todd-r

Just returned from 2 nights here.

Found service to be highly personalized by everyone we encountered. All of the staff went out of their way to help with the simplest of our requests (i.e., the girl at the bell desk went on line to calculate time/distances between train stations to ensure we allowed enough time not to be late for a reservation!).

Booked on cash and points and the only option at time of rez was 2 single beds. Asked at check-in for a king bed but agent gave me a dumbfounded glare and re-confirmed my request for 2 beds. Since my knowledge of the language is non-existant, I didn't pursue it. And to be honest, it was nice not having anyone steal my covers for two nights! At $60 per night (converted to 5700 Yen) this was a bargain!

On arrival from NRT, we stopped by the JR Service Center and purchased the NEX/Suica combo. Had found directions on hotel website to give to driver once we arrived at Shinagawa Stn. which worked like clock-work. On our second day, we actually ventured back from Shinagawa Stn on foot and discovered a lovely residential neighbourhood with a school and temple within it. In all, it was a slow 25 minute walk with a few wrong turns along the way!

We used the shuttle to Meguro Stn a number of times and highly recommend it! We also walked down the street one time to Meguro Stn once so we could do some window shopping and stop into the 100 Yen store. Our first night, we were able to find the supermarket to pick up some Saki (to bring home) and some pastries and OJ to make our own Gold Member's continental breakfast!

We found the location very convenient and with the outstanding transportation system in Japan, this property is truly a hidden gem!

Tak

The area called Takanawa on the way to Shinagwa station and Sirogane to Meguro Station and if you go east, the area called AZABU.
Both areas are one of the better area in Tokyo as the residential although it is quite expensive.
There are many temples around the area as well as emperor's family residence called Takamatsunomiya( 5 minutes from the hotel).
I stayed at the hotel and looked for finding my second house(condominium) around the area.
If it is new, 1BR condo with the size of 500sq(very small) is about $600,000 and 2BR(still 700sq) is about $700,000-800,000 parking not included.
Parking costs another $400 per month.

I think I had better stay at Sheraton Miyako for a while.

abraxis

I like hotels in residential neighborhoods. If you want to get a flavor of a town, wander around. The Miyako is definitely in a neighborhood (even though it's high rent). Near the subway stop there's a 24 hour grocery store, a Book-Off with a cafe and a gym on the way down the hill to the hotel. There's even a Toyota store next door if you want to bring home something else besides the usual omiyage ().

I cashed in a Free Night award from the APAC MC stay two, get one night free promotion. The awards expire on 31 Jan so this was a good opportunity to try this hotel. Getting here was easy, though the neighborhood map in front of the Subway station entrance has the hotel as a Radisson. Check in was very friendly and professional. They informed me of the Y2400 breakfast buffet as I'm a general member and have no status of any kind with SPG other than my Corp Preferred membership. I got a corner room at the end of the hotel on the 6th floor overlooking the street and the front of the hotel. It looks like a remodeled room and smells nothing like cigarettes. The bathrooms belie the vintage of the hotel, being old school 1960s.

And speaking of the 1960s style of the lobby...LUURVE IT! It's clean and functional and I expect Don Draper (or maybe James Bond) to come out of the lift with suit and hat on. Dark wood and skinny typefaces. NICE!! Very Mad Men, except this place seems like it was made back then.

Much has been said about the out of the way location of this hotel. For some, this is a bad thing because it's not convenient. I like it because you don't necessarily have trains going by every few minutes and that it's a neighborhood where people live and have laundromats and everything. Then again, I'm a big fan of Shitamachi (Yanaka) so that's where my priorities are.

Next visit to Tokyo, I will try to stay here again.

Life_Platinum

I just returned from another stay at this hotel and again my expectations were exceeded. Many others have pointed out the shortcomings of the hotel (no suites available) but I have been fortunate to find myself upgraded into one of their larger premier rooms on one of the SPG floors. Some have found these rooms small, but when my daughter, her husband, and 15 month old daugher joined us for 4 nights a couple of months ago, the crib for the baby easily fit into the room.
I've tried breakfast using vouchers I received as a Platinum at both locations on the lobby floor, and liked the buffet better than the coffee shop at the front of the hotel. Because there is no SPG lounge, we tried the limited menu of complimentary cocktails in the lobby after 5 PM, and did not come up with one that we preferred (boy I would have loved a martini).

Others have commented on the shuttle bus that runs at 15 minute intervals back and forth to Shinagawa station until 10 AM and then runs to Meguro station thereafter. We took the bus numerous times, and found it followed the same schedule: one minute before departure the driver turns on the engine, and exactly when the clock clicks to the departure time, he pushes the clutch in, and off the bus goes. We have never found it to be even 1 minute late.

