Marriott Biwako Hotel Stay Review: Marriott Platinum Challenge

Date: 2018-06-25

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This was our 3rd stay in the Marriott Platinum Challenge (aiming to achieve Platinum status with Marriott and SPG through 9 stays by 31 July). In June, just as the rainy season had begun, the two of us and our 32-year-old daughter stayed 3 nights at the Marriott Biwako, which had only just opened in November 2017.

What Kind of Hotel is the Biwako Marriott Hotel? Its History and Brand

It was created by renovating an existing hotel. Until recently, there were no Marriott hotels in Japan, but last year five Marriott resort hotels opened simultaneously — this is one of them.

Hotel Exterior, Features, and Surroundings

From Kyoto Station, take the Kosei Line running along the western shore of Lake Biwa for about 20 minutes. The nearest station is Katata. At the station's roundabout, there is a free shuttle bus marked with a black "M" logo, and you reach the hotel in about 10 minutes. The bus runs from 8am to 8pm, departing Katata Station at 40 minutes past the hour and departing the hotel at 10 minutes past, making it very convenient.

The hotel has 12 floors and 274 rooms. The top floor has a restaurant where you can enjoy breakfast while taking in the spectacular view of Lake Biwa — it puts you in the mood to make the most of the day ahead.

Lobby

The calm, Marriott-coloured lobby leads straight to the front desk at the far end.

Corridors from Reception to the Rooms

The carpet inside the hotel evokes the image of the lake — a colour we love. Marriott carpets seem to be designed to match the surroundings of each hotel. Calm wood tones with blue accents.

There are 4 elevators and they respond quickly.

The Room

We stayed in a Japanese-style room on the 5th floor with a lake view. The tatami mats were firm Ryukyu tatami, and futons were laid out on them. The sleeping futon had a wonderfully firm feel, and unusually our backs didn't ache at all. The Egyptian cotton linens had just the right amount of starch, and we slept soundly and comfortably every night. The room also has a full-size bathroom, so you can have a bath in the morning too.

Breakfast

The breakfast buffet here is highly recommended. With Lake Biwa right in front of you, the view from the restaurant on the top floor (12th floor) is magnificent, and the space is very spacious.

Gold members receive complimentary breakfast for themselves and one guest. For a group of 3 like ours, the additional breakfast fee was 2,500 yen per person. The back of the building overlooks rice paddies that had just been planted — the rice paddy scenery might be quite a novelty for overseas guests.

Breakfast is buffet style.

To think you can have rice and miso soup for breakfast at a Marriott! Fresh cooked rice served with mentaiko and side dishes — you find yourself eating all sorts of things first thing in the morning. Egg dishes and pancakes and waffles are ordered by filling in a slip on the table and handing it to the staff, who then bring freshly made dishes. My favourite eggs Benedict was also on offer.

Boiled eggs are available in 3 types: 5, 10, and 12 minutes. I chose 5 minutes — perfectly cooked! We were particularly fond of the dishes using local ingredients. Sweet simmered shrimp and beans from Lake Biwa. My wife is from the Kansai region and her relatives lived nearby in Imazu, so she was delighted, saying these simmered shrimp reminded her of her childhood.

There was also a corner featuring Omi Champon, a local speciality of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture — a pleasant surprise. The broth was perhaps lighter than Nagasaki Champon?

The salad bar with plenty of fresh vegetables was also a welcome sight during travels when vegetables can be scarce.

The bathroom on the breakfast floor was marble-style, immaculately cleaned, and very hygienic.

The toilet played the sounds of ocean waves and birdsong, allowing you to relax even in the loo. I almost dozed off... (laughs). Japan's high-tech toilets always amaze overseas visitors — the lid opens automatically, the water flushes automatically, it's all hands-free.

Other Useful Notes

We checked in on Friday evening. We received 2 tickets for complimentary breakfast and lounge access, plus food and beverage discount vouchers, and a free clothing ironing service (2 items, weekdays only). This time we were using the hotel as a base for visiting Kyoto and Osaka so we didn't make use of the large pool, free bicycle rental, or planetarium, but there are so many facilities that families could easily enjoy a full stay here. There is also a hot spring communal bath, perfect for resting tired bodies. As we were midway through a two-week trip, we were also pleased to find a coin laundry.

The hotel has excellent access to Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe — 50 minutes to Osaka Station with no transfers — yet the surroundings are peaceful, so you get the best of both worlds. It's far better value than staying in crowded, expensive Kyoto or Osaka! It looks set to become our go-to Kansai Marriott. This time, despite staying 3 nights, we were so busy that we were only there in the mornings and evenings. Next time we'd love to take things more slowly and really savour the hotel stay.

Price

We stayed 3 nights. The rate was 25,000 yen per night for 3 people in one room.

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