Best Starwood tour of Japan and Thailand
Sep 25, 2014, 10:43 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
OCT in thailand are between ending of rainy season and start of winter season
OCT in samui are low season / rainy season
If you interest in SPG beach resort in thailand. IMO after visit all beach resort in thailand
1.Le meridien phuket beach (cat4)
2.Sheraton krabi (cat3)
3.LM khaolak (cat4,Leave SPG on 31 oct)
and as previous post said they are reasonable/affordable price of SPG properties.
If money is not problem i recommend to not use *points and just pay with cash and enjoy SPG Q3 promo.
If you prefer go to samui (but i didn't recommend) transportation is only TG and PG that cost 10000 THB+ in round trip. i don't recommend to go with low cost airline like FD or DD because your transportation time are go up to 4 hrs+ for each leg (Fly+car+ferry)
OCT in samui are low season / rainy season
If you interest in SPG beach resort in thailand. IMO after visit all beach resort in thailand
1.Le meridien phuket beach (cat4)
2.Sheraton krabi (cat3)
3.LM khaolak (cat4,Leave SPG on 31 oct)
and as previous post said they are reasonable/affordable price of SPG properties.
If money is not problem i recommend to not use *points and just pay with cash and enjoy SPG Q3 promo.
If you prefer go to samui (but i didn't recommend) transportation is only TG and PG that cost 10000 THB+ in round trip. i don't recommend to go with low cost airline like FD or DD because your transportation time are go up to 4 hrs+ for each leg (Fly+car+ferry)
Sep 26, 2014, 1:42 am
#17
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: SFO/JFK
Programs: Hilton: Gold, Starwood: Platinum, Hyatt: Platinum, AS: MVP Gold
Posts: 630
OK, I was finally able to get some changes made. The guy spent 30 minutes trying to figure out what was going on and kept telling me it's tack on 42k miles. When he checked with his director, he was told that I was grandfathered in to old rates. After he took all my credit card info for the $25 change fee and $2.70 add collect, call disconnected! Fortunately he'd stored everything so I didn't have to start fresh.
9OCT SFO-NRT
[stopover]
16OCT HND-BKK-HKT
[open jaw 1]
22OCT BKK-TPE-HNL
[open jaw 2]
So I have roughly 6 1/2 days to split between Phuket and Bangkok. And 6 days in Japan.
How much time is Tokyo worth vs. hitting Kyoto or Mt Fuji?
9OCT SFO-NRT
[stopover]
16OCT HND-BKK-HKT
[open jaw 1]
22OCT BKK-TPE-HNL
[open jaw 2]
So I have roughly 6 1/2 days to split between Phuket and Bangkok. And 6 days in Japan.
How much time is Tokyo worth vs. hitting Kyoto or Mt Fuji?
Sep 26, 2014, 10:47 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Good for you!
My own preference would be to keep it relatively simple, with three nights in Tokyo and three in Kyoto (including a day trip to Nara, about an hour train ride away). I don't think Mt. Fuji is worth going out of your way for. But how much you bop around depends on how well you deal with jet lag, how much energy you have, etc.
By the way, you're probably not inclined to mess around with changing your flights any more. But FWIW Osaka is a lot closer to Kyoto than HND is, just in case you can depart from there instead. Still, with the very reliable bullet trains and connecting trains, we easily made it from Kyoto to NRT to catch our own outbound flights with no problem.
My own preference would be to keep it relatively simple, with three nights in Tokyo and three in Kyoto (including a day trip to Nara, about an hour train ride away). I don't think Mt. Fuji is worth going out of your way for. But how much you bop around depends on how well you deal with jet lag, how much energy you have, etc.
By the way, you're probably not inclined to mess around with changing your flights any more. But FWIW Osaka is a lot closer to Kyoto than HND is, just in case you can depart from there instead. Still, with the very reliable bullet trains and connecting trains, we easily made it from Kyoto to NRT to catch our own outbound flights with no problem.
Sep 26, 2014, 12:37 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: SPG Plat 100, Marriott Plat
Posts: 267
Good for you!
My own preference would be to keep it relatively simple, with three nights in Tokyo and three in Kyoto (including a day trip to Nara, about an hour train ride away). I don't think Mt. Fuji is worth going out of your way for. But how much you bop around depends on how well you deal with jet lag, how much energy you have, etc.
My own preference would be to keep it relatively simple, with three nights in Tokyo and three in Kyoto (including a day trip to Nara, about an hour train ride away). I don't think Mt. Fuji is worth going out of your way for. But how much you bop around depends on how well you deal with jet lag, how much energy you have, etc.
Sep 26, 2014, 4:35 pm
#20
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: SFO/JFK
Programs: Hilton: Gold, Starwood: Platinum, Hyatt: Platinum, AS: MVP Gold
Posts: 630
Awesome advice on Tokyo and Kyoto. And I just noticed that they are anagrams!
What starwoods should I look at?
What starwoods should I look at?
Sep 26, 2014, 4:37 pm
#21
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: SFO/JFK
Programs: Hilton: Gold, Starwood: Platinum, Hyatt: Platinum, AS: MVP Gold
Posts: 630
Also, any advice on prepaid SIM options for Japan and Thailand?
Sep 26, 2014, 5:28 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
IIRC thailand True prepaid sim 7 days for 299 THB (3g 850,2100)
http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/s...try/2269?ln=en
http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/s...try/2269?ln=en
Sep 26, 2014, 5:33 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: SPG Plat 100, Marriott Plat
Posts: 267
I stayed at Sheraton Tokyo and Sheraton Osaka because they were the cheapest points-wise. Rooms were nice, location of both hotels was convenient, platinum breakfast was great, and I particularly enjoyed the lounge at Sheraton Tokyo.
Sep 28, 2014, 11:14 am
#24
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
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Posts: 10,820
As I'd mentioned, the Westin Kyoto is fine and has a great location for the Philosopher's Path, which I consider the best part of Kyoto. (And perhaps it's your only SPG option there??).