Palace Hotel Tokyo

Booked 8 nights at Palace Hotel Tokyo – Club Grand Deluxe Room King w/Balcony and Club Deluxe Room W/Balcony for family trip in July. Originally, I made an online reservation at Janu Tokyo directly from their website, later I had to modify the reservation due to additional family member joining us, it took Janu 5 days to reply to my reservation change email, not exactly the caliber of service I’m expecting considering the amount of money they charge, I decided to cancel the reservation with Janu and booked Palace Hotel Tokyo. We had zero regrets with Palace, in fact they exemplify outstanding Japanese hospitality. All follow up email communication and requests with Palace were responded within next day. We had a wonderful stay at Palace Hotel, rooms were spacious and comfortable, the Club Lounge access for breakfast and afternoon drinks were convenient and inviting, we also had dinner at Go and Sushi Kanesaka both were delicious. The hotel basement provides access to Otemachi Station and a maze to Tokyo Station. Above all there were plenty of staff readily available to assist with your needs.

This hotel has always been proudly calling themselves the finest one in Japan: being one of a few hotels in Japan winning Michelin’s top accolade of three keys; gaining Forbes Travel Guide’s five-star rating for 10 years in a row; and most importantly, being surrounded by the Imperial Palace’s moat and the closest property to the Emperor’s residence - the Palace Hotel Tokyo is undoubtedly the most sought-after rendezvous spots and event venues for local politicians and even the royal family members. Our nicely decorated room enjoyed an unrestricted view of the Imperial Palace’s moat, outer garden and front square, and even the iconic Tokyo Tower behind the skyscrapers - such an open view is irrefutably a rarity in the heart of Tokyo. Another rarity was the room’s spacious private balcony, where we could sip our coffee and savour the beautifully plated breakfasts while enjoying the gentle breeze in springtime. The moat-side property also features Japan’s first ever Evian spa, in collaboration with the French mineral water brand, where we indulged ourselves in a lavish afternoon. It is also home to numerous top-tier restaurants in the country, and we have tried two of them: its renowned omakase place and tempura bar. The hotel is more than luxury, but also highlights its convenience - located in the central point of the city, Palace Hotel Tokyo owns a private access to Tokyo Station, one of the busiest transport hubs in the city, as well as its proximity to the neighbouring Marunouchi and Kasumigaseki districts, Japan’s financial and political centres respectively.

Phenomenal location facing the Imperial Gardens. Decor the epitome of good taste. Staff welcoming and efficient. Good choice of western and Japanese restaurants. The terrace on the palace moat is a delight as the sun sets. There are hotels with more bling but none match the Palace for superb service wedded to understated good taste. The place to stay.

Luxury hotel with extensive facilities misses the mark on a few important aspects. The hotel food and beverage is expensive, I mean really expensive. $18 dollars for half a cup of green tea in the lobby expensive. The service staff are everywhere, but it’s all very regimented - no room for a personal touch. The concierge could not provide any suggestions for dinner, just asked where we wanted them to book. What really annoyed me was being turned away from both the bars in the hotel in the evening because “they were full”. The gym is nice, but the pool is quite awkward. All in all - it felt like a large well oiled factory catering to big weddings and business clients. Would I stay again - probably not. I would look for a hotel with a bit more warmth and real customer service. Polite “I’m sorry” all the time does not make a 5* hotel in my opinion

The service from all the staff was to another level. The reception room service waiters all were so polite and friendly. Rooms were very comfortable and clean. Always well supplied also