Assessment: Westin Tokyo | Prince of Journey

Previous to heading as much as Hokkaido for a ski journey, my mates flew in from Calgary and we spent a couple of days in Tokyo as they adjusted to the time distinction. 

After I was contemplating all of the choices out there for us, the Westin Tokyo struck stability between worth, amenities, and entry to the remainder of town. 

Westin Tokyo – Reserving

I managed to attain a beneficial journey agent fee for our keep, which is at all times useful in cities like Tokyo the place lodge costs are typically fairly excessive.

Usually, money charges for the Westin Tokyo vary from ¥30,000 ($300 CAD) on the decrease finish to upwards of ¥100,000 ($1,000 CAD) per evening on the increased finish. Count on to pay round ¥50,000 ($500 CAD) per evening on common, though decrease charges can be found farther prematurely.

In the event you’re seeking to redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors, count on the price to vary from 50,000–74,000 factors per evening, with a mean of round 65,000 factors.

Relying on the money fee, you’re seemingly higher off saving your factors for one more property, because the price in factors is sort of excessive. With our valuation of Marriott Bonvoy factors at 0.9 cents per level (CAD), you’re prone to get mediocre worth at finest for a redemption.

Westin Tokyo – Location

The Westin Tokyo is situated within the Mita district of Meguro Metropolis, simply on the western border of Minato Metropolis.

The lodge is situated in a largely residential space, which is sweet for those who like quiet areas however not nice for those who wish to be within the coronary heart of the motion.

Within the speedy neighborhood of the lodge is the Yebisu Backyard Place, a procuring space with a couple of eating places sprinkled round as properly. 

The Institute for Nature Examine, which options a big botanical backyard, might be reached from the lodge in round quarter-hour by foot.

The world surrounding the closest metro station, Ebisu, has loads of eating places and outlets, and is way more vigorous than the realm across the lodge. It’s a few 10-minute stroll away.

Ebisu station is on the Yamanote Line, which is a round line that gives entry to a lot of Tokyo’s highlights. From the station, you’ll be able to simply entry Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku, in addition to Shinagawa Station, all in lower than quarter-hour.

Tokyo Haneda Airport is round 20 minutes by automotive or 45 minutes by transit through the Yamanote and Keikyū Airport Traces. Tokyo Narita Airport is a little bit of a trek, and it’ll take you round an hour by automotive or round an hour and 45 minutes by prepare.

Westin Tokyo – Verify-in

I’d really dropped off some baggage with the Concierge staff on the Westin Tokyo a couple of days previous to my arrival. I wasn’t eager on bringing my snowboard and suitcase together with me to Osaka for a couple of days, and the lodge was very blissful to retailer my baggage till I got here again.

My mates flew in to Tokyo Narita, and I met them there after a fast flight from Osaka. We made our approach to the lodge by prepare and foot, and so they had been very a lot relieved handy their skis, snowboards, and baggage to the lodge employees as we approached.

The lodge opened in 1994, and is certainly attribute of instances previous. The outside is straightforward to identify from a distance nevertheless it’s not essentially pleasing to the eyes; nevertheless, it will get higher as you head to the grand entrance.

The foyer lounge is grandiose, and was designed to emulate the sensation of a European palace. The house is marked by massive columns, tall ceilings, and a little bit of old-school class.

We made our approach to the check-in desk, which is the place the lodge confirmed the variety of friends within the room and notified me of an additional particular person cost. We’d opted to have a rollaway mattress introduced in, and since we had been splitting the price 3 ways, we had been blissful to pay. 

My Platinum Elite advantages had been acknowledged, and the affiliate knowledgeable us of the lodge’s amenities, together with entry to the Government Lounge.

I made some slight efforts at “suite-talking“, which weren’t fruitful, however I didn’t actually care an excessive amount of this time.

We headed over to the elevators and as much as our room on the fifteenth flooring.

