To finish our stay in Japan, I booked our last stop at the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo, located in the Roppongi district.
A look back at our itinerary:
| # | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flight | Lufthansa Business, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle – Frankfurt, Airbus A321-100 (not reviewed) – Upgrade at the gate |
| 2 | Flight | Lufthansa Business, Frankfurt – Tokyo Haneda, Boeing 747-800i (not reviewed) |
| 3 | Hotel | Prince Gallery Tokyo, a Luxury Collection Hotel (not reviewed report by Bertrand here) |
| 4 | Hotel | The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto |
| 5 | Hotel | Sheraton Grand Hiroshima |
| 6 | Hotel | ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama |
| 7 | Hotel | The Ritz Carlton Tokyo |
| 8 | Flight | Asiana Economy, Tokyo Haneda – Seoul Incheon, Airbus A321-100 (not reviewed) |
| 9 | Flight | Lufthansa Business, Seoul Incheon – Frankfurt, Boeing 747-400 (not reviewed) – Upgrade at the gate |
| 10 | Hotel | Moxy Frankfurt Airport |
| 11 | Flight | Lufthansa Economy, Frankfurt – Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Airbus A320-100 (not reviewed) |
Booking
I booked this hotel shortly before our stay in Tokyo. Indeed, we were originally supposed to stay at the Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho for this leg. But due to a personal event, I had to book this more luxurious hotel to host this important event.
I did not hesitate very long before making this change. Even if the prices were very high, I had no more points to use, and I was able to benefit from an excellent corporate rate, 63,000 yen nevertheless, but half the public rate.
Arrival
We arrive in Tokyo by Shinkansen from Okayama, and our stay at the ANA Crowne Plaza Okayama was a disaster.
During the journey, I realise that I have been upgraded to a Deluxe room with a view of the Tokyo Tower.
I asked if a suite would be available at my Ambassador, but she told me that it was only possible if I paid extra, which was strange considering my status… Especially since many rooms are available, almost all categories. So, no time to fight in these circumstances.
From Tokyo Central Station, we take the metro to Roppongi, the station serving the Ritz-Carlton. As we arrived near the hotel building, my wife began to realise that we were not going to the Moxy.
The pedestrian access is not very well marked, but we nevertheless find the entrance to the hotel. The corridors are empty, and we reach the lifts that will take us to the reception.
The reception is a bit crowded with a customer who obviously disputes his bill and takes out a lot of notes and coins to pay. A little strange but, according to the receptionist, “classic” for Middle Eastern customers.
After a few minutes, our check-in is done, and we are given our room card. At The Ritz-Carlton, Platinum benefits and above are limited, which means no welcome gift. Breakfast will therefore be at our expense.
After a few moments we reach our room.
Room
We go to our room located on one of the highest floors of the property.
It is not a suite, but it is very spacious. To the left of the entrance is a very nice sized bathroom. The toilets are separated by a door with smoked glass.
A bathtub and a shower are installed. The toiletries are from Aspen (and are of excellent quality, as always), and the towels are very comfortable.
The room itself is very spacious. On the left is a desk, with all the necessary connectivity.
Further forward is the king size bed, which is a very nice size.
Opposite the window and the beautiful view are two armchairs and a small table, on which a welcome gift has been placed for us.
Opposite the bed is a good-sized television set.
For this event, the hotel really rose to the occasion, as I was able to propose to my wife with all the elements requested: thanks to the staff!
To finish, here is the virtual visit in video:
Hotel facilities
The hotel has a fitness room, which I will not use during my stay.
However, we will be using the property’s pool and spa, located just above reception, several times. For Ambassador members, access to the pool and spa is free.
The pool is of half-Olympic size. The lifeguard puts us on two sunbeds and brings us two bottles of fresh water. The pool is organised into water lines, some of which are reserved for Platinum members!
The jacuzzi will be very pleasant, with a beautiful view of the city.
The spa is completely separate for men and women. The changing rooms are very large, and the showers are nice. As usual in Japan, the whole area is naturist, so you have to be very comfortable with your body.
We will have a good time after a busy day of sightseeing.
Food options
The property has several restaurants within its walls. We will have dinner on the first night at the Azure 45, and a room service breakfast the next day.
Dinner at the Azure 45 restaurant
I had booked the Azure 45 restaurant for dinner, as I had planned to propose at dessert time. Everything was well checked-in on arrival, including my request for a table with the best possible view, in this case of the Tokyo Tower.
I booked a gourmet tasting menu in this Michelin-starred restaurant. Everything was perfect, the service absolutely sublime.
At the time I started, the two waiters had planned everything to make this moment an exceptional interlude. And she said yes!
I will never forget that dinner!
Room service breakfast
To recover from our emotions, we decided to treat ourselves to a room service breakfast the next day.
Breakfast was brought to us on time and was excellent (except perhaps the overcooked eggs). And what could be better than having breakfast with this magnificent view?
Departure
The departure formalities will be simple. The evening before, I will go to the reception to get rid of my last yens, which will speed up the departure formalities the next day, as we have to leave the hotel around 4:30 am.
Check-out in the morning will take less than 2 minutes.
Bottom line
An excellent stay, with exceptional service. Very expensive though, the value for money is not exceptional. But we’ll be back, not only for the view but also because this hotel will always have a special meaning.
