Mileage Lover

I just booked a 6-night VIP HHonors award at the Conrad Tokyo for next April -- I grabbed it but home the location is good for using as a base for a first-time visit to Japan!

Karter

I was prepared to stay at the Mercure Ginza. It seems nice and has a decent rate of 14000 yen. Then I got offered a rate of 22000 at the Conrad through work which seems much cheaper than their normal rates. Does anyone have experience of both and could advise whether it's worth the extra expense to stay at the Conrad? Thanks.
By the way, the Hilton Tokyo is sold out and the Tokyo Bay seems too far out,

Pickles

22K for the Conrad is a very good rate. It is a much, much better hotel than the Mercure Ginza, although the Mercure is better located. But the Conrad has great views.

SpeedRicer

Bump for a (Conrad) newbie question:

Does the Conrad Tokyo also have the famous Conrad bears in their rooms? Are you allowed to take these home?

Sorry if this has been answered before -- planning to stay here on an award stay in January, and it'll be my first Conrad stay...

tide

Yes and yes.

The Conrad Tokyo bears are pinkish/reddish with a white Japanese chrysanthemum motif on them. It is finished with a brown Conrad-emblazoned ribbon around the neck.

Don't forget, you also get the Conrad duck. In this case, a white one with a coronet (the best I can describe it) on top.

derpelikan

my girlfriends ripped off all the DUCKS (white cute one) and the bears.

you will get only one bear per room but everyday a new duck.

the shampoo is made by Shiseido ! the red bottles.

actually my friends ripped them all, as woman love this small bottles etc.

the shavers are wilkinson for one time use.

everything really nice.

if you go, you should go before the triple point promo ends

dp

SpeedRicer

Cool, thanks for the info. ^

Now I'm actually looking forward to getting the bear more than lounge access.

RTWSTARALLIANCE

Oh my! My wife is a Japanese national and she is just going to love collecting all of that stuff during our GLONP stay.

derpelikan

tell your wife to rip all things in the bag, than if you leave the room just put the make up my room sign on!

voila all things will be renewed, and start the game again

the slippers are great, i took 2 pairs too...

dp

RTWSTARALLIANCE

Preface: We try and come to Tokyo twice a year staying at a quality hotel. I usually stay two nights then my wife's mother comes in from Kyoto and they spend some quality time together. We've done these extended stays at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Tokyo Hilton and Grand Hyatt Tokyo numerous times.

Rate: Right after the Conrad Tokyo opened I contacted my Diamond angel who made my six night GLONP reservation. GLONP is 175k points.

Transportation: We took the Airport Limousine Bus (Orange) from NRT to the Hotel. The Hotel was the third stop today after TCAT and Tokyo Station. Rate- 3000 yen per person. Total time 1 hour 20 minutes. You come upon the Conrad rather quickly after the driver makes a sharp right turn. The ground floor lobby area of the Conrad is kinda a maze so look sharp. Make a hard right when you enter then bear left until you reach the lifts. The Hotel if I remember the number is on floor 28 (just arrived a couple hours ago).

Check-in: I can only say I did lots of prep before I left the US. I did e-mail with the GM, talked with the Diamond desk, read FT threads on this property and spoke with fellow FTs on what exactly our Diamond benefits are. I also printed the terms and conditions along with a e-mail I received from the GM. Just to make things clear. I was informed that the Conrad Tokyo applies its' own special conditions. Diamonds are NOT given access to the Lounge if they are not on one of the two Executive floors. The Hotel rooms are located on 8 floors and the total count is less than 300. So if you want Lounge you need to be on the Executive floors.

The reception area is beautiful. The night views stunning from the restaurants and bar. Like the Park Hyatt Tokyo but a more open and comfortable feel. My wife took a seat while I checked in. I was welcomed warmly and told we had been upgraded to a suite room facing the city. The other side is water. I usually like water but as many of you know Tokyo lights cast a pleasant spell. I asked about Lounge and was told what was noted above. I pulled out my terms and conditions being told once again this property operates under its' own coditions. I then pulled out the e-mail I had from the GM. The agent did not attempt to change our room which was fine with me as I like the idea of a suite. I was informed the suite had also been preped for our arrival with amenities. The agent also gave us a packet with two vouchers for breakfast to be taken on 28. Even if you go to the Lounge you have to have the vouchers. The agent then escorted us to our suite and then took us up to the Lounge (38) introducing us to the staff there. The agent was very good and asked us if we would like a late check-out.

Perks: The Lounge. This is one of the most beautiful, comfortable and functional lounges I have ever ever been in. And we have been in more than a few. The theme is your home minus the bedrooms. Now I do understand why they must limit access as the Lounge can maybe fit 40 comfortable at once. You have a beautiful white kitchen with a full size frig which was can access for your drinks. The cabinets are filled with plates and flat wear. Just like home. The center island of the kitchen is a true stove. We were told a chef will be in the Lounge tomorrow morning to cook breakfast. That is not happening at the Grand Hyatt. The evening service is from 5 to 7 PM. The Lounge is built around the large gas glass enclosed fireplace. To the right is a smoking area and the left has a good number of tables. BTW. The Lounge does have one HP notebook with free HSIA. Only one. In the corner to the right is a reception area with a desk attended by Guest Relations. My wife commented the service was excellent and she should know. That is high praise from her. More on Lounge as we experience.

