Originally Posted by
JapanFlyerT
Comfort Shinsaibashi location is fine. IHG Garner are also international chain options. Marriott has a few, but not cheap. Caption is way overpriced. There are also a lot of newer Japanese hotels similar to the Comfort. No need to splurge on the western chains unless you have points/meaningful status etc.
Thanks. I hadn't considered IHG, given the other alternatives. But the Garner award redemptions look useless unless you have more points than you possibly need. Like the rooms rates are $75, or 15,000 points. Might as well pay cash. If you value Choice points at half a penny each (I bought them at that price on a recent deal) there is a decent savings redeeming points vs. paying the room rates.
Sorry to hear about the Hyatt Caption being overpriced. Like most, I've never stayed at a Caption, but I know it's a budget hotel (at least by Hyatt standards). As a Globalist, I might give them 8000 points as a lark (and get a "badge" for my first Caption stay, which I can eventually combine for a free night stay), but the hotel is at the 9500 "peak" rate for my night, and I was thinking it's a bad deal at that price. It recently moved up from a Catagory 1, which is where it probably should be.