Evaluate: Westin Tokyo | Prince of Journey

Previous to heading as much as Hokkaido for a ski journey, my buddies flew in from Calgary and we spent a number of days in Tokyo as they adjusted to the time distinction. 

Once I was contemplating all of the choices accessible for us, the Westin Tokyo struck a superb stability between worth, services, and entry to the remainder of town. 

Westin Tokyo – Reserving

I managed to attain a beneficial journey agent charge for our keep, which is all the time useful in cities like Tokyo the place resort costs are usually fairly excessive.

Usually, money charges for the Westin Tokyo vary from ¥30,000 ($300 CAD) on the decrease finish to upwards of ¥100,000 ($1,000 CAD) per night time on the increased finish. Count on to pay round ¥50,000 ($500 CAD) per night time on common, though decrease charges can be found farther upfront.

For those who’re seeking to redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors, count on the fee to vary from 50,000–74,000 factors per night time, with a median of round 65,000 factors.

Relying on the money charge, you’re seemingly higher off saving your factors for an additional property, for the reason that value in factors is sort of excessive. With our valuation of Marriott Bonvoy factors at 0.9 cents per level (CAD), you’re more likely to get mediocre worth at finest for a redemption.

Westin Tokyo – Location

The Westin Tokyo is situated within the Mita district of Meguro Metropolis, simply on the western border of Minato Metropolis.

The resort is situated in a largely residential space, which is sweet in case you like quiet areas however not nice in case you wish to be within the coronary heart of the motion.

Within the instant neighborhood of the resort is the Yebisu Backyard Place, a buying space with a number of eating places sprinkled round as properly. 

The Institute for Nature Examine, which options a big botanical backyard, might be reached from the resort in round quarter-hour by foot.

The realm surrounding the closest metro station, Ebisu, has loads of eating places and outlets, and is way more full of life than the realm across the resort. It’s a couple of 10-minute stroll away.

Ebisu station is on the Yamanote Line, which is a round line that gives entry to a lot of Tokyo’s highlights. From the station, you’ll be able to simply entry Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku, in addition to Shinagawa Station, all in lower than quarter-hour.

Tokyo Haneda Airport is round 20 minutes by automobile or 45 minutes by transit through the Yamanote and Keikyū Airport Strains. Tokyo Narita Airport is a little bit of a trek, and it’ll take you round an hour by automobile or round an hour and 45 minutes by prepare.

Westin Tokyo – Test-in

I’d truly dropped off some baggage with the Concierge crew on the Westin Tokyo a number of days previous to my arrival. I wasn’t eager on bringing my snowboard and suitcase together with me to Osaka for a number of days, and the resort was very joyful to retailer my baggage till I got here again.

My buddies flew in to Tokyo Narita, and I met them there after a fast flight from Osaka. We made our option to the resort by prepare and foot, and so they have been very a lot relieved handy their skis, snowboards, and baggage to the resort employees as we approached.

The resort opened in 1994, and is certainly attribute of instances previous. The outside is straightforward to identify from a distance but it surely’s not essentially pleasing to the eyes; nonetheless, it will get higher as you head to the grand entrance.

The foyer lounge is grandiose, and was designed to emulate the sensation of a European palace. The area is marked by massive columns, tall ceilings, and a little bit of old-school class.

We made our option to the check-in desk, which is the place the resort confirmed the variety of visitors within the room and notified me of an additional particular person cost. We’d opted to have a rollaway mattress introduced in, and since we have been splitting the fee 3 ways, we have been joyful to pay. 

My Platinum Elite advantages have been acknowledged, and the affiliate knowledgeable us of the resort’s services, together with entry to the Govt Lounge.

I made some slight efforts at “suite-talking“, which weren’t fruitful, however I didn’t actually care an excessive amount of this time.

We headed over to the elevators and as much as our room on the fifteenth flooring.

