BACKGROUND An institution in the Japanese capital that opened in 1984, this 38-storey hotel is one of the most iconic buildings in this part of Tokyo, recognised for its S-shape.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? From Haneda, there is a public airport bus that stops right in front of the property. The overall feel of the hotel is old-fashioned with its marble lobby, big reception desk, sofas and a rug in bold dandelion patterns. In an age of overdone minimalism, the environment here feels delightfully cosy. The lobby lounge does brisk business with locals and visitors alike, giving the area a vibrant air. The interior-lit spiral staircase rising to the mezzanine level adds a touch of drama to the décor. Some of the facilities, guestrooms and the executive lounge were renovated as recently as 2009, so they are quite contemporary and well equipped.
WHERE IS IT? Don’t let the Shinjuku address mislead you – it’s actually located at the northeastern corner of Shinjuku Central Park and slightly off the most bustling part of this famous district. If you know your way round the nearest retail cluster is about 10 minutes’ walk away; otherwise, the hotel provides free shuttle services. There is also an underground tunnel that links the hotel with Nishishinjuku Station on the Marunouchi Line.
ROOM FACILITIES I stayed in a 65 sqm executive tower suite, which is decorated in a neutral colour tone with wallpaper featuring wavy leaf patterns. The spacious living area has an L-shape sofa against one of the corners, and a big square coffee table with a hollow centre. It can seat half a dozen people comfortably, making it an ideal space for a small meeting. On the wall between the two windows is a 37-inch plasma TV and by one of the windows is a small glass-topped round table good for enjoying a meal or working on. There are four sockets under the table but they are all Japanese style, so I needed to use an adaptor; there wasn’t an iPod dock either – both a slight surprise to me given the room was remodelled only a few years ago. In the bedroom there is a stylishly streamlined daybed by the window, and to the other side of the king-sized bed is the bathroom, which you can see through the glass partition. This adds to the sense of space, while a curtain can be drawn for privacy. The rectangular lamps in rice paper colour, the window shades resembling shoji and the bidet toilet all made my stay feel quintessentially Japanese.
I was on the 38th level – the highest of the executive floors – and the two-part club lounge could be reached by walking down a designated staircase. The complimentary breakfast featured the expected Western favourites, as well as Japanese items such as rice, miso soup, seaweed and grilled salmon – which was delicious. Refreshments were supposedly served several times during the day, but I never came back at the right time to enjoy them.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS There are a good number of outlets in the hotel. Brasserie Checkers is noted for its Mediterranean buffet, pizzas and pasta creations; Musashino Japanese Restaurant serves everything from sushi and tempura to teppanyaki and shabu shabu, and upmarket French restaurant Le Pergolese is only open for dinner. There are also Dynasty Chinese Restaurant, Marble Lounge for all-day dining and British pub
St George’s Bar.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES This property is big on MICE. There are 16 function spaces on the 3rd, 4th and 7th floors. The 932 sqm Kiku space, which takes up an entire floor by itself, can hold up to 1,200 people in theatre setting.
LEISURE FACILITIES There is a 24-hour health centre, a pool and two rooftop tennis courts. The arcade features shops for all the essentials such as hair styling, beauty treatments, clothing and gifts.
Reggie Ho
Verdict
The hotel environment is very pleasant, and the facilities are generally good, but not offering free wifi for all or universal sockets in the remodelled rooms knocks off a lot of points.
Fact file
HOW MANY ROOMS? 815 guestrooms located between the 8th and 38th floors, in three broad categories: three types of room, nine types of suite and six deluxe and executive room offerings.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS The very practical layout of the executive suite makes it both a comfortable space to stay in and an ideal place for private work meetings.
PRICE The internet rate for a mid-May weekday stay in the executive tower suite is ¥78,400 (US$933), including breakfast. Wifi not complimentary unless you are an HHonors Gold or Diamond member
CONTACT 6-2 Nishi-Shinjuku 6-chome, Shinjuku-Ku, Japan, tel +81 3 3344 5111 www1.hilton.com