Westin Tokyo – Double Visitor Room

As quickly as we entered the room, we had a little bit of a chuckle at the way it regarded with three beds squished collectively. On the identical time, it’s bigger than different lodge rooms in Tokyo, and we wound up having greater than sufficient house between the three of us.

The room opens as much as a small hallway, with a closet tucked off to the left. Inside, you’ll discover the everyday additional bathrobes, ironing board, and hangers.

Simply previous the closet is the room’s minibar, which got here outfitted with a Nespresso machine, a tea kettle, three bottles of water, and a mini-fridge with drinks for buy. I appreciated that the lodge had proactively offered three of all the pieces prematurely of our keep.

Previous the minibar, the room opens as much as the bed room. The three beds took up many of the house, and the rollaway mattress was squeezed between the opposite two beds.

Reverse from the beds is the flat-screen TV, a DVD participant, a dresser, and a baggage rack. Once we first entered the room, I used to be happy to search out the baggage that I had left with the Concierge a couple of days prior.

There have been additionally three units of Japanese pajamas within the dresser, which we in fact needed to strive on.

Within the nook of the room is a desk, which I used throughout the day when my mates had been out exploring town. The chair was comfy, and it was a pleasant quiet house to work from.

Subsequent to the room’s home windows had been two armchairs, a desk, and a single ottoman. We’d chosen craft beers as a part of the welcome present, which had been introduced up shortly after check-in.

Towards the wall near the armchairs is a make-up desk, mirror, and air air purifier.

The view from our room confronted away from the Tokyo Tower, and we had a view of Meguro Metropolis as a substitute.

Heading again to the doorway, there’s a spacious rest room full with a separate bathtub, walk-in bathe, Japanese rest room, and enormous self-importance. In step with the remainder of the old-school fashion of the room, all the pieces in regards to the rest room introduced me again a couple of a long time.

In the event you respect the allure of carpeted flooring, heavy drapes, picket furnishings, and a reasonably beige wallpaper, you’re certain to be happy on the Westin Tokyo. Whereas the room definitely wasn’t fashionable by any means, at the least there was cohesion all through the bed room, rest room, and the remainder of the lodge, for that matter.

As we had been utilizing the lodge as a base for exploring town, assembly with mates, and resting up, we had all the pieces we wanted in our room. 

Westin Tokyo – Government Lounge

One of many elements that weighed closely in my resolution to e-book this lodge was the presence of an Government Lounge, which I loved entry to with my Platinum Elite standing. Visitors staying on Membership Stage rooms additionally get pleasure from entry.

The lounge is situated on the seventeenth flooring of the lodge, and is open every day from 7am–8pm. There’s a check-in desk with a small foyer, the place lounge employees greet you upon entry and ensure your room quantity.

The lounge faces north, and has loads of pure gentle flowing in by means of an abundance of home windows. On the rightmost facet of the lounge, there’s a good view of the enduring Tokyo Tower, so make sure to snag a seat on this half of the lounge to get pleasure from a view.

In any other case, you’ll be able to select from quite a lot of tables, the perfect of that are situated subsequent to the home windows. The lounge employees shortly made preparations for us as a gaggle of three, since most tables are arrange for pairs.

Breakfast is served within the lounge from 7–10am. We got here by every morning throughout our keep to gasoline up for the day.

Instantly upon coming into, the employees discovered us a pleasant desk, after which took our beverage orders straight away. I appreciated the attentive service we acquired within the Government Lounge on the Westin Tokyo, and it continued each different time we came over.

The breakfast gadgets are unfold out in three totally different areas, and employees additionally come round to take orders for eggs.

On the far finish of the lounge is the recent meals station. Whereas the choice diversified a bit every day, we at all times discovered some dumplings, quiche, spring rolls, steamed veggies, grilled hen, sausages, and bacon.

Alongside the inside wall within the centre of the room was an extended counter with numerous chilly gadgets, together with a modest salad bar, contemporary fruits, rice balls, cheese, and chilly cuts. There’s additionally a pot of oatmeal on this space.

A central island within the lounge performs host to numerous different breakfast gadgets, together with yogurts, pastries, cereals, and buns.

