Mar 14, 2014, 3:38 am
Last edit by: ElevatorEnthusiast
Hotel Contact information
The email address (as of April, 2019) to contact the hotel concierge in advance of your stay is: [email protected]
They can help make restaurant reservations, etc.
This is not on the website.
The email address (as of April, 2019) to contact the hotel concierge in advance of your stay is: [email protected]
They can help make restaurant reservations, etc.
This is not on the website.
St Regis Osaka, Japan [Master Thread]
Aug 18, 2015, 7:24 am
#271
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
What's with the heated conversation here?
Weird thing happened today, a person from the guest liaison team emailed me, asking for any stay preferences. I replied 2 hrs later at 1pm on a Tuesday afternoon.
Got an automated out of office reply and received an email from the sales department later that evening, telling me everything is based on availability at check-in.
What's the point of asking for my stay preference then? Quite unprofessional if you ask me.
Also, is there a self-parking lot near the hotel grounds? Rented a small-ish car and would seem silly to valet it.
Weird thing happened today, a person from the guest liaison team emailed me, asking for any stay preferences. I replied 2 hrs later at 1pm on a Tuesday afternoon.
Got an automated out of office reply and received an email from the sales department later that evening, telling me everything is based on availability at check-in.
What's the point of asking for my stay preference then? Quite unprofessional if you ask me.
Also, is there a self-parking lot near the hotel grounds? Rented a small-ish car and would seem silly to valet it.
Probably cheaper to valet or park at the hotel itself. Outside lots charge by the 30 mind.
Aug 31, 2015, 9:28 am
#272
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I'm pretty exasperated by St. Regis Osaka. Their butler system might work very well in house but online and through email needs a lot of work. The concierge seems to pass the buck to the butlers and the butlers probably have their hands full in the real world. Can't seem to get any pre-advance concierge help from this hotel.
Aug 31, 2015, 11:05 am
#274
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I don't really like being passed around from person to person. I thought the Front Office manager would be my point person at the hotel but doesn't seem to be the case. I wish they would just assign me a Butler if they insist on having butlers be concierge staff.
Aug 31, 2015, 11:31 am
#275
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: IHG Spire, Marriott
Posts: 574
Yep, just stayed and had similar experience.
In my case, I was asked by a member of pre-arrival if I had any remarks or preferences. I asked for a King bed, really simple request imo.
The reply was from sales, citing the Butlers off-duty and said you could either change the reservation yourself or request at check-in. Why ask me in advance then, huh?
But after my arrival, the interactions with staff was nothing but delightful.
In my case, I was asked by a member of pre-arrival if I had any remarks or preferences. I asked for a King bed, really simple request imo.
The reply was from sales, citing the Butlers off-duty and said you could either change the reservation yourself or request at check-in. Why ask me in advance then, huh?
But after my arrival, the interactions with staff was nothing but delightful.
Aug 31, 2015, 1:56 pm
#277
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Silver (OW Sapphire), A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, HHonors Diamond, LeClubAccor Silver, UA Silver
Posts: 1,778
Aug 31, 2015, 1:58 pm
#278
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: IHG Spire, Marriott
Posts: 574
Hotel situated at the start of the famous walking street, leading up to Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi.
There are plenty of food and shops along the covered street.
But I checked-in at 11pm, so most shops were closed. It's a 30 mins walk to reach the river, where action is on 24/7.
Obviously, woke up next morning to busy streets and found couple of ramen shops close by.
There are plenty of food and shops along the covered street.
But I checked-in at 11pm, so most shops were closed. It's a 30 mins walk to reach the river, where action is on 24/7.
Obviously, woke up next morning to busy streets and found couple of ramen shops close by.
Aug 31, 2015, 9:47 pm
#279
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
Yep, just stayed and had similar experience.
In my case, I was asked by a member of pre-arrival if I had any remarks or preferences. I asked for a King bed, really simple request imo.
The reply was from sales, citing the Butlers off-duty and said you could either change the reservation yourself or request at check-in. Why ask me in advance then, huh?
But after my arrival, the interactions with staff was nothing but delightful.
In my case, I was asked by a member of pre-arrival if I had any remarks or preferences. I asked for a King bed, really simple request imo.
The reply was from sales, citing the Butlers off-duty and said you could either change the reservation yourself or request at check-in. Why ask me in advance then, huh?
But after my arrival, the interactions with staff was nothing but delightful.
Aug 31, 2015, 10:36 pm
#280
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,915
I love this hotel, but the concierges are weak. I think I already posted about their (repeated) inability to obtain sumo tickets for me. No longer available for sale through the official website? No can do. (I got them on my own). They're also not particularly great with restaurant recommendations/bookings, and I've had them look up a store for me & print directions, and when I went there I found it was no longer in business (I had asked them to research because I wasn't sure it still existed). Oh, and it appears they lost six of my postcards that I dropped off (and paid for stamps via room charge) five months ago.
