Park Hyatt Kyoto REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Oct 30, 2022, 8:30 pm
#931
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I’m here now, was able to use a suite upgrade for 3 nights and assigned 209 which has a garden view. The suite is quite nice.
One bad thing about getting the Park Suite here is there is almost no chance of early check in and they will almost certainly make you switch rooms for late check out (which they don’t technically have to provide since it is a resort).
I also find it tacky that they charge so much to upgrade to Japanese breakfast even when you’re on a hyatt Prive paid stay. The full price of the breakfast is not much more than the upgrade cost so you’re basically forgoing any benefit at all.
Prive currently has third night free which makes the cash rate tolerable.
One bad thing about getting the Park Suite here is there is almost no chance of early check in and they will almost certainly make you switch rooms for late check out (which they don’t technically have to provide since it is a resort).
I also find it tacky that they charge so much to upgrade to Japanese breakfast even when you’re on a hyatt Prive paid stay. The full price of the breakfast is not much more than the upgrade cost so you’re basically forgoing any benefit at all.
Prive currently has third night free which makes the cash rate tolerable.
Oct 30, 2022, 8:37 pm
#932
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern New Mexico
Posts: 1,719
Japanese breakfast room service
I found the surcharge to be acceptable considering the quality of the meal plus not having to pay an additional charge to have it set up in the room. We only had it once since it doesn’t change from day to day and were happy with that decision. We were able to have an early breakfast while they baby slept in the bedroom, which was priceless.
Oct 30, 2022, 10:03 pm
#933
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SJU
Programs: Amex FHR elite travel agent, Ritz Stars, Hyatt Prive, Four Seasons Preferred Partner and others
Posts: 1,521
Japanese breakfast room service
I found the surcharge to be acceptable considering the quality of the meal plus not having to pay an additional charge to have it set up in the room. We only had it once since it doesn’t change from day to day and were happy with that decision. We were able to have an early breakfast while they baby slept in the bedroom, which was priceless.
I wasn't aware they would deliver it to the room for no extra charge (it wasn't offered to me). That is indeed worth something.
Oct 31, 2022, 2:34 am
#934
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LAX
Posts: 59
Re taxis, we've stayed at PH Kyoto 3 times this year and taken taxis to the hotel at least twice on each stay. Only about half of the drivers knew the name right away, so it is still not that well known. However, all of the drivers immediately knew "the hotel next to Kodaiji", so they are well aware that there is a hotel at that locations; they are just not familiar with the name. If the taxi goes in wrong direction based only on the name it is likely a confusion due to "Park" being in the name. A lot of Japanese hotels use the word "Park" in their name. The HR Kyoto was originally the "Kyoto Park Hotel”
Alternatively you could just google the hotel and screen shot the address in Japanese to have it handy. Every taxi driver in Japan is more than happy to punch an address into their nav in order to get you to your exact location.
One additional taxi related tip — some cabs in Kyoto still do not accept credit card. Make sure to double check before the trip starts, or just carry some cash with you to be safe.
Oct 31, 2022, 3:34 am
#935
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Osaka
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, UA
Posts: 3,158
yes, ph Kyoto, similar to ph Tokyo, offers globalists the option of having the complimentary breakfast in room, either western or Japanese (with the surcharge at ph Kyoto).
Oct 31, 2022, 8:08 am
#936
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 637
But from the Hyatt Place Moab to Park Hyatt Kyoto, I found out that many (any?) hotel can identify as a resort to get out of it.
Also, envious of the suite! My stay is in a few days and have been refreshing for several months but no Park Suite on my days. Did get one in Tokyo though
Nov 2, 2022, 8:43 pm
#937
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 637
This could be a fluke but DP nonetheless.
Park Suite was unavailable during our dates, and I was trying to use a suite upgrade award.
I checked every week or so, and it was the one room type that was fully booked.
before checking in on the Hyatt app day of check in, I decided to check once more, and it was available. I called Hyatt and they booked us in easy peasy for our stay in a couple hours.
nice surprise!
Park Suite was unavailable during our dates, and I was trying to use a suite upgrade award.
I checked every week or so, and it was the one room type that was fully booked.
before checking in on the Hyatt app day of check in, I decided to check once more, and it was available. I called Hyatt and they booked us in easy peasy for our stay in a couple hours.
nice surprise!
Last edited by dval44; Nov 2, 2022 at 10:39 pm
Nov 2, 2022, 9:27 pm
#938
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Osaka
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, UA
Posts: 3,158
This could be a fluke but DP nonetheless.
Park Suite was unavailable during our dates, and I was trying to use a suite upgrade award.
I checked every week or so, and it was the one room type that was fully booked.
before checking in on the Hyatt app day or checkin, I decided to check once more, and it was available. I called Hyatt and they booked us in easy peasy for our stay in a couple hours.
nice surprise!
