RTW1

I think they just did the whole Andaz concept because that was the brand still missing in Tokyo (I must say that I'm looking foward to a HP Tokyo). But it just doesn't fit.

I think the concept in itself is flawed already. When I'm a paying guest I don't want to be treated as a friend, because that's not what I am. Sure a bit of a more casual approach can work, especially if the setting is right like at an holiday location. But not if it's forced.

Do what the Andaz Amsterdam does, express yourself a little in design and have some awesome public spaces to enjoy. Even bring out the "younger" crowd to be a bit more casual. But still focus on service, and not on being a friend. That might work in San Diego where everybody is there to party, but not at most other locations.

And for all the quirky design talent that's available in Japan, this surely looks like an opportunity missed. But since for me a hotel in a big city starts with looking at the location, this was never one of my prefered properties anyway.

And who would want a Japanese property with just foreigners working there. That would only work in my book when they are of the long legged and blonde kind. But those places already exist....

armagebedar

The long-term plan for the Toranomon-Shimbashi corridor is for it to be the next Shiodome or Roppongi Hills, so by the time the Olympics come it may turn out to be very central (especially for business travelers). Incidentally, over the next ten years Mori Building plans 1 trillion JPY of developments in the Toranomon-Roppongi corridor.

RTW1

That I didn't know.... But being the first is never easy.

And I've seen enough of these wild real estate schemes to reserve judgement untill it's actually finished. And who needs another Roppongi anyway :-).

hailstorm

Well, I bought in to the vision of the Andaz Tokyo that the charismatic Ms. Lobo explained to me at check-in, and demonstrated herself so well. I wanted to try THAT Andaz Tokyo. But the rest of the staff are as uncomfortable with the concept as their hunched over backs while standing at a short table at 4:45 in the morning suggest.

When I went to the lobby to get a cappuccino...my cappuccino in my house...I could feel the pained expression on the staff's face, and see the "Aa, okyakusama..." thought bubble over their head. Most couldn't resist the temptation to come over and do something.

Or when I finished the only Coke Zero in my room and wanted another. I could have called Housekeeping, but I decided to go down to my refrigerator to get one for myself. I got blocked by an okamapoi man who insisted on grabbing my drink and pouring it for me.

NO! THIS IS MY HOUSE! LET ME GET MY OWN DAMNED CAPPUCCINO AND COKE ZERO AND DO WHAT I WILL WITH IT IN PEACE!

Even if I still have to sleep in a room that reminds me of an insane asylum and thwarts my attempts at watching television, I would still like to stay at the real Andaz Tokyo...the one hidden by an impenetrable wall of さようでございます.

RTW1

:-). Better stay at home then and get your own Coke :-).

Or better yet, visit one of the club lounges in the US. They have no problem with you doing a bit of self service...

hailstorm

You know I am getting tired when I start writing in all caps.

DHalltheway

Thanks for the coverage hailstorm.

I guess I will stick with the other hyatts when I go to Tokyo.

coggie

Would you liked them to have shown you how the bed works, how to flush the toilet, how to put your clothes on the hangers as well?

In one comment you say the staff is too accommodating, in another you're disappointed they didn't show you something that (I think) is quite obvious and not part of standard room tour (at least the ones I've gotten).

As well, isn't typical Japanese service (over-politeness) part of being 'local' and of the neighborhood? Why is the eagerness of a young staff at a brand new hotel on opening day such a surprise?

hailstorm

I did have a difficult time with the toilet. Several of the buttons weren't working for awhile, then started working for reasons that I never figured out.

I'm saying that it would have been a good thing for me in this case had someone explained that to me. I don't see how you jump to extrapolating that I would like every basic tenet of life explained.

I'm disappointed that I didn't get the TV to move in the way I would have liked. Had somebody showed me, I could have done that. Nowhere in my posted desire do I address the appropriateness of such service.

I don't like the impression that the clash of Andaz values and Japanese traditional service gave. You are free to go there and take away whatever impression that you feel.

burnsy0118

I also stayed on opening day in a Tokyo Tower View room. Here are some photos I took with my iPhone 5:

hailstorm

What kind of burger did you order? Looks like you had different fries than I had.

LTH

The decor looks awesome from the pictures, not sure why people are complaining...

burnsy0118

It was Nippon burger with truffle fries. Chicken patty, teriyaki sauce, with running egg. Yum!

Some other thoughts:

•I'm a lowly Hyatt Platinum, booked the opening offer Andaz King, but was upgraded to Tower View without asking at check-in.

•Only 50 out of 164 rooms were for sale the first day of operation. They wanted to make sure they were ready and will slowly open up the inventory.

•Everyone's extremely polite! But you can tell it's the first day open and some staff were very nervous. Staff don't speak English as well as the staff at PHT, and sometimes it gets lost in translation.

•5 minutes short walk to Toranomon Metro station on the Ginza line. The location doesn't bother me but there's really nothing in the vicinity.

•I actually liked the room decor, reminds me of Nobu Hotel in Vegas. The designer Tony Chi also did Grand Hyatt Taipei and Park Hyatt DC & Shanghai.

•The "Brandless" amenities are custom made by Japanese company Pelican Soap. The company has 50 years history and is very famous in Japan. However, I kind of wish they use the same Natura Bissé products they use at the spa. I really liked the Natura Bissé rosemary & white tea amenities at Nobu Hotel in Vegas.

•Tokyo Tower View from the room is amazing! But the heavy rain at night totally ruined it for me!

•Front desk manager Andrea is from London Andaz & she's so nice & helpful.

•I totally enjoyed my stay. Would I come back & stay again? Only if the room rates goes down or I'll stick with my favorite PHT.

hailstorm

Thanks for mentioning this, as I had assumed that the stuff in the room and the spa were the same. So I guess I haven't even tried the Pelican stuff yet.

Somebody mentioned that they were petitioning to open a new station that leads directly to the basement of the Toranomon Hills complex. But even if that were approved, it would take many years to become reality.

One of the few things that I wholeheartedly agree with. ^

It will be interesting to see what the service in this hotel is like when it is closer to capacity.

On another note: if you plan on going in the near future and need a swimsuit, try to request this well in advance. They still do not have rental clothes available, but somehow made one available for me when I asked about it (I suspect that they got it from the Grand Hyatt Tokyo)

hailstorm

Checking my Gold Passport account, I received only 19 base points for this stay!

Also, the Retrieve Hotel Bill function does not allow one to select Andaz Tokyo.