InterContinental Hotels Group Stay Forum - Holiday Inn Sendai, Japan trip report 03/14/2005

Preface: Each year we come to Japan in March and then some. I've been booted out of our at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo so my wife and her mother can spend some time shopping. So I have some adventure going on and a JR Pass to assist. With a little hesitation I booked this Hotel for a one night trip to this town I've heard much of in history. Sendai is the home of Masamune Date a feudal daimyo who helped Tokugawa become the first Shogun of the era.

Rate: A bargain. 6600 yen all in.

Transportation: Using my JR Green Pass I got a ticket on the Hayate which leaves from track 23 at Tokyo Station for the little bit more than 1 1/2 trip north of Tokyo. From Sendai Station take the East exit. When you get to street level turn right and start walking. The Hotel will be on your left side about six minutes down the road. A very easy walk.

Check-in: I arrived early and have P status. Without hesitation I was checked-in. I did have to ask for a upgrade and was moved from floor six to nine. They call this a business room.

Perks: Other than above. A voucher for 10% off something. I can't read Japanese and frankly even if it states the staff speaks English they only do barely. Which is fine because I guess I only speak Japanese barely. The other coupon offers breakfast for 1200 yen all in.

Room: Business room with nice desk, chair and fax machine. Quiet even facing street. A frig, tv, chair, table and so forth.

Communications: I have a KDDI card for my calls to the States. The Hotel does give free HSIA access. Bring your own cable. Nice. Still at only 6600 yen.

Location: As stated kinda near JR Sendai Station. Close enough. I walked around and had a beautiful day. Here comes the good stuff.

You need to research this yourself. I can tell you personally I have always been fascinated with this city and the man who founded it- Masamune Date. A number of years ago NHK had a drama on this guy and it was great. I was able to watch it with English subtitles and it has made for a great one night trip. If you watch the NHK drama you will recognize that the guy who played Date went on to star with Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai.

From the West exit of Sendai Station your are looking for bus stop 15-3. When you exit you will be on the raised area above street level. You want to bear left and take a flight of stairs down to stop 15-3. Near the stop you will see a ticket booth. Buy yourself the one day on-off pass. The pass is only 600 yen and it will save you at least half that down the line. Now you can buy one ways along your trip but that would be a waste. I did three stops. They were- Zuihoden Mausoleum (where Masamune is buried), Site of Sendai Castle (Masamune built this and heirs added onto it) and stop ten (nice walk back to Sendai Station and shopping). With your pass you will save on entry to stops one and two. The last stop you can immediately cross the street and walk down the pedestrian shopping walk on a street called Ichibancho. Make a left onto Chuo-dori Shopping Mall towards the Station. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes and 20 minutes during season.

Closing: Now if you have been to Japan and you are like me you have to seek our new things. As I stated this trip was well worth it. The Hotel was very reasonable and I made good use of my pass. This being said you are not in the hotbed of the world here. I was leaving at 1:30ish PM and now I am leaving at 10:30ish AM. So it is a nice one night trip from Tokyo to frankly a part of Japan not many ever see. Regards from Sendai

The name of the shuttle is called- Loople Sendai. Yes- Loople.

Thanks for the report RTWSTARALLIANCE. Another interesting and historical "Holiday Inn" stop/stay in Japan is at the Holiday Inn in Mito, home to one of the three main branches of the Tokugawa (Shogunate) family, and especially to Mito Mitsukuni, the "hero" of a long-running Japanese TV drama.

The hotel was in a convenient location only a few minutes on foot from Mito station which is about halfway between Tokyo and Sendai. I'm sure you passed through it on your way up to Sendai. Right now would be a good time to visit this city as it is also the location of Kairakuen, considered one of the three top gardens in Japan, and famous for it's plum blossoms which bloom from late Feb to mid-March.

When I stayed here last year, they upgraded me to a corner room as a PC Gold.

