As a blogger, I sometimes seriously get spoilt. In fact, I need to pinch myself on a regular basis, just to make sure that I’m not dreaming. And this was definitely one of those occasions. A month ago, Gary and I returned to Japan for two weeks, because we simply cannot get enough of that country. Again, we spent a full week in Tokyo, but this time tried out a couple of different hotels.
One of them was the Ritz Carlton Tokyo. It was the first time either of us stayed with this prestigious hotel group and I can honestly say that we were both more than impressed by the quality of their service. Although we only stayed at the Ritz Carlton for one night, it very quickly became apparent why their brand has such a loyal following.
I must admit I am usually somewhat reluctant to book a room in a luxury branded hotel, because I worry that they are somewhat generic and that we will lose our sense of place. Turns out my worries were completely unfounded.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
The Ritz Carlton hotel group has some amazing hotels in its portfolio. But their crowning glory has to be the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo. In fact, I would go as far as saying that it is easily one of the best hotels in the world. We were truly spoilt. From check-in to check-out, we could not have asked for more.
The Ritz Carlton in Tokyo occupies the top nine floors as well as the first three levels of the 53-story Midtown Tower, located in the Roppongi District. At 200 metres tall the Midtown Tower is the tallest building in Tokyo, which means that the hotel boasts some of the best views in the city.
To be honest I am usually not a big fan of heights. They make me feel queasy. But I didn’t feel nervous about staying on the 52nd floor in the earthquake-plagued city of Tokyo for even one second. Actually, we couldn’t have been safer since this eight-year-old building is one of only five buildings in Tokyo with state-of-art earthquake technology.
LOCATION OF THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
Location is an important aspect to consider when choosing a hotel. Being centrally located in a city as big as Tokyo isn’t just a nice convenience, it also saves money and time. The Ritz Carlton Hotel is located in the centre of the Tokyo Midtown Development, a collection of six tall modern glass building set amongst lush greenery. This composite urban district is home to a collection of high-end design stores, food outlets, cafes and galleries. Most importantly though it offers access to the subway. One of the best ways to explore the capital of Japan is by subway, so having a stop adjacent to the hotel was extremely convenient.
If like us you are planning to travel to the hotel by public transport (via the Hibuya or Odeo Line), then you will want to get off at Roppongi Station. From there follow the signs towards Tokyo Midtown. You could of course simply get a cab driver to drop you off at the main entrance, but I assure you this will be a lot more expensive.
Roppongi is Tokyo’s entertainment, diplomatic and business district. As such it is not only a very vibrant part of the city, it is also probably the most international. We saw more tourists roaming the streets of Roppongi than anywhere else.
Roppongi is Tokyo’s entertainment, diplomatic and business district. As such it is not only a very vibrant part of the city, it Perhaps this isn’t surprising, as there is so much to do in this area. Indeed, both the Midtown Garden and Hinokicho Park are both located right on the doorstep of the Ritz Carlton. The Suntory Museum of Art is a short stroll away from Tokyo Midtown and both Billboard Live and Fujifilm Square are also in close proximity. I would furthermore suggest you take the time to visit Roppongi Hills, a modern development that is home to the Mori Tower, Mori Art Musuem, TV Asahi Headquarters and the famous sculpture of a spider. And if you’re up for a walk, head towards Omotesando through the back alleys of western Roppongi. A brisk 25-minute stroll will get you all the way to Omotesando Hills.
STYLE AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
The Ritz Carlton Tokyo was renovated from 2014 to 2015 and now features a beautiful interior that happily blends traditional Japanese design with a chic contemporary Western aesthetic.
The brain behind the Ritz Carlton’s new interior is Asia-based design studio Spin, who took inspiration from Tokyo’s glittering skyline. As such the design prominently features horizontal lines with emphasis clearly placed upon the expansive window front, seamlessly merging the interior with the external expanse of the capital.
The design team also incorporated elements of the traditional Japanese Sukiya-style into their design by layering in tatami floors, plain wood pillars and ceilings to create a sophisticated and calming ambience. Traditionally Japanese interiors utilise a lot of natural materials and the Ritz Carlton is no exception. Fine woodwork and stone have been used both in the furnishings and wall panelling, which add a lot of warmth to the space.
In this interior East perfectly meets West, old is placed beautifully next to new and all elements harmonise exquisitely with each other creating a gentle flow throughout the property.
SERVICE AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
In the end what differentiates a luxury hotel from other properties, is the service you receive during your stay. And nowhere did this become more apparent to us than at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo, where service has seriously been taken to the next level. Throughout our stay, the staff set a tone that didn’t just make us feel comfortable, it made us feel extra special. From the receptionist who ‘hailed’ the elevator for us to the waitress in the club lounge, the ability of the staff to see to our every need was impressive.
