fmkgb

Any recent trip reports for either property? Planning to go for a week at the end of February. Is that too long? Necessary to rent a car or is the bus system good to get from hotels Naha?
Thanks

nightowlrn

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...esort-spa.html

A week would be a long time to stay there IMHO. It is still winter there. If you are comfortable driving on the left, I would recommend a car. No parking fee.

Safe travels.

orca15

Haven't stayed at the Ren, but we were "members" there while stationed in Oki, which allowed us to use the pool, beach, etc.

Always treated fantastically, and the facilities were nice with a fair bit of the local culture rolled in. The hotel certainly looked nice...a lot better than the base family quarters, that's for sure.

Sorry I can't help more, but since you hadn't gotten any other words on the topic, I thought I'd at least throw that out.

gtu2004

For those that stayed there, how far will the hotel free shuttle take you? Also does it run frequently (every 30min-1hr)? Food options seem limited so that's another worry of mine.

The_Wrath_of_Khan

You definitely want a car. I cannot believe that anyone is surprised by high prices and small portions in a Japanese resort. the Ritz-Carlton opened just behind her not long ago. Even more expensive!

Richklhs

No matter what date you choose on Marriott.com for the Renaissance Okinawa, the only room type it shows is Guest Room/2 Twin single beds. I called the property to make a reservation, and although Marriott.com showed $320, the property itself quoted me $220. They then gave me a 5 digit confirmation number saying they use their own internal system. I called the Platinum line after my reservation didn't show up on my account and they could not see my reservation anywhere nor the $220 rate. They called the property who gave them my local reservation number and said they had my rewards number on the reservation.

I've never run in to this with a Marriott Property, but this leads me to wonder if I could LNF rate guarantee Marriott.com with their own property to get 25% off $220???

Twickenham

I don't know if it would work, but I'd totally try it. I have gotten LNF claims accepted using a discount code, so I don't see why this wouldn't work.

UnderEst

I have a reservation coming up in a couple weeks at the Okinawa Marriott and received an email from the front desk manager letting me know about what my specific room rate includes, as well as additional activities going on during my stay. What caught me off guard was the fact that the email also stated that if I plan on using any "resort amenities", such as the pool, spa, or dining in one of the restaurants, that I cannot have any tattoos exposed.

"While we recommend our guests to conceal any tattoos while on the property premises, we must require that all tattoos are covered and not exposed while dining in our restaurants and while using resort amenities, including the pool and spa."

I do frequent the pools often, as I swim regularly. However, I do have tattoos on my calf and upper back. While my tattoos are generally covered, I've never seen this type of request made. Yes, I've visited places where tattoos are frowned upon, but exposed tattoos were considered acceptable while on hotel property. I've stayed at Marriott's throughout Japan before and never experienced this or seen any signage stating otherwise, but I will comply with the request if necessary.

Has any had any experience at this particular hotel/resort?

MSPeconomist

The "no tattoos in the pool area" rule is common in Japan where tattoos seem to be associated with membership in Mafia-like groups. Having said that, as an obvious nonAsian foreigner, you might get away with the prohibition not being enforced depending on the nature of your tattoos. OTOH, Japanese properties do tend to generally follow the rules.....

VickiSoCal

Interesting. I thought maybe it was related to anti-(US)military sentiment.

MisterSelfish

Completed a 2-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Okinawa:

PROS
+ free breakfast regardless of status
+ free internet
+ complementary valet
+ complementary phone service + driver - call the hotel when you're done eating out.
+ rooms are new, huge, and beautiful

CONS
- gym is in a separate building
- it's a little ways away from the beach


Full review with pictures are available here: http://theselfishyears.com/2014/01/1...rlton-okinawa/

MSPeconomist

I first noticed such a sign more than two decades ago at a Meridian in Tokyo, back before they were part of Starwood. Their pool seemed to have a club that allowed locals to use it for a large annual fee. I didn't see any military folks around the hotel and, in fact, very few Americans as it was a French chain.

CPMaverick

I have seen this request in writing at several Japanese properties, though never in a preemptive email. I have not stayed at any Marriott properties however. The only US chain I remember seeing this in was at a Crowne Plaza.

Perhaps they have had more offenses recently. The Japanese are very polite and unlikely to call people out on this in my opinion, but if there are lots of offenses they may think it's best to be more informative to guests about the rules.

When you say "exposed tattoos were considered acceptable while on hotel property," was that confirmed or just that you didn't see any rules or encounter any issues in practice?

UnderEst

I've stayed in several Marriott and/or Ritz Carlton properties both in Asia/Pacific and the Middle East, where in regular public places, tattoos and certain clothing garments would be considered unacceptable.

At the CY Tokyo and Marriott Tokyo I asked specifically about tattoos and they mentioned it wasn't a problem for my calf one to show. While in Bahrain, shorts and t-shirts weren't acceptable in public, but while on property it was considered 'OK'.

Richklhs

small world, I am currently at the Renaissance Okinawa about 7 miles down the road from your location. The sign at the Onsen (spa/whirlpool/hot water) here says specifically no tatoos of any variety allowed at all. You can always ask if they'll let you put a large bandage over it. I live in Tokyo, and as stated above this is fairly common. Okinawa is a little more conservative in my experience than the mainland - almost contradictory to what one would think.

P.S. I am starting a thread aobut the Renaissance I am at. They do things a little different than any other Marriott I have stayed at.