vsevolod4

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Absolutely

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked standard, got upgraded to executive suite - plus Club access.

How are the rooms?
Very nice, Zen, with a contemporary take on traditional Japanese design. Jacuzzi with sliding doors into the bedroom, separate shower, of course a high tech toilet. A large "stone" next to the desk with a Japanese tea set.

How is the exec. lounge?
Extensive and chic. Nice breakfast and evening cocktail hour (though the cocktails end a bit abruptly at 7:30)

Did you receive a welcome gift?
Yes, a Japanese spinning "top"

How was the minibar?
Better than at the other ICs in Japan. It had a very nice bottle of vintage sake (very little sake is "vintage" - this is a special bottle), and 17-year-old Japanese whiskey, along with the usual other stuff. A bottle of Red and of White wine from Chateau Haut Brion (of course not the real HB, but a second or third label).

What was good and what was bad?
-Good
Location --accessible to the Osaka train station in Umeda with about a 5 minute walk once you figure out the overpasses. It's basically two buildings north of the station, but you have to use the skywalk and then go back down to the far end of the mall that encompasses those two buildings, to enter the hotel ground floor, then take the lifts up to the lobby on the (26th?) floor. Then go take another lift up to the Club floor to check in.

-Bad

Hotel is brand new and while everyone is nice, it hasn't all "jelled" yet.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
This is the "bad" -- cheapest rate was $500 a night.

Would you return?
Probably, particularly if the rate drops. Osaka hotels tend to be more expensive than Tokyo hotels (supply and demand?) but the price is roughly double what it is for the 3 Tokyo ICs or Yokohama. This is, however, a notch above all of them, even the Strings. And (at least for now) they give Club access to RAs.