Nippon or Nihon: Conrad Tokyo Executive Bayview Room Review

Apologies for taking such a long time with this review. I stayed at Conrad Tokyo during my Japan trip back in November. This is one of my bucketlist properties to stay at under the Hilton umbrella. I have always wanted to try both Conrad Tokyo and Conrad Osaka. This two are frequently said to be the best Hilton hotels in Japan and APAC. Sadly, my trip keeps getting pushed back due to the pandemic. Conrad Tokyo is right in the Minato area, just on the fringe of Ginza. The hotel takes up levels 28 to 37 of the Shiodome skyscraper. The hotel has well-established transportation links making it both great for tourists and business travellers. I did a total of two 3-night stays at Conrad Tokyo during this Japan trip. One at the start and one at the end of my trip. My experience was similar. I stayed in the same room category. I will just review it once and combine my experiences at the property.

Booking Process & Pre Arrival 

I book a Hilton Impresario rate for this stay. I got an absurd deal for Conrad Tokyo! I locked in the rates way before Japan reopened. The rates were at an all-time low. Furthermore, they were running a 3rd-night free promotion. I will recommend that you either do a 1-night stay or a 3-night stay to get the best deal when staying on an Impresario rate. For my 3-night stay, I paid around 350 SGD nett per night for the base-level City View Room. I will be earning 40X Hilton points for this booking. The rooms usually go for 800 SGD a night or 80,000 in points. These days expect to pay around 1000 SGD a night or 95,000 points. Hotels are crazy in Japan now! Points will be the better idea these days. The Impresario rate is pegged to the flexible rate and I will enjoy extra benefits on top of my Diamond status. You get a 100 USD credit, an upgrade, breakfast, double Hilton points, early check-in and late checkout. I got upgraded to an Executive Bay View Room upon checking in. This property is rather stingy with suites despite being available and insisting on charging for extras. Technically, I only received a one-tier upgrade from holding top-tier status and on an impresario rate. Early check-in was also unavailable. Conrad Tokyo comes with 290 luxuriously appointed guest rooms and suites spread across 16 categories. Most of them are segregated by lounge access and views. 

Rooms	Executive Lounge Access	Bathtub	Room Size	No.of Rooms
City View	No	Yes	48 Sqm	90
Bay View	No	Yes	48 Sqm	77
Bay View with Pure Wellness	No	Yes	48 Sqm	5
Executive City View	Yes	Yes	48 Sqm	28
Executive Bay View	Yes	Yes	48 Sqm	23
Suite City View	No	Yes	72 Sqm	6
Suite City Corner	No	Yes	72 Sqm	6
Suite Bay View	No	Yes	72 Sqm	34
Suite Bay Corner	No	Yes	85 Sqm	6
Executive Suite City	Yes	Yes	72 Sqm	2
Executive Suite City Corner	Yes	Yes	72 Sqm	1
Executive Suite Bay View	Yes	Yes	72 Sqm	6
Executive Suite Bay Corner	Yes	Yes	85 Sqm	1
Deluxe Suite Bay View	Yes	Yes	110 – 130 Sqm	3
Two Bedroom Deluxe Suite	Yes	Yes	160 Sqm	1
Royal Suite	Yes	Yes	226 Sqm	1

Checking In

I arrived at the hotel around 8.30am. It is very convenient getting from Haneda where my flight arrived. Haneda is always my preferred choice. It takes less than 30 mins and is so cost-friendly when compared to Narita. There is a direct metro line or the Tokyo Monorail. Google Maps is great for navigating the mind-wrecking transportation network in Tokyo. I arrived via the pedestrian entrance which is accessible from the underground links. The hotel is linked to the Shiodome Station right below the hotel. From Shimbashi Station, it is about a 10 to 15 mins walk via underground links. They have another entrance for guests arriving via car. As with many mixed-use buildings, the ground floor is just a reception area. As we entered, the receptionist took care of our bags and informed us that the lobby is on level 28. I would have expected a more professional and exclusive welcome where the staff ushered us to the elevators or the lobby. 

This is not what I expect from Conrad, especially one that charges 1000 SGD a night property. The main hotel lobby is located on level 28 and boosts an amazing view of Tokyo Bay. I love the high ceilings and decor. There is barely anyone at this hour. I was given the information for my stay and upgraded to an Executive Bayview Room. I inquired about a suite upgrade but was rejected. A welcome letter provided all the necessary information for the stay. At the point of my stay, reservations are required to use the Executive Lounge. Guests are limited to one-hour slots on the weekends. The 100 USD hotel credit was equivalent to 14,790 Yen based on the day exchange rate. The room is not ready now. This is understandable. However, during my second stay, the room is also unavailable when I arrived at 1pm.  

