MikeFromTokyo

The PH Tokyo gives every guest welcome amenities, which are usually Sembei (rice crackers) but I`ve had strawberries, other fruits, chocolates, etc... all very nice stuff.

The hotel does offer free spa access to diamond members, which is charged at over $40 USD per person per day for non diamond guests. I find this amenity to be of great value because it saves me $40+ per day.

I fully expect that hotel will be compliant regarding the breakfast enhancement. The hotel is very good at honoring GP T&C.

LamboRich

Overall Great Experience 8.5/10

Hotel is magnificent, stunning views.

When we requested an upgrade on the rooms, they seemed very evasive and had an attitude like we don't deserve an upgrade. (I'm Hyatt Diamond)
We didn't get an upgrade even though they told us hotel was only at 80% capacity.

Took two rooms
At booking we had requested connecting rooms and early check in.
They gave us one room initially and the other was eventually provided within a few hour wait, this wasn't cool but at least our daughter (2 1/2 )could sleep in one of the rooms from the long plane flight.
They offered that I go to the spa whilst I wait.

Spa was magnificent as Hyatt Diamond you get complimentary Access ($40-$45 regular rate.)
If you stay here USE THE SPA - I loved the waterfall shower, -not a rain shower this is a FULL 8ft high and 6ft wide waterfall, VERY Cool.

Gym is excellent and has amazing views.
I went to the SPA and Gym everyday

Staff were great, very attentive.

Nice cake as the welcome Diamond Gift.
Free internet in the room. for Diamond
Breakfast was Free in room or at restaurant for Diamond.
Only Continental breakfast was free, We stayed mid April 2009 and reading this forum some have said we should have got Full Breakfast, but this was not offered.
Breakfast was very tasty and Hot Chocolate here is awesome.

Went to the New York Grill restaurant food was Excellent but a bit pricey.
View at night is amazing

Got 4pm check out no problems.

Overall a Great Experience 8.5/10.

RichardInSF

Internet is free for everyone at this hotel.

best

Lambo: why not higher than 8.5? Have you been at 9.0 or higher--which ones?

LamboRich

To answer the second part of your question first Yes I have stayed at what I consider a 10 a few times. The most important thing for me is the effort that is made not always the result. Even though the Park Hyatt Tokyo is amazing the people in Hyatt Auckland are a 10/10. The Hyatt in Auckland is 30% of the price and not as nice but REALLY Nice People. When I am made to feel at home, I consider that a good hotel.
Westin Orlando by the convention center is good example of this as well.
Westin Sydney was cool too.
I like getting an upgrade to a cool suite it makes me feel special and whenever I get one, the trip always seems to go soooo much better.
A good example of this is Westin LAX not the nicest location, but a few years ago my wife and I were on our way to New Zealand and stayed there for one night. It was supposed to be a $100 room, we got upgrade to a beautiful suite with a Hot Tub on the Balcony that overlooked the airport.
It was a fun experience to take a Hot Tub overlooking LAX.

Probably the nicest hotel with the best service I have ever stayed in is the Amanjena in Moroco but it was expensive for a third world country.
http://amanresorts.com/amanjena/home.aspx


Anyway Re: Park Hyatt Tokyo:

Gave it a 8.5 Because

Plus Points
1) The hotel is so magnificent in terms of views it gets a 6 just for being so nice.

2) Spa is sensational

3) Staff very attentive if you are paying or what you get is "part of the rules."

4) Restaurant was excellent

5) Did I mention the Views ??? hehe

Minus Points
Seems that most of Japan is very rules driven thus

1) check in staff (including the G.M) were not keen on giving upgrades they had an attitude of you get what you pay for. (This was not cool)

2) I had a family plan as I had my daughter in a separate room. At time of Booking I specifically asked is it OK for my Nanny to stay in the same room as my daughter? One of the most senior Gold Passport Managers says "Yes Thats Fine" - this was good enough for me. So when we get to the Park Hyatt , they ask the question... is your nanny staying in the same room as your daughter ? I said Yes, then they say in which case you don't get the 50% discount for family plan. Luckily I took the name of the manager who promised this. So they honored it. But was it worth the 5 min argument ??

