Instead of taking a taxi from Haneda, I boarded the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho and took a taxi from there to reach the Grand Hyatt, which is located in Roppongi Hills. It was beautiful arriving to the hotel via taxi in the night as we passed by the trees lit up with LEDs. Prior to heading here, I had no success in upgrading the rooms to a suite using the Diamon suite upgrade vouchers. However, upon check-in, I tried my luck again in asking if a suite is available. Indeed it was and I got an upgrade to a suite for my 2 nights in Tokyo.
Front Facade of the Grand Hyatt
Being a Grand Hyatt, the hotel had a large lobby and felt very spacious. The feeling of space continued as I entered my suite. It was probably the largest suite ever I have been upgraded to and this was in Japan where hotel rooms are famous to be small. It was a pleasant surprise and Hyatt definitely got my positive affection for this experience. Beside the room entrance is a study area where I found a Nespresso machine waiting for me. On top of that there was a bar fridge underneath and 3 trays of snacks featuring Japanese rice crackers, chocolates and peanuts. All of the snacks are prepared in bite-sized packaging and this was similar to the Park Hyatt Seoul.
Lobby Area
Bathroom of the Suite
The living room occupied much of the space, though it did not utilize much of the space at the corner end. This was one of the fault I found in the design of the room. The huge sofa in the living room could certainly sleep 2 people comfortably as I nearly slept here while watching a Blu-ray movie I was able to rent from the Grand Club. The room was fitted with a large Sony television and Bang & Olufsen audio system which was great for playing music in the room. Hotel rooms with high-end audio system can create a wonderful atmosphere that provides lasting memories. Another one that I can recall is the St Regis in Singapore.
Living Room at the Suite
Sony TV and B&O Audio System
Basically the design and furnishing of the room would have qualified the hotel to be a Park Hyatt. A sliding door beside the entrance of the room leads to a large bathroom with a sink that was also fitted with a flat-screen TV. An enclosed shower area comprising of a bathtub is beside the sink while the toilet is at the end of the bathroom corridor. Another sliding door along the corridor leads to the bedroom, which has a very large wardrobe and there was another flat screen television in the bedroom, albeit smaller than the one in the living room. There was a lounge chair with an ottoman by the window in the bedroom. Views out of the window provide a great view of Tokyo and the corner location of the suite allowed for a near 270-degree panoramic view.
View from the Grand Hyatt Tokyo
Bedroom in the Suite
For the 2 days I was here, breakfast, evening snacks and drinks were served at the Grand Club. The Club lounge was a large space with lots of sitting areas and as I mentioned earlier, also provides a list of Blu-ray discs for complimentary rental. The breakfast served in the hotel was the standard breakfast fare with very good quality. It was good but not comparable to the breakfast served at Hyatt Regency Hakone. However the evening snacks at the lounge was pretty good, with a nice variety of hot food like squid and fish and delicious desserts. There was also a variety of wines and champagne for guests to enjoy in the evening. However the lounge can get quite crowded during the time breakfast and evening snacks are served.
Grand Club Lounge Seating Area
Being a Diamond member I am usually provided with a welcome amenity and usually I would find it upon entering the room. However due to the change in my room during check-in as I used my suite upgrade, there was no amenity in the room. When I enquired about the amenity, I was provided with a plate of strawberries and a bottle of white wine, which I preferred over red wines.
Dining Area in the Grand Club Lounge
As it was the first few days of the New Year holidays, many shops were not open. The concierge at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo was able to help me out with my queries very professionally and answered most of my queries. In the end I visited the Imperial Palace to catch the Emperor's greetings on the second day of the New Year since it is one of those days when the Palace is open to the public. The stores in Shibuya were also open for business and the Odaiba area was crowded in the evening with people enjoying the pleasant weather and the sunset.
Roppongi Hills at Night
The location of the hotel at Roppongi Hills makes it convenient for guests who are looking to shop in Tokyo as there are numerous luxury brand boutiques in the area. There is also an observatory at the top of the Mori Tower and an Art Museum, while the shopping mall has a lot of restaurant and food options. The Roppongi subway station is accessible from the Hills development so it was also easy to get to the major points of interest.
In-room Continental Breakfast
On the day I was to depart from Tokyo, I had to have an early breakfast before the club was due to open and the receptionist at the lounge allowed me to order from the room service instead of heading to the club lounge. I ordered a continental breakfast consisting of pastries and ham that was also served with fruits. Again, another thumbs up for the service at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo.