Hilton Tokyo {JPN}

Old Mar 24, 2018, 10:07 pm
  #61  
 
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As per the recommendations of those on this board, I decided to stay at the Hilton Shinjuku -- I'm arriving Monday night. It looks like the hotel is only showing Premium Twin rooms available. I'm guessing this will likely mean no HH Gold upgrades at checkin?

**edit ** JUST ANSWERED THIS QUESTION MYSELF WITH A FEW SEARCHES ON FLYERTALK -- [Also, is there any advantage to me choosing my room and checking in online before arrival? The app says they'll "do their best" to upgrade me when I arrive. Figured it can't hurt to at least get my King room versus being stuck with a Twin.] ** EDIT

Last edited by Sam_AE; Mar 24, 2018 at 10:38 pm
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Old Mar 25, 2018, 4:02 am
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Sam_AE
As per the recommendations of those on this board, I decided to stay at the Hilton Shinjuku -- I'm arriving Monday night. It looks like the hotel is only showing Premium Twin rooms available. I'm guessing this will likely mean no HH Gold upgrades at checkin?
The hotel is pretty full this week and into next due to Sakura/cherry blossom season, but again rooms available are volatile, so I'd just wait and see. This hotel is pretty good about clearing upgrades in advance if available so just keep an eye on your Hilton account. I checked in today and went from a King Deluxe to an Exec Level King which is basically the same room, it just saves me an elevator ride to/from the lounge. Since I'm diamond I'd have lounge access regardless.
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Old Mar 26, 2018, 8:15 pm
  #63  
 
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If someone can refresh my memory... If you head down the escalator from the lobby, you will end up at Nishi-Shinjinku Station. Is there signage or you'll just run in to it? After arriving at Nish-Shinjinku, is there signage back to the Hilton?

Can I buy a 24 hour pass there (cash only it appears)?

I've decided to put on my big person pants and actually attempt a few rides.
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Old Mar 26, 2018, 8:58 pm
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by iahphx
Thanks, Mycell. That seems like excellent value. We'll have only rollerboards, so saving 2000 yen per person seems worthwhile.

When I go to google maps, it says I can take the Marunouchi line from nearby Nishi-Shinjuku Station to Tokyo station where I'd grab the Access Narita bus. Is that correct? This sounds easy; other than "not wanting to thinking about it" and just getting the expensive airport bus from the hotel, why wouldn't I do this? (I see the Limousine Bus does offer some ROUNDTRIP discounts if you originate at Narita, so for folks starting there after a long flight, the savings might not be great enough to make the switch at Tokyo Station).

The Access Narita bus seems to run quite frequently. Like every 10 to 20 minutes. I assume there's never a backlog?

Meanwhile, does anyone also have any similar "tricks" to get from Haneda to the hotel? I do see that the Limousine Bus offers a "Limousine and Subway Pass" deal from Haneda (there's also a deal from Narita). From Haneda, it's "3,200 yen for Two bus tickets and 48-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket," and "1,800 yen for One bus ticket and 24-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket."

Limousine and Subway pass Information Airport Limousine Bus

The deal for 2 sounds OK, as two regular one way bus tickets would cost 2460 yen total. But I also recall that not all intra-Tokyo transport is by "subway" -- there are other "rail lines," too. Right? And what does an individual subway ticket cost: is it something like 200 yen? What has been the experience of others staying at this hotel: how much have you used the subway, and does a subway pass make sense?

Thanks.
it says I can take the Marunouchi line from nearby Nishi-Shinjuku Station to Tokyo station where I'd grab the Access Narita bus. Is that correct?
This is exactly what I did! As the underground from Hilton is so easy to walk to Nishi-Shinjuku.

And here I also suggest an app for everyone (not sure if you can download though, because I base in Hong Kong)> 乗換案内
https://www.jorudan.co.jp/

You can type stations in english (then it will come up few areas in Japanese, but if you type the whole spelling correctly then the result should be correct)
it provides few route options and you can choose from how much time/yen you need. And much more to explore by yourself. Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by saaveraward
If someone can refresh my memory... If you head down the escalator from the lobby, you will end up at Nishi-Shinjinku Station. Is there signage or you'll just run in to it? After arriving at Nish-Shinjinku, is there signage back to the Hilton?

Can I buy a 24 hour pass there (cash only it appears)?

I've decided to put on my big person pants and actually attempt a few rides.


