What’s so fabulous about staying in 5 star hotels in Tokyo (see our write up on the very impressive Hotel Otani, which we LOVED), is that they feel like 6 star hotels if they were to exist and their 4 star hotels feel like American 5 star properties. On the tail end of my trip in July, I stayed at the ideally located Keio Plaza Hotel which is in a fabulous and central part of the city. Shopping (electronics, clothes and more) are nearby as are great bars, pubs, restaurants, sushi and noodle joints.
While those who know me know that I love old world style in both hotels and restaurants, I also really appreciate modern style hotels if done well – in other words, they think of flow, space, lighting and feng shui in great detail. Both the Otani and the Keio Plaza win hands down not to mention the additional perk of great views of the city.
Located in Shinjuku, in the very heart of the Tokyo metropolis, it’s an incredible location for people who need a lot of stimuli. On all sides, there’s colors, sounds, restaurants, and people from all walks of life. I randomly ran across a parade in the streets one late afternoon as I was walking around Shinjuku — tons of fun!
It can be overwhelming at times, but if you like the energy of Times Square or Shibuya, then you’ll love this location — the nice thing is that the hotel itself is a few blocks walk from the insanity of the energetic pulse, so you have the serenity of a luxurious hotel without the chaos, yet are steps from the bustle of fabulous Tokyo nightlife.
Two things to note for those of you who have never stayed in a hotel in Tokyo — they have heated seats with advanced “digital” flushing capabilities, often great views as this appears to be important to Tokyo designers, great closets (complete with all the amenities that used to come in American hotels but no longer do like those old fashioned wooden shoe horns and pads), and over the top lighting functionality. Translation on that last factoid. Imagine being able to lie in bed at night and being able to control every aspect of the lighting in the room without having to leave the bed. If you want to dim the light in the right corner, you can, or shut off the light near the door but keep the one on over the bed for late night reading, all of it comes with a simple button click from a control panel by your bed. This may not be a feature at 3 star properties OR all 4 or 5 star properties, but it was certainly the case with the two hotels I stayed at and in two others I viewed.
The Keio Plaza Hotel’s service was also top notch. When I walked into the lobby, two people took my luggage immediately and set my bags on a cart while watching over them until I had my keys. Then, two, not one people escorted me to my guest room. The concierge was also out of this world, offering tons of great advice, maps and short cuts to make my navigation of the city easier than I ever could have hoped for…
The property has 1,435 guest rooms to choose from to accommodate your every need. I tested out their fitness center which offered great views of the city and was just down the hall from a stunning deck pool, which also offered stunning views.
It appeared to also be a great choice for business travelers — wifi seems to be of top priority and it was….fast. Note: it’s best to check out the pool in the morning or end of day when it’s less windy due to its location, however in the summer, that’s rarely an issue.
Details:
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo
160-8330 Japan
Tel:+81 3 3344 0111
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
