Great Hard Product, Lousy Soft

1   Not Recommended
October 30, 2017 by

 Map | 7 Reviews | 71% Recommended
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The St Regis Osaka
 Map | 7 Reviews | 71% Recommended

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Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
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I stayed here a while back for two nights, but finally getting around to writing this. Overall, great hard product, lousy soft product.

 

Check In

Check-in was one of the smoothest experiences I had with staff. As I was staying on an FHR rate, I attempted to check in an hour early, but unfortunately there was a bit of a wait. About half an hour later, I was in my room. Overall, quite pleasant even though I wasn't able to get out into the city as quickly as I would have liked. Like the service I recevied throughout my stay though, there was nothing proactive. 

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Room

The room was splendid. Although I was upgraded into a smoking room (non-smoking is my preference, but they had allocated me this room and were unwilling to switch me), the room itself was large, and beautiful. Everything was controlled via electronic controls, with blackout curtains and other small adjustments which really made the place feel like mine for my stay.

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There was also a "butler box" which is a compartment that the staff was able to leave items in, without having to interact directly with the guests. It was a secure place to leave a newspaper or pressed clothes while the guest is out of their room.

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Service

The service was quite pitiful. While the reception staff was pleasant enough, the Butler team was condescending and sometimes outright rude. After being led to my room, I inquired about the complimentary coffee service which bhrubin mentioned. In response, I was told that I could pay for coffee if I wanted some. At no time during my stay was the complimentary pressing mentioned to me.

After re-reading some threads I had created prior to my trip, and double-checking the literature in the room, I was able to enjoy the coffee service and pressing on the second day. 

I was also able to call and request the Financial Times on the second day. While the Conrad in Tokyo was proactive in offering a newspaper, the St. Regis made no mention until I had to phone and ask. It's a small matter in the grand scheme of things, but still somewhat annoying.

Dining

The brunch spread was fantastic in depth, but no dish stood out to me. Breakfast comes with the option of one hot dish, so I opted for my usual eggs benedict, but the whole affair was nothing special. After trying it once, I would skip breakfast at the hotel.

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I was also able to enjoy lunch at the Italian restaurant, La Veduta. Although I did not make a reservation in advance (it got surprisingly busy later in the day), they were able to accomodate me right as they opened. The food was nice, but again, not particularly flavorful. The pasta carbonara, which I was particularly looking forward to, was undercooked. The lamb was fine. Thankfully, it was covered by my FHR credit, so it wasn't really my loss.

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The highlight of dining on this property was actually their curry. It was great comfort food, and perfectly hit the spot after a long day. The spectacular presentation was the cherry on top.

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Location

The St. Regis Osaka is located just across the street from Hommachi Station, so it's easy to access the Midosuji line (and thus get to the rest of Osaka). Kyoto is also an easy trip away. The area itself is about halfway between Osaka Station and Namba Station, and a ~10-15 minute walk to Dotonbori. The location really can't be beat.

Overall

Overall, I don't think you get what you pay for here. The location is probably one of the best in Osaka, and the hotel facilities really are beautiful. But the staff makes you feel unwelcome, and that makes for a less than pleasant hotel experience. The food, if it's a consideration, isn't very good, but there is plenty of good food in walking distance. 

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