Checked in to the Strings for one night yesterday (we'll be returning in a few days) and can't begin to say how happy I am with our room here.

We were given a Panoramic deluxe room facing West/North West (rm 11) and the view is incredible. Alas, the days haven't been clear (so no Mt Fuji) but Tokyo itself looks magnificent from up here.

Bathroom is fantastic, furnishings are lovely, bed is great. All in all, it's the nicest hotel I've personally ever stayed in (and thanks to this deal, one of the cheapest). They've even given us a 4pm check out.

I've actually wanted to stay here for a few years, it's surpassed my own expectations and I'm thrilled to bits to have been given the chance.

Couldn't be more delighted. I hope others enjoy their stay here as much as we have - perfect place to get over initial jet lag and recuperate after a long journey.

Glad you've not been let down by this property, given the discussion elsewhere on FT about this property. Hope they do as well by me later this month. (I was told that buildings obscure Mt. Fuji, but I'd certainly like to have been mislead on that one...)

And in two weeks time, I'll be doing the same thing in a cheap business hotel with a single bed, overlooking beautiful shin-osaka station. <sigh>

Glad you are enjoying your stay.

JR

I'm sure you'll love it here, Shareholder.

I can't see further than Shinjuku today so I can't tell - there is a tall white building that might obscure a view of Fuji san, but if that's the building blocking the view, there should be another part of the hotel that could still see it.

The best views of Tokyo would be on the North West side of the hotel. This would give you views from Marunouchi in the North, sweeping across Roppongi, to Shinjuku and a little more to the South. This means rooms 17 to 11 (12 would be great as it's a true corner room) offer the best views of the city. 14 & 15 are the biggest rooms as they are all on a curve, 11 is wide rather than long with more windows - 18 is probably a single room and significantly smaller.

Top tip after a long journey is to use the steam room (atrium level). There's a 'full body shower' there with 5 heads and another 'free hand' powerful shower head, making 6 in total. Bring down your Elemis products if you prefer them to the Kanebo ones. Those with tattoos and skin diseases are requested not to use the steam room, but if you have a tattoo and choose a quiet time so that you're alone there (like I was) I'm sure it would be no problem.

They have some pottery sake cups in the fridge which are kept cold. I've just used the steam room and am relaxing with some cold tea- the clay mugs are perfect for this too.

I can't think of a better place for a rail buff. The sound of the trains is noticeable on this side of the hotel, but not excessive. Does seem a lot quieter after midnight, neither of us was bothered at all by the noise last night. Shinagawa station has been a real highlight of the Tokyo view - I guess Shin-Osaka station would be beautiful to some.

The things to do page in the Strings Hotel directory even suggests a 'Shinagawa Public Bath Tour' - so it's not just me

Cool! MrLapLap has just returned with a prawn fry maisen sandwich and a creme caramel mochicream. I had some mochicream last night, the creme caramel one in particular was soooo good. Thanks to Derpelikan for the tip.

Great info, LapLap, thanks!! I'm looking forward to a stay at Strings early in 2008 (too late for the 5k special, unfortunately).

Any comments on the immediate neighborhood?

I've got to know the Shinogawa area relatively well as I've chosen to stay here (at nearby hotels rather than the Strings) on several occasions. Main reason is the ease of transport elsewhere rather than because of any love for the immediate vicinity.

I posted some maps earlier on in this thread - if you press on one and select the satellite view you can see how the high rises quickly become a downtown area full of modest residences a little to the South East.

One floor down from the hotel in the immediate vicinity - on the Konan side of the station - there are plenty of izakayas (drink and food bars) to catch people who work nearby (and of these there are a considerable number) on their way home. There are a handful of small restaurants too. We went to a place serving Korean food just after 11pm last night and felt all the better for it. But the place is more of a transitory area which people use to get from and to wherever they are going. There's more going on before 10pm as there are a wealth of shops and eateries to cater to them all and tempting them to dawdle and spend some time there - which works. Place has a buzz all of its own.

For non-izakaya based post 11pm nightlife, you'll need to go elsewhere. But there are plenty of options within a 2,000yen taxi ride away.

We're currently slumming it at the Sheraton Miyako and will be here for 3 nights. We'll return to the Strings for a longer stay afterwards. If you have any specific questions about Strings/the Shinagawa area I'll be delighted to help.

Are you sure they just want to discourage those steam room meetings of the yakusa we see so often in movies about gangsters? But thanks for the tips otherwise...

