chinmoylad

I've often heard people say that being in Tokyo reminds them of Los Angeles. Now I know why.

HKTraveler

Thank you for the trip reports. While the lobby looks stunning and the room less so, I choose hotels in Tokyo mostly based on location since I don't really spend much time in my room. Not sure I will ever choose Aman over Pen, Ritz or FS in Tokyo.

Goodmorning2U

We are from Atlanta, and more recently Hilo, HI. Visiting Tokyo was one of the highlights of our travel lives. It was so very different from the US or Europe, and very special in many ways. It opened our eyes in ways that only great travel experiences are able to do. Whether is was joining a group of elementary school children for an impromptu lunch at the zoo and marveling at their lunch boxes (google it if you don't know what I'm talking about) or seeing the detail with which they hand wrapped the branches of the trees in the winter (origami gardening), it is a place of every day wonders.

We rarely took a car anywhere and loved being next to the metro at the Four Seasons, though I'm sure the new Aman is a great property. We can't wait to return when the Four Seasons Kyoto opens.

For anyone who has been not yet been to Tokyo fearing it is too similar to a US city, I cannot more highly recommend you visit this amazing place. Our experience was a wonderful Lost in Translation adventure.

pricesquire

Great post.

FWIW, I strongly feel that sometimes you have to leave a place before you can really appreciate it.

When I was in Tokyo, I kept thinking: "this is great and all, but it just reminds me of NYC on steroids"...

...What I didn't realize was I basically had blinders on, and kept making comparisons to rationalize the place.

Two months later, I realized: "damn, Tokyo was the most eye-opening trip I've ever had."

Last week I was with a group of 12 Virtuoso agents in Egypt, and going around the table we - without a single person dissenting - agreed that Tokyo is one of those places you need to leave and digest before you can really appreciate and understand the grandeur of what you saw.

Just my .02 cents.

EXPLAT

Wow...

NYBanker

Just checked in here a little while ago this evening. WOW.

Posting a few photos on MP (they host from my iPad)...more tomorrow and full
report when I'm done.

Cancel any open bookings at the Pen or FS!

http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/...-tokyo.112190/

Aventine

Love your comments.

Aman over Mandarin and anywhere else (Pen) is the second best hotel in Tokyo haha.

HKTraveler

Wow, that's a strong endorsement!

NYBanker

I'll post a more comprehensive report shortly. While there were a small number of minor minor quirks to sort out, they've recreated the Aman experience within a city hotel. (The quirks involved such catastrophic things as having to ask for a refill on coffee...stuff that will be sorted as they work through the current soft open.) For the marginal uptick in cost from the Pen, MO or FS, this is the way to go.

I had three colleagues in my travel party (two of which have also been to several of the other top properties in Tokyo) and they shared the view. The decision isn't even close, imho.

taipeipeter

I believe you that it's WOW, but I'm not sure "marginal uptick" always applies.

silverlim

I will probably be the naysayer here being stay at both Aman Tokyo and a regular in MO. I didn't really notice a huge difference on the service side between the two, mind you I stayed when Aman had only opened for 1 day. For example, the daily turndown at MO is way superior than Aman. The view is a wash between the two (comparing top suite of both hotels) . I do amitt the hardware is surely better than MO as it 's brand spanking new vs an almost 10 years old hotel. The suite size is also enormous. The amenities is also better , most impressive being the pool.

NYBanker

I can't point to anything over the top about the evening turndown.

What I did notice at the Aman was every single time I left the room, they quickly did a tidy up. Three or four times a day they were in looking after the room. Just little things each time, but always a little fresher and straighter.

One time I "caught" them in the room. Usually trips to the gym are 45+ minute affairs for me. One morning I was running late due to calls from NY so just did a 20 minute run on the treadmill...got back to my room while the short-form freshening was still underway. The young lady was very sweet and finished quickly. She did ask if I was done with my workout.

NYBanker

I do also not mean to suggest the Pen or MO are bad (or even other than great!) hotels by any measure. I've stayed at both multiple times and have been extremely pleased with my stays there. I've only been to the common areas of the FS-M, but was also very impressed. The FS was the regular property of several of my travel companions from this trip.

I put forward that Aman is a solid notch (or more) ahead of these other three properties, but you surely won't go wrong at any of these other three.

A strength of the Aman is the lead-in rooms offer palace views...that is pretty special.

However, those who are not fans of minimalist room design probably should stay elsewhere.

EXPLAT

Do they honor the Amex Centurion benefits as do other Aman's? This one isn't on the Amex list as of yet.

There are four of us traveling, my wife and me along with our 19 year old son and 17 year old daughter. Will they accommodate 4 in any of their suites?

NYBanker

They're still in soft open and there were no formal virtuoso benefits for my stay. That said, while breakfast was not on the house, there was a moderate wine bottle and fruit as a gift in my room and late check out (6pm) was not a problem for one of my colleagues.

What dates are you traveling?