Aventine

You might want to choose a luxury hotel and then get the concierge working on it? They'd probably be able to find you the best sensei or your karate trip.


I think so as well. The hardware isn't the greatest but the service and industriousness (I receive) rivals any of the best Tokyo hotels.

EfficientTraveller

Long time lurker but seeing this thread inspired me to post.

Rather than the Ritz Carlton or the Hyatt in Kyoto, I would recommend staying in a top end Ryokan. We've stayed in luxury hotels such as Aman, MO, FS and various more boutique Relais Chateaux properties all over the world but one of our most memorable hotel stays was 4 nights in a Ryokan (Ryokan Shiraume which still (according to Trip Advisor) gets amazing reviews) in the heart of the Gion district of Kyoto.

It is very different to a traditional luxury hotel experience - most Ryokans have only 4 or so rooms but the service was amazing. We had suite with large sitting area and bedroom all covered in traditional tatami mats and futon beds (actually very comfortable). We had an exquisite traditional Kaiseki dinner in our room on one night and beautiful Japanese and Western breakfasts in a main breakfast area looking out onto a Japanese garden every morning. For a taste of Japanese culture, it cannot be beaten.

Shiraume Ryokan was great as the owner spoke fluent English (suprisingly rare in Japan even in high end restaurants) so was really helpful in organising our activities.

In relation to the cherry blossom, Kyoto (in particular the gardens of Ninna-Ji) seems to run later than Tokyo - we were there at the end of April and there was still lots of blossom (there are some photos on my blog here http://efficienttraveller.com/2015/08/26/japan-kyoto/ which will give you a good idea of the show).

MorganDK

Just got back from a month in Japan. A few observations...

Tokyo - we should have done Aman instead of FS. Its by far the least impressive FS I have been to (except perhaps Palm Beach, which was worse).

Kyoto - RC has the best hard product in Japan except the Aman in Tokyo. Its sublime. Soft product is a wee bit under FS standards. Food was surprisingly mediocre. Prices very agressive. We had 2 rooms for a week. Be sure to get the river (lol) view. The 'other' view is of urban blight and a graveyard.

Hakone - don't do Hyatt - its a dump

Osaka - IC is the obvious choice - we did the 2BR corner suite and it was silly cheap. Cleaning was negligent and service over all was fawlty towers. Location is great. Big chinese groups.

M

MikeFromTokyo

If you go to the Hyatt in Hakone expecting a nice four star hotel, which is what it is, then I think it is quite nice. There is certainly nothing better in the area if you prefer western style accommodation, as I do. Deluxe View rooms and the Regency Suites have good views and are comfortable, even if they look a bit tired now.

IC certainly does not sound like an obvious choice if service and housekeeping were not up to par. Ritz-Carlton has excellent service and housekeeping (although admittedly an awful décor).

FS Marunouchi is all about the hotel's boutique size and the level of service. It's location also makes it ideal if one wants direct access to Tokyo station. It is great for business travellers who value privacy, convenience, and extremely efficient service that often cannot be matched by the larger hotels. If you wanted views, impressive facilities and public spaces, and multiple restaurants FS Marunouchi was a poor choice.

Aventine

Yeah, FS Marounuchi is definitely one of the poorer luxury hotels in Tokyo. Just worn and small.

I thought the kaiseki at RC Kyoto was one of the best I ever had. What dish or restaurant did you find mediocre?

Aventine

I just feel the rooms there are so worn and old looking at FS Marunouchi. It's probably in need of a hardware refresh. I'd rather be at SL for views, better public spaces , a real spa, prox to Tokyo station and service.

MikeFromTokyo

I'm definitely not going to argue about S-L, because I also like that hotel a lot. Piacere and Nadaman, Chi spa, and the views are wonderful. I also like the Premier rooms with corner locations.

I also freely admit that FS Marunouchi is no longer what it once was back when it opened and there was much less comprtition. Nevertheless, it does have some excellent points. The service is top notch, and its small size means fewer crowds and superior privacy. As a leasure traveller it is not where I choose to stay anymore, but I have friends who find it ideal for business travel.

I agree that it needs more of a refresh, but there was a light renovation of some rooms and suites a while ago done by Yabu Pushelberg. The standard room I was in about six months ago seemed unchanged however.

BTW, have you stayed at club level at S-L ? That could be the best of both worlds.

Pickles

No, nothing. Just the Sanjusangendo next to the hotel, and the vastly underrated Kyoto National Musem across the street.

But in general, I agree, there is no "really well located" hotel in Kyoto. The one that comes closest is the Westin, but I wouldn't call it "luxury".

Aventine

Been 4 years since I was at FS Marounuchi and once was enough for me. I did really enjoy their Japanese breakfast set and F&B though. This was before it changed to whatever it is now.

I highly recommend 3620 or 25 (a corner room) for a SL club room. But, some of SL's views are being compromised by that new building out the Yaesu exit. The noise is negligible due to their super insulated windows though.

Aventine

Four Seasons will get the same attractions as HR Kyoto. Well located is all relative anyway because some attraction will always be missing and/or faraway in Kyoto.

Pickles

Yep. The FS is across the other street from the HR.

HKTraveler

In that case, not sure I want to even give it a try

Aventine

Nothing can be perfect in Kyoto. The best real estate is already taken.

op487062

So is Shangri-la executive suite or Aman standard room preferable?

Aventine

I'm not really a fan of the SL suites. They look very much like the normal rooms and could use a mild refresh to be competitive as a suite. I'd rather just have a Horizon Club room in the numbers I said before. I rate the service at SL better than Aman Tokyo too. SL has door greeters, elevator attendants, the train platform pickup among a myriad of other full services. Aman Tokyo doesn't even really have an outer door sign on its office building and you look like a fool trying to find it on street level.

I would hope Aman Tokyo improved since its opening but I saw enough and have no desire to go back.