5-Star Hotels in Tokyo

I come to Tokyo several times a year, staying a fortnight or more each time. This time I spent seven nights at The Capitol Hotel Tokyu. The room faced Hie Shrine. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows I could see the shrine's copper roof and half of Tokyo's skyline. The décor was modern without excess; the layout flowed easily, Bose speakers hidden in the walls, another set in the bathroom ceiling, connected by a 3.5mm jack. The curtains were motorized, though you hardly needed to close them. The turndown service. I would leave in the evening and return late to find the room changed: only the hallway light and bedside lamp left on, a bottle of water and a glass on the nightstand, two chocolates beside them. The evening tea and teacup, previously stored in the cabinet, had been moved next to the coffee machine. These changes were so slight you had to think back carefully to confirm they had happened at all. The temperature and humidity had been adjusted. As if the room itself remembered your habits. Room service fell short of the ryokan in Hakone or Lake Toya, but well above the ordinary hotel. Each day I made two or three cups of complimentary coffee, played music, read, wrote. In seven days I finished three books. The research ahead began to take shape. There were drawbacks. No washing machine, but a decent laundromat ten minutes' walk away—a chance to wander the streets of Akasaka. The room provided HDMI and ethernet ports but no cables; for those who came to rest, perhaps a mercy. The minibar fridge was mostly occupied by drinks for purchase, same as the Imperial, though there was still room for my sparkling water. The day I left it was half past five and fully dark. I could barely make out the faces of the bellhop and the taxi driver. Together they loaded my luggage into the boot. I wished the bellhop a happy new year in Japanese and told her I liked her hat. She smiled and returned the greeting. As the taxi pulled out of the underground drive, I thought of the inns Kawabata once wrote about: what had to be sought in the mountains of snow country can now be reached by elevator from the B2 exit of a metro station. I have watched the Shinagawa Prince Hotel loosen quietly over time, slip a little. That kind of decline is rarely one great error. It begins the day someone forgets to leave a glass of water, neglects to move a packet of tea, omits a newspaper. As for The Capitol Hotel Tokyu: in Japanese, what I experienced over these seven days is called ちょうどいい.

Their service attitude good, though they may need more housekeeping staff, as service is a bit slow. The reason their service attitude is good because my bottle of water came 20-30 mins late and their housekeeping supervisor came to apologize. Rest of the staff are all very polite and have good attitude. Overall good value for money.

Staying at this luxury hotel, nestled within a historic building at Tokyo Station, was an absolute delight. Both the facilities and services were outstanding. The shower and faucet in the room felt incredibly luxurious – a truly 'premium' experience. The hotel's long guest room corridors, with their wall sconces, created a wonderfully warm and inviting sense of depth. A major highlight was the hotel's breakfast and its setting. Served on the 4th floor, the breakfast offered a rich and diverse selection. The peaked, herringbone-patterned ceiling, with one side a wooden roof and the other a light-transmitting glass roof equipped with awnings, filled the space with bright, natural light, making for a truly comfortable start to the day.

The hotel smelt welcoming the moment the doors open. It is tastefully designed and classy. The public baths were upkept very well. The rooms were clean and fits the description. The service staff were the key difference. They were warm and always ready to help. The hotel is conveniently located to the train station and to nearby Mitsukoshi. Everything is a breeze. I will definitely stay here again!

Compared to other Mitsui Garden hotels, this one certainly provides more premium toiletries. However, it is expensive! Like other Mitsui Garden hotels, from 2026…. In the name of environmental sustainability, (1) they provide plastic/reusable slippers which don’t seem hygienic to me and I hated them, (2) bedsheets are changed only after 3 nights. Room cleaning was not very thorough, there was dust at the corners. I can’t find the exact photo now but I had deliberately left a small slip of packaging on the floor to monitor if it would be cleared away but it wasn’t! Their housekeeping team could definitely do better! Unlike other Mitsui Garden hotels I have used, it was not so easy to locate welcome drinks (I did not end up having any). The reception/front desk was also baffling because it tends to be empty or just manned by 1 staff until they notice more patrons around then more staff would appear from their backroom. I appreciate how suitcases I had forwarded to the hotel ahead of my arrival was in my room waiting for me. They also took note of my request for more pillows. Thank you. Other considerations - entire hotel is dimly lit. There are 2 sets of elevators. One to the lobby, and a separate on to go to the rooms. I timed the journey, it takes almost 1 full minute to get from lobby to B1. Even when I requested for a room near the elevators, I was given a room nested very deeply/far away and required a lot of walking. The carpet made it challenging to move suitcases. Location-wise, It’s not the most convenient if want to visit Shibuya/Harajuku but ok for Tsukiji and Ginza. Not so many eateries around and while there are convenient stores, there’s currently no full-fledged supermarkets around. Considering how expensive this place is… its limitations / inconveniences, I would reconsider staying there.