I celebrated my 28th birthday a couple of days before our stay at the Ritz Carlton and when the staff found out (without me mentioning it) I was surprised with a plate of pralines and a card. That says a lot about the culture at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo and serves as a great example of the pride everyone takes in their work.
CHECK-IN AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
Whether you arrive by car or by public transport you will enter the Midtown Tower through the building’s main reception on the ground floor. Here hotel staff will first check your name and then take the luggage of your hands.
A set of elevators will subsequently take you to the 45th floor for check-in, where you will find the Ritz Carlton’s magnificent sky lobby with a 360-degree panoramic vista across Tokyo, including Tokyo Tower and Mount Fuji. If like us you have upgraded to club lounge you will swap into another set of lifts to make your way to the 53rd floor for check-in.
A member of staff then took down our details before showing us to our room, where our luggage magically appeared a few moment after we settled in.
I must say the front desk staff was friendly and efficient and made us feel right at home. We were immediately shown to a table for two and served welcome drinks as well as cold towels to clean our hands.
OUR MILLENIA SUITE AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
The Ritz Carlton in Tokyo has 248 rooms including 36 suites, and each one is located over 200 metres above the ground. Breath-taking views are therefore pretty much guaranteed. Each room is contemporarily styled with luxurious amenities, from the opulent curtain fabrics, wood furnishings and Frette linens to the marble bathrooms. I should also mention that at 52 square metres, The Ritz Carlton’s standard rooms are really generously sized for Tokyo standards. In fact, they must be amongst the most spacious hotel rooms in the capital.
Gary and I actually stayed in one of the Ritz Carlton’s luxurious suites, of which there are seven types, including two genuine Japanese style rooms. The room in which we spent the night is called the Club Millennia Suite. At 80sqm it is as big as our London flat and includes a stylish living room, an intimate bedroom and a jaw-dropping bathroom.
As our suite was part of the Club Lounge, it was located on the 52th floor of the Midtown Tower, and offered spectacular views across the city, especially form the living room. From there we weren’t only able to watch the flourish of activity in Roppongi, we could also easily see the Tokyo Tower and even spotted the outer gardens of the Imperial Palace. Our bedroom offered a glimpse of the Tokyo Skytree and even our bathtub came with a view. What made this experience even better though was that through the course of our day the panorama changed from a lively business city to a fascinating night town. Unless you happen to be dead inside, I can guarantee that you will be mesmerized by the never-ending cityscape with all its red, pulsing lights. We sat on the sofa hours on end just watching it all, feeling truly spoilt.
Whilst deeply rooted in the Japanese design aesthetic our room was definitely modern, with a rich colour palette of greys, purples and reds. Reference to the heavens above was made on multiple occasions in the pattern of the cushions and wall-coverings, which depicted imaginary flora (Chiyo-gami) and clouds.
Our room was kitted out with every single gadget you could possibly wish for. The living room featured two gigantic couches and an armchair, cd player, as well as a desk. There was, of course, a flat-screen TV and let me tell you it was gigantic – perfect for a movie night in. In fact, the suite had several TVs. The second one was located in the bedroom and there was a third screen above the bathtub in our massive bathroom.
The bedroom featured a huge Western-style bed with 600-thread count linen, down pillows, a feather duvet and a comforter. As you might expect there was a master switch above the nightstand, making it easy to turn off all the lights from the comfort of the bed. For those who like a coffee in the morning, you will be pleased to know that the suite contains a Nespresso machine. I must say I also loved the china the hotel provided for use in the room.
I could easily have spent hours in our bathroom with its marble counters, rainfall shower, his-and-hers–sinks (one on each side of the room, stocked with Asprey products) and a Toto toilet that flushed automatically. The main selling point of the room, however, has to be that deep relaxing tub, with views of Tokyo and Sony BRAVIA flat screen TV.
Finally, I would like to mention the turndown service which more than met our expectations, and even exceeded them with the nice touch of a weather forecast card being placed on our pillow.
SPA AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
I always cram as much as possible into our itineraries (blame the FOMO) and so we sadly didn’t have time to make use of the spa. We did, however, pop down to admire the beautiful indoor pool, probably one of the prettiest ones Gary and I had seen in a hotel. With a design clearly harping back to Art Deco, the pool has large windows that give onto the city below. Better yet the hot tub juts out giving guests the impression that they are floating in mid-air above Tokyo.
The spa and gym are situated on the 46th floor and are the perfect place to go if you want to get pampered. There are nine treatment rooms, one spa suite, an indoor lap pool, a dry sauna, a steam sauna and a fitness studio. The separate »heat experience« section adds an extra layer of relaxation. It’s a calm, tranquil environment allowing you to soak yourself in a hot tub while watching the skyline. Overall Ritz Carlton’s spa spans across 2000sqm!
