The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Nagoya

After years of using Hilton Nagoya as my regular base for business trips, I tried RPH ICONIC for a four-day family getaway. It was a leap of faith, but we had a wonderful stay and were glad we changed things up. The room layout seemed quirky at first, but I came to appreciate how functional it was. It has hidden closets, a retractable TV console, and a central counter that holds the wash basin, fridge, and amenities. Close it all up and you get more floor space. The housekeeping team kept everything spotless. Miss Suzuki deserves a special thank you for being so efficient and thoughtful, and for making sure we always had extra towels. We’ll definitely come back on our next trip to Nagoya.

The views from the hotel were amazing, lovely to wake up to and enjoy as the day wound down. Staff were kind and professional, and the location is very convenient. Our room was clean and comfortable, with a bath that was just the right size for soaking after a long day of walking. The fridge only fit three bottles or cans, though. The room could definitely fit a small bar fridge.

The service was fast, friendly, and helpful. Breakfast was great, the views stunning, and the rooms lovely. The location is good too. The bedroom design looks nice, but it’s not very practical. There isn’t enough room at the side of the bed to put your feet down, so you have to keep climbing in and out at the far end. There are no light switches by the nightstand, which makes that worse, and the blind’s drawstring is behind the bed and awkward to reach. They should consider a slightly smaller or higher bed, or cutting back the hidden wardrobe to make it easier to get in and out.

Sakae is a great location and has become the Center of Nagoya. The room was 22sqm, but at US$400 a night I found the price far too high for its size. During China golden week, they said they were too busy to take luggage up for guests, and there was nobody downstairs at the parking bay either. The washing room setup is odd. It has a digital lock, so people leave their things inside. I saw some tourists fighting over it. The strict check-out time and extra Y2000 for being late also seemed unusual at this price. That feels more like what a 4 star business hotel in Kyobashi would do. In short, it’s fitted out like a small boutique international hotel but run like a small business hotel.