I’ve been collecting SPG points for a couple of years – through hotel stays and on my credit card. I finally spent my points, and almost cleared them all out, on a stay at The Westin Tokyo. Originally I was hesitant about booking here even though it’s a five-star, because it is in a residential neighbourhood away from the key neighborhoods in Tokyo. Plus, the photos of the hotel facilities were completely photoshopped!
It turned out pretty great. We stayed mostly in business hotels during our trip, which consisted of a double bed, a thin desk, and a porta-potty+shower. We would have problems if we were plump. By comparison, the Westin was a castle. The rate was 12,000 points a night, but I upgraded to Executive for another 2,500 points a night. That gave us an executive suite plus access to the Westin Executive Club for free breakfast and free hors d’oeuvres/drinks. I think it was worth it because breakfast had fruit (watermelon, honeydew, grapes, pineapple – all the high priced items) and unlimited alcoholic drinks. 2,500 points is equivalent to $5000 of spending on my credit card (excluding bonuses), which at a 1% cash back is only about $50.
The bad thing about the Westin Tokyo was that there weren’t a lot of facilities. There was no swimming pool, and I only saw stationary bikes/treadmills in a quick peek around the gym. Although you could go for a bike ride around the block for about ¥20000. It’s expensive to be luxurious.
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