I should note that this is the first spa in Tokyo to use British ESPA products. They also offer Samadara products, an Australian brand, that can only be found here.
COCKTAILS IN THE CLUB LOUNGE AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
If you can afford it, it’s definitely worth upgrading your room to Ritz Carlton’s Club Level. This means that your room will not only be located on the top floor of the hotel, you also gain access to the Club Lounge. This members-only area comprises a reception area, garden terrace, dining room, and library lounge.
Most club lounges offer breakfast in the morning and sometimes snacks in the evening. The Ritz Carlton Tokyo, however, took their food offerings to a whole new level. Light meals and drinks are included in the price of your room and served five times throughout the day (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, hors-d’oeuvres and an evening dessert). We’re not talking dry canapés here either; these snacks and meals were large, diverse and delicious.
So after having spent a fun but exhausting day in Shibamata, Gary and I returned to the hotel, glammed up and joined the other guests in the Lounge for Cocktails and cakes. My favourite were definitely the brightly coloured meringues, although the madeleines came as a close second.
Keep in mind, the lounge is just one of the benefits of club access. Some (but not all) of the other benefits include: complimentary Internet access, personal check-in/out, spa voucher, packing/unpacking service and the list goes on. The entire Club level experience was the best I’ve enjoyed anywhere in the world and did, truly, make the stay more enjoyable and memorable.
I would also like to mention that we were really impressed by the fact that every single staff member remembered our names and drink preference. This of course was only possible because there is a restricted number of Club Lounge rooms and therefore guests.
DINNER AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
Gary and I never ended up having dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo. We had filled up on street food in Shibamata. That being said the Ritz Carlton is an excellent place to enjoy an evening meal in Tokyo, with no less than six restaurants! Curious and a little sad that we had missed out, we were therefore delighted when the hotel manager offered to show us around the restaurants for a private sneak peak.
A restaurant that definitely deserves mentioning is Hinokizaka. It’s pretty unique as it offers four types of traditional Japanese cuisine. In 2010 the restaurant was awarded a Michelin One Star and is the only Hotel Japanese Restaurant to have earned this distinction. Guests can choose to dine at the sushi bar, where only the freshest of fish is prepared; enjoy a fine selection of crispy tempura; savour the finest selection of beef cooked teppanyaki style, or else have a multi-course Kaiseki dinner. Each section of the restaurant features it’s very own counter and chef. Better yet dinner is prepared in front of the dining clientele. I must say I am always impressed by restaurants that combine fine dining with entertainment.
Those who are after a more private experience can hire a traditional Kokushoan, a private tatami dining room. Believe it or not, a 200-year-old teahouse found in Gifu Prefecture was carefully brought to Tokyo and reconstructed inside this restaurant. I kid you not! The traditional chabudai (short-legged table) and zaisu (floor chairs) accommodate up to six guests. Behind the table is an irori (sunken hearth), an original feature of the teahouse that was used for warmth as well as to prepare meals.
If your stomach needs a break from Japanese food head to Azure45, an upscale and creative fine-dining venue which offers seasonal French cuisine inspired by the freshest Japanese seafood, fish and vegetables.
If on the other hand, you are looking for a leisurely dining venue for dinner on a weeknight, casual brunch on a weekend or to enjoy drinks and small bites after work, then Towers Bistro is the right place for you.
Finally, if you are after a tipple before bed, you might be pleased to hear that the Ritz Carlton has a great bar located right off the front lobby. Here hotel guests can enjoy one drink; arrange a whisky tasting or buy a whole bottle and store it in a private cabinet. You might be surprised to hear that Japanese whiskey has outranked Irish whiskey for a few years now and has gathered quite a following
BREAKFAST AT THE RITZ CARLTON TOKYO
The next morning after our one-night stay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo, we enjoyed breakfast in the Club Lounge. We were even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji, towering above the urban sprawl of Tokyo.
As we sat down at a table of two, in front of the large panoramic window, we were immediately offered a glass of fresh orange juice and a hot drink of our choice – in my case a cup of steaming hot coffee and for Gary a delicious Green Tea.
I believe the breakfast selection is somewhat bigger in the vast room of the Tower Grill restaurant, however what was provided in the Club Lounge was more than adequate. The buffet included a selection of hot and cold food, sweet pastries and savoury breads, fresh fruit and vegetable, creamy yoghurts, a wide range of cereals and to my surprise sushi. There was even an omelette station where guest could order eggs freshly cooked to their liking.
FINAL WORDS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE RITZ CARLTON
Some people may dismiss the role that the hotel plays on a trip. But I am a firm believer that your selection of accommodation can make or break your trip.
To me they are an integral part of the experience and the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
