Saiounomiya

“You are treated like VIP... in some ways”

I never stayed in a place that made me feel so conflicted on how to rate it. It was so awesome in some ways, yet disappointing in others. I would start with the nice part first: We know that Japan is famous for its hospitality, especially in higher end places. But this hotel is at its own level. Wh… more

I never stayed in a place that made me feel so conflicted on how to rate it. It was so awesome in some ways, yet disappointing in others. I would start with the nice part first: We know that Japan is famous for its hospitality, especially in higher end places. But this hotel is at its own level. When I get off from the shuttle bus a lady was there to greet me, not only did she offer to have my luggage sent to my room and explained the hotel in detail (in her best using English), she actually showed me around the hotel, took me to my room, showed me the room, even set up the hot tub for me. I stayed in many hotels in Japan and this was the first time they did it so thoroughly for me. Everyday as I head out of the hotel, someone would be waiting for me outside of the elevator, they would escort me to the shuttle bus, take my room key, and hand it back to me as soon as I get off the bus in the evening. I could not understand how would they know when I'm heading out, I had reservations to the shuttle bus but I could also be out doing a morning walk or something. After I showed up in the restaurant for the first time, everyone there remembered who I am so I would be taken to my seat directly in consequent visits. It was just like you are a VIP, and certainly an experience I won't forget. The hotel isn't really an independent hotel, but more like the executive annex of Sen no Mori. The hotel is connected to the main building of Sen no Mori with a walkway outside, it was covered but had multiple stairs, and most facilities are in the main building. The shuttle bus also departs from the main building. But the main building is a much cheaper hotel and the guests would not get the same level of service I think. While the service here was unbelievable, the other aspects were much less so. I got the western-styled room. The room was big, but didn't feel premium for a place so expensive. They had a massage chair in the room and it was a cheap one that just repeats the action. The beds were also not much different from the ones in any cheap hotel. Every room here comes with a terrace that has a hot tub (not onsen, they will give you a packet of onsen powder to put in). But it also means there would be no view, as they need to fence off the terrace partially. Also there were so many bugs at night. I tried to go out to use the tub and immediately surrounded by buzzing bugs so I had to retreat. I only got to use the tub once. There was a lounge for guest on the first floor, which had exactly two things, water and tea that tasted like water. Still they offered them only on certain times of the day. Guests here also got to use the executive lounge in the main building, which has a few types of alcohols and a coffer machine, that's it. They don't even have a soda machine or water server, which is probably why I never saw anyone else in that lounge. There are many other evidences that they are cutting the corners which I won't bother to go through. I decided to splurge it and updated the dinner to the most expensive option. Let's say the service was good, the restaurant was nice, the food ingredients are upscale, the taste, well, not bad but also not something I'll remember. The whole hotel complex used to be a much larger place, I can even see an abandoned water park from my room. But now the main building felt like a ghost town at night (at least during my stay on weekdays) which kind of broke the mood. When I went to the laundry room the whole area was dark which made me recall horror movies for a moment. Overall I think the staff here worked really hard trying to make guests happy, but the boss really cared about reducing the cost, resulted in what I saw. The hotel isn't in a convenient location without a car. They do have shuttle buses but require reservation and the drive isn't a short one. The hotel is great is some ways, but I think it still won't be able to justify the price.

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