bitterproffit

Do it if it saves you on Airfare. There is an entire thread on AA on using AAVacations and a wiki on what happens if you choose not to stay in the hotel you booked (nothing happens).

I picked 3 days in my trip. I arrived the next day, so I chose that one and checked out 3 days later. I chose the cheapest option which was some capsule hotel, and chose the cheapest option room in the capsule hotel. I never showed up. AA didn't care. There's no link.

Now, you might find that you can use it to get an actual nice hotel for 3 nights and it still might be cheaper than buying the airline ticket and the hotel separately, but you have to do that math.

Since I was staying at the Hilton on points, it didn't matter. But if I was looking to stay at the Hilton on a cash stay, it might have been cheaper to actually use the hotel package and pick the Hilton.

mphall

No, I understand that part. What I am wondering is how did you stay for longer on this package. Did they allow you to take a plane home a week later even though you weren't staying anywhere. I get the Hilton part as I have free hotel as well.

jerry a. laska

For the intricacies and optimizing use of AA Vacations bookings you may want to review the relevant threads in the AA forum here on FT.

thunderlounge

In short, yes. You're buying a package, but they do not require the number of nights between your arrival and departure match the number of hotel nights.

The minimum number of nights is 3, so you can have air tickets where you're at the destination for 15 nights, but only purchase 3 nights of hotel.

How you do it is go to the AA Vacations site. Click "Advanced Search".

Fill out form.

Click box that says "Hotel nights different" or whatever. It then lets you specify the dates for your hotel.

evergrn

I've stayed at many properties in Jpn, but I will just point out my experience with the ones I've stayed at within the last year. Anything further back than that, my recollection gets iffy. Plus I've only been a Diamond for ~3years.

* every place below give you and the family free breakfast.

- Conrad Tokyo: usually 95,000 pts. I've never seen it for less. In my 4-5 stays there as a Diamond, I've been upgraded to a suite once. But even if you don't get upgraded, it's a fantastic property. Unbelievable breakfast buffet... it's the best I've had anywhere (but I know this has been debated). EL is top-notch, although evening spread has a lot of esoteric items that may or may not appeal to you. Not easy to get checkout beyond 2pm here (during busy seasons, sometimes 12.30pm is it).

- DT Naha (not the Shuri Castle one): 40,000 pts. I've seen it for less, I think. But the paid rates were like ~20,000y total so I just paid. No upgrade. More of a glorified business hotel. Excellent location. Right off the monorail that you take from the airport. Walking distance to a lot of things. Breakfast buffet excellent. They had unbelievable pineapple smoothie. I still think about it. No EL. 2pm checkout.

- Hilton Chatan: 80,000 pts (I think, but not 100% sure). This was in July, and the paid rates never came down below 45,000yen after tax. Think we got 2-category upgrade. Breakfast buffet very good, but somehow the DT Naha one was more memorable. Had a nice spacious EL, but for some reason I don't remember the food too well. Excellent panoramic ocean view from the room. Very nice pool. Short seaside sroll to American Village. 2pm checkout.

- Niseko Hilton: Always seem to get 1-category upgrade here. Breakfast buffet is okay, but could be better considering this is Jpn. No EL. Rooms facing Mt.Yotei have wonderful views, I would say mesmerizing on days when the sky is clear and you can see everything including Mt.Yotei. No pool, but very nice onsen. Onsen does get crowded at times, though, since they allow non-guests also. No EL. 4pm checkout during the summer in my experience.

bearkatt

https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/ if you fly into narita and stay at Hilton Tokyo sinjuku. this bus service will take you directly to hotel. friendly bus limo counter is just outside customs. easiest and probably cheapest transportation.

hailstorm

I assume you are going to Tokyo Disney Resort? I cannot think of any other reason to possibly stay at Hilton Tokyo Bay.

craigthemif

This is the "first time in Tokyo" method of getting to your hotel. Not cheapest or quickest. Experienced Japan visitors are on the train to Shinjuku...

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

To be fair I think it might also depend on luggage also. If you have a lot of luggage the limosine bus is handy as it is door to door whereas at Shinjuku it can be awkward to navigate with heavy luggage. Also the train ( NEX is relatively quick to Tokyo Station but then is another c24-30m to Shinjuku ( make sure you are no the right half of the train for Shinjuku

Regards

TBS

The _Banking_Scot

Hi

Yes we are ( my brother and his partner want to stay there and go to Disney).. Plus the rates are very reasonable Y16,000 per night including lounge access. We will head into Tokyo as the easter weekend hits ( go to Odaiba and Oshiage on separate days so we do not have to go into central tokyo then out ( using Hyperdia to plan our routes)

Regards

TBS

NoY

Not necessarily. It is also totally stress free & incredibly reliable. The door-door service is also super-convenient. I have visited Tokyo multiple times & enjoy the bus. Frankly, its the only bus I ever travel on these days

angra

yeah, I've never taken the Limo bus but that's only because I get motion sick in busses a lot more easily than on trains. There is a lot to be said for the potential convenience factor if your destination is served directly or you have a lot of luggage, kids-in-tow, or any other crowd navigation impediment.

jeffers

The wife and I are looking at Tokyo during the summer olympics next year (late July).

I realise it's going to be peak peak peak time...does anyone know how likely any of the Hilton properties are to be available on points (for 5 nights)?

Looking through inventory, the latest dates available for 5 nights at the moment are as follows:

Odaiba 3/27-4/1
Conrad 2/25-2/29
Bay 4/26-5/1

After that they are all blocked out. Is this due to unavailability, or are these the last dates opened up so far by the properties?

Any help welcome.

ftakak

pinniped

Olympics are usually late July / early August. March/April/May demand won't be affected.

Most hotels release rooms 1 year in advance, but no guarantee they'll actually have award rooms during the Olympics. All of the big programs give properties a "special event" exemption to normal award rules. Some properties game the crap out of this loophole, calling anything and everything a "special event", but I think we'd all agree that the Olympics is an intended use of the exemption.

I can't explain why you can't book the Conrad in March. I've already booked 3 Asian Hiltons for March 2020 using points, although none in Japan.