Thank you for the idea. I am looking at putting together some other trips in Japan on my next extended stay. I just got all the brouchures for all PC hotels in Japan downstairs. Nagano and Nagasaki also look interesting with good locations. Regards Off to Nagoya.

Sendai is also just another 30 min away by train from Matsushima, which has one of the "three best" views in Japan. I did the whole thing as a daytrip from Tokyo (using the JR pass). The boat trip in the bay is pretty enjoyable--at least in the low season, where the boat is very empty. I imagine I would have a very different perspective if the boat was say even 60% full! Winter is also oyster season, and the oysters in Matsushima were great. Otherwise, I didn't have too much extra time to explore the town.

I did think about booking either the HI in Sendai or Mito, but they were either sold out for the weekend or very expensive.

Looking at staying here next month. Anything new done to the property?
Thanks!

Looking at staying here next month. Anything new done to the property?
Thanks!

It's a hotel with nice rooms (comfortable color coordination). A bit larger than most Japanese rooms, and if you get a double (one bed only) you even have some space left to stand.

Other hotels are closer to the station and more convenient, but I always stay at the HI Sendai because of the upgrade to a twin I usually end up with and the points. And often you can find a lower price on bestrsv.com or travel.rakuten.co.jp...

I never took breakfast in the hotel so far.

HTB.

It's a hotel with nice rooms (comfortable color coordination). A bit larger than most Japanese rooms, and if you get a double (one bed only) you even have some space left to stand.

Other hotels are closer to the station and more convenient, but I always stay at the HI Sendai because of the upgrade to a twin I usually end up with and the points. And often you can find a lower price on bestrsv.com or travel.rakuten.co.jp...

I never took breakfast in the hotel so far.

HTB.

Thanks HTB. Rakuten prices for 2 px is Y1000 more than ich's website. No deal with Rakuten this time around !
Just emailed them to inquire what Upgrades they give to Plat. Will wait for their reply.

And often you can find a lower price on bestrsv.com or travel.rakuten.co.jp...
But you won't get any PC points! :eek: ;) (Though you may get some proprietary rakuten points.)

I think I'm where at I would spend the extra dollars on IC properties just to get the points. That's what I get for hanging out with FT afficionados !

Called them since the email I sent yesterday has not been responded to. I was quoted a qualifying rate Y2000 less than the published BFRw/Brekkie rate for a double. For our friend's single room, it was Y2500 less then published BFRw/Brekkie rate. Reservation desk very helpful. Confirmation received. Told that upgrade will be given upon check in. I will try to call ahead to check before I show up.
Will report when we return. Great start !

But you won't get any PC points! :eek: ;) (Though you may get some proprietary rakuten points.)

The idea is to call the Tokyo service center and get an additional 10% off the rakuten rate and full PC points (on the rate paid). That's called the "Lowest Internet Rate Guarantee" and 50% of the callcenter workers don't know about it, so it's always fun.

HTB.

I never took breakfast in the hotel so far.


Staying at this property today for 4,000 jpy, which is the lowest rate ever I have paid here. I think their coffee is among the best. Try if you have a chance!!

Thank you for an informative trip report, RTWSTARALLIANCE

I came to Sendai last year whilst my spouse was busy in Tokyo, I was able to make use of a JR travel offer which is repeated this year:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan/976540-discount-3-day-jr-east-pass-returns-fall-2009-a.html

The pass is good for travel between 1st September to 31 December.

It costs 10,000 yen for 3 days of travel (dates do not have to be consecutive). This makes it a potentially bigger bargain than the JR pass with Sendai being only 3,333yen away from Tokyo.

Only to add, if visiting the Zuihoden Mausoleum and you wish to learn more about Masamune Date but, like me, you don't read Japanese, take some time to listen to the audio commentary options from the box inside the tatami mat seating enclosure that faces the Mausoleum next to the museum. The museum itself has little in English, so the bulk of the information is from the audio commentary.