Overview: JW Marriott Nara | Prince of Journey

We visited the JW Marriott Nara throughout a fast side-trip to Nara between our time exploring Kyoto and Osaka.

The property not too long ago opened in July 2022, marking the JW Marriott model’s debut in Japan and the primary worldwide luxurious resort within the metropolis of Nara.

We have been trying ahead to a quieter keep right here on the JW Marriott Nara, breaking apart the 2 greater metropolises within the Kansai Area that we’d be exploring on both facet.

JW Marriott Nara – Reserving

I booked this keep utilizing a Marriott Free Night time Award price 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors from my accomplice Jessy’s account. I topped it up with 6,000 further factors, for a complete award value of 56,000 factors.

Money charges on the JW Marriott Nara can grow to be fairly costly throughout peak season, as Nara is a highly regarded vacation spot for each overseas and home vacationers.

We occurred to be visiting throughout a protracted weekend, so on the time of our go to, money charges have been upwards of ¥80,000 ($758 CAD).

Common charges for a room right here sometimes fall round ¥50,000–60,000 ($470–565 CAD) per night time – considerably decrease, however nonetheless fairly expensive.

If reserving with Marriott Bonvoy factors, you’ll be able to count on to pay 44,000–60,000 factors per night time. Primarily based on our present valuation of 0.9 cents per level, reserving on factors may positively be a worthwhile redemption.

My redemption price 56,000 factors was nearly what I might’ve anticipated this property to cost. Plus, the truth that I had a Free Night time Award that was as a consequence of expire in December 2022 floating round made this an opportune time to make use of it up.

JW Marriott Nara – Location

The town of Nara was as soon as the capital of Japan within the eighth century. It’s now house to a few of Japan’s oldest temples and gardens, centred across the well-known Nara Park.

The JW Marriott Nara is centrally situated in Nara’s enterprise and political centre, a good distance from Nara Park. Nonetheless, a vacationer bus is accessible from the cease simply reverse the resort, making it comparatively straightforward to get to Nara Park.

I’d say the JW Marriott is unquestionably among the best resorts within the metropolis in the event you’re visiting Nara. You is probably not proper on the doorstep of Nara Park, but it surely’s nonetheless simply accessible through the vacationer bus.

If you happen to’re coming into Nara from Kyoto or Osaka, the closest prepare station to the resort is Shin-Omiya Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line. It’s a few 10-minute stroll from the prepare station to the resort.

Nonetheless, the resort has a free shuttle bus that runs each half-hour to Kintetsu Nara Station on the Kintetsu Nara line. This station is one cease past the Shin-Omiya, and is a extra central hub nearer to Nara Park.

If you happen to occur to have plenty of baggage, it might be price taking the prepare into the Kintetsu Nara station and taking the shuttle bus.

In the meantime, in the event you’re flying to Nara from inside Japan, Osaka Itami Airport is the place most home flights fly into. It’s a 40-minute journey to the JW Marriott Nara from right here by automobile.

For worldwide travellers, Osaka Kansai Worldwide Airport is about an hour’s journey to the resort.

JW Marriott Nara – Examine-in

The property’s exterior is a darkish metal façade, however upon coming into the resort, the foyer of the JW Marriott Nara has a shiny, inviting, and serene ambiance.

The wood-filled area includes a seating space with gentle furnishings. Then, marble-clad check-in desks are nestled on the again between tall bookshelves and nature-inspired paintings on the wall.

You’ll discover a constant up to date Japanese magnificence all through the resort, with loads of motifs consultant of the well-known freely roaming deer at Nara Park.

If you happen to’re a Platinum Elite or above member, you’ll expertise elevated service right here on the JW Marriott Nara. I used to be fairly impressed with our therapy upon arriving on the resort as a Platinum Elite member on the reserving. 

As an elite member, you’ll be invited the Government Lounge to finish the check-in course of there. In our case, we have been proactively provided a glass of glowing wine as we accomplished our check-in.

We have been generously upgraded to the Government Suite for this keep. Moreover, we have been additionally provided 4pm late check-out as a part of our elite advantages.

Because it seems, our upgraded suite could be occupied the next day, so we have been provided using a separate room for our 4pm late check-out. We had solely wished the late check-out as a matter of comfort, so we declined and advised the employees we didn’t need to hassle them an excessive amount of.

Nonetheless, the resort’s gesture was drastically appreciated. Too many resorts will insist on not providing a 4pm late check-out in the event you’ve been upgraded to a set, as a result of they don’t need to trouble providing a brand new room. I used to be impressed with the JW Marriott Nara going above and past, and this was definitely a really constructive begin to our keep.

We have been handed our keys, and made our strategy to Room 316 on the third flooring.

JW Marriott Nara – Government Suite

I feel the Government Suite could be inside attain as an improve choice for a Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador Elite member staying at this resort.

Nonetheless, I do suppose it’s price noting that we might have had a neater time securing this specific improve on the account that the resort knew upfront that we have been coming.

The suite includes a refreshing palette of pure tones, with touches of gray and muted blues. The furnishings have been elegant, with summary artwork dotted all through the dwelling area and bed room.

The suite opens as much as a spacious dwelling space. Upon entry, a eating space is to the best, and a Nespresso espresso maker sits within the pantry on the left.

Shifting additional into the dwelling space, the room includes a lengthy, quilted sofa and two armchairs centred round a contemporary glass espresso desk. Two leather-based ottomans present further choices for seating.

The welcome reward ready for us on the espresso desk was extremely spectacular. The resort had printed Prince of Journey logos on the macarons utilizing the resort’s new meals printer, which was a much-appreciated gesture.

