Aman Tokyo - Trip Report
May 21, 2015, 1:11 pm
#107
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,298
Until they give room guests some "private" or room guests only space .... I don't think I would want to stay at aman tokyo ( more so at the prices ) again in a hurry ...ok the yet to open Cafe within the "forest" on the ground will be the exception ...for now.
In a resort Aman ( ASPalace even ) I can find my " private" spaces apart from my room/ villas etc ...aside from the pool ..... here its just one vast public lobby that guests have to share with curious visitors snapping photos and outside diners ....... It's a very good luxury hotel in Tokyo but its just not an Aman .
In a resort Aman ( ASPalace even ) I can find my " private" spaces apart from my room/ villas etc ...aside from the pool ..... here its just one vast public lobby that guests have to share with curious visitors snapping photos and outside diners ....... It's a very good luxury hotel in Tokyo but its just not an Aman .
May 21, 2015, 1:44 pm
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,522
Shoes?
I never did figure out the shoe policy. I think you are supposed to remove your shoes when entering to room. I didn’t. An attendant stopped me going into the fitness center and pointed at my shoes. “No”, I said. “I’m going to the fitness center. I need to keep my shoes on to run on the treadmill.” I think you need to take your shoes off when entering the change rooms. I made that mistake once to the horror of the locker room attendant who came running after me, acting frantic. (Very un-Aman.) I had at least three cross encounters with hotel personnel over this issue. I’m more irritated by this than is perhaps rational. As an American, I do not understand the stupid rules, don’t like them, and frankly don’t care. Explain them to me or remove the requirement.
I never did figure out the shoe policy. I think you are supposed to remove your shoes when entering to room. I didn’t. An attendant stopped me going into the fitness center and pointed at my shoes. “No”, I said. “I’m going to the fitness center. I need to keep my shoes on to run on the treadmill.” I think you need to take your shoes off when entering the change rooms. I made that mistake once to the horror of the locker room attendant who came running after me, acting frantic. (Very un-Aman.) I had at least three cross encounters with hotel personnel over this issue. I’m more irritated by this than is perhaps rational. As an American, I do not understand the stupid rules, don’t like them, and frankly don’t care. Explain them to me or remove the requirement.
Last edited by RichardInSF; May 21, 2015 at 6:13 pm Reason: consecutive posts by same poster
May 21, 2015, 2:35 pm
#109
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
Thanks, mike_la_jolla - very useful. Just before your review was posted and in light of this thread, I decided to reduce our stay in September at Aman Tokyo. I'll still try it out, but I've booked the Mandarin instead for the end of the stay.
May 21, 2015, 6:30 pm
#111
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 246
I was a bit surprised about the negative review Aman Tokyo is getting here...
Me and my partner went in Feb just before the grand opening, when only 1 floor with guestroom is open, and found both the hardware and service to be excellent. Perhaps this is to do with the still relatively low occupancy rate, as well as the familiar faces there (Hisayo-san from Nusa and Bernice from Taka) who are taking care of things.
I am surprised that the partnership with Virtuoso still hasn't been finialised yet... but the hotel was kind enough to put us in a suite (one category upgrade) booked in a premier room. The suite is basically two rooms joined together with an antechamber for shoes etc. One side is living and dining room and the other side the bedroom and bathroom. Our tub has an amazing view of Tokyo skytree...
The breakfast was not included but we found it an elaborate and delicious affair. We had a choice between continental, american and japanese. The american starts with a shotglass platter of fruit & veg juice & smoothie, followed by fruit plate, yogurt, cold cut & salmon platter, and eggs & bacon.
I tries the japanese option once and the rice is the best I ever had (ryokan quality). Everything was fresh and we thought is quite good value. It is a bit worrying to hear the quality of food is slipping...
My partner who as an architectural background loved the soaring lobby. I agree it is not the most relaxing space but thought the library and pool area were good for that purpose.
English was a bit of a problem with minor staff but otherwise language wasn't an issue. We were never asked for our room number even once... and in almost all encounter, we were addressed by name. Hisayo-san and Bernice always manage to find us and come check on things. GM Jeffrey was friendly and quite visible during our stay.
A bit worry to hear about the negative comments as we are planning a return visit for autumn foliage. Will post some pictures later
Me and my partner went in Feb just before the grand opening, when only 1 floor with guestroom is open, and found both the hardware and service to be excellent. Perhaps this is to do with the still relatively low occupancy rate, as well as the familiar faces there (Hisayo-san from Nusa and Bernice from Taka) who are taking care of things.
I am surprised that the partnership with Virtuoso still hasn't been finialised yet... but the hotel was kind enough to put us in a suite (one category upgrade) booked in a premier room. The suite is basically two rooms joined together with an antechamber for shoes etc. One side is living and dining room and the other side the bedroom and bathroom. Our tub has an amazing view of Tokyo skytree...
The breakfast was not included but we found it an elaborate and delicious affair. We had a choice between continental, american and japanese. The american starts with a shotglass platter of fruit & veg juice & smoothie, followed by fruit plate, yogurt, cold cut & salmon platter, and eggs & bacon.
