Hotel Review: Ritz-Carlton Tokyo

Trip Index:

Introduction
Getting There – JAL First Class
Hotel Review: Ritz-Carlton Tokyo
Guide to Tsukiji Fish Market
Room Service Review: Ritz-Carlton Tokyo
Day in Tokyo
Shinkansen Bullet Train
Hotel Review: Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Tea at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Day 1 in Kyoto
Day 2 in Kyoto
Room Service Review: Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Getting to Hiroshima
Hotel Review: Sheraton Hiroshima
Day trip to Miyajima
Day in Hiroshima
St. Regis Osaka
Day in Osaka

The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo holds the honor of being located on the top nine floors of the Midtown Tower in Roppongi, which is Tokyo’s 2nd tallest building and Japan’s 6th tallest. This means the hotel guest rooms have stunning views of the sights and lights below.

Arriving on the ground floor of the hotel I was greeted by a member of the staff that asked my name. I was escorted into the elevator and whisked up to the 44th floor where reception was.

After a warm welcome we were shown to the room which was on the 49th floor. The hostess showed us the closet area for luggage storage and gave a quick tour.

A coffeemaker on the entryway table held a card with instructions for use, and the tea maker stood at the ready. I noted how everything had been lined up just so, giving it a clean look.

There was a drawer of snacks and a minibar chock full of bottled drinks.

Just across from the coffee and tea area was the bathroom. It was in the shape of an Octagon, which turned out to be a good set up.

As a thoughtful touch, mats had already been carefully laid out on the floor, right at the entrance to the shower, in front of the sinks and next to the tub.

One of the rooms in the Octagon held a Toto toilet, which had all of the cool features you could hope for along with an automated flush.

The shower had both an overhead rain shower and a handheld.

My travel toothbrush had seen better days, so I was pleased to find a brand new one in a drawer of amenities. There were in fact two full drawers of amenities, one by each sink.

Even though I didn’t turn it on, a small TV was positioned in the corner so the screen could be viewed from the bathtub or while getting ready.

For being a Tower Deluxe room (a step up from the lowest category) the hotel room felt quite large and had two seating areas – one by the window to enjoy the view and the other at the desk. Looking at the website I realized that all the standard rooms are a well-designed 560 square feet, while the suites start at 861.

The desk had several outlets which came in handy for charging electronic devices.

I opened up the suitcase in one of the two closets to unpack, and there was plenty of space to leave them open in there when done and close the door.

It was nice to have two large closets, since most hotels just give you one small one.

A welcome amenity of an apple, pear and a persimmon had been set up on the table by the window.

I love Japanese hospitality, and wondered if someone had actually measured the distance between each of the fruits, the silverware and dishes or if they had just been really really good at placing them so nicely.

The bedside table had lighting controls that were clearly marked, making the task of figuring out which button controlled which lights much easier. A bottle of water and a turn-down chocolate were waiting on each the nightstands.

Wow, what a view. It was stunning with a prime vantage point of the “Eiffel Tower” of Tokyo, otherwise known as the Tokyo Tower.

Even though the view was gorgeous, I wanted to close the drapes so that when I woke up in the morning I wouldn’t get hit with bright light.

The button on the bed side panel for the drapes was easy to use. One tap of the Close button under the drapery signage, and heavy drapes descended from the ceiling offering complete darkness. There was a small green light emanating from somewhere on the bedside table, so I covered it with a drink coaster and went to sleep.

There were four pillows on the bed. The two larger were too solidly stuffed for my taste, but the two smaller ones were softer feather pillows. Being extremely tired, I accidentally slept on one of the larger synthetic ones by mistake and only figured out in the morning that there had been soft feather pillows! Oops.

Breakfast was served down on the 44th floor, just past the reception area. I was led from the main dining area to a second room sectioned off by a screen, and given a table all the way at the end next to the window. Perfect location.

An attendant quietly leaned down and also offered a small stool to hold my purse, a nicety that the reception area also had. What a really cool idea, and I wouldn’t mind seeing that in more hotels and restaurants.

My husband asked for a menu as we weren’t automatically given one, but after looking at the prices we realized that the buffet was the way to go and decided on that.

The first station I came to offered eggs cooked in the style of your liking. Just to the right there were poached eggs with a sauce, tomatoes, potatoes, bacon, broccoli and mushrooms.

Mango and plain yogurts.

Bowls of fresh fruit.

Carafes held cereals and granola, and small containers held nuts and fruit.

There were platters of meat, fish and cheese.

A table held all the ingredients for Endive salad.

There were plenty of pastries, but I only found pre-sliced white bread and didn’t see any other types. We had come near the end of breakfast though so it was possible they were just out.

Ah, breakfast with a stunning view.

The smaller breakfast room was quiet, and every time my tea or juice got low it was quickly topped off by a waiter.

After breakfast I took the elevator up to the 45th floor to see the pool. There was a spa reception area just off the elevator, and straight ahead I could see the pool. The lane closest to the door was reserved for Members, and there was a separate lounge for members as well.

Down the hall to the right was the fitness room. Walking in, a member of the staff was excited to show me the blood pressure cuff and insisted I give it a try. I declined politely a few times, but upon his eager insistence to show me the machine I obliged. I stifled a laugh as he solemnly declared me healthy and fit, and then made my way out of the fitness room and then back up to the room to pack.

After checking out, I passed some bowls with complimentary mints and lemon drops. There was also menu nearby with the afternoon’s tea service offering.

I took the elevator down to the ground floor, and the parking attendant summoned a taxi with the flick of a wrist.

The room I had at this hotel was larger and much nicer than I expected for a basic room. Service was warm, friendly and efficient.

What struck me most about the room was that in a busy city of millions, the room was completely silent. I never heard so much as a door closing from another room, which I loved. The view was pretty phenomenal too.

Ritz-Carlton Tokyo

Tier 5 property. 70,000 Ritz-Carlton Rewards points for a free night.

Next up: Guide to Tsukiji Fish Market