Actually, LapLap suggested the Prince clear back in post #7 but then withdrew the suggestion when it was made clear that a somewhat nicer level of accommodation was desired.

Yes - it was a fine suggestion when LapLap made it. It's unhelpful to repeat the recommendation after the new information that the OP added.
I've amended my post to put emphasis on the phact that we now know the OP's boss is happy to pick up the tab for some fancy digs.

After a long discussion with Mrs. NU and a few phone calls here is what we are thinking,

We arrive in NRT at 5pm from PVG on ANA on the 18th, so first I will change that so I arrive 3:15. We will stay at the Four Seasons Marunouchi for the proximity to Ginza and the Tokyo station. Then on the 19th in the afternoon take the Nozomi to Kyoto and then fly home from KIX on the 21st.

Leaving the following questions,

Will I have problems getting to the train station from the Four Seasons with all our bags?

What about hotels in Kyoto?

Again thanks for everyone's help,
N.U.

Even though you're going to be really busy, it's definitely well worth the extra effort to get to Kyoto--you won't be disappointed.

Getting from your hotel to the station with luggage is no problem, but there's very limited luggage space on the Shinkansen. You can really only fit one or two rollaboards on the shelf over your head. If you have a lot of stuff, your hotel can probably arrange to ship your bags to your hotel in Kyoto. The delivery services in Japan (takuhaybin) are (in my opinion) amazing, and this shouldn't be a problem.

If you're looking for a western hotel, the Hyatt in Kyoto is hard to beat. I just got back, and the hotel is gorgeous inside and the service was fantastic.

Alex

The Four Seasons can help you with the luggage between the hotel and the platform at Tokyo Station. They charge a fee for this service - some people find that to be very worthwhile.
(My own feeling is that I know Tokyo station almost as well as I know my own apartment by now - and I try never to travel with more luggage than I can lift with one arm).

Will your boss pay for a high end traditional Japanese ryokan? If so, then the Tawara-ya and Hiragi-ya are supposed to be the cat's whiskers...
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...80_indacc.html

For Western style hotels - Alex has pointed to the newly rennovated, re-branded and re-opened Hyatt. It seems to be very highly rated by some flyertalkers who really know their Kyoto hotels...

There's also the Granvia - which deserves a mention if you're travelling with lots of luggage, because it is very conveniently located inside the Kyoto station building. It's a fine hotel (four or five stars). Great service. Ultra-convenient for transport from Tokyo and onward to KIX. But Kyoto station is not a great part of town. The topic is debated and discussed in detail elsewhere in this forum...

It was a number of years ago, but I enjoyed several days in Kyoto at the New Miyako hotel, almost across the street from Kyoto station, which I considered very good value for the price. It's a very good full service hotel though perhaps not in the top luxury category. (Note: this is a different hotel from the Miyako, located elsewhere in Kyoto.) It's true that the neighborhood is dreary -- this neighborhood was the model for the future LA in Blade Runner and it looks it, especially if it's drizzling all the time like it was when I was there. But I found it perfectly safe, and unless you have a car it's extremely convenient to be right near the station, since you'll be going there a lot to take trains or buses to Kyoto's spread-out attractions.

Travel tip: Kyoto station is huge and confusing, and if you're not familiar with it you should allow plenty of time to catch your train. It's so big that even if you know your way around it can still take ten minutes to get from the station's front door to your platform, if I remember correctly.

Adding on:

If you have lots of luggage, I strongly suggest the first thing you do upon arrival at the hotel in Tokyo is to repack everything you need for your short stay in Japan into one bag each. Everything else, arrange with the hotel to have shipped directly to KIX to be held for your departure day. They will arrange for the shipping and have it held at the takkyubin counter in the departure lobby where you can claim it just before checking in for your flight home. With less luggage, the shinkansen to Kyoto, and the Haruka Deluxe express from Kyoto-KIX, will be simple. This is the way most Japanese travel around their country.

JR

I think the advice above from abmj-jr about using the takkyubin service is excellent and would highly recommend it.

There is a slight alternative suggestion to this which I would add, and that's to have the majority of your luggage shipped to KIX from NRT airport itself rather than hauling it to the Four Seasons and having them do it. You'll just need to have enough with you for 3 nights which should be more than manageable.

The Four Seasons I'm sure would be an excellent base to see Tokyo. I guess your main decision will be whether to spend two nights here and one night in Kyoto, or one night here and two nights in Kyoto.

Jib71's suggestions regarding two of Kyoto's most famous ryokans may very possibly turn into the highlight of your trip.

