I stayed here for a week on business. I needed a hotel where the rooms were comfortable to work in for half a day each day, but with business support and convenient to the Ginza line of the subway. This was a superb answer. I had a King room on level 32. Colleagues in corner rooms were in slightly larger spaces. It is worth seeing if you can get a room facing Mount Fuji, although variable weather and poor visibility makes sightings rare.
The room was very comfortable and well set up for a business traveller (and large enough to avoid cabin fever). Rooms in the nearby Excel hotel are totally unsuited to work in. The guest services staff were excellent. Shibuya station is very close. The hotel itself is well located in Shibuya. The ground floor restaurant and bar were handy for meetings and the food was fine (although lovers of good italian espresso will be disappointed, but will at least survive!).
The curiously named "Airport Limosine" Bus service offers comfortable, reasonably priced transfers from hotel door to Narita.
While there I had a reasonable meal in Kanetanaka-so, the inhouse Japanese restaurant. Sashimi was delightful and well presented. A bamboo rice cleverly evoked simple rural fare. Unfortunately the tempura batter was falling apart and oily.
A meal at the Coucagno on the 40th floor was superb (I am unsure whether it still retains its Michelin hat, but would not be surprised if it does).
Perhaps the most extraordinary act of service I have ever seen in a hotel occurred at check out. Rushing, I dropped my house keys on the floor as I left my room. I was just boarding the airport bus a few minutes later when front of house ran up to me and returned them. For housekeeping to be in the room, see them and for me to be located and identified in the space of 5 minutes was simply remarkable. It was consistent with the whole tone of the establishment.
- Cerulean Hotel Tokyu
