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Nara
Royal Hotel, Nara
Address
254, Hokkeji-Cho, Nara 630-8001, Japan
Phone/Fax no: +81-742-34-1131/+81-742-34-3231
Location/Directions:
7-mins walk from Kintetsu Shin-Amiya Station |
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Customer
Review:
Average hotel, friendly staff, located 10 mins by hotel shuttle
bus from JR or Kintetsu Stations though bus is regular, it's annoying
but OK (every 20 min has a shuttle bus). Air-conditioning on provided
heat (springtime can be too warm) and had to ask hotel to open the
window. Smaller room than other hotels we stayed at. |
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Ratings:
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Cleanliness |
5* |
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Sleep
factor (bed & aircon) |
3 |
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Condition/Age |
3 |
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Size
of Room |
3 |
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Convenience
to Train |
2 |
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Breakfast |
3 |
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Price |
4 |
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Overall |
23/35 |
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*all Japanese hotels we stayed at are 5 |
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Granvia
Hotel, Kyoto
Address
JR Kyoto Station, Karasuma Entrance, Karasuma-Dori Shiokoji-Sagaru,
Shimogyo-Ku, Kyoto 600-8216, Japan
Phone/Fax no: +81-75-344-4433 / +81-75-344-4400
Location/Directions:
Hotel Granvia Kyoto is directly connected to JR Kyoto Station |
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Customer
Review:
The hotel is owned by Japan railways and is right over the Kyoto
Central station, for all types of trains including the shinkansen
(bullet trains). Granvia has all major bus routes just outside.
We stayed in the higher level standard (31sqm) which was spacious,
clean and new. The bathroom is large by Japanese hotel standards.
Expensive but worth it for convenience, major problem our rate included
no breakfast. |
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Ratings:
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Cleanliness |
5 |
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Sleep
factor (bed & aircon) |
5*
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Condition/Age |
5 |
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Size
of Room |
5 |
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Convenience
to Train |
5 |
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Breakfast |
0 |
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Price |
2 |
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Overall |
27/35 |
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(would
be the best hotel in Japan for us if had breakfast) |
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*excellent
bed and aircon |
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Himeji
Castle Hotel, Himeji
Address
210 Nishinomachi Sanzaemonbori, Himeji Hyogo, Japan
Phone/Fax no: +81-792-84-3311
Location/Directions:
6 minute walk from the South Exit of Himeji Station on the JR Sanyo
Shinkansen line. Shuttle bus is available.
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Customer
Review:
The brochure says 6 mins walk from station; no way it's more like
10-15 mins. But actually there is no need to walk, when you arrive
leave the station on the opposite side of the Castle, walk left
from exit cross at first crossing and look at hotel shuttle board
on wall next to a car park exit. Shuttle buses are very frequent
and easy to take (every 15 mins). Has excellent and cheap Kaiten
Sushi (conveyor) restaurant and 24 hour large supermarket turn right
out of the hotel and walk 5 mins over the river bridge. Hotel has
bit of old feel to it but it's clean and the staff is helpful and
friendly. Has free Internet access on a computer next to reception.
Himeji is worth staying 1 day. |
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Ratings:
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Cleanliness |
5 |
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Sleep
factor (bed & aircon) |
4 |
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Condition/Age |
3 |
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Size
of Room |
4 |
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Convenience
to Train |
3 |
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Breakfast |
3 |
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Price |
4 |
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Overall |
26/35 |
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Portopia
Hotel, Kobe
Address
6-10-1 Minatojima-Naka-Machi, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, 650-0046 Japan
Phone/Fax no: + 81-78-3021111/+81- 78-3026877
Location/Directions:
Located in the City, Motorway/Highway Exit Ikutagawa 1.5 km, Exhibition
Site International Exhibition center 0.5 km.
