I was back in Tokyo a few weeks ago, and after a somewhat disappointing stay at the Shangri-La last trip, I decided to give The Peninsula a try. As always,DavidOhandled the reservation flawlessly, and I boarded my ORD-NRT flight hoping for an upgrade to a Deluxe Park View room. I wasn’t disappointed…!

Check In

This time I opted for the limo bus to the hotel as I arrived early enough to miss rush hour. This is really a good option for someone making their first trip to Tokyo as it takes you right to The Peninsula’s front door. Pulling up to the Pen in a bus is a unique experience; I really didn’t think we were going to make the turn in, and then they had to shut down the fountain to accommodate us! My luggage was taken immediately, and I was escorted through the lobby/restaurant to the front desk. Check-in was handled smoothly by a well spoken young lady, who also escorted me to my room. During the ride up in the elevator we discussed the different Peninsula’s where she had previously worked or visited, and I mentioned my current favorite was the Bangkok Pen. She laughed and said she would work to change that, starting with an upgrade to a Deluxe Park View room. Nice… A personal welcome note was waiting in the room along with a small gift, and my luggage was delivered within minutes. After a quick rundown on the property and surrounding area I was left to my outstanding view of the Imperial Palace.

Room

I won’t go into too much detail on the room as it is very accurately portrayed on the Pen’s website. It’s thoughtfully laid out, except for the desk adjacent to the TV which I found to be too small to work on effectively. I solved that problem by moving to the table adjacent to the window, which of course led to a lack of productivity due to the view. Other than that, everything is done to a very high standard with all the usual Peninsula amenities and technology. The paper was waiting in the valet box every morning, turndown service and housekeeping were excellent and unobtrusive, and the bed and linens were perfect.

Dining

Breakfast was included in my rate and I ate in both the lobby and the Caf The first morning in the lobby was interesting because, as others have mentioned, its’ situated adjacent to the main entrance and split by the walkway to the elevators and front desk. Lot’s of people passing through doing a little people watching while you’re dining. Once you get used to the parade it’s really not too bad, especially if you’re alone. The American breakfast was excellent, and the service was attentive without being intrusive. On Sunday the Cafserves a buffet breakfast, which I would describe as small and tasty. However, if you’re expecting a full on buffet like the Riverside in Bangkok, you’ll be disappointed. The Cafis fairly close quarters, and the selection while high quality, is limited. I got the sense that a few of the guests expected more. I had the opportunity to have an early evening meal at Peter the Bar which I really enjoyed. The setting is relaxing and the view is great. I had initially planed to have something off the bar menu, like the Made in America Burgers; however my waiter steered me to an excellent wagyu steak special which he paired with a really nice Bordeaux. A great choice; everything was polished and well executed.

Health Club & Pool

The Peninsula really shines here. The pool is gorgeous, and large when compared to the Shangri-La or Park Hyatt. There’s seating at both ends, divided a small open balcony which backs up to the “vitality pool”. When the weather cooperates the balcony is great for reading and relaxing! The health club is very well equipped and the locker-room is fair sized and well done. I didn’t try the spa.

Service

Outstanding…! Everyone I encountered, from my waiter in Peter the Bar to the gentleman who handled the evening turndown service, was professional and polished. Many seem to be career Peninsula employees who have worked or trained at other locations, and they clearly understand their guests needs and expectations.

Tips

Rolls-Royce Prior to my trip there was some discussion on the forum as to exactly what type of complimentary car service non-suite guests were entitled to. I can tell you from personal experience that everyone staying at the Pen can use the customized Rolls-Royce within a reasonable distance around the hotel, on a first come, first served basis. They don’t really seem to enforce the 2 km distance limitation, and while the hotel was busy, the car was available each time I asked for it. They don’t go out of their way to publicize the service, so that may be part of the reason why availability didn’t seem limited. Nothing like pulling up in front of the Dunhill store in a chauffeured Rolls! As for the Mini Cooper’s the suite guests are entitled to use; I never saw one during my entire stay.

Overall

Having now stayed at the Park Hyatt, Shangri-La and The Peninsula I can say without any hesitation that the Pen is the best choice for me in Tokyo.