Hot Topics » Radovan Karadzic • Zimbabwe • Iraq • Environment • America votes • Olympics • more topics »
  Edition: U.S. | Arabic | Set Pref
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Peninsula's latest
New Peninsula hotels don’t come along that often. While other chains are adding new sites by the dozen, Peninsula takes its time in deciding where and when to open one of its luxury hotels. The last was five years ago in Chicago and the latest, the Peninsula Tokyo, opened at the beginning of September. So when I got the chance to stay there, it was an opportunity too good to miss.

The hotel is small both in room numbers and in standing: a triangle in Ginza with stunning views of the Imperial Gardens. You can only see the palace roof in the distance, you won’t see the Emperor wandering about the garden.

The good

The rooms are exceptionally well furnished (as you’d expect). They have perfected the bedside control panel so it looks less like Mission Control and actually allows you to turn off the lights when requested, rather than opening the curtains, calling the valet or something else unintended. They have looked carefully and learned from other’s mistakes.
The bathrooms are a treat. I could have spent all day watching the automatic toilet seat raising and lowering itself. Or deciding which of the “specialised” nozzles I preferred – the lighting can be full, mood, or spa. The glass doors are a bit fierce in closing, and I suspect this will cause trouble in the future.
The dressing room was large, too large I think, you are apt to put things down and forget you have left them there.
All in all – the rooms are a delight.


The bad

The lobby and the lobby restaurant. You walk into the hotel and straight into the restaurant. Without walls, potted palms or nooks and crannies There is absolutely no privacy for anyone sitting here. Everyone coming in and out of the hotel will walk right past you. In some cases literally next to your table.
This wouldn’t be so bad if there was another, more private lounge to meet besides your room. But during the day, there really isn’t. In the country of the discrete, many top business people will shudder at the openness of this. It was a big negative for me.

The tests

I put the hotel to several tests. Firstly I asked The business center to scan documents and store them on my disc – and then left them to it. It was done correctly, quickly and efficiently. Top marks for this.
Second, as I left the hotel I asked the front desk to retrieve a shirt from my room and put it into the laundry. This was done, but they also put all the other dirty clothes into the laundry despite me asking for just the shirt.

Finally, I broke my shoes during the trip and asked them to have them repaired. The only reply I got was it would take three weeks and cost 20 thousand yen. Not a suggestion about where I might buy more, or did I need to borrow a pair to get me through my trip.

Interesting oddities

Look inside the atrium cavity opposite the lifts. This is “dead space” required by law. They have put the most amazing fibre optic sculptures (I thought they looked like long legs) and are a truly different.

The staff

Well-meaning, ultra-polite and usually rather inefficient. The hotel training needs to be more rigorous about “getting the job done” and not just “bowing and scraping.”


The food

Being the new kid on the block, this is the in-place where Tokyo’s Ladies do Lunch and Afternoon Tea. They often line up for more than an hour to get a table. It’s fun to watch. Guests don’t have to wait.

The restaurant on the roof is excellent and not too expensive. Stunning views over Tokyo. A bit soulless in atmosphere but that will change.

Room service was fast, efficient and extremely tasty. It was not cheap.

Peninsula Hotels are expensive and a cut above the rest. The Tokyo hotel is their new baby. It is still teething. In a year or so it will grow into a fine, strapping specimen … but at the moment, like all other toddlers, I would let someone else suffer the growing pains and stay somewhere else.

Richard Quest CNN Tokyo
Posted by Richard Quest: 12:04 PM
0 Comments Add a comment
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
Home  |  Asia  |  Europe  |  U.S.  |  World  |  World Business  |  Technology  |  Entertainment  |  World Sport  |  Travel
Podcasts  |  Blogs  |  CNN Mobile  |  RSS Feeds  |  Email Alerts  |  CNN Radio  |  CNNAvantGo  |  Site Map
CNN en Espaňol  |  Arabic  |  Japanese  |  Korean  |  Turkish
CNN U.S.  |  CNN U.S. TV  |  CNN International TV  |  Headline News  |  Transcripts
© 2008 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of service  |  Privacy guidelines  |  Advertise with us  |  About us  |  Contact us  |  Help