CanuckFlyHigh

Should have gone to Hakone Ginyu

Anlun

We did Asaba this time and really enjoyed it as well, although that's more in the Izu area.

LM225

We stayed at the MO for 4 nights in December in a Mandarin Grand Room, and our experience was excellent.

Some takeaways/tips:

• The complimentary all-day access to the spa that comes with Fan Club Bookings (and which can be negotiated with Virtuoso bookings) is key. The spa is open to all guests early in the morning, and it gets quite crowded. But the rest of the time, we found it to be quiet and serene. The sauna — much appreciated in December — has floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the city.
• Room service is stellar here. We were too tired to go out on arrival, so called down and ordered a “bento” with tempura, miso, wagyu steak, etc... which was delicious. Notably, the tempura was somehow still perfectly crispy after the trip up to our room. We enjoyed breakfast in our room each day as well, with probably the best eggs I’ve had in a hotel.

• Service was polished. We asked a bellman for directions to the subway station, and he left the hotel and escorted us for the 5 minute-walk all the way to the platform entrance.
• The lobby does tend to smell of smoke in the evening (wafts over from the hotel bar). This wasn’t an issue for us just passing through, but I wouldn’t try and relax there in the evening.
• The concierge service via email ranged from excellent to just ok. They weren’t able to secure a couple of harder-to-get reservations (understandable), but did potentially drop the ball on one by calling a day later than promised (not understandable). The apologies were profuse, but I might babysit my reservation requests more closely next time.
• You can get to the subway without leaving the hotel. Just go down to the ground floor, and when exiting the elevator bay, turn right through the glass door (instead of left to the exit). Take the escalator down and you’re in the station.

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay and would come back without hesitation.

Aventine

The all-day access for FanClub must be something new. I've always had it with a spa treatment or paid! Worth every yen. The tranquility and views.

Fc912

I've found MO Tokyo's F&B in general to be excellent especially when compared to the Ritz Carlton...I've honestly never had a good meal at RC (room service or otherwise)

veronaqqq

The hotel seems very cool

Aventine

I've enjoyed afternoon tea at the RC lobby Lounge and teppanyaki at Hinokizaka. The decor and atmosphere is maybe a little bit stuffier than MO though?

MikeFromTokyo

lost_in_translation

This is interesting. I think we are perhaps looking for very different things from a hotel, but I completely disagree. The PH has truly great service, but I won't stay there again until they refurb it as it's now far too dated for my taste, therefore can't really comment from recent experience on whether it is better than the PG or not. However, having stayed at both hotels multiple times in the last couple of years the idea that the Conrad is preferable to the PG is totally insane to me.

I love the interior design of the PG and whilst I agree there are a couple of (slightly) cheaper feeling pieces of furniture in the rooms, there are also some beautiful design touches that are far beyond the bland and corporate-feeling Conrad. The furniture design isn't my main problem with the Conrad though - there is no other way to put it than that the service I receive at the PG wipes the floor with the Conrad. I've never experienced this mind-blowing attentiveness that some people seem to have experienced at the Conrad (indeed, I've had a plethora of issues like drinks orders forgotten in a relatively empty restaurant and other things one should never really experience in a five star hotel).

The Conrad feels like a Japanese hotel trying to appeal primarily to Westerners (which makes sense given a large percentage of the guests seem to be Americans on holiday there), the Prince Gallery in contrast has genuinely Japanese touches that I love. The Conrad staff are well-meaning and the decor was very nice when it opened 10+ years ago, but it's not really aspiring to provide proper luxury (as opposed to standard 5 star) hotel service and to me is also now starting to show its age a little. The last time I stayed there a year or so ago I had a suite with some very, very scuffed furniture. The toiletries and most other amenities are also the standard, i.e. not luxury, Conrad quality.

Whilst the PG isn't in the best area of Tokyo it does at least have some interesting places nearby, the Conrad has absolutely nothing that is not bland and corporate until you get close to Ginza. The Conrad lounge is also a total zoo (as per pretty much any Hilton lounge) vs. the Prince Gallery's which feels like a tranquil, mini-CX lounge with similar quality food and even the same champagne these days. The Conrad treats me like any other generic customer when returning, the PG already warmly welcomes me back like a friend.

I'd take (and frequently do) both the Shangri-La and Prince Gallery in a heartbeat over the Conrad.

broadwayboy

I see the love for PG, but what do you guys think of the same food presentation in lounge every single day? I was there for 4 nights last year and was rather surprised to find that out.

In my opinion, old as it is, Conrad's interiors are much more sophisticated than PG's.

lost_in_translation

Agree that there could be more variety, but the quality is good for a hotel lounge at least.

Personal preference regarding decor, I suppose, whilst I quite like the Conrad rooms I think pretty much all the public spaces are a bit dull.

Aventine

The SL Lounge is one of the top ones in all of Tokyo. Fabulous service, offerings, tranquil and luxurious.

bhrubin

My guess is that the Aman, MO, and perhaps RC Club level are among the best in the city, with the Palace, Prince Gallery, Peninsula, Conrad, FS, Imperial, Park Hyatt, Andaz, and Shangri-La up there, too—all depending on what priorities one may have in terms of absolute price, cost/benefit, location, hard product, service, food/beverage quality and availability, lounge/club availability and quality, etc. There’s a reason that the thread title is Top Hotels—and it’s plural for that same reason.

Aventine

MO Tokyo doesn't have a lounge. I'd say luxury hotel service levels in Tokyo are the best I've ever experienced in any city. It's just the Japanese way to cater and try to anticipate every need. The stories of above and beyond service in most luxury Japanese hotel threads are most probable there.

bhrubin

Thanks for catching my error on the MO! Corrected.

It's interesting that almost everyone acknowledges the Japanese service culture being so infused into the Japanese experience...yet the service levels at these "top" Tokyo hotels don't get described by most FTers in the same illustrious manner as I so often hear about hotels in Paris, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, etc. I will be very interested to judge this for myself, to be sure. Either way, it does seem that the top Tokyo hotels all offer excellent service, though it's interesting to me that the Aman, Pen, FS, MO, and RC don't seem to get the same kudos they do for service in other more celebrated locations. Maybe it's YMMV or that expectations are so high because it's Japan?