Mar 15, 2014, 4:45 am
Last edit by: lcpteck
SPG INSTANT AWARDS
Pool, Sauna, and Health Club Admittance Policy
Pool, Sauna, and Health Club Admittance Policy
- The health club is closed on the first Thursday of every month.
- Due to health club regulations and safety reasons, children under 12 years old are not allowed to enter the pool, even if accompanied by an adult.
- An entrance fee applies for use of the pool, sauna, and health club.
- Guests who have a tattoo may not be permitted to use the hotel’s pools or other facilities where the tattoo might be visible to other guests.
Sheraton Miyako, Osaka, Japan [Master Thread]
Dec 27, 2017, 5:22 am
#166
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
I have and will only stay at Osaka Marriott when I'm in Osaka and I think it's my top favourite hotel I've ever stayed at. Merely because of its great location to the train station and the building is spectacular. However I wouldn't want to spend more than 25 000 Inc taxes a night for two. So I would say it depends what rate you are on.
I know the rate can be lower, but not during sakura period.
Dec 27, 2017, 5:40 am
#167
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Programs: Marriott Platinum - LT Gold
Posts: 688
I'm staying during Sakura season as well but in Tokyo. It's crazy expensive on some high end hotels but I'm sure their rates will drop in a month or two to more normal levels.
Dec 28, 2017, 6:05 am
#168
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Seems that, thanks. Will keep the booking so far, since it's flexible, but gonna try get a better rate.
I gonna be in Tokyo for 3–4 days first before going to Kyoto/Osaka. Booked two of ICs for a weekend on points, weekdays will stay in some capsule hotels perhaps making sure location is convenient.
I gonna be in Tokyo for 3–4 days first before going to Kyoto/Osaka. Booked two of ICs for a weekend on points, weekdays will stay in some capsule hotels perhaps making sure location is convenient.
Mar 25, 2018, 9:25 pm
#171
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,914
There hasn’t been a longer review of this place in a while, so I’d thought I’d write one.
I was going to give the hotel relatively high marks, but after just completing my checkout, will instead start with a public service announcement: The hotel has changed categories twice in the past couple of years, going from Cat 2 to Cat 3 and now to Cat 4. These changes of course happen to hundreds of hotels, and usually when checking existing reservations online, the new (higher) rates will be shown, but the internal system will have the correct (lower) rates. In this case, I was charged the incorrect (Cat 4) rate, and when I noticed the error, encountered complete unwillingness to correct the mistake. I showed my reservation with the correct rate, and was told, no, it has changed. This was then repeated by various front desk agents and layers of lower management. In hindsight, instead of wasting 20+ minutes at the front desk, I should have left and filed a case with SPG. If you are staying on a C&P reservation that was made at an old (lower) level, be vigilant when checking in and out; the hotel seems to believe they’re entitled to charge you at Cat 4 rates.
We received an upgrade to an executive suite – a large (~600sqft), junior suite-ish room (no dividing wall) on the 18th floor. It’s certainly older but in reasonable shape, and of course spotlessly clean. The whole hotel is a patchwork of various degrees of renovation – some slightly remodeled floors, but mostly ancient. Currently one of the elevators is out of order; this meant long waits at times, especially when a tour group arrives or departs.
The club lounge is in the running for the title of worst in Asia; there are cookies and soft drinks/coffee during the day, and then a cocktail hour from 5-8pm. Some drinks and tiny appetizers, refilled very reluctantly. The lounge is old and depressing, and there is inadequate space for guests, so people ended up being turned away or standing around waiting for one of the few tables. Platinums are given free buffet breakfast in the 2nd floor restaurant, and it’s a pretty good selection of decent quality items. My only complaint here would be the coffee – awful stuff!
Even though I visit Osaka a few times a year, I hadn’t stayed at the Sheraton in a while; I usually go for the IC or SR or even Hyatt Kyoto if rates permit (my limit for these is about 18k yen/nt), or Hyatt Osaka or CP Kobe or Westin Kyoto on the lower end. Overall, I’d say Sheraton Osaka is a decent option in the 10-12k yen range, and I’ll be back occasionally.