Aug 31, 2015, 11:54 pm
#281
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I love this hotel, but the concierges are weak. I think I already posted about their (repeated) inability to obtain sumo tickets for me. No longer available for sale through the official website? No can do. (I got them on my own). They're also not particularly great with restaurant recommendations/bookings, and I've had them look up a store for me & print directions, and when I went there I found it was no longer in business (I had asked them to research because I wasn't sure it still existed). Oh, and it appears they lost six of my postcards that I dropped off (and paid for stamps via room charge) five months ago.
Sep 1, 2015, 10:36 pm
#282
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,915
Don't worry, it's a great hotel. Very friendly staff, and service-wise they do a lot right (butlers, restaurants, etc). The concierges (and front desk, to some extent) are the sole weak spot (and I'd also caution that some of the things I expect with my western perspective may simply not what they're trained to do, because their typical customer has different expectations).
Sep 2, 2015, 12:06 am
#283
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Tokyo
Programs: SPG LT Plat ANA Plat
Posts: 596
Just checked out of the St Regis and have the following experiences/observations:
1. upgraded to a beautiful two room suite with a large living area and very comfortably sized bedroom and bathroom. While the design is certainly not "local" style, it is luxurious in an understated way. The bed and sheeting was very comfortable and the toilet amenities were luxury branded.
2. butler/concierge staff were very helpful for us, although we didn't ask for anything complicated. They handled my rental car reservation before arrival, and upon arrival provided perfect directions to our selected restaurant as well as his personal recommendation. Overall, staff were very friendly and helpful, but I expect and experience this from almost any 4* and above hotel in Japan. I might have hit a wall if I tried anything complicated - last year the Mandarin Oriental concierge spent 30 minutes getting Mobile Suica working on my phone, not sure if a similar request at this property would have been greeted with equal enthusiasm.
3. Platinum amenities included breakfast, points and Y3,000 per night of mini-bar usage - one of the more generous amenity packages I've experienced. I wish they included parking, as Y3,500 per night with a valet only option was a little too much - this is Osaka, not San Francisco. Unfortunately I think we were too lazy to park at a nearby public lot and walk, but we would next time.
4. Breakfast was a solid western-style buffet with cooked-to-order egg entrees included, or a Japanese bento selection (not buffet). While the offerings changed very little day to day, the quality was reasonably, but for my other guests who paid retail, the Y4,400 charge was way over the top for what was provided. Even the Four Seasons Hualalai doesn't charge that much for breakfast.
5. Overall a very pleasant stay at a nice high-end property at a rate that was almost unbelievable. I did find the public areas, especially the restaurant, far too warm, but I know this is a traditional preference in Japan.
1. upgraded to a beautiful two room suite with a large living area and very comfortably sized bedroom and bathroom. While the design is certainly not "local" style, it is luxurious in an understated way. The bed and sheeting was very comfortable and the toilet amenities were luxury branded.
2. butler/concierge staff were very helpful for us, although we didn't ask for anything complicated. They handled my rental car reservation before arrival, and upon arrival provided perfect directions to our selected restaurant as well as his personal recommendation. Overall, staff were very friendly and helpful, but I expect and experience this from almost any 4* and above hotel in Japan. I might have hit a wall if I tried anything complicated - last year the Mandarin Oriental concierge spent 30 minutes getting Mobile Suica working on my phone, not sure if a similar request at this property would have been greeted with equal enthusiasm.
3. Platinum amenities included breakfast, points and Y3,000 per night of mini-bar usage - one of the more generous amenity packages I've experienced. I wish they included parking, as Y3,500 per night with a valet only option was a little too much - this is Osaka, not San Francisco. Unfortunately I think we were too lazy to park at a nearby public lot and walk, but we would next time.
4. Breakfast was a solid western-style buffet with cooked-to-order egg entrees included, or a Japanese bento selection (not buffet). While the offerings changed very little day to day, the quality was reasonably, but for my other guests who paid retail, the Y4,400 charge was way over the top for what was provided. Even the Four Seasons Hualalai doesn't charge that much for breakfast.
5. Overall a very pleasant stay at a nice high-end property at a rate that was almost unbelievable. I did find the public areas, especially the restaurant, far too warm, but I know this is a traditional preference in Japan.
Sep 7, 2015, 4:47 am
#285
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Tokyo
Programs: SPG LT Plat ANA Plat
Posts: 596
Take your time, understand its difficult and if you help them, they will go to the endds of the earth to help you !!