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St. Regis Osaka or Ritz-Carlton Kyoto

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St. Regis Osaka or Ritz-Carlton Kyoto

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Old Jul 16, 2017, 11:37 pm
  #16  
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Osaka is a modern business city but with far fewer international influences than Tokyo. Kyoto in some sense is the historical cultural center of Japan. For a tourist, being in Kyoto is far more interesting, but if you must go to Osaka for business, obviously you would want to stay in Osaka.

I would add that to me, a lot of the advantage of a RC is reserving a club level room if your schedule permits you to make much use of the lounge. Few luxury hotels have lounges but the RC brand is an exception, even though elites generally don't get free access.
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Old Jul 16, 2017, 11:49 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Osaka is a modern business city but with far fewer international influences than Tokyo. Kyoto in some sense is the historical cultural center of Japan. For a tourist, being in Kyoto is far more interesting, but if you must go to Osaka for business, obviously you would want to stay in Osaka.

I would add that to me, a lot of the advantage of a RC is reserving a club level room if your schedule permits you to make much use of the lounge. Few luxury hotels have lounges but the RC brand is an exception, even though elites generally don't get free access.
The RC Kyoto doesn't have a club anyway.
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 2:48 am
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I had to make the same decision a few months ago but it was peak Sakura season which meant that all Kyoto luxury properties were going for insane rates.
Ended up staying at the StR Osaka and loved it.
You can find my review here.
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 1:34 pm
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I stayed at StR Osaka 8 nights straight in one trip and used Osaka as a base for that region. I have been to Kyoto before so there's no need to stay in Kyoto.
What I like most about this hotel location is the Michelin starred restaurants near by. They got us into 5 3-stars and a few 2-stars. We went to 9 restaurants, 5 3-stars and 4 2-stars. It was the food trip of my life.

StR Osaka is an A- city hotel. I wouldn't mind going back again.
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 2:30 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by JohnRain
I had to make the same decision a few months ago but it was peak Sakura season which meant that all Kyoto luxury properties were going for insane rates.
Ended up staying at the StR Osaka and loved it.
You can find my review here.
Thanks for weighing in, JohnRain. I was reading your TR as you went along, and it was a large factor in my choices so far. Unfortunately I wasn't able to score Kyubey reservations while I'm in Tokyo, but I'll have to live vicariously. Thanks for the excellent photos.

Thanks to tcmb99, MSPeconomist and 5DMarkIIguy. The tip about restaurants in the area of the St. Regis is great, I'll have to see what's available during my visit. As to the aspect of being surrounded by culture in Kyoto, I'm looking forward to the experience for a day-trip. I'm glad to know the RC is a strong contender for the next time I'm in the region.
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Old Jul 18, 2017, 12:37 am
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Originally Posted by Beltway2A
Thanks for weighing in, JohnRain. I was reading your TR as you went along, and it was a large factor in my choices so far. Unfortunately I wasn't able to score Kyubey reservations while I'm in Tokyo, but I'll have to live vicariously. Thanks for the excellent photos.
Thanks for your kind comment Beltway2A, glad that my TR was useful.
Pity about Kyubey, but there are of course many other great options in Tokyo. Enjoy your trip!
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Old Jul 20, 2017, 12:41 pm
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+ another vote for StR in Osaka. One of my favorite hotels in the world.

For Kyoto, I'd highly recommend trying out one of the many luxury Ryokans instead.
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Old Mar 24, 2018, 10:24 pm
  #23  
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@Beltway2A so where did you stay and what did you think? Inquiring minds...
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Old Mar 25, 2018, 1:57 am
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
@Beltway2A so where did you stay and what did you think? Inquiring minds...
Have you sorted out restaurant reservations for your upcoming trip yet?
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Old Mar 25, 2018, 8:30 am
  #25  
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How about both?
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Old Mar 25, 2018, 8:54 am
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Originally Posted by Aventine
How about both?
The OP’s trip was Aug 2017, I think, so no chance for that. But we are doing both, along with Suiran Kyoto, too, in May.

Originally Posted by HKTraveler
Have you sorted out restaurant reservations for your upcoming trip yet?
Not entirely. Still won’t know for sure what Tokyo restaurants are confirmed until April 1, but hoping for Yoshitake and Narisawa (or Sawada and Den/RyuGin as possible alternatives). For Kyoto, we are confirmed already for Kitcho, Kyo Suiran, Gion Sasaki, and Nakamura—and Wayamamura in Nara, as well. For Osaka, we are confirmed already for Hajime (waiting on jacket requirement waiver) and at Aragawa in Kobe.
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Old Mar 26, 2018, 5:44 am
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
Not entirely. Still won’t know for sure what Tokyo restaurants are confirmed until April 1, but hoping for Yoshitake and Narisawa (or Sawada and Den/RyuGin as possible alternatives). For Kyoto, we are confirmed already for Kitcho, Kyo Suiran, Gion Sasaki, and Nakamura—and Wayamamura in Nara, as well. For Osaka, we are confirmed already for Hajime (waiting on jacket requirement waiver) and at Aragawa in Kobe.
Kitcho is good and an experience to enjoy. To get a full appreciation, see if you can get a copy of Kitcho: Japan’s Ultimate Dining Experience. It explains the seasonal products and the level of details they go to in selecting rice being served in a particular year.

Hajime was only so-so for me, Kahala is more interesting from both a food and experience perspective
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Old Jan 14, 2019, 4:46 am
  #28  
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Hi guys - wondering if any recent experiences or preferences between these two, for a Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka trip in July?

I note the StR moves to Cat 8 soon, while the RC stays Cat 7, and I'm wondering if there's a clue in that? Both cost the same amount of points or cash at the mo (RC perhaps marginally cheaper cash rate).

In fairness, it will be a quick overnight stay, having come from the RC Kyoto, and used to shorten the trip to KIX in the morning. So only a one night stay, but just can't decide which property to go for!

Cheers!
JK
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Old Jan 14, 2019, 5:02 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by JK
Hi guys - wondering if any recent experiences or preferences between these two, for a Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka trip in July?

I note the StR moves to Cat 8 soon, while the RC stays Cat 7, and I'm wondering if there's a clue in that? Both cost the same amount of points or cash at the mo (RC perhaps marginally cheaper cash rate).

In fairness, it will be a quick overnight stay, having come from the RC Kyoto, and used to shorten the trip to KIX in the morning. So only a one night stay, but just can't decide which property to go for!

Cheers!
JK
StR for sure. Love the tall windows and classic elegance at the St. Regis. The old English decor at RC Osaka isn't my style and low ceilings make it even more stifling.
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Old Jan 14, 2019, 5:53 pm
  #30  
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there was at least one fan of RC osaka club

also fans of IC osaka residences

seem to recall bhrubin said some hard product at conrad beat st regis

sounds like st regis unless something specific elsewhere
(this applies many places, many here do very specific)
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