I was going to give the hotel relatively high marks, but after just completing my checkout, will instead start with a public service announcement: The hotel has changed categories twice in the past couple of years, going from Cat 2 to Cat 3 and now to Cat 4. These changes of course happen to hundreds of hotels, and usually when checking existing reservations online, the new (higher) rates will be shown, but the internal system will have the correct (lower) rates. In this case, I was charged the incorrect (Cat 4) rate, and when I noticed the error, encountered complete unwillingness to correct the mistake. I showed my reservation with the correct rate, and was told, no, it has changed. This was then repeated by various front desk agents and layers of lower management. In hindsight, instead of wasting 20+ minutes at the front desk, I should have left and filed a case with SPG. If you are staying on a C&P reservation that was made at an old (lower) level, be vigilant when checking in and out; the hotel seems to believe they’re entitled to charge you at Cat 4 rates.
We received an upgrade to an executive suite – a large (~600sqft), junior suite-ish room (no dividing wall) on the 18th floor. It’s certainly older but in reasonable shape, and of course spotlessly clean. The whole hotel is a patchwork of various degrees of renovation – some slightly remodeled floors, but mostly ancient. Currently one of the elevators is out of order; this meant long waits at times, especially when a tour group arrives or departs.
The club lounge is in the running for the title of worst in Asia; there are cookies and soft drinks/coffee during the day, and then a cocktail hour from 5-8pm. Some drinks and tiny appetizers, refilled very reluctantly. The lounge is old and depressing, and there is inadequate space for guests, so people ended up being turned away or standing around waiting for one of the few tables. Platinums are given free buffet breakfast in the 2nd floor restaurant, and it’s a pretty good selection of decent quality items. My only complaint here would be the coffee – awful stuff!
Even though I visit Osaka a few times a year, I hadn’t stayed at the Sheraton in a while; I usually go for the IC or SR or even Hyatt Kyoto if rates permit (my limit for these is about 18k yen/nt), or Hyatt Osaka or CP Kobe or Westin Kyoto on the lower end. Overall, I’d say Sheraton Osaka is a decent option in the 10-12k yen range, and I’ll be back occasionally.
Mar 26, 2018, 10:23 am
#172
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
...I was going to give the hotel relatively high marks, but after just completing my checkout, will instead start with a public service announcement: The hotel has changed categories twice in the past couple of years, going from Cat 2 to Cat 3 and now to Cat 4. These changes of course happen to hundreds of hotels, and usually when checking existing reservations online, the new (higher) rates will be shown, but the internal system will have the correct (lower) rates. In this case, I was charged the incorrect (Cat 4) rate, and when I noticed the error, encountered complete unwillingness to correct the mistake. I showed my reservation with the correct rate, and was told, no, it has changed. This was then repeated by various front desk agents and layers of lower management. In hindsight, instead of wasting 20+ minutes at the front desk, I should have left and filed a case with SPG. If you are staying on a C&P reservation that was made at an old (lower) level, be vigilant when checking in and out; the hotel seems to believe they’re entitled to charge you at Cat 4 rates...
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Mar 26, 2018, 7:37 pm
#173
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,914
Thank you, William! I got it sorted out at the front desk. Japan is a wonderful travel destination as long as everything is by the rules; it just becomes incredibly challenging in situations when they follow rules that are wrong. They genuinely seemed to believe that they're entitled to charge me at Cat 4, and produced reams of papers with the daily conversion of the $75 cash component to back up their claim (of course the conversion rate wasn't at all pertinent to my situation). It's a little dumbfounding why they were so insistent that my confirmed rate had changed -- are there any rates that aren't set in stone once confirmed? In any case, no need to intervene on my behalf, but it might be beneficial to future guests if your team reached out to the hotel and clarified the policy.