We didnt have this problem in Singapore (2 nights) or in Auckland (7 nights )


3) My daughter was tired and we had to wait for the first room for 30mins+ and My second room wasn't ready when I got there, normally not an issue but when I specifically call ahead and check to make sure it will be ready and they say don't worry. I expect it to be in order. When you are spending about $1000 per night I want it right.

4) It is expensive

5) No Club Lounge
--------------------

LamboRich

Heres the review i did for Hyatt Auckland Post number 156
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...er-thread.html

and Hyatt Singapore Post Number 277
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...thread-19.html

AZ Travels the World

Hyatt Auckland -- 10 out of 10.

Compared to the Park Hyatt Tokyo.

I am speechless.

holtju2

Yep. Makes absolutely no sense at all. Hyatt Auckland is not bad if you get their residence wing. Employees are OK but I wouldn't call them great. I do feel, however, that PH Tokyo is bit overrated as well.

LamboRich

People buy people first then product. - Or at least I do
Obviously Park Hyatt is a far superior product in terms of Hotel Quality.
And if you could move the people from Auckland to Tokyo then I would prefer the Park Hyatt Tokyo. Same reason why I would rather fly AA and Qantas rather than JAL, BA, or Virgin. (Business)

RichardInSF

It sounds like you expect an upgrade as an entitlement, being diamond. If that's the case, then you might well be disappointed at any Hyatt which didn't upgrade you -- yet it happens.

I am not aware of any PH, other than the PH Melbourne, having a club lounge. So if that is important to you, you should consider avoiding PH's in the future. Both the GH and the HR in Tokyo have a club lounge.

BKKROP

Hi LamboRich, I follow your train of thought but I tend to disagree with you. I believe people react differently to different people. I just took friends across with me to Bangkok, and here were two persons who had no people skills at all, were unable to even graciously accept a Thai welcome, without some demeaning comment. They continually said to me in the lounge, they look after you here, we are treated so differently when you are around. Under my breath, I said no wonder, if you were not friends I wouldn't even give you the time of day. regards bkkrop

gregorygrady

I think the OP loses a little credibility when he gives the bolded properties above 10/10 and only gives PH Tokyo 8.5/10. I've heard nothing but bad things about Hyatt Auckland and Westin LAX, and I can't imagine a convention center hotel can be better than PH Tokyo!!!!

MikeFromTokyo

It is important to remember that the PHT only has something like 170 rooms, which among other things is one reason upgrades are not given out liberally just on the basis that a guest is a diamond member.

Also, I am impressed that the hotel granted you the discount for the second room. Because of the fact that there was another adult staying in the room, nanny or otherwise, you probably were not in fact eligible for any discount on that room.

IncyWincy

I agree with Richard.

Also, one must understand and respect the culture of the host country, in this case Japan, that they stick to the rules - they do not expect tipping, or upgrades. They are typically clean, honest, punctual, play by the rules and you get what is stated. This is actually a lot better than other cultures which expect tipping or arm-twisting, or slipping $20 notes under a credit card. Your view may vary. Yet I do think one must note and respect host country's culture.

peteropny

Each stay can be so different.

In my personal experience, my paid stay in AKL was exactly what I had reserved (1BR Residence Suite) without any access to the RC. I found the staff to be perfectly fine but nothing outstanding.

PHT however, on a FFN redemption, gave me a slight upgrade to the Deluxe room with Mt Fuji view. And this was the only Hyatt property that offerred without negotiation a very late (for Hyatt) checkout of 4PM based simply on my requesting a reservation for the 4PM bus to NRT and asking if any checkout after noon would be possible. While I wouldn't say that the staff was warm they all did excatly what they were supposed to. Questions and requests at check-in were completed within 10 min without any further prompting.

I would give PHT 9.9 (even if I was paying for the stay) and AKL maybe an 8 (perfectly fine given its fairly low cost even compared to Westin & Hilton in AKL but nothing special).

But different people have different perspectives on things - witness my opinion of the PH Chicago vs most others.