Westin Tokyo – Double Visitor Room

As quickly as we entered the room, we had a little bit of a chuckle at the way it appeared with three beds squished collectively. On the identical time, it’s bigger than different resort rooms in Tokyo, and we wound up having greater than sufficient area between the three of us.

The room opens as much as a small hallway, with a closet tucked off to the left. Inside, you’ll discover the everyday further bathrobes, ironing board, and hangers.

Simply previous the closet is the room’s minibar, which got here geared up with a Nespresso machine, a tea kettle, three bottles of water, and a mini-fridge with drinks for buy. I appreciated that the resort had proactively offered three of every little thing upfront of our keep.

Previous the minibar, the room opens as much as the bed room. The three beds took up a lot of the area, and the rollaway mattress was squeezed between the opposite two beds.

Reverse from the beds is the flat-screen TV, a DVD participant, a dresser, and a baggage rack. Once we first entered the room, I used to be happy to search out the baggage that I had left with the Concierge a number of days prior.

There have been additionally three units of Japanese pajamas within the dresser, which we after all needed to attempt on.

Within the nook of the room is a desk, which I used throughout the day when my buddies have been out exploring town. The chair was snug, and it was a pleasant quiet area to work from.

Subsequent to the room’s home windows have been two armchairs, a desk, and a single ottoman. We’d chosen craft beers as a part of the welcome present, which have been introduced up shortly after check-in.

In opposition to the wall near the armchairs is a make-up desk, mirror, and air air purifier.

The view from our room confronted away from the Tokyo Tower, and we had a view of Meguro Metropolis as an alternative.

Heading again to the doorway, there’s a spacious rest room full with a separate bathtub, walk-in bathe, Japanese bathroom, and enormous self-importance. In line with the remainder of the old-school type of the room, every little thing concerning the rest room introduced me again a number of a long time.

For those who recognize the appeal of carpeted flooring, heavy drapes, picket furnishings, and a moderately beige wallpaper, you’re certain to be happy on the Westin Tokyo. Whereas the room actually wasn’t fashionable by any means, at the very least there was cohesion all through the bed room, rest room, and the remainder of the resort, for that matter.

As we have been utilizing the resort as a base for exploring town, assembly with buddies, and resting up, we had every little thing we would have liked in our room. 

Westin Tokyo – Govt Lounge

One of many components that weighed closely in my determination to guide this resort was the presence of an Govt Lounge, which I loved entry to with my Platinum Elite standing. Friends staying on Membership Degree rooms additionally take pleasure in entry.

The lounge is situated on the seventeenth flooring of the resort, and is open each day from 7am–8pm. There’s a check-in desk with a small foyer, the place lounge employees greet you upon entry and ensure your room quantity.

The lounge faces north, and has loads of pure mild flowing in by means of an abundance of home windows. On the rightmost facet of the lounge, there’s a good view of the enduring Tokyo Tower, so make sure to snag a seat on this half of the lounge to take pleasure in a view.

In any other case, you’ll be able to select from a wide range of tables, the perfect of that are situated subsequent to the home windows. The lounge employees shortly made preparations for us as a bunch of three, since most tables are arrange for pairs.

Breakfast is served within the lounge from 7–10am. We got here by every morning throughout our keep to gas up for the day.

Instantly upon coming into, the employees discovered us a pleasant desk, after which took our beverage orders instantly. I appreciated the attentive service we acquired within the Govt Lounge on the Westin Tokyo, and it continued each different time we came around.

The breakfast objects are unfold out in three completely different areas, and employees additionally come round to take orders for eggs.

On the far finish of the lounge is the new meals station. Whereas the choice diverse a bit every day, we all the time discovered some dumplings, quiche, spring rolls, steamed veggies, grilled rooster, sausages, and bacon.

Alongside the inside wall within the centre of the room was a protracted counter with numerous chilly objects, together with a modest salad bar, contemporary fruits, rice balls, cheese, and chilly cuts. There’s additionally a pot of oatmeal on this space.

A central island within the lounge performs host to numerous different breakfast objects, together with yogurts, pastries, cereals, and buns.

