Originally Posted by
MikeFromTokyo
Re Mandarin Oriental, I rather don't understand the comment about nowhere to get tea/food/snacks. There is the casual all day restaurant k'shiki, and there is an area adjacent to the lobby with tables for afternoon tea or to sit and have drinks in the evening with great views. And, don't forget the casual Italian outlet on the lower floors operated by MO, as well as other restaurants in the same building such as the very good Sakuragawa.
MO has possibly the strongest overall F&B of any hotel in Tokyo, rivaled only by Ritz-Carlton and The Palace. However the Palace is somewhat different as they have restaurants that are essentially tenants, and are operated by top local restaurant groups, so therefore it no wonder why they are so good...
I probably could have formed my thoughts better. While the Mandarin Oriental does offer places one can get coffee/tea/snacks and has very good F&B in general, they are all restaurants/bars versus the quiet inviting lounges that the Hoshinoya Tokyo offers. While the offerings are much more limited than a typical Club Lounge, the quality of the few items is superb and the effort the staff puts into it great. I suspect this is largely because there is one lounge per floor, so the number of guests who partake in a particular lounge very small, allowing personalized attention. I was out in the evenings when alcohol is offered in the lounges, and would not be surprised if it was busier then, but during the times I was there there was never more than two other guests in the lounge I used.