For drinks, the Government Lounge on the Westin Tokyo gives contemporary smoothies, fruit juices, espresso, and tea, in addition to a collection of chilly drinks from a fridge.

I loved coming as much as the lounge for breakfast within the morning, and normally opted for a Japanese-style omelette, a number of smoothies, and a few gadgets from the recent meals part.

After breakfast, the lounge serves as a quiet work space, and also you’ll have a selection of self-serve delicate drinks and cookies at your disposal.

Afternoon tea is hosted within the Government Lounge on the Westin Tokyo from 2–4pm. It was fairly quiet once I popped in for some sweets, however there was a pleasant collection of gadgets out there to snack on.

The night hors d’oeuvres and cocktail service runs from 5–6pm and from 6–7pm in two seatings. That is provided that the lounge is busy, and in any other case, it simply runs as a steady service throughout that point.

We got here up right here to toast my mates’ arrival on the primary evening, after which made certain to seize some snacks and a drink earlier than heading out in town on the opposite nights.

The employees got here by to take drink orders, and there was additionally self-serve beer, wine, and delicate drinks. Moreover, there was a small collection of meals out there, which could possibly be sufficient for a meal for those who weren’t planning on having fun with all the pieces else that Tokyo has to supply.

In truth, we had been having a lot enjoyable that I stored my digicam tucked away.

Westin Tokyo – Eating

The Westin Tokyo has numerous eating venues all through the lodge.

On the principle flooring, you’ll discover The Terrace, which serves buffet meals for breakfast from 7–10:30am, lunch from 11:30am–2pm on weekdays and 12–4pm on weekends, and dinner from 6–10pm on weekdays and 5–10pm on weekends.

You’ll additionally discover The Lounge and The Bar on the principle flooring, open from 12–10pm and 12–11pm, respectively.

On the second flooring of the lodge are two eating places. Mai serves Japanese delicacies for lunch and dinner, and Ryutenmon serves Cantonese delicacies for lunch and dinner. 

On the twenty second flooring of the lodge, you’ll discover Victors, which serves French delicacies for lunch and dinner, Yebisu, a teppanyaki restaurant open for lunch and dinner, and Compass Rose, a “sky lounge” that’s solely open from Thursday–Sunday and on holidays. 

We had been busy having fun with Tokyo’s sights, sounds, and tastes, and didn’t handle to squeeze in a meal at any of the venues this time round.

Westin Tokyo – Different Amenities

For a lodge of its dimension, the Westin Tokyo options comparatively few different amenities for friends. Notably absent is a swimming pool.

Le Spa Parisien is situated on the fourth flooring of the lodge, and it’s open from 10am–7:30pm every day apart from Tuesdays.

The health centre, formally referred to as the Westin Exercise Health Studio, can be situated on the fourth flooring of the lodge. It’s open across the clock, ought to it is advisable to work off your jetlag within the center the evening.

It’s a reasonably well-appointed house, with three totally different rooms complete. One room is a yoga studio, the principle room is host to treadmills, bikes, and elliptical machines, and the third room is a bit smaller, however options weightlifting tools.

I popped in previous to lunch on daily basis, and located the house to be totally appropriate for an honest exercise

Conclusion

The Westin Tokyo is a basic lodge with many eating amenities, a grand entrance and foyer, and an Government Lounge with views of the Tokyo Tower. 

We didn’t spend an entire lot of time within the lodge, as we had been out galavanting throughout town and assembly up with mates for dinner. Our room was completely appropriate for a snug, quiet keep, if not a bit cramped for a gaggle of three grown males.

The Government Lounge is certainly an awesome function on the Westin Tokyo. Make sure to head up within the night for drinks with a view at evening, which you may as well get pleasure from when you eat breakfast the following day.

If you could find a money fee on the decrease finish of the vary, there may be positively some worth to be discovered on the lodge. Nevertheless, given its location, you gained’t be very central to a lot of Tokyo’s foremost attracts, though there’s a metro station comparatively shut by for getting round.