We visited the JW Marriott Nara during a quick side-trip to Nara between our time exploring Kyoto and Osaka.
The property recently opened in July 2022, marking the JW Marriott brand’s debut in Japan and the first international luxury hotel in the city of Nara.
We were looking forward to a quieter stay here at the JW Marriott Nara, breaking up the two bigger metropolises in the Kansai Region that we’d be exploring on either side.
JW Marriott Nara – Booking
I booked this stay using a Marriott Free Night Award worth 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points from my partner Jessy’s account. I topped it up with 6,000 additional points, for a total award cost of 56,000 points.
Cash rates at the JW Marriott Nara can become quite expensive during peak season, as Nara is a very popular destination for both foreign and domestic tourists.
We happened to be visiting during a long weekend, so at the time of our visit, cash rates were upwards of ¥80,000 ($758 CAD).
Regular rates for a room here typically fall around ¥50,000–60,000 ($470–565 CAD) per night – somewhat lower, but still quite pricey.
If booking with Marriott Bonvoy points, you can expect to pay 44,000–60,000 points per night. Based on our current valuation of 0.9 cents per point, booking on points could definitely be a worthwhile redemption.
My redemption worth 56,000 points was just about what I would’ve expected this property to charge. Plus, the fact that I had a Free Night Award that was due to expire in December 2022 floating around made this an opportune time to use it up.
JW Marriott Nara – Location
The city of Nara was once the capital of Japan in the 8th century. It’s now home to some of Japan’s oldest temples and gardens, centred around the famous Nara Park.
The JW Marriott Nara is centrally located in Nara’s business and political centre, a fair distance from Nara Park. However, a tourist bus is accessible from the stop just opposite the hotel, making it relatively easy to get to Nara Park.
I’d say the JW Marriott is definitely one of…
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