Room: We are at home. This is like a luxury apartment. As you enter we have dark lacquered wood floors. Just to the left is a pedestal with a single orchid. A closet is next to it. You enter into a carpeted living area with a full sofa, two beautiful lamps atop tables. Two comfy chairs sit by the picture window with a table between them. The chairs swivel for the view. A coffee table completes the sofa. In the corner is a round table with a cream white leather swivel chair. This is meant to be a office desk also as a metal lamp with a soft light sits atop. Just to the right of my new office is a large wood lacquer piece which holds cabinets with file space, frig (not one of those metered ones) and coffee/tea making facility. The furniture piece is beautiful. Atop this is a white shoji lamp along with one of our three flat screen tvs. The bedroom area is separated by a wall. Mind you not a door. We have another large furniture piece here for clothes along with two double beds, side tables, small table with a round seat. A piece comfortable area to sleep. Another tv here on the furniture. In the room we have two huge picture windows. A small Conrad bear in here.

A highlight is the bathroom with the Shiseido amenities made especially for the Conrad. The bathroom has double doors. You enter onto a black marble floor. To the left is a raised bathtub that looks onto the living room with a huge glass picture window. A wood blind with remote controls close to give privacy. Another tv on the wall along with two sinks. To the right are two rooms. One with a shower and the other with a toilet. The shower has the option to use the rain fall. A white duck with a crown in here. High quality amenities.

Communications: HSIA wired internet 1500 yen per 24 hour period.

Locations: Seems to be close to the Ginza and one stop away from Tsukiji.

Closing: The Hotel is beautiful. So comfortable I would not have minded hanging out here for the full six nights. If you have questions as I did before my arrival post them and we will try getting them answered. Net. Save your points and get here. You will love it as we are.

SanDiego1K

Great report! ^ ^

I'm glad you got what you wanted and more besides.

I still remain concerned as to whether they will give lounge access to Diamonds who go with less preparation than you.

Enjoy!

nako

I'll guess that the answer is no, given the rules difference between US/Canada and non-US/Canada properties. Remember that lounge access is not a published benefit for Hilton Family hotels outside of these countries (bolded emphasis is theirs, not mine):

If the OP printed a set of T&C that said that lounge access is an entitlement, it was the wrong set, as it only applies, IMO, to Conrad locations within the United States. Since Conrad Tokyo meets the above definition of a Hilton Family hotel outside the U.S. and Canada, I firmly believe that the hotel is within their rights to operate within that framework, as - by all indication - they are doing.

Mike

RTWSTARALLIANCE

Thank you SanDiego1k. I tried to put as much into the report as possible. You will love this place over the top but elegently done. Lots of thought went into designing this.

The terms per word state.

At Hilton Family hotels outside the U.S. and Canada that have upgraded accomodation, Gold and Diamond VIPs will be upgraded to Executive Lever or to the next best available room type.

Now I read that as. If when I walked in the door of this Hotel and I knew by checking online one second before that the Hotel still had to sell either non-smoke or smoke for the entire length of our stay a Executive Level room that should be mine as a upgrade therefore getting us Lounge access. Where you could have trouble reading word for word is if they wished to use next best available room type. That being said and research being applied just before arrival only two types of rooms were for sell- classic and Executive Level. My last piece of printed material I brought from the US was a print screen of what they had to sell for our stay.

A concern of ours should be the "special conditions" this property thinks it can run under and just who (because HHonors says they can not run under their own terms) granted then permission to do that. I also do not like having to work to get my benefits. Regards from Tokyo

nako

Again, I fail to see what "special conditions" they're operating under. Your original complaint was that their policy states that there is no lounge access if you're not upgraded to the Executive Level, which is consistent with the policy as you quoted yourself.

Now, as for the new complaint - the fact that they didn't give you an Executive Level room, even though they were available - I disagree with your interpretation, because it's clear (at least to me) that the policy is set to the interpretation of the hotel. It says that they can upgrade you to the Executive Level, but there's nothing that says that they have to do that (even if these rooms are otherwise available). I'll quote it again (emphasis this time is mine):

The key operative here is the bolded word "or." It means that they have the choice as to which one you are given. There is nothing that says one must be given over the other - the policy leaves that decision strictly to the hotel. It doesn't matter that those were the only ones available for sale at that moment. What matters is what is the types in the hotel that are available, period.

As for lounge access, we've been through this in several other threads. The general consensus is that lounge access generally comes with the Executive Level upgrade. If you don't get that, that's where the special amenity comes in - which, in your case, was breakfast coupons.

I'll go back to your question: Who granted the hotel the right to set its own policy? The answer, again, are the T&Cs of HHonors themselves. Like it or not, they did nothing, IMO, that goes against your published benefits as a Diamond.

Mike

RTWSTARALLIANCE

My feeling stands that in our case the next best available room was Executive Level which would mean Lounge access. I do see where a suite is also considered the next best available.

We are trying the Lounge this morning for breakfast and the restaurant on 28 tomorrow. Each opens at 7:00 AM on Saturday.