It has been seven years since I last stayed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo and thus I looked forward to refreshing my previous review. I hate to be anticlimactic, but very little has changed. It’s still a great hotel. It’s still showing its age, in a good way.
After arriving in Tokyo Narita on Malaysia Airlines, I took the JR train to Shinjiku station. From there, it was a 10-minute walk to the hotel. It was still early…only about 10am…thus I was not expecting a suite upgrade and not even sure I’d be able to get a room.
The hotel is an office building: the entrance to the hotel is in the rear of the building and not particularly well-marked if entering from the other side.
A hotel representative will greet you on the ground level and escort you to the elevator, which you can take up to the 41st floor lobby.
A jester or angel watches over you inside the elevator…
You’ll come out of the elevator in a large atrium, called the Peak Lounge, which services drinks, sweets, and afternoon tea.
Turn right from the elevator, then another right, down the hall past Girandole restaurant, and take a left at the library.
Finally, turn right and you will have reached the check-in area. If you’ve ever watched Lost In Translation, you don’t even need my pictures….
Let me also note here that this is a very expensive hotel…over $700/night for a base room. Unsurprisingly, I used 30,000 World of Hyatt points instead (this is a Category 7 property).
Park Hyatt Tokyo Service
Service truly shines at this hotel. The hotel staff is incredibly accommodating, gracious, and polished. Like I said, it was only 10am and our room (Park Suite King) wasn’t ready. The hotel was running full and we were offered either a standard room or a smoking corner room until the late afternoon when the suite was ready. I appreciated the choice and that the hotel tried to upgrade me prior to the suite upgrade.
Since I reviewed a standard room last time, I chose the corner room, despite the smoking. But even these two rooms were not quite ready: we had to wait about an hour. That gave the hotel the chance to shine again.
We had already eaten breakfast on the plane and John wanted lunch…immediately. Small problem: both New York Grill and Girandole did not start lunch until 11:30a. It was even too early for room service lunch. So John asked if the kitchen could serve lunch early. New York Grill (which has a lunch buffet), said no, but Girandole was happy to accommodate. That’s excellent service. More on our lunch in the dining portion of the review below.
Staff were gracious throughout the stay. We had a meeting in Girandole our second day during breakfast and were joined by a Japanese colleague. He only wanted iced coffee. My Globalist breakfast benefit allows breakfast for two people, so technically I was on the hook for his $10 coffee. But rather than give me a bill, the restaurant thanked me for being a Globalist member and said the coffee was on them. I appreciate that so much…it’s not about the $10…it’s about not nickel-and-diming. Japanese hospitality is among the best in the world.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Guest Room (Corner)
After lunch, we were escorted to our room, a corner room with superb views of the city. Absent the ashtrays, I would never have even known this was a smoking room. It smelled just as fresh as a non-smoking room. We were just in for a few hours: it served as a great place to work and take an afternoon nap.
The room included a king-size bed, bar with Nespresso machine, desk, and chair. Nightstands beside each side of the bed provided lighting and a power outlet.
Some “Kyo-asme” Japanese candy from Kyoto was sitting on an end table:
Great views from the room:
The minibar contained a healthy selection of adult beverages:
The bathroom included a bathtub with a great view, Toto toilet with bidet and heated seat, small (non-rain head) shower, and fairly spacious closet.
Amenities were also present next to the sink:
Park Hyatt Tokyo Dining
As I mentioned above, we had a nice lunch in Girandole while waiting for our room. You’ll need to go upstairs to New York Grill if you want a fine cut of Kobe beef, but I enjoyed a delicious beef tenderloin with au gratin potatoes and a salad. Excellent beef, though the sauce was totally unnecessary. My fault for not specifying to leave it on the side. Good beef never needs anything more than salt and pepper. Cold towels were offered at two points during the meal. The bread was also very tasty.
We also had breakfast in Girandole the next morning. The hotel has a nice buffet with Japanese and Western items (pictured below), but I just ordered off the menu.
The a la care menu includes just about everything you can get in the buffet, plus additional items like fresh berries, which I love with breakfast. I enjoyed a glass of orange juice, strawberry smoothie, and cappuccino to start, followed by the berries, an omelet, and finally French Toast.
We took a look at New York Grill on the 52nd floor, pictured below, but opted to eat outside the hotel in the evening. I dined here last time and enjoyed the ambiance and food.
