Review: The Westin Tokyo | Frugal Flyer
On my last night in Tokyo, I chose The Westin Tokyo because I wanted to explore the nearby Shibuya District and because it’s one of the Marriott properties closer to Tokyo Haneda Airport, where my Japan Airlines 777 First Class flight would depart the following day.
While I probably wouldn’t recommend this property for most travelers looking to maximize their time in Tokyo due to its distance from the nearest metro station, the hotel itself and its amenities are excellent if you have a reason to stay in this particular part of the city.
Booking
I booked my stay using a favorable travel industry rate, which provided a solid break off of Tokyo’s typically high hotel prices, especially during the peak summer travel season around my mid-August visit.
Standard nightly rates range from ¥60,000 to ¥80,000 (CA$515 to CA$830). During periods of exceptionally high demand, such as cherry blossom season, rates can climb to well over CA$1,000 per night.
Marriott Bonvoy redemptions aren’t especially attractive here, with rates usually falling between 70,000 and 110,000 points per night. In most cases, that would likely result in a valuation below one cent per point. While there may be a case for redeeming points when cash rates exceed CA$1,000 per night, spending hundreds of thousands of points on a multi-night stay at what is ultimately a standard city Westin property would be tough to justify.
Check-in
The Westin Tokyo is now more than 30 years old, and its age is noticeable from the exterior design. While the structure itself looks somewhat dated, the hotel has undergone numerous renovations over the years, including updates to many of the public spaces and guest rooms.
However, much of the exterior and lobby still embrace a classic old-school aesthetic, with glossy wood-paneled walls, towering columns, and a distinctly classic sense of elegance.
The lobby is a grand space with towering columns and intricate chandeliers.
Aside from the reception area, the lobby bar and lounge are on this floor along with the main breakfast restaurant.
Despite being a large and busy hotel, I never encountered a wait during check-in or check-out, and the staff greeted me promptly at every interaction.
The check-in agent acknowledged my Titanium Elite status and explained the Marriott Bonvoy breakfast benefits available to me, including access to the Executive Lounge throughout the day with breakfast and evening cocktail service.
I was also given the option to choose the restaurant breakfast instead of the 1,000-point welcome amenity. Otherwise, I had to have my breakfast in the lounge. I chose the restaurant breakfast, as I always enjoy the extensive buffet breakfasts in Asia.
In hindsight, the Executive Lounge breakfast likely would have been more than sufficient and noticeably less crowded.
The front desk agent made no mention of a room upgrade, though one wasn’t really necessary. I was traveling solo, and a standard room was perfectly suitable for my stay. With that said, I was handed the keys to a room on the 16th floor.
Location
Location is everything when choosing a hotel in Tokyo, and unfortunately the location of this hotel is its weakest aspect. While I would not call this location bad, as it sits in a quieter part of town which provides a nice break from the hustle of the rest of the city, the walk to and from the nearest metro station became tiresome very quickly.
Even at a normal pace, it will likely take around 20 minutes from leaving your room to reaching the train platform. If you end up making that trip several times a day, it can quickly eat into the time you could be spending enjoying the city’s sights.
The Westin Tokyo is located in Tokyo’s Ebisu district and is part of the Yebisu Garden Place complex, a mixed-use urban development with shops, restaurants, offices, and landscaped grounds. If you’re looking for a hotel in a quieter part of the city that’s reasonably close to Tokyo’s main attractions, this property certainly fits the bill, though I found it to be too far from many of Tokyo’s major tourist areas.
Ebisu Station is the closest train station to The Westin Tokyo and operates on the Yamanote Line. The station is just a few stops from both Shibuya and Shinjuku stations, so it’s convenient from that standpoint. The area around Ebisu Station also offers a good selection of local shops and restaurants.
Tokyo–Haneda Airport (HND) is about 45 minutes by transit and requires a line change at Shinagawa Station. The Westin Tokyo is on the opposite side of the city to Tokyo–Narita Airport (NRT), and you’ll likely be facing a 2-hour journey by transit to reach Narita Airport.
Parking
Self-parking is available for ¥1,200 per hour, and valet parking is offered at a flat rate of ¥2,000 per day.
Room – Deluxe 2 Double Guest Room
I was assigned a room on the 16th floor. Although it was a base-level room, it appeared to have been very recently renovated and featured a sleek, contemporary design. The room made excellent use of modern elements, including recessed lighting, a stylish headboard, and bedside control panels with plenty of connectivity options.
The entryway to the room featured the closet on one side and the bathroom entrance on the other. Further into the room were two double-sized beds, along with a spacious overall layout.
On the wall opposite the beds was a large flatscreen TV and a luggage rack to the side.
The room had plenty of charging outlets, including several USB ports and a universal power socket on each side of both beds.
The center nightstand had an alarm clock, phone, and a control panel for operating the room lights.
Inside the smaller dresser were a couple of pairs of pajamas and there was enough room on top to place a few pieces of luggage.
Near the window was a pair of lounge-style chairs and a dining table. However, I would have preferred a more practical setup, as neither chair was particularly comfortable for working on a laptop at the table or eating a meal.
