a bad work in an Australian salon, and left Ganivet with my hair as new.

If you leave in Australia, given the ridiculous prices demanded by Australian hairdressers, this salon will be cheap to you, but the pricing is very high for the city standards and for most average wages, as the salon is located in an upmarket street in the city centre. Of course, you get top notch quality colour hairdresser. However, I found the highlights specially expensive compared to other colouring services in the same salon, although way less  expensive than in other areas of the world.

The colouring products are from the brand Wella, which isn't my fav brand of colouring products, but I get good results nevertheless. Their treatments and masks are from the brands Sebastian and L'Oreal.

The hair salon is open all day without the traditional stop for lunch typical of Spain. So the early hours of the morning and Spanish meal hours are the best ones to be squeezed in  if you are in a hurry. The salon is very small, with reduced capacity, so booking in advance is needed.

The main downside of the salon is the pricing. No wonder you find a bit of nose in the air  ladies, part of the Granada bourgeoisie.

Although the hairdressers are very good, the salon is far from comfortable or convenient and, when full, they move clients around so that they can use some of the chairs to finish jobs. There is no specific place for pedicure or manicure and both services are very basic. If you are used to the nail salons in Australia, this will fall short. They use O.P.I. nail polish.

The staff are affable and very friendly, but have a tendency to push you into treatments, masks and other stuff for which you will be charged extra. Be firm at the beginning and tell them exactly what you DON'T want to avoid an inflated bill. If they push, softly tell them "No estoy interesada". Ask in advance for pricing and if the price includes washing and dry off or not. 

I'm not sure whether the staff speak English or not. If you speak little Spanish ask people in your hotel to write for you exactly what you want and what not. They are very good hairdressers, and will do their best . 

Pricing
 Hair
    Wash and drying: 20 €.
    Ladies Cut: 19 €.
    Gents Cut: 14€ (includes washing and conditioning).
    Colour from 25 €.
    Highlights from 35 €.
    Asian strengthening: 190 €.
    Keratin treatment: 90 €.
Beauty
    Manicure from 12,50 €.
    Pedicure from 22,50 €.
    Lip: 5 €.
    Eyebrows: 5 €.
    Make up 50 €.

Photo slide show

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