The Capitol Hotel Tokyu

There are many hotels in the world that advertise themselves as "luxury 5-star", but they are really not.......THIS is a LUXURY 5-STAR HOTEL, and its employees are to be equally rated. I needed to go away after burying my son (his mother and sister were "too cool" to attend his burial), so my dog went into his "dog hotel", and I flew JAL business class to re-acquaint myself with the city with honorable people that I visited for one week of R&R while I was stationed in Viet Nam in 1969-1970. The people are still honorable, one of the few countries in the world that maintain themselves as honorable......I stayed in a suite on the 28th floor, and the 27th floor contained their executive lounge, where one could stop in for coffee/ tea/ refreshments and snacks throughout most of the day. The view of the Japanese Diet and the Imperial grounds were spectacular from the lounge. There was even a subway stop under the hotel, and although I can speak @ 6 languages (including Vietnamese from Asia), all I understood was a few Japanese phrases from various movies and tv shows, our direct spoken words were not very well (but we all know of other ways to communicate.) Japan still remains as isolated from the world as it has historically, but I had to personally thank, in English all that various employees in the hotel (as well as the JAL business fight attendants) for their learning the English language to be able to speak with me. The suites were always meticuloously maintained by the cleaning personnel, who were always kind and considerate. The concierge staff spoke English very well, as did the managers of every department within the hotel. It was very hot and humid while I was there, and that laundry staff washed and ironed my clothing with gentleness. It really did me good to recall that there are still honest and honorable people in the world, and for me, Japan has the most honorable people remaining in the world.

Service: Service is excellent but not proactive. They didn’t address us by name or go out of their way to ask us if we needed anything, but at the same time, nothing went awry. Pre-arrival communication was prompt. They secured a couple reservations for us. On one reservation, I made a mistake and showed up to the restaurant a day early. Unfortunately, the restaurant couldn’t take us, but the hotel called them to make sure we wouldn’t be charged the cancellation fee for the next day. There are always 3-4 bell staff at the door who speak perfect English and tell the taxi cabs where you need to go and one even adjusted the seats in the cab before we got in. Service staff all speak decent English so getting help is easy. Housekeeping is on point. We never had to call for anything. They provide fresh pajamas during turndown which was a nice surprise. Hard Product: The lobby and common areas are minimalist and beautiful. The rooms are spacious with huge windows. On the Club Level rooms (27th), the views are amazing, towering over the city. The bathrooms are modern, the tub and shower are massive and there is plenty of storage space. Club Lounge I’ve stayed in a few hotels with Club lounges so my expectations were not that high. But this one is amazing. Not only for the views, but the food and drink they have on offer. Breakfast is amazing - for example they have 3 types of fresh orange juice on offer, and the croissants are on par with what I’ve had in Paris. And during evening hours, they pour some very good scotch (Hakushu 12), decent champagne (Pierre Jouet), snacks including complex dishes like pate en croute. They have live cooking in the lounge: One night had sliced Prime Rib, another grilled Abalone, and another night beef tongue. As a foodie, it’s been above and beyond my expectations and has been a great place to chill when the family is still sleeping, to grab a drink before going to dinner or in the evening before bed. It’s the holiday season and it’s never full. In summary, I think the Capitol is a solid place to stay in Tokyo. Great rooms, great service, great location and the lounge is an outstanding amenity that makes for a very luxurious stay.

I was traveling with my two college-age children. Our room was a good size by Tokyo standards and had three beds. We all loved the cool aesthetics of the hotel, the high caliber of service (concierge, bellmen, housekeeping with turn-down service, etc.), and the amenities (pool, hot tub, spa services). Note that the gym/fitness room is only for guests 18 and up. The hotel has direct access to the subway (you don't have to go outside!) which makes sightseeing so convenient. The location is peaceful and less touristy than other parts of Tokyo, and there's a shrine just steps from the hotel. We found good restaurant options nearby hotel and loved coming back to our quiet, clean, and very zen-feeling room each night. The bathroom and shower warrant an extra shout-out, as does the nice breakfast (pricey but worth the splurge at least once, with Japanese, American, and European-style breakfast options).

I am not sure that the staff at the hotel could be more attentive or helpful. Let’s start with a little thing. On those times when we took cabs from the hotel I would hand my phone to a bellman to translate the address for the cab driver. We took regular advantage of the Club Lounge on the 27th floor for early evening cocktails or tea and watched the sun set over the city. The food in the lounge and the Origami restaurant for breakfast was delicious and diverse. Our room was large, well thought out and well appointed. We appreciated the convenience of being able to access a number of subway lines with just a quick elevator ride from the hotel. This is truly a 5 star hotel and I very much enjoyed my stay. A final kudos to the gentleman in the lounge we educated me regarding Japanese whiskey and kept track of my tastings over multiple nights. This enhanced the feeling of being a special guest.

One of the great hotels. The friendliness and professionalism of the staff is sensational. A particular shout-out to Ms. Hasegawa at the concierge desk. Our room had a spectacular view over the skyline of Akasaka, there was even a map explaining the skyscrapers in the neighborhood. The room itself was very tastefully furnished and very functional, the style a mix of East and West. Sliding walls very cleverly allow you to change the room's layout. Great cosmetics, robes, slippers, a multi-functional shower, English newspaper delivered every morning, the list goes on. The hotel's location is sensational, it is only a three minutes walk up the hill to the Hie Shrine. Akasaka with all its myriad of restaurants and bars is just around the corner and a subway station is directly underneath the hotel! You can even find as flower shop and a convenience store in the basement. Several restaurants and a great bar which even has a smoking section.