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Here was a review I wrote regarding my stay at the Hotel MiraCosta in July 2006. I never got around to posting it on MiceChat, so here it is now. As you will read it was my first visit and an extremely impressive one. Without further ado:
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We had the fine honor of staying at the Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta last July. Simply put, it was unbelievable! From the moment we departed from the bus, we knew we were in for something special; the Italian themed fountain at the main entrance was extremely ornate, adding just the right touch of elegance.
Entering into the nautically themed lobby, we were out of words. I've stayed at nearly every deluxe" Disney hotel around the world and have never seen such a magnificent sight! At the center of the rotunda was a large bronze galleon adorned with intricate sculptures of various Disney characters dressed in explorer costumes. The rotunda's ceiling contained 8 beautifully painted murals of each of the 7 ports of calls at Tokyo DisneySea, plus one depicting the Spirit of Exploration and Discovery (the main theme of the park). These huge murals are one of the first things you encounter when you first enter the lobby and do a fantastic job of setting the tone for the rest of your experience at the hotel.
Being in Japan and all, the service was far superior to anything I had ever experienced at other Disney hotels. The cast members never hesitated to make our visit a more enjoayble one, and we were properly greeted each time we came upon a maid or bellhop. We received free beverages while waiting to check-in, and our luggage was completely taken care of by the bell desk. While walking to our room, the bellhop took the time to point out whimsical touches in the hotel's design; he showed us characters such as Pinocchio hidden in the wallpaper in our room and the hotel hallways. Every day, any bellhops or maids we passed bowed to us and wished us a wonderful day. It made my visit feel very special. One of my favorite memories is of the bellhop waiting with us at the bus station right outside the hotel on our last day. We had a lovely chat for about 30 minutes while waiting for our bus, and it was very enjoyable. You rarely see this kind of interaction at the other Disney resorts. Oh, and they don't accept tip!
Our room was large and spacious, though the best part about it was the phenomenal view! We had booked a Harbor View Superior Room on the Porto Paradiso Side of the hotel. From our window, we had excellent views of the daily lagoon show, as well as of the nighttime spectacular from our room. Listening to the background music of Mediterranean Harbor was something I'll never forget; I felt so immersed in the rich atmosphere that I no longer felt like I was staying in a hotel. In addition to all this, hotel guests also have a private entrance into Tokyo DisneySea. You should definitely take advantage of this entrance, especially at opening since you will be able to get a head start on normal guests.
The hotel has 3 table service restaurants, all elegantly themed and rather expensive. We only tried the BellaVista Lounge this visit, but it was a fantastic dining experience. The view from the giant picture windows is nothing short of stunning, with lovely ironwork framing the edges of the glass. These windows provide a panoramic view inside the park, more specifically of Porto Paradiso. The restaurant serves Italian courses in an upscale environment, yet in no way feels stuffy. Also, we had planned our visit to coincide with the 8:05 p.m. performance of BraviSEAmo! Having a perfect view, we enjoyed the nighttime spectacular. Luckily for us, they had speakers inside the restaurant which played the show's soundtrack.
The MiraCosta was unlike any hotel I've ever stayed at and like Tokyo DisneySea, is insanely beautiful and detailed. The exterior of the hotel acts as the background for the park's Mediterranean Harbor area and blends in perfectly! The use of marble and other expensive materials throughout the hotel is amazing and the architecture will leave you breathless. The Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta is a true 5 star hotel that I highly recommend to anyone who can afford it. It's without a doubt the best Disney hotel I've ever stayed at!
*UPDATE: I returned to the Hotel MiraCosta again in July 2007, this time staying in a concierge level room. The service was truly a step above any concierge service I've had, and the cast members were extremely friendly and helpful. They took care of everything, from check-in to the purchase of our park tickets. We were given a very generous handful of monorail tickets, park maps, stickers, and other items that would make our visit more enjoyable. When it started raining, one of the cast members even came by to our room to give us umbrellas! The concierge lounge, Salone dell'Amico, was very pretty just like the rest of the hotel. Throughout the day, they serve small drinks and snacks. At certain times of the day, they serve a continental breakfast buffet, cocktails, and nightcaps. All complimentary, of course. If you feel like it, you can even ask the cast members to bring an item from the lounge for you (including from the breakfast buffet). They delivered a coffee dessert to my room (and others too) without my request for one.
All in all, it was an unforgettable experience. Although expensive at around $980/night, our Harbor Room was spacious and very comfortable. It could easily sleep us 4 adults, with 2 regular sized beds and a third trundle bed. Small ones can even sleep on the cozy couch if they so desire.
During this visit, I also tried the restaurant Oceano. This restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine in an all you can eat buffet form or from a course menu. We chose the buffet and had a wonderful meal. The restaurant is themed to the ocean, with different themes for each dining room. We dined in the "Pearl Room", decorated to look like the inside of an oyster. The lights were even made to look like pearls.
