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Jun 21, 2024 | 8:16 am

#3

GodAtum

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: UK

Programs: Virgin Flying Club Red, Emirates Skywards Blue, BA Executive Club Blue, Amex BA

Posts: 2,574

Here's my thoughts on the Palace Hotel Tokyo, Conrad Osaka and Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto.

Palace (Club Deluxe with Balcony king):

Large room for Tokyo. Great view of the Imperial Place Gardens. Some construction work noise nearby.
Toto toilet but manual lid and seat.
Great location as near subway station (about 10-12 minutes from room to metro platform) and Tokyo station (8 minutes walk). In terms of local area, there's a small 7-11 underneath the hotel plus a bakery and some small restaurants full of businessmen. It's even possible to walk all the way to Tokyo station underground.
Check-in was smooth. I was asked my name at reception and was escorted up to the Club Lounge for the check-in process. Offered a welcome drink, welcome snack and hot towel. Was escorted to my room.
My luggage arrived the next day having used Yamato at Haneda, but I did have to phone the front desk and ask for it to be brought up.
Free water provided in bottles with normal caps.
I highly recommend a Club room, the the Club Lounge has breakfast included, plus a tea service and evening drinks. The Japanese breakfast was especially delicious. One can also go down to the main breakfast buffet included, but I didn't find that worth it as I'm not a big breakfast person, and the hot options in the lounge were sufficient. Those options change every day. I also recommend eating out on the terrace. I found myself using the Club Lounge more often than I thought I could pop in, get a snack and a drink, rather then go to a combi.
Turndown service offered and slippers placed by the bed.
Room has USB plugs.
Beautiful proper tea set in room.
Automatic curtains and blinds.
Fastest internet I've ever had at 300mbps.

Conrad (King Exec Corner Room):

Largest room of the 3 and cheapest. Fantastic view of the city skyline as high up on 38th floor.
Toto toilet but manual lid and seat.
Takes ages to leave the hotel as one needs to go up to the lobby, walk across to the other side and take another lift down. I would say 11-15 minutes from room to the metro station platform. Not much in the local area apart from a combi in the station.
Check-in process done standing in the lobby. Was not escorted to my room. No hot towel or welcome drink offered.
There were welcome snacks in the room plus a small bottle of sake.
Free water provided but the bottles had a snap cap so could not take away.
The Executive Lounge was a nice place but only served afternoon tea and evenings drinks. Included breakfast is in the main restaurant. Decent selection of food at the buffet. I especially liked the matcha latte and chai latte they made.
The "master" light switch turned all the lights off apart from one Every night I forgot and had to get out of bed to turn it off.
Turndown service offered and slippers placed by the bed.
Room has USB plugs.
Beautiful proper tea set in room.
Automatic curtains and blinds.
Slow internet.

Mitsui (Nijo Room king):

Smallest room of the 3 but nicely appointed. Very comfortable bed. View of castle gate but a lot of road noise, even at night. The motorcycles especially cut through the glass window.
Toto toilet with automatic lid and seat.
The rainhead shower is the best I've tried in a hotel, with the water almost a fine mist.
Metro station is nearby but need to walk around the hotel as there is no entrance on the main road, so takes about 8-10 minutes from room to platform. Not much in the local area apart from a supermarket, combis and a Mos Burger.
Check-in process was done at table in the beautiful lobby. Offered a welcome drink, welcome snack and hot towel. Was escorted to my room.
Luggage from Osaka was waiting in my room.
Free water provided in bottles with normal caps.
As with most hotel rooms, it takes ages to figure out how to turn off all the lights, as the "master" switch doesn't tun them all off or on, so one needs to go around the room before bed manually tuning some of them off.
Turndown service offered but no slippers placed by the bed.
Room has USB plugs and international socket.
Beautiful proper tea set in room.
Automatic curtains and blinds.
Decent internet speeds of 100mbps.

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