hailstorm

This is the statement you made, which is the one I was mainly addressing.

1. Freshly squeezed orange juice and the kind that's most available in a store (orange juice with most of the water removed, then reconstituted with water at a later time) are both called "orange juice", and both supply the body with Vitamin C. How is this different from taking the minerals from an onsen in Hakone or whatever and adding them to water at a later date?

2. Why would naturally occurring onsen provide "supposed healing benefits", while artificially reconstituted onsen would not? Is there not a single person supposing on the benefits of adding onsen minerals to water?

Nagasaki Joe

Due to truth-in-advertising laws, reconstituted orange juice is usually not called “orange juice,” it’s called “orange juice from concentrate,” at least in the United States, and Japan has similar laws. To health purists, there is a world of difference between the two kinds of “orange juice” and many (including me) would rarely or never buy the artificial variety. Many disagree that both have the same nutritional and health value, just as many may argue that "artificial onsen" don't offer the same health benefit. Others may not care so much.
Onsen purists might argue that you cannot reconstitute natural spring water by removing the minerals and adding tap water because you destroy the organic whole with its synergistic benefits of the natural water with its minerals and greatly reduce or even destroy its benefits. I’m of this view, therefore in my view it “provides none of the supposed healing benefits of natural onsen spring water.” I would not add mineral salts to my tap-water bath because I don’t perceive the benefit. Others may disagree, but this is not the forum to debate this.

It’s time to get back on topic.

hailstorm

I accept your concession.

Hilton Odawara's onsen is perfectly adequate.

skywalkerLAX

The latter, just like at Park Hyatt (as fancy as it is).

Nagasaki Joe

Quite a few Japanese hotels, even small business hotels, have sento (hot baths that use tap water, not natural spring water). There are hot spring sources in Tokyo, but they are fewer in number than in places like Nikko, Beppu, and other onsen-rich areas. Though I agree, it seems a bit tacky at a top hotel like the PH Tokyo. Actually, the Hilton Seahawk in Fukuoka also has a sento.

hailstorm

Park Hyatt is not even a jinko onsen. It's just a really, really nice bath.

Tilto007

If you had to choose between these which one would you choose?? My daughter has enough points (380k) for a five night stay at either one .She will be in Tokyo for 5 days and Osaka for 5 days, She will use IHG points for the other 5 days in Japan.It will be her first trip to Japan.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

Ooh that is a tough one.

Both are very good hotels and found that tokyo impressed more on a first impression but osaka is worth exploring.

I would probably go for conrad osaka for its lobby and bathroom views but the bay/garden views from conrad tokyo are great.


I could and have spent 10 days in a row in tokyo esp with tokyo disney. In osaka I would do a day trip to Kyoto although it would be worth st least one night in Kyoto but she can always come back to japan as you will not be able to see everything in just one trip
I am on a mobile so cannot type as much easily

Reyards

Tbs

jeffers

Tough one but having stayed in both, I would go for Osaka again. The lobby is stunning, rooms are great. Bit different vibe to Tokyo and Osaka is a great place to explore.

Can't really go wrong with either, though.

aks120

Definitely Conrad Osaka! I stay in both in 2019 and early 2020 (in the Tokyo one twice) and loved the Conrad Osaka and Osaka itself. The Tokyo one was nice but I just loved Osaka Conrad.

No hesitation!

aks120

garykung

Personally, I would choose neither.

I have never been to either hotels. In fact, I have never visited Japan. But FWIW - if I was a first-time visitor, I would focus on visiting as many attractions as possible, rather than choosing a nice hotel (You are not exactly in Japan for the hotel). A decent hotel would be fine, as I would not be in the hotel for most of the time.

But that's just me.

Tilto007

Thanks for the advice.She actually will be one day in Kyoto at the new Roku LXR on a weekend certificate .I am pretty sure she will also do a day trip to Kyoto from Osaka also.

demue

I would suggest to think about location as another poster suggested as well. As an experienced Japan visitor, I'd have no gripes with either Conrad, but Tokyo is not smack in the center of tourist attractions.

I would suggest Conrad Tokyo though for a simple reason and that is that the OP said the rest of the stay will be "financed" using IHG points and the IC Osaka is just an excellent property (a notch above the Tokyo ICs, haven't tried the Kimpton near Park Hyatt) so assuming reward nights are available this could make an excellent combo. YMMV.

hailstorm

An execellent concierge at an excellent hotel can make an excellent stay even more excellent.

Per the original question, Conrad Osaka is very pretty, but if I would choose one I would choose Conrad Tokyo in a heartbeat. There's just more to Tokyo, and more to Conrad Tokyo.

garykung

Such an excellent concierge needs not to be from the hotel. AMEX does have some excellent concierge.