And to conclude this review, I bring you close-up shots of each of the 8 murals in the lobby. Try to spot the Hidden Mickeys. All murals except the Spirit of Exploration have one, I believe.
__________________________________________________ ____________
We had the fine honor of staying at the Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta last July. Simply put, it was unbelievable! From the moment we departed from the bus, we knew we were in for something special; the Italian themed fountain at the main entrance was extremely ornate, adding just the right touch of elegance.
Entering into the nautically themed lobby, we were out of words. I've stayed at nearly every deluxe" Disney hotel around the world and have never seen such a magnificent sight! At the center of the rotunda was a large bronze galleon adorned with intricate sculptures of various Disney characters dressed in explorer costumes. The rotunda's ceiling contained 8 beautifully painted murals of each of the 7 ports of calls at Tokyo DisneySea, plus one depicting the Spirit of Exploration and Discovery (the main theme of the park). These huge murals are one of the first things you encounter when you first enter the lobby and do a fantastic job of setting the tone for the rest of your experience at the hotel.
Being in Japan and all, the service was far superior to anything I had ever experienced at other Disney hotels. The cast members never hesitated to make our visit a more enjoayble one, and we were properly greeted each time we came upon a maid or bellhop. We received free beverages while waiting to check-in, and our luggage was completely taken care of by the bell desk. While walking to our room, the bellhop took the time to point out whimsical touches in the hotel's design; he showed us characters such as Pinocchio hidden in the wallpaper in our room and the hotel hallways. Every day, any bellhops or maids we passed bowed to us and wished us a wonderful day. It made my visit feel very special. One of my favorite memories is of the bellhop waiting with us at the bus station right outside the hotel on our last day. We had a lovely chat for about 30 minutes while waiting for our bus, and it was very enjoyable. You rarely see this kind of interaction at the other Disney resorts. Oh, and they don't accept tip!
Our room was large and spacious, though the best part about it was the phenomenal view! We had booked a Harbor View Superior Room on the Porto Paradiso Side of the hotel. From our window, we had excellent views of the daily lagoon show, as well as of the nighttime spectacular from our room. Listening to the background music of Mediterranean Harbor was something I'll never forget; I felt so immersed in the rich atmosphere that I no longer felt like I was staying in a hotel. In addition to all this, hotel guests also have a private entrance into Tokyo DisneySea. You should definitely take advantage of this entrance, especially at opening since you will be able to get a head start on normal guests.
The hotel has 3 table service restaurants, all elegantly themed and rather expensive. We only tried the BellaVista Lounge this visit, but it was a fantastic dining experience. The view from the giant picture windows is nothing short of stunning, with lovely ironwork framing the edges of the glass. These windows provide a panoramic view inside the park, more specifically of Porto Paradiso. The restaurant serves Italian courses in an upscale environment, yet in no way feels stuffy. Also, we had planned our visit to coincide with the 8:05 p.m. performance of BraviSEAmo! Having a perfect view, we enjoyed the nighttime spectacular. Luckily for us, they had speakers inside the restaurant which played the show's soundtrack.
The MiraCosta was unlike any hotel I've ever stayed at and like Tokyo DisneySea, is insanely beautiful and detailed. The exterior of the hotel acts as the background for the park's Mediterranean Harbor area and blends in perfectly! The use of marble and other expensive materials throughout the hotel is amazing and the architecture will leave you breathless. The Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta is a true 5 star hotel that I highly recommend to anyone who can afford it. It's without a doubt the best Disney hotel I've ever stayed at!
*UPDATE: I returned to the Hotel MiraCosta again in July 2007, this time staying in a concierge level room. The service was truly a step above any concierge service I've had, and the cast members were extremely friendly and helpful. They took care of everything, from check-in to the purchase of our park tickets. We were given a very generous handful of monorail tickets, park maps, stickers, and other items that would make our visit more enjoyable. When it started raining, one of the cast members even came by to our room to give us umbrellas! The concierge lounge, Salone dell'Amico, was very pretty just like the rest of the hotel. Throughout the day, they serve small drinks and snacks. At certain times of the day, they serve a continental breakfast buffet, cocktails, and nightcaps. All complimentary, of course. If you feel like it, you can even ask the cast members to bring an item from the lounge for you (including from the breakfast buffet). They delivered a coffee dessert to my room (and others too) without my request for one.
All in all, it was an unforgettable experience. Although expensive at around $980/night, our Harbor Room was spacious and very comfortable. It could easily sleep us 4 adults, with 2 regular sized beds and a third trundle bed. Small ones can even sleep on the cozy couch if they so desire.
During this visit, I also tried the restaurant Oceano. This restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine in an all you can eat buffet form or from a course menu. We chose the buffet and had a wonderful meal. The restaurant is themed to the ocean, with different themes for each dining room. We dined in the "Pearl Room", decorated to look like the inside of an oyster. The lights were even made to look like pearls.
And to conclude this review, I bring you close-up shots of each of the 8 murals in the lobby. Try to spot the Hidden Mickeys. All murals except the Spirit of Exploration have one, I believe.
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