I frequently
slip in and out of a hotel without so much as a peep. With today's automated
check-in kiosks, voice activated wake-up calls, and key-activated 24-hour fitness
centers, I can be remarkably self-reliant while on the road, and even somewhat anonymous.
It's easy to
feel at home when travelling to familiar cities, and travel is always easier
when you speak the local language. But when traveling to unfamiliar places, I
can be at the mercy of a hotel, for just about everything: strange plugs that might
fry my laptop, restaurants with English menus, directions, flagging a taxi. Thankfully,
at The Four Seasons at Marunouchi, Tokyo, a hotel renowned for its intuitive
service, I was in good hands.
When I
arrived at Tokyo Station via the Bullet Train (after a 14 hour flight), I was jetlagged
and lost. To be sure, I was helpless. Hauling my luggage through the city's
main transportation hub, I was baffled by the number of exits. I clutched my reservation confirmation at the
Four Seasons, which was supposed to be “57 steps away from Tokyo Station.”
But 57
steps in which direction? Stepping out the Yaesu South Exit, I found myself in
the middle of a bus depot. I didn't know how to ask for directions in Japanese,
and the weekend crowds were in a rush.
And did I
mention that it was cold and raining?
Reluctantly,
I called the front desk at the hotel for help, and took a deep breath. Within minutes, uniformed attendant arrived at
the exit, greeted me with a polite bow, and led me down the street to the hotel.
I'd encourage any hotel guest to arrange
this meeting beforehand. A closer look at the hotel confirmation read: “Four
Seasons will meet guests at a platform of Tokyo Station and escort them to the
Hotel at no cost.” The attendant was thoughtful enough to bring extra
umbrellas.
Even if it
were not my first time in Tokyo, I might have gotten confused about
the hotel's location. The Four Seasons at Marunouchi is discreetly tucked within
a landmark glass-clad tower, Pacific Century Place, a 31-level office and
retail development in the Marunouchi central business district. The hotel
occupies just five levels of the tower. To add to the confusion, the lobby,
front desk and public facilities are on the 7th floor, and the guest rooms and
suites are between floors three through six.
Given its
limitations ”“ low ceilings, or mundane views, in addition - the hotel
gracefully overcomes any design challenge. This intimate hotel has only 57
rooms, including nine suites. The remarkably spacious rooms are designed for the business traveller. My room was full of space conserving touches,
like a tri-panel full length wardrobe mirror, which tucks away into the wall. The
wall-to-wall windows provide a sense of openness, although my view was into a
neighboring office building. Thankfully,
all the attention is drawn inward, where all the action is: rooms are full of contemporary appointments.
After 14
dehydrating hours on a plane, I gratefully climbed into the deep soaking tub. The
enormous bathroom offered adjustable lighting, and hidden speakers piped in the
TV or music. A private frosted glass WC encases a most amazing TOTO Washlet and bidet seat. “Don't be afraid of our toilet,” a placard
near the door read, with instructions for its use. Contemporary, indeed.
If that
bathroom isn't big enough, the Spa on the 7th floor offers wet spa facilities,
which include a steam sauna, jet showers, Japanese scrub showers and a
traditional Onsen bath with imported mineral water from hot springs, separate for men and women. The
adjacent 24-hour fitness studio features extensive, up-to-date equipment. Next
time, I may undo my jetlag with Shiatsu, aromatherapy or reflexology in one of
two private treatment rooms.
The in-room
amenities, too, are thoughtful. Western
hotels have not yet even caught onto offering complimentary toothbrushes. Alongside
the standard shower cap, The Four Seasons Tokyo at Marunouchi also provides
hair brushes, hair ties, face blotting paper, shaving cream, and razors. Japanese style robes, as well as western
pajamas, are found neatly folded in drawers.
For a breath of fresh air in the early morning, try Tokyo's most popular jogging route two
blocks from the Hotel: the outer moat of the Imperial Palace, home to Japan's Imperial family. The Concierge can provide you with a map, as
well as directions to the Palace.
I might add
that I was at the mercy of the Concierge for directions every time I set foot
outside the hotel. The staff offered detailed maps, and directed taxi drivers to your destination. A
taxi pickup at the hotel entails an awkward turn u-turn in the adjacent garage.
In the rain, it would have been inconvenient to walk to the main street for a
taxi, and perhaps more inconvenient to speak broken Japanese to a taxi driver.
Early in
the morning, at least one in your lifetime, sushi at the Tsukiji Fish Market is
a profound experience. If raw fish at 7:00 AM does not suit your fancy, Ekki Bar &
Grill on the 7th floor offers “contemporary New York-style cuisine.” Simple
international menus are available, from breakfast to casual lunch items to more
formal dining in the evening.
Among the best reasons to stay at the Four Seasons at Marunouchi is its
proximity to the neighbouring Ginza shopping district, where you can find major
department stores like Mitsokoshi, Printemps and Seibu among hundreds of
international boutiques. Most notably, stores are easily accessible on a single
promenade (unlike other shopping districts like Shibuya, or worse, Harajuku,
where the streets are unmarked, and building numbers follow no logic.)
Four
Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, is an ideal refuge from the hustle and
bustle of Tokyo. It is a polished luxury hotel
which caters to the most sophisticated traveler. Or lost, jetlagged, and helpless
travelers, like me, with equal precision.
Rates begin
at 52,000 Japanese Yen (JPY), approximately $441.32 (USD)
Four
Seasons Hotel, Tokyo at Marunouchi
Pacific
Century Place, 1-11-1 Marunouchi
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo,
Japan
100-6277
Phone: 81 (3)
5222-7222
www.fourseasons.com/marunouchi
