Tokyo Luxury Hotels (consolidated thread -- older thread, now closed)
May 20, 2017, 12:24 am
#1006
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: United
Posts: 24
Very friendly staff. Remembered our names.
The best eggs benedicts I have ever had. Didn't see that coming.
May 24, 2017, 1:10 pm
#1007
formerly htang333
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Wi-Fi
Programs: Virtuoso, Top Ranked: Four Seasons (Top 25 Advisor), AMAN (Top 50), Rosewood, Hyatt Prive, etc.
Posts: 1,455
Hoping for advice on an upcoming, very short 1-nigth stay in Tokyo.
So I travel to Tokyo a few times a year. Have a bachelor party coming up that happens to coincide with a long holiday weekend in Hong Kong (where I live). So once the bachelor party activities are over, I've decided to extend my trip an extra day just to relax/recover.
Recovery day will be a Sunday--early afternoon, evening, and then through mid-afternoon on Monday. Since I will have been out and about for 3 days prior to that, all over Tokyo, I'm more than happy to just spend my recovery day at the hotel itself, relaxing. So location, access to outside bars/restaurants, etc. is not a huge concern. Also, will be by myself, so need a place where I can not only enjoy the room, but also spa, pool, bars, restaurants, etc. with at least some people-watching so I'm not completely bored out of my skull.
This will be one of the first times I've ever done just a 1-night stay anywhere, so want to get the most out of it that I can. On past trips have already done:
1) The Pen (underwhelming in most aspects)
2) R-C (loved the Roppongi location & amazing views but rooms were a bit old--but never tried club level, and based on MikeFromTokyo's reccs I was tempted to try again)
3) Shangri-La (rooms not quite a big and w/o separate dressing rooms, but brand new and very nice)
Wanting to try something new, I believe I have narrowed it down to:
1) The MO (never stayed there before, but have done the Tapas Molecular Bar & the Mandarin Bar on previous visits and liked the overall feel of the property)
2) Aman
I usually would just do the Aman, but having just come off a disappointing Amanpuri stay I'm a bit hesitant to spend the extra cash (roughly 500 USD for base room at MO vs. 900 at Aman), especially given it's just a 1-night stay.
Any thoughts?
So I travel to Tokyo a few times a year. Have a bachelor party coming up that happens to coincide with a long holiday weekend in Hong Kong (where I live). So once the bachelor party activities are over, I've decided to extend my trip an extra day just to relax/recover.
Recovery day will be a Sunday--early afternoon, evening, and then through mid-afternoon on Monday. Since I will have been out and about for 3 days prior to that, all over Tokyo, I'm more than happy to just spend my recovery day at the hotel itself, relaxing. So location, access to outside bars/restaurants, etc. is not a huge concern. Also, will be by myself, so need a place where I can not only enjoy the room, but also spa, pool, bars, restaurants, etc. with at least some people-watching so I'm not completely bored out of my skull.
This will be one of the first times I've ever done just a 1-night stay anywhere, so want to get the most out of it that I can. On past trips have already done:
1) The Pen (underwhelming in most aspects)
2) R-C (loved the Roppongi location & amazing views but rooms were a bit old--but never tried club level, and based on MikeFromTokyo's reccs I was tempted to try again)
3) Shangri-La (rooms not quite a big and w/o separate dressing rooms, but brand new and very nice)
Wanting to try something new, I believe I have narrowed it down to:
1) The MO (never stayed there before, but have done the Tapas Molecular Bar & the Mandarin Bar on previous visits and liked the overall feel of the property)
2) Aman
I usually would just do the Aman, but having just come off a disappointing Amanpuri stay I'm a bit hesitant to spend the extra cash (roughly 500 USD for base room at MO vs. 900 at Aman), especially given it's just a 1-night stay.
Any thoughts?
I think you will enjoy relaxing at Aman's pool after an eventful weekend. Heading back to Tokyo myself in July and debating Club at RC or Entry at Aman (while paying more)...I will likely end up at Aman again.
Book via a Virtuoso TA and help reduce the cost a bit with breakfast and hotel credit ... though, you'd get that at MO as well so it's a wash. But it's good to spoil yourself every so often
Side note: I actually just canceled my visit/review to Puri based on how much poor feedback I'm seeing. Seems Puri is no longer a flagship property as it once was. I still love the Bali Amans the most from a service perspective, still has the Aman soul.
May 25, 2017, 8:46 pm
#1008
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NY
Programs: AA plat; SPG Gold; club 5c
Posts: 234
+1 fan of RC club level
just returned from a 1 week stay at the RC tokyo club level. I felt the cost to upgrade was well worth the price. While the on-site concierge service was excellent, the pre-trip planning (primarily restaurant reservations) I felt was good, not great (though it appears that even for club-level stays, reservation requests get punted to the general concierge). After hearing raves for the Aman and Peninsula concierges, I am tempted to give one of those hotels a shot, but it will be a tough decision.
The stay was much better than my prior Tokyo stays at PH / GH.
The stay was much better than my prior Tokyo stays at PH / GH.