On my last stay, I emailed the hotel about wanting to take the JR to the Sawanoi sake factory on the outskirts of Tokyo. Ms. Ai Uchida, the concierge, emailed me back with a tour she had put together, including the times I needed to be at each of the JR transfer stations to make the next train with little delay. She also called Ozawa Shuzo Brewery, the group that makes Sawanoi, and had me scheduled to take the free sake tour at 1 PM with a tasting afterwards. Needless to say, I tarried a bit too long in bed, leaving one train later, and missing a key connection at Ome where I had to wait for 34 minutes for the final connection to the brewery. The tour of the brewery was a fantastic day, as I spent a couple hours on the grounds overlooking the river, and enjoying a number of different sakes. Kudos to Ai Uchida for the hard work she invested to make my trip enjoyable. I suspect she was the concierge a couple of posters mentioned for her suggestions and thoroughness. Because of my request, Ai Uchida and her colleagues have developed a tab in their reference book on how to get to Sawanoi and some articles on the brewery. Those of you seeking to repeat my trip will be pleasantly surprised if you do spend your day with a large number of locals enjoying a scenic site on the outskirts of N.W. Tokyo two minutes down the hill from the Sawa JR station.

Others have mentioned the sushi bar at Meguro station. We tried two sushi bars based on the conceriege's recommendations and we decided that Katumidori was far better of the two. It is across the main street from the Sheraton bus stop on the ground floor, at the left rear of the building. On my last visit, I waited almost an hour to get in, as it was a Sunday night.

My wife and I will stay at this hotel again in May and look forward to another fine visit from the staff. We know we will be in good hands when we ask Ai Uchida for suggestions on where to go for food, drink, or the sights. I think it is a better alternative to the Westin Ebisu, as I don't like the long walk from the JR Ebisu station to the hotel.

yosithezet

I stayed at this property about a year ago and she helped me get tickets for a Clapton/Beck concert at Saitama Super Arena. She made the reservation over the phone and explained to me how to go about paying for the tickets. Quite helpful. ^^

ChiCityJetsetter

I'm checking into the Sheraton Miyako Tokyo this Wednesday for 10 days...it's my first trip to Japan and I'm pretty excited!!

From my understanding, Platinum SPG gets me free internet and breakfast for 2. Anything else I should be excited about at the Sheraton? Other than the fact that I got 10 free nights for 70,000 SPG points!

What are my chances of getting upgraded to a suite? Should I call my personal concierge to improve my chances?

Tak

I have stayed a dozen time(most are paid stay) and never be upgraded to suite (even 1 or 2 day stay each time).
From my experiece, it is highly unlikely you will get a suite, especially if you stay for 10 days.

As the platinum, you will get breakfast/ free internet and coupons for drinks at lobby lounge.

LAXNRT

You also get to use the gym for free and they have a nice large pool. Drinks at the lobby lounge are nice with a nice view of the garden and choice of free liquor or coffee.

pelapela

I was once told by a hotel front desk staff that there are only two giant suites and no standard suite in this property. So, no suite upgrade for P member. But you'll all get upgraded to premier rooms even if you booked two or three rooms. Anyway, this is great property and I value it much better than the Cat-6 Westin Tokyo which does not even have a pool. Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay is also a very nice choice for visiting Tokyo. It is not really that far from Tokyo. It takes about 25min from JR Maihama St. to the center of tokyo. In this property, you'll get nice suite upgrade, free access to the pool, very nice free breakfast at the cafe, molton brown bath amenities, a set of shishedo amenities, access to the club lounge, and free admission to the sauna.

snarkleupagus

I didn't get a suite neither, though I was a Plat. Still, I enjoyed my visit, and the neighbourhood is quiet. The bus service between Meguro Station and the hotel was very convenient, for the JR Yamanote line.

Let us know what the options are for the Platinum Amenity. I chose a pair of chopsticks instead of the 500 Starpoints, and while the chopsticks are okay, I wonder if I should have chosen a different amenity.

Starwood Lurker II

Standard suite at this property is the executive suite:

62sqm,1 Area Suite,203cm X 193cm Luxury Bed(stearns&foster),glass Walled Bath W/japanese Cypress Bathtub & Rain Shower

(What is a Japaness Cypress Bathtub????)

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Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
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jimmychang

I guess that would be something like this. ^

pelapela

So, they do have standard suite in this property. OK, I guess, Sheraton Miyako do not really upgrade platinum member to a suite then?

By the way, a Japanese Cypress Bathtub is a Bathtub made of Cypress woods. Well, this kind of bathtub is suppose to release phytoncid while you bath in it. I Guess!?

ChiCityJetsetter

How can I improve my chances of getting upgraded to this executive suite? I'm checking in on Wednesday for 10 days. I don't really like the reason of not being upgraded because "your stay is too long." Isn't that even more of a reason to upgrade your Platinum customers"

Heck, I'd even be willing to switch rooms halfway through it they aren't willing to give me the suite for the entire stay.

werldporks

I've stayed at this hotel a lot. always as SPG platinum and never came close to getting a suite. in fact I've never even heard of anyone have a suite upgrade.
I live in Toyko (and quite nearby) and most of the times I've "stayed" there I've actually not stayed overnight. Just used the fitness facilities, and enjoyed the complimentary drinks and breakfast. I've often intended to stay overnight but been driven out by the noise
this is a very old buiding and if there's anyone in the room above you you'll know about about it - believe me