Konnichiwa!!! from the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo @ Marunouchi!! This will be another in progress report I will update as time allows. First impressions are outstanding!! It is unlike any other FS Hotel I have stayed at and it is very refreshing.

The room is very well appointed: an in-room fax, copier/scanner (3-in-1) is standard, 42" Panasonic Plasma tv with DVD player and amplifier, MP3 input, well stocked bathroom amenities (comb, hairbrush, razor, toothbrush and toothpaste, q-tips, cotton balls, nail file,......) and remarkable triple glazing windows which allow me to sit at the ample work desk and watch the numerous Shinkansen coming and going from Tokyo Station in virtual silence from outside but with lovely music playing in the room. Service is impeccable and all staff I have encountered speak very good english.

Check In

I know Tokyo well enough, and usually a friend comes to pick me up at NRT, so I usually do not need an airport Meet & Greet. However, this time, I knew I would be tired after a long flight, my friend couldn't come to the airport, and with the luggage (mostly gifts!!) I was carrying, I asked the FS Marunouchi for the Greeter Service. Not exactly cheap, 5250 JPY, but for me it was well spent.

The Airport Greeter was waiting for me, took me to the JR Office to exchange my rail pass voucher for the actual pass, and then boarded me onto the NEX to Tokyo. At Tokyo Station, a FS employee was waiting for me and guided me to the hotel. As we approached the hotel entrance walkway, the Guest Relations Manager came out to meet me and escorted me to the room directly to complete check-in formalities completely by-passing the Front Desk. Extremely smooth from arrival at NRT to the hotel. I felt that the ease of mind that 5250JPY got me was well worth the expense.

Room

I booked a Superior room which, according to the FS website, is about 474sq ft. For a short stay, 1-3 nights, I think it is adequate but the larger Premier room may be nicer for any longer stays. For me, the 10,000JPY rate difference wasn't worth it this time around, but next time I may spring for the larger room.

The door and entry hallway is dark woods. Immediately as you enter, to the right, is a discreet closet with lots of storage space, a wooden shoe horn (for sale for 3500JPY or so in the Spa), shoe brush, shopping bag, wooden and silken hangers, and a flashlight.

The hallway leads to the large bedroom area with a 42" Panasonic plasma tv facing the king bed. There is nice carpeting in the bedroom area. The work desk is large with a 3-in-1 copier/fax/scanner. There is a easy chair and a large cushioned bench by the window for luggage or for gazing at the trains coming and going from Tokyo station. The decor is slightly evocative of the FS NY on 57th Street but I feel this design is more serene and has an element of warmth. The blackout drapes and sheer curtains are automated with the controls bedside. The triple glazing shields one from virtually all noise from the busy train station immediately outside.

The sound from the stereo is pretty good for a tv unit. There is a Panasonic DVD/CD player with CDs available for complimentary loan from the Concierge. There are about 150 CDs to choose from.

The bathroom is large with a separate shower cubicle, separate toilet cubicle with the eponymous WashLet toilet, a single undermounted vanity and a deep soaking tub. There is a speaker under the sink so that you can listen to anything you happen to be listening to on the in-room stereo.

This is the best stocked bathroom I have ever seen with toothbrush, comb, hairbrush, shoe mitt, q-tips, cotton balls, razor with mouthwash and other amenities available from housekeeping. FS Marunouchi logoed yukatas are available for use as are, on request basis, pajamas from housekeeping.

Spa

Just returned from a 50 minute Shiatsu massage at the hotel "Spa" and it was fantastic. 10500 JPY, a little bit on the expensive side, but probably one of the best massages I have had. Staff are professional and the ambiance is soothing. The Fitness Centre is a decent size with a few treadmills, lifecycles, free weights, complimentary Vittel bottled water, and oshibori chilled towels. The changerooms are very well equipped and have everything one could ever want or need, from combs, toothbrush and toothpaste, lint removers, mouthwash, hair gel/spray, etc etc etc......

T-shirts with the hotel logo on the sleeve are ridiculously priced at 7850 JPY whereas the in-room Yukata and the pajama's are 5000 JPY and 6500 JPY respectively.

One slight qualm is that the Fitness Centre Receptions is unmanned resulting in fairly long waits, especially for a Four Seasons, for a member of staff to come. Beyond this, a compact yet excellent facility. I highly recommend the Shiatsu massage!!

Service

In the bathroom was a full set of Bulgari Green Tea amenities as noted in my profile. The room temperature was set at 21 celcius which is also the way I like it. While there was no letter or welcome card from Management but there was a welcome amenity of fresh fruit (apples, cherries and other berries) with petit fours. I still think that the FS Chinzan-So has a smoother operation than Marunouchi, from check-in to check-out. However, I feel that the Marunouchi property has a very refreshing quality about it which I enjoy more than Chinzan-So. I also like the FS Marunouchi more than the Park Hyatt and such that the FS Marunouchi will be my "splurge" hotel in Tokyo.