ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka Japan
ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka Japan
What is your IHG Rewards Club status?
Platinum Elite -- Recognized
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes. Treated very well. I had previously stayed here in the past multiple times with the last one being about 6 years ago. Nothing much has changed in a good way.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked two different reservations -- 2 nights paid Club Floor Double and 2 nights Award Stay for Standard Room. Contacted them before stay and they stated due to be sold out I would have to move but changed rooms to non-smoking. At check-in, was provided Club room for all nights on 21st floor. No real upgrade on the club room we booked.
How are the rooms?
The bedroom barely fit the double bed that we received. Room furnishings and style were all decent but not really special. Bathroom was decent size with a large enclosed shower and separate tub area. Vanity around sink was a bit small but usable.
How is the exec. lounge?
Club lounge is on second floor with no view. Helpful and friendly staff with a average breakfast (eggs, rotating waffles/French toast bites, bacon/sausage, pastries), afternoon tea (small desserts 3 - 5pm) and decent hors d'oeuvre in the evening (6 - 8 pm) with free drinks. 2 types of beer -- Asahi Super Dry & Heineken, all the standard liquors although not top shelf -- didn't have any bourbon or Japanese Whiskey - just Chivas which I really don't care for. Funny story, I thought one bottle was a Japanese whiskey and thought it was a bit sweet in my ginger ale, turned out it was plum wine.
What was good and what was bad?
Good: Got upgraded to the Club lounge floor for the whole stay. Close enough to Osaka Station (10 -15 minutes walking once I remembered the way that is mostly underground or bus on the 1/2 hour) with easy access to Kyoto/Nara/Kobe).
Bad: Staff in lounge and front desk didn't have knowledge of the "Ta-Q-Bin" Luggage forwarding service. They both had to call the Bell Desk to get info. The front desk guy was at first adamant that they didn't do it until I mentioned the concierge said they did. The bell desk handled the transaction fast and easy -- great deal - $17:50 US to send our 26" bag of dirty clothes to the Airport while we tour around a few more days.
Never could get the bus to meet our schedule (more our fault).
Value for $ or IHG Rewards Club Points? Would you return?
My negotiated rate turned out to be more then half of what they were charging a month out (glad I booked early since this rate was sold out at least 2 months before -- Y19000/nt for club room (incls extra person fee of Y2K) and 25K pts/night for 2 nights). I really like this hotel, it is a little out of the way to best areas of city but still close enough that didn't really affect us.