Aventine

The start of the koyo fall foliage season. If your dates are flexible then I would jump on the end of November.

WillTravel4Food

I was in Kyoto late-Oct '16. The weather was excellent, but no fall colors. Depending on one's like/dislike of cooler temps, it's a very good option.

Aventine

Kyoto temps still gets up there during the day but definitely cool nights. I LOVE IT. My favorite time of year in Japan (other than Sakura spring).

op487062

The times I've stayed there they showed full or low inventory until about 14 days before the desired date. I'm sure there are times when the hotel is almost full, but I'd guess right now it's due to early reservations.

Jermyn

Latest update on my saga with the concierge.

I asked them to book Nakahigashi, reservations for the entire month of November opened on October 1st. They were aware of this and told me that they would reserve my table as soon as the lines were open...I'm sure you can guess where this is going.

I received an email on October 2nd:

"We are terribly sorry to inform you that all of the reservations for lunch in November were already fully booked.
I have also check dinner time during your stay here, but it was also fully booked.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience but I hope this does not cause you any trouble."

They went on to suggest other restaurants but once again I'm left feeling that this isn't the service level you'd expect from this caliber of hotel.

If it wasn't for the fact that the whole town is booked up on my dates, I would now be looking to move my stay to another hotel (ideally the FS).

kkl

Any chance of last minute award space for sakura season? Managed to grab 3 night stay up to 27 March but hoping to delay it by a week.

Any experience of last minute space? Roughly a month out?

Aventine

The FS has its teething problems too. Have you raised your concierge service concerns with senior management?

musicscrip

My guess is the hotel was booked up as soon as the reward spaces were opened a year ago? Did you try contacting the hotel? A lot of times, they hold back some inventory and if you ask nicely, they will let you book with reward points.

bhrubin

I haven't put in my reservation requests yet for our 2 nights at the RC Kyoto in May 2018--since I'm waiting to see what I can arrange first over our first 5 nights at the Suiran Kyoto across town.

After only a few days of making reservation requests to Suiran for May 2018, we already heard back and have been confirmed for 3* Kitcho, 1* Sushi Iwa and Otsuka lunch, and asked me follow up questions for Inoue (since no English is spoken). They informed us 3* Kichisen books only 2 months out and will request then, and that they're working on 1* Ajiro now and for a 2-3* lunch while we are in Nara.

I'm pretty pleased with how prompt and conscientious the Suiran is. I may ask the concierge there to help with our nights at the RC if it seems the RC concierge isn't up to the challenge.

Jermyn

I've never actually done this before. I wasn't sure whether I should do this in advance or wait until I'm at the hotel. Part of me is hoping that they'll be apologetic and offer some sort of service recovery when I arrive. I feel a bit harsh taking the nuclear option before by arrival.


It sounds like you have a good thing going with Suiran. It seems like they're more than willing to assist you. Personally I would stick with them rather than adding the complication of another concierge.



I managed to get a booking for Wa Yamamura in Nara (through the RC concierge) without any problems though and am really looking forward to it. Seems like excpetional value for a *** restaurant.

bhrubin

If you're having an issue and don't mention your dissatisfaction, then you ultimately are most responsible for that dissatisfaction. Don't wait--let someone know you aren't pleased and why. Give them the chance to fix it and/or make it up to you. Only then, after they are informed and still don't make it right, would more service recovery be appropriate.

Thus far, the Suiran has been very responsive, both in communicating with me and also in providing counsel for my choices. They do take a few days to respond, but then my stay isn't until May 2018!

Thanks to you, I've now asked Suiran to book us for Wa Yamamura in Nara, as well. It was one of our options but your endorsement and the fact that it does sound reasonable value for a 3* put us over the top. Thanks.

Aventine

If you don't let TPTB know then how can someone expect any service recovery or service advancement ahead of your stay? It's not like their concierge entries get logged and scrutinized by senior management. This unhelpful person damages the hotel's prestige and credibility with guests. Nuclear would be threatening to cancel or wanting some sort of compensation for the poor responses you got. You're just telling them of a potential problem in a very important department for the hotel.

bhrubin

It’s worth mention that I emailed the Ritz Carlton Kyoto Concierge 5 days ago with some restaurant reservation requests for our 2 night stay (May 2018). Nothing. I’ve re-sent the email to both Guest Services and Concierge now.

This is in stark contrast to when I emailed the Suiran Concierge a few weeks ago on a Friday and had a response first thing Monday morning. I haven’t waited longer than a day or so for any response since, either.

Aventine

I know you can sort them out

Jermyn

Thanks to your encouragement bhrubin and Aventine, I have done a most un-British thing and actively complained about something rather than just just internalising my disappointment (or writing about it online)

I received an email back from the GM, within a few hours, in which he apologised profusely and assured me he'd take measures to improve the concierge team. He also offered us a meal at any one of the RC establishments, to make up for the reservation that we missed out on at Nakahigashi.

I think this is a fair resolution and hope to report back on an otherwise great stay, in a couple of weeks time.