Imperial Hotel Tokyo

We have stayed at some different establishments in Japan, from 3 star hotels, a Buddhist monastery, and a ryokan, which is the Japanese equivalent of the B&B. All have been clean and functional - but above all what you notice is that they are small. In space hungry Japan hotel rooms are necessarily small - remember this is the country that invented the capsule hotel.

We had planned to finish the trip in Japan with a little luxury, and while the Imperial sounded pretty smick I did not raise my hopes too high.  But hey, I reckoned it would have real beds and that was welcome after spending the last two nights on a futon.  Futons are eminently practical because they can be shoved away in a cupboard to free up living space for the day.  They do not offer much cushioning from the firm tatami mat floor, but it can't have been too bad because I slept soundly.

The Imperial Hotel looked pretty good from the outside when we arrived, and the foyer and front desk exuded establishment quailty. So far, so good.  Booking in I was underwhelmed when the receptionist advised we had been given a room upgrade.  I have been told too many times by hotel receptionists on work trips to Canberra that I have been upgraded to an Executive room, only to find that it meant I was provided Liptons Tea Bags, instead of no-name.  

Our room at at the Imperial

But here upgrade meant UPGRADE.  It started to sink in when our Bell Boy, Mori, took us up to the 17th floor and he had to use the key card to get onto the Imperial floor.  At our room door we were greeted by the Imperial floor concierge. I am ashamed to admit that I have forgetten her name (it was rather a lot to take in all at once), but Tom and I have privately nicknamed her Princess Sen.  Princess Sen is a revered tragic Japanese figure from the Edo period who retired from public life and became a Buddhist nun after a life of misery of Thomas Hardy proportions. Our Princess Sen, fully regailed in kimono, poured us some green tea and made sure we had everything we needed before leaving us to explore our Tokyo nirvana.  

It has it all - the towelling robes, coffee maker, recliner chair and footrest, Bose sound system and postcard views.  A massive, massive bed. Hotel monogrammed pyjamas - which by the way I am wearing.  At first I demured - eek I thought, hotel pyjamas, but then I considered that stance to be a bit precious as the alternative was to wear my two week old pyjamas (yes they have had a rinse out, but they are pretty manky by now).  We have a choice of buffet breakfast in one of two restaruants, or room service.  Oh, and free drinks from 6:30 to 8:00!  Obviously didn't realise we were Australians before they upgraded us.

Jo in her Imperial PJs

I am not sure what intrigues me the most, the fact that the curtains are opened electonically by a switch at the bedside, or the high tech (and huge safe) that has a USB port to charge your phone/PC while it is locked away.  No - just decided, it is neither of those - it is the television in the bathroom that means I can watch the Golf Channel while in the bath ! Now that is nirvana!

The view

Post script 

Room service breakfast.  Yes - it came delivered on hotel trolley with silver service.  Do we really have to leave ?