Originally Posted by
suite2suite
Was there last April on points and was surprised to be told I had to pay an occupancy tax.!
Although relatively small, this is the first time I had to pay a tax on a free stay at any Hyatt property including the ones at Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo.
I haven't seen anyone comment or complain about this? Am I missing something?
I believe you're referring to the onsen (hot spring) tax of 150 yen per person. Unless there's something
very new, neither Hakone City nor Kanagawa Prefecture charge a hotel occupancy tax.
None of the other Hyatts in Japan have an onsen, so no onsen tax.
It is customary in Japan for guests at hotels with an onsen to pay this tax regardless of whether or not the hotel room is comped. Every country has its own tax peculiarities (never seen any as peculiar as the diverse state sales taxes in the US) so paying the onsen tax is just a case of "when in Rome"...