I tries the japanese option once and the rice is the best I ever had (ryokan quality). Everything was fresh and we thought is quite good value. It is a bit worrying to hear the quality of food is slipping...
My partner who as an architectural background loved the soaring lobby. I agree it is not the most relaxing space but thought the library and pool area were good for that purpose.
English was a bit of a problem with minor staff but otherwise language wasn't an issue. We were never asked for our room number even once... and in almost all encounter, we were addressed by name. Hisayo-san and Bernice always manage to find us and come check on things. GM Jeffrey was friendly and quite visible during our stay.
A bit worry to hear about the negative comments as we are planning a return visit for autumn foliage. Will post some pictures later
Last edited by halibahs; May 21, 2015 at 6:37 pm
May 21, 2015, 7:21 pm
#112
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,124
The bigger issue is that this is an Aman and not FS, MO, Montage, StR, et al. Different standards apply. And until Vlad ruins it, I'm going to apply the standard that Zecha would apply. Aman Tokyo, at present, does not make the grade.
The various service issues I encountered would have been nothing had I been just down the street at FS Mar.
May 21, 2015, 7:35 pm
#113
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 246
Haha I agree nitpicking is acceptable when Aman is concerned.^
I was mainly surprised about the poor F&B you experienced and lack of recognition of your guest status (esp chasing after you for your room number *gulp*). We were lucky not to have experienced these problems.
Was the hotel fully opened yet? When we were there only 1 guestroom floor is open.
I was mainly surprised about the poor F&B you experienced and lack of recognition of your guest status (esp chasing after you for your room number *gulp*). We were lucky not to have experienced these problems.
Was the hotel fully opened yet? When we were there only 1 guestroom floor is open.
May 21, 2015, 10:29 pm
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
Service
Service was very weak. There were all kinds of issues coming from all corners of the hotel. In my first 2.5 days, I ran afoul of the maids 4 separate times. They clearly are not tracking your movements yet and take a fair amount of time to straighten the room out.
Food & Beverage
Every bartender and server acted as if everything he/she did was for the first time. When I ordered food, the bartender had to study the menu to see what I had ordered. The mixed drinks at the bar always seemed warm to me and poorly mixed. I watched in horror as one bartender mixed, rather than shook, my martini. Haven’t they seen a James Bond movie here? They were using specially made large ice cubes that needed to be hacked to fit into the glasses and perhaps that is an issue. Food, after a lengthy wait, was often served cold. The food selection on the bar menu is small. The menu from the main restaurant was mostly fixed, limiting the choices. I was not willing to go off menu given the lack of engrish. The bartenders and servers learned quickly that I didn’t speak Japanese, so they ran and hid after I ordered. It made it difficult to order dessert since nobody was around. I often left hungry. I did get dessert once. But the green tea ice cream was an inedible rock; the raw ice jarring one of crowns. Food, overall, was forgettable.
Breakfast, not included, was relatively poor. Eggs were a bizarre shade of dark yellow and not very tasty. There was something on the menu about ‘free range’. Again, everything seemed cold to me. Bacon and ham appear to be the same meat in Japan. The sausage tasted as if the chef had broken the salt shaker on it. I asked if there was a juice of the day and got blank stares. Coffee was decent, but cold. And they made the coffee cup by cup, so it was difficult and slow to get refills. I gave up paying for BK after the first two days.
I didn't think we were being served extra special. I thought it was the Aman norm since we were Aman beginners.
May 22, 2015, 9:46 am
#115
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,124
I'm shocked to hear about the terrible overall dining experience you had. For all the negatives we had at Aman Tokyo, this wasn't one of them. Maybe that was because the F&B director had his best people facilitating the meal? It was the best Japanese breakfast in the city and we've had them all from FS Mar, Shangri-la, Andaz, etc. Quality ingredients, well placed, delicious and my dinner set was excellent too.
I did see the Japanese BK on the menu. I should have tried that option.
May 22, 2015, 10:20 am
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
Other than breakfast, I ate in the bar. I wonder if the restaurant is different. Had my stay been longer, I would have given up on the hotel food and wandered down to the bars/restaurants in the Otemachi train station.
I did see the Japanese BK on the menu. I should have tried that option.
I did see the Japanese BK on the menu. I should have tried that option.
May 22, 2015, 10:38 am
#117
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 246
)The western breakfast we had are quite consistently excellent. We also enjoyed a western dinner at restaurant and japanese dinner in-room, which were also very good, both food and service-wise. When we were there, there was one or two western waiter mainly serving tables with non-japanese guests (to minimise the language issue perhaps?).
May 22, 2015, 9:58 pm
#118
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
We had breakfast both in the restaurant and our room (well I guess they should serve you wherever you prefer, it's an Aman afterall )
The western breakfast we had are quite consistently excellent. We also enjoyed a western dinner at restaurant and japanese dinner in-room, which were also very good, both food and service-wise. When we were there, there was one or two western waiter mainly serving tables with non-japanese guests (to minimise the language issue perhaps?).
)The western breakfast we had are quite consistently excellent. We also enjoyed a western dinner at restaurant and japanese dinner in-room, which were also very good, both food and service-wise. When we were there, there was one or two western waiter mainly serving tables with non-japanese guests (to minimise the language issue perhaps?).