Yokohama Bay Sheraton Stay: SPG Platinum Challenge

Date: 2018-06-16

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SPG and Marriott Platinum Challenges

SPG and Marriott are the same group, but the Platinum Challenges run separately — SPG hotel stays count only toward the SPG challenge, not the Marriott challenge, and vice versa. This stay was paid with SPG points, which means it counts toward the SPG challenge (not Marriott) and used 12,000 points.

Using points for a stay has one notable limitation: some member benefits are restricted. On this visit, despite being a Gold member, the lounge (with complimentary evening drinks and snacks) was not available when booking with points. A significant difference in the daily rhythm — usually we skip the evening restaurant entirely and eat in the lounge.

Getting There

From Shuzenji, Izuhakone Railway to Mishima, then Shinkansen to Shin-Yokohama, then local train to Yokohama. Lunch at Mishima Station: chirashi sushi from Uogashi Sushi — Numazu-style scattered rice with large cuts of sashimi and sakura shrimp, king crab miso soup included. ¥1,317. Excellent value.

Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers is 3 minutes from Yokohama Station's west exit, accessible by underground passage — no need to go outside even in rain.

The Room

Corner room with good views in two directions. Well-furnished and spacious. Welcome water provided.

The room at night: Yokohama's waterfront lights visible from the upper floors. A genuinely scenic city to be in.

Evening and Dinner

Without the lounge, dinner at Otoya — a Japanese casual restaurant near the hotel. Grilled fish, rice, miso soup, pickles. The kind of honest Japanese cooking that is hard to find outside Japan and which we miss every time we're away. Well-priced, consistent, across all age groups. Matcha ice cream for dessert — properly flavoured.

The hotel's fast escalator connects the 14th floor directly to the basement shopping centre (Joinus), which connects to Yokohama Station underground — a genuinely useful feature for a hotel this centrally located.

Day 2

Breakfast not included (points booking limitation). A walk to the nearest Starbucks at 7:30am — almost nothing else was open. A reminder that Japan's famous convenience stores are invaluable early in the morning.

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Note: The Yokohama Bay Sheraton is a solid property in an excellent location. The SPG/Marriott points redemption experience was more restricted than a direct booking — the lounge exclusion and lack of breakfast were noticeable gaps. Worth considering whether to use points or pay rate depending on what benefits matter most for your stay.

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