Aug 15, 2015, 12:17 pm
Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers - Kobe, Japan [Master Thread]
Mar 18, 2006, 12:09 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Coast USA
Programs: UA GS/4 MM, AA Exec Plat, Lifetime Hilton D, Hyatt G, Marriott Titanium earned Ambassador
Posts: 7,553
Kobe to Osaka, Shin Osaka and Kyoto
The total time to Kyoto from Island Center Rokko Liner is a little more than one hour. From Island Center pay 240 yen for adult to Sumiyoshi (last stop) to take JR line. For Kyoto you will be buying a 1050 yen ticket. Take track 2 from Sumiyoshi to Ashiya. Should be three stops. Any train towards Kyoto from Sumiyoshi will stop at Ashiya. You will arrive at track 2. You need only walk to the otherside of the same platform to track 1. From track 1 you are taking the Shinkaisoku which the Hotel told me would be blue line. It was five stops from Ashiya to Kyoto. The is kinds like a express train. The nice thing is that this train stops at Osaka Station and Shin Osaka before reaching Kyoto. That means those areas also become very accessible from Kobe. Regards from Kyoto
Mar 19, 2006, 6:13 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
Originally Posted by RTWSTARALLIANCE
The total time to Kyoto from Island Center Rokko Liner is a little more than one hour. From Island Center pay 240 yen for adult to Sumiyoshi (last stop) to take JR line. For Kyoto you will be buying a 1050 yen ticket. Take track 2 from Sumiyoshi to Ashiya. Should be three stops. Any train towards Kyoto from Sumiyoshi will stop at Ashiya. You will arrive at track 2. You need only walk to the otherside of the same platform to track 1. From track 1 you are taking the Shinkaisoku which the Hotel told me would be blue line. It was five stops from Ashiya to Kyoto. The is kinds like a express train. The nice thing is that this train stops at Osaka Station and Shin Osaka before reaching Kyoto. That means those areas also become very accessible from Kobe. Regards from Kyoto
Thanks again RTWStaralliance for another thorough and thoughful report. Too bad your wife couldn't join you for another short vacation to Japan. We may have to pick you brain later in the year for what worked and what didn't work during this most recent trip.
Oct 23, 2006, 8:11 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 40
Stayed here back in July, and found it to be quite pleasant. The concierge was extremely helpful in recommending and reserving a table at a local Kobe beef restaurant. The room was not exceptional but more than adequate. The only negative was that its location was a bit distant from downtown.
Oct 24, 2006, 9:06 am
#35
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
Sapporo Sheraton is a good bang for the buck
Originally Posted by monahos
I have not stayed at the Kobe Sheraton, but cannot believe it would rank below the Sapporo Sheraton, which is IMHO no better than a japanese Holiday Inn (which at least feature flat TVs, automated toilets, and climate control able to tame the effects of Hokkaido sunshine on a winter day 
)
Standard rooms at the Sapporo Sheraton sport the same molded plastic tub found in all Japanese business hotels, with toiletries of the same ilk (tearaway shampoo 'pouches', tiny soap and towels, etc.), certainly not Molton Brown.
)Standard rooms at the Sapporo Sheraton sport the same molded plastic tub found in all Japanese business hotels, with toiletries of the same ilk (tearaway shampoo 'pouches', tiny soap and towels, etc.), certainly not Molton Brown.
There was automated toilets in my room and there was temperature control in my room. There was also Sweet Sleeper beds (as they put an advertisment pamphlet on the bed making sure you know you're getting it). It was tearaway Sharaton branded shampoo and body wash and there were the standard Sharaton robes. There were some face cream and other body lotion. If I remember correctly (correct me if I am wrong), it was made by Shiseido for Sharaton Sapporo.
Mar 20, 2007, 5:30 pm
#36
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Nr. Zurich
Programs: LH SEN, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,610
Update on Plat Benefits
As nothing has been posted in this thread for a while I thought I would give an update on Plat benefits at the Kobe Bay Sheraton:
The hotel are also really accomodating towards plats. A colleague of mine (who says there as often as I do) recently booked a non-refundable rate. His plans changed and he called the hotel. After speaking with the Duty Manager they cancelled his room without charge.