Park Suite was unavailable during our dates, and I was trying to use a suite upgrade award.
I checked every week or so, and it was the one room type that was fully booked.
before checking in on the Hyatt app day or checkin, I decided to check once more, and it was available. I called Hyatt and they booked us in easy peasy for our stay in a couple hours.
nice surprise!
Nov 3, 2022, 12:10 am
#939
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 637
This could be a fluke but DP nonetheless.
Park Suite was unavailable during our dates, and I was trying to use a suite upgrade award.
I checked every week or so, and it was the one room type that was fully booked.
before checking in on the Hyatt app day of check in, I decided to check once more, and it was available. I called Hyatt and they booked us in easy peasy for our stay in a couple hours.
nice surprise!
Park Suite was unavailable during our dates, and I was trying to use a suite upgrade award.
I checked every week or so, and it was the one room type that was fully booked.
before checking in on the Hyatt app day of check in, I decided to check once more, and it was available. I called Hyatt and they booked us in easy peasy for our stay in a couple hours.
nice surprise!
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Anyone know what’s up with that?
Last edited by dval44; Nov 3, 2022 at 12:21 am
Nov 3, 2022, 12:21 am
#940
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, AS MVP Gold, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 269
was actually upgraded to the Ninenzaka house at check in. Very nice views but not too private.
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Any wine know what’s up with that?
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Any wine know what’s up with that?
Nov 3, 2022, 12:33 am
#942
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Osaka
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, UA
Posts: 3,158
was actually upgraded to the Ninenzaka house at check in. Very nice views but not too private.
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Any wine know what’s up with that?
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Any wine know what’s up with that?
The upgrade to the Ninenzaka House sounds nice. In 5 stays (one back in 2019 just a month after they opened and 4 this year), we only managed to get a suite once, and the view on every stay was a garden terrace. Would like to see what a view room is like, although I've read about some of the view rooms/suites lacking privacy.
For all 5 stays, a total of about 15 nights, we've had breakfast in the room every morning. We had the Japanese breakfast back in 2019 and the Western breakfast on the 4 stays this year (we just checked out 2 days ago on our most recent stay) because I dislike the fact that the upgrade charge for the Japanese breakfast is higher than the difference in price between the two.
CoffeeTraveler also posted on Oct 31 that they had the Japanese breakfast in-room. I suggest requesting confirmation. The Japanese breakfast is offered in-room on the Room Service Menu, and hotel policy, at least up until 2 days ago, was to allow Globalists to have the complimentary breakfast in-room, so I don't see what the problem could be.
Nov 3, 2022, 1:03 am
#943
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 55
was actually upgraded to the Ninenzaka house at check in. Very nice views but not too private.
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Anyone know what’s up with that?
also- I asked at checkin if we can receive the Japanese breakfast in our room, and he looked at me like I had two heads. “No, breakfast must be in the restaurant.” Anyone know what’s up with that?
Nov 3, 2022, 1:12 am
#944
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Osaka
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, UA
Posts: 3,158
On our stay in September at check-in in the lobby the staff was misinformed re late check-out policy for a GoH booking. That was the only one of our 4 stays this year that we were checked-in in the lobby. The other 3 stays we were checked-in in-room and the staff were well informed about late check-out, in-room breakfast, and access to the Champagne Hour (which we do not use).
Nov 3, 2022, 3:20 am
#945
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LAX
Posts: 59
When I inquired about the Japanese breakfast, we were explicitly told that it was served in the restaurant as well. Didn’t think to ask about an in-room option, but in hindsight I wish that I had.
When we did the Japanese breakfast, roughly half of the tables in the restaurant had not been cleared after patrons had left. The table next to us in the photo below was like that when we walked in, and remained uncleared for the duration of our meal. Not great ambiance.
I have to think that it was because they happened to be understaffed that day — there was exactly one woman greeting guests and setting up new tables while also trying to clear a table or two when she had a second. A FOH man in a suit was helping where he could, but he clearly was not used to setting up the breakfast set and was fumbling around with it.
This was probably the only real demerit for the hotel on an otherwise perfect stay, so I’m willing to consider it an outlier. It was downright odd, especially in contrast to the exemplary level of service we had received in literally every other facet of our stay.
When we did the Japanese breakfast, roughly half of the tables in the restaurant had not been cleared after patrons had left. The table next to us in the photo below was like that when we walked in, and remained uncleared for the duration of our meal. Not great ambiance.
I have to think that it was because they happened to be understaffed that day — there was exactly one woman greeting guests and setting up new tables while also trying to clear a table or two when she had a second. A FOH man in a suit was helping where he could, but he clearly was not used to setting up the breakfast set and was fumbling around with it.
This was probably the only real demerit for the hotel on an otherwise perfect stay, so I’m willing to consider it an outlier. It was downright odd, especially in contrast to the exemplary level of service we had received in literally every other facet of our stay.