Hyatt Regency Kyoto - REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Oct 8, 2022, 11:10 am
#1066
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Osaka
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, UA
Posts: 3,158
Oct 9, 2022, 10:25 am
#1067
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern New Mexico
Posts: 1,724
You may get lucky and get a suite upgrade on arrival. We were upgraded to the Regency Executive Suite Twin on arrival for a four night stay. Based on what I read in this thread I feel lucky to have snagged a suite upgrade. The view of the garden alone on this stay made the Globalist status chasing work it. We’re now at the Park Hyatt Kyoto in a Park Suite and while the room is overall in better shape with nicer amenities, the view from the Regency Executive Suite spoiled us.
Last edited by CoffeeTraveler; Oct 9, 2022 at 10:26 am Reason: Typo
Oct 13, 2022, 10:42 pm
#1068
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: bay area
Programs: hyatt globalist
Posts: 68
You may get lucky and get a suite upgrade on arrival. We were upgraded to the Regency Executive Suite Twin on arrival for a four night stay. Based on what I read in this thread I feel lucky to have snagged a suite upgrade. The view of the garden alone on this stay made the Globalist status chasing work it. We’re now at the Park Hyatt Kyoto in a Park Suite and while the room is overall in better shape with nicer amenities, the view from the Regency Executive Suite spoiled us.
Oct 13, 2022, 10:58 pm
#1069
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,469
Suite upgrade awards cannot be applied at this property. The OP appears to have gotten a complimentary, above-and-beyond upgrade for one or more of various reasons beyond simply being a Globalist (frequent guest at this property, low occupancy, etc.). With tourism to Japan picking back up again, I certainly wouldn't expect such an upgrade for the foreseeable future.
Oct 14, 2022, 1:42 am
#1070
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern New Mexico
Posts: 1,724
Suite upgrade awards cannot be applied at this property. The OP appears to have gotten a complimentary, above-and-beyond upgrade for one or more of various reasons beyond simply being a Globalist (frequent guest at this property, low occupancy, etc.). With tourism to Japan picking back up again, I certainly wouldn't expect such an upgrade for the foreseeable future.
Oct 15, 2022, 1:05 pm
#1071
Join Date: Jun 2020
Programs: n/a
Posts: 62
Thank you for the quick response, you really helped me in making a decision.
You're absolutely right, it's silly for me to think I'd have been disappointed with the HR
. It definitely looks very nice, and the exceptional rate is kind of hard to believe (in a good way). It's nice to hear that the location is a good choice for sightseeing, too.
That said, since this will be my first time in Kyoto, I'm eager to stay somewhere that has a bit of a different feel than the HR. Sowaka has really caught my eye, and while I'm not as confident in booking it as I'd like to be due to the lack of information online about it, I'm eager to give it a try. I don't know if it's accurate to call Sowaka a ryokan, but I've been interested in staying in one, and this seems like a good opportunity. I'll do my best to share my take on it in the SLH sub-forum after my stay, to help others in the future.
You're absolutely right, it's silly for me to think I'd have been disappointed with the HR
. It definitely looks very nice, and the exceptional rate is kind of hard to believe (in a good way). It's nice to hear that the location is a good choice for sightseeing, too.That said, since this will be my first time in Kyoto, I'm eager to stay somewhere that has a bit of a different feel than the HR. Sowaka has really caught my eye, and while I'm not as confident in booking it as I'd like to be due to the lack of information online about it, I'm eager to give it a try. I don't know if it's accurate to call Sowaka a ryokan, but I've been interested in staying in one, and this seems like a good opportunity. I'll do my best to share my take on it in the SLH sub-forum after my stay, to help others in the future.
tried to email them about some reservation changed but they have no reached back out after a couple days.
Nov 8, 2022, 3:49 pm
#1072
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: SFO
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, AA Exec Plat, OZ Diamond Plus
Posts: 358
Are they still doing the free drink at Touzan / cocktail hour from 6-7, or did they adjust Glob amenities? Staying for the first time after 4-5 years, looking forward to coming back.
Nov 13, 2022, 11:23 am
#1073
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern New Mexico
Posts: 1,724
During our stay in October we got 2 complimentary drinks per night as Globalist at Touzan or Touzan Bar (when open) without any sort of time restrictions beyond the hours of operation. We were never even charged for the drinks, staff just asked to see the emerald color room key the first visit and then remembered us for further visits. It was a wonderful and unexpected perk. I’ll find some drink menu photos and post them.
Last edited by CoffeeTraveler; Nov 13, 2022 at 11:24 am Reason: Typo
Nov 17, 2022, 10:00 am
#1075
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,163
Stayed there recently, place was packed to the rafters with leaf peepers, a mix of domestic and international (as opposed to out on the leaf-peeping sites, where it was 90% or so domestic tourists). I did not get an upgrade to the 5th floor (which happens frequently for me here), but they were apologetic about it. I did not have to ask, they said unprompted that they couldn't give me a 5th floor room because they were fully booked. And indeed it looked to be the case.