Mar 27, 2018, 9:48 am
#174
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Thank you, William! I got it sorted out at the front desk. Japan is a wonderful travel destination as long as everything is by the rules; it just becomes incredibly challenging in situations when they follow rules that are wrong. They genuinely seemed to believe that they're entitled to charge me at Cat 4, and produced reams of papers with the daily conversion of the $75 cash component to back up their claim (of course the conversion rate wasn't at all pertinent to my situation). It's a little dumbfounding why they were so insistent that my confirmed rate had changed -- are there any rates that aren't set in stone once confirmed? In any case, no need to intervene on my behalf, but it might be beneficial to future guests if your team reached out to the hotel and clarified the policy.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Apr 2, 2018, 5:51 pm
#175
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NJ USA
Programs: AA PLAT 2MM, MR TITANIUM 2M, HH DIA, Hyatt EXP, BW DIA, IC AMB, IHG PLAT, UA GLD
Posts: 1,086
Considering a 4-5 night stay at Sheraton Miyako Osaka mid-April. Arriving late on a Saturday and will just crash as coming in from long flight from NY. Sheraton Rates very high Saturday and wondering if anyone can recommend a reasonably priced hotel nearby where I can still take the Itami bus to the station, sleep overnight, then easily walk to checkin to the Sheraton the following day and begin my longer booking. Google maps doesn't show any nearby hotels. Thanks in advance.
Apr 2, 2018, 7:54 pm
#176
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Considering a 4-5 night stay at Sheraton Miyako Osaka mid-April. Arriving late on a Saturday and will just crash as coming in from long flight from NY. Sheraton Rates very high Saturday and wondering if anyone can recommend a reasonably priced hotel nearby where I can still take the Itami bus to the station, sleep overnight, then easily walk to checkin to the Sheraton the following day and begin my longer booking. Google maps doesn't show any nearby hotels. Thanks in advance.
Apr 3, 2018, 6:02 am
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,042
Why would you possibly recommend Airbnb for arriving late at night after a long flight from New York with a connection into Itami? The last thing you want is to try and touch base with a host when you're desperate to sleep, instead of just checking into a hotel.
I would either build in an overnight stop at Narita or Haneda to stay near the Tokyo airport, then fly the next morning down to Osaka. Alternatively, walking distance to the Sheraton is irrelevant... just book whatever is convenient and reasonably-priced to Itami.
I would either build in an overnight stop at Narita or Haneda to stay near the Tokyo airport, then fly the next morning down to Osaka. Alternatively, walking distance to the Sheraton is irrelevant... just book whatever is convenient and reasonably-priced to Itami.
Apr 3, 2018, 7:56 am
#178
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,052
Considering a 4-5 night stay at Sheraton Miyako Osaka mid-April. Arriving late on a Saturday and will just crash as coming in from long flight from NY. Sheraton Rates very high Saturday and wondering if anyone can recommend a reasonably priced hotel nearby where I can still take the Itami bus to the station, sleep overnight, then easily walk to checkin to the Sheraton the following day and begin my longer booking. Google maps doesn't show any nearby hotels. Thanks in advance.
Apr 3, 2018, 9:06 am
#179
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Normally you don't need to communicate with anyone, you just take the key according to instruction. Why I suggested that is because that area may not have cheap hotels, especially for the weekend. And not everyone is okay sleeping in the dormitory.
Apr 3, 2018, 12:39 pm
#180
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NJ USA
Programs: AA PLAT 2MM, MR TITANIUM 2M, HH DIA, Hyatt EXP, BW DIA, IC AMB, IHG PLAT, UA GLD
Posts: 1,086
Why would you possibly recommend Airbnb for arriving late at night after a long flight from New York with a connection into Itami? The last thing you want is to try and touch base with a host when you're desperate to sleep, instead of just checking into a hotel.
I would either build in an overnight stop at Narita or Haneda to stay near the Tokyo airport, then fly the next morning down to Osaka. Alternatively, walking distance to the Sheraton is irrelevant... just book whatever is convenient and reasonably-priced to Itami.
I would either build in an overnight stop at Narita or Haneda to stay near the Tokyo airport, then fly the next morning down to Osaka. Alternatively, walking distance to the Sheraton is irrelevant... just book whatever is convenient and reasonably-priced to Itami.
I would welcome the view of anyone having stayed at both properties? Thanks.