Starwood Preferred Guest - Westin Tokyo report 5/2008

Preface: In Tokyo using our SPG 50% discount award certificate given to Ps.

Status: Platinum.

Rate: As above.

Transportation: We took the Airport Limousine Bus. We arrived on the second UA flight direct from SFO. By the time I made it thru immigration we could not get on the first bus as it was already booked. We had to wait one hour. As a reminder when you buy your bus ticket pay the extra 100 yen and get a one day subway pass. Good for anyday you activate it. My wife says it is good up to six months after purchase. ? Off topic. If your wife is a Japanese citizen can I use this line at immigration if you are a USA citizen and she is with me? Thanks.

Parking: n/a

Check-in: Upon arrival there was a pretty good line. If you are on the Executive Floor or a P member you are directed with a sign to check-in on 17. This was a efficient process and the staff which doubles as the Lounge concierge really seems to know their stuff according to my wife. She would know. A manager came up to greet us. There was talk of a per person tax which I am not sure of. Never had a tax on a award at GH or Conrad Tokyo. I will find out.

Perks: Upgrade. No amenity was offered but I will just assume it will be points.

Lounge: The Lounge is a nice size and my associate who is already here reports the spread was good yesterday morning. The evening spread was light and they do not seem to replace items. Liquor was free. Nice cold beers. You have the option to take breakfast downstairs at the Terrace. We will do that this morning.

Room: We have a very very very nice upgrade to a suite. Between the rooms are glass French doors. You enter onto carpet. There is a half bathroom to the right followed by a bar set-up with a frig.. Not one of those electronic jobs but stocked. French doors to bedroom. Flat panel SONY WEGA tv with dvd player (my friend says our US dvds do not work). Marble desk with view. The desk has a fax machine/copier. Beautiful view of Tokyo and Tokyo Tower. Comfy chair with ottoman, sofa, side chair, living room table. This is all on newly laid carpet.

Bedroom. To the right is a make-up table followed by the bathroom. Door to hallway, closet, luggage set-up, two double beds, two side chairs, sofa, view, coffee table, dresser with another flat panel tv atop. All on carpet. Nice. OK. Very nice.

My friend has a room number **18. He made a very last minute award reservation. His room is nice and comfortable. I would have been happy with that also. He is a P.

Bathrooms: Our half bathroom is standard. Single basin sink and toilet. The main bathroom has two sinks, separate tub / shower and toilet. Amenities smell nice but seem to be nothing special.

Internet: Wired in room. 1800 yen but letter states we get 50% discount. Free wireless in Lounge.

Gym: Friend says it is nice.

Spa: Not been.

Eating venues: Not been.

Local markets: This is Japan so I am sure there is a small market around here. Just have not found it yet.

Local area: The area is nice but quiet. Not the energy of Roppongi. You need to plan things to get out of area. There is supposed to be a great hamburg shop. That would be hamburger with bread, egg and spice. It must be good because we waited almost an hour before giving up. This is Tokyo. The place must be really good as this was a Sunday night. We will try again. The place is called Oreno Humberg Yamamoto.

Negatives: Area is quiet.

Closing: My friend and I are off to Seoul. Then my adventure will take me down to SIN where I will catch the A-380 in F back to NRT. Life is good. More on the Westin is a few days. I would come back to this Hotel without doubt. Regards from Tokyo!

The Terrace breakfast buffet is advertised as one of the best in Tokyo. It is. We gave our room number and enjoyed the buffet. Extensive. Egg station, juice bar (limited) and fresh pastries.

The lobby level concierge is located in the Business Center which is just right of the check-in.

Life is good. More on the Westin is a few days. I would come back to this Hotel without doubt. Regards from Tokyo!

Hi RTWSTARALLIANCE,

Wow! Very detailed review. Thank you for the tremendous effort in sharing your views and thoughts.

apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I'm at the Westin now, but checking out in a few minutes. If you want to find a variety of shops and restaurants, go left out of the hotel, walk across the bridge over the railroad tracks and turn left at the end of the road. There's an increasing amount of stuff as you go along, ending up at Meguro Station. I saw a bus for the new Sheraton at the station, but I like the Westin so much that I'm not tempted to check it out.

P.S. You should get internet for 900 Yen a day as a Plat. That's what is on my bill.

The rate showing on the tv for our internet is 900 yen per night.

Also. Took the bus to NRT. The bus starts at the Westin which is nice.

thanks for the report. i wish i had known about the extra 100 yen for the subway. next time. I stayed at the LM, it was a decent property and close to many things, esp subway system. will try Westin the next time

? Off topic. If your wife is a Japanese citizen can I use this line at immigration if you are a USA citizen and she is with me? Thanks.


My experience was almost 10 years ago, and at that time the answer was No.

I was told that immigration lines for Japanese citizens are set up to process Japanese citizen only, while lines foreign citizens are set up to handle both Japanese and other coutries citizens.

I don't know current situation, though.


Flat panel SONY WEGA tv with dvd player (my friend says our US dvds do not work).