This hotel is fantastic! The rooms were promptly cleaned and spotless. Having coffee, water, and a fridge readily available was really convenient. The breakfast was excellent and varied; my kids especially loved the udon noodles, beef bowls, and all the dried fruits. The assorted breads were delicious when toasted! There's a supermarket nearby, which was great for grabbing some sashimi and beer when we got back late at night. The Takanawa station next door offers easy access to Disneyland, Tokyo Station Ichiban-gai, Asakusa, Ginza, and Harajuku. We also highly recommend Uohoshi at Toyosu Market – the food was amazing and affordable, with an incredible amount of sashimi on the rice bowls! Definitely recommend this place for family trips!

The room was incredibly spacious, and the elevators were very efficient. There are plenty of dining options nearby, and it's conveniently located close to both JR and subway lines, making transportation a breeze. The staff were very friendly, and the self-service check-in and check-out made everything super convenient. You can store your luggage after checking out, and there's a bus service to Haneda Airport.

The hotel is conveniently located near three subway lines, all just two stops away from Shinjuku Station. The closest exit is A1 of the Toei Oedo Line; it's right by the hotel entrance. However, this exit doesn't have an escalator going down, so it's not ideal if you're returning with luggage. There's a small park nearby. If you walk through it for about 5 minutes, you'll find a JR exit with a convenience store next to it. It's a bit surprising that the hotel itself doesn't have a convenience store. The breakfast ingredients were good, and the mini-breads were very fresh, though the overall variety wasn't extensive. The hotel's facilities are generally new, clean, and relatively quiet. I chose this hotel because I wanted to visit Omotesando and Harajuku. According to Google Maps, it's about a 20-minute walk, but if you take the subway, you need to transfer once and ride for one stop each time. Carrying shopping bags and transferring can be a bit tiring. I mainly valued the hotel for its quiet environment and new facilities. Also, the hotel's mineral water bottles look really nice; at first, I even thought they were beer bottles! 🍻

Hoshinoya Tokyo is situated in a tower in Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, uniquely blending a traditional Japanese garden with a high-rise hotel concept. While its immediate surroundings are dominated by corporate offices like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, its location isn't as prime as other similarly priced luxury hotels such as The Peninsula Tokyo or Bulgari, with a noticeable lack of nearby dining options or convenience stores. The service, on the other hand, truly made guests feel at home. Each floor boasts a dedicated Japanese-style common area, but the atmosphere felt a bit too rigid or rule-bound. For example, when I asked for a second welcome dessert, it wasn't possible. However, I would strongly advise against staying here for a business trip. Firstly, the hotel's policy of not allowing unregistered guests to enter is quite inconvenient and arguably unsuitable for a business-oriented establishment. Secondly, the hotel itself offers a rich array of experiences – from its two-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant to kimono fittings, tea ceremonies, kendo classes, hot springs, and sightseeing bicycles. These features highlight its strong appeal for leisure travel, making it less ideal for business.

This organic architecture, completed by Togo Murano at the age of 91, still exudes enduring vitality, especially when compared to Kenzo Tange's conceptual designs. Bathed in sunlight, it possesses a surreal, otherworldly quality. Design Studio SPIN collaborated with local artisans to redesign the lobby, executive lounge, and an executive suite. The actual spatial experience is incredibly refined; the executive lounge features four distinct sections, each with clear functions and varied, opulent decor – a masterclass from a top design studio, truly a step above. Compared to the 'pigeonhole' rooms in Minato Ward, the guest rooms here feel more like Western hotels, and all come with balconies. If you can overlook the lack of a separate shower, the weekday value for money is impeccable. However, Seibu Group's service is far from ideal, especially at the front desk. The 3 PM check-in policy clogs up the reception during peak hours, and the self-service kiosks are useless. When checking out, I wanted to keep the room key card as a souvenir, but the staff looked annoyed and confused. Good or bad, with the Shinagawa redevelopment, this heritage-level hotel is slated for closure and demolition this year. After decades of existence, this 'architecture of the future' is reaching its end.