The views from the room were pleasant, overlooking the relatively quiet surrounding streets, while rooms on the north side of the building offer excellent views of Tokyo Tower.
The minibar cabinet was stocked with all the essentials, including a Nespresso machine, kettle, bottled water, and a mini fridge filled with a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The closet area offered plenty of space for hanging clothes and came stocked with a generous number of hangers. Inside, you’ll also find the in-room safe, robe, slippers, and an iron with an ironing board.
In the bathroom is a single vanity and like the rest of the room was recently updated and included a walk-in shower, Toto toilet, and a separate bathtub.
The updated guest rooms at The Westin Tokyo are excellent, featuring a modern design that fits perfectly with the Westin brand. The signature Westin Heavenly beds are, as always, extremely comfortable.
If you appreciate Westin’s minimalist, contemporary style, you’ll feel right at home here, with even the base-level rooms offering nearly everything you need.
Restaurants & Bars
Dining at The Westin Tokyo offers a diverse mix of Japanese, Chinese, and international options.
The Terrace serves as the hotel’s main all-day dining restaurant with buffet-style meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mai offers contemporary Japanese cuisine, including sushi and seasonal set menus, while Ryutenmon offers upscale Cantonese dishes in a refined setting. Yebisu provides a teppanyaki experience with a focus on premium wagyu.
For more casual options, The Lounge is popular for afternoon tea and light bites, and The Bar and Escalier offer cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere.
The hotel also features Patisserie by The Westin Tokyo, which serves coffee and takeaway pastries.
A few retail shops are also located on the lobby level, including a cigar club and lounge.
The Terrace – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complementary Breakfast
Breakfast is served daily from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM.
This is a large hotel that caters to leisure, business, and convention travelers, so the breakfast restaurant can become very busy in the morning. If you prefer a quieter setting, it’s worth opting for breakfast in the lounge instead.
The breakfast buffet offers a wide mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes, including all the usual items, like fresh fruit, yogurt, salads, eggs, pastries, and much more.
A made-to-order egg station was also available, allowing guests to order eggs prepared in any style they preferred.
In addition to the food selection, a variety of juices, coffee, and tea were available as well.
Facilities
I was somewhat surprised to learn that The Westin Tokyo doesn’t have a swimming pool. For a hotel of this size, it’s a noticeable omission, especially since the Westin brand positions itself as an upscale wellness-focused brand. Nevertheless, the hotel still offers some other facilities for guests to enjoy, including the excellent Club Lounge.
Westin Club Executive Lounge
Guests with Platinum Elite status and above, plus guests staying in an Executive level room are granted access to the Westin Club on the 17th floor.
The lounge is open from 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM every day and offers the following meal services:
- Breakfast: 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Afternoon Tea: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Evening Cocktails: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
The lounge has plenty of varied seating, good for relaxing, dining, or getting some work done.
Cold drinks, fruit, as well as coffee and tea are available throughout the day.
As well, snack items like pretzels, nuts, and raisins were available from a self-serve station near the drinks.
During the evening cocktail service, the lounge offers an impressive buffet that can easily stand in for a full meal, featuring a wide range of international dishes.
The selection includes fresh fruit, salads, cold cuts, cheeses, bread, seafood, samosas, pasta, desserts, and much more.
A wide selection of beer, wine, and spirits was also available, with a lounge attendant on hand to mix or serve drinks as needed.
The Westin Club Lounge is the hotel’s best amenity and highlights why choosing properties in Asia with a lounge can be such an important factor when deciding where to stay. While you may not want to have every meal there, you easily could, and having that option can significantly reduce your dining costs.
WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio
The fitness center at The Westin Tokyo is fairly basic, with a strong focus on cardio equipment, but it still provides enough for an adequate workout.
It is open 24 hours a day and is divided into three separate spaces, including a yoga studio, a cardio room, and a weight training area.
Several U.S. airlines use The Westin Tokyo for crew accommodations, and I was surprised at the number of airline crew in the fitness center each morning. The space is fairly small and cannot comfortably handle more than a few people at a time, which led to me just bailing on my workout because of the overcrowding and resulted in a very short and unsatisfying workout one morning.
The free weights area is also underwhelming, with dumbbells only going up to 16 kg. Overall, the fitness studio could benefit from a refresh and some upgraded equipment sooner rather than later.
Le Spa Parisien
I didn’t have the chance to visit the spa during my stay. However, you can find more details on the treatments and amenities at the spa at The Westin Tokyo on the Le Spa Parisien website.
Conclusion
The Westin Tokyo has a lot going for it. The newly refurbished rooms are a major highlight, complemented by an excellent Executive Lounge, a strong breakfast offering, and solid elite recognition.
However, many of those strengths are undermined by a location that may not appeal to most international visitors hoping to spend most of their time in Tokyo’s main tourist areas.
If you have a need to stay in this part of the city or don’t mind the daily walk to and from the nearest metro station, the hotel will serve you well as a very comfortable home base.