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Customer
Review:
Very large, normal Western standard hotel. Regular large bus to
Sannomiya Station or Shin-Kobe stations but its 15 mins since this
hotel is on an island off Kobe. Don't think anything interesting
on the island except possibly a small park. Western breakfast (as
in all hotels has Japanese as well) was good on a high floor with
view. Hotel is a bit impersonal but no complaints. Kobe has a few
things to see and a good and long shopping covered street starting
near the Sannomiya Station. This is the business hotel because really
close to the exhibition centre. |
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Ratings:
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Cleanliness |
5
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Sleep
factor (bed & aircon) |
5*
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Condition/Age |
4 |
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Size
of Room |
5 |
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Convenience
to Train |
2 |
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Breakfast |
4 |
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Price |
4 |
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Overall |
29/35 |
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*just
as aircon was good but bed OK. |
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Swissotel
Nankai Osaka, Osaka
Address
1-60, Namba 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0076, Japan
Phone/Fax no: +81-6-6646-1111 /+81-6-6648-0331
Location/Directions:
From JR Osaka Station: Approx. 15min. by car; Approx. 10min. by
train |
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Customer
Review:
Large hotel of good Western standard, no complaints here. Located
in Namba above many trains including subway and cool looking rapid
express train (30 mins) to Kansai Airport (above Nankai train station).
Bit tricky to reach from subway or JR train, make sure only leave
on exit 4 or 5 at the platform (follow Nankai train exit to go),
the upper levels are not connected. Eating and shopping excellent
in nearby Dotombori Street and Shinsaibashi Street respectively.
The hotel is also next to Takashimaya Department Store, and next
door Namba City Parks Complex has shopping and a fun terraced park.
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Ratings:
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Cleanliness |
5
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Sleep
factor (bed & aircon) |
4* |
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Condition/Age |
5 |
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Size
of Room |
5 |
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Convenience
to Train |
5 |
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Breakfast |
5 |
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Price |
2** |
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Overall |
31/35 |
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*aircon made room very dry and bed harder than Granvia |
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**don't
know as included in package but imagine same as Granvia + nothing
cheap in Osaka, definitely better than New Hankyu in Umeda. |
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Recommendations: |
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General |
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Don't
take a tour, you can go to tourist information centre, they are
very helpful and give you maps (some have Chinese or English type).
Japan is easy to walk around (especially if you are Chinese since
you can recognize some Chinese wordings), people will help you especially
in hotels. |
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Kaiten
Sushi (conveyor sushi) good at 105 - 126 yen per plate, excellent. |
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If
you buy anything of 10k yen try to get 5% Tax rebate (on the spot). |
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Food
halls in all major department stores are always fun. |
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100
yen shops especially one in Nara covered shopping street. |
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Kyoto |
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Flea
Market next to Toji Temple – 21st each month, excellent to visit
with antique (including great range of Kimonos), Japanese items,
handicrafts, food and much more. |
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Teramachi
Street – Shopping and eating. |
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Gion
& if possible a Maiko dance performance. |
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Arashiyama
& Kameoka – especially April and November for pretty trees. |
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Temples,
my favourites – Kiyomizu & Fujma-Inari with its orange arches.
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You
can buy the 1 day bus ticket (500 yen) at tourist centre (not incl.
Raku buses). |
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Garden
next to Heian shrine, especially in April. |
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Himeji |
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Walk
from the station through a short but good covered shopping street |
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Himeji
Castle – fantastic, best in Japan. |
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Next
door Kokoen Japanese Garden, wonderful. |
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Osaka |
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Shopping
in Shinsaibashi Street |
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Eating
in Dotombori street |
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Kuromon
Market – Sennichmae Doguysuji Street – Osaka kitchen street is
fun. |
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Yodobashi
store - Umeda has everything cameras, gadgets, Japanese toilet seats
etc. |
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Eating
- Okinmiyaki (Stuffed hotplate pancake) |
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Yen
600 subway 1 day pass "No car day" on Fridays. Normal
1 day pass is Yen 800. |
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Nara |
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Todajii
temple and nearby deer are a must. |
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Not
done yet but want to: |
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Universal
Studios outside Osaka (matter of choice and expensive at 5,500 yen/head) |
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Iga
Ueno – Ninja Museum sounds fun though Ueno is awkward to reach |
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