Originally Posted by
cmtobin
Thanks for the reply, I am buying the tickets and AC is by FAR the best rate for biz class.
Is the herringbone pattern of seating normal? Can you see or interact with your spouse at all or are you completely isolated?
It's becoming more and more normal, it's the compromise made in order to make angled 180degree beds into fully flat ones in many carriers.
I'm afraid in the AC set up you'll barely be able to maintain eye contact with your partner and it's impossible to have a discreet conversation unless you get up and crouch next to them. It's a very unromantic way to travel.
Best to do all your wining and dining in the lounge and imagine that you're flying side by side in individual travel pods where you can sleep and catch up on movies and then chat about what you saw once you arrive at the airport and are queuing at customs and passport control. At least you'll be refreshed from the sleep and feel pleased to be able to interact with your partner again rather than feel as if you're fighting each other for space and getting more and more irritable with each passing hour of the journey.
As for hotels in the Ginza area...
$300 is about double my budget (I've been to Tokyo too often to have been able to afford to splurge on each visit).
I have been to a few of the higher end hotels but not made it to a genuine 5 star establishment.
Shinagawa is not the most happening location but it's proved itself time and time again as being extremely convenient as the location makes trips to Ginza just as convenient and easy (and inexpensive) as trips to Shinjuku and other prime locations in Tokyo.
The Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa has rooms that were recently refurbished on the Superior floors. These particular rooms offer (IMHO) some of the best value accommodation in Tokyo. (I was able to compare them directly on one visit to the rooms of the Club Floor at the ANA Intercontinental and they stood up beautifully to that challenge). They aren't quite as nice as the rooms at The Strings IC but The Strings is nearly double the price.
I'm personally not willing to pay the premium needed to stay within Ginza when Ginza is about a 3,000yen taxi ride from Shinagawa (or 10 minutes and 150yen each on the Yamanote line + 10 minutes walking/waiting time)