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Swap the Subway for a Helicopter at The Peninsula Hong Kong

Where: Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

One of the most stressful parts of arriving at a new destination can be figuring out how to get to your hotel from the distant airport. Is the subway convenient and can you handle it with your luggage? Should you spring for a cab, even if the ride costs more than a nice dinner? If cash isn't the least of your worries or you are simply seeking to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience, then The Peninsula in Hong Kong has got you taken care of with the ultimate airport transfer: helicopter service.

They've essentially kept alive that vintage dream of beginning a trip by setting off via chopper from the top of the Pan Am building, just transferred to Hong Kong. Arrange to be flown to or from the airport to The Peninsula Hotel's twin helipads, take a jaunt to Macau, or go for a short sightseeing spin. Flights are operated with the hotel's own twin-engine Aerospatiale Squirrel 'copter and can be combined with dining or spa packages for one humongous charge on your Amex.

The many times we passed The Pen during our visit to HK, we witnessed some landings and heard action up on the helipad; so apparently the economy hasn't yet hurt the desire for arriving in style. Nonetheless, with prices starting at $780 for a 15-minute tour and lunch for two people, we think we'll stick to the good old Airtrain and subway transfer.

[Photo: DoSomethingDIfferent.com]