Arrived Thursday by NEX transfer at Tokyo to regular express across the same platform for two stops to Shinagawa Station. Very easy though signs to hotel do not appear until you have left the station at the ARTE exit. As described this is a very nice, boutique style hotel on the top floors of an office tower. Quiet ambiance. No upgrade on this "rate" but nice room overlooking Tokyo Tower and RR station. Enough space for one and even two people. Easy access to tourist sites via JR and then subways. Buy a SUICA card for ease of connections between JR and metros. Best deal is the aforementioned NEX/SUICA combo for Y3,500, Y1,500 for the NEX, Y1,500 worth of local transit credit, Y500 deposit refundable if you turn in the card. (Purchase at JR office, NRT terminals.) Can be topped off with cash to increase value while riding local trains. Also useable on Yokohama transit systems so very flexible for my itinerary of two days in Tokyo, three days in Yokohama. Strings a very good deal at a mere 5K PC points per night, but still treated nicely, received Ambassador benefits of water and "fruit plate" which in this case was a small cup of seasonal blue berries and pineapple cubes. Also received gift of a thermocup featuring classic Japanese painting design of a countryside scene. (No foot massager in my basic room, had to do my own last night after a full day of walking...but the Elemis skin lotion was a nice massage lotion!

That was my favourite out of the four sides for views.

I believe that Ambs and especially RAs are in the running for a minor upgrade as long as their stays don't coincide with the weekend (Fri & Sat in particular).

If your stay does clash with the weekend and you have a preference for a Tokyo Tower view (facing North West) it's worth requesting this in advance - the hotel gets rammed solid at the weekend (yet remains calm and serene) due to its popularity as a wedding venue.

If you prefer to see Tokyo Bay (or want somewhere quieter facing away from Shinagawa station) it can be seen from rooms facing South West - but only if you are on one of the very top floors. Not the most private of the hotel's sides, especially if you're on a lower floor.

If you fancy your chances of seeing Fuji (not visible once during the 2 weeks I was in Tokyo) then you can request to see it from the rooms facing South East which they call the Fuji view. Don't count on it though.

Rooms with a view of the Rainbow bridge are part of the Club side - it's unlikely you'll get one of these with this promotion.

Shareholder - did your fruit come in a cup or a vulva (IC logo) shaped platter? They seemed to switch to the platter whilst we were there - which yielded a couple more chunks of pineapple and blueberries.

The cups come with a couple of designs - even the Japanese themed one has a couple of bears snuck into the scene. Mine now has some washi paper in it and MrLapLap's has something I drew for him. We gave the third one to MrLapLap's father - those cups cost about 1,500yen each at Japanese Starbucks.

Budget dinner option:
Have you found the half price Bento boxes at Queens Isetan yet? (as you enter the station complex from the hotel you'll see an elevator on your right and Queens Isetan is on the second floor) By 9/9:15pm what's left is reduced by at least 50%. We got most of our dinners and our breakfasts there (The Queens Isetan at Shirokane Takanawa station had the same deal for those staying at the Sheraton Miyako).

My blueberry/pineapple "delight" came in a small cup (demitasse size). And my, I must say that I have never thought of the IC logo in the term you've described it! Judy Chicago's plates were furthest from my mind...

With regards to the room location, my res did show City View shortly after booking (I am sure that was not an option displayed on the Award Room choice menu), so while they may not upgrade Ambassadors by room category, it is likely we still get a better view pre-assigned...assuming this would be considered the better view, which I did.

My coffee cup gift did have a second insert sheet, the one featuring a collectin of teddy bears. Still don't know what their connection is with the Strings. And now that you mention it, I do see a teddy bear marching up the street behind a samurai in the classic floating world print I am using with the cup.

Got back too early for the deep discount, but did pick up a nice selection of sushi for about Y1100 at one of the stands in the lower level food market. (Wondered if I had seen the same fish toppings very early that morning as I meandered about the Tsijuki Market.) But did explore the upper level at Isetan Queens on Saturday before heading off to explore the curiosities of Harijuku and Shibuya, including the Tobacco and Salt museum (which happened to be free that day).

There's another furry fella in one of the boats.

All guests who stay in the Strings Club rooms are given a complimentary teddy bear - they change them periodically, so come in special editions. It was a scheme introduced by ANA.

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For late evening, decently priced good food near the hotel - with an array of drinks - we liked this place:

Wakanashi - わかなし (geddit?) MAP
You'll probably need to ask for the hot pepper sauce as it isn't on the tables - ask for 'kotsujan' (sp?)

Many Japanese people say "Kochijan" (some products in Japan have this label) but I believe that the "proper" Japanese name for this condiment is "Kochujan" (コチュジャン).

The original Korean word 고추장, might be "Kochujang" or "Gochujang" in English.

However, when I hear Koreans speaking, they seem to hit a sound that falls between "ch" and "ts" sounds. So it could easily sound like "Kotsujan" (*)

(*) Hence the question "What's 4 X 22?" that street thugs used at roadblocks to identify Koreans after the Kanto earthquake in 1923.
(Answer = "Hachiju-hachi" which gave away many Koreans whose Japanese was otherwise undistinguishable from native Japanese speakers). Perhaps they'll employ this shibboleth to sort us into the appropriate lines at NRT from November 22.