Japan Roaming and nice Hyatt hotels

[siri]

Any one who want Japan roaming, make sure to get Optus USIM card and if you have a Nokia 3G phone similar to 6680, it will work in Japan.

Also make sure to register for Hyatt Gold since every stay you accumilate points to simialr to FF program and you can use the points on holidays in any Hyatt around the world.

HK got the best Grand Hyatt in Asia and new Grand Hyatt in Beijing is wonderful. Also Park Hyatt in Tokyo, and new one in Seoul in front of the Inter continantal hotel. They do have Grand Hyatt bit away from the city but basement bar is nice place to meet local beauties.
On other Grand Hyatts, Shanghai and BK are nice BK basement bar also got very active night life.
On Hyatt I got more that 400K points and you can stay in Hyatts from 5K to 15K per night depend on the hotel.
Highest memebeship is Diamond and you get executive lounge access free inc. free breakfast, evening drinks and limited board room acess. It take 50 days per yr to get diamond.

[NRMOZ]

Was pleasantly pleased to find the roaming via 3G in my last visit Japanside in May/June...

On hotels; while points are nice there were two hotels that impressed me on a recent working visit - the first was the Park Hotel in Shinbashi in Tokyo - nice touch with the foyer on the 25th floor and rooms starting some six floors above that...

The other impressive property was the Granvia at Kyoto's new station. VERY impressive service and good pricing all round also...

[turtlemichael]

The other impressive property was the Gravia at Kyoto's new station. VERY impressive service and good pricing all round also...

I agree on the Granvia - i stayed there in April. Reasonably priced and great location if you are travelling by train . https://www.granvia-kyoto.co.jp/e/index.html I also happen to think, though I am probably in a minority, that the station is one of the buildings of the last 50 years. I don't think that it detracts at all from the part of Kyoto it's in.

[busykate]

Our company has had very poor results using mobile roaming in Japan. The 3G coverage is not as good as the other Japanese networks and most mobiles don't seem to work there. We used to rent phones at the airport in Japan but have recently starting getting them before we leave from a company here called vRoam (vRoam Global ) who rent out overseas simcards and phones. They also divert our Australian mobile number to the Japanese phone. So far we have been very happy with this solution.

[Evan]

Never had any 3G roaming issues in Japan and usually travel 2 to 4 times a year (Optus SIM)

On hotels; while points are nice there were two hotels that impressed me on a recent working visit - the first was the Park Hotel in Shinbashi in Tokyo - nice touch with the foyer on the 25th floor and rooms starting some six floors above that...

Would like to add that on my last trip i stayed at Park Hotel Tokyo, a small walk from Shinbashi station but worth every step for a nice hotel not over priced.
Cost less than $250 AUD / night with just the rate off there web page.
Any a mini bar that caters for me, Bombay Saphire and Champange for the other half, yep thats about the only drink they have in the mini bar except softdrinks etc.

PARK HOTEL TOKYO

Bit of a walk from the station but best standard reasonably priced tokyo hotel i have found.
If i am there for for i usually dont stay there though, i simply stay in a local business hotel near work (cheaper and can walk to work)

Evan