Executive Bayview Room

I was assigned a room on the 36th floor, room 3641 to be exact. It was quite a walk away from the elevators. Given how high up you are the views are pretty good at this property. I was excited about the Tokyo Bay views! Immediately upon entering, that seductive view captures your attention. All the rooms at Conrad Tokyo measure the same. The Executive Bayview Room measure a spacious 48 Sqm. The large room size is especially impressive given Japan and Tokyo standards. 

You have a short entryway with a full-screen mirror on the left. I love the setup. It is always nice to have a look at your fit before heading out especially in places like Japan when you wear coats and jackets. Kudos for offering some hooks by the entrance. This is nifty for your outerwear. So many properties miss out on this aspect. 

To the right, you can find the entrance to the bathroom behind a set of double sliding doors. The bathroom is very spacious and one of my favourite spots in the room. It comes with his and hers sinks. You have a separate freestanding deep soaking bathtub. The standing shower and toilet are in separate rooms. I appreciate that the bathroom has a huge glass wall which allows you to get the view. Blinds are available for those who require more privacy and these are electronically controlled. All sorts of amenities are provided and they are very comprehensive. You can find bathrobes, bath salts, shavers and dental kits. All of them are very high quality. They also provide these mini bottles of hand sanitiser which are perfect in these circumstances. 

Toiletries are from Byredo, the standard brand for Conrad Hotels nowadays in large pump-size bottles. The standing shower comes with a handheld showerhead and a rainforest one. Water pressure and temperature control are extremely good. It was so relaxing after a long day out sightseeing. Given the high ceilings here, the rainforest shower feels like rain cascading down on you. 

I love the spacious tub. Having a soak with this view is amazing. People will know that I am usually very critical about hair dryers but I am pretty impressed with the one provided here. It is the kind that you will see in a hair salon.

On the left of the entryway, you can find the wardrobe. The roomy wardrobe comes with almost everything that you might require for your stay. There are plenty of hangers, an ironing kit, bath slippers and an umbrella. You can also fit a small cabin-size suitcase inside. Additional portable luggage racks are left inside the wardrobe too. These come in handy for our large suitcases. 

The high-quality large Smart TV is mounted on the wall in the middle of the room. It is of a good size for the room and comes with numerous cable TV channels. Both international and Japanese options are available. The drawer under the TV offers additional storage. Here you can also find the well-equipped minibar. The minibar comes with all sorts of snacks and alcohol. There are plenty of drinks in the mini-fridge as well with five-star hotel prices to match. Personally, I prefer an empty fridge to store my items. You have no reason to consume with the plethora of convenience stores in Japan and their reputation. I appreciate that there is an actual coffee machine provided alongside quality tea bags. Complimentary bottles of water are generously provided. These are replenished during daily housekeeping and turndown service. There is also a lovely Japanese tea set provided in the room. 

The plush king-size bed takes up the centrepiece of the room. The huge bed was extremely plush and comfortable. The bedding is top-notch. I had such a lovely sleep every night. Special mention goes to the pillow here. I requested one of the Tempur contour pillows which were amazing.

In line with the typical Conrad signature, you can find a little Conrad soft toy left on the bed as well as another Conrad duck for the tub. I am on my journey in collecting from all the Conrads in the world. I feel like they could perhaps have added an ottoman or something in front of the bed. That will enhance the luxurious vibe and also some additional storage area. 

You can find nightstands on both sides of the bed. Controls for the lighting and power outlets are readily available within reach. I love how they have preemptively offered adapters in the room. That is very thoughtful. Curtains and blinds work well in blocking light. They are electronically controlled. On one side of the bed, You have an extended nightstand which also acts as a little vanity area. It comes with a little pull-out couch. Here you can also find some pamphlets for the rooms and writing materials. 

The huge circular table and armchair are found in the corner. This set-up also acts as the working desk if you need to get some work done. While not a proper office ergonomics chair, it provides adequate back support. The Wi-Fi is easy to connect to and premium Wi-Fi for elite members is extremely fast. Outlets are readily available here too. The table is spacious enough if you would like to take away some food or have room service to enjoy in your room.

Left on the table was a little welcome amenity consisting of chocolates in Conrad Tokyo design. I feel it is on the stingy side. 

