yoko

I appreciate your compassion.

We also visited several traditional hot springs ryokan this time. There, they supply you with a yukata (i.e., cotton kimono used as sleepwear) and encourage you to wear it everywhere including dining room, lounge, and even to stroll around town.

It is really hard to find things to do when jet lag wakes you up 3 in the morning in a strange town and breakfast does not start until 7 am. I just played with sudoku since I did not have a whole team of friends to play fuzball with.

mcgahat

I wonder about this as well. I have been in that lounge in t-shirt and shorts (casual khaki style) and nike shoes. I wear shorts even when the temp is somewhat cool and have never had anyone say a word to me at that lounge. I am guessing that since you had kids they where giving you some hurdles to keep the kids out of the lounge. Just a guess but I have never been scolded about shorts especially if it is summer time and dressed in the way you described.

yoko

Kids were probably not the issue because I was harassed when I went up there alone by a young lady who was not there when I checked in with kids. When we checked in, my husband was wearing a pair of khaki pants but kids and I were in shorts. (It was 35C+ that day.) The lady who checked us in informed us of the “smart casual” dress code in the lounge and then went on to say that the way we dressed was OK.

Later, when I went up alone, a dress code police came up to me and here was the conversation (translated from Japanese):
“First time here?”
“Yeah.”
“We have a new dress code policy now and are advising guests not to come to the lounge in shorts.”
“That’s strange, because I was told only an hour ago that what I was wearing would be OK by the person who checked us in.”
“Well, I am sorry someone gave you wrong information. I suppose you may stay this time, but please dress appropriately next time.”
“OK. I’ll make sure.”

Next morning I respectfully wore a pair of Capri from Wal-Mart for breakfast. I really did not have anything too nice to wear because this stay was just the ending part of our mountain hot springs excursion.

I have a theory. Hilton Tokyo extends its easy American attitudes only toward American guests and not toward Japanese guests. That’s why they were OK with my appearance when I was checking in with my English-speaking family but not OK when I was alone reading a Japanese magazine.

mcgahat

Actually, as I was reading the first part of your reply I was thinking the exact same thing as what you just posted...so that may very well be the case.

LapLap

Same here, that's why I got so angry!

(My Japanese husband also gets to experience these double standards sometimes).

J0HN

If it makes you feel better, I too was scolded for wearing shorts in the Hilton Tokyo lounge (I fall under the American guest category). Although your theory probably has something to it, I think it may also depend on day of the week / occupancy level / time you visit the lounge (as I had been wearing shorts for two days prior). During the weekend they said nothing (breakfast and during the afternoon), but for breakfast on Monday when nearly everyone was wearing a suit, I was asked to wear "more appropriate attire."

Marq

I am heading to Tokyo for a meeting. This is my first time in Tokyo. The meeting is at the New Sanno Hotel near Hiroo. The group usually stays at Akasaka Prince or New Otani, both in Akasaka, as they have Embassy negotiated rates (I don't know what the rates are). I would prefer staying at a Hilton hotel just because Diamond status has always resulted in a wonderful stay at all international Hiltons and Conrads. Therefore, I need to find out if either of the Hilton properties are on the Embassy's list of hotels? Any one know?

If both Hiltons are options, which would be more convenient to get to the New Sanno at Hiroo? Which would be more convenient to get to Akasaka? Or, should I just not bother with Hilton and stay in Akasaka?

thanks,
Marc

infoworks

I can't answer the embassy rate thing, but the Hilton is not close to Hiroo. The Conrad is doable but a lot more expensive. Akasaka is a big nightspot area and relatively close to Roppongi and Hiroo. The "best" metro station for the New Otani/Akasaka Prince (I would choose the New Otani) is Asakaka-Mitsuke. It has connections to most places.

ioki

i would say the same double standard policy is not just in japan..

my wife and i had left taipei (CKS) airport to farewell a friend who was on the same flight as us.. at the time, we were in transit from international to domestic, and our ticket didn't allow us to leave the airport.

we didn't the ticket condition at the time and when we tried re-enter to catch our domestic flight, my wife who had initially exit the airport on a taiwanese passport, was spoken to in a very very serious manner (more harsh) by the airport police for "breaking" her trip by leaving the airport.

my wife then pointed out that i (aussie passport only, born in taiwan) did the same exit/entry and why wasn't i in trouble, she was promptly told she should know better as she is taiwanese and i wasn't.

my wife also hold an australian passport but had elected not to use it during the immigration exit process.

yasuki

I agree on your opinion. It is likely at the hotel in Japan where the GM is not a Japanese.

bcj1949

Are there other Narita properties that are highly recommended for quality?????

yoko

There goes out my theory. At any rate, Conrad hospitality was just so much more real. They were efficient yet friendly. (Although their gym slipper system is definitely not efficient.) They knew how to deal with a family with kids. It was like visiting a rich but nice great aunt. (If we had one.) Her living room would be filled with nice things but she wouldn't get too upset if kids spilled coke on the rug. At Hilton Shinjuku, we felt like we were being watched and evaluated. (Like being with a great aunt who is rich and mean.) We were exhausted just eating breakfast there. If we go there again, we'd insist on breakfast serts so we don't have to worry about the dress code police.

derpelikan

i did pm you for special arrangement for the conrad, but you didtn reply .
next time pm, me and i will arrange it for you.

i will never go to the tokyo hilton again. such an ugly hotel.

dp

JDiver

IMO, there is still lots of double standard in Japan, for foreigners versus Japanese Nationals, as well as men versus women - witness the recent flap about the Diet approving female successors to the throne, and the obvious relief at not having to pursue that possibility with Princess Kiko presenting the new princeling.

Sorry for your troubles. I'll continue to stay at the Hilton in spite of that, but feel it would be instructive to file a note with the GM about the incident.

gvaughn

I agree that it sounds as if the treatment given to yoko-san was because she was Japanese. That's a shame.

It also sounds as if the policies at the Tokyo Hilton have changed since my last visit. My previous trips to the Hilton Tokyo lounge have always been in shorts and some kind of short sleave shirt, usually a polo shirt (what else would a tourist be wearing in the middle of the summer in Tokyo!)

However, based on the recounting of the conversation, it doesn't sound like they were very rude. Granted, as a Japanese, I can see how that kind of "friendly" reminder/warning might be considered somewhat humiliating...but how would you (Yoko-san) have liked them to do it differently? If their policy has changed, as stated, the staff must have been asked to inform guests of the new policy.

I, too, would write a note to the GM as Jdiver suggested. Perhaps you can get a clarification of whether or not shorts (in any form) are appropriate in the lounge. That would be a good thing to know for the board for future visits. It would be nice if ALL staff was trained in the same manner regarding appropriate attire and how to notify guests, etc...