Japan Master Thread

[Dan]

PH Kyoto has the best hospitality of any points hotel I've stayed at. Insane points value as well.

@PlatinumGuy how's your stay going?

[Traveler718]

Looks like @Dan got out just in time:

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/earthquake-magnitude-63-hits-western-japan-no-tsunami-warning-2023-05-05/

[fafa123]

Who wants to come to Japan on Tuesday to split a kosher omakase Japanese meal from a celebrity chef

Would love info as to how to arrange this for my upcoming trip.

[Dan]

Would love info as to how to arrange this for my upcoming trip.

Contact any of the shluchim. Prices vary, but it won't be cheap.

[tavster]

it won't be cheap.

What's the price range?

[PBaruch]

Does Andaz Tokyo charge anything in addition to points?  Online it says 30k points per night but it "Excludes tax & service charges," which are not specifically identified when booking.

In confirmation email it says

 CONSUMPTION TAX:  10.000%
 SERVICE CHARGE:  15.000%
 TAX ON SVC CHRG:  1.500%
 ACCOMODATION TX:  200

I'm not sure what this all means.  Anyone know?

[Dan]

Does Andaz Tokyo charge anything in addition to points?  Online it says 30k points per night but it "Excludes tax & service charges," which are not specifically identified when booking.

In confirmation email it says

 CONSUMPTION TAX:  10.000%
 SERVICE CHARGE:  15.000%
 TAX ON SVC CHRG:  1.500%
 ACCOMODATION TX:  200

I'm not sure what this all means.  Anyone know?

PH Tokyo and PH Kyoto said that too. No charges.

[PBaruch]

PH Tokyo and PH Kyoto said that too. No charges.

Awesome.  Thanks very much. 

[PBaruch]

PH Tokyo and PH Kyoto said that too. No charges.

You prefer/recommend PH Toyko over Andaz Tokyo?

[Dan]

You prefer/recommend PH Toyko over Andaz Tokyo?

I stayed there almost a decade ago. Service was outstanding and I liked the Lost in Translation notalgia.
But I think the Andaz is considered to be superior (at least from the hard product standpoint) these days.

[PBaruch]

Has anyone stayed at the Westin Tokyo?  Wondering how it compares to others.  The Westin was the only hotel I was able to find that is bookable with points to be somewhat close to Chabad for Shabbos.

[Dan]

Has anyone stayed at the Westin Tokyo?  Wondering how it compares to others.  The Westin was the only hotel I was able to find that is bookable with points to be somewhat close to Chabad for Shabbos.

We stayed at the Sheraton.
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/trip-notes/united-island-hopper-trip-notes-part-4-tokyo-japan/

[PBaruch]

We stayed at the Sheraton.
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/trip-notes/united-island-hopper-trip-notes-part-4-tokyo-japan/

No points availability listed for the Shabbos we need and its around $260 per night per room (need 2 rooms).

[Pittsburgher CB]

Does Andaz Tokyo charge anything in addition to points?  Online it says 30k points per night but it "Excludes tax & service charges," which are not specifically identified when booking.

In confirmation email it says

 CONSUMPTION TAX:  10.000%
 SERVICE CHARGE:  15.000%
 TAX ON SVC CHRG:  1.500%
 ACCOMODATION TX:  200

I'm not sure what this all means.  Anyone know?

Another DP -
Had this also come up in my previous stay at the Andaz Costa Rica. Also had no extra charges.

[tavster]

August in Japan - I also assumed it is unbearably humid but I keep on reading more and more TR of people saying it's 'ok'.
Nay DP? thinking of doing Kyoto / Tokyo / Kobe
Thanks

[Yehoshua]

August in Japan - I also assumed it is unbearably humid but I keep on reading more and more TR of people saying it's 'ok'.
Nay DP? thinking of doing Kyoto / Tokyo / Kobe
Thanks

"Ok" is very subjective. If someone from FL says it's ok vs if someone from CA says it's ok means very different things....

[tavster]

"Ok" is very subjective. If someone from FL says it's ok vs if someone from CA says it's ok means very different things....

So what kind of OK is it? FL or CA?

[PBaruch]

August in Japan - I also assumed it is unbearably humid but I keep on reading more and more TR of people saying it's 'ok'.
Nay DP? thinking of doing Kyoto / Tokyo / Kobe
Thanks

Was brutally hot when we were there this past August at the beginning of the trip. It let up a bit towards the end of the trip.

[Yehoshua]

So what kind of OK is it? FL or CA?

Closer to FL because of humidity, but I don't know for sure since I haven't been there in August personally. I was always there in the winter.

[tavster]

Ok sounds too unpleasant 

I'm now looking at Pre-Pessah + Pessah. Could work well with the cherry blossom season BH

Does anyone know if Chabad Tokyo / Kyoto operate the week before Pessah and during Pessah? I know they all do sedarim.

I read a TR that indicated that Chanas Place was close the week before Pessah for cleaning but that was a few years ago.

I wrote to both places using the forms online but haven't heard back yet. I don't want to bother the shlihim yet