May 25, 2017, 8:59 pm
#1009
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,216
just returned from a 1 week stay at the RC tokyo club level. I felt the cost to upgrade was well worth the price. While the on-site concierge service was excellent, the pre-trip planning (primarily restaurant reservations) I felt was good, not great (though it appears that even for club-level stays, reservation requests get punted to the general concierge). After hearing raves for the Aman and Peninsula concierges, I am tempted to give one of those hotels a shot, but it will be a tough decision.
The stay was much better than my prior Tokyo stays at PH / GH.
The stay was much better than my prior Tokyo stays at PH / GH.
I ended up switching my reservation to the MO and will not be staying at the Pen anytime soon.
I kinda want someone to see if this is still the case, but also want to warn you that it seems the concierge isn't what it used to be.
May 26, 2017, 1:06 am
#1010
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
A bad experience with the concierge at the Peninsula is one of the many reasons I have since written off the hotel.
May 26, 2017, 8:43 am
#1011
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
when aman opened, well regarded pen concierge moved to aman
individual staff/managers can make huge differences, good/bad
individual staff/managers can make huge differences, good/bad
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 26, 2017 at 11:42 am
May 26, 2017, 4:45 pm
#1012
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,050
The only thing that bothers me with Shangrila Tokyo (and a reason I won't go back) is they seem to enforce a one hot entree policy and everything else is chargeable. If you want to be a top 5 Tokyo hotel and charge top rates then you would think letting someone have pancakes and eggs would be fine. The thing that got me was when they said all their competitors moved to that policy (totally untrue!).
May 26, 2017, 6:30 pm
#1013
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 393
The only thing that bothers me with Shangrila Tokyo (and a reason I won't go back) is they seem to enforce a one hot entree policy and everything else is chargeable. If you want to be a top 5 Tokyo hotel and charge top rates then you would think letting someone have pancakes and eggs would be fine. The thing that got me was when they said all their competitors moved to that policy (totally untrue!).
May 26, 2017, 10:07 pm
#1014
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 835
just returned from a 1 week stay at the RC tokyo club level. I felt the cost to upgrade was well worth the price. While the on-site concierge service was excellent, the pre-trip planning (primarily restaurant reservations) I felt was good, not great (though it appears that even for club-level stays, reservation requests get punted to the general concierge). After hearing raves for the Aman and Peninsula concierges, I am tempted to give one of those hotels a shot, but it will be a tough decision.
The stay was much better than my prior Tokyo stays at PH / GH.
The stay was much better than my prior Tokyo stays at PH / GH.
May 27, 2017, 1:59 am
#1015
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jakarta
Programs: Krisflyer PPS, SPG, Hyatt GoldPassport, Shangri-la Golden Circle, British Airways ExecClub
Posts: 1,245
The only thing that bothers me with Shangrila Tokyo (and a reason I won't go back) is they seem to enforce a one hot entree policy and everything else is chargeable. If you want to be a top 5 Tokyo hotel and charge top rates then you would think letting someone have pancakes and eggs would be fine. The thing that got me was when they said all their competitors moved to that policy (totally untrue!).
Yes, it's a ridiculous policy by some hotels. Either all buffet or free-to-order from ala carte. BTW, if you booked the club room at the Shangri-la, then this is not a problem. You can have breakfast at the club lounge which is fabulous. They got their own separate menu you can order in addition to the buffet spread and the staff will get the kitchen to make whatever you want. No extra-charge.
May 27, 2017, 5:17 am
#1016
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
With MO, S-L, FSM, Palace, Aman and Andaz all in close proximity, I say that there is absolutely no reason to even stay for the location.
May 28, 2017, 11:30 am
#1017
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I'd love a pros/con review of the SPG Luxury Collection's Prince Gallery Koiocho property versus the other obvious luxury hotels (i.e. Aman, MO, S-L, PH, Andaz, Palace, RC. etc) from those who know Tokyo well.
I've been told that this Prince Gallery is one of the best in the Luxury Collection portfolio, so I am curious what everyone here might think. Thanks!
I've been told that this Prince Gallery is one of the best in the Luxury Collection portfolio, so I am curious what everyone here might think. Thanks!
May 28, 2017, 12:19 pm
#1018
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: No program whatsoever
Posts: 284
I heard a lot about it from people interested in points, but little from this board.
I know it's Tony Chi designed, so it has that going for itself (though those green carpets in the rooms look puzzling...)
May 28, 2017, 1:35 pm
#1019
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I love it. You definitely need at least a large corner room, if not a suite. I will say that I have always had exceptional service at this hotel because I was already known to management from day one. So, I cannot objectively comment on service as most first time guests would experience it. If you are a fan of Tony Chi design and like what you have seen and heard about the hotel, I woud encourage you to try it.
May 28, 2017, 1:46 pm
#1020
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 1,214
I love it. You definitely need at least a large corner room, if not a suite. I will say that I have always had exceptional service at this hotel because I was already known to management from day one. So, I cannot objectively comment on service as most first time guests would experience it. If you are a fan of Tony Chi design and like what you have seen and heard about the hotel, I woud encourage you to try it.