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.

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.

As a Mitsui Group hotel, it exudes a strong Japanese vibe from the moment you step in. If you're looking to experience Japan's version of 'Atour' and immerse yourself in local Japanese culture, I highly recommend this hotel. We booked a premium twin room with breakfast for two nights a month in advance for 2980 yen, which was a great deal comparatively. Facilities: The room facilities are excellent. Both the showerhead and hairdryer are high-end, reputable brands, supposedly quite expensive. The room features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a direct view of 'Tokyo's Wall Street,' allowing you to soak in the atmosphere of the classic financial district. The room is quite spacious, with a desk and a sofa, which is a nice touch. The air purifier and humidifier quickly help cool down the room. The biggest highlight of this hotel is the ability to open the windows; although not a direct opening, a special mechanism ensures direct air circulation with the outside, a feature many hotels lack. Cleanliness: Overall cleanliness is excellent; I didn't find any water stains. Environment: The environment is fantastic, with a very high-end decor that feels incredibly comfortable. Mitsukoshimae Station on the Asakusa Line is right downstairs, making it super convenient for getting around. Service: The staff are very friendly and enthusiastic; the front desk always greets you proactively. Breakfast is classic Japanese style, with fewer Western options. I'd suggest trying breakfast for just one day. While it's unique, the taste is average, and many of the Japanese cold dishes might not appeal to everyone's palate. Plus, breakfast at this hotel is a bit pricey, making it less value for money.

It’s our second time visiting the hotel, we felt like the service and experience has not been as good as our first visit.  A few things to note: neighborhood has a lot of drunk people at night and it wasn’t quite clean  Room is spacious but the housekeeping failed to give a personal touch. For 5 stars hotel, housekeeper usually will note the preference of guest and try to make guest feels like it’s a home away from home, Bellustar makes you feel like it is a hotel. Every day it is back to factory setting. Taxi or uber are NOT allowed to drop off at lobby where there is covered. We need to be dropped off on side road and walk… don’t quite understand why. We asked and hotel said it’s policy?! It’s an overall great hotel but considering the pricing point and experience we had, there are many other choices in Tokyo we can go for.

This is my second time staying here for a business trip to Tokyo. The room was incredibly spacious, and the service was excellent. The location is super convenient, close to Shiomi Station, which makes it easy to get to both Tokyo Station and Disney. Plus, there are some really authentic Japanese restaurants nearby!

My overall experience with this stay was quite complex, feeling more like a test of service management capabilities. On the first day, the room cleaning quality was noticeably below expectations. The wash area, countertop details, and some amenities weren't clean enough, and the bedding wasn't tidied properly. From a housekeeping management perspective, this felt more like a failure in process execution rather than an isolated incident, and it definitely affected my first impression. However, after I raised the issue, the hotel's recovery actions were prompt. In the following days, the room cleaning was significantly more standardized, with noticeable improvements in detail. This indicates that the hotel is capable of good service, but the initial day's execution standards simply weren't met. In contrast, Trip.com's service experience during this incident left a deeper impression. The customer service proactively followed up, communicated efficiently, and handled the situation professionally. They were able to push for problem resolution from a customer experience perspective, demonstrating a mature platform service system. This level of after-sales responsiveness is quite high among current online travel platforms. Overall Rating: The hotel's hardware and positioning are fine, but there's room for improvement in service consistency, especially regarding the first-day delivery standards of housekeeping management. Trip.com's coordination and service performance in this incident, on the other hand, highlighted the professional value of their platform.

Ascott Marunouchi can easily be considered one of Tokyo's best serviced apartments. Its prime location in Otemachi is perfect for business travelers, offering convenient access to Tokyo Station and a plethora of dining options nearby. The hotel itself is quite upscale, boasting luxurious decor, well-designed lighting for the evening, and comfortable beds and pillows. The internet connection is also excellent, and the service is top-notch. With amenities like an oven, induction cooktop, washing machine, and water purifier, it's also ideal for longer stays.

Our family trip to Tokyo was made much easier by this hotel—it was an excellent choice for us. They offer adjoining rooms and sofa beds, which gave us plenty of space and flexibility. The location is another big plus: set within a family-friendly park, it’s just a short walk to Tokyo Tower, great restaurants, and nearby subway stations. One thing to keep in mind: the elevators are split—floors 1–18 and 19–32 are served separately, and access to floors 18–32 requires a key card. So if you’re booking multiple room types, just double-check which floors they’re on to avoid any confusion.

The room was quite small, basically just a place to sleep. You could open your suitcase, but it made the space feel a bit cramped. The room's amenities weren't very new. The only thing I found really practical was the spacious vanity, which was great for putting things down. However, I wouldn't say it was easy to do makeup, as the whole bathroom was quite basic, lacking a proper vanity light or mirror. Although this hotel came up as one of the top three (I think it was the first) when I searched for Shinjuku area accommodations, the closest subway station is actually Nishi-Shinjuku. It takes about a fifteen-minute walk to get to Shinjuku JR Station. There aren't many convenience stores nearby, as the hotel is located above the metropolitan government building. There were even some homeless people in the vicinity (?). The hotel staff automatically provide service in English, which made communication much smoother than in many other Japanese hotels. The guests were also predominantly Westerners. The most impressive part of the entire hotel was probably the grand lobby. Overall, the service was fine, but next time, I'd probably use a similar budget to stay at a different five-star hotel.

The hotel is a bit of an uphill walk from Shinagawa Station, and you take an elevator to the first-floor lobby, which is grandly decorated. However, when I tried to check in early, I encountered a Japanese front desk staff member who looked like I owed her money. After paying 4,000 yen for two hours, she told me I'd still have to wait ten minutes for a room (which would have been past the 30-minute mark already). I immediately questioned her about this unfair policy, and she eventually refunded me for one hour. In the end, I got my room card 50 minutes later, successfully checking in an hour early. There was a resonant buzzing sound in the room, but aside from that, the hotel's room service staff were very polite. The room itself was quite spacious and had a balcony, offering a clear view of Tokyo Tower from our 11th-floor room. It's also very close to Takanawa Station. I would consider staying here again if the price is right.