A big flat-screen TV sits on an ornamental wall that separates the dwelling space from the bed room.

The bed room of the Government Suite is located on the nook of the constructing, with stunning nook views overlooking town. This was one in all my favorite options of the suite.

The king mattress is the room’s centrepiece, with a grand summary headboard and leather-based bench on the foot of the mattress.

The mattress is accompanied by two up to date gold accent lights hanging over marble-clad bedside tables.

A studying chair sits within the right-hand nook of the room, adjoining to the flat-screen TV.

On the best facet of the TV are an opulent, wealthy brown chaise longue and a small drink desk.

Between the bed room and the principle toilet is an open space with a make-up desk. Right here, you’ll additionally discover a walk-in closet.

The toilet of the suite is opulent, adorned in marble. The area includes a double vainness and separate chambers for the bathe and bathroom.

The toilet includes a hanging soaker tub, which can also be encased in marble.

Furthermore, the suite options one other half-bathroom close to the entryway with a single vainness.

Total, I used to be mightily happy with the Government Suite on the JW Marriott Nara. Primarily based on my impressions on this higher-tier suite, I’d think about the bottom rooms and junior suites are additionally fairly spectacular certainly.

JW Marriott Nara – Breakfast

Breakfast is hosted downstairs at Silk Street Eating. It was fairly a busy area, particularly because it was the lengthy weekend.

We needed to wait some time earlier than being seated, however we have been kindly invited to sit within the foyer close by and have a espresso earlier than being invited in to have breakfast.

The restaurant has a superbly subtle inside, with timber beams and trendy motifs. Excessive ceilings and floor-to-ceiling home windows permit loads of pure gentle to pour into the area.

The breakfast providing features a customizable à la carte menu in your eggs, after which a complete buffet to go together with it. I usually have excessive expectations for a JW Marriott breakfast in Asia, and this one definitely didn’t disappoint.

On the buffet, there was a Japanese rice bowl station with all of the trimmings, in addition to congee and miso soup.

Furthermore, the buffet was jam-packed with different breakfast staples corresponding to Asian-style bowls and Western-style pancakes, waffles, salads, and an abundance of pastries.

The resort additionally appears to have a “factor” for glowing wine, as we have been provided a glass to go together with breakfast.

Whereas we’ve been responsible of overindulging in breakfast mimosas out in the Maldives, we have been feeling much less enthusiastic to drink at breakfast previous to a time out at Nara Park.

On the entire, breakfast on the JW Marriott Nara left us happy and well-energized for the day forward.

Though JW Marriott is on the extra approachable finish of the posh resorts, the Nara location’s breakfast providing was no shabbier than the opposite luxurious resorts we visited on this journey.

JW Marriott Nara – Government Lounge

The Government Lounge was a heat and alluring area with a pleasant ambiance, located on the second flooring. The design options heat woods with daring gold accents and bespoke lights.

Within the centre of the lounge was a extra relaxed part, with two massive couches and some armchairs subsequent to petrified stable wooden espresso tables.

Then there have been three-person and two-person seats dotted by the remainder of the lounge. Total, it was a pleasant spot to sit down and loosen up, or to get some work achieved.

The lounge was open from 12pm till late on the time of our go to, however could also be open for breakfast too as soon as the resort’s occupancy grows full with Japan’s reopening to worldwide travellers

The lounge’s night unfold was fairly good, with a good mixture of Japanese and Western meals. Nonetheless, I do want it was a bit extra complete with Japanese specialties.

Nonetheless, it was a good providing, which got here alongside a pleasant drink choice as effectively. Plus, the lounge employees are all the time enthusiastic to give you some glowing wine. 

On that observe, the employees have been very skilled and pleasant every time we visited. Total, service at this resort couldn’t have been hotter and extra welcoming.

JW Marriott Nara – Different Amenities

Along with breakfast, Silk Street Eating is open for lunch and dinner. The restaurant affords a fusion of Japanese and Western delicacies.

Azekura is the signature restaurant on the JW Marriott Nara, the place reservations are required. The choices include teppanyaki, sushi, and kaiseki served in a delegated area distinct from lunch and dinner.

Lastly, the Flying Stag is the restaurant’s bar. Right here you could find a big selection of conventional teas and pastries, alongside along with your alternative of alcoholic drinks.

The health centre and spa are situated on the fourth flooring of the resort.

The health centre includes a good vary of kit, together with treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, free weights, and benches. Jessy and I went down for a fast exercise and located it to be a very good area to work up a sweat.

The spa options an indoor plunge pool, a jacuzzi within the nook, and lounge chairs dotted across the room.

It appeared like a pleasant place to take a dip, though there aren’t any views or home windows from this indoor area. Furthermore, it was a preferred spot for households to frolic about, and we noticed many right here over the course of the lengthy weekend.

Conclusion

The JW Marriott Nara is a superb new luxurious property with a central location in Nara, conveniently located alongside the bus path to Nara Park and its many vacationer points of interest.

If you happen to’re like many Nara vacationers who’re wanting to work together with the well-known deer within the park, the handy shuttle throughout the road makes the JW Marriott a worthy house base.

On this keep, our Government Suite had an elegant aesthetic, with basic JW Marriott atmosphere and beautiful nook views.

Plus, between going above and past to supply us a 4pm late checkout in a separate room and proactively providing glowing wine at each meal sitting, the distinguished service right here on the JW Marriott Nara didn’t go unnoticed.

Total, I used to be extremely impressed with this new JW Marriott property, and would definitely suggest staying right here if you end up on this a part of Japan.