keihin_242

Needed a place to stay with my GF on the first night of my Japan visit next month and decided to throw 30,000 Priority Club points at the ANA Hotel Tokyo. They only had twin rooms (hotel was full otherwise) available.

Reservation is refundable.

So, has anyone stayed there since the IC label was applied? Is it worth the 30K points? I've been to the bar and they make a good martini, though good martinis are made at many hotels in Japan (they stay away from the vodka, mercifully). No idea about the rooms.

If the room quality isn't worth the points, I may cancel and try to book at one of the other IC properties around Tokyo.

Will not stay at the Metropolitan - have been there and it's a little long in the tooth.

I don't have sufficient points with other hotel programs to go for any other top-end property (heck, normally I just stay in Route Inns for 5500 yen/night but I had those points just begging to be cashed in).

I've considered just paying yen for the cheaper ANA Narita and banking the points; if anyone has suggestions I'm standing by.

Jamoldo

I don't know anything about the points and this is my first stay at the ANA IC. It's a lovely hotel, with the expected service (and prices). Very nice breakfast buffet spread, rooms are nice and large. A few things that do bother me though. 1) Internet in rooms is not free unless you're on a corporate rate, ditto for the fitness room (which I don't use) and 2) TVs are quite small compared to the room size (which is large, a big plus). Some of the staff's English leaves much to be desired. Though having lived in China and seen the same there, I don't really complain and it does not bother me in the slightest.

LapLap

If you booked this hotel as a reward then the twin rooms come up as a default.

Unless you called to ask them, it may not reflect that the hotel is full when you are staying.

Email them and ask if you can have a double room, if that's what you prefer. They may be able to switch.

I stayed here a few months ago (since the IC branding). Quite a few of us did because of a fantastic 5k pointsbreak promotion. I can't comment on the room you'll get as part of your award thanks to a welcome RA upgrade.

This link shows a Superior room on the lower floors.
It's very slightly bigger than yours will be - I imagine the bathroom will be the same though (and it's the bathroom that never gets shown on the IC websites).

If you enter Tokyo as a search term you'll find plenty of posts about this property on the IC forum.

I'd be hesitant about blowing 30k here. The difference between a standard room here to one in the IC Tokyo Bay or the IC Strings is immense.
This is a fabulous place to stay on an award for those with Royal Ambassador status, but their ordinary rooms are just too...well, ordinary, for those without who can't rely on an upgrade to their excellent Executive Floor.

keihin_242

Hmm - the Strings has a KNGN available for a reward night. Will have to consider that. Not familiar with the property but I'm sure it's nice. What do you think?

Actually, just examined both webpages - going to move my reservation to the Strings. Don't feel much like taking the Namboku Line, anyway.

I appreciate the recommendation, and I'm sure the Strings makes a mighty fine martini, too.

LapLap

I thought it was fantastic (hardly surprising at the rate I got it for)

When making your booking, put in a request for a room facing towards Tokyo Tower. This will get you the best view of the city from the three sides available to you as a Reward booker.

The atrium would be a wonderful place to have a martini.

As this is your first night in Tokyo you'll probably want to wash away a day's worth of travel. Whilst the bathroom itself is pretty fabulous here, the showers next to the steam room (free, along with the gym at reception level) will pummel your whole body with powerful jets.

A couple of reviews in this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=730522

keihin_242

I'll be flying Y aboard NW. Enough said - Thanks for the tip

Wish I hadn't missed out on Point Breaks - almost used it at a HI in SFO (yeah, big difference), but flight wasn't cancelled as expected :>

Looking forward to the stay at the Strings!

MilesAndMore

the lunch teppanyaki at 4000-8000 yen is a bargain compared to similar hotels in the area

Jamoldo

And some nice restaurants and Roppongi nearby if that is your thing... I think the basic room prices are very reasonable for being 5 star in this part of town, but then again this is my first trip to Tokyo...

keihin_242

I'm looking forward to it for sure, and I'll have to consider the teppanyaki lunch set - that's a good price for downtown Tokyo.

Generally, I prefer the Shinagawa area to the crazier towns in Tokyo (though oddly I do have many fond memories of Ikebukuro), so this works out better. Plus there's always the convenience of the Tokaido Shinkansen being next door. I'll be heading down to Kyoto and Okayama to visit friends the next day - have to make sure I reserve on a train that won't be stopping at Shin-Yokohama... this will be my last chance to skip it before it becomes a mandatory stop on 15 Mar

Thanks for the help, everyone. I'll let you know how the trip goes!

schoflyer

The String's is nice. I've stayed there a couple times with ANA vouchers. The hotel seemed neat and crisp. Very convenient to NRT via NEX. Furnishing are very Nihonteki.

My only gripe is that the room is a bit on the tight side. We had a couple bags each and we were crawling arround the luggage we had stacked in 1 corner of the room. That known I have rebooked and stayed there so how bad could it be?

I have stayed at the ANA IC too. It's nice.

Scho

GadgetFreak

I havent stayed there since it became an IC (this is the first I have heard about it) but I have stayed there a number of times. The location is super, the staff were always very helpful and the rooms were decent sized for Tokyo. All in all it is one of my favorites in Tokyo. Also, it is at a good location on the Limousine Bus route if I recall correctly.

LapLap

Nooooo...
It really isn't!

It may be a good price compared to that charged at other hotels, but there's rarely any need to spend more than 3,000yen at lunchtime.

Here are recs from this forum
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468207

or check
http://www.bento.com/gmaps/shina.html

or even
http://ss.gnavi.co.jp/fl/search/sear...=&word=&id=enU

keihin_242

I agree with you - that's what 7-11, Yayoiken, and Yoshinoya are for

LapLap

This comment really saddens me, and it's just what I dreaded you might end up believing.

You can eat so well in Tokyo without going to 4-8k yen restaurants at lunchtime.

If you feel that your only option for eating well on a budget is Yoshinoya then this forum may have failed you.

keihin_242

I'm going to try to be nice here and assume you meant well with this statement. While I truly appreciate your help with the hotel, your expressed opinion here is neither required nor desired. It's really not my fault if you don't have a sense of humor.

Please don't treat me like a fool who spends all day looking for makudo. Perhaps one day I'll take you one of my favorite restaurants in Miura, Aomori, or Kagoshima and show you what real food tastes like. Don't worry, they don't have meal ticket vending machines, but you'll be buying the first round.