A Japanese restaurant called Kozue and a delicatessen and pastry boutique on the ground floor are available. 24/7 room service too, of course.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Happy Hour for Globalists
As a generous added bonus for Globalist members of the World of Hyatt program, the hotel offers a daily complimentary happy hour in the Peak Bar. The menu below, plus canapés, are complimentary.
We held a meeting there and were not even given a bill to sign. The bellinis (Proseco and peach purée) are excellent!
Park Hyatt Tokyo Spa
After our meeting the second day, I had a few hours before we had to return to the airport and took advantage of the hotel’s spa. The locker room is huge and provides not only lockers, but a comfortable lounge area and grooming stations.
Inside the spa, the marble is dated in one sense, but I do not think it will ever go out of style. I loved the choice of saunas (one about 20ºC warmer than the other), steam bath, and plunge pool. I wasn’t sure if this large facility was co-ed or male only (it was between the male and female locker rooms, so I assume co-ed), but I had it to myself the entire time…
Park Hyatt Tokyo Fitness Center + Pool
I also had time for a workout and swim. The indoor swimming pool is nicely heated.
On either side of the pool are fitness areas, one side focusing on cardiovascular equipment and the other on strength training.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Dated?
My business partner John did not really like the hotel, especially the commons areas. He complained that it looked dated. And I do agree that it looks dated…there is no doubt about it. That light-green motif in the hallways and lobby has probably seen better days. Yet I like it…and wouldn’t change it. What are they going to replace it with? Something more minimalist that will go out of style in a few years? The hotel is very-well maintained and even if the light green carpets and marble are so mid-90’s, I approve.
CONCLUSION
To be honest, I had wanted to try the Andaz in Tokyo, but John insisted upon the Park Hyatt Tokyo. Even though he was disappointed, I’m glad he insisted because I enjoyed returning to this property. Bottom line, it remains a great hotel in the heart of Tokyo and an aspirational property you can book using points.
I’ll post a review of my suite upgrade tomorrow.
The Happy Hour is not very good anymore, it was much better. At the New York Bar Happy Hour they had champagne and a better wine selection. This Happy Hour is in relation to the hotel price not very generous.
I thank you for the detailed photo tour. I guess when John asked for lunch at breakfast time, it would have been too much of a hassle for the front desk to obtain delivery from an award winning restaurant.
Had a two-night stay there in October, ’15. Indeed, great service. The Girandole breakfast spread is the tops. The let us do the buffet (which is wonderful), and also order from the menu. Happy hour drinks at the Peak Bar are great. The New York bar is great for drinks and the fabulous views, but the food up there is overpriced and pretty meh. Also, very heavy on the smoking the night we were up there.
I love the hotel and I will stay there again.
The fit & finishes are indeed a bit dated, but classy – which never goes out of style. I do wish they’d update the in-room bathrooms, though. Shower stall is too small – bordering on claustrophobic for me.
Love the PH hotel, love the service. But they did still nickel & dime us. As an example: We came back with many souvenirs from that trip. PH Tokyo charged $15 for a cardboard shipping box. By way of comparison, both the HR Kyoto and the GH Tokyo took very good care of us – exact same boxes (along with several rolls of strong packing tape) were comp.
Honorable mention also goes to the HR Tokyo for their service and hospitality.
Wasn’t it the Grand Hyatt in Lost in Translation?
Looks like a great hotel but perhaps not on the same level as the Park Hyatt Sydney or other top PH properties?
Nope, Park Hyatt. I recommend the gentleman check out that movie, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.
The exterior shots were the Hyatt Regency in shinjuku. It has a really exterior. All the interior shots were the Park Hyatt
One of the most comfortable beds ever stayed in at a hotel. Also agree excellent service. I do think it could use a bit of an upgrade to decor
it doesn’t look dated… its minimal style will never get dated. probably only some sofa and armchair have to be changed.
“Prosecco” is the correct name of the wine.
The spas are not unisex. The exterior shots from Lost in Translation were of the Park Hyatt, not the Regency. I don’t believe any part of the movie was shot at the Regency.
I stayed at the hotel a couple months ago. A local friend came to meet us at the happy hour and I was charged for his part (he was not a guest and was the third in the group).
Then that is an incredible spa for males. Is the female spa just as large?