Worst service ever in a great location.
The Miyako Hotel was the worst hotel I have ever stayed in, and I really hate to say that because it didn't have to be. I blame the staff who cared little for the comfort of guests, and acted as if having to interact with patrons was a big interruption to their casual conversations. My room had no heat, and I tried to switch rooms a few times, to no avail. They insisted on fixing the furnace, which was fine when the heat first stopped working, but was nonsensical by the third time! The staff even sent the bellman one morning when I woke up freezing -- and he tried to make up an excuse by saying that I didn't know how to use a thermostat, which was absolutely wrong and insulting. I gave up asking for a new room, and sat in coffee shops for warmth. LA had unusually cold temps, but that's still no excuse for not having a functional heater.
To make matters worse, my room smelled like mildew and old trash. I should have switched rooms just for that (they ignored that request too), but I discovered by wandering around that the ENTIRE hotel had an old, unclean smell to it, like trash, cigarettes, and mildew.
Housekeeping comes by early, and if you are not ready for them by 10:30am, they stick a nasty-gram under your door. Of course, I wasn't planning to be in my room that much, considering the cold and the smell, but on the two occasions I decided to return after breakfast to make a phone call and pick up some items, they let me know that I was not welcome to linger. Also, there were only two pillows on the bed, no extra blanket, and I could not get more when I asked the housekeeping staff.
Parking is not easy, but be careful! The front desk will tell you it's cheaper to park with them, but if you park in the Little Toyko Mall parking garage, which is the SAME BUILDING, they will charge you less than half of what the Miyako charges. It cost me $62 for 8 days of parking; the Miyako was going to charge me $136 ($17/day for self park, $24/day for valet).
What makes me frustrated most about the stay is not the poor service at the front desk, but the lost opportunity. The hotel could have had so much to offer. The shiatsu massage was one of the best I've ever had, though the spa was dirty and the reception was not very helpful and seemed stressed. The cafe in the lobby was convenient and offered good food and service. Even the gift shop clerk was friendly and nice. Best of all was the location -- in the heart of Little Toyko, it's close to public transportation, downtown activities, a huge selection of restaurants, and has a wonderful view of city hall.
I enjoy the Japanese culture and was looking forward to this visit. It's a shame that the Miyako Hotel had such poor execution. I am a quiet, respectful guest who never complains and I travel frequently on business. This is the first time I felt motivated to write a review and warn others. My recommendation: Stay here for the location, the local restaurants, and the shiatsu massage. Have a high tolerance for the cold and damp, and be able to ignore bad smells and awful service. The rates aren't low enough to account for the poor treatment of guests. And despite what I read, I did not encounter any language problems, only attitudinal.