The Strings by InterContinental Tokyo

Excellent hotel in a great location, literally next door to Shinagawa station. We took the Narita Express from the airport straight to this station, walked out the Kōnan exit and took a right…and there we were at the hotel. Very easy after a long flight. Hotel is much closer to Haneda airport though. Check in was easy. Rooms are very large with beautiful views. Spacious modern bathroom and all the toiletries you will need (toothbrushes, shavers, shower cap etc) are provided. Breakfast buffet was phenomenal- Japanese and American offerings, delicious pastries and fresh fruits and a variety of juices. I love that they bring you a French press coffee to your table if requested! We spent over an hour devouring breakfast each day but they set us up for a long day of sightseeing without feeling hungry. Best part is they have plenty of bottled water, juices and snacks in the room which are complimentary! There is also a Nespresso machine in the room. There is a 7-11 on the first floor with an ATM and a nice coffee shop there as well. Best part is you are minutes from the station where you can catch subways and Shinkansen trains easily. It’s on the Yamanote line so easy to get to all parts of Tokyo. There are plenty of eateries in the station and nearby so very easy to find food for a variety of tastes and budgets. This was my favorite hotel from our two week trip to Japan. Would definitely return!

The location is very convenient, which is the main positive from my stay. Unfortunately, everything else was frustrating and fell well short of expectations. Check-in and check-out were both painful. The check-in process was not smooth, took longer than it should have, and did not feel welcoming or guest-focused. Checkout was similarly difficult and time-consuming. The overall tone at the front desk left me wondering how guests without elevated status are treated. Restaurant experience (China Shadow) was another major issue. I planned to eat there but ended up skipping dinner because the staff told me everything is cooked in pork oil and they couldn’t guarantee there would be no cross-contact even if I ordered a beef dish. I understand kitchen constraints, but what was most frustrating is that I was still charged in full instead of being offered an alternative or a more customer-friendly resolution. Gym was uncomfortable. I’m fine with a smaller fitness center, but the lack of airflow made it feel suffocating and unpleasant to work out. Ventilation should be a basic expectation. Overall, despite the great location, the lack of customer focus across multiple touchpoints made the stay unnecessarily stressful. I don’t plan to return unless I absolutely have to.

I booked the stay through Chase “The Edit” program, overall the experience was great, breakfast is top notch, my room is on the top floor and is very clean and I have access to the wet bar. Hotel staff is very professional and helpful. The only thing is the shower is a little bit outdated compared to other 5 star hotels, otherwise it would be a perfect stay!

Excellent hotel. Clean rooms, friendly and professional staff. Excellent breakfast.

Very disappointing inflexible response from hotel customer service on cancellation. My company spent a good deal of stays, but with one simple request for exception was faced with rejection.