For drinks, the Govt Lounge on the Westin Tokyo gives contemporary smoothies, fruit juices, espresso, and tea, in addition to a number of chilly drinks from a fridge.

I loved coming as much as the lounge for breakfast within the morning, and often opted for a Japanese-style omelette, a number of smoothies, and a few objects from the new meals part.

After breakfast, the lounge serves as a quiet work space, and also you’ll have a selection of self-serve gentle drinks and cookies at your disposal.

Afternoon tea is hosted within the Govt Lounge on the Westin Tokyo from 2–4pm. It was fairly quiet after I popped in for some sweets, however there was a pleasant number of objects accessible to snack on.

The night hors d’oeuvres and cocktail service runs from 5–6pm and from 6–7pm in two seatings. That is provided that the lounge is busy, and in any other case, it simply runs as a steady service throughout that point.

We got here up right here to toast my buddies’ arrival on the primary night time, after which made certain to seize some snacks and a drink earlier than heading out in town on the opposite nights.

The employees got here by to take drink orders, and there was additionally self-serve beer, wine, and gentle drinks. Moreover, there was a small number of meals accessible, which might be sufficient for a meal in case you weren’t planning on having fun with every little thing else that Tokyo has to supply.

In truth, we have been having a lot enjoyable that I stored my digital camera tucked away.

Westin Tokyo – Eating

The Westin Tokyo has numerous eating venues all through the resort.

On the primary flooring, you’ll discover The Terrace, which serves buffet meals for breakfast from 7–10:30am, lunch from 11:30am–2pm on weekdays and 12–4pm on weekends, and dinner from 6–10pm on weekdays and 5–10pm on weekends.

You’ll additionally discover The Lounge and The Bar on the primary flooring, open from 12–10pm and 12–11pm, respectively.

On the second flooring of the resort are two eating places. Mai serves Japanese delicacies for lunch and dinner, and Ryutenmon serves Cantonese delicacies for lunch and dinner. 

On the twenty second flooring of the resort, you’ll discover Victors, which serves French delicacies for lunch and dinner, Yebisu, a teppanyaki restaurant open for lunch and dinner, and Compass Rose, a “sky lounge” that’s solely open from Thursday–Sunday and on holidays. 

We have been busy having fun with Tokyo’s sights, sounds, and tastes, and didn’t handle to squeeze in a meal at any of the venues this time round.

Westin Tokyo – Different Services

For a resort of its dimension, the Westin Tokyo options comparatively few different services for visitors. Notably absent is a swimming pool.

Le Spa Parisien is situated on the fourth flooring of the resort, and it’s open from 10am–7:30pm each day apart from Tuesdays.

The health centre, formally generally known as the Westin Exercise Health Studio, can also be situated on the fourth flooring of the resort. It’s open across the clock, ought to it’s essential to work off your jetlag within the center the night time.

It’s a reasonably well-appointed area, with three completely different rooms complete. One room is a yoga studio, the primary room is host to treadmills, bikes, and elliptical machines, and the third room is a bit smaller, however options weightlifting gear.

I popped in previous to lunch on daily basis, and located the area to be totally appropriate for a good exercise

Conclusion

The Westin Tokyo is a basic resort with many eating services, a grand entrance and foyer, and an Govt Lounge with views of the Tokyo Tower. 

We didn’t spend a complete lot of time within the resort, as we have been out galavanting throughout town and assembly up with buddies for dinner. Our room was completely appropriate for a snug, quiet keep, if not a bit cramped for a bunch of three grown males.

The Govt Lounge is certainly an awesome function on the Westin Tokyo. You should definitely head up within the night for drinks with a view at night time, which it’s also possible to take pleasure in whilst you eat breakfast the subsequent day.

If you’ll find a money charge on the decrease finish of the vary, there’s undoubtedly some worth to be discovered on the resort. Nonetheless, given its location, you gained’t be very central to a lot of Tokyo’s essential attracts, though there’s a metro station comparatively shut by for getting round.