Konnichiwa: Conrad Tokyo City View Room Review

Towards the end portion of my trip, I had 3 nights in Tokyo. A visit back to Conrad Tokyo is on the list. This is hands down my favourite and the best hotel for Hilton members in Tokyo. I had some of the best times of my life here for 6 nights and am excited for this stay. This time around I used points instead. It certainly doesn’t come cheap. Furthermore, Tokyo is a premium hotel market. I have shared extensively on this property when I stayed here last year in their Executive Bay View Room. I will reuse some of the content in the post below. I did not get an upgrade for my first night here and will be in their entry-level and the base-level city view room. I shall share my thoughts on it since this is the main room type over here. 

Booking Process & Pre Arrival 

With travel back in full and the demand for Japan going as strong as it is, the absurd deal that I got for getting Conrad Tokyo at 300 SGD is no longer available. I booked using points this time around and paid 90,000 points for my 3 nights stay. This is the best way to book this property! Paying the equivalent of 450 USD a night is much better than the cash rate of around 1000 SGD a night during my stay. It will be even sweeter if you book it with the 5th night free on points. To recap, 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 was arriving from Kyoto via the Shinkansen. From Tokyo station, it is very easy to get to the hotel. I took the train to Shimbashi Station and then from here it is a very easy 10 min stroll using the underground links. Upon arrival, the bellboy came to help us with the bags.

We then went to the 28th floor to check-in. It was very busy at the time of my arrival and I went to the executive lounge instead to check in. I was offered a drink as we completed the check-in process. The hotel could not accommodate an upgrade on the first night of my stay but blocked off an Executive Bayview Room for the next two nights. This would have cost around 1500 SGD a night. In addition, a suite was also available for an extra 10000 yen a night. Late check-out was extended till 2pm. 

City View Room

I was assigned a room on the 33rd floor. The city-view rooms are the same as the bayview rooms. I was in room 3334. The room measures a spacious 48 Sqm. This footprint is very precious for Tokyo standards. Upon entering the room, you have a spacious entranceway with a full-length mirror to the left. Connecting rooms are available here. This is a good spot to set up the racks for my suitcases. I love that they had a hook by the entrance which comes in handy for your outerwear. 

To the left, you can find the double-door entrance to the bathroom. This is spacious and one of the nicest spots in the room. It comes with double sinks and is well-equipped with all sorts of amenities. They are very thoughtful with anything that you might need. There is a freestanding bathtub as well as a standing shower. As usual, a bidet toilet is found. The bathroom comes with a view of the room and the city view. Given that this is not a Bayview it is nothing spectacular. Blinds are electronically controlled for those requiring more privacy. The standing shower room comes with both a handheld shower head and a rainforest one. The water pressure and temperature control is excellent. Toiletries are from Byredo in large pump-size bottles. I love the Mojave Ghost scent. 

On the other side is the spacious wardrobe. It is well equipped with a safe, shoe bag, umbrella, luggage racks, bath slippers, hangers, extra pillows and blankets. There are also pyjamas offered. 

The main space of the room is in a squarish layout and right ahead you can find the mini bar chest. I appreciate a proper Nespresso coffee machine and the gorgeous Japanese tea set. Complimentary bottles of drinking water, capsules and TWG teas are provided. These are replenished during daily housekeeping and turndown service. 

The fully stocked mini-bar offers all sorts of alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks at on-par prices. A run to the convenience stores might be better. Mounted on the wall above is a large high-quality smart screen television that comes with a good number of both local and international cable television. It is a good size for this room.

In the corner, you can find a round shape working cum dining table. It is multi-functional. This comes with an armchair that offers great back support. The premium wifi connection is great. The area is nicely designed with all sorts of plugs and outlets. Left on the table is an international adapter which I felt is a very thoughtful amenity to have regularly provided in the room. 

The plush king-size bed takes up most of the space in the room and is the centrepiece of the entire area. I love the bed over here! It is super comfortable and the bedding is high-quality. The pillows offer amazing neck support. I got some of their Tempur Contour pillows and slept amazingly.

Flanking both sides of the bed are nightstands with controls for the lighting and power outlets within reach. On one side of the bed, there is an extended nightstand with extra amenities and teaching materials. 

The room comes with views of the surrounding area and by the floor-ceiling window, you have a sofa that stretches throughout. The view isn’t spectacular even with how high it is since it is blocked by the office building next door. The sofa can be a bed for the little ones. I am pleased to see that the curtains and sheers here are electronically controlled. 

Housekeeping is provided twice daily with turndown service automatically provided in the evening. 

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. 

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

I am glad that I switched over to the Bayview room which is significantly better. With that being said, you will still have a very comfortable stay here. With the high rates, the standards are there. Tokyo hotels are worth planning far ahead. I can’t see myself paying that much for a city hotel but this is a very nice place to spend your points. Even paying for points is worth it. I got over 3000 – 4000 SGD worth of value for my points. I love this property and the breakfast is amazing. The only bad aspect is the one-hour limit for a lounge on Fridays and Saturdays. I can’t wait to be back to check out the suites over here.