If you spent 1500 points for the Executive Club upgrade and did not receive it… IMHO you should receive a refund of those points. In defense of the SPG program… you were able to stay in Kyoto during the peak spring season. I’m sure if there were a Hilton, etc in town they would not have had any reward availability.

I was there in early March and I certainly don’t recall filth and unkempt gardens. I thought the remodel of the lobby was nicely done and the staff was certainly friendly to me. Each of the 3 lounges was not very big, but certainly better than anything in the US. I enjoyed the hillside location away from the hustle and bustle of the train station area. I was able to set out on foot and explore some very nice parts of Kyoto from the hotel. I was lucky with the upgrade and got a fantastic Luxury Jr suite with Japanese design touches that was far more cheerful than the heavily European styled Westin Tokyo. I also had the $75 in Molton Brown mentioned in a previous post. My luck was probably due to an off-season mid-week stay and Platinum status.

I’m sure there are some less desirable and perhaps even crappy rooms at this hotel, but it is possible to have a great stay at the Westin Miyako.