The most impressive part about this room got to be the view! The differentiation factor. The room boasts an amazing view of Tokyo Bay right in front of you. This is a good spot to catch the sunrise too. Head to my IG to check out some of the videos and time lapses that I took. You also have a glimpse of the gardens below. The view is very captivating. Sometimes, I slept with the curtains open. It is lovely both in the day and in the evening. 

Alongside the window, you have a spacious window bay sofa. This could be a little daybed or even a bed for the little ones. Great spot for relaxing or reading a book. 

Turndown service was offered every evening and it is perfect. I love that they offer pyjamas and they will be laid out nicely on the bed during turndown service. The Pjs were comfortable! How nice is it! I wish I could have put them in my bags. It is luxurious and attentively decorated. The decor might not be the most modern but will still last for the next couple of years. This comes at a premium and of course with Tokyo being a very premium hotel market. 

Concierge Service

Concierge Service is an important aspect of Japanese hotels. It set the difference between a good hotel and a true luxury hotel. They affect your dining experience directly when in the country. Some people choose a hotel or stay loyal to one simply because of their relationship with the concierge or how “powerful” the hotel concierge is. Japan is hands down the most stressful country for dining in the world. Unless you are looking to dine in chains or fast food, you are looking at queues or reservations in Japan. Anything that seems delicious, famous or with a Michelin Star, 90% of the time you need to a reservation. It is so crazy that some of the high-end places, don’t even accept reservations from new guests! To complicate things, restaurants only want reservations via your hotel for foreigners. This is to prevent no-shows and remove the communication barrier. This makes hotel concierge service integral for Japan. In fact, after travelling to more than 132 cities in the world, Japan is the only place where I require a hotel concierge for booking restaurants.

I feel the concierge here is pretty good. Emails were promptly replied to, sometimes even within the same day. After connecting with the concierge, I was asked to provide a Credit Card Authorization. You can find the form here. My main issue with it is the requirement to call to provide your credit card details. Yes, I understand the security issue but calling makes things extremely inconvenient. Email is always the best way to communicate internationally. For calls, you are affected by time differences and international roaming charges. I see it as an unnecessary expense. Unless they can do Telegram or Whatsapp calls. To make it even more difficult, the concierge is only open from 8am to 8pm. I wish they could have an online link or just use the card on file for the room reservation. The concierge lady also came over to meet me and reconfirm my dining reservations when I check in at the hotel. They will only assist you with reservations in Tokyo and for reservations during the period that you are staying with them in Tokyo. That is fair enough. 

Fitness Centre 

Mizuki Spa & Fitness is where you can find the Spa, Pool and Fitness centre. It is located on the 29th floor. The fitness centre is open 24 hours a day. You can access it with your key cards. The after-hours usage is exclusively for hotel guests’ use. This is a world-class facility with great equipment. The place offers a great view of the pool and you can find tons of different equipment. Everything is well maintained and taken care of. Towels and water are provided. A very top-notch facility. 

Pool

The hotel has a 25 metres indoor pool. How gorgeous it is! I love the entire look of the place. This is great for doing some laps. A good way to kick-start your day. The views of the surrounding area do provide some chill vibes in the middle of the busy business like skyscrapers. You also have some day beds by the side. However, this is not one where you go by the pool to relax and lie on the day bed. It doesn’t have that kind of feeling like in resort places. It is more like a swim to work out and gets out of there. 

Spa

Mizuki also offers treatments and wellness lifestyles that follow your body’s rhythms. Spa Treatments are available from 9am to 10pm. You can find the spa menu here. Prices are on the high side. In-house guests are invited to use the spa facilities without needing treatment. They have a very well-stocked changing room with a showering facility. All sorts of amenities are provided. 

Inside the changing room, you can find the Jet Bath and Sauna as well. Typical Japanese bath policies follow. I didn’t get a chance to get a photo as other guests are using it. It is a lovely place to recover after a long day out sightseeing. 

Executive Lounge 

The Executive Lounge is located on the highest floor of the hotel. The lounge is open from 7am to 9pm daily. They offer breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. All-day drinks are available throughout the lounge operations. Eligible guests can also check in and check out at the lounge. I don’t usually use the lounge for checking in as it doesn’t make sense but it can be a useful facility to have for checking out which I frequently take advantage of. The lounge is on the smaller side and consists of two separate areas opposite each other. Given the views of the place, you can categorise them as City View and Bay View. The Bayview area is the one with more seating. However, the Cityview area is more convenient since this is where the host desk and refreshment area are located. The Bayview room does have a drinks counter with all-day offerings. 