- Breakfast is now also served in the lounge on the 19th Floor from 7 am (although as a Plat you can still use the main restaurant for the "full" buffet breakfast (from 6:30)
- Internet access is now free of charge for Plats
- You get a nice bowl of fruit in your room (strawberries & icing sugar my favourite)
The hotel are also really accomodating towards plats. A colleague of mine (who says there as often as I do) recently booked a non-refundable rate. His plans changed and he called the hotel. After speaking with the Duty Manager they cancelled his room without charge.
Jul 18, 2007, 1:00 pm
#37
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Coast USA
Programs: UA GS/4 MM, AA Exec Plat, Lifetime Hilton D, Hyatt G, Marriott Titanium earned Ambassador
Posts: 7,553
Limousine bus from KIX
Can someone please comment on how frequent the bus service is from KIX? I may come in on SQ at 5:25AM and leave out later in the afternoon on UA to SFO. The Kansai Nikko is crazy priced. Also considered the Hyatt. Thanks.
Jul 18, 2007, 1:25 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: NJ
Programs: UA LTG, AA LTG, Bonvoy LTP, IHG Plat, LHW Sterling
Posts: 2,405
Jul 28, 2009, 3:00 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BKK/NRT
Programs: BA*G, UA1K, SPG-P, HH-G, GP-D, IC-RA
Posts: 783
If you are in Osaka/Kobe area as a tourist, I would choose to stay at Westin Osaka because of the location and nice Plat benefts. I like the larger recently renovated exec lounge of the Westin. If you spend more time in your room, Kobe Bay Sheraton would be nice too. They will probably put in a nice suite on high floor. I like their suite but not the location. I would not spend free nights at Sheraton Miyako Osaka.
Jun 30, 2010, 8:54 pm
#42
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 52
hello,
I want to have 1-day stays with this and another hotel to take advantage of FWN- is it possible with this and sheraton miyako or westin osaka? would it be difficult to transfer between the two?
I want to have 1-day stays with this and another hotel to take advantage of FWN- is it possible with this and sheraton miyako or westin osaka? would it be difficult to transfer between the two?
Last edited by hypermodern; Jun 30, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Jan 4, 2011, 4:08 am
#43
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat
Posts: 145
Kobe Bay Sheraton
Stayed at Kobe Bay Sheraton recently, with the following Plat benefits:
Room:
The hotel arranged us on the Towers floor (club floor) but no suite upgrade as they said the hotel was full (we didn't bother checking the website and just took their words for it). In terms of size, the Towers Room was just like a regular room, but with slightly better amenities such as coffee machine, Japanese hair tonic products (which we didn't use), Japanese facial cleanser products (which we didn't use), Welcome dried fruit snacks.
Breakfast:
They gave us breakfast coupons, so you can choose to take your breakfast at the lounge (continental breakfast), or on the 1/F coffee shop (buffet breakfast).
Lounge:
The lounge is very small, probably two rooms converted into a lounge. The selection is very limited. But the team is very friendly and very helpful.
Other benefits:
-Access to fitness area and pool which normally costs around Yen 3000
-Free internet access
-Late check out at 4pm
Other than that, there isn't much else. The hotel is very dated (but very clean). As others have mentioned, it's located on a man-made island which is in middle of nowhere. You need to either take a shuttle bus (Yen 360) or a monorail train (Yen 240) in order to get to the JR station.
Room:
The hotel arranged us on the Towers floor (club floor) but no suite upgrade as they said the hotel was full (we didn't bother checking the website and just took their words for it). In terms of size, the Towers Room was just like a regular room, but with slightly better amenities such as coffee machine, Japanese hair tonic products (which we didn't use), Japanese facial cleanser products (which we didn't use), Welcome dried fruit snacks.
Breakfast:
They gave us breakfast coupons, so you can choose to take your breakfast at the lounge (continental breakfast), or on the 1/F coffee shop (buffet breakfast).
Lounge:
The lounge is very small, probably two rooms converted into a lounge. The selection is very limited. But the team is very friendly and very helpful.
Other benefits:
-Access to fitness area and pool which normally costs around Yen 3000
-Free internet access
-Late check out at 4pm
Other than that, there isn't much else. The hotel is very dated (but very clean). As others have mentioned, it's located on a man-made island which is in middle of nowhere. You need to either take a shuttle bus (Yen 360) or a monorail train (Yen 240) in order to get to the JR station.
Mar 5, 2011, 5:31 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SF, CA, US
Programs: AA Plat Pro, UA MM Gold, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 1,236
Which of the three Kinki area airports is easiest to get to from this hotel using public transit? Saturday morning, if that makes a difference.