As I recall, there is an indication on the exit map in Nishi-Shinjuku metro, be aware that exit will be closed with a gate by 9 or 10pm?
If you walk from/to Hilton and Nishi-Shinjuku, you will have to walk that underground path (just on the left side if you are just outside Hilton enterance or take lift on the right side inside Hilton to basement)

not sure about the pass, as I always use their IC card
but I suppose the pass can be bought with the machine by cash

Last edited by Canarsie; Mar 26, 2018 at 10:54 pm Reason: Consolidation.
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Old Mar 26, 2018, 9:16 pm
  #65  
 
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Originally Posted by Mycell


As I recall, there is an indication on the exit map in Nishi-Shinjuku metro, be aware that exit will be closed with a gate by 9 or 10pm?
If you walk from/to Hilton and Nishi-Shinjuku, you will have to walk that underground path (just on the left side if you are just outside Hilton enterance or take lift on the right side inside Hilton to basement)

not sure about the pass, as I always use their IC card
but I suppose the pass can be bought with the machine by cash
Thanks. So there are pretty clear signs everywhere so I end up at Nishi instead of Tochomae if I'm departing the Hilton and using the underground without walking outside?
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Old Mar 26, 2018, 9:23 pm
  #66  
 
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Originally Posted by saaveraward
If someone can refresh my memory... If you head down the escalator from the lobby, you will end up at Nishi-Shinjinku Station. Is there signage or you'll just run in to it? After arriving at Nish-Shinjinku, is there signage back to the Hilton?

Can I buy a 24 hour pass there (cash only it appears)?

I've decided to put on my big person pants and actually attempt a few rides.
The escalator from the lobby will take you down to Hiltopia shopping arcade. Walk through there and take another escalator (maybe it's a stairs down, only escalator back up for that one) down to the underground tunnel. Turn left for Nishi-Shinjuku or right for the Tochomae Station (Toei Oedo).

I'm pretty sure there's a bank of ticket machines in the Nishi-Shinjuku station, but I've always used Suica/Pasmo so never investigated those.

Going back to the hotel, you want exit C8. Out of the ticket gates, veer to the right past the bakery, then turn right to the stairs slightly afterwards. I don't recall any signage for C8/Hilton at the turn and I'm blanking at what the signage is. Go down the stairs and you'll be back in the long tunnel. There is a Hilton sign on the wall at the C8 entrance.

Good luck!^
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Old Mar 27, 2018, 7:04 am
  #67  
 
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Originally Posted by rustykettel
The escalator from the lobby will take you down to Hiltopia shopping arcade. Walk through there and take another escalator (maybe it's a stairs down, only escalator back up for that one) down to the underground tunnel. Turn left for Nishi-Shinjuku or right for the Tochomae Station (Toei Oedo).

I'm pretty sure there's a bank of ticket machines in the Nishi-Shinjuku station, but I've always used Suica/Pasmo so never investigated those.

Going back to the hotel, you want exit C8. Out of the ticket gates, veer to the right past the bakery, then turn right to the stairs slightly afterwards. I don't recall any signage for C8/Hilton at the turn and I'm blanking at what the signage is. Go down the stairs and you'll be back in the long tunnel. There is a Hilton sign on the wall at the C8 entrance.

Good luck!^
What he said, and yes, you can get your ticket at one of the ticket machines in the Nishi-Shinjuku station.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 6:47 am
  #68  
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Here's some data points from my recent stay:

We used The Access Narita to go from the hotel to Narita. It costs 1200 Yen (200 for the subway, 1000 for the bus) vs. 3100 for the direct airport limousine bus. The Nishi-Shinjinku is a couple minutes walk from the hotel -- the front desk clerk said it was easier to walk outside than go through the tunnel, and it certainly was easy (2 lefts). The subway ride was ridiculously easy (even with rollerboards), but the signage at the large Tokyo Station where you do the switch is confusing. When you get off the subway, turn left and follow the Yaesu exit signs. You will see Yaesu North, but you don't want that. Keep going a little further to you reach the next corridor and find an escalator on the right. Take that up one flight and you'll see Yaesu South. That's what you need. Just walk outside the building and you'll see Bus Stop 7. There was a small line at the bus stop; we made the first bus, but I would give myself time to wait for the next one just in case. Allow yourself about 40 minutes to get from the hotel to the Access Narita stop. From there, about an hour to the airport. The bus is as comfortable as the Airport Limousine bus (you get one big piece of luggage below, and anything you want to carry-on the bus). The three of us saved US$60 by taking this subway ride, and I'd say it was a no-brainer.

The hotel itself is good, but not fantastic. I picked it because I wanted to use points and I knew my credit-card Diamond status would get me some useful perks (unlike, say, my credit card status at the Hyatt across the street). The lounge is good. If you're staying a few days, you'll probably wind up at breakfast there because the main breakfast room feels too busy and the extra selection is modest (and the lounge has a fresh-squeezed OJ machine). What we did one day was book the free (for Diamonds) Japanese breakfast and then "top off" our breakfast with a visit to the lounge (they knew we were doing both but didn't care). I would not say the Japanese breakfast was delicious, but it wasn't bad (I'm not a huge fan of Japanese breakfast foods), and it certainly was an interesting cultural experience. So peaceful and zen-like compared to the bustle of the main breakfast room. And with the ability to grab more "normal" breakfast food afterwards in the lounge, there's nothing to lose by trying it.

While not advertised, we found a nice selection of mini-sandwiches and desserts at around 1 pm in the executive lounge (I thought "tea" didn't start until 3). In the evening, the 6 to 8 pm happy hour (with booze) has decent food. You could make a meal out of it if you wanted to and weren't so picky. Try the fancy Asahi draft dispenser -- it fills your glass from the bottom! And the beer is much better than canned Asahi.