From my experience about 5 yeast ago, when I was upgraded to executive suite (before flat screen TV era), there was TV stand with a separate DVD player connected to the TV in the living/meeting room, and that DVD player was set region free, so I could watch my US DVD movies(region 1) with that player.

If WEGA built-in player is not region free, I think you can call front desk to bring region free DVD player to the room.


Bathrooms: Our half bathroom is standard. Single basin sink and toilet. The main bathroom has two sinks, separate tub / shower and toilet. Amenities smell nice but seem to be nothing special.


Adding one note: IIRC you can listen to the audio of TV or radio (played at the bedrrom) from separate speaker in the bathroom.



I will catch the A-380 in F back to NRT. Life is good.
Man, it IS good life. Need your report on A380 F (on SIN board).


More on the Westin is a few days. I would come back to this Hotel without doubt. Regards from Tokyo!


Did you register this promo (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=827459)?

Thank you. And thanks for the link. You never know when you will qualify for something.

I will check the dvd in living room in a couple days.

My wife is going to ask about the line. It would have been nice to know years ago.

I am going to start a thread on the SQ F on Airbus. I am concerned the plane with be available as we watched the plane at NRT leave the gate and return. Later finding it had a four hour delay.

Hi RTWSTARALLIANCE,

Wow! Very detailed review. Thank you for the tremendous effort in sharing your views and thoughts.

apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Starwood Lurker II: This is RTWStaralliance's superb reports that many of us constantly look forward to. Except this time, he forgot one of his usual checklist items--if there were "carpet squares" for breakfast in the SPG lounge (and I am unusure if they are available at this property)!

I'll need to brush up on his posts as we need to follow in his tracks this fall.

Thanks again RTWSTARAllIANCE.

Thank you again. You are kind.

Fortunately I know nothing about the Lounge for breakfast. Once you try the Terrace downstairs there is no reason to try. Regards from BKK

Thank you again. You are kind.

Fortunately I know nothing about the Lounge for breakfast. Once you try the Terrace downstairs there is no reason to try. Regards from BKK

Agree. Once you have been to the Terraces downstairs there is no reason to tr the breakfast in the lounge.

To expand on my Sheraton Miyako semi-sighting. It's first stop for the airport bus from the Westin. It looks okay from the outside. Not luxurious, but nice (of course this means little about the inside). The area seemed pretty quiet and residential. My maps indicate that it's not far from the Shirokanedai stop on the Mita and Namboku lines. It might be worth considering if the price is low or the Westin isn't available.

I saw that. The area looks as boring as heck. My older section of Tokyo versus Westin. It would have to be pretty darn cheap to get me there. Like a SPG promo hop.

I remembered a negative and had to add it. For whatever reason, the Westin doesn't have those great Japanese toilet seats. Just plain weird.

I remembered a negative and had to add it. For whatever reason, the Westin doesn't have those great Japanese toilet seats. Just plain weird.

You mean the bidet right? It does even in the lobby restroom. I personally haven't seen to a JP hotel without it out of about 20 I have stayed at.

Tokyo Westin is where I got the best benefits of Platinum status ever. (Oct 1995)

I was Platinum. I had two standard rooms reserved. We got upgraded to corner suite on Club Floor, and sister and BIL got upgraded to a very nice room on Club Floor.

5 days of free club access. Almost full breakfast every morning. Snacks at lunch. Tea during the afternoon. Free drinks at happy hour. And late night dessert buffet.

That upgrade was worth several hundred dollars for each of us. ^

Wish to advise neither dvd player in our suite will play US region discs.

Also. My wife and her mother just spent four nights here while I was around and about in Asia. They never had breakfast in the Lounge on Terraces. The rate for two buffets in the Terrace would be about $45 US all in.

Regards from the Westin.

Thanks for your updates.

Do you mean Plat no longer gets comp breakfast at the Terraces anymore?

Wish to advise neither dvd player in our suite will play US region discs.

Also. My wife and her mother just spent four nights here while I was around and about in Asia. They never had breakfast in the Lounge on Terraces. The rate for two buffets in the Terrace would be about $45 US all in.

Regards from the Westin.

I thought the breakfast was around 3500 Y per person in the Terraces. At least that's what I recall when I was there in December last year. I believe when I first visited the Westin Tokyo in September 2003, the breakfast buffet was already 3000 Y per person.

Thanks for your updates.

Do you mean Plat no longer gets comp breakfast at the Terraces anymore?

I think you might be mistaken, but Plats can either have breakfast in the Executive lounge or in the Terraces on the ground floor. IMO, the buffet at the Terraces is the better option.

We are Ps with suite and access to Lounge. I am not sure what a P will get if no Lounge access and/or suite.

Remember the hamburg place. It was pretty darn dang good. A very short walk. We could not believe the lunch special was only 1000 yen all in. You got the hamburg, sauce, steamed vegs, pasta, potato salad, miso soup, salad and rice. You can have seconds on the rice. Now that is a real great bargain in Tokyo. It is called a set menu here. Get there a few minutes before 11 AM on weekdays. If you arrive around noon you will be waiting outside. If you go at night. Bless you. You will need patience.

Kev. Add tax and service. Decline of USD. It does not get you to $45 but pretty close.