There's a lot of debate as to whether it's best to spend one night only at one of these places (some people find the etiquette and the rules at ryokans a bit too restrictive - i.e. your evenings might get structured around an elaborate meal and bathing 'ritual' and your mornings around breakfast - others adore the experience and appreciate a longer stay at these inns) So you might want to spend one night in a ryokan and another in a top end Western Hotel whilst you're in Kyoto depending on your personalities and tastes.

But I really would recommend one night at least in a top Kyoto Ryokan if you possibly can. (Just to add that the price of accommodation at a Ryokan usually includes an exquisite evening dinner and a hearty breakfast, ironically it might turn out to be the most economic option for your employer if s/he is willing to pay for hotels AND meals.)

Whatever your decisions, I'm sure you'll both have a wonderful time.

Oh yes, congratulations on changing your departure airport!

Great tip, I will do this for sure.....thanks

NU

Jib71's suggestions regarding two of Kyoto's most famous ryokans may very possibly turn into the highlight of your trip.

There's a lot of debate as to whether it's best to spend one night only at one of these places (some people find the etiquette and the rules at ryokans a bit too restrictive - i.e. your evenings might get structured around an elaborate meal and bathing 'ritual' and your mornings around breakfast - others adore the experience and appreciate a longer stay at these inns) So you might want to spend one night in a ryokan and another in a top end Western Hotel whilst you're in Kyoto depending on your personalities and tastes.

But I really would recommend one night at least in a top Kyoto Ryokan if you possibly can. (Just to add that the price of accommodation at a Ryokan usually includes an exquisite evening dinner and a hearty breakfast, ironically it might turn out to be the most economic option for your employer if s/he is willing to pay for hotels AND meals.)

Not sure if a Ryokan is in the picture, as you say there is a lot of time involved and time is what we lack most. Also to unpack and pack after doing it so many times during the previous 10 days is not that appealing although it is something i would like to do in the future.

LapLap, thanks for all the great input

NU

OK - I'm not shy and retiring.

I assume that you have never been to Japan before. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Tokyo is the largest city in the world - more than 35 million people. Three nights and two days in Tokyo can't even start to do justice to the city. Kyoto has a lot of historic sights. You need at least 2 days to see the most important of them in a proper manner. Given your time constraints - you should choose one or the other. But you can't do either decently - learn anything about them - if you split your *very* limited time between them. I would choose Tokyo - there are people here who would choose Kyoto. But I would recommend choosing one or the other.

I have stayed at both the Four Seasons in Tokyo and the Granvia in Kyoto and have written both up extensively in other threads. The bellstaff at the Four Seasons will walk you and your luggage to the train station in Tokyo. And the bellstaff at the Granvia (in the train station) will take your luggage to your room. Robyn

P.S. One thing I forgot to mention is that although Kyoto has lots of historic (and sometimes beautiful) sights - the city itself is not beautiful. Tokyo isn't beautiful either - but it is huge and exciting. If you wife is thinking that by going to Kyoto - she will be going to a quaint city where history and mystery are lurking around every corner - she will be disappointed. Robyn

It turns out that changing my flight to KIX meant losing a confirmed upgrade so I changed my flight from PVG to KIX, so we will begin there instead of finishing there.

I arrive just after noon and the plan is to be picked up from the airport and begin touring right away. We will be staying overnight at the Westin in Kyoto and take the 5pm train the following day to Tokyo.

I agree with everyone that we are not spending enough time in either city but I am sure we will be back in the near future. We will get a taste of both cities and hopefully know exactly where to go next time.

the only thing that has not been confirmed is where to stay in Tokyo, right now I have reservations at both the Four Seasons and the Park Hyatt.

Again thanks to everyone for the replies.

NU

With such little time in Kyoto I would urge you to book a tour guide - preferably one with a car as (just as robyng has implied) the many highlights and attractions are widely dispersed around a far from scenic city.

I have given the recommendation by robyng to three work aquaintances who found themselves in a similar position to you (they had just one day to see Kyoto before returning from a conference in Yokohama). I have heard very good reports from both groups.

The thread is here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=551191 - the guy is very popular, so if you want to do this, book as soon as you can.

Whether you stay in Shinjuku (Park Hyatt) or near Tokyo station (FS) may depend on how early your flight back leaves Narita on your day of departure.

I understand that there are trains that run straight to NRT from Shinjuku, but they are few and far between. It will be easier to get to NRT from Tokyo station.

If you let us know the time of your departing flight, we can give you a better answer.

(Again - you can get the bulk of your luggage sent directly to NRT with the Takkyubin service either at KIX or at the Westin. Were you able to get one of the Japanese style rooms there? - I been led to believe that the variation of quality between different room types in this hotel is considerable)

Last time I was in Tokyo I stayed at the Shinjuku Hilton and I had no problem getting an N'EX train to Narita. They aren't as frequent as at Tokyo station, but they run 2-4x/hour.