The concierge came through once again with flying colors, getting me into restaurants other people have paid dearly to third party intermediaries to land a seat. I have to say their concierge team is the best I've seen in Japan.
The only weak spot was the breakfast. It was always very crowded, and people were made to wait frequently. I asked whether they were short-staffed, and they said not really (and no short-staffing was evident anywhere on the hotel). I think the issue is that they changed the model. Before it was a buffet breakfast as the base offering, and if you wanted something extra, you had to order it from either the egg station or the small a la carte menu. Now it's all a la carte, and they have many more offerings. This means that there are additional steps in the process flow (order from server, server takes order to kitchen, kitchen makes it, server picks it up and takes it to customer). This means that table turnover is slower, reducing capacity overall and leading to backups and wait times. Also, not sure the kitchen was designed for such a large number of SKUs, or even has the capacity to serve so many people at once, so that may add to the customer dwell time and reducing table turnover even further.
The buffet was still there, with most items as original. Only weirdness is that you had to put on gloves to serve yourself. Only place in saw that as a requirement after two weeks in Japan. I think they should go back to their old model, much more efficient.
The concierge came through once again with flying colors, getting me into restaurants other people have paid dearly to third party intermediaries to land a seat. I have to say their concierge team is the best I've seen in Japan.
The only weak spot was the breakfast. It was always very crowded, and people were made to wait frequently. I asked whether they were short-staffed, and they said not really (and no short-staffing was evident anywhere on the hotel). I think the issue is that they changed the model. Before it was a buffet breakfast as the base offering, and if you wanted something extra, you had to order it from either the egg station or the small a la carte menu. Now it's all a la carte, and they have many more offerings. This means that there are additional steps in the process flow (order from server, server takes order to kitchen, kitchen makes it, server picks it up and takes it to customer). This means that table turnover is slower, reducing capacity overall and leading to backups and wait times. Also, not sure the kitchen was designed for such a large number of SKUs, or even has the capacity to serve so many people at once, so that may add to the customer dwell time and reducing table turnover even further.
The buffet was still there, with most items as original. Only weirdness is that you had to put on gloves to serve yourself. Only place in saw that as a requirement after two weeks in Japan. I think they should go back to their old model, much more efficient.
Nov 17, 2022, 11:02 am
#1076
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Titanium; Globalist
Posts: 376
Thanks Pickles for the report.
My apologies for drifting offpoint but with regard to having to wear gloves for buffets, in my trip last week the Andaz Tokyo required at least one glove and the ANA Crowne at Narita required two gloves. Grand Hyatt Tokyo did not require gloves.
My apologies for drifting offpoint but with regard to having to wear gloves for buffets, in my trip last week the Andaz Tokyo required at least one glove and the ANA Crowne at Narita required two gloves. Grand Hyatt Tokyo did not require gloves.
Nov 19, 2022, 5:04 am
#1077
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SIN
Programs: AY Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 224
During our stay in October we got 2 complimentary drinks per night as Globalist at Touzan or Touzan Bar (when open) without any sort of time restrictions beyond the hours of operation. We were never even charged for the drinks, staff just asked to see the emerald color room key the first visit and then remembered us for further visits. It was a wonderful and unexpected perk. I’ll find some drink menu photos and post them.
Nov 19, 2022, 2:22 pm
#1078
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern New Mexico
Posts: 1,724
That was my experience in early October. Got comped drinks each night, had to do a double check with the front desk when they said it was each night! They said green room key ease for Globalists; I didn’t catch the other key color.
Nov 20, 2022, 10:35 pm
#1079
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C. - Canada
Posts: 499
Skip the taxi
Staying here for the next two nights
decided to take the hotel complimentary mx taxi from Kyoto station and had to wait over 45 mins on a Monday at around 1 pm.
i had not researched alternative ways to get to the hotel, as this thread suggested that 15 mins would be the wait time during peak periods but suggest people may want to avoid the taxi.
decided to take the hotel complimentary mx taxi from Kyoto station and had to wait over 45 mins on a Monday at around 1 pm.
i had not researched alternative ways to get to the hotel, as this thread suggested that 15 mins would be the wait time during peak periods but suggest people may want to avoid the taxi.
Nov 20, 2022, 11:46 pm
#1080
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,318
Staying here for the next two nights
decided to take the hotel complimentary mx taxi from Kyoto station and had to wait over 45 mins on a Monday at around 1 pm.
i had not researched alternative ways to get to the hotel, as this thread suggested that 15 mins would be the wait time during peak periods but suggest people may want to avoid the taxi.
decided to take the hotel complimentary mx taxi from Kyoto station and had to wait over 45 mins on a Monday at around 1 pm.
i had not researched alternative ways to get to the hotel, as this thread suggested that 15 mins would be the wait time during peak periods but suggest people may want to avoid the taxi.