We found the frequent free shuttle to the Shinjuku Station helpful. It's not a long walk (15 minutes?), but the shuttle is easy. And the area immediately around the hotel is sleepy -- the station is frenetic. Try a "belgian waffle" from the Manneken store next to the station's Hilton bus stop: best cheap dessert in Japan.

Overall, the hotel suffers a bit from being too busy (it's big and the locals seem to come for their restaurant specials), but it's not a bad place to use points or status.
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Old Apr 13, 2018, 1:46 am
  #69  
 
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Very pleased with a recent stay. Booked two nights junior suite on flash rate and 2 nights on points at 60k each and upgraded pre-arrival to king tower suite.

Lounge staff was excellent and offerings continue to be of good quality and substantial. They were happy to re-confirm my restaurant reservations for my entire stay in Japan in minutes.

Minor complaints: the L shaped sofa is in an awkward place when trying to watch TV, couldn't get the shower wand to stay on its stand, the evening reception needs some sweets and not just at tea time (apple slices doesn't cut it), one concierge told me don't bother trying to find sakura and that it's over when Shinjinku Gardens was beautiful.

Overall an excellent stay in this mega-hotel.

score 9/10
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Old Apr 13, 2018, 8:51 am
  #70  
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Originally Posted by saaveraward
Minor complaints: the L shaped sofa is in an awkward place when trying to watch TV, couldn't get the shower wand to stay on its stand, the evening reception needs some sweets and not just at tea time (apple slices doesn't cut it), one concierge told me don't bother trying to find sakura and that it's over when Shinjinku Gardens was beautiful.

Overall an excellent stay in this mega-hotel.

score 9/10
Yeah, that sofa looks original to the hotel, as does a chair and ottoman in the suites. And I also missed having no sweets during the evening reception and afterwards. Even some podunk USA Hiltons put out a tray of sweets in the lounge in the evening. Little things, of course.

The biggest problem with this property is, as you mention, that it's a mega-hotel. Absent a crazy Honors deal, I'd personally stay elsewhere. But if you qualify for the Honors perks, it can be worthwhile.
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Old Apr 17, 2018, 11:17 pm
  #71  
 
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Hey everyone, I've got a ton of Hilton points and I'm planning my first trip to Japan. When does availability open at places like Hilton Tokyo? My plan right now is to go in Feb 2019, and I'm trying to be good and plan ahead. When I check various sets of days in Feb 2019 at Hilton Tokyo (or Conrad Tokyo), it says they are all sold out. Is there something going on Tokyo in Feb 2019 that I'm not aware of? From what I've heard, February isn't a super busy time in Tokyo, so I would be surprised if these are actually sold out already. Am I missing something? Thanks!
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Old Apr 18, 2018, 6:43 am
  #72  
 
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Originally Posted by lil_champignon
Hey everyone, I've got a ton of Hilton points and I'm planning my first trip to Japan. When does availability open at places like Hilton Tokyo? My plan right now is to go in Feb 2019, and I'm trying to be good and plan ahead. When I check various sets of days in Feb 2019 at Hilton Tokyo (or Conrad Tokyo), it says they are all sold out. Is there something going on Tokyo in Feb 2019 that I'm not aware of? From what I've heard, February isn't a super busy time in Tokyo, so I would be surprised if these are actually sold out already. Am I missing something? Thanks!
Not really. Hotels often don't load availability into the system for a few months even though hilton.com supports bookings up to a year ahead. Just keep looking.
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Old Apr 19, 2018, 11:33 am
  #73  
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Originally Posted by Cymro
Not really. Hotels often don't load availability into the system for a few months even though hilton.com supports bookings up to a year ahead. Just keep looking.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it a too-early-to-load-inventory issue. I would just do a search every month or so and eventually it will pop up. But after it does pop up, it would be in your interest every couple of weeks to run a search to see how many points they want. If cash prices go down, the number of points you'll need will likely go down. It's worth doing this on pretty much any Honors points redemption these days. For this hotel, the price levels could fluctuate quite significantly.
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Old Apr 21, 2018, 10:57 am
  #74  
 
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Thanks for the input. I want to book my flights asap, so I want to make sure the hotel rooms will open up at some point. I'll keep my eye on it. I might try for the Conrad too, if the rates drop enough.
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Old Apr 21, 2018, 11:33 am
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Hey everyone, I am fairly new still to FT but have a quick question. We are staying at the Hilton Tokyo April 29-May3 (booked with Citi free 4th nigh). Never stayed there before. I am Hilton Gold and noticed I can upgrade (via the app) from regular King room to a King Deluxe for only ~$95 for my entire stay (which is much cheaper than the rate initially offered at booking for King Deluxe). Would doing this now make this a smart move to get us closer and easier for the front desk to upgrade us to Executive Lounge based on everyones experiences with this particular hotel. Worth it? Thank you in advance! -Jon
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