Review: Nagasaki Marriott Hotel

In May, I embarked on a two-week trip to Japan and Southeast Asia. This stay was part of the first portion of the trip, mainly residing in West Japan and Kyushu regions. Learning that the Nagasaki Marriott only opened a few months ago with the station’s redevelopments, I thought it would be worthwhile to book a stay there. 

This was also my first full-service Marriott property experience in Asia where I’ve heard that the service and value is a lot higher than North American hotels, so I was really looking forward to this stay. With that in mind, let’s take a look at my review of the Nagasaki Marriott Hotel.

Booking

Most of my stays during this trip were based around going to new places and being located near a JR (the largest rail operator in Japan) station would make it really convenient to get around. 

Recently, the Kamome Shinkansen service from Takeo-Onsen to Nagasaki opened and as a huge transportation nerd, I really wanted to take it.

The Marriott Nagasaki is managed by JR’s hotel management affiliate, Although not the first to be part of the Marriott Bonvoy branding, this is their first fully Marriott branded property. One of JR’s other Marriott Bonvoy affiliated properties is part of the Autograph Collection, a group of curated independently operated properties such as the Mount Juliet Estate.

Booking a night at the Nagasaki Marriott at the lowest would be ¥22,500, which is about $197 CAD, which to me was a completely reasonable price for the service and amenities provided even for a standard room.

If you were to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points for a night, the rate is not as comparable to the cash rate so I would suggest saving points for another stay. If you do have a Marriott free night certificate that is expiring soon, this could represent a decent redemption to burn the certificate.

If you are interested in saving on hotel costs, the American Express Marriott Bonvoy card offers an annual free night certificate upon renewing the card, making it a great companion for your next trip to Japan!

Initially, I booked a Deluxe King Guest Room; however, I noticed in the app I was upgraded to a Kumome 1 Bedroom Executive Suite Room a few hours before check-in. I did not request an upgrade before check-in, nor did I have any nightly upgrade awards, so I was very pleased that the staff at the Marriott Nagasaki are proactive about upgrading Marriott Bonvoy Elite members.

Check-in

The main entrance to the hotel is directly beside the Nagasaki Station Kamome/east gate exit. An employee from the bell desk greeted me as I entered the door and accompanied me to the check-in counters on the 7th floor.

There was no queue for checking in when I arrived, but there was a separate line for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above.

The check-in process went smoothly. The agent explained the restaurant options on-site, the fitness center hours, and the lounge times for small plates and desserts. I had Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status, which made me eligible for a welcome gift. You can choose between the standard 1000pts or a gift voucher for a Marriott Nagasaki branded reusable coffee cup, which is what I chose.

I also received a breakfast voucher as part of my elite status benefit.

Location

The entrance to the Marriott Nagasaki is only mere steps away from Nagasaki Station’s East Gate exit, perfect for those taking the train into the city. There is also a more secluded entrance from the hotel drive-through.

It is also attached to the Amu Plaza shopping centre, however, there is no direct entrance from the hotel itself. The entrance to the mall is only a few steps away from the Marriott’s front door.

Getting around town is relatively easy, as the historic Nagasaki tram network and buses are both nearby to the hotel.

This is very convenient as both public transportation options can get you to attractions such as the Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Museum, and Chinatown.

Parking

The entrance to the parking area was on the south side of the station complex. The cost is JPY 1300 per night starting from 1 PM to 1 PM the next day. Instructions and directions to the lot can be found here.

Room – Kamome Suite, 1 Bedroom Executive Suite, 1 King, Sofa Bed, City View

The room was on the 10th floor, located at the end of the hallway. Opening the door, all the curtains and sheers started to open by themselves with the living room in plain sight.

A powder room is also located in the entryway to the right, equipped with a toilet and its own wash basin.

To the left of the entryway, a corridor starts with a large walk-through closet space before meeting the bathroom area.

The shelves in the closet had a safe, yukatas, slippers, and bags for the hotel’s laundry service.

The bathroom is very open, where the bath and shower are in their own room separate from the toilet and double-sink.

A sliding glass divider can be moved if you want to see the bedroom or the panoramic views outside.

The bathroom offered all of the necessary amenities that would be needed during a stay.

The Kamome Suite had both a walk-in shower and a full-sized bathtub.

To the right of the shower is a makeup area with folding mirrors and a stool.

The bedroom came with a standard King bed as expected.

The nightstands contained plenty of power outlets and a charging cable in case you needed one.

Access to the balcony was also through the bedroom. Waking to these views in the morning was absolutely amazing.

The balcony was undoubtedly the highlight of the room, with views towards the hills and the northern part of the city. You can also see the trains and Shinkansens arriving on the left side as well as the hustle and bustle of the city streets down below.

The living area was spacious with a coffee table and a dining area. On the table, there was a personalized greeting card from the Guest Experience Manager and a pair of locally made Fukusaya castella cubes (which were absolutely delicious). The cubes could also be bought in the lobby cafe (Grab & Go) with Nagasaki Marriott packaging.

The small dining area had plenty of room for seating on the couch with a small dining set adjacent.

Completing the room tour, the minibar had illy branded coffee products on the counter and sets of drinkware and local teas in the drawers.

The minibar had purchase options for cold drinks as well as a can of Pringles and some locally made snacks.

Pricing was also provided for the minibar.

Restaurants & Bars

Harbella – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast

The main restaurant on-site is Harbella, a casual restaurant with dishes from all regions of the world. It also serves as the breakfast area, where Marriott Platinum Elite members or higher use their complimentary breakfast voucher for buffet breakfast as part of the Marriott Bonvoy Elite breakfast benefit.

A spread of cuisines from around the world were available, from traditional American breakfast items like bread and cereal to international dishes such as dim sum and local Japanese delicacies.

There was also a Chef’s Station where you can get eggs done including their specialty, a Signature Green Omelet with stewed Nagasaki beef and red wine. Fruits and salads were also available.

The window and balcony showed picturesque views, opposite of the view in my room.

The Azurite

The bar on site is the Azurite, right at the entrance to Harbella. Although it mainly serves as a bar at night, it does have Afternoon Tea services and set menus for evening dining.

De jima

De jima is the collective name for two restaurants; Teppanyaki De jima and Sushi De jima. Hidden away from the main restaurant and bar, the entrance to De jima is tucked away slightly behind the check-in desk. Specializing in Japanese cuisine, the restaurants are catered to those who want a more exclusive experience during lunch or dinner.

Grab & Go

Located across from the bank of elevators, the Grab & Go offers handcrafted coffees and espressos. You can also find some small snacks If you chose to receive the welcome gift instead of bonus points at check in, you would go here to redeem your gift voucher.

They also sold hotel-branded merchandise and some locally made desserts, like the Fukusaya cakes that were in my room.

Facilities

M Club Lounge

The M Club at the Marriott Nagasaki is Japan’s first 24-hour Marriott Branded lounge. The space is intimate with staff present from 9 AM to 10 PM. You are also able to book a 2 hour private meeting room session for up to 6 people. There are also restricted hours for families staying with children under 12 and adults must accompany those 13-19 year olds between 5 PM and 6:30 AM.

There was a cocktail session between 4 and 7 PM as well as a dessert offering between 7 and 9 PM. It was mentioned that the time limit during these social periods would be limited to 60 minutes per party.

An assortment of snacks were provided all day, with some locally made.

Non-alcoholic drinks were served all day, with some locally sourced teas.

There was also literature available for reading and some maps and guides for the local area.

Fitness Center

Housing a variety of exercise equipment, the Fitness Center has the essentials that you need to get your fit on, including a variety of cardio equipment and a weight rack.

Medicine Balls and some press and pull equipment can also be found in the fitness center.

If you don’t have your fitness gear with you, you can rent them out from the Front Desk; 500 JPY for shoes and 1500 JPY for a sports suit. The Fitness Center is open 24 hours a day.

Conclusion

The Nagasaki Marriott provided exceptional service and hospitality during my stay in the western part of the Kyushu region. I would highly recommend this property if you’re planning to visit Nagasaki and the surrounding area.