Conrad Tokyo Review

100   Recommended
Bay View King
February 2, 2022 by

 Map | 4 Reviews | 75% Recommended
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Conrad Tokyo
 Map | 4 Reviews | 75% Recommended

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Bay View King

Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
Stats
Room
Bay View King

I stayed at Conrad Tokyo for one night in the latter half of January using my annual $200 Amex Platinum Card travel credit and booked it through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR). Conrad Tokyo (via FHR) provides a $125 property credit that can be used for dining or spa, but I was most eager to use it at their restaurants.  


 

Check In

I went directly to the front desk upon arrival, but as a Diamond member I was personally escorted to the Executive Lounge to check in by a friendly English-speaking staffer and checked in there. There, I was warmly greeted by Ms. Terao, the Executive Lounge Manager, and welcoming and highly competent staff and served tea as I sat in a seat commanding a view of Tokyo Bay and the Hamarikyu Gardens below. I appreciated that they remembered me from my previous stay. The lounge staff all speaks excellent English and provides really excellent and sincere service. I was offered an upgrade to a City View room on the Executive Lounge floor (37th floor) but I asked if a Bay View room was available and after checking, I was offered a Bay View room on the 36th floor. I was also provided with an explanation of my FHR benefits and received Executive Lounge access during my stay. The staff was very accomodating and they went out of their way so that I would have a great stay. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Room

The Bay View room is a spacious 516 sq. feet with an exceptional view that is accentuated with floor-to-ceiling windows and a sofa that extends along the full length of the windowed wall. Overall, I think the hotel has aged well, though I’m not a fan of the odd shiny wood veneer of the walls and cabinetry of the room, which looks plastic and kind of tacky, like something from a bygone era (think “Mad Men” [US TV series] kitsch that exemplified the style of the 60s). If they ever upgrade the rooms, I’d replace the faux wood with something that is or at least looks authentic. The bathrooms have held up well, are spacious, and look high-class with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and speakers that allow you to listen and watch TV (which can be pulled away from the wall at an angle for better viewing) from the bathtub. It’s a very comfortable room with a fantastic view that I enjoy spending time in.

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The upper part of the cabinet lifts up and houses a DVD drive with remote control. I assume that the hotel provides a collection of DVD movies to view in-room, but I have not confirmed that.

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Dining

With my $125 (14,240 yen) FHR credit, I decided to explore the hotel’s restaurants and bar. Unfortunately, the Japanese, Chinese, and French restaurants were not open on the evening of my stay. Therefore, my first stop was bar TwentyEight, the eponymous bar on the 28th floor. Since it was not yet 5 pm, I was able to snag a window seat with a glorious view. I ordered an Asahi Super Dry (1,900 yen) on tap and a fried chicken appetizer (3,600 yen), which was incredibly voluminous and delicious and much less oily, more delicate, and better tasting than chicken karaage. Being hungry, I scarfed it all down in no time, but I tried to slow my pace of eating down a little so that I could enjoy the wonderful window view. It’s a great place for a drink and snack but I think I’d have enjoyed it much more with company. Once finished, I made a beeline for the Executive Lounge (reviewed below) to catch cocktail time and eat a few more appetizers. 

For dinner, I decided to order from the in-room dining menu, which is largely comprised of items from the Cerise restaurant menu. Originally, I had wanted to order the Conrad burrger, but after the lounge appetizers I thought it would be too heavy, so I ordered spaghetti carbonara instead. Having lived in Italy for two years of my childhood, I’m very fond of spaghetti carbonara but I was disappointed by this spaghetti’s taste, though the elements of a good carbonara were all there. Next time, I think I’ll try something else. For desert, I had a decent Tiramisu topped off by a carafe of an Australian Cabernet/Merlot blend, but this too was disappointing for the price. This was my first dinner at this restaurant, so I don’t wish to pass judgment on it after just one meal, but first impressions are important.    

 

Executive Lounge

The lounge food offering was more extensive and better than my previous stay here. It was also open for a full two hours (from 6 to 8 pm) instead of one. One of the highlights was the addition of Shepard’s Pie to the food lineup. Though not truly authentic, it was passable and pretty filling, essential when drinking alcohol. I found a seat near the TV and watched CNN news (not always a pleasant experience) while drinking a good sparkling wine. Unfortunately, I left the lounge a little too full before my in-room dinner. Based on my experience, I offer the following advice: if you ever stay at Conrad Tokyo with an FHR credit, eat an early dinner either in-room or at a restaurant and then go the Executive Lounge for drinks because the lounge drinks are probably just as good, maybe better, as what you’ll pay for at the restaurants and their free, so you can spend more on food. Also, you won’t be full from lounge appetizers if you don’t go to the lounge before dinner. I offer that as simply food for thought. 

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Spa

The following day, I went to the spa to take a hot bath and sauna. Being a weekday, the gym next to the spa was empty and I didn’t use the pool this time either. There were only about three other people using it while I was there, so there was no competition for resources. There’s both a dry and steam sauna (which I prefer) and the four Jacuzzi tubs were free for the taking. The spa is small, and both times I’ve used it (on weekdays) it’s been largely empty, but I hate to think how crowded it might be like on weekends.  

Overall

I really like the Conrad Tokyo for its excellent service, facilities, and elevated experience, even though it is an aging property. It’s cost performance is among the best of Tokyo hotels and its generous $125 property credit when booked through FHR really makes staying here a bargain. The Executive Lounge food offering was a significant improvement over my last stay and the ambience and views from the lounge are a major attraction. You really can’t go wrong staying here and I highly recommend it.  

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