The lounge is a comfortable area for both relaxing and getting some work done. It can get full easily, especially during periods of high occupancy and with the Japan demand right now, this is very much a common affair. They were on a reservation system on the weekends when I stayed. Guests are allowed 1-hour slots for evening cocktails. I am not a fan of the system. This is a lounge and not a restaurant. Dining is already complicated enough in Japan. Here are some pictures of the place! I love the fireplace in the evening. So cosy! 

Afternoon Tea is offered from 3pm to 5pm. This is the most underwhelming offering out of the three services. I checked out the afternoon tea once during my stay and did not make the effort to be back after. You can find some pastries consisting of cakes, scones and sweet treats. No alcohol is offered and you have the usual soft drinks, coffee, tea and juices. 

Evening cocktails start from 6pm to 8pm. As mentioned, guests are limited to a 1-hour slot on the weekends. A selection of canapés from hotel restaurants is offered and I appreciate that the offerings vary daily. That kept things interesting. I was here most of the day and enjoyed it. The food is alright. Here you can find some of the offerings. They are bite size and not a dinner replacement. I was expecting a little more in this area. Here are some pictures of the offerings over my stay. Do note that these are taken over the course of my stay. Not everything is available in one day! 

You can also find some sweet items and fruits.

Drinks-wise is far more impressive. You can find all sorts of alcoholic options. There are craft beers, local beers, sparkling wine, red wine, white wine, sake, all sorts of international spirits and Japanese liquors. I love the Kyoto Ki No Bi Gin and the Suntory Plum Whisky. I had so much plum whisky. It is so delicious. 

I had high expectations for the lounge and wish it could be better. This should not be standard at a top Conrad with rates of 1000 SGD a pop. I especially love the Japanese alcohol on offer and the cakes. The hot food can be a hit or miss depending on the night. It would be nice if they had some common Japanese food offerings. I would love to see items like a Tamago station, Yakitori, Toro and mini udon bowls. Read on to check out the Executive Lounge breakfast offerings. 

Kazahana Restaurant

I had some credits to spend and had dinner twice here. Kazahana is Conrad Tokyo’s signature Japanese restaurant. Besides this, they also have a French Restaurant, a cafe and an all-day dining restaurant. I figure it makes more sense to have Japanese food while in Japan. The restaurant is located on level 28, the same floor as the lobby. It is right opposite Cerise. You can find the menu for Kazahana here. Prices are very high and in fact way too high for comfort unless you are on business expenses. A main goes for around 50 SGD and a bowl of rice costs 7 SGD. Thankfully, the rice was delicious! That must be some quality grains. Safe to say, 100 USD won’t get you very far here. Do note that Hilton Gold and Diamond members enjoy 25% off. They are not stackable with the credits. 

I came for dinner twice during my stay. We usually come for dinner after having drinks at the Executive Lounge. We ordered from the a la carte menu. It is a rather cosy restaurant so do make your reservations ahead. You won’t want to run out of seats and have no place to spend your credit. I was politely welcomed in and shown to my seat. Drink orders were taken and I love that the staff here are dressed in the local costume. We were also offered a towel to freshen up. The ambience is really good and comfortable.  

Here are some of the dishes that we tried. The Grilled Japanese Pork cost 4900 Yen. 

The Japanese Chicken cost 4500 Yen. I had the dishes with a bowl of rice that cost 700 Yen.

The Assorted Tempura cost 5800 Yen. It comes with prawns, scallops, squid, eggplant, mushroom and fish. 

Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki. This cost 6800 Yen. 

The food was delicious and the service was polished. It hits all the spots beside the price. Everything is delicious. Portions were on the smaller side even when they say it is good enough for 2. 100 USD will usually only get you two dishes here. In stark contrast to fine dining establishments, there isn’t any amuse bouche or petit fours. 

Breakfast at Executive Lounge

Guests on executive floors as well as Diamond members can choose to have breakfast at Cerise or the lounge. You can have both if you fancy too. Breakfast is served from 7am to 10am daily. The selection here is much smaller than the one in the restaurant. It does provide you with a more private space. The lounge can be a good idea if you are in a rush. I had breakfast here when I first arrived while waiting for my room and on the day of check out. It is great to have the staff sort out your check out and payment while you are enjoying breakfast at the same time. It is such a time saver. Here you have made-to-order egg dishes supplemented by the continental breakfast buffet. 

The buffet selection is a subset of the restaurant offerings. Here are some pictures of the buffet.

They still have my favourite grilled fish, Kyoho grapes and muskmelon! That is all I need every morning. 

It is worth noting that the executive lounge has a different ala carte menu from the restaurant! A very good reason why you will choose to dine here instead of the restaurant will be the availability of UNI! They have Uni Scrambled Eggs on offer here.

They were marvellous. So guilty! But! What a way to start your morning! It is like unlimited uni on offer! The chef was not stingy with them too! I am definitely craving some right now! 

The lounge breakfast is solid. I am glad to see them having some tweaks to the offering. It would be nice if they could offer some sparkling wine or champagne for their most elite customers. With the restaurant being so crowded this will be a good alternative or a “grab and go” if you are in a rush. 

Breakfast at Cerise Restaurant

Breakfast is served at Cerise Restaurant, the hotel’s all-day signature restaurant on level 28. It is on the same floor as the lobby. Breakfast service is from 6.30am to 10.30am. It will be nice if they extend it till 11am on the weekends. Japanese are early risers. Even before the restaurant is open, there is already a line outside. Frequently, during my stay, I had to queue to enter. Breakfast costs 5000 yen per person if not included in your rate.

I was warmly welcomed in and shown to a seat. Coats were taken too and kept. There are two main areas of the restaurant. The nicer ones are on the inside and boost high ceilings and tons of natural light. I love the white facade of this place. I am not sure if status matters but I was always shown to a table in this area throughout my stay.

Drink orders were immediately taken. They took a long time to come. Furthermore, when they serve tea, they bring you a small cup rather than a pot. As such, you ask for a refill quicker, further adding to their load. This is weird! A point worth mentioning is that matcha is chargeable. That feels a bit calculative for a hotel that is charging this rate. Wouldn’t it be nice to showcase more of the local offerings? The coffee drinks were excellent and made from an actual espresso machine.

Here are some pictures of the buffet line. There is a plethora of items. I love the Japanese offering. Usually, I will start breakfast with a small bowl of rice, grilled fish and seaweed. Then I will grab some of the typical western offerings and baked goods. The pastries were amazing. I love their banana cake and the scones. Everything is high quality and delicious.

You can also find some fresh juices, smoothies and continental selections.

How I start my day!

Keeping in mind that after all this. There is still a high-quality ala carte menu that you can order from. You can find the menu here. You are limited to one order from the eggs & sweets menu. A glass of champagne will be 2500 Yen extra, it will be nice if they offer one to Diamond members. 

Over the course of my 6 days here. I have tried most of the items. My favourite got to be the Fricassee Lobster Omelette and the Smorrebrod Lobster. The Mont Blanc Pancake is also very good! If you just want a simple egg dish that is possible too. 

Truffle Eggs Benedict

Smorrebrod Lobster

Scrambled Vegetable Tofu

Penne Carbonara Shinshu Salmon

Mont Blanc Pancake

Muffin with French Toast Bread

If what is shared above is not impressive enough, they even have JAPANESE FRUITS on offer! Those Kyoho grapes and musk melons were satisfying! I do not know any adjectives to describe them. They are what I look forward to every morning. I just want to get stuffed on them. They might not be available every day though. It depends on your luck!

Needless to say, breakfast was a treat and a feast over here at Conrad Tokyo! I love it so much. This is one of the best breakfasts that I had in my life. Definitely on my top 3 list! Everything is delicious and high quality. Seeing how expensive breakfast costs here, it is delightful how your Gold and Diamond membership comes in handy! You are extracting 100 SGD of value every day. Tell that to America!

Conclusion

The main question I have to ask is, will you pay 900 or 1000 SGD for this? That is a thought to ponder. Of course, Tokyo is a very premium hotel market and luxury hotels like Conrad goes for this price and perhaps are a little inflated given the demand these days. Conrad Tokyo isn’t even on the upper spectrum! You have Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton that easily cost around 1200 to 1500 SGD. Don’t get me wrong, you will have a comfortable stay here! I stayed twice in the same category during my time in Japan. Both stays are one week apart and my experience is rather similar. Service-wise, it required a little polishing and from some of the reviews I read, certain aspects seem to have deteriorated. Even breakfast wasn’t consistent. I had Japanese fruits for the first 3 nights of my stay but they were nowhere to be found on my last 3 nights. I definitely had a great experience and it scored like 99 / 100! Keeping in mind that I only paid 350 SGD a night. I doubt that this rate will ever be duplicated ever again, barring another travel-impacted global event. This might be an awesome property with points now! I am